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If you are short on things to do this weekend with the kiddies, we have one impressive option that is sure to thrill their senses.

The Colourscape Festival on Clapham Common is taking place this weekend (until September 19, 2010) in the world’s largest Colourscape. The festival, which links music, colour, light, space and movement, takes place in a huge inflatable structure consisting of 100 brightly coloured chambers, in which performances and workshops take place.

YOUR FESTIVAL INFO

WHAT TO WEAR: Bright Colours! You will also be given a coloured cape to assist you in your exploration.

WHERE TO GO: Clapham Common near the Windmill pub

HOW MUCH ONE MUST PAY: £7.50 for adults, £4 for children and £20 for a family ticket.

WHEN TO GO: 13:00 -18:00 PM during this weekend or during the lunch hour on the week days

When we write about ‘Fun Places’, our posts don’t usually involve a chance for your family to set a World Record, nor do they typically give your family a chance to help improve your community….today however, the article post does.

FAB Ice Lollies (those lovely lollies kids love that are full of real fruit and tasty goodness) has created a series of activities and events for families across the country with their FAB Creativity Tour, which is visiting (and has visited) summer fairs, family days out and supermarkets across the country.

Their family program gives you and the kiddies a chance to join in on their world record attempt to create the world’s longest doodle by having you and the kids paint or draw on a 9.150m long canvas.

Families are also invited to take part in The Design a Fab Den competition, in which families are invited to submit ideas (for youth clubs, playgrounds, scout huts ect.) that will enhance a part of their local community with a £10,000 makeover project.

The Fab events are happening all across the U.K, so to find out how to take part or which upcoming event is closest to you, visit www.myfabland.com.

If you and your kids have taken part in the FAB giant doodle or the design a FAB den, please send us pictures or leave a comment below with stories about your experience!

When we were kids, our interest in fashion started at a much later age.

Before the internet and the bombardment of teen celebrities, we were dressed in the clothing sold at

department stores or in catalogues, our fashion icons were cartoon characters like Daphne from

Scooby Doo or Belle from Beauty and the Beast and the closest thing we had to a fashion magazine

would have been craft magazines that taught us how to make friendship bracelets.

We had no Suri Cruise or Honor Warren to inspire our parents to make us into baby fashionstas, no Teen Vogue to

teach us about style at an early age and no idea until our late teens what a photo shoot was.

Today, almost every designer has a children’s line, creating the opportunity for our kids to grow their love for

fashion earlier. Celebrities and the children of celebrities inspire our kids daily and children as young as five

dream of becoming models, stylists or designers.

We Are Photogirls realize that people of all ages are in love with fashion and have created an amazing way for

your children to explore their love for fashion in a fun, educational and professional way.

The fabulous London Company creates Vogue style photoshoot parties for kids of all ages; you choose the photo

shoot theme, they bring their own team of professional photographers, stylists and makeup artists, helping guests

and birthday baby’s to feel like stars.

The team also holds workshops during the school holidays and at the weekends for 12-18 year olds to

learn photography, styling, art direction, prop making, make-up and hair design and lighting.

Interested in letting your little one strike a pose? Checkout the Photogirls website at wearephotogirls.com

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, the only Hallmark holiday between Christmas and Easter where we get the excuse to

eat as much sweets and baking as we like, we thought we aught to send you and the kiddies on a hunt for some tasty

cupcakes, valentine themed if you like, from our Top 5 Cupcake Shops in London:

1

Buttercup Cake Shop: After writing an article on Buttercup Cake Shop a few months back, we couldn’t help but

mention them again, with a huge variety of original cupcakes, you really can find just what your sweet taste

buds are looking for. You can eat in at the cafe style bakery in Kensington or grab a bite while enjoying your

indoor shopping at Westfield Shopping Centre.

2

Primrose Bakery: Cute as a button retro decor and yummy baked goods makes this bakery ideal for an afternoon

snack break. You can visit their two locations in Primrose Hill and Covent Garden. They also supply for

Selfridges Food Hall, Fortnum and Mason, Tom’s Deli, Fresh and Wild, Liberty and Shipp’s Tearooms too…

so you can grab one while out and about too!

3

Candy Cakes: With a store front that looks like it might belong to Strawberry Shortcake herself and a slogan of

Coffee, Cakes & Shakes just shouting to the sweets lover in you, Candy Cakes is more than a yummy stop.  You can

visit Candy Cakes in Covent Garden Piazza, Kingly Court, Goodge Street and Monmouth Street.

4

Hummingbird Bakery: With an exterior that looks reminds you of a bakery you might see in fairytales and a lavish

interior, complete with velvet chairs, you can really eat your cupcakes in style. You can visit Hummingbird’s two

locations in South Kensington and Notting Hill.

5

Treacle: With authentic and impressive original ceramics from the post-war era mixed with modern designs, this east

end bakery is the perfect place to enjoy some good old fashioned tea and contemporary cupcakes.

Cooking with kids is not only educational, it is also a fun way to entertain and spend time with your children.

Whether they are helping out with dinner or you are partaking in a baking expedition together, when cooking

or baking, you may as well do it in style!

We found these cute cooking accessories from www.cottagecooks.co.uk, for you and your cutie to commence

your culinary fun with.

Blue Kids Cooking Set, £10.99 (Comes in Pink too!)

Heart Measuring Cup, £6.99

Aggie the Apron & Chef Hat Set (Comes in Blue too!)

Kids in the Kitchen Cookie Cutter Set, £9.99

Going out to the movies can be pretty standard, you buy your tickets, grab some sweets and treats and go sit in

the uncomfortable polyester covered seats; however, there are some public theatres that provide a far more

comfortable and stylish way to see the movies, the best of which is Portobello Road’s Electric Cinema.

Whether it is a day at the movies with the kids, or a romantic night out for you and the hubby, the Electric Cinema

is the perfect setting, the interior includes leather seating, footstools, table for food and drink, as well as two-seater

sofas…perfect for a night away from the little ones.

The price is the same, if not cheaper than the regular cinemas, and if you join as a member you receive two free tickets

for Kids Club screenings.

Upcoming kid’s movies this month include Bee Movie, Howl’s Moving Castle and Where The Wild Things Are.

A bar is open half an hour prior to screening serving cocktails, wine, beer and champagne for the grownups and snacks

and treats for the kiddies.

The Electric Cinema is located at 191 Portobello Road, London W11 2ED, 020 7908 9696

More and more research shows how important music can be in the development of young minds. And what’s more,

it’s a whole lot of fun for both children and parents!

Monkey Music is the UK’s premium music group for pre school children. It introduces music to babies and toddlers

in an entertaining and educational way so that they can easily understand and enjoy.

Babies can start Monkey Music classes already at the age of 3 months and carry on up until they are 4 years old.  Classes

make a point by being small and tailor-made to make full use of the 30-minute sessions that aim to captivate children

with a combination of catchy music, percussion instruments, visual props and lots of energy.

The Monkey Music formula has grown to be hugely popular with thousands of fans across the UK and was even awarded

the ‘Best Toddler Development Award’ in What’s On For The Little Ones Awards in 2008.

Interested? Come along to a complimentary class so you can have a feel for the atmosphere before committing to an

entire term.

To find a class near you and for more information on prices, go to the Monkey Music website at www.monkeymusic.co.uk.

Most of us can count fresh baked treats as one of our many guilty pleasures, whether we enjoy them after baking with

the kids, during a supermarket shop at Sainsbury’s, or as a treat with our afternoon coffee, it always tastes good.

But if you are going to take in all those calories, why not REALLY enjoy it by staying away from ‘good’ and going for

the ‘best’ from Buttercup Cake Shop.

Founder Donna has been baking since childhood, creating her own recipe for the first time when she was 8. This

lifelong commitment to cupcake baking has led her to develop a diverse line-up of cupcake flavours that include

combinations like ‘The Elvis’ (banana cake with peanut butter frosting) and individual flavours that are sure to

give your taste buds a treat like vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, fantasy, banana, coconut, carrot, sticky toffee,

chocolate peanut butter, mocha and chocolate zucchini. 

In addition to the variety of flavours, seasonal flavours will be added to the line up like pumpkin, Dad’s favourite

apple, Christmas fruitcake and chocolate peppermint. There will also be fun decorations for the tops of the cupcakes,

in keeping with the Chirstmas theme, including snowmen, snowflakes, starts and mittens!

The Buttercup Cake Shop sells cupcakes online, www.buttercupcakeshop.co.uk, over the phone, and in store

at there three locations: 16 St. Albans Grove in Kensington (0207 937 1473), Westfield London Shopping

Centre on the first floor between M&S and The Village (020 8746 0333), as well as  Bluewater Shopping Centre in Kent

(01322 386611).

These cupcakes are a great idea for birthdays, weddings, corporate events, holiday parties, new parents and thank

you gifts! They may not last as long as flowers, but they sure taste a lot better!

ENJOY ILLUSTRATION

What: Illustration Cupboard Winter Exhibition

Where: The Illustration Cupboard, 22 Bury St, London, SW1Y 6AL, 020 7976 1727, http://www.illustrationcupboard.com

When: November 27 – January 30, Mon-Fri 10am-6pm and Sat 12noon-5pm

Price: FREE

About: An exhibition for illustration fans that includes contemporary book illustrations as well as upcoming talents.

PAINT THE TOWN

What: Painting with Polaroids

Where: Pump House Gallery, Battersea Park, London, SW11 4NJ, 020 7350 0523, http://www.pumphousegallery.org.uk

When: November 29, 1:30pm-3:30pm

Price: FREE

About: For age’s 3+, arts and craft workshop looking at the links between painting and photography.

START SHOPPING

What: Chelsea Physic Garden Christmas Fair

Where: 66 Royal Hospital Rd., SW3 4HS, 020 7352 5646, http://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/Fairs/fair.htm

When: Sunday 29th November 2009, 10:00am-4:00pm

Price: Adults £5.00, Children Free

About: As Chelsea Physic Garden main fundraising event, the Christmas fair transforms itself into a Christmas

village with a large selection of stalls selling everything you need from home-made wreaths to Christmas cards.

There will also be a wide variety of events for families and the garden will be open for exploration through a free

guided tour.

SEE A SHOW

What: Christmas Baking

Where: Lyric Hammersmith, Lyric Square, King St., W6 0QL, 08712 211729

http://www.lyric.co.uk/pl512.html

When: November 27 – January 3

Price: £8.00 for children, family ticket £24.00 for 4 Seats

About: Fun and friendly bakers battle through flour snowstorms, forests of breadstick trees and jagged

mountains of crust. Food fun for kids aged 3-6.

PET A REINDEER

What: Live Reindeer Petting

Where: Covent Garden, West Piazza

http://www.lyric.co.uk/pl512.html

When: Every Saturday, November 29 – December 21

Price: FREE

About: From a giant Christmas tree to reindeer petting, interactive workshops and kids stories told by candlelight.

Covent Garden is sure to get you and your kiddie s in the Christmas mood this season!

When we were kids, going for a haircut was far from fun. If you were lucky, you would get a lolly to suck on as

the hairdresser talked with your parents about the weather and chopped away, ignoring you, while you shifted

uncomfortably on the stack of phone books or booster chair you were sat on.

Today, children have a lot more choices for their salon needs, including London based children’s salon, Tantrum.

Set up to give parents and children a new experience, this child centred salon hosts world class stylists, guaranteed

 to give your kids a tear and boredom free experience.

The Salon is split into two levels to cater to the older and younger crowd separately. The ground floor, called Moon,

is for kids aged 7 and under and features a ceiling that mimics the night sky, a miniature locomotive train complete

with sound and steam, fairytale inspired wall murals, play area, individually themed styling chairs and combined flat

screen TV and DVD player at each station.

Downstairs is the 8 and up area called Vogue, which portrays a dressing room glamour theme, juice bar, games room,

hangout area, TV and DVD combo at each station and a pair of fire spot stingrays called Bert and Ernie.

Tantrum has also developed its own kids hair care range that will allow you to take their stress free hair experience from

the salon to your bathroom.

Both the salon and hair care line are not for profit and were established to donate its profits to the tantrum for kid’s charity,

which supplies children’s books to schools and hospitals throughout the UK. Founders, Neil Ambler and Latasha

Malik wereinspired by their past volunteering and fundraising work and set out to create a business that would

support their charity.

Tantrum is located at  398 Kings Road, London, SW10 0LJ. To make an appointment, please call 0207 376 3966.