Skip to content

For Tiny Londoners & Their Adults

  • Home
  • London Guide
    • Shops
    • Hangouts
    • Activities
    • Current Events
    • Past Events
  • Europe Guide
    • Europe
  • Out-of-Town Guide
    • Out of town
  • Magazine
    • Monthly Round-Up
    • Q&As
    • Local Parents
    • Seven Things
    • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

Guide

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google

Like this:

Like Loading...

For Tiny Londoners & Their Adults

Bablands is a resource for Londoners who find themselves with a small creature to dress up and entertain. Part-magazine, part-guide, Bablands follows the adventures of Bab as she seeks out London's coolest kids' shops, best child-friendly hangouts and under-fives activities that won't make mummy want to gauge her eyes out with a weaning spoon.

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Most Popular

  • 100 cool things to do with babies and toddlers in London
    100 cool things to do with babies and toddlers in London
  • Seven London cafes with decent-sized play areas
    Seven London cafes with decent-sized play areas
  • Seven of the coolest independent children's shops in London
    Seven of the coolest independent children's shops in London
  • Kick back in the Cubroom at Bear & Wolf, North London's coolest play cafe
    Kick back in the Cubroom at Bear & Wolf, North London's coolest play cafe
  • Seven amazing independent children's bookshops in London
    Seven amazing independent children's bookshops in London
  • Guzzle Bloody Marys while the minis make mischief at The Corner House
    Guzzle Bloody Marys while the minis make mischief at The Corner House
  • Have your cake and eat it while the kids dive into the ball pit at Little Highness
    Have your cake and eat it while the kids dive into the ball pit at Little Highness
  • Take a break from shopping at Westfield's questionably named Playworld
    Take a break from shopping at Westfield's questionably named Playworld
  • Binge on matcha brownies and black sesame lattes at Toconoco Japanese cafe
    Binge on matcha brownies and black sesame lattes at Toconoco Japanese cafe
  • Twenty awesome things to see and do with your little Londoner in January
    Twenty awesome things to see and do with your little Londoner in January

Bablands on Instagram

We were evacuated two minutes into Experitots this morning due to an “incident” in the building, so it’s been postponed 👎 Bummer. We had no backup plan so spent the rest of the day trailing around the Science and Natural History museums getting more and more pissed off with humanity until we decided to call it a day and ransack the sweet shop on the way home. I think the calmest five minutes of the entire day (except for when we all stood silently caning Maltesers and doughnuts on the tube platform at 3pm) was when we happened across this giant foetus at NHM and sat on the floor half-meditating to its mum’s heartbeat. On the whole though the NHM bugs me. It’s so chronically busy and maze-like and I always lose my child and wish I was dead a bit. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #southkensington #naturalhistorymuseum
This morning we’re going to be taking part in a trial run of @sciencemuseum ‘s Experitots workshop for under-3s - thanks to @milkatthemuseum . Babu and I are both so excited for a new museum-based preschool session (even though Babu’s only going to be under three for another six weeks ☹️). Watch out for highlights on my stories and a review coming tomorrow morning! Also I just remembered she really liked this piece she found at the @saatchi_gallery Black Mirror exhibition, so maybe my dreams of her becoming an artist aren’t totally lost 👩🏻‍🎨 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #saatchi #saatchigallery #chelsea #sw3
“I DON’T LIKE ART.” . . . Oh well, there’s always the next child... . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #tatemodern
The fact that someone I’m expected to love half as much as I love Babu is going to be popping out of my body in less than a month seems frankly obscene, but then I said that when it was just me and the cat 🐈 By the way, if you like paintings of cats and dogs and boobs and shiny bums check out Martin Eder’s Parasites at @newportstreetgallery_london before the 17th of Feb. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #newportstreetgallery #martineder
Massively cocked up both of this weekend’s planned activities (in a nutshell I thought they were free and they weren’t 🤦🏻‍♀️) but had the best day today regardless, with a delicious and pretty bargainous afternoon tea at the mega child-friendly @teahousetheatre (kids’ menu, piles of games and books, signs reassuring breastfeeding mothers that anyone who has a problem with them boobing in public will be removed), followed by a wander around Martin Eder’s Parasites exhibition at @newportstreetgallery_london and a brief visit to @vauxhallfarm , where I think Babu literally said hello to every single one of the animals. We ❤️ Vauxhall. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #vauxhall #vauxhallcityfarm #teahousetheatre #newportstreetgallery
Spent about 10 minutes trying to work out whether or not we could touch this before deciding it was fine. I love that they just leave you alone at the Saatchi. Babu liked the “slides” but drew the line at trying on strangers’ old shoes. The work, made by Bedwyr Williams, invites the observer to share in the artist’s problematics of podiatry, with every pair bought second hand and each one an elephantine size 13 - Williams’ own shoe size. Black Mirror: Art as Social Satire is showing at @saatchi_gallery until 17th February. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #saatchigallery #chelsea #sw3
New on the blog tonight, healthy snack making for 2-8s with @pastaandplay at @hyggepyggecafe . The sweet potato balls we made weren’t beige enough for Babu but she loved making them so I’m calling that a victory. Review link in bio 👆🏻 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #hyggepyggecafe #camden #camdentown #chalkfarm
My face when I realise the “free” thing we were going to do today is actually quite expensive... and I’m solo-parenting this morning 😑 What’s everyone else up to? . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #greenwich #nationalmaritimemuseum
Cabin fever. We stayed home all day today and I think I’ve gone a bit strange. Less tired than I have been recently but far more grumpy, even though Babu’s been awesome. Going to get out this weekend and do a couple of things off my January list to help stave off the crazy. I mostly totally forget I even write the lists and then when people message me saying they tried that thing from it I’m like “you what?”. Thanks for all your hospital bag suggestions by the way - bendy straws seem to be the favourite so I’m going to treat myself to a stainless steel one 👍 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #hmsbelfast #bermondsey #southwark #imperialwarmuseum #southbank
While we were in Greenwich we checked out Richard Malone’s Rinse, Repeat at @nowgalleryse10 and got lost in his hanging sculptures. As always with NOW, it’s a small exhibition and you’ll need another activity lined up for afterwards (we got to Clipper to the Maritime Museum), but I do love their touch-friendly exhibits. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #nowgallery #se10 #northgreenwich
Another day, another museum kids’ gallery. The National Maritime Museum is generally always worth the trek since it has two of them - Ahoy! and All Hands - plus the Great Map, where they can play with boats and just run around like headless chickens if they want to. While it’s aimed at 6-12s, All Hands can be a great place to escape to when the school trips descend on the 0-7s Ahoy! gallery, although the overzealous member of staff who went after Babu when she ran away from me to have her 18th tantrum today really annoyed me. I’m sure he meant well but God I get annoyed when other people get involved. I’m handling it, okay? Arguably quite badly but still, my circus, my monkeys. Probably (definitely) going to stay closer to home tomorrow 😬 . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #nationalmaritimemuseum #greenwich
Lush family day out aboard the HMS Belfast with Bab Dad and Captain Babu today. It’s not the most accessible museum by any means - particularly when you’re toting around a two year old and an eight-month bump that keeps getting stuck every time you go down a ladder (and there are A LOT) of ladders - BUT there’s loads to see and plenty for little hands to fiddle with. It’s a bit on the pricy side but worth it I reckon, given that all three of us found it really interesting - if at times kind of claustrophobic - and it gives you such an authentic taste of what life must have been like on board a warship. Full review coming soon 🚢 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #iwm #imperialwarmuseum #hmsbelfast
Still nesting away like some kind of deranged cuckoo, as if the baby is going to pop out and say “darling! I just *love* what you’ve done with the place”. I’m window-shopping for floor lamps, because she’ll need one of those; and she’s definitely going to appreciate the white fluffy rug that the cat’s already vomited all over. We’re spending more time in the flat - partly because I’m completely spent and partly to get Babu used to being at home more - but we’re going to attempt a big family day out somewhere we’ve never been today 👀 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #chelsea #conranshop
New on the blog today, get stuck into coffee, crafts and cinnamon buns at the small but perfectly formed @underthewillowtreecoffeehouse , a newish play cafe in Stoke Newington. Link up here 👆🏻 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #stokenewington #newingtongreen #playcafe
Dreaming of our next city break, though God knows when that will be logistically/physically/financially viable. Top of my list are Copenhagen, Reykjavik, Paris, Barcelona and Stockholm (I’ve done the last three a few times pre-Babu but I reckon they’d all be even more magical with kids). What are your favourite European cities to take little ones to? . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #berlin
Favourite museum play gallery? I love this one at @nam_london because it’s all lovely and new and squishy and never too rammed - unlike the ones at the Science Museum and Maritime Museum etc. which are always a bit hideous. I’ve said it before but wouldn’t it be great if some of the bigger art galleries had dedicated kids’ areas?! We need a @tate playroom in our lives. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #nationalarmymuseum #chelsea #playbase #sw3
There’s never a massive amount going on at this time of year, which is fine by me since all I want to do right now is browse homeware and sit around at mates’ houses drinking hot chocolate and eating biscuits - which Babu seems pretty accepting of. I also suddenly have an overwhelming urge to buy all the plants, knowing fully well if I don’t kill them then my cat will gladly do the honours 😑 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #hackney #conservatoryarchives #greenupyourgaff #plants
It’s another solo Saturday for mummy after a nice, chilled family day yesterday 😬 We’re off to Hackney today. What’s everyone else up to? . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #saatchi #saatchigallery #chelsea #sw3

For Tiny Londoners & Their Adults

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com
%d bloggers like this: