Skip to content

For Tiny Londoners & Their Adults
Main navigation
  • Home
  • London Guide
    • North London
    • Central London
    • East London
    • South London
    • West London
    • 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
    • ABC
  • About
  • Contact

Magazine

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

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

  • Seven London cafes with decent-sized play areas
    Seven London cafes with decent-sized play areas
  • 20 awesome things to see and do with your little Londoners in December 2019
    20 awesome things to see and do with your little Londoners in December 2019
  • 100 cool things to do with babies and toddlers in London
    100 cool things to do with babies and toddlers in London
  • Seven of the coolest independent children's shops in London
    Seven of the coolest independent children's shops in London
  • Museum of Architecture's Gingerbread City at Somerset House
    Museum of Architecture's Gingerbread City at Somerset House
  • Spend a morning tumbling with your tot at Parent & Toddler Gymnastics
    Spend a morning tumbling with your tot at Parent & Toddler Gymnastics
  • Seven amazing independent children's bookshops in London
    Seven amazing independent children's bookshops in London
  • 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
  • Be spoilt for choice at eclectic Islington interiors store Molly-Meg
    Be spoilt for choice at eclectic Islington interiors store Molly-Meg
  • Binge on matcha brownies and black sesame lattes at Toconoco Japanese cafe
    Binge on matcha brownies and black sesame lattes at Toconoco Japanese cafe

Bablands on Instagram

It’s Babvent day 15 and today we’ve teamed up with our fave South London children’s bookshop @smallprintbooks to give away this beautiful seasonal tale, Winter Sleep: A Hibernation Story by Sean Taylor, Alex Morss and Cinyee Chiu. This gorgeous book follows a child and his grandma through a winter landscape to explore how the Earth goes to sleep for winter, with plenty to spot along the way. We love Smallprint because like us they’re all about things kids and adults can enjoy together - in this case beautiful books that have been chosen because they’re a little bit special. To win, simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re following @bablands.london and @smallprintbooks and TAG some friends (one tag = one entry). This competition ends tomorrow, 16th December, at 8pm. Good luck ❄️ . . . . . #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners
Hailed an emergency taxi on our way to pick Babu up from her school trip to the theatre in Angel yesterday after waiting TWENTY minutes for the bus (OUTRAGEOUS @transportforlondon ). Driver was lovely but had no idea where he was going and took us all around the houses. I’m glad he did though - not just because he knocked a load off the fare but because he drove us past this AMAZING playground that I wouldn’t have known about otherwise. Every time I find a gem like this it makes me anxious about how many other brilliant London playgrounds we don’t know about 🤯 This one is behind Essex Road station in Islington and gives really good rock. It even has a rock garden attached to it 🤘(so thanks TFL and shit taxi driver 😉). . . . . . #essexroad #islington #angelislington #playgroundsoflondon #londonplayground #londonwithkids #coolthingsfortinylondoners #asteysrow #rocksrock
It’s Babvent day 14 and today we’re giving away tickets for two children and up to four adults to head to the brilliant @nam_london in Chelsea on Monday 20th January 2020 and attend the 11.20am Tiny Troopers 0-5s workshop followed by the 12.30 Play Base army-themed soft-play session! We’ve loved Play Base since Babu was tiny (see first pic!) - such a nice CLEAN, pretty soft play and we always come out wishing we could have stayed longer - and we had so much fun at the Tiny Troopers session when Roro was tiny. Kids eat free when you buy an adult meal in the lush Cookhouse Cafe and admission to the rest of the museum is free, which all in all makes for an amazing day out! To win this great prize simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re FOLLOWING @bablands.london and @nam_london and TAG some people (one tag = one entry). This competition ends tomorrow, 15th December, at 8pm. Good luck! 💂‍♀️
Lovely things to do this weekend: 1. @illustrationhq ‘s Winter Fair returns to Central Saint Martin’s tomorrow. Head down to stock up on handmade cards, limited-edition prints and one-of-a-kind pieces, from homeware to graphic novels and picture books. The gallery is also offering 2 for 1 entry to all exhibitions on the day, and @playkx will be in full swing just around the corner. 2. On Sunday @dulwichgallery is hosting Sparklefest, a light-themed family festival inspired by the gallery’s Rembrandt’s Light exhibition. Families with children of all ages can enjoy a variety of activities, including light drawing workshops, candlelit storytelling and festive decoration making. 3. Father Christmas will be in residence at @suttonhousent all weekend, though pre-bookable tickets are sold out so you’ll have to rock up early if you want to snag one of the limited walk-up tickets. While you’re there, check out the Deck the Halls decorations, which celebrate the house’s fascinating history, from Tudor times to the 1980s. Have a good one!
COMPETITION CLOSED It’s Babvent day 13 and in the spirit of Friday the 13th we’ve palled up with Hoxton’s ghoulishly good @monstersupplies to offer one lucky winner a Festive Human Preserves hamper filled with clotted blood, crushed bones, and bogies in two delicious forms. This is my kind of Jack Skellington-concocted Christmas hamper to be honest and if whoever wins this is looking for someone to gift it to, y’know, hi 👋 If you’ve never visited Hoxton Street Monster Supplies you’re in for a terrifying treat (the shop is haunted by a feline ghost. No, really) and the best bit is all profits go to the Ministry of Stories, an amazing volunteer-run writing and mentoring space for 8-18 year olds that’s hidden behind the shop. To win this horrifying hamper - and, lets be honest, who doesn’t want cubed earwax for Christmas? - simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re FOLLOWING @bablands.london and @monstersupplies , and TAG as many mates as you like (one tag = one entry). This chilling competition ends tomorrow, 14th December, at 8pm. Good luck 🧟‍♀️ . . . . . #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners
Is it a bomb? Is it a blimp? Is it a giant bowling ball? Well actually it’s a ship’s fender, which as we know (🤷‍♀️) is used to absorb the kinetic energy created when a ship berths against land. It creates a buffer. A go-between. A full stop. A period. This show is called PERIOD. Do you see? It’s by Fiona Banner AKA The Vanity Press and I really liked it. Probably more so because I’m on my period and basically feel like I’m being thwacked repeatedly in the fanny by one of these things. The fender is accompanied by a series of seascapes that reminded me of Oliver Jeffers’ amazing disaster paintings. Catch the show until the 24th of January. . . . . . #coolthingsfortinylondoners #fionabanner #period #londonwithkids
COMPETITION CLOSED In the words of Bon Jovi: whoa, we’re halfway there! Yes, it’s Babvent day TWELVE and today we’re teaming up with the brilliant @bringyourbaby_londonwalks to offer two mates and their babes tickets to a Bring Your Baby Pub Quiz event of their choice. As you know I’m all about doing the things you did pre-kids WITH your kids but I’d never heard of a guided tour OR a pub quiz you can take your baby to until I found Lucy. I really believe in everything she’s doing and I’m getting very excited about taking Roro on her Dickensian London tour next week (anyone else going?!). To enter this competition simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re following @bablands.london and @bringyourbaby_londonwalks , and tag some mates (one tag = one entry). The competition will end tomorrow, 13th of December, at 8pm, when I’ll be randomly selecting a winner. Good luck! 👶 . . . . . #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners
Bathing in the lovely pink glow of a Dan Flavin at @bastian.gallery . Today we managed six galleries in the space of three hours and one toddler managed to do the whole thing without their buggy (I won’t say which one but you can probably guess). A nice bit of escapism pre-election. Who’s shitting it? 🙋‍♀️ . . . . . #danflavin #bastiangallery #mayfair #londonwithkids #coolthingsfortinylondoners
COMPETITION CLOSED It’s Babvent day 11 and today we’ve teamed up with the rather excellent @lunaandcurious to offer one lucky winner this cute pull-along snail by Plan Toys, which is made from sustainable rubberwood and would make the perfect gift for the hard-to-buy-for baby/young-toddler in your life (literally NO idea what to get Roma for Christmas. It’s a problem). If you’ve never been to Luna & Curious you’re missing a treat; it’s kind of like the world’s smallest department store on the world’s nicest estate (geekily obsessed with the history of the Boundary Estate but that’s another story for another day). Babu once shoplifted a really nice hat from here! To win Mr Snail (who crawls btw), simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re FOLLOWING @bablands.london and @lunaandcurious and TAG some mates (one tag = one entry). This competition ends tomorrow, 12th December, at 8pm, when I’ll be randomly selecting a winner. Good luck! 🐌 . . . . . #lunaandcurious #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners
We went to see some cars! It was no Tim Walker: Wonderful Things but we had a nice time, especially considering three out of four of us don’t care about cars. Still holding out for the V&A doing another kids’ exhibition a la Winnie the Pooh: Exploring a Classic though. If you’re umming and ahhing about the car thing I’ve put a review up on the site that may or may not help you (prolly not tho) 🚗 . . . . . #coolthingsfortinylondoners #vandamuseum #carsacceleratingthemodernworld #londonwithkids #southkensington #carexhibition
COMPETITION CLOSED It’s Babvent Day 10 and today we’re partnering with the excellent @florencemuseum to give one lucky winner a family ticket (two adults and up to four kids) plus a museum guide book as a souvenir of your trip. We had the best afternoon when we visited recently and the museum has got loads of fun stuff coming up in the new year - including a new temporary exhibition - to celebrate Florence’s 200th birthday. To win simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re FOLLOWING @bablands.london and @florencemuseum and TAG as many mates as you like (one tag = one entry). This competition ends tomorrow, 11th December, at 8pm, when I’ll be randomly selecting a winner. Good luck! 👩‍⚕️ . . . . . #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners #florencenightingalemuseum
We NEEDED a good day today after what feels like 500 years of snot and vomit and misery and THANK GOD we managed to have one thanks to our bestest buddies @kerri_and_sprog who always cheer us. We went to see the very cool and very eccentric @leightonhousemuseum , the former home of the painter Frederic Leighton. There’s not really anything for kids here and I did have to change Roma on the floor of the toilet while she crawled away at 100mph and we did have to endure the usual dickish tutty eye-rolling courtesy of someone who clearly thinks culture isn’t for children and we should just be sitting in doing potato printing while we wait for our kids to turn 18, BUT this place is really good and the staff were kind and made us feel welcome, so that was nice. The house is also undergoing a massive multimillion pound renovation so hopefully at the very least they’ll stick a changing table in there (they also do family days and scavenger trails and stuff but they’re aimed at older kids). I’d love to come back here by myself and have a proper look round, although that said the museum’s proximity to Holland Park and its brilliant adventure playground (AND its sandpitted toddler playground) actually makes it a pretty good one to do with little ones if you’re cool with leaving your buggy in reception and not touching anything (which we are... for now 😬). . . . . . #kensington #leightonhousemuseum #coolthingsfortinylondoners #hollandpark #tiles #londonwithkids
COMPETITION CLOSED It’s Babvent day 9 (how?!) and today’s prize is one of my personal favourites. Brilliant boat-based children’s bookshop @tellingtalesshop is offering one lucky winner a three-month fixed book subscription that will be personalised and tailored to the child in question. I can think of very few presents as special as a book subscription and Telling Tales’ owner Daisy has such a good eye for a beautiful book, so someone is in for a real treat here. To win, simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re FOLLOWING @bablands.london and @tellingtalesshop and TAG some mates (one tag = one entry). THAT’S IT! This competition ends tomorrow, 10th December, at 8pm. Good luck! 📚 . . . . . #tellingtales #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners
Filthy, filthy scenes from the brilliant @paintmisbehavinuk , Roma’s favourite arty, messy, sensory class. This is another review that’s been at the end of a very, very long to-do list for a very long time, but between the advent calendar and me getting flu then Babu getting flu and now Roma (probably) having flu I literally just caaaan’t 😭😭😭. Anyway, these classes are themed around a different artist or genre each month (this was last month’s Bauhaus 100 class). The upcoming Peter Doig-inspired snowscapes session is sold out and the January class hasn’t been announced yet but the Pop Art Hearts Valentine’s class is bookable on @hoop_app now. It’s so cool I kind of don’t want to share it, but here I am 😬 Full review and more details coming soon. . . . . . #paintmisbehavin #messyplay #coramsfields #coolthingsfortinylondoners #londonwithkids
COMPETITION CLOSED It’s Babvent day 8 and for today’s giveaway we’ve teamed up with London’s iconic Royal Opera House to offer a family of four (two adults, two kids) tickets to one of their excellent Family Sundays events on Sunday 12th January 2020, PLUS two amazing (trust me, they're AMAZING) goody bags for the kids. We’ve been to a few Family Sundays and can confirm they are absolutely magical, filled with one-of-a-kind opportunities to do incredible things like conduct a real-life string quartet, sing and dance with the professionals and so much more it would be impossible to fit it all into an Instagram post. To win this super-special prize simply LIKE this post, make sure you’re following @bablands.london and @royaloperahouse and tag a friend (or 10) who you think might be interested below (each tag = one entry). This competition is open until tomorrow, 9th December, at 8pm, when I’ll be randomly selecting a winner. Good luck! Family Sundays: https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/family-sundays-dates ROH Shop: https://shop.roh.org.uk/?_ga=2.225307996.796090134.1574629016-812362562.1571784249 . . . . . #royaloperahouse #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners
Silent Madness by @mowalola is an incredible immersive installation that makes you feel as though you’ve stumbled across some kind of underground gig only you’re in charge of the playlist, and the musicians and their instruments are covered in tar and have giant nails coming out of their heads 🤷‍♀️ The exhibition, which opened at @nowgalleryse10 yesterday, aims to “disrupt and question preconceptions of normality whilst challenging traditional discourse surrounding African sexuality, encouraging visitors to shed the pressures of convention and live life by their own terms” 💪 It’s on until the 19th of January and if you head there tomorrow you can grab a free Mowala tote bag and a copy of @thepeninsulist as part of @samplelondon , a pop-up Christmas market offering design-led gifts, yummy street food, a helter skelter and family-friendly craft workshops in collaboration with @ikeauk . (Forgot to do my weekend roundup again didn’t I 😐.) . . . . . #nowgallery #greenwichpeninsula #northgreenwich #se10 #samplelondon #mowalola #silentmadness #thepeninsulist #coolthingsfortinylondoners #londonwithkids #mylondon
COMPETITION CLOSED It’s Babvent day 7 and today I’m excited to be partnering with our favourite kids’ shop, the beautiful @niddlenoddleshop in Crouch End, to give away this stupidly cute @moulin_roty Apres la Pluie rabbit. The rabbit is called Mousse and comes with her own pink fleece leaf for your little one to wrap her in (she’s suitable from birth and she’s on my Christmas shortlist of things to buy Roma that she can then completely ignore). Niddle Noddle is the most incredible shop with the most beautiful range of toys, clothes and nursery decor. I defy you to venture to this corner of north London and not pay them a visit, particularly since they have an amazing yellow helter skelter in the corner. To win this little beaut simply like this post, make sure you’re following both @bablands.london and @niddlenoddleshop and tag as many friends as you like (one tag = one entry). This competition will end tomorrow, 8th December, at 8pm. Good luck 🐰 . . . . . #babvent2019 #coolthingsfortinylondoners
This year’s @museumofarchitecture Gingerbread City is utterly ridiculous. I mean I know the people who make it literally design houses for a living but how they create something so epic out of gingerbread is totally beyond me - I mean has anyone ever tried to make IKEA’s VINTERSAGA gingerbread house? Enough said. You can see this magical metropolis at @somersethouse until the 5th of January, and even take part in a transport-themed gingerbread house-making workshop while you’re there. All the info is up on the site now - link in bio 👆 . . . . . #pressevent #gingerbreadcity2019 #gingerbreadcity #somersethouse #museumofarchitecture #thingstodoinlondon #londonwithkids #coolthingsfortinylondoners
Create a website or blog at WordPress.com
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Europe Guide
  • Guide
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • Magazine
  • Out-of-Town Guide
Secondary navigation
  • Search

Begin typing your search above and press return to search. Press Esc to cancel.

%d bloggers like this: