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Is this £20m Mini Metropolis a Kiddie City of Dreams? Ambulances and fire engines hurtle through the streets and emergency workers tumble out to jet hoses at the Grand Flamingo Hotel fire or treat the wounded, while police cordon off the area and Metro journalists interview witnesses. It might not sound like your typical day out for young children, but the kids here loved every second, because they were the firefighters, paramedics, press and police role-playing in KidZania, London's extraordinary, 75,000 sqft indoor city for children. Our experience started with a worryingly realistic queue through immigration at a replica Heathrow, beneath the shadow of an impressive, 18-metre and 16-tonne BA Airbus fuselage, which apparently had to be lifted 100 feet through a hole in the wall. We and our children were then fitted with electronic security bracelets, with radio frequency antenna and identification chips, which gives peace of mind to parents of younger children in this sprawling, two-storey city and means that parents of eight to 14 year olds can relax with a drink in the adults' Garden Shed, while checking their kids aren’t slacking at work. That is KidZania's only adults’ area - everything else is a wonderfully detailed, £20 million, mini replica of the real world for children only. Adults can escort children through the city to try their hands at more than 60 different jobs, but are not allowed inside workplaces. Instead, they can watch each 15-30 minute kids’ activity through soundproofed windows. Pig-tailed air conditioning engineers leap out of pipes in high-vis jackets, tiny cleaners polish the windows, couriers charge around the streets delivering packages and behind every window is a team of industrious little people, busily working as spies, TV or radio presenters, hotel receptionists, supermarket assistants and scientists. The Job Centre at the city’s entrance has screens to help children work out their strengths and interests to pursue their first jobs in KidZania, which could otherwise be a little daunting. There are familiar brands sponsoring parts of the city, from British Airways’ aviation academy - complete with fantastic flight simulators - H&M’s fashion studio to the Dorsett Hotel and Pokemon Creative Studios, as well as charities like the PDSA vets and Alder Hey children’s hospital. Each child enters with a KidZania bank card, which they can use to earn and spend money during their four-hour session - they have 50 KidZos on check-in and any money left on their card earns interest for future trips and can be used across all 27 KidZanias around the world. We took our four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son and in four hours, she worked six different occupations - the city is mainly targeted at four to 14-year-olds, so there was limited entertainment for my son, who spent most of the trip in the RightZKeeper’s Residence, a sweet little soft play house. But my daughter loved it, as we breathlessly navigated her eclectic career ladder, with highlights including landing a plane, putting out an inferno and decorating a biscuit. There was a big difference in the quality and queue sizes for each job, with the better and more popular occupations (pilot, firefighter, paramedic) having queue times two to three times the length of the experiences themselves and requiring children to pay KidZo dollars for the sessions, rather than earning them. It is all impossibly cute and impressive and as a result, it is also very popular - around 1,400 children visit this KidZania each day. The city has all of the ingredients to be a child’s dream world, but with so many tiny visitors, it is slightly let down by understaffing and very young workers, who often seemed bored, grumpy and insufficiently trained to deal with younger children. This can be an issue when parents are expected to leave children in their care and watch through soundproofed windows, when children are confused or overwhelmed by tasks or experiences and ignored when they asked questions. It was disappointing at times to witness the disinterested, gloomy reception children received from staff in some of the experiences, after patiently queuing so long for each job - adults aren’t allowed to hold children’s spaces in the queues, which resulted in some parents desperately coaxing bored kids to remain in line to avoid losing a job session. There were some stand-out staff though, like the Dance Captains at the KidZania Theatre, who took children on musical processions across the city and the fire station worker who enthusiastically directed children to “DUCK DOWN” after the hotel explosion and quickly work as a team to extinguish the fire. The concept of making the sessions kid's-only spaces is great, if properly handled. At the end of our visit, our daughter was excited about heading to the reward shop to spend the KidZo dollars she had earned, so we joined another queue to be told that we would not be allowed inside to help her. We were assured they would assist her, as she is four years old, with a very loose grasp of numbers, has never shopped on her own before and none of us were sure how many KidZos she’d earned and if it was worth the wait. We watched through the window as she patiently joined a crowd in the busy and chaotic shop to ask for help, looked at the gifts around her, clutching her KidZo credit card with clearly no idea what to do. Then we rescued her and promised we’d come back another time to spend her KidZo dosh. And we will. It was a truly unique, impressive and exciting experience for her in so many ways. But ironically - for a city run by children - the issue here was that there weren't enough friendly adults for such an overpopulated, mini-metropolis. If that little issue was fixed, it really would be a child’s city of dreams. KidZania, Westfield London, Ariel Way, W12 7GA. Prices from £16 for an adult ticket, £37 for a child ticket (4-14) £10 for Early Years (1-3) and under ones / carers go free. Children aged 7 and under must be accompianied by an adult (18+) with an adult ticket Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Pampering, Puppuccinos and Pooch Prezzies at The Gentlemen Baristas Your four-legged friends are invited to London’s most refined collection of coffee houses, The Gentlemen Baristas this International Dog Day (26 August) to be showered with Lily’s Kitchen doggie treats, while two-legged companions toast them with a free coffee. From Piccadilly to Southwark, all ten of the capital’s coffee houses will treat pooches to a free doggy bag, bulging with treats from pet food brand Lily’s Kitchen, including On the Go mealtime bars, Breaktime Biscuits and a pack of Meaty Treats, with poo bags and a complimentary barista-made drink of choice for their humans. The partnership aims to celebrate worldwide woofers, while raising awareness about the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year, which has increased since the rise of lockdown pets. Ed Parkes, Director, and co-founder of The Gentlemen Baristas says: “Our coffee house managers remember all their regular’s names and know half the dogs about town. “We want to show our appreciation and give something back to the community, whether it’s a hot cup of coffee and OTG treat for your morning walk or Breaktime Biscuit for your pooch, while you snuggle up on the sofa at home with a cuppa - it’s on the house.” The Gentlemen Baristas venues across London on 26 August 2022 Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Thrillseekers will drop 46 metres between the chalk cliffs of Kent shopping centre If you thought battling for the last Olaf at Build A Bear Workshop or trying to get an outdoor table at Pizza Express were the only activities that'd get your heart racing at Kent's Bluewater shopping centre, you're in for a mighty surprise. The sprawling city of consumerism launches its new Giant Swing today [Aug 3], and it'll send you from the clifftops plummeting deep into the quarry, hanging perilously from a rope. If the term 'Giant Swing' isn't descriptive enough, we'll help paint a picture for you: It's a swing, but it's absolutely bloody massive. In fact, it's big enough to hold FIVE people at a time, but small enough that you can still be deafened by the screams of your fellow riders. You'll be strapped to a metal bar, which is all that stands between you and a very rapidly approaching floor. It's brought to you by the folk at Hangloose, who are also behind other madcap ideas including zip wires and a Skydive Aerodium in the land surrounding Bluewater - and they offer the chance to try all three for £110. By our reckoning, you could sneak off and work your way through them all while your other half is trying on those trainers... Tickets £50 Bluewater Shopping Centre, Bluewater Pkwy, Dartford, Greenhithe DA9 9ST, Book Now Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

BellaBots deliver famous Xia Long Bao at West End Skyscaper For a taste of the old and the new, head to the latest Din Tai Fung in London’s Centre Point, where robots will be serving up traditional, Michelin Guide recognised Taiwanese dumplings from 22 September. Taiwan’s famous dumpling chain made waves across the world with its Xiao Long Bao - sexy, steamed soup dumplings - and its London sites in Covent Garden and Selfridges have proved such a hit, it is now planning to launch this third restaurant in the West End’s iconic skyscraper. Din Tai Fung has proudly offered the same, authentic Taiwanese cuisine for more than 60 years, so the new spot will follow suit with the same menu, which includes handmade dumplings, rice and noodle dishes and our personal favourite, the Salted Egg Yolk Custard Lava Buns, a sweet twist on their steamed buns. Unlike the other sites, this chic 13,500sq ft space will also have its own, swish bar area, with floor-to-ceiling windows for guests to enjoy their signature cocktails, including the Din, Tai and Fung. Visitors can also enjoy meals on wheels, courtesy of the restaurant’s resident BellaBots - robotic cats - which glide around the floor, helping the human waiters deliver dishes and clear away plates. You can show your appreciation by patting them on the head, and will be rewarded with a wink - this only works with the robotic waiters. *Do not attempt this with human waiters* To celebrate the artistry and skill that goes into each Xiao Long Bao, the restaurant will also have an open kitchen in the middle of the space, so diners can watch the craftsmanship that goes into making them, which includes 40 minutes of hand preparation, rolling, filling and making 18 precise folds. So next time you’re wondering where to get your fix of robots and artfully folded buns, you know where to go. Din Tai Fung, Centre Point, 101-103 New Oxford Street, London WC1A 1DD. Opens 22 September 2022 Hungry? Enjoy 2 for 1 or 50% off food at 1000s of restaurants with a FREE 60 day trial Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Go off-road with these Blighty Boat Trips UK road trips - ah, the colourful, static traffic views, snaking around the motorway. The exhaust fumes blowing through your hair. The thrill of molten-hot, service station pasties burning through your windpipe. But what if you could skip the roads for a genuinely enjoyable trip across Blighty? Enter... The UK Boat Trip. And we've selected the pick of the crop, including some dog-friendly boat trips with the bow wow factor. Daredevil Aqueduct Adventure on the Llangollen There’s a good reason why the Llangollen Canal is one of the most popular boating destinations. Its route takes in some world famous aqueducts, including the the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, perched precariously 126ft above the River Dee, in an iron trough no wider than your boat. Crossing it is tantamount to flying in mid-air - luckily, there is a pub at the other end for a shaky-handed drink. Celebrated as one of the most astonishing feats of waterway engineering in the world, it was awarded World Heritage site status by UNESCO in 2009. The canal takes in unspoilt agricultural countryside, numerous locks and picturesque waterside villages, as well as the timeless old town of Ellesmere and the dramatic, New Marton border, which plunges into a long tunnel. Andersen Boats Float Up Warwickshire’s Stairway to Heaven Climb 146 ft up Hatton Locks (known locally as the Stairway to Heaven) on a narrowboat, starting at the Black Prince base in Napton, through two miles of wildlife, from swans to badgers. You can stop off for a mooch around Shakespeare Country or the magnificent Warwick Castle, overlooking River Avon. Or jump off for a trip to the Victorian town, Royal Leamington Spa. Coast along the peaceful Ashby Canal to Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, telling the dramatic story of the Battle of Bosworth, in which King Richard III lost his life. Then whet your whistles at the pretty, Stoke Bruerne boozers along the way. Black Prince Climb the Pennines Starting at the historic Sowerby Bridge base, your narrowboat climbs the Pennines, along the Rochdale Canal, past the cobbled houses of Hebden Bridge, where you can stop off to explore the former mill town’s impossibly cute, independent shops, picturesque views and the former birthplace of Ted Hughes and resting place of Sylvia Plath. Wind through forests and countryside views to Todmorden, nestled inside three deep valleys and studded with impressive, Victorian buildings. Waterways Holidays Cruise the 60-mile Caledonian Canal The canal cuts through the Great Glen from the East to West via four lochs. Head west to Banavie to take in the views of Ben Nevis and the famous Neptune’s Staircase. Then head back through Loch Ness, through 12 manned locks and six bridges. Caley Cruisers Dog Friendly Boating Trips with the Bow Wow Factor For four-legged adventurers, Pets Pyjamas have launched new, dog-friendly boating holidays, allowing pooches to be canine captains of their own self-drive river cruiser or canal boat. Starting at various locations around the country, from Wiltshire and Surrey to Scotland and France, these floating holidays offer water-loving pups the thrill and excitement of something new to see, sniff and wee on each day. Whether a boating first timer or a more experienced crew member, full tuition is provided at the start of every trip, along with suggested routes to ensure a smooth sailing holiday. Our picks include: Goytre Wharf, Monmouthshire Discover the South Wales countryside on a dog-friendly canal boat cruise, kicking off at Goytre Wharf. Meander along the gentle waterways on a comfortable berth packed with modern comforts, through the Welsh countryside. Stop off for some pawsome walking opportunities and make sure to visit fido-friendly sights along your route.. Explore the picturesque countryside views of Brecon Beacons National Park, venturing through The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, inaccessible from any other waterway and offering 35 miles of peaceful, idyllic countryside from Brecon to Cwmbran. All ABC Boat Hire canal boats at Goytre berth two to eight. Pets Pyjamas - Goytre Wharf Boat Trip Le Boat, Thames Benson, Oxfordshire Escape the crowds and explore the Thames with your four-legged friend on a self-drive river cruiser through London. The Benson base in Oxfordshire allows you to explore the best of Windsor, Oxford, Henley-on-Thames, Reading and Marlow from the river, stopping off at waterside inns. All Le Boat river cruisers range from budget to premiere sleeping from two to twelve and come equipped with all you need to enjoy a city adventure with your canine companion. Pets Pyjamas - Oxfordshire Boat Trip Kings Orchard Marina, Staffordshire Explore Staffordshire countryside’s hidden gems on a dog-friendly canal boat cruise, starting at Kings Orchard Marina, nestled within a beautiful rural hideaway and a gentle cruise away from Lichfield, deep in the countryside on a secluded, tree-lined, 20 acre site. All ABC Boat Hire canal boats at Kings Orchard Marina berth two to eight. Pets Pyjamas - Staffordshire Boat Trip Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Be the first to try out these brand-spanking new destinations this month! NOBU Shoreditch and NAMI Bar NOBU Hotel London Shoreditch, open now OK, so this is not strictly a new opening, but NOBU Hotel London Shoreditch has been shuttered for almost two years, so consider this one like a reunion with an old friend. Not an awkward school reunion where everybody realises their lives have been an unmitigated disaster compared to 'Detention Pete' who inexplicably now drives a Ferrari, but the kind of reunion you actually look forward to. The world famous NOBU concept finds a beautiful mid-point between Peruvian and Japanese fare, which means dishes like Beef and Seafood Toban Yaki, Baby Tiger Shrimp with Jalapeño Sauce, Yellowtail Jalapeño and Lobster Tempura with Tamari Honey Sauce are all on the menu. It's the epitome of luxury, fine dining and if you can resist the Black Cod or Wagyu Beef, you're a better person than us. If it's drinks you're after, the street-art-festooned NAMI Bar is where you want to be. A menu of delicious cocktails all reasonably priced (by NOBU standards, at least) around £13 will see you through the evening. From the Mezcal kick of the Sumoki Amai to the unexpected Aperol twist in the One Negroni, NAMI's mixologists have created a menu you'll want to work your way through from top to bottom. For those wanting to stay the night (and it's not a bad call if you're planning a vigorous assault on that cocktail menu), NOBU has launched a new, sixth floor. Yep, the hotel is now a storey higher and the new space incorporates a NOBU Shoreditch Penthouse with its own, private terrace, hanging chair and private lift. Also stacked up top will be the hotel's new Yuhi bedrooms, which combine the modern aesthetic of Shoreditch lofts with the Japanese Ryokan style - think warm, wood tones with brushed gold accents and custom designed wallpaper by local artist Richard Harding. Oh, and you can order NOBU dishes straight to your room, so take that food out onto your balcony and bask in the views of Shoreditch. 10-50 Willow St, London EC2A 4BH, NOBU Hotel London Shoreditch Bone Idyll Kingston-upon-Thames, open now There's no fear of Bone Idyll running out of booze any time soon, because there's a distillery on site, turning out some of the finest spirits in town. The new venue was launched by husband-and-wife team, Sam and Alex Berry, who are something of a hospitality power-couple in this area of West London, boasting No 97, Cento Uno, The Hideaway and One One Four in their packed roster of successful bars and restaurants. There's no such thing as a surefire winner in the hospitality world, but this is as good a bet as you're likely to find. By day, Bone Idyll is dedicated to the creation of their eponymous, bottled spirits including three gins, a rum and a vodka; and a range of bottled, ready-to-drink cocktails including Pink Gin Cosmo, Margarita and the sexiest looking Barrel Aged Negroni we've ever seen. By night, the venue transforms into a bar serving all that and more, with a snack menu and charcuterie and cheese boards on the menu. There's more to come, too - from August, you'll be able to take your place at one of Bone Idyll's beautiful, polished steel tables to learn from the masters in gin school classes and both bespoke and private events. Elder House, Water Ln, Kingston upon Thames KT1 1AE, Bone Idyll Atrio Bar & Restaurant Terrace South Bank, open now Atrio Restaurant & Bar has a fresh terrace area for guests to bask in the sunshine with an expertly crafted cocktail, a stone's throw from The London Eye. It's built for comfort, with rattan chairs and large sofas urging you to give in to just one more Negroni Fumo (a Negroni blend using oriental spiced gin, aged for 30 days in oak casks and smoked with hickory) or a cheeky Rose Garden (sparkling grapefruit and passion fruit liqueur). Food comes in small plates for the sharers, nibblers or indecisive amongst you - dirty polenta fries, vegan pumpkin and sage tortellini and corn-fed chicken saltimbocca are firm favourites - or bigger plates for those who want to get stuck in to a hearty feed. There's a feast for the eyes, too, from the flower walls to the street-art by HUMOR, inspired by the nearby doodle-hole that is the Leake Street Tunnel. Park Plaza County Hall, 1 Addington St, London SE1 7RY, Atrio Bar & Restaurant Manga Banga Marylebone, opens July 6 If you like your grub with a side portion of Japanese art, then Manga Banga is for you. Serving a menu of Asian small plates including Crispy baby squid with yuzu kosho mayo; Spicy tuna tacos with scorched chilli salsa and Seared salmon sashimi, the 50-cover restaurant will also celebrate Japanese art with a wall of 100 manga magazine covers, neon signage and a striking mural. Don't hold out for a formal dining experience - this venue is inspired by the Izayakas - informal, Japanese bars that serve alcoholic drinks and snacks. It'll be loud, brash and exciting, but what else did you expect from a place called Manga Banga? Located a short walk from Marylebone Station, we reckon it'll be worth the journey for the cocktails and Sticky Wagyu short rib alone. 41–43 Lisson Grove, Marylebone, London, NW1 6UB, Manga Banga Zoom East Whitechapel, open now Whitechapel and Sicily don't have a great deal in common, but nevertheless it's where chef Vittorio Meli has dropped a little slice of his home island into the London culinary scene, and the capital will be all the better for it. Zoom East promises to deliver all the warmth and vibrancy of Sicilian cuisine, through dishes inspired by Italy but using local, London suppliers. Expect Sicilian classics such as Arancini with Canaroli saffron rice and peas and béchamel alongside an extensive fish offering including Grilled Octopus, Monk's beard and crispy chickpeas and Guazzetto di Pesce, with quality ingredients sourced straight from the experts at Billingsgate Market. For meat lovers, Onglet Steak and Polpette from O'Shea's Butchers should be more than enough to have those tastebuds tingling. Zoom East is bursting with colour and floral designs, contemporary botanical spaces and walls packed full of art will transport you straight to the Mediterranean before you've even had a chance to order starters. Hyatt Place London City East, 45 Whitechapel Road, E1 1DU, Zoom East FREE Ninja Kitchen pop-up Boxpark Shoreditch, 2 July only If you fancy some top-notch, free munch then make your way to Shoreditch on Saturday July 2, when Ninja Kitchen will be handing out home-cooked dishes to all and sundry. And if that's not enough to tempt you over to East London, your nosh will also be cooked by model and professional chef, Isaac Carew. If you're not familiar with the brand, Ninja Kitchen is a home appliance maker on a mission to convince consumers that 'fakeaway' food - healthier, home-cooked alternatives to takeaway splurges - is the future, so expect Kimchi Beef Burgers, Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Treats and Chicken Tinga Tacos with Spicy Halloumi Fries and even Salted Chocolate Ice Cream. There's 500 portions of grub available and you'll need to give a little social loving to the brand in order to grab your free food, but if you're early enough to blag one of the first 30 spaces in the queue, you'll be entered into a draw to win a Ninja Kitchen appliance worth £299. Boxpark Shoreditch, 2-10 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6GY, Ninja Kitchen Like eating out? Supercharge your dining experience with Tastecard and receive special offers all day long! Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Live music, theatre, interactive experiences and workshops - your kids have got a jam-packed month ahead of them School's out for summer, and now it's down to YOU, dear parents, to fill the gaping void in their lives. But don't worry, we've done the research so you don't have to! Work your way through this kick-ass list of the best kids' activities taking place this month. Woolwich Words & Sounds in the Park Gallions Reach Park, July 16 Woolwich has undergone something of a transformation in recent years, with the promise of Crossrail leading to the influx of cultural events like the incredible Dream Machine and the opening of Woolwich Works cultural hub and art space, the latter of which is hosting its first festival this year. Woolwich Words & Sounds runs from July 15-31 and on July 16 a standalone event - Woolwich Words & Sounds in the Park - aims to give a family-friendly taster of what the festival has to offer. Running from 12-7pm, the schedule includes a hula-hoop and circus skills workshop run by Guinness World Record-holding hoopers, The Majorettes; children’s mindfulness workshops with theatre ensemble, Tangled Feet; performances from lively jazz group, Kalpadruma Collective, Dollars Trio and world renowned drummer and composer, Myele Manzana and plenty more to keep the whole family entertained against the beautiful backdrop of the River Thames. FREE Gallions Reach Park, Woolwich Peppa Pig: My First Concert London Colliseum July 24 & 31 Introducing kids to the wonders of live music can be trickier than you’d think. Do you buy gig or festival tickets knowing you’ll need to be tucked up in bed long before the headliners walk onstage? Have you checked the *whole* back-catalogue for expletive-heavy B-sides? Well, Peppa Pig has come up trumps, with the help of George, Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and the Aurora Orchestra. They’ll be tearing through a greatest hits set featuring “everything from Mozart to muddy puddles” (we think that was an early Beethoven number) and promise to shine a light on every one of the orchestra’s instruments throughout the show, teaching budding young musicians everything they need to know to take their own leap into the world of live music. Show times are 12pm, 2pm and 4pm and the performance lasts for 60 minutes. £21 BUY TICKETS London Coliseum, St Martin's Lane, London, WC2N 4ES Mandrakes and Magical Creatures at Warner Brothers Studio Tour On now Fans of Harry Potter will be welcomed into the Great Hall to the Frog Choir scene this summer, featuring Warwick Davis’ Professor Flitwick costume. But there’s plenty more hiding in the shadows, too - Cornish Pixies, Dumbledore’s Fawkes and even the animatronic Monster Book of Monsters will be dotted around the Studio Tour, and Visitors will learn how Thestrals and Mandrakes were brought to life using models and CGI in the Creatures Workshop. As if that wasn’t enough, the doors of Professor Sprout’s greenhouse will be opened for the very first time and visitors will be able to explore the exotic and magical plants before pulling out a potted Mandrake as part of an interactive display. Just be sure to avoid the Venomous Tentacula hanging from the ceiling… From £49.95 Warner Bros. Studio Tour, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden, WD25 7LR Summer Sessions at Greenwich Peninsula On now Once a relative wasteland of flats and pricey restaurants, the area around the O2 Arena has become a destination in its own right in recent years, and events like Summer Sessions are the perfect way to experience everything it has to offer. Running from June to September, the cultural festival brings together art, food, sport and music into a jam-packed schedule of mostly free events and experiences. There'll be mini golf designed by Yinka Ilori, outdoor table tennis tables painted by Camille Walala a colourful exhibition by JeeYoung Lee and the fantastic looking Fandangoe Skip - a sustainable therapy kiosk aiming to smash taboos around mental health, grief and loss. For sport lovers, the Wimbledon finals and the entirety of the Tour de France will be shown on big screens, so grab a bite to eat and settle down in the sunshine. Speaking of food, if you want to enjoy a lunch in peace, the Design District Canteen will take care of the little ones in their 'Kids Table', where a team of childcarers will entertain nippers with arts and crafts while you relax and grab a bite to eat. FREE Greenwich Peninsula Festival of Happiness Dulwich Picture Gallery July 30 Artist Stuart Semple knows a thing about happiness. He spends his days making art, creating bizarre products like the World’s Blackest Black, Brightest White and Coluriest Powder paints and winding up misers like Arnish Kapoor with brilliantly petty beefs. How could you NOT beam from ear to ear with a life like that? Now, he’s ready to pass his happiness on to you, via his festival at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Encouraging hope, recovery and joy through colourful and imaginative events, workshops and family trails, the fest will also premiere Semple’s new work, Something Else, and will feature his famous Happy Clouds, which will be on show in the UK for the first time in a decade. Kids can learn how to make pin badges, join creative writing workshops listen to a the City of London Sinfonia Comfortable Classical Concert. The festival is FREE and there’ll also be refreshments, ice creams, cocktails and pizzas on sale. See? That’s happiness, right there. FREE Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD Family Festival of Flight RAF Museum July 30-31 Budding young fighter pilots can test their coding skills, fly paper rockets and launch home-made parachutes as part of this free festival of all things flight. The RAF Museum in Collingdale, north London already boasts a collection of flying machines spanning World War I, the Battle of Britain, Cold War and the Falklands, which is enough to occupy any sky-gadget fan, but with two days of interactive workshops and experiences, the Family Festival of Flight should be a must-visit for families in the summer holidays. FREE RAF Museum, Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL The Secret Garden Garden Museum From July 6 The secret’s out - your children can make their way straight into the pages of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic children’s book as part of the Garden Museum’s summer exhibition. Kids will learn how different artists’ illustrations from the past hundred years have brought the story to life, as well as learning about the many benefits of a good, old-fashioned stroll in an English garden. The immersive exhibition will feature interactive games and trails, where guests will learn about the plants, animals and stories included in the book, and those who are suitably inspired can finish up by trying their hand at gardening - think of it as an apprenticeship for the children, and one step closer to them clearing up your back yard in time for summer. From £7 (kids go free). BUY TICKETS Garden Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, London, SE1 7LB UNIQLO TATE Play: The Obliteration Room Tate Modern Opens July 23 We’re currently unsure of the benefits of teaching your children that stickers look great when they’re all over the walls, but let’s be clear: Stickers look GREAT when they’re all over the walls! The Obliteration Room is here to prove the point by inviting your children to plaster the blank canvas of the Tate Modern with colourful dots and become part of a huge, collaborative piece of art. It’s the brainchild of eccentric, 93 year-old artist, Yayoi Kusama, who has previous with multicoloured polka dots, having risen to fame in the 60s by hosting ‘happenings’ where naked participants were painted like moving Twister boards and sent out to be gawped at. Fear not, though, there’ll be no nudity here - just a whole load of manic excitement and at least an hour on the train home explaining why it was OK at the Tate Modern but it’s absolutely not OK in your newly painted living room. Read more about it here FREE Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG Medieval Season Eltham Palace From July 23 With fuel prices and household bills rising, perhaps it’s high time your children learned how to live a simple, Medieval life - and thankfully, Eltham Palace is on hand to dish out a few handy life lessons this summer. Having been a childhood home of King Henry VIII, it’s the perfect backdrop for lessons in courtly etiquette (thankfully, no beheadings are planned for children who fail to pass the tests), storytelling and Medieval games. With a constantly changing schedule of activities, visit for archery sessions, hobby horse jousting, lessons in how to design the perfect palace, defence skills workshops and even the chance to learn siege tactics. It’s not ALL glitz and glamour though - you can also find out about the worst jobs of all time and grimace through an A-Z of medieval torture methods. From £10.60. BUY TICKETS Eltham Palace, Court Yard, London SE9 5QE Join English Heritage for year-round members prices A Very Victorian Weekend Audley End July 23 - 24 If archery floats your boat, but you don’t fancy all that torture and war, head to Audley End’s A Very Victorian Weekend instead. The beautiful country estate in Suffolk regularly hosts incredible events on its miniature railway, invites children into its gardens for an extravaganza of family fun including jesters, interactive plays and stories, and a host of Victorian games including a coconut shy and hoopla From £12.60. BUY TICKETS Audley End House and Gardens, Audley End Rd, Audley End, Saffron Walden CB11 4JF Join English Heritage for year-round members prices Pirates of England Dover Castle Throughout July Why are pirates so popular with children? They just arrrgh! Head to Dover Castle, where a group of history’s best known pirates will tell tales of bounty, booty and barnacles - and hopefully some better jokes than we managed. It promises to be a high-octane affair, with close-quarter combat, demonstrations of sea-faring skills and hands-on activities that’ll edge your children one step closer to becoming soldiers of fortune on the open seas. From £2.10. Walk-ups accepted but online bookings also available. BUY TICKETS Dover Castle, Castle Hill Rd., Dover CT16 1HU Join English Heritage for year-round members prices Room on the Broom Lyric Theatre From July 21 There’s room for you in the Lyric Theatre this summer, when Julia Donaldson and Alex Scheffler’s much-loved witch takes to the stage alongside a host of animals and a dastardly dragon. Two shows a day at 11am and 2pm give you the chance to fit a performance around nap-times and kids aged 3+ are welcome, so expect a raucous sing/shout along with plenty of excitable children in attendance. The perfect way to ease kids children into the wonder of live theatre. From £10 BUY TICKETS Lyric Theatre, 29 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 7ES Theatre on Kew: The Jungle Book Kew Gardens Whether you’re a King of the Swingers or just a regular Jungle VIP, Kew Gardens’ interpretation of the Jungle Book should be on your t-do list this summer. Join Mowgli as she (yep, Mowgli is a she now) meets Bagheera, Akela and Baloo in the lush surroundings of London’s finest garden. It’s a 70 minute-long performance with no interval, but Kipling’s most loved children’s story - plus a whole host of songs - should be enough to hold the attention of even the most fidgety kids. The ticket price includes entry to the gardens, so make a day of it and enjoy the Bear Necessities of Life as you stroll through the fauna of Kew Gardens in the sunshine. From £12.90. Under 2s go free BUY TICKETS Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE Flip Out Hounslow Open Now If your children are of the ‘charmingly indecisive’ type, then a trip to Hounslow’s newly-opened Flip Out might be the answer to your prayers. Cramming mini-golf, arcades, laser quest, bumper cars, inflatables, a ninja assault course and soft play under a single, cavernous roof, the beauty of Flip Out is that you pay for entry to the venue and not for individual activities. We’re yet to discover whether you can drive a bumper car around the laser quest arena, performing drive-by shootings with a slushy in your hand, but there’s only one way to find out. Entry is a very reasonable £19pp (dropping to £14 for children under 1.1m tall) for three hours in the ‘Arena’ and if you’re not local to the brand-spanking new venue in Hounslow, Flip Out has similar offerings all over the country. From £4. BUY TICKETS Flip Out Hounslow, Units 3, 4 & 5 High Street Quarter, 8 Smithy Ln, Hounslow TW3 1EH Jurassic Island Golf Harrow Open Now It’s a scientifically proven fact that golf is better in the presence of dinosaurs. If we had our way, the US Open would see Rory McIlroy attempting to sink a 20ft putt while being chased by a hungry danger lizard, but seeing as our suggestions keep getting ignored by the people in charge, we’ll have to make do with places like Jurassic Island Golf, which opens on July 2. The 18-hole mini-golf course claims to be entertaining for “all ages from 3 to 103,” which leaves us desperately wondering what happened to the 104-year-old in the focus group, but those of you within the age range are guaranteed to enjoy a game surrounded by gushing waterfalls, a jungle marsh and awe-inspiring beasts including a ferocious-looking T-rex. From £7.50 for adult and child. BUY TICKETS Jurassic Island Golf, Bannister Outdoor Sports Centre, Uxbridge Rd, Harrow HA3 6SW Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Unique Gastro-Gaming Restaurant Launches in London this July Oche promises to hit the food and fun bullseye when it opens on 14 July, with a combination of tech-driven darts, shared plates by Michelin-trained chefs, cocktails, craft beers and wines. We’ve come a long way from pork scratchings and hairy men hurling things at grubby boozer boards. Here, the menu includes Oysters, Yuzu and Wasabi, Halibut Ceviche and their signature Oche Slider. And the venue will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, featuring multiple games and automatic scoring, without a chalk board in sight. For those amateurs among you, an oche - pronounced like hockey - refers to the line that players stand behind in a game of darts. And the new concept - opening in the heart of The Strand - is already a hit across Norway, The Netherlands, Sweden and Australia. The food and cocktails are inspired by modern European and Asian cooking. And guests can choose from a 1 to 1.5 hour darts session from £8 per person in the daytime to £12 in the evening, or book a private booth for 24 people. Oche, 105 The Strand, London, WC2R 0AA opens to the public from 14 July Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Find 28 chimpanzees from London Bridge to Tower Bridge For some free monkey business in London this summer, follow the Chimps are Family trail from London Bridge to Tower Bridge to find 28 bronze chimp sculptures. From now until October, Londoners can head into a real-life urban jungle to enjoy the free, public exhibition by artists Gillie and Marc Schattner. Each sculpture represents 18 of the different behaviours chimpanzees express, from happiness and grief to friendship and conflict and covers all ages, from newborn to elderly. The trail shows that humans have a good deal in common with our hairy relatives, as well as 99% of our DNA. They will also be able to get up close to the primates and scan a QR code to learn more about each chimp, get information about conservation, donate funds or adopt one of the sculptures. All of the money raised for this WWF-UK campaign will be used to save chimpanzees, because current estimates suggest that within three decades they could be extinct in the wild. Artists Gillie and Marc explain: “We hope this exhibition will help people see the similarities between us and chimps. Just like humans, they laugh at funny things, get cross with one another, and have fantastic bonds of friendship. “Despite our connection to them, chimpanzees are becoming endangered, and it is because of our actions. With our cities expanding rapidly, their habitat is being destroyed to make space for housing, agriculture, mines, and roads. "Chimps struggle to find enough food, getting them into dangerous situations leading to human-wildlife conflict. They are also targets for hunters looking for bushmeat or babies for the illegal pet trade. And all these interactions with humans have left them sick, catching our diseases, the worst being Ebola. Ebola has killed hundreds and thousands of chimps since the 1980s. “We hope that once people see how similar we really are, they will want to help protect them.” WWF-UK’s Chimps are Family Trail runs until October from London Bridge to Tower Bridge Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Let Kids Go Dotty at FREE Interactive Exhibition, The Obliteration Room Weary of sprogs covering every conceivable surface of your home with stickers? Then we have the perfect solution. A pristine, white apartment they are encouraged to cover in stickers and afterwards, you can brag that they’ve created art for Tate Modern. Boom. Yayoi Kusama’s interactive artwork, The Obliteration Room opens on 23 July and is free. Part of the brilliant, UNIQLO Tate Play series, families are provided with enough stickers to fill you with horror, at home. But here, you can relax while they cover The Obliteration Room's walls, ceilings, furniture, floor and crockery with colourful dots. Their brief is to make this blank canvas apartment as colourful as possible. Challenge massively accepted, if little guests are anything like our kids. The work reflects Kusama’s obsessions with accumulation, obliteration and becoming one with the artwork. She’s perhaps best known for her Infinity Rooms exhibition at Tate Modern, which will have saturated your Insta feeds for the past few months. Visitors can also create their own masterpiece to be added to an ever-growing garden in the grand, Turbine Hall. Check out Tate Modern’s timelapse video above for what to expect. And if any galleries fancy launching an interactive show requiring children to smear jam on windows or fill pockets with mouldy bananas, we are very much in. Tate Modern, Turbine Hall, Bankside, London SE1 9TG. 23 July - 29 August. FREE. Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Colonel Saab launches celebration of the mighty, Indian kebab Kebabs have been a staple of Indian cuisine since the 1200s, when they were brought to the country by Afghan invaders - not quite Deliveroo, but delicious nonetheless. The cuisine originated in Turkey and the Middle East and dates back to the 13th Century, when soldiers would skewer marinated meat on swords and roast them over a fire. They became so popular in India that explorer, Ibn Battuta recorded how Indians would eat kebabs for breakfast in the 1300s. And they have evolved over the centuries to the kebabilicious feast celebrated by Holborn’s luxury Indian restaurant, Colonel Saab until 30 July. A special menu has been created for the festival, which includes delicacies such as the Tunday Kebab, which originates from Lucknow in northern India and the Shikari Raan, a goat kebab recipe developed by ancient hunters who would marinate the meat in forest herbs before cooking on a hot stone. Other offerings, such as the Venison Soola Boti from Rajistan in northern India and and the Tandoori Roasted Tangri - made using chicken legs and grilled in a Tandoor oven - showcase the unique ways that India has evolved the flavours of the traditional kebab. Stand-out dishes include the Meen Pollithathu - a Kerala-style kebab made from fish wrapped in banana leaves for cooking - and the Jheenga Dum Nisha, which uses fresh tiger prawns simmered in saffron sauce, flavoured with cinnamon and cardamom. Colonel Saab owner, Roop Partap Choudhary says: “We launched this restaurant to celebrate India’s authentic and diverse cuisines - many of which were previously unknown to people in the West. “Kebabs are an important part of that and we wanted to show how India has taken the kebab and transformed it into something quite unique, using our own spices, ingredients and recipes. “We are so excited to welcome new and returning customers to Colonel Saab during our Kebab Festival and to introduce this cuisine to a new audience." Today, the cuisine is loved all over the continent, with the vast differences in available spices and ingredients paving the way for hundreds of regional variations in the way kebabs are prepared and served - many of which will be available for Colonel Saab’s customers to try during the next four weeks. The restaurant was created as a “love letter” to India and is housed in the grand, former Holborn town hall, crammed with stunning, museum-worthy art and artefacts collected by Roop and his family over the years, including the now-legendary, chandelier-filled ceiling which has exploded across Instagram. So we can also guarantee that it will be the poshest place a kebab has ever passed your lips. Colonel Saab 193-197 High Holborn, London WC1V 7BD. The Kebab Festival runs until 30 July. Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?

Greene King rolls the clock back to 1952 in the best way possible Pub chain Greene King is taking its customers back to 1952 in the best way possible - by rolling the price of a pint back to 6p. That was the average price for a pint of the good stuff back when the Queen was getting ready to don her crown for the first time, and ALL of Greene King’s 408 pubs will pull you a pint of IPA for less than a Cadbury’s Freddo - but you’ll need to remember the password, so grab a pen and paper and jot this down very carefully: Ready? It’s…. ‘1952’. OK, so it’s not exactly the Enigma Code, but you’ll still feel like a spy when you lean across the bar and whisper a password into the bartender’s ear. There are rules, too - it’s one pint per person and only available on Monday 30th May - and it’s happening at what the brewer calls their ‘local pubs’ which means you won’t be able to do a cheeky bar crawl through Soho, picking up 6p pints at every location (we did the important research so you don’t have to…) That means you’re best off heading to the suburbs for a cheeky pint, and there are plenty of beautiful old pubs who’ll happily welcome you with a cheap ale - click this link to find your nearest. Now that Greene King has set the standard, we’re calling for everyone else to do the same. The average house price was £1,891 in 1952. So c’mon, Barratt Homes, it’s over to you… www.greeneking-pubs.co.uk Like what you've read? Why not subscribe to our free, monthly newsletter?