The £18m refurb has rendered this museum much more child-friendly, interactive and just generally more interesting.
We were back within a month of our initial visit, and we live 12 miles away – which in London might as well be a different country.
There’s not a lot in it, but its location on the edge of Peckham Rye and the welcome addition of a baby-sensory room mean Apple Tree 2 just edges it over its sister site.
This month, meet Beatrix Potter at the V&A, immerse yourself in the world of cats and dogs at the Horniman, and celebrate 20 years of Imagine Children’s Festival at the Southbank Centre.
The design gives off some seriously jazzy nineties sci-fi vibes, a la Red Dwarf via The Fifth Element, but imagine both are set in Romford.
Appalling weather? Kids bouncing off the walls of your tiny London flat? Fear not, there is hope in the shape of the capital’s myriad indoor playgrounds, from the most stylish play cafes and museum children’s galleries to the least awful soft-play centres we can think of (and, good God, there are some dreadful ones).
This month, be dazzled by the Winter Lights in Canary Wharf, build a Den at the Soane Museum and master the art of spinning the decks at Peckham Levels.
This month, behold a city made entirely from gingerbread, bake your own Hanukah doughnuts and welcome in the New Year in style.
This month, play in a flamingo-themed playground, step into the house of the future and have an immersive fantasy experience.
Magical grottoes, spellbinding light shows, otherworldly ice rinks and festive theatre can only mean one thing… it’s Christmaaaaas.
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