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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.

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  • Twenty awesome things to see and do with your little Londoner in October
    Twenty awesome things to see and do with your little Londoner in October
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    Seven London cafes with decent-sized play areas
  • Unleash your inner creative at the South London Gallery's artist-led Sunday Spot
    Unleash your inner creative at the South London Gallery's artist-led Sunday Spot
  • Binge on matcha brownies and black sesame lattes at Toconoco Japanese cafe
    Binge on matcha brownies and black sesame lattes at Toconoco Japanese cafe
  • Seven of the coolest independent children's shops in London
    Seven of the coolest independent children's shops in London
  • Immerse yourself in the sensory pod at the V&A Museum of Childhood
    Immerse yourself in the sensory pod at the V&A Museum of Childhood
  • 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
  • Take a break from shopping at Westfield's questionably named Playworld
    Take a break from shopping at Westfield's questionably named Playworld
  • Enjoy bear-shaped pizza and vintage Fisher Price toys at Forest Gate's Corner Kitchen
    Enjoy bear-shaped pizza and vintage Fisher Price toys at Forest Gate's Corner Kitchen
  • 100 cool things to do with babies and toddlers in London
    100 cool things to do with babies and toddlers in London

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New on the site today, the brilliant Sunday Spot at @southlondongallery . We cannot recommend this workshop enough; it’s a very relaxed free two-hour drop-in in a gorgeous space, led by an ever-changing rota of talented artists. It’s aimed at ages 3-12 but was totally fine for Babu (and suitable for younger toddlers too), and happens every Sunday from 2-4pm. Link up here 👆🏻 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #peckham #southlondongallery #artwithkids
Today we went to the opera... kinda. The new Opera Dots workshops at @royaloperahouse offer under-5s and their carers a chance to discover the world of opera through singing, music and stories with a professional opera singer. Babu’s been in a crappy mood all day and spent the whole session throwing herself at my crotch instead of engaging with the story, but I’m glad we did it anyway. Gets us out the house init. You weren’t allowed to take photos during the performance so I didn’t (except for when I accidentally took one of some kid pushing Babu over right at the end), so here’s some nice pen-themed wall art outside the Apple store just down the road 👍 Review coming soon/probably not particularly soon. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #royaloperahouse #opera #coventgarden
Weekly roundups have gone completely out the window while I rearrange my furniture and have a moving-/womb monster-induced nervous breakdown, but there’s still plenty of stuff left to enjoy this October, from @museumchildhood ‘s new pirate exhibition and the reopening of Great Missenden’s @roalddahlmuseum to the return of Storystock with @batterseaartscentre at @batterseapwrstn and the opening of Good Grief, Charlie Brown! at @somersethouse . Yay 👍 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #artwithkids #camdenartscentre #hampstead #camden
Lush painting and animation workshop with Fredrik Andersson, aka @freddelanka (whose work I am obsessed with), at @camdenartscentre , inspired by the centre’s Amy Sillman: Landline exhibition today. No arse vases unfortunately but Babu got proper into this session and learnt lots of new techniques, including basic computer animation. It’s the first Family Takeover at CAC we’ve been to and it was great; Fredde will be hosting it every Sunday 2-4.30pm until 16th December so make sure you get your kids along to one. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #serpentinegallery #hydepark #artwithkids #camdenartscentre #hampstead #camden #freddelanka
Becoming mannequins in @harold_offeh , guardian of the mirrors’, Hall of Mirroring Family Weekend At @serpentineuk . It kept Babu entertained for an hour or so and it’s on again tomorrow. Drop in from 1-5pm if you fancy imagining what it would be like to have infinite multiples of your child. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #serpentinegallery #hydepark #southkensington #artwithkids #mrsusan
When your blog/Insta is all about stuff to do in London you feel like you need to always be doing ALL the stuff in London, but then sometimes life and your stupid brain get in the way and you have to put all the stuff on the back burner while you erect cheap flat-pack furniture and lie in bed sniffing your cat’s fur, and post photos of things you did three weeks ago instead. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon
Obsessed with this beautiful photo by @startingwithart from her last heavenly Project Light session at @parasolunit . It makes them look like they really love each other, even though they mostly just smack each other in the face and steal the other one’s stuff. I’m sure they love each other really though ❤️ . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #projectlight #hoxton #parasolunit #artinlondon
Babu finally got to ride the yellow @niddlenoddleshop helter skelter and it was the best thing that ever happened. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #crouchend #kidsshop #shoplocal #shopindependent #shopsmall
One from Edith’s bathroom, which reminds me we really need to attempt potty training soon 😬 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #crouchend
Another day, another novelty cafe. Edith’s House in Crouch End is decorated like the inside of an eccentric old lady’s house, complete with chintzy living room, old-school dining room, frou frou bathroom and super-kitsch bedroom - and it serves really amazing cakes. I have to say I was a bit annoyed by the waitress standing over us telling us to fold our buggies before we’d even got through the door - her and the real-life eccentric old lady telling us she wasn’t going to move to make room for said buggies, but there were high chairs and baby changing so I guess they can’t hate children *that* much 😕 . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #hackney
Actually going to do something that isn’t emptying boxes/assembling flat-pack furniture/crying on the floor surrounded by mess today. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #hackney
The other day someone told me there’s a 5:1 boy to girl birth ratio in Hackney. Not that we live in Hackney but how mental is that?! We’re having another girl, which I’m pretty relieved about if only for financial reasons. I went through Babu’s old baby clothes the other day and I could genuinely open a second-hand kidswear shop with them. So glad they’re not going to waste (I always think I dress her pretty unisex but there’s some proper girly shit in there), plus they can share a room forever - because let’s face it we’re never going to be able to afford a three-bed in London ☹️ . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #sciencemuseum #wonderlab #southkensington
Is tiny, goes everywhere and wonders about A LOT of things. The Science Museum has killed me today. I never feel like we’ve covered more than 0.5% even when we spend the whole day there since it’s so bloody massive and there’s so much potential for faffing. Today we faffed on slopes, with barriers, in the gift shop and in a really crap coin-operated spacecraft before managing to actually go see some science. What are your favourite bits of the museum? We need to branch out from Wonderlab, The Garden and bloody Pattern Pod. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #sciencemuseum #wonderlab #southkensington
So excited for @dalstongarden ’s annual Pumpkin Lantern Festival 🎃 The garden is running pumpkin-carving sessions on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st and there’ll be a team of volunteers poised to help little ones with their pumpkins. All pumpkins stay in the garden to become part of the lantern show, which will be lit up from the evening of Sunday 21st-Friday 26th. Check the DCG website for more details. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #dalston #shopindependent #shopsmall #e8 #hackney
We visited the loveliest little kids’ shop with the loveliest owner today. @thats_not_fair_ldn opened in Dalston Lane a couple of months ago, having previously been based in Tufnell Park. The owner designs her own kidswear as well as selling clothes and accessories from independent brands - and it’s all ridiculously reasonably priced. The lady (whose name completely escapes me) was amazing with Babu, let her sit on the shelves and hung out with her while I browsed, and she even gave her a present when we left! What a babe, I love her. Review coming soon. Thanks for the recco @aleksandrakingodiary ❤️ . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon #dalston #shopindependent #shopsmall #e8 #hackney
Squish Space: similar to Barbican Blocks only fluffier, squishier. Just as much potential for complete toddler abandonment in favour of running off into some random conference room. Probably better for babies; still pretty cool. . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon
Yay it’s October! 🍁 My syrupy brain forgot about the weekly roundup last week and this week it’s too broken from travelling and putting together the list on Saturday and intensive packing yesterday, so I’m flaking out again... sarry. There’s loads on this week though. Squish Space at @barbicancentre officially opens today, @soundscreativeprojects is hosting a gig in Stokey on Tuesday, Yayoi Kusama will be at @victoriamirogallery from Wednesday, Little Volcanoes Science Club for 2-4s is popping up in North Finchley on Thursday, Foxglove Forest School will be back at Grow Mayow Community Garden on Friday, new artist Ashley-Lousie McNaughton will be leading @tate ’s under 5s explore the gallery sessions from Saturday and the amazing @freddelanka will be running @camdenartscentre ’s Family Takeover on Sunday. There we go, there’s my half-arsed version. Have a smashing week ❤️ . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon
Go check out 20 Things for October if you haven’t already - it’s a good one (in my very biased, narcissistic opinion). I reckon everything on it will at least be better than big wet pink world, which I thought was crap (and I know some of you disagree with me 😀). Been power packing all day so now I’m gonna sit on my bum and eat Chinese food. Enjoy your weekend dregs ❤️ . . . . . . . . . . #bablands #coolthingsfortinylondoners #thingstodowithkids #toddlersofinstagram #toddlerlife #mummyblogger #parentblogger #londonblogger #londonmum #blogger #londonparents #londonmums #parentingtheshitoutoflife #london #londonmum #letthembelittle #londonunderground #visitlondon #babylondon

For Tiny Londoners & Their Adults

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