🦊 Snowy London

Morning, London! Happy Thursday. Later than usual this week because the holiday blur is still very much in charge until the weekend. From next week, normal service resumes. 8.30am sharp, like a nail delivery.

Anyway, kids are back in school, routines are creaking back into place, and London is slowly remembering how weekdays work. Just in time for Storm Goretti to roll in and for snow to finally make an appearance. Of course it did while I was away. More is apparently on the way tomorrow too, which should keep trains guessing and group chats lively.

Alright 2026, here we come.

. LONDON SNIPPETS .
Bits that caught our eye

🌧️ Storm Goretti: Will It Soak London?. Storm Goretti is battering much of the UK, and while London has dodged the worst of the weather warnings so far, the Met Office says the capital should still brace for a soggy and chaotic couple of days. Umbrellas up, trains delayed, moods dampened. Full story

🏊‍♂️ Canary Wharf Is Getting a Floating Lido and Saunas A floating lido is coming to Canary Wharf this summer, complete with two saunas and a clubhouse, because apparently cold water and corporate views are a vibe now. Open 364 days a year, it is perfect for both the brave winter dippers and summer Aperol splashers. Bring your swimsuit and your existential crisis. Full story

🦁 London Zoo Starts Its Annual Animal Count as ZSL Turns 200. It’s stocktake season at London Zoo, where keepers are busy counting more than 8,000 animals — from ants to lions — as part of their yearly audit. The Zoological Society of London is also celebrating its 200th birthday, and with new penguin chicks, rare frogs and the world's rarest doves hatching this year, it is shaping up to be a very happy one. Full story

. BRAIN BITES.
Wow your kid, and outsmart the other parents

Fun Fact: Every snowflake has six sides, but no two are ever exactly the same. ❄️🔬 Their hexagon shape comes from how water molecules freeze. And because conditions are always shifting, each flake grows into its own icy fingerprint. Billions fall every year, and not one copy-paste in sight.

London Fact: The earliest recorded snowfall in London happened on 25 September 1885. 🏙️❄️ Yes, it snowed in September. It didn’t settle, but flakes were officially seen drifting over the city, giving Londoners an early panic about coats and transport delays before autumn had even started.

. EVENTS SCOOP .
What’s on this week?

🦎 Creative Creatures Play @ Horniman Museum
Date & Loc: Jan 9–14, Forest Hill SE23
A pop-up winter play space inspired by animals, with climbing, dressing up, building, imaginative play and a calm craft area, designed especially for younger children.
Age: Under 7s | Price: £6 | Info

🦌 The Gruffalo’s Child @ Lyric Theatre
Date & Loc: Jan 9-11, Shaftesbury Ave W1D
A snowy stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved story, with songs, puppetry and plenty of gentle thrills.
Age: 3+ | Price: from £10 | Info

📖 The House With the Little Red Door @ Young V&A
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), Bethnal Green E2
A live reading and signing with author-illustrator Grace Easton, sharing her new picture book about friendship and finding home.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

✂️ Family Craft Saturdays @ Horniman Museum
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), Forest Hill SE23
Free, drop-in craft sessions inspired by the Horniman’s collections. A relaxed way to get hands-on with materials and ideas, supported by friendly volunteers.
Age: 3+ | Price: No cost | Info

🎨 Frost Fair Block Printing @ Guildhall Art Gallery
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), City EC2
Celebrate the chilly season with Jack Frost–themed block printing, stories and hands-on crafts as part of Guildhall’s monthly family sessions.
Age: Everyone | Price: No cost | Info

🧵 Meet the Designer @ Young V&A
Date & Loc: Jan 10,17 & 24, Bethnal Green E2
Drop in to meet textile designer Amanda Vesthardt in The Shed and explore sustainable making, recycled materials, and experimental techniques in action.
Age: Families | Price: No cost | Info

🚌 Buses & Bells @ Tower Bridge
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), Tower Bridge SE1
A drop-in creative activity exploring London’s sounds and stories, included with entry to Tower Bridge. Easy to pair with a riverside wander.
Age: 6-10yo | Price: incl. with adm | Info

🐔 Chickenshed’s Tales from the Shed @ Discover Children’s Story Centre
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), Stratford E15
Colourful, musical storytelling from the brilliant Chickenshed Theatre. Lively, inclusive and just right for younger kids.
Age: All ages | Price: £5 | Info

🐋 The Tale of the Loneliest Whale @ Half Moon
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), Limehouse E14
A gentle, interactive theatre show following a lonely whale on an underwater adventure, with puppetry, music and storytelling that draws children right into the deep blue sea.
Age: 4+ | Price: £9 | Info

🩰 Ballet of Lights: Cinderella @ Shaw Theatre
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), Euston NW1
Cinderella reimagined in a glow-in-the-dark ballet, with illuminated costumes, classical music and a modern twist that feels properly magical.
Age: 5+ | Price: from £37 | Info

👑 Snow White & the Messy Dwarves @ Lauderdale House
Date & Loc: Jan 10 (Sat), Highgate N6
A playful, gentle panto for little ones, with silly songs, friendly chaos and a Snow White who’s not quite as sharp as she thinks.
Age: 1–6yrs | Price: from £8 | Info

🌱 Workshop: Plant Puppets @ Little Angel Theatre
Date & Loc: Jan 10-11, Islington N1
A hands-on workshop where kids create their own plant-inspired puppet, celebrating houseplants, creativity and imaginative play.
Age: 4–8 yrs | Price: £10 | Info

🎬 Family Film Screening: The Iron Giant @ Garden Cinema
Date & Loc: Jan 10–11, Covent Garden WC2B
A big-hearted animated classic about friendship, bravery and a giant robot from space. Sunday screenings are followed by a free kids’ activity.
Age: 5–17yrs | Price: pay what you can (from £3) | Info

🚚 Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow-N-Fire @ The O2
Date & Loc: Jan 10-11, Greenwich SE10
Huge trucks, flames, noise and full-on spectacle. Very loud, very exciting, very much not subtle.
Age: 3+ | Price: from £50 | Info

🎪 Out of the Box @ Jacksons Lane
Date & Loc: Jan 11 (Sun), Highgate N6
A high-energy, laugh-out-loud family show packed with circus skills, audience interaction and joyful chaos.
Age: 5+ | Price: £14 | Info

🚀 Astronights @ Science Museum
Date & Loc: Jan 16 (Fri), South Kensington SW7
A night at the museum, literally. After-hours access, space-themed workshops, shows and activities, then sleep among the galleries. A proper childhood memory-maker.
Age: 7–11yrs | Price: £80 | Info

📚 Story Festival @ Young V&A
Date & Loc: Jan 24 (Sat), Bethnal Green E2
A one-day festival of free performances and hands-on activities celebrating storytelling through music, puppetry, dance and creative workshops across the museum.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

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