6 weeks, 3 kids and no valium

[HelenB]

this might be useful - free courses for kids ages 8+ in the London area

Summer Uni London

[Paul F]

I just wanted to say a huge for all those that have to look after kids over the holiday.
As someone who is pertified at the idea of having to do that day in and day out I really do have to take my hat off to you all.

[Dreadful Scathe]

I just wanted to say a huge for all those that have to look after kids over the holiday.
As someone who is pertified at the idea of having to do that day in and day out I really do have to take my hat off to you all.

you kind of have to - social services would never cope

[Paul F]

you kind of have to - social services would never cope

Even so it can't be easy and must be absolutely exhausting. I'm finding moving house to be a challenge but would prefer that to having to keep children entertained!!

[Dreadful Scathe]

They are entertained by the move itself. Our horrendous move left our new house randomly scattered with furniture (we paid "professionals" to do everything, including pack) but the picture we took of the disarray the livingroom was left in, has my daughter in the middle jumping up with a bowl on her head and a huge grin on her face

[sway]

Ok, I'm bumping this thread. Please give me some lovely cheap ideas for days out with the kids. It's only been a week and my purse is empty and the valium is running low.

snap i am glad someone is in the same boat i ame luck i live by the forest so i take thm there it costs me a ice cream thats it and 2 tired kids at the end, check the internet for free days out do u have friends local with kids me and some moms from the local school are gettong together but its not every day and not every week so still going grey lol
good luck as i know i need it and i guess u do 2

[Lory]

They are entertained by the move itself.

This reminds me of when mine were little... We were having our house replastered and the plasterer, (who we knew well and has to be the most layed back 'rasta styly' guy I know) turned up at the crack of dawn.

Anyway, he said he didn't need me and suggested I go back to bed for a couple of hours...

... sometime later I woke up and thought, 'that's funny, the kids haven't come into me yet

So I went to investigate, only to find the two of them, plus Kem, all balanced precariously on crates, trowels in hands, covered in plaster and singing at the top of their voices - reggae. My daughter had thoughtfully changed for the occasion, into a princess dress complete with tiara but my son was still in last nights nappy, that was now so heavy, it was round his knees!

[Lory]

Here's a couple of FREE things to do...

for the next three weeks, on Thursdays, Friday's and Saturdays, there is free entertainment at Trafalgar Square, at 1 and 9pm, starting with the Beijing Circus
Trafalgar Square Festival, week 1

And here's something that you might not think about taking your kids to at first glance but i've done it lot's of times and loads of kids go and they love it... Open air concerts at Kenwood, this Saturday, Diana Krall is performing It usually ends with a firework display. You don't 'have' to buy tickets, granted you can't see much but you can hear it and the atmosphere is usually lovely!

My tip is, get there very early, as parking is a nightmare and its a great 'people watching' opportunity , some of the effort people go to with their picnics is amazing! and don't forget to bring a torch, as by the time you pack your picnic up, its pitch black!

Kenwood House's long hot summer| Events | This is London

[Gav]

Well one relatively inexpensive day out involved a trip to the Imperial War Museum for the morning/early afternoon, followed by a pre-booked flight on the London Eye, which is a short walk from the museum (or a few tube stops if you don't feel up to it).
Of course the museum is free (apart from the 007 exhibition, which I wouldn't recommend unless you're a fan. It's not especially interesting for kids), then there's lunch which can be cheap if you take it with you and the Eye cost us £35 for 1 adult and 3 kids.
That's a full day out for a family of four for less than £50. It's a lot if you do it every day, but then you don't do you?

Anyway, the weather held out just until we got under the covered area of the queue, then it p1ssed down.
But then just before we got to the top, the clouds cleared and we had bright sunshine. We even saw a rainbow below us at 1 point.
Well worth the effort, although I think at ages 6 and 8, the youngest two were a little young for the war museum.