Morning, London! Happy Thursday! We've made it through the first week of the year—kids are back to school, the office buzz is returning, and the days are finally getting a bit longer.

I'm spending my last 24 hours abroad before catching a long flight back to our beloved city. It's tough saying goodbye to this adventure, but I'm eager to dive back into our familiar London rhythm.

This is the last lite edition of the Scoop. We’ll be back to full strength next week, landing in your inbox at 8:30 AM every Thursday. With most holiday events wrapping up by January 5th, our list this week is a bit slimmer as London takes a brief pause; it always happens mid January. But don't worry, the city is just gearing up to shower us with a fresh lineup of activities for the family.

But first, the weather:

EVENT SCOOP

What’s on this week?

Like we mentioned earlier, it’s definitely a lighter lineup this week since London’s catching its breath after the holiday rush. Most venues are gearing up, so expect things to pick up soon as places start buzzing again and get ready to welcome us back!

🎭 Hansel and Gretel @ Royal Opera House
Date & Loc: Last day!, Covent Garden
The magic of the Grimm tales comes to life in this mischievous production. A fairy tale adventure for all.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £5 | Info

🎨 Saturday Sessions @ Southbank Centre
Date & Loc: Jan 11th, Southbank
Through workshops and live performance, step inside a human wonderland as we play, make and experience a journey through the body.
Age: 5-11 | Price: Free | Info

🖍️ Kids Craft Session @ Wood Street Library
Date & Loc: Jan 11th, Walthamstow
Exciting and varied creative projects, often focusing on important dates and current celebrations and topics.
Age: 3+ | Price: Free | Info

🖼️ For Arts Sake Workshops at Pitzhanger: Create Your Own Print
Date & Loc: until Jan 11th, Ealing
Dive into the world of printmaking at Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery with free drop-in workshops led by artists featured in the For Arts Sake x Pitzhanger: Original Works on Paper display. Participants can witness live demonstrations, explore printmaking techniques, and create their own unique prints in the inspiring setting of the gallery.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info

🎭 Pan @ Chickenshed Theatre
Date & Loc: Dec 5th - Jan 11th, Southgate (North London)
Get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey as we present PAN, our 50th Anniversary Christmas Show voted for by a whopping 2287 of you! When storytellers come together, new beginnings are born, and old endings cherished.
Age: 5+ | Price: from £16 | Info

🎭 Family Activities: Great Fire of London
Date & Loc: Jan 11th, City of London
fun range of activities to celebrate the New Year at the Guildhall Art Gallery and its inspiring collection of paintings. This session has a special theme of Great Fire of London.
Age: 3-13 | Price: Free | Info

🧩 OAE TOTS: Puzzle Tots
Date & Loc: Jan 12th, Southbank
Puzzles are tricky! How do all the pieces fit together? Join the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment as we solve this puzzle with music and dance.
Age: 2-5 | Price: From £4 | Info

🎭 Dreams @ Freud London Museum
Date & Loc: Jan 12th, Hampstead
Ever think about dreams? What are they? Can we dream while awake? We will discuss whether our dreams are trying to tell us something.
Age: 5-7 & 8-10 | Price: Free with admission | Info

🩰 Ballet: The Nutcracker @ London Coliseum
Date & Loc: until Jan 12th, Leicester Square
Ballet for kids! Featuring over 100 dancers and musicians, this perennial Christmas favourite brings holiday magic to the West End. The new production is complete with ethereal dancing, intricate sets and Tchaikovsky’s popular score played live.
Age: 6+ | Price: from £60 | Info

⛸️ Skate @ Somerset House
Date & Loc: until Jan 12th
Hailed as one of the capital’s favourite winter experiences, Skate at Somerset House signals the start of the festive period with unrivalled skating, contemporary music and tasty food and drink.
Age: Family | Price: From £12 | Info

🎭 Barbie: The Exhibition @ Design Museum
Date & Loc: Ongoing until Feb, Kensington
A major exhibition exploring the design evolution of one of the world’s most famous dolls: Barbie.
Age: 6+ | Price: from £7 | Info

🎭 Exhibition Explorer @ British Museum
Date & Loc: until Jan 17th , Bloomsbury
The Little Feet teddies invite you to a free, drop-in session in the Silk Roads exhibition. Join the teddies as they explore the awesome objects on display while engaging in activities designed for under-fives and their parents and carers.
Age: Under 5 | Price: Free | Info

🎪 Come Alive Show
Date & Loc: ongoing, Earls Court
Drawing inspiration from The Greatest Showman, "Come Alive" offers a circus extravaganza filled with all your favorite hits from the movie.
Age: Everyone | Price: from £95 | Info

🎭 Captain Sandy & The Sea Monster @ The Puppet Barge
Date & Loc: until Jan 26th, Little Venice
UK’s only floating puppet theatre. In the little village of Rocky Snore, all the fisherfolk are in a mess, where have all the fish gone? There are no fish to fish! Join Captain Sandy on her adventure to try and find out what happened!
Age: 4-10 | Price: from £10 | Info

🎭 The Nutcracker @ Polka Theatre
Date & Loc: Nov 16th - Jan 26th, Wimbledon
When squabbling siblings Clara and Fritz receive a mysterious Nutcracker toy from their flamboyant Aunty Drosselmeyer, Clara is certain that she doesn't want her accident-prone younger brother anywhere near it!
Age: 5+ | Price: from £12.5 | Info

✨ Churchill in Cartoons @ Imperial War Museum
Date & Loc: Nov 29th – Feb 23rd, Lambeth
This free exhibition at IWM London marks 150 years since Winston Churchill’s birth, uncovering how satirical cartoons influenced public perception during Churchill’s lifetime, and how they shape our understanding of his role in history today.
Age: Everyone | Price: Free | Info