Raymond Briggs Father Christmas <\/a>has become an iconic portrayal of the great man himself and if you haven\u2019t seen this theatre show, you Bloomin\u2019 better! Returning for it\u2019s third year, the show is full of warmth, fun and giggles and perfect for families with young children.<\/p>\n Father Christmas awakes from a dream of summer sun only to realise that it’s bloomin’ Christmas Eve and the start of his longest night of the year. He gathers the reindeer and prepares his sleigh, beginning the long journey into the snowy night to deliver presents to sleeping children all over the world. But things don’t run smoothly and he soon encounters soot covered chimneys to squeeze through and treacherous weather conditions, all while plenty of mischief is had by his cheeky pets, Cat and Dog.<\/p>\n When: now until 31st December <\/p>\n Winter Sun at Kings Cross Granary Square<\/strong><\/p>\n Winter Sun<\/a> is a \u2018hearth\u2019-like artwork inspired by our need for light in the darkness of winter. Winter Sun offers a place to gather together in a temporary structure of ever-changing light. With various free events throughout December, \u00a0choose from \u00a0Shadow Shapes <\/a>\u00a0this Saturday 2.30pm – 4.30pm where you can go and create shadow shapes and experiment with your creations making shadow plays in the sunlight or pop along on Monday 22nd December and make a mirror ball t<\/a>o reflect winter light, \u00a0hang on your tree or have your own mini disco.<\/p>\n When: Shadow Shapes takes place on Saturday 20th December and the Mirror Ball event on \u00a0Monday 22nd December, both \u00a02.30pm – 4.30pm The Sky Tonight: Christmas Stars<\/strong><\/p>\n A seasonal themed planetarium show <\/a>explores the latest ideas about what the Christmas Star<\/a> might have been as well discovering what the night sky has to offer over the Christmas period and beyond, including the Moon, planets, stars and constellations, presented live by a Royal Observatory astronomer.<\/p>\n As you\u2019re in Greenwich Park, why not walk down and visit the National Maritime Museum<\/a>, it\u2019s free, or pop along and see the deer. Still have Christmas shopping to do? Head towards the Cutty Sark <\/a>and visit Greenwich Market – there are some great food stalls too if you\u2019re feeling a bit peckish.<\/p>\n When: until 23rd December, various show times The Snow Dragon at St James Theatre<\/strong><\/p>\n Visit St James Theatre this Christmas for storytelling, comedy and songs that create a magical and mysterious world. Billy has everything a young goat could need \u2013 and more besides. On New Year\u2019s Eve, Billy\u2019s parents tell him about the legendary Snow Dragon<\/a>, who will bring him even more goodies during the night. But when Billy bumps into some wolves in the woods, New Year\u2019s Day seems a long way off.<\/p>\n Enjoy finding out how Billy escapes \u2013 and whether the Snow Dragon will bring him a present. Has Billy been naughty or nice? From the company that produced \u00a0The Gruffalo and The Snail and the Whale, this is a Tall Stories production.<\/p>\n Depending on whether you want to make a day of it, \u00a0St James Park<\/a> isn\u2019t far and the Changing of the Guard<\/a> takes place daily at 11am (10am on Sundays) and lasts about 30 minutes. It\u2019s \u00a0held on Horse Guards Parade by Whitehall, which is located east of St James’s Park and don\u2019t forget the \u00a0Pelicans<\/a> \u00a0– St James Park residents since 1664.<\/p>\n When: until 4th January <\/p>\n A Christmas Carol and Other Tales of Christmas Past at the Charles Dicken Museum<\/strong><\/p>\n What could be more Christmassy than a retelling of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol<\/a>. A Christmas Carol is brought to life through shadow puppetry and captivating physical theatre. Enjoy lesser known Dickens Christmas Stories too as live actors with an identifiable and unique style of movement, create an atmosphere that entices you into an enchanting world. \u00a0Witness a \u00a0teacup turn into Tiny Tim and transformations from ghostly spirits to the miserly Scrooge with the flick of a top hat and the click of a cane. \u00a0It simply has to be seen to be believed!<\/p>\n For a breathe of fresh air and to let the kids run wild before sitting to watch a show, enjoy the fabulous Coram Fields<\/a> – with playgrounds, a city farm and a cafe too plus a large adventure play area including an aerial slide.<\/p>\n When: until 30th December Treasure Island at the National Theatre<\/strong><\/p>\n Not one of us must breathe a word of what we\u2019ve found\u2026<\/p>\n Robert Louis Stevenson\u2019s story of murder, money and mutiny is brought to life on the Olivier stage at the National this Winter. . Treasure Island <\/a>is the classic tale of pirates and hidden treasure, \u2018Long John\u2019 Silver and maps plus the infamous parrot of course.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a dark, stormy night. The stars are out. Jim, the inn-keeper\u2019s granddaughter, opens the door to a terrifying stranger. At the old sailor\u2019s feet sits a huge sea-chest, full of secrets. Jim invites him in \u2013 and her dangerous voyage begins.<\/p>\n Can\u2019t make the National, see the live broadcast to cinemas on 22 January 2015 – to find the nearest cinema to you, click here<\/a><\/p>\n When: until 8th April <\/p>\n Fly with the Snowman on Emirates Air Line<\/strong><\/p>\n We\u2019re walking in the air…OK not quite, but as near as possible. This Christmas you can join The Snowman and The Snowdog <\/a>on Emirates Air Line. \u00a0The Snowman’s flight will be brought to life using immersive digital effects, including specially edited sequences of the film and soundtrack will be combined with new aerial footage of the cable car and its surrounding landmarks – treated to create wintery animation effects and featuring the film’s characters.<\/p>\n You can also take your own photos with a life-sized Snowman model before boarding your flight. And, we\u2019re told, there are 15,000 free goodie bags for children – given away on a first come, first served basis containing a Snowman chocolate, in-flight binoculars, an i-spy challenge and a Snowman or Snowdog character mask.<\/p>\n When: now until 4th January The Hidden House at Westfield Stratford City<\/strong><\/p>\n Finding it difficult to persuade the kids Christmas shopping is fun? This promised immersive experience might make them change their minds. Let the kids take a different kind of adventure this Christmas and discover the secrets inside The Hidden House<\/a>. Inspired by the Grimm Tales, investigate the sudden disappearance of Red Riding Hood.<\/p>\n Set in a free-flow maze, the kids get to \u00a0journey through the different rooms of The Hidden House and uncover storytellers, princesses and fairy tale surprises in a high-tech environment. The kids mission, should they wish to accept, is to rescue Red Riding Hood\u2026..<\/p>\n There are two experiences; The Hidden House for 8+ and The Hidden House (11am – 5pm): Darkest Secrets for 12+ (5pm – 10pm), for those who enjoy being scared.<\/p>\n There\u2019s something for everyone at Westfield with a Santa\u2019s Grotto <\/a>for the younger members of your family and Playworld <\/a>– specially-designed play area for under 5s.<\/p>\n When: now until the 4th January Winterville 2014 in Victoria Park<\/strong><\/p>\n Experience Winterville 2014<\/a>! With a festive array of entertainment and attractions for all the family, it has a groovy mix of family friendly fun. \u00a0There\u2019s an ice rink (of course), horse carriages so that you can arrive into the town of Winterville in style plus you get to say hello to the horses!, a gravity defying motordrome – the Wall of Death – \u00a0for all those thrill seekers and speed lovers, roller skating, Robin Hood Pantomime, a fairground plus Ferris Wheel, \u00a0not to mention the Kids Quarter. Check out the \u00a0House of Fairy Tales, face painting with props including tails for a photo call and free workshops this Friday 19th and Saturday 20th by the Super Cape-Abilities<\/a> team. At 11am , 2pm and 4pm the kids can create their own unique Superhero identity and then decorate their own Super Cape-Abilities cape – \u2018Is it a bird\u2026.?\u2019 If you can\u2019t make the weekend, check out the family rave (yes I said rave!) on Tuesday 23rd December, for more info, click here <\/a><\/p>\n Where: Victoria Park Southbank Centre\u2019s Winter Festival – Christmas Tree Maze, Southbank Centre Express & more!<\/strong><\/p>\n As part of the Southbank Centre Winter Festival<\/a>, prepare to get lost in their magical maze! Built from 300 Christmas trees, \u00a0find your way to the middle and children will receive a gift. Been lost and found and need a sit down, jump on board the Southbank Centre Express. The train journeys from Hungerford Bridge to Festival Pier and back again providing the perfect opportunity for you to take in the sights, sounds and smells of this years Southbank Centre\u2019s festive makeover. The spectacular array of events, activities and outdoor art plus festive markets, make the Southbank Centre a must this Christmas.<\/p>\n When: until 11th January 2015 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" FUN AND FANTASTIC THINGS TO DO WITH THE KIDS SATURDAY 20TH & SUNDAY 21ST \u00a0DECEMBER, 2014 Raymond Briggs Father Christmas at the Lyric Theatre Raymond Briggs Father Christmas has become an iconic portrayal of the great man himself and if you haven\u2019t seen this theatre show, you Bloomin\u2019 better! Returning for it\u2019s third year, the … Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,563],"tags":[676,677,678,679,248,680,548,681,682,69,683,684,12,685,13,686,687,688,499,689,690,691,692,693,694,695,696,697,698,699,564,606,196,700,544,607],"class_list":["post-879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","category-whats-on","tag-a-christmas-carol","tag-animated-tale","tag-cable-car","tag-charles-dickens-museum","tag-christmas","tag-christmas-stars","tag-father-christmas","tag-fly-emirates","tag-fly-with-the-snowman","tag-fun","tag-granary-square","tag-hackney","tag-kids","tag-kings-cross","tag-littlebird","tag-national-theatre","tag-planetarium-winter-sun","tag-raymond-briggs","tag-southbank-centre","tag-southbank-winter-festival","tag-st-james-theatre","tag-stratford","tag-tales-of-christmas-past","tag-the-hidden-house","tag-the-sky-tonight","tag-the-snow-dragon","tag-the-snowman","tag-treasure-island","tag-victoria-park","tag-westfield","tag-whats-on-2","tag-whatson","tag-winter","tag-winter-fun","tag-winter-wonderland","tag-winterville"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879","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\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=879"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5734,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/879\/revisions\/5734"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=879"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=879"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=879"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"raymond_briggs_father_christmas_littlebird_whatson\"](\"http:\/\/www.littlebird.co.uk\/blog\/app\/uploads\/2014\/12\/raymond_briggs_father_christmas_littlebird_whatson.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: Lyric Theatre
\nAge: Under 6
\nCost: Adults \u00a310, Children \u00a38<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: Kings Cross Granary Square
\nAge: Families
\nCost: Free<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: Planetarium, Royal Observatory Greenwich
\nAge: Over 5s
\nCost: \u00a36.50 for adults, \u00a34.50 for children, \u00a0\u00a320 family ticket<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: St James Theatre
\nAge: 3+
\nCost: from \u00a316 with a family of four ticket \u00a355<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: Charles Dickson Museum
\nAge: Families
\nCost: Adults \u00a315, Children \u00a310<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: National Theatre
\nAge: 10+
\nCost: Tickets start at \u00a315<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: Emirates Air Line
\nAge: Families
\nCost: For the full experience, Adults \u00a310, Children \u00a36. Note though that if you\u2019re an Oyster Card holder get a discount on all online fares. Save \u00a32.20 on the adult experience and \u00a31.20 on the child experience.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: Westfield Stratford City
\nAge: 8+ and accompanying adults aren\u2019t required.
\nCost: Tickets from \u00a34<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhen: now until 1st January (closed 25th & 26th Dec) open 10am – til late
\nAge: Families
\nCost: Free Entry with tickets required for the various attractions including ice rink, spiegeltent, roller disco, fairground, Ferris Wheel and Wall of Death and Horse Carriages.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nWhere: Southbank Centre, Hungerford Car Park, 10am – 10pm
\nAge: families
\nCost: Christmas Tree Maze and the Southbank Centre Express both cost \u00a34 per person – buy tickets from the Box Office by the Hungerford Car Park, 10am \u2013 10pm<\/p>\n