Twenty awesome things to see and do with your little Londoner in October

Wake Up Gigs will be hosting their fourth parent-focused gig on the 1st. Aptly named indie band Childcare will be headlining and there will be soft play, crafts, a licensed bar and free hand and arm massages to keep absolutely everyone happy.
Mindr is running two interactive talks on ‘Business for Good, With Forum for the Future’ this month – in Kennington on the 2nd and Hornsey on the 5th. Coffee and croissants will be provided, and crying (and happy) babies are welcome.
The Southbank Centre commences its Gong Babies programme for new parents and non-crawlers on the 2nd. Part of the centre’s Gamelan season, this relaxing music workshop will take place on the first Monday of every month until July 2018.
Taking place inside the BP exhibition ‘Scythians: Warriors of Ancient Siberia’ on the 4th, The British Museum’s Little Feet: Exhibition Explorer workshop promises to be an inspiring morning of discovery and creativity for under-5s and their carers.
Puppetship’s In a Nutshell is showing at Polka on the 6th-8th. Following the adventures of Little Acorn, this touching tale of beginnings, endings, goodbyes and hellos is told using a combination of music and puppetry, and is aimed at ages 3-6.
The House of Illustration’s John Yeoman and Quentin Blake: 50 Years of Children’s Books exhibition opens on the 6th. Blake’s very first illustrations for children’s literature will be on show, along with work from the pair’s latest collaboration.
The London Ministry of Sound will play host to Rave-a-Roo‘s family festival event on the 7th. Attractions and distractions will include top DJs, a soft-play room, live stage performances, confetti, neon craft, a Glow Chill Room and a UV tattoo station.
artsdepot is presenting its specially designed performance for pre-walkers on the 8th. Unfolding in a custom-built tent, NEST takes audiences on a sensory journey through the seasons using poetry, sound, live instruments, song and tactile play.
The British Museum will be hosting a digital edition of its Little Feet workshop on the 14th. During the Animal Patterns drop-in, under-5s will be tasked with spotting different animal prints and using tablets to create a 3D model to take home.
Museum of London Docklands is the setting for a circus-themed Big Fish Little Fish family rave on the 15th. The Ravest Show on Earth! will include a multi-sensory dancefloor, a live DJ, glitter cannons, a parachute dance and a themed craft area.
Southbank Centre presents its OAE TOTS: Tots Guide to the Orchestra on the 15th. Part of Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, this musical session for children aged 2-5 will explore the evocative music of English composer Henry Purcell.
Polka Theatre’s production of My Brother, My Sister and Me is showing from the 18th. Aimed at ages 2-5, this playful show tells the tale of two siblings who are forced to share a bedroom following the arrival of a new baby in their family.
Whitechapel Gallery’s Crib Notes tours for under-4s and their carers continues on the 18th with the Thomas Ruff: Photographs 1979-2017 exhibit, covering subjects as diverse as cosmology and suburbia. The tour will be followed by coffee and a chat.
On the 21st Discover will unveil its immersive A World Inside a Book: Gruffalos, Dragons and Other Creatures exhibition, offering 0-11s a glimpse into the magical world of children’s author Julia Donaldson and illustrator Axel Scheffler.
ZSL London Zoo will be running a variety of eerie activities from the 21st-31st as part of its Boo at the Zoo Halloween celebrations. Events including Ghoul School, Pumpkin Party and Spooky Storytelling are all free with general zoo admission.
The Albany will host Colour the Clouds’ playful production of Aleena’s Garden on the 22nd. This interactive sensory adventure through the seasons combines lights, sound, touch, smells, original music and simple signing, and is suitable for 0-3s.
Southbank Centre will be running its Pram Jam: Words and Rhymes sessions for under-5s from the 23rd-27th. Part of the London Literature Festival, these magical morning sessions will combine nursery rhymes, poems and rhyming stories.
Forty Hall is hosting a Halloween Crafts morning with Art Start and Funky Festivals on the 24th. Suitable for children of all ages, this spooktacular session will include broomstick-, Batty mask- and Day of the Dead headdress-making.
Inspired by its Thomas Ruff exhibition, Whitechapel Gallery is running a free Family Day on the 25th. Participants will be invited to explore alternative photography processes including pinhole techniques, and visit a pop-up dark room.
Polka Theatre is the setting for Jungle Jive, a lively movement, craft and dance workshop taking place on the 27th. Designed for 3-5s, this stimulating session will take little adventurers on a tour of the jungle using their own bodies.