Actual real life events are back and museums are still re-opening. So if you\u2019re up for getting out and about, here\u2019s our pick of the best things to do in and around London, from water fountains and peach leaf ice cream at Somerset House to the last few performances of Horrible Histories at the Drive In. The Making of Harry Potter reopens on Thursday 20th August and did you know that you can now pre-book your free ticket in readiness for when the British Museum opens 27th August. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out our previous blog on what opened and when From theme parks, cinemas, museums and attractions. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n But there\u2019s lots of virtual fun to be had too; learn how to draw with Cressida Cowell, settle down for storytime with David Walliams, let the Philharmonia bring the orchestra to your living room or write your own video game – there\u2019s lots to do, see and have fun with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find it useful, please do share this and sign up to the newsletter. We\u2019ll be sending these out every week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OUR TOP PICKS OF THINGS TO DO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Warner Bros Studio Tour The Making of Harry Potter reopening, Thursday 20th August<\/a> Somerset House Fountains Reopen, plus Mushrooms: The Art, Design and Future of Fungi the Strand<\/a> British Museum, reopening Thursday 27th August, with tickets available to book now\u00a0<\/a> Book your free ticket here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n OUR VIRTUAL TOP PICKS\u00a0<\/strong> ComedySportz Online!Friday 21st August at 12.30pm<\/a> Philharmonia Sessions: Family Concert, Saturday 22nd August at 11am\u00a0<\/a> Families of all ages are welcome but this event, run through zoom,\u00a0 is most suitable for children aged 5 \u2013 8, find out more here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n ANYTIME\u00a0<\/strong> Take the challenge here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Explosion of colour: a Gastronaut adventure<\/a> Create your own game where players will be on a quest. You get to decide the setting, the obstacles they might face and the path to victory; will your players fight dragons on a fiery mountain or have they crash-landed on an unknown planet, with only one way to get home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s up to you!\u00a0 Wild in Art has created a virtual art trail that everyone can take part in. They have selected over 30 of their sculpture templates, from elephants and bears to owls and snails which you can download, use to create your own designs and add to their global gallery. Find out more here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n World of Stories Audiobooks\u00a0<\/a> Actual real life events are back and museums are still re-opening. So if you\u2019re up for getting out and about, here\u2019s our pick of the best things to do in and around London, from water fountains and peach leaf ice cream at Somerset House to the last few performances of Horrible Histories at the Drive … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":7835,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1247,12,13,799,3201],"class_list":["post-7834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-days-out","tag-kids","tag-littlebird","tag-things-to-do","tag-top-picks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7834","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7834"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7836,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7834\/revisions\/7836"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7835"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Step back into the world of Harry Potter again and experience the magic. To acquaint yourselves with the new safety measures, click here<\/a> and there’s a video to watch too.\u00a0
All the Studio Tour sets will be open to view as normal, including the brand new Slytherin common room.\u00a0 Due to social distancing, it won\u2019t be possible to step inside the Hogwarts Express train carriage or inside Privet Drive and if you’re wondering whether butterbeer is still on the menu – yes it is! You can find it at the Backlog Cafe.\u00a0
Find out more and to book tickets, click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Somerset House Fountains in the magnificent Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court have reopened. The 55 fountains offer plenty of water themed fun for kids to play and cool off in. Somerset House will be managing capacity to ensure visitors can enjoy the fountains safely.\u00a0
Mushrooms: The Art, Design and Future of Fungi continues until 13 September in the Terrace Rooms (pre-booking and face covering required). Bringing together the work of over 40 leading artists, designers and musicians, Mushrooms looks at fungi\u2019s colourful cultural legacy, as well as the promise it offers to reimagine our relationship with the planet.
Plus, a new pop-up food experience housed inside a pale pink shipping container offers ice cream with flavours like peach leaf, jostaberry ripple and blackberry, brioche ice cream sandwiches, granitas and lollies made with fruit from Fern Verrow farm in Herefordshire.\u00a0\u00a0
Plan your visit here<\/a>
Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year, National Maritime Museum reopening, Greenwich<\/a>
The National Maritime Museum is celebrating its reopening by offering free access to the 2019 Insight Investment Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition. In 2019 the competition attracted 4,602 entries from 90 different countries, with just over 100 awe-inspiring images making the cut to feature in the exhibition. From spellbinding skyscapes and galaxies to extraordinary photographs of aurorae, the exhibition showcases the world\u2019s greatest space photography. The exhibition is open until 13th September.\u00a0
Tickets are free but you\u2019ll need to pre-book here<\/a>.\u00a0
Watch Horrible Histories at the Drive in, until 23rd August\u00a0<\/a>
Enjoy Horrible Histories from the safety of a Drive in Experience!\u00a0
Can you beat battling Boudicca? Would you be shaken or stirred by Richard III? Will you lose your heart or head to horrible Henry VIII? Can Parliament survive gunpowder Guy? Would you stand and deliver to dastardly Dick Turpin? Escape the clutches of Burke and Hare and move to the groove with party Queen Victoria!\u00a0
It\u2019s the horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in \u2013 tickets are \u00a335 per car. Find out more here<\/a>
Wind and the Willows at Hever Castle,\u00a0 Wednesday 26th August, 2pm & 4pm\u00a0<\/a>
Part of the Festival Theatre at Hever Castle, catch an open air performance of Wind and the Willows.\u00a0
Mole yearns for adventure, Rat adores boats and Badger likes peace and quiet. Into their lives bursts Toad who loves very fast cars and just can\u2019t seem to help getting into trouble. But can the animals reform Toad\u2019s character and evict the squatters from his ancestral home to restore justice to the world? Kenneth Grahame\u2019s perennial classic is brought to the stage in Illyria\u2019s inimitable style.
For kids 5+, 60 minutes, no interval, tickets from \u00a319.65, to find out more and book, click here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Book your ticket and reunite with two million years of human history. Reopening on Thursday 27th August you can pre-book your free entry ticket now. All visitors require a ticket apart from the under 4s. Face coverings are required and there will be a new one-way route signposted through the Museum, which is easy to follow. Some caf\u00e9s and shops will be open with contactless payment preferred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Draw along with Cressida Cowell, Thursday 20th August at 9.30am\u00a0<\/a>
Calling all budding young illustrators! Every day of the Edinburgh International Book Festival Online (running 31st August) at 9.30am they\u2019ll be streaming a Drawalong session from their Facebook page.\u00a0
Get your pens and pencils ready to follow in the footsteps of some of the world\u2019s best children\u2019s book illustrators and draw characters and scenes from your favourite stories: featuring sessions from Axel Scheffler, Nick Sharratt, Nadine Kadaan, Eilidh Muldoon, Allen Fatimaharan, Kate McLelland, Dapo Adeola, Polly Dunbar, Kate Leiper, Sara Ogilvie, Lydia Monks and Dunja Jogan with Cressida Cowell featuring this Thursday 20th August.\u00a0
Follow on Facebook (@edbookfest) to watch, or watch on demand on the website or YouTube channel the following day.\u00a0
Stay tuned to watch Magical Moggies with Philip Ardagh & Rob Biddulph<\/a> at 10am and don\u2019t miss Polly Dunbar & Michael Morpurgo \u2013 Owl or Pussycat?<\/a> on Sunday at 10am.\u00a0
To find out more, click here<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Part of the reimagined 2020 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and tune into ComedySportz as it goes for gold with competitive improvised comedy that is fast, fun and family friendly. Two teams go toe to toe (sort of) with quick-witted gags, games, sketches and songs inspired by audience suggestions. There\u2019s a referee on hand to ensure a good clean match with penalties for bad behaviour and bad jokes. Who wins? You decide!
ComedySportz UK has been entertaining audiences of all ages since 2001 and will be joined by players from ComedySportz teams worldwide during the festival.
If you can\u2019t make Friday, there\u2019s another show on Saturday 22nd August at 7pm.\u00a0
To find out more about the reimagined 2020 Edinburgh Fringe Festival click here<\/a>\u00a0 and to check out whats on click here<\/a>. The festival runs until 30th August.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Who says you have to sit still to listen to classical music? Jump to the rhythm of Jessie Montgomery\u2019s Starburst, wander through a fairytale world with Ravel, or just lie on the sofa and chill while the sounds of George Walker\u2019s gorgeous Lyric for Strings wash over you. And join in with the music whenever you want to, as presenter Lucy Drever helps to bring the wonderful world of the orchestra to life in your living room.
The concert will be available on Philmarmonia\u2019s YouTube channel here<\/a>
Storytime with David Walliams, Saturday 22nd August at 2pm<\/a>
Join David Walliams as he reads an extract from his children\u2019s stories as part of the Royal Albert Home sessions.
David published his first children\u2019s book The Boy in the Dress, illustrated by Sir Quentin Blake, in 2008. His novels have since been translated into 53 languages and sold over 37 million copies worldwide.\u00a0
Tune in here<\/a>
Little Angel Theatre There\u2019s a Bear on my Chair, Sunday 23rd August\u00a0\u00a0<\/a>
A puppet retelling of Ross Collins\u2019s picture book, There\u2019s A Bear On My Chair, created by Toby Oli\u00e9. Watch as Mouse employs a series of hilarious antics to remove an unwitting polar bear from his favourite chair. Oli\u00e9\u2019s retelling comes ahead of the hotly-anticipated sequel, There\u2019s A Mouse in My House, this autumn.\u00a0
This show follows on from Toby Olie\u2019s adaptation of Ross\u2019s book What Does An Anteater Eat? in May.
The Little Angel Theatre is offering\u00a0 online shows for free, but if you\u2019re able to make a donation it would be much appreciated.
Find out more here<\/a>
Intro to street dance with Sophie Guariglia-Smith, Monday 24th August at 3pm<\/a>
Street Dance is both graceful and powerful, and will challenge your body – plus you\u2019ll leave with some hot new moves you can whip out at any occasion!
This class will take a look at the foundations of street dance, comprising both commercial and urban street styles and grooves, combining basic moves and techniques to form fun routines suitable for 10 – 16 year olds (tickets \u00a34.50).\u00a0
To find out more and book, click here<\/a>
Virtual Family Workshop – Sounds bingo with Tower Bridge, Tuesday 25th August at 11am<\/a>
London has changed a great deal over Tower Bridge\u2019s 126 years, and sounds very different today to how it used to! Can you identify all the sounds of modern and Victorian London? Join this game of sounds bingo and see if you can identify all the different sounds of London from the past and today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Little Inventors Mini Challenge<\/a>\u00a0
Little Inventors is a creative education organisation that inspires imagination by taking children\u2019s amazing ideas seriously. During lockdown they were posting a new mini challenge each week. There are 107 in total and they are available for you to explore and discover what sparks the inventor in you! If you can\u2019t decide, click on the random challenge button and have the decision made for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Made for the Big Bang Digital Festival that ran on 14th July, BBC Gastronaut Stefan Gates and his daughter Poppy embark on a scientific adventure through the colours of the rainbow in a show filmed in the Gastrolab. Dedicated to key workers, the show is packed with spectacular, colourful science demos using glowing drinks, colour-changing breath, sugar explosions and edible insects. Stef and Poppy explore the visible spectrum and beyond, using infra-red cameras, UV lights, marshmallows and quite a lot of rockets.
Watch it here<\/a> and to find out what else you might of missed, click here<\/a>\u00a0
Write your own Video Game\u00a0<\/a>
The National Literacy Trust challenges you to write your own “choose-your-own-adventure” game. Anyone who loves gaming knows the importance of a great story. The best video games use exciting plot lines that keep players hooked from start to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Find out more here<\/a> and to download your activity pack and get started, click here here<\/a>
Wild in Art World Virtual Art Trail\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Access World Book Day\u2019s World of Stories audiobooks for free.
Young readers can hear their favourite tales, including The Bolds by Julian Clary and The Nothing To See Here Hotel by Steven Butler and older readers can discover fantastic books in the fiction category including A Pinch of Magic by Michelle Harrison and Rumble Star by Abi Elphinstone. These free audiobooks are read by famous voices such as Ade Adepitan, Konnie Huq, and Ben Miller.
Choose your favourite here<\/a>
Make edible Dinosaur Poo<\/a>
Ever wondered what Dinosaur poo tastes like\u2026well this one is delicious! Check into Colchester + Ipswich Museums activity library to find out how with this simple (and maybe a little messy) foody craft.
Find the recipe here <\/a>and to explore the activity library, click here<\/a> – there\u2019s 19th century ice cream, cannonball truffles and stain glass biscuits too.\u00a0
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