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

Don’t automatically answer the East End; South London has been making waves in the art world lately. Where else can you have a coffee in a stationary train carriage decorated by local artists, or watch art being thrown into a giant bin?

Bea de Souza was one of the first to spot the trend and relocate her experimental art gallery, theAGENCY gallery, from Shoreditch to Deptford. Her reasons for moving included the community feel in Deptford, and the mix of artists and locals. Set in a row of terraced houses, the gallery easily blends in. The only clue that it might be different from the other homes is that the exterior is painted black.

South London’s art scene has benefitted from the recession, as would-be developers have pulled out and artists have negotiated low rents in the empty spaces. One example is The Old Police Station in New Cross. The police moved next door, and the old station has been converted into studios, a gallery, and a popular café. The old cells are used for special installations.

Even though the area may only now be receiving recognition as a creative hotspot, the scene has been developing for a while. Goldsmiths University has been located in New Cross for years, and as well as fuelling the creative energy of the area, many students choose to live locally after they graduate.

If you fancy exploring the South’s art scene take a look at the Deptford Art Map which details galleries and art spaces in Deptford. Highlights include:

• BEARSPACE - exhibits new young artists (and will soon be opening a shop)
• ARCH Gallery – housed in railway arches, a gallery and shop selling art materials
• APT Gallery – large gallery and working studios near Deptford Creek

London artist Michael Landy is proving modern art is indeed rubbish with his new show, Art Bin, at South London Gallery.

Landy appealed to artists to donate their unwanted works, to be thrown into a giant, see-through bin, which he calls “a monument to creative failure”.

Damien Hirst was one of the first to donate work, and one of his glittering skull pictures was lying at the bottom of the Art Bin when I visited.

Every few minutes, one of the gallery assistants would climb the stairs beside the bin and throw in another piece of art.

Tracey Emin and Gillian Wearing are among the high-profile artists who’ve contributed work, but you don’t have to be famous to have your art binned as part of the show.

From today, anyone can take a piece of art to the gallery, where Landy or one of his assistants will decide whether to add it to the bin.

More photos on Flickr