London is enjoying superb weather for this weekend’s annual Mayor’s Thames Festival as you can see from this photo. It was taken yesterday in The Scoop and you can see Tower Bridge in the background. And it’s not over! I’ll be heading down to the river later to enjoy today’s festivities and the spectacular parade and fireworks this evening. The event coincides with the Paralympic Games Closing Ceremony.

Have you ever been to the Mayor’s Thames Festival? What was your highlight?

Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, one thing’s for sure: you’ll have never seen anything like Slava’s Snowshow before.

And therein lies the problem in trying to blog about it. It’s impossible to do it justice without giving too much away. Still, I’ll give it my best shot. The show is the brainchild of Russian performance artist and clown, Slava Polunin, and has proven to be a box office smash hit in cities around the world, among them New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Rome, Rio and Moscow. The fact that this is a full length show almost exclusively mimed is what makes it so accessible to international audiences. Putting it simply, Slava and his co-stars are a bunch of clowns larking around against the backdrop of a wintery set.

I only took my eldest son as the show is not recommended for under-eights. There is nothing overtly frightening or inappropriate, but darkness and the very loud noises might prove somewhat scary for little ones. Even my eight-year-old took a while to get to grips with it, repeatedly asking “what’s happening?” and “what’s it about?” I did my best to explain that it wasn’t really about anything other than clowns being silly in the snow. Once he accepted that, he loved it.

And what’s not to love? Madness and mayhem ensues when Slava and his fleet of floppy-hatted clowns take over the massive auditorium at the Royal Festival Hall. This is a venue accustomed to hosting orchestras and world-famous artistes. Audiences tend to be respectful and restrained. But not during Slava’s Snowshow. In this production, the actors clamber over your seats, spray you with water and throw your coats on top of your heads. A giant web descends over the stalls, trapping the bewitched spectators until well into the intermission. There’s a blizzard, a storm and lots and lots of snow.

Nevertheless it is the finale, which I won’t spoil, that is the best thing about this magnificent spectacle. My son sat beside me, holding on to me, eyes wide with amazement. He and the rest of us were under the spell of Slava’s pure Christmas magic.

Slava’s Snowshow at Royal Festival Hall until 8 January 2012. Book tickets

Here are five fab apps for families exploring London this summer. If you know of any more, please let us know in the comments below.

Pack and Go Deluxe
Before you even set off for London, download this app. You’ll never forget to pack your little one’s favourite toy, or your teenager’s toiletry bag again. Pack and Go Deluxe is a packing travel checklist and task reminder system built specifically for families. As well as an extensive catalogue of important travel items, you can build your own checklists for family members, shopping trips and more. On the more fun side, you can plan your trip to London with the To Do section. Finally, use the “briefcase” to password-protect important info like your passport number, drivers licence and emergency contact numbers. (iPhone and iPad, £1.99)

Toilet Map
Where to find your next available wee stop is vitally important when you’re out with kids. Enter Toilet Map, an impressively comprehensive list of London’s conveniences by Ian Mansfield, better known as IanVisits. Toilets can be filtered by cost (free or not), gender, accessibility and, simply whether or not they are “open right now”. Best of all, the app is available on both iPhone and Android phones. (£1.49, and worth every penny if you’re caught short!)

Postino
Send a postcard of your trip to London with a difference! Postino creates a real, physical postcard from the photos you’ve taken on your iPhone, and sends them around the world. Your kids will love getting creative with this app – and the folks back home are sure to treasure getting more personalised missives from the capital. (iPhone and iPad, free)

London For Families
More than just an app guide to London, London For Families incorporates guided walks, a loo finder, and offline maps, to make exploring London with your family easier than ever. If the little ones are getting bored, switch to Mission Mode and give your kids a local challenge to solve. The Teleport Machine is a fun, random suggestion generator based on the time and your location, because sometimes planning your next step is best left to chance! (iPhone and iPad, £1.99)

Chancellor’s Gold
Treasure hunt-style apps are on the increase, but Chancellor’s Gold is the only one I know about where you really can win real gold! You’ve got two more chances to win: there’s £1000 up for grabs at the end of August, and a grand prize of £5000 to win at the end of September 2011. Based on the 1979 children’s book Masquerade, The Chancellor’s Gold app gives you clues to London landmarks, and ultimately leads you to a hoard of lost gold sovereigns somewhere in London. Visit www.chancellorsgold.com to find out more. (iPhone and iPad, £1.49)

Do you know of any other good London apps for families? Let us know in the comments below. Here are more tips on enjoying London with kids

Our group of two adults and four kids (aged one to three years) went along to Eltham Palace recently for a fun and informative day out with a Knights and Princesses theme. Fantastic costumed guides entertained the little ones in the beautiful grounds of the palace. Many of the kids had come prepared in their dressing-up outfits but there were plenty of props available so everyone could get involved.

First, a storytelling session was brought to life as children, picked from the small crowd, acted out a tale of chivalry. Next, we learned how youngsters served their lords and ladies in medieval times and then had a quick dance lesson.  Finally, it was over to a knight for (super safe) sword fighting and jousting -using a trusty hobby horse! 

While the under fives there were fascinated, activities are primarily aimed at older children. This is reflected in a £1 surcharge for over fives on Time Travellers Go event days.  A good thing about Eltham Palace is that you can opt to pay only for entry to the grounds rather than both palace and grounds.

The next Time Traveller Go activities at Eltham Palace take place on 21 -23 Aug (Medieval) and 28-30 Aug (Gruesome!).

What better way to entertain the kids than a trip to see a classic story brought to life at the theatre? The Tiger Who Came to Tea, written and illustrated by Judith Kerr, has been entertaining children since 1968 and my three-year-old loves the book.  So we leapt at the chance to see it on the London stage.

The excitement had reached fever pitch by the time we arrived at the Vaudeville Theatre on Saturday morning. The normal chaos of a theatre foyer was multiplied but we corralled the kids to their seats.  

The stage set is immediately recognisable from the book and the production does an excellent job of capturing the look and feel of the original. The show itself is a joyous blend of music and speech that expands on the book’s content. Plenty of audience participation is encouraged and most of the kids had no problem maintaining concentration for the hour-long show.

 The highlight was inevitably the arrival of the tiger to squeals of delight as well as – it has to be said – the odd scream.  It wasn’t long though before almost everyone was enjoying the tiger’s antics.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea is in London throughout the school holidays and there were some empty seats even at the Saturday performance we went to.  Fans might also be interested in the Judith Kerr Retrospective exhibition now on at the V&A Museum of Childhood.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea , Vaudeville Theatre until 4 Sep 2011. Book Tickets

Check out our Family section and follow #kidslondon on Twitter for more ideas for families in London this summer.

How will you entertain your kids in London over the school summer holidays? Luckily, London’s attractions are on hand to help with a host of fun activities…

The Science Museum is inviting families to spend their summer in space. Pick up a passport and make your way through the Solar System. Gaze at satellites, explore the Apollo 10 Command Module and see a telescope made from baked bean cans. There are lots of out-of-this world activities too.

Madame Tussauds is declaring a Marvel-ous summer in celebration of new film Captain America: The First Avenger. You can have your photo taken with the “star” of the movie, check out some authentic props, and step behind the superhero’s indestructible shield. Plus, the first 20 kids dressed as a superhero get in free on Mondays between 25 July and 22 August!

Ahoy there! The National Maritime Museum has a seaside theme this summer, with loads of events exploring what the sea means to young visitors. You can find out how people have interacted with the sea through the ages, have a go in a specially designed play area, and take part in hands-on nautical workshops.

Crafty kids can make everything from Japanese slippers to butterfly mobiles, koi-shaped biscuits and garden gnomes at the Geffrye Museum this summer. The brilliant creative workshops are themed around English and Japanese homes and gardens, to coincide with the current At Home in Japan exhibition.

When the sun comes out, head to the beach! There’s a 70m urban beach outside London’s Southbank Centre over the summer as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations. You’ll also find a row of colourful beach huts containing art exhibitions and installations, a pop-up Indian eatery, Dishoom Chowpatty Beach, and some great free events.

Have you spotted any other fun summer holiday events in London? Let us know in the comments below.

Congratulations to the Horniman Museum and Geffrye Museum, both of which made the long list for the national award. (The same two museums were up for the prize in 2009.)

A shortlist will be announced next month, and a panel of families will then road test each museum anonymously and decide on a winner.

If you fancy taking part as a judging family, get in touch with the organisers at award@kidsinmuseums.org.uk.

Visit London would like to wish everyone a very happy and prosperous 2011!

Here’s five ideas for new year’s resolutions from us:

• Get fit by taking advantage of the huge range of London sports on offer (or just practice your spectator skills in preparation for the London 2012 Olympics!)
• Take in some of the finest sights of the capital with our Top 10 London Panoramic Views
• Explore a new area by visiting one of London’s many villages
• Throw a party for the Royal Wedding or, better yet, plan your own “Royal” wedding in London
• Go natural – make the most of London’s many parks and outdoor spaces as well as its fantastic river and waterways

What’s your 2011 got in store? Tell us your new year’s resolution in the comments below…

How cute are these cheeky Christmas monkeys?

And today, you can win a festive day out at ZSL London Zoo this Christmas, for you and up to four friends!

Christmas Journeys at London Zoo is a brand new experience for 2010. As well as hearing Christmas stories, you get to meet the animals, sing Christmas songs, enjoy a cup of mulled wine (for the adults) and even see Santa on this festive tour of the Zoo!

What are you waiting for? Enter this competition today, and you and four friends could be cuddling up to donkeys and sheep in the wonderful setting of London Zoo in December.

Enter Day 8:  Tickets to London Zoo’s Christmas Journey here

So far, we’ve done a little swimming and are going to see both Shrek 4 and Toy Story 3. My daughters are assisting me in my training for the Palace to Palace bike ride even though that isn’t until 26 September.

I’ve always loved London for the parks and theatres but not everyone wants to venture into the City for entertainment, so after appealing on air to my Magic 105.4 listeners for a number for suggestions, the following came through:

• Science Museum: “A fantastic free day out for children of all ages – so much to do and it’s educational!” Pete, Kingston
• In the Night Garden at The 02: “It looks fantastic so I’ve booked tickets to take my two year old. A real holiday treat for fans of Igglepiggle or Upsy Daisy”. Anna, Walthamstow
• Westfield London: “Lots of activities for kids over the summer – we’ll be going to the face painting and storytelling. And a cinema, loads of restaurants and a chance to do some shopping”. Zoe, Cricklewood.
• London Zoo: “You really can’t go wrong with a day out at the zoo. It’s the perfect outing for my five and eight year olds who love seeing all the different animals. There are also loads of daily activities – penguin feeding time is a big hit”.  Nicola, Clapham
• Ceramics Cafés: “There are many in and around the outskirts of London where you can paint your own pots, plaits and cups”. Sam, Hackney.

I’ll definitely be updating the list as the weeks of the holiday go by, so do remember to check in regularly with www.magic.co.uk