Children venues
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If you have children and don't know what to do during long school holiday breaks we`ve made a selection of various fun places that your children will like and hopefully it will make your life easier and their happier. If you have a suggestion for family entertainment in London please do not hesitate to contact us.
- Archway Leisure Centre - (Sports Centre and swimming pools) - Archway has a fun leisure pool with a wave machine, water run, water jets, spa pools and water slide.
Verdict - What can we say apart from "massive fun" for whole family.
Location - Macdonald Road, London, N19. www.aquaterra.org
- Art 4 Fun - (Children creativity at its best) - This is a contemporary shop where you create your own original designs by painting onto a ceramic, wood, glass, paper,silk or fabric item of your choice,or make a mosaic.
Verdict - Ingenious
Location - Chiswick address - 444 Chiswick High Road, London W4 and West Hampstead address - 172 West End Lane, London NW6. www.art4fun.co.uk
- Buzz (The) - (Children Indoor Centre) - The buzz holiday programme has been running for over 15 years offering quality affordable activities for under 11’s in a safe friendly environment run by fully qualified professionals.
Verdict - Offering not only games and plays for your children but learning activities as well.
Location - 4th Floor, Linden House, 153 - 155 Masons Hill, Bromley. BR2. www.bromleymytime.org.uk
- Chelsea Sports Centre - (Sports Centre and swimming pools) - Includes swimming pool,A.S.A. swimming courses, fitness classes, gym,personal training,running club,sports hall,therapy room, badminton, five-a-side football, basketball, table tennis, children's activities and a outdoor floodlit multi-sports area.
Verdict - For parents with older children
Location - Chelsea Manor Street, London, SW3
Telephone - 020 7352 6985
- Children's Indoor Adventure Playground - (Indoor Adventure Centre) - Plenty of activities offered to young ones.
Verdict - For children aged 6 months - 10 years
Location - Highbury N5
Telephone - 020 7704 9424
- Circus Space (The) - (Learning programme) - Providing opportunities for people aged 8 – 18 to stay fit through unusual and exciting activities. Discover new talents, explore existing ones and take the first step towards professional training in the circus arts.
Verdict - It is a registered charity and a centre of excellence in the circus arts, working in partnership with the public and private sectors at local, regional and international levels to redefine perceptions of circus and broaden its appeal. The Circus Space is one of the top three circus schools in Europe and a member of the European Federation of Circus Schools and the UK's Circus Arts Forum.
Location - Coronet Street, London, N1. http://thecircusspace.co.uk
- Clown Town London - (Childrens Indoor Adventure Centre) - Consists from Main Area, Toddlers Area and Crawler Area.
Verdict - For those rainy days when you don't know where to go with your kids
Location - Finchley address - A406 North Circular Road junction with Colney Hatch Lane N12 and Palmers Green address - 222 Green Lanes, N13. www.clowntown.co.uk
- Coffee and Crayons - Coffee and Crayons is a new child-friendly cafe offering a unique environment particularly for those with children. They pride themselves on great quality fair-trade organic coffee as well as smoothies, frappes, milkshakes and a wide range of organic sandwiches and salads, soups, pies, pastries, cakes and ice-cream. They try to cater for children as much as possible and offer a range of sandwiches, snacks and drinks especially for them. They also offer Arts and Crafts for children in their downstairs supervised play area. Parents can relax on sofas with their coffees, read the paper or meet with friends while the children are entertained with painting, colouring, books, toys and games.
Location - 915 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5HU. www.coffeeandcrayons.co.uk
- Dormers Wells Leisure Centre - (Sports Centre and swimming pools) - Sports hall, 20m heated indoor swimming pool, Bostons Gym, dance studio, outdoor football pitches and MUGAs (multi-use games areas).
Verdict - Sports courses, clubs and sessions, junior Bostons Gym and parties. Adult and junior swimming lessons.
Location - Dormers Wells Lane, Southall UB1
Telephone - 020 8571 7207
- Eddie Catz - (Childrens Indoor Adventure Centre) - Different play areas for babies and todlers, for over 3`s, for 5 to 10 and even parents where they can enjoy a good cup of coffee and browse through the newspapers.
Verdict - Lots of fun for everyone.
Location - 68-70 Putney High Street, London, SW15. www.eddiecatz.com
- Esporta at Kingston - (Sports Centre) - This is a purpose built facility catering for children aged from 6 weeks up to the age of 15 years, within this department are a number of areas that cater for specific age groups and activities; Playzone, Artzone and
Streetzone.
Verdict - Bordering on pricey but then again plenty to offer
Location - Richmond Road, Kingston, Surrey, KT2 5EN. www.esporta.com
- Hollywood Bowl - (Leisure Complex)- 26 or more lanes of tenpin bowling, vibrant bars, quality café food and state of the art video games.
Verdict - On the wet and miserable Sunday this could well provide you with salvation.
Location - Finchley address - Great Northern Leisure Park, Finchley High Road. Just off the North Circular at Finchley and Surrey Quays address - The Mast Leisure Park, Teredo Street, 5 mins from Rotherhithe Tunnel. www.hollywoodbowl.co.uk
- Kensington Sports Centre - (Sports Centre and swimming pools) - Amongst usual sports centre facilites Kensington Sports Centre includes Courtneys Jungle Gym (1 - 8 years) and Courtneys Crèche (3 months - 4 years).
Verdict - Stuck in Kensington? Then visit the sports centre.
Location - Walmer Road, London W11. www.courtneys.co.uk
- Ministry of Football - Ministry of Football is an indoor children's football development programme, run by professional coaches in Muswell Hill, N10 1NE. We use dance music and small-sided games to produce a positive, friendly learning environment for all abilities aged 3 to 14. www.ministry-of-football.com
- Planet Party at Avenue House (themed children's parties) - with busy parents in mind Planet Party offers a complete children's party service. The experienced and professional team will take care of every aspect of the party from entertainment to party bags. The parties are suitable for children aged 3-8 and there are lots of themes to choose from including Peppa Pig, Mr Men, Superheroes, Hello Kitty and Disney Princesses.
Location - The Stable Block, Avenue House, 17 East End Road, London N3 3QE www.planetparty.co.uk
- Revolution Karting - (Go-Karting experience) - 650 Metres of challenging racing on electric karts, reaching speeds of up to 50mph.
Verdict - This one is for older children and their parents young at heart
Location - Arches, 423, Burdett Road, Mile End, London, E3. www.revolutionkarting.com
- Rowans Leisure - (Leisure Complex) - Includes 24 Bowling lanes, 19 Pool tables, Bars, Giant satellite screens....
Verdict - Perfect fun for whole family. This is the right time for you to teach your children how to bowl.
Location - 10 Stroud Green Road, Finsbury Park, London N4. www.rowans.co.uk
- Eddie Catz Wimbledon - (Children's Activity Centres) - Eddie Catz is an adventure playground for children of up to 10 years of age. Catering for private parties of up to 30 guests is available upon request and there is a cafe on site serving hot food and a selection of drinks.
Verdict - Paradise for kids
Location - 42 Station Road, London SW19.
Telephone - 0845 201 1268 www.eddiecatz.com
- Timbuktu Adventure Playground - (Adventure playground) - Adventure Playgrounds are open to children and young people aged 5-14 and can offer plenty of fun and excitement. All playgrounds now have indoor facilities where children and young people can relax, talk to their friends or take part in other activities like arts and crafts.
Verdict - Keep your children off the streets
Location - Grenville Road, London, N19.
Telephone - 020 7272 2183
- Topsy Turvy World - (Indoor soft play. It has the ultimate jump, tumble, slide and fun, play system) - The place itself is very well organised, with plenty of activites for kids. We personally like it because once you bring your children here and take off their shoes they will leave you alone for at least couple of hours.
Verdict - Plenty of available space to run, hide and jump, with food and drinks available at the indoors café.
Location - Located at Brent Cross shopping centre. www.topsyturvyworld.com
Children Theatres:
- Arts Depot Theatre - artsdepot is the only professional arts venue in the London Borough of Barnet and is committed to providing a diverse range of high quality visual and performance arts for everyone.
Location - 5 Nether Street, Finchley N12. www.artsdepot.co.uk
- Ashcroft Theatre - Large repertoire at this venue.
Location - Park Lane, Croydon. www.fairfield.co.uk
- Chicken Shed Theatre - In 1974 Mary Ward and Jo Collins first met and began to pour their energy and vision into this remarkable Company. They started, using an old chicken shed as premises, with a basic belief – that the performing arts should be open to all. It is that guiding principle which has driven the company forward and enabled it to embrace performers from all backgrounds.
Location - Chase Side, Southgate, London N14. www.chickenshed.org.uk
- Churchill Theatre Bromley - Opened on 19 July 1977 by HRH The Prince of Wales, the Churchill Theatre quickly established a reputation as a leading producing theatre. The Churchill Theatre creates its own productions, receives touring productions and hosts local amateur companies.
Location - High Street, Bromley, Kent, BR1. www.theambassadors.com
- Hackney Empire - Built in 1901, the Hackney Empire with it`s electric lights, central heating and in-built projection box was a technological wonder of its time. Today, with its new capabilities, the Hackney Empire is embarking on its destiny to become one of the country`s leading variety theatres.
Location - 291 Mare Street, London E8. www.hackneyempire.co.uk
- Half Moon Young People's Theatre - Half Moon Young People’s Theatre aims to produce and present professional theatre for and with young people that informs, challenges and shapes their artistic potential, placing these creative experiences at the core of our policies and practices.
Location - 43 White Horse Road, London E1. www.halfmoon.org.uk
- Jacksons Lane Theatre - Jacksons Lane Theatre is housed in an imaginatively converted listed Edwardian church in Highgate. It contains a 167 seat theatre host to many dynamic and innovative fringe performances, an 80 capacity dance studio, a stunning spring-floored dance rehearsal studio, two activity rooms and a foyer space also housing a cafe and bar. They offer over 60 activities a week ranging from acting workshops to African drumming, flamenco to circus skills plus a wide range of children's theatre and workshops.
Location - 269a Archway Road, London, N6. www.jacksonslane.org.uk
- Karamel Club (The) - Set amongst the culturally rich and diverse creative communities of Wood Green's Cultural Quarter, the Karamel Club aims to be a prominent platform in North London for experimentation, inspiration and cultural diversity in the arts, in an atmosphere that is welcoming, dynamic, accessible and enjoyable.
Location - Coburg Road, Wood Green, N22. www.karamelclub.co.uk
- Lauderdale House - Lauderdale House is an arts and education centre
based in the beautiful Waterlow Park. We run an extensive programme of performances, workshops, outreach projects, classes and exhibitions.
Location - Highgate Hill, Waterlow Park, London N6. www.lauderdalehouse.co.uk
- Little Angel Theatre (The) - In 1961 a troupe of enthusiastic puppeteers under the leadership of South African master, John Wright, found a derelict temperance hall in Islington and transformed it into a magical little theatre, specially designed for children and for the presentation of marionette shows.
Location - 14 Dagmar Passage, London N1 www.littleangeltheatre.com
- North London Baby Massage and Baby Yoga - They have on offer a wide range of baby massage and baby yoga classes to suit new mums and dads all over North and North West London including Finchley Central, Totteridge, Borehamwood, Edgware and Golders Green. So come and have some baby fun and join one of our baby classes today.
www.babymassageandyoga.co.uk
- Puppet Theatre Barge (The) - The first performance on the barge was presented in 1982. Described as one of London's more elusive treasures, it is an established 50 seat theatre with comfortable seating and all modern facilities and is unique. The theatre presents
marionette and rod puppet spectacles throughout the year.
Location - 78 Middleton Road, London E8. www.puppetbarge.com
- Tricycle Theatre - Since it opened in a converted Forester’s Hall in 1980, the Tricycle has become one of London’s most respected and loved theatres. It produces a challenging and innovative programme of theatre, cinema and visual arts.
Location - 269 Kilburn High Road, London NW6. www.tricycle.co.uk
- Unicorn Theatre - Unicorn Theatre is one of the leading producers of professional theatre for children in Britain. Founded in 1947, their mission is to create amazing shows for children which are fun, challenging and exciting – shows which rise to the challenge of a child’s imagination.
Location - 147 Tooley Street, London SE1 www.unicorntheatre.com
