Posts Tagged "london wetland centre"

19 Aug
2011

Summer Holiday Activities for Kids in London: Part II

Posted by Zoe Craig in Kids 1 Comment

Looking for more ways to entertain your kids in London this summer? Following from our previous blog post, here are a few ideas:

If you want to introduce your kids to art, check out The Sunday Spot at South London Gallery in Peckham each Sunday in August. There are hands-on workshops inspired by the gallery’s current exhibitions. This summer, artists Ross Robertson and Lauren Willis are joined by Isa Suarez to explore some of the local soundscapes around the gallery. The Sunday Spot is free and runs from 2-4pm every Sunday. Ideal for children aged 3-12 years.

Treat your kids to a tour of the London Wetland Centre this summer. If you’ve got little ones who love creepy crawlies, the themes for next week’s walks are Reptiles and Invertebrates. You can also take part in a Great Pond Safari, and get crafty at the Summer Crafts sessions at the end of each day.

Think your kids will hate exploring a military museum? Think again. The National Army Museum in Chelsea has a new Kids’ Zone open this summer, specifically for kids aged 0-8 years. As well as a soft-play space for babies, there are arts and crafts, dressing-up costumes, books, interactive toys and, best of all, forest- and arctic-themed climbing frames! The Kids’ Zone is open from 10.10am to 5.15pm, and there are six 1-hour sessions each day.

There’s more for craft-loving children at the William Morris Society in Hammersmith. From now until Saturday 27 August, you can take part in a number of free Arts and Crafts Workshops, including fan-making, stained glass and lettering workshops, and block printing.

Argh, me hearties! If you’ve got a pirate fan in the family, set sail for the Museum of London Docklands this week. There’s storytelling, pirate puppet theatre, and even the chance to become pirate yourself in the excellent drama workshops at the museum. The recommended age is from 3 years upwards. If you’re really passionate about life on the high seas, check out our feature on other places to play Pirates in London.

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

Read Summer Holiday Activities for Kids in London Part I

26 Aug
2010

The London Wetland Centre Welcomes WWT’s 200,000th Member

Posted by Zoe Craig in Open Spaces No Comments

Congratulations to the London Wetland Centre nature reserve, which has just recruited its 200,000th member.

And that member is keen wildlife photographer, Rachel Andrew. Rachel recalls many happy childhood visits to one of WWT’s other centres in Washington, Tyne and Wear. She chose to join the Trust after a day out at London Wetland Centre with her family earlier this year.

London Wetland Centre thanked Rachel with a special private visit to the reserve on Monday before it opened to the public. Rachel and her family then took a tour of the beautiful Wildside area of the site with Adam Salmon, the Centre’s reserve manager, where they were lucky enough to spot green sandpipers and hear Cetti’s warblers singing.

General manager Martin Senior presented Rachel and her family with a special hamper of WWT goodies.

Rachel said, “We became members of the WWT in order to support the work that they do and to be able to enjoy the centre throughout the year, as it is a fantastic location for wildlife photography. We really enjoyed our day at the centre where we discovered how much work goes on behind the scenes to make the London Wetland Centre such a special place for birds, animals and plants – and for the visitors like us who come to enjoy seeing them.”

Martin Senior, General Manager said, ”We are delighted that Rachel chose to join WWT here at London Wetland Centre. Our members are really important because they ensure we can carry on protecting wetland wildlife. Rachel and her family will now be able to come in as often as they want and see how the reserve changes throughout the year.”

Find out more about the WWT London Wetland Centre

28 May
2010

Video of the Week: London Wetland Centre by Cazzyweb

Posted by Zoe Craig in Attractions No Comments

Tomorrow is the start of the London Wetland Centre’s 10th anniversary celebrations.

And what better way to mark the occasion than with this great video by Cazzyweb of her day out at the centre in Barnes.

Pop down to the Wetland Centre during the birthday week (29 May-6 Jun) and you’ll find lots going on.

Gyles Brandreth, who lives near the Wetland Centre and is a keen supporter, is cutting the birthday cake on Saturday at 12.00 to launch the celebrations. If you’re around on the day, you’ll be invited to join in the opening celebrations at noon, and receive a free piece of the wetland-themed cake!

Or take your pick from the following over the week:

Birds of prey
Mammal and moth safari (see the moths, shrews, mice and voles that live on the reserve)
Newts, froglets, toads and slow worms
Bats and hedgehogs
Otters

Check wwt.org.uk/visit-us/london/events for details of which events are happening each day.

2 Apr
2010

Photo of the Week: Duckling at the London Wetland Centre

Posted by Lettice in Open Spaces 1 Comment

This adorable little mallard is going for an Easter stroll at the London Wetland Centre – why don’t you pop along this week and join him!

There are loads of activities going on at the London Wetlands Centre during the easter holidays, including easter egg hunts and watching baby ducklings learn to swim. There’s even the opportunity to dress up as a duck!

If you take any cute pictures in London this weekend, share them with us at the Visit London Flickr pool.

18 Feb
2010

Duck Heaven at WWT London Wetland Centre

Posted by Jenny in Attractions, Open Spaces 1 Comment

Last weekend, I headed to bird-spotter’s paradise the London Wetland Centre in Barnes.

Although not ornithologically-inclined myself, I do like ducks, so seeing numerous species including the White-faced Whistling duck, Indian Running ducks and mallards was a bit of a treat!

The 42-hectare site features ponds, rivers and reed beds, making it a perfect home not just for birds, but bats, insects, water voles and other wildlife too.

You can wander the paths in just a few hours and keen bird-spotters can set up camp in one of six hides located around the site. Admittedly, the centre looked distinctly brown and muddy at this time of year, but our tour guide assured us that it becomes much more colourful by spring.

My highlights included:

A pair of bullying Black Swans who chased any other birds off their patch of water
The strange and random sculptures scattered around the site, including a seal carcass and a bird sculpture made out of shopping trolleys
Ducks, ducks and more ducks!

The WWT London Wetland Centre also runs regular events for kids – look out for pond dipping and Easter egg hunts this Easter.