Take the Kids to London

Mudlarking

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I can’t believe I didn’t know about this for so long, after living here for almost five years! And it’s even something we can go do within the current lockdown restrictions!

For those of you who are as in the dark as I was about what this is, well, you’ve heard of beach combing? Mudlarking is like that, except along the Thames River in London; and you’re not looking for pretty shells, but rather, for bits of centuries-old-trash-turned-treasure. Centuries of lost or cast-off items that now qualify as antiques. It’s treasure hunting the whole family can do together, right here in London.

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A Fun Quarantine Project

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My kids and I have often walked past this house on our road and wondered about this curious little hole next to the front door.

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It’s not connected to a drain pipe or anything at all. Is it some sort of coal hole? The place the milkman left the milk bottles? A Floo Network portal to the Ministry of Magic, house-elf service entrance?

The girls and I decided a while back that it must be a very fancy mouse hole, for a very posh mouse.

So last week, we made a mouse and some decorations and moved him in. (Free pattern and instructions for a hand-sewn felt mouse found here.)

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Christmas at Kew

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Christmas at Kew met—no, exceeded—my expectations.

welcome to kew

I have heard for several years that Christmas at Kew Gardens is a must-do Christmastime outing in London, but this was our first time. You have to book tickets really early—we booked in JULY. And we were really lucky we happened to have a dry evening on the date we booked.img_4911We’ve been to Kew Gardens before, but this was a completely different experience. (And Kew Gardens is very much worth a visit during the day, with or without kids.) Continue reading →