The LittleBird Family Pass Top Picks for 12th – 28th March
There’s plenty of fun to be had over the next two weeks with Mother’s Day, St Patrick’s Day and Red Nose Day, plus Tails from the Zoo has been extended, Tim Peake joins the Science Museum Climate Change Talk and don’t miss the Where’s Wally? Weekender.
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VIRTUAL EVENTS DATED
First Piano on the Moon
Saturday 13th March @ 11am & 2.30pm
Premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019 to critical response, First Piano on the Moon is written and performed by pianist and storyteller Will Pickvance. Half-man half-piano, Will combines storytelling and musical madness in this rollercoaster show about Mozart, music and the mooooon!
This is the story of a boy who daydreams of playing in front of a big live audience. When his dream comes true he should be excited, but he worries that maybe the whole world will discover the truth – he can’t really play the piano, he can only mess around and make people laugh. Mozart’s music is mingled and mangled in this rambunctious show including the appearance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart himself. What can Will glean from the Master?
Aimed at ages 7+ Access is via Zoom. Ticket £5 per device. To find out more and book tickets, click here.
Tails from the Zoo – extended!
Sunday 14th March & every Sunday @ 6.30pm until 28th March
If you missed this in Jan & Feb, don’t worry, thanks to Simon & Schuster Children’s Books, Tails from Zoo has been extended throughout March.
Join ZSL London and Whipsnade Zoo Virtual bedtime stories – read by keepers behind the zoos’ closed doors. In a bid to keep their beloved animals in touch with their youngest fans during the nationwide lockdown, the zookeepers have swapped their brooms for books with a series of virtual bedtime stories reading a different animal-inspired story told from the two zoos’ most popular exhibits every Sunday evening.
To find out more, click here. To tune in, visit ZSL London Zoo’s Facebook page or ZSL Whipsnade Zoo’s Facebook page on Sunday at 6.30pm to find out what stories are being read and where.
Museum of Natural History
Super Science Saturday
Throughout March
Oxford University Museum of Natural History has been hosting it’s family science fair since 2015 where researchers take over the museum and share their exciting work with families. This year it’s moved online and instead of running for a day, it’s available throughout the month of March.
2021’s theme is ‘Diversity’ and in each section, you will find out about a different area of science, the people who are doing this research, and be able to try out an activity. Aimed at ages 8+ Find out more here.
Little Angel Theatre – Where the Bugaboo Lives
Sunday 14th March to Sunday 2nd May
Floyd and his sister Ruby creep into the dark, shadowy valley behind their house… a valley full of all kinds of spooky, creepy creatures and the scariest of them all, the Bugaboo!
Join Floyd and Ruby at every step of their journey, as you decide which path they take and what monsters they meet.
Where the Bugaboo Lives is the Little Angel’s first made-for-zoom, choose-your-own adventure style show for 5-11 year olds.This interactive experience is delivered via Zoom, where you will be greeted by a performer, watch a recorded version of the show, and take part in activities.
Aimed at ages 5-11.Tickets £13.50 per household.Running Time: 45 minutes approx. Find out more and book your ticket here.
The Great Big Art Exhibition: Humour
Monday 15th – Sunday 28th March
If you haven’t taken part in this UK wide art exhibition launched at the end of January, now’s your chance. The exhibition is a 100 day-long celebration of the creativity in everyone.
With museums and galleries still closed, everyone is invited to make an artwork and display it in your window, garden, your outdoor space or on your balcony for all to see.
The final theme and inspiration for your works of art is Humour. The Great Big Art Exhibition runs until 7th May 2021. Take part and download your pack, click here.
Science Museum Climate Change: The View From Space
Tuesday 16th March @ 7.30pm
Part of the Science Museums 2021 Climate Talk series, astronauts Helen Sharman and Tim Peake join Maggie Aderin-Pocock and UNOOSA’s Simonetta Di Pippo to assess how their work in orbit has helped us to appreciate our planet.
From the insights gained about Earth as we learn more about neighbouring planets, to the way in which advances in satellites and remote sensing are helping to track the effects of climate change more accurately than ever before.
The Climate Talk series is aimed at ages 14+. Tickets are free but booking is required so book your place now.
Mayor of London’s St. Patrick’s Festival
Wednesday 17th March @4pm – 10pm
Tune into this live virtual event taking that looks to showcase the best of Irish arts, performance, culture, food, and music from both Britain and Ireland. Offering a jam-packed evening of culture, conversation, and community fun. Look forward to creative workshops, music, traditional dance, storytelling and more plus an online film festival too.
See the whole schedule of events here. Access the full event here.
Red Nose Day
Friday 19th March
There are lots of ways you can take part and help fundraise for this year’s Red Nose Day including making sure you take part in the Family Challenge, adding your favourite joke onto a Share a Smile Poster and putting it in your window, buying a red nose or getting your dancing shoes on and joining Gok Wan and his Red Nose Rave, the official Red Nose Day after party at 11.30pm
Find out more here.
Garden Museum’s Family Online Cookalong
Saturday 20th March @ 10.30am
Join the Garden Museums family feasts cooking session online from your home kitchen. Each month in Learning, the Garden Museum finds a subject to explore with information and activities across food, science and creative learning. This March it’s the potato and this hero staple vegetable will be the focus of their online cooking class.
The sessions will be led by the Garden Museum’s Food Learning Officer Ceri, from her home kitchen. Aimed at ages 5 – 10 (with adult supervision required throughout). Assess via zoom. Cost: £2 per family – find out more here
V&A The Nonsense Museum
Saturday 20th March @ 11am and 2pm
Join the V&A for a new Silly Saturday online performance event, with theatre maker, Luke Saydon. Take a light-hearted view of some V&A objects, with Professor Bluff, in this interactive comedy workshop and let your imagination laugh out loud.
The event will take place through zoom. Workshop times 11.00am for 5-7 year olds and 2.00pm for 7-12 year olds. Find out more here.
Where’s Wally Weekender
Saturday 20th – Sunday 21st March
Take part in the National Literacy Trust first ever virtual Where’s Wally? Weekender. Don the classic Where’s Wally? red and white stripes and run, walk or jog your own 1k, 5k or 10k route to help support the literacy of disadvantaged children.
You can take part anywhere and at any time during the weekend – it is up to you but for those raring to go on Saturday morning, the virtual event will officially kick off with a heart-pumping 15 minute Facebook Live warm up from world renowned football freestyler Jamie Knight.
Everyone who takes part will get a free Where’s Wally? costume, a medal and virtual goody bag once you have completed your route. Your goody bag will include an exclusive sneak peek of digital activities from brand new Where’s Wally? book, Where’s Wally? Party Time!
Adult entry: £20, Child entry: £15. Find out more here
We Are Nature: Ray Mears in Conversation with Selina Scott
Thursday 25th March @ 7.30pm
Learn from the stealth of the leopard and the patience of the crocodile with survival expert Ray Mears, who has spent a lifetime in the natural world. Providing practical fieldcraft tips and insights into the secrets of the countryside, Ray will reflect on his work as a broadcaster and on ‘Woodlore’ his School of Wilderness Bushcraft. Learn how to tune your senses, enhance the experience of nature and understand your place within it.
This event is presented by the British Library in partnership with Penguin Live. Ray Mears new book We Are Nature: How to Reconnect to the Outdoors will be launched at this event. Tickets £7.50 Find out more here
Aardman Animations Fluffles: Online Model Making Workshop
Friday 26th March @ 4pm
Aardman Animations are giving you the chance to learn how to make your very own Fluffles from Wallace & Gromit. Led by an expert model maker, you’ll also get the opportunity to ask any burning questions you have and learn some insider Aardman tips, too
Tickets cost £15 per household, with the workshop taking place via zoom. Find out more here and book your zoom here.
Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel, a Scottish Opera Film
Available until 30th April
Part of the Scottish Opera: On Screen, delight in Humperdinck’s majestic score in this bright and vivid new staging of Hansel and Gretel.
Banished from home by their exasperated parents, Hansel and Gretel plunge deep into the forest, ready for whatever adventures might come their way. But not everything is as it seems in this enchanted wood and the pair will need their wits about them if they’re to escape the clutches of the Christmas-crazed Witch who lurks there. As they venture through an eerie world of magic, fireflies and fairies they find that if they hang onto hope, even the darkest moments can be overcome.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Woodland Trust Winter Picnic
Now we’re allowed to go outside for more than exercise, it’s time to suggest a winter picnic to the kids. They might think you’re mad at first but once you start talking hot chocolates and mulled apple juice, you might just get their attention. Find some hot food and recipe ideas from the Woodland Trust here
Spring with Wildlife Watch
Spring is in the air and with the 21st of March marking the Spring Equinox – the date on which day and night are of equal length – it’s time to take a moment and enjoy the change of season and what this means for wildlife. Birdsong reaches a peak and many flowers appear, in turn attracting insects including bees and butterflies.
Have a look at the Wildlife Trusts guide of their top five things to look out for when you’re out and about, click here
ONLINE ANYTIME
The Tate – Make a Mud Painting
Dig up some mud and then scratch in the surface to make a landscape or cityscape with Tate. To find out what you need click here.
London Transport Museum – Make your own roundel hot drink stencil at home
As we slowly start to ease out of lockdown and traveling becomes an option again, why not
add a transport twist to your hot drink to get you back in the mood as travelling becomes a possibility again. Download the London Transport Museum’s roundel template (or have a go at drawing it yourself) and make a stencil to decorate a hot chocolate or a babyccino. Find out more here.
Fun Kids Judge Bex
Fun Kids presenter Bex has decided to dust off her Law Degree and bring the courtroom to her show! Do you have a dispute with your parents, friend, or sibling that you need settled in the court of Bex? Maybe your parents are withholding pocket money unfairly? Maybe your sibling is blaming you for losing their favourite toy? Whatever it is, Bex wants to know!
Bex will be reviewing each case with a fine tooth-comb and handpicking the ones she want’s to try in her court. Once selected Fun Kids will be in touch with parents to arrange the trial. Find out more here.
#architecturefromhome
Fosters + Partners have created a whole host of activities including drawing, making, playing, thinking and reading. From Paper skyscrapers to Creating your own City – explore the world of architecture and be inspired here.
MAKE THIS
Mother’s Day brunch projects for kids
If the kids want to treat mum to breakfast in bed, these recipes from BBC Good Food are simple enough for youngsters to have a hand in making them. I’ll have the Breakfast Bagel Club please… Get ready for brekky here.
RedTedArt crafts & cards inspiration
RedTedArt has a ton of ideas for gifts and crafts for Mother’s Day, plus some printable cards too. Check out these easy to make gifts and card ideas here.
Unicorn Bark
Whether you believe in unicorns or not, you can believe and make, then eat Unicorn Bark! Get the full recipe here.
WATCH THIS
But do this first…
Turn on the Subtitles
A relatively new campaign with a simple message – Kids read more with the subtitles on. Turning on the subtitles while children are watching television can double the chances of a child becoming good at reading meaning that TV time becomes reading time.
Find out more here and turn on the subtitles!
What’s Up with Everyone?
Aardman has joined forces with leading researchers and mental health charities on a campaign developed to encourage young people to become more aware of the factors that may be having a negative impact on their mental wellbeing. Aimed at young people aged 17-24, the campaign offers a series of short films uniquely co-created with the young audience it sets out to support.
The films introduce five characters, each of whom is contending with an issue related to loneliness, perfectionism, competitiveness, independence and social media – five of the most common issues negatively impacting young people, according to the campaign’s research.
Aimed at ages 17 – 24. To find out more and watch the short films.
Your Honor
Sky and Prime
TV-MA – suitable for mature audiences
The 10-episode legal thriller stars Bryan Cranston a respected judge whose teenage son is involved in a hit and run that leads to a high stakes game of lies, deceit and impossible choices.
Yes Day
Netflix March 12th
Family comedy film starring Jennifer Garner, EdgarRamirez and Jenna Ortega about a mum and dad who decide to say yes to all their children’s requests for one day only. YES DAY arrives on Netflix March 12. Join the fun and celebrate a day of YES with your loved ones, and share with using #YESDAYchallenge.
Drive to Survive
3rd Season 19th March
A great sporting doc to watch with the kids. A fascinating insight into the drivers, managers and team owners live life in the fast lane — both on and off the track — during each cutthroat season of Formula 1 racing. Watch Drive to Survive.
LISTEN TO THIS
Dare to Lead Brene Brown
Dare to Lead – Conversations with change-catalysts, culture-shifters and more than a few troublemakers who are innovating, creating, and daring to lead. From Barack Obama to women’s footballer Abby Wambach.
Young Changemakers Podcast
We share the stories of fearless young people working to create lasting change in their communities. We interview young changemakers from across the world about their motivations, ambitions and lessons learned along the way. We’ll show you the incredible impact of youth and that you too can make a difference. Check out the cause here.
DOWNLOAD THIS
Unfolding Shines
You’ve been surrounded by the same four walls for some time now. Outside, the structures of society are shaking. Shape Arts invites you to explore the captivating worlds of four artists; rooms of cartoon strangeness, tender tribute, and unfolding shrines. Allow these augmented realities to seep into your own as the walls around you expand.
The exhibition will be available to the public from 24 March 2021, free from both the App Store and Google Play store.
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