WHAT’S ON GUIDE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 All listings are correct at the time of publication. Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.
Every Sun Junior Parkrun Free 2k event for 4-14 year olds at Bushy Park, Laleham, Hanworth, Kingston, Osterley, Surbiton & Twickenham. www.parkrun.org.uk Every Sat & Sun until 21 Nov Steam Train Rides at Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway Train rides every half hour and picnic area. www.hamptonkemptonrailway.org.uk Every Mon, Tues & Fri until Fri 10 Dec Into the Woods at Painshill Park Weekly Forest School sessions to introduce your child to the outdoors. www.painshill.co.uk
Fri 22 Oct-Sun 9 Jan Illuminature at London Wetland Centre Explore nature after dark in this unique, illuminated trail. www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london Every Fri-Sun from 12-28 Nov Enchanted Woodland at Syon Park See the 600-year-old gardens transformed by a display of lights and music. www.enchantedwoodland.com Sat 13 Nov-Sun 9 Jan Ice Rink at Hampton Court Palace Located in front of the spectacular palace. www.hamptoncourtpalaceicerink.co.uk Every Sun from 14-28 Nov Families in the Forest at Orleans House Gallery Interactive experience for families. Explore the Orleans House grounds. www.orleanshousegallery.org Wed 17 Nov-Sun 9 Jan Christmas at Kew Enjoy the annual after dark festivities at Kew Gardens. www.kew.org/christmas Thu 18 Nov-Fri 24 Dec Kingston Christmas Market A European style market in a traditional British setting. www.kingstonchristmasmarket.co.uk Fri 19 Nov-Tue 4 Jan Glow 2021 at Wisley See the garden sparkle, follow dazzling displays lighting a magical trail. www.rhs.org.uk/wisley Sat 20 Nov Young Archaeology Club A group for 8-16s to learn and get hands on with the past. www.chertseymuseum.org
Sat 20 Nov & 4 Dec Saturday Art Club at Riverhouse BarnChildren produce work inspired by the changing exhibitions. www.riverhousebarn.co.uk Sat 20 & Sun 21 Nov Steaming Weekend at Kempton Steam Museum Watch the unique and enormous ancient steam engines in action. www.kemptonsteam.org Sat 20 Nov-Sun 9 Jan Snowsaurus at Painshill Park Walk the trail, discover incredible statues including a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex. www.painshill.co.uk Sat 20 Nov-Fri 24 Dec Santa’s Wonderland at Chessington Garden Centre A magical wonderland full of Christmas scenes and magic. www.chessingtongardencentre.co.uk Sun 21 Nov Shire Horse Sunday at Hampton Court Palace Watch the herd blessed by HM's Chaplain prior to evensong at The Chapel Royal. www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace Thu 25 Nov Teddington Christmas Lights Up 2021 Christmas lights return to Teddington High Street, 6.30pm. www.teddingtontogether.org Thu 25 Nov-Fri 24 Dec Christmas at Bocketts Farm Enjoy a festive family day out and meet Father Christmas. www.bockettsfarm.co.uk Thu 25 Nov-Fri 24 Dec Santa’s Grotto at Bentalls Kingston A truly enchanting and immersive festive family experience. www.fenwick.co.uk/kingston
Sat 27 Nov Wreath Making at Marble Hill House Create your own festive wreath with Marble Hill foliage. www.english-heritage.org.uk/marble-hill-house Sat 27-Sun 28 Nov Strawberry Hill Christmas Fair Over 40 exhibitors including how-to-do demonstrations. www.strawberryhillhouse.org.uk Sat 27-Sun 28 Nov Meet Rudolf’s Reindeer Cousins at Polesden Lacey Come, meet and feed Snowflake and Cracker, 11am-3pm. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey Every Sat & Sun from 27 Nov-19 Dec Visit Father Christmas at Hatchlands Park Meet Father Christmas in his cosy sitting room. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hatchlands-park Every Sat & Sun from 27 Nov-5 Dec Father Christmas Experience at London Wetland Centre Meet Father Christmas and Ken the Grand-Elf in his tranquil wetlands’ grotto. www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london Sat 27 Nov-Mon 3 Jan Family Christmas at Chessington World of Adventures Father Christmas and his band of merry elves return to Chessington. www.chessington.com Every Fri, Sat & Sun from 27 Nov-23 Dec Finding Father Christmas at Polesden Lacey Find Father Christmas and his lost presents in the enchanted woods. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey Fri 3 Dec Kew Sparkle Kew’s annual Christmas event is back, 5-8pm. www.kewsparkle.org
Museum Monkeys at Chertsey Museum Join Charlie the Chimp for singing, stories and crafts for Under 5s. www.chertseymuseum.org Fri 3 Dec-Sun 5 Dec Festive Fayre at Hampton Court Palace The palace courtyards will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace Sat 4 Dec 15 Minutes of Fun at Chertsey Museum Monthly family drop-in craft activity www.chertseymuseum.org Sat 4 & Sun 5 Dec Let’s Get Creative at Orleans House Gallery Join in a festive art activity delivered by the artist in residence. www.orleanshousegallery.org Sat 4 Dec-Mon 3 Jan Percy the Park Keeper's Winter Wander Trail National Trust trail at Claremont Landscape Garden, Ham House, Hatchlands Park, Osterley Park & House and Polesden Lacey. www.nationaltrust.org.uk Wed 8 Dec-Mon 3 Jan Palace of Stardust Trail at Hampton Court Palace Enjoy a fantastical world of planets and stars on an enchanting new light trail. www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace Sat 11-Sun 12 Dec Santa Special Train Rides at Hampton Kempton Waterworks Railway Join Santa on the steam train and meet him after. www.hamptonkemptonrailway.org.uk Mon 13-Fri 17 Dec Special Christmas Parent & Child Forest School at Painshill Park Extra special Christmassy Forest School sessions. www.painshill.co.uk
Sat 18 Dec Young Archaeology Club Christmas Party A group for 8-16s to learn and get hands on with the past. www.chertseymuseum.org Tue 21 Dec Christmas Holiday Activities at Chertsey Museum Make your own personalised wrapping paper. www.chertseymuseum.org Sat 1 Jan-Sun 3 Jan New Year’s Steam Up at London Museum of Water and Steam Discover the fascinating world of water and steam. www.waterandsteam.org.uk CHILDREN’S THEATRE & CHRISTMAS PANTOMIMES DORKING HALLS www.dorkinghalls.co.uk The Santa Show 10-12 Dec Colourful sing along interactive show, for ages 2-6. Jack & The Beanstalk Christmas Pantomime Sat 18-Sun 28 Dec Great songs, dance routines and plenty of laughter for all the family. THE ELECTRIC THEATRE, GUILDFORD www.electric.theatre Let’s All Dance: The Nutcracker 19 Dec Family favourite with high-quality ballet accessible and fun for children of all ages. THE EXCHANGE, TWICKENHAM www.exchangetwickenham.co.uk Aladdin Christmas Pantomime 17 to 29 Dec Traditional family panto with comedy, singing, dancing, stunning costumes and audience participation. G LIVE, GUILDFORD www.glive.co.uk Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever 12 & 13 Nov Live show packed full of songs, games and laughter. Father Christmas Comes Up Trumps 19-24 Dec Fabulously funny and brilliantly bouncy musical.
LONDON COLISEUM www.londoncoliseum.org The Nutcracker 100 dancers and musicians bring Nutcracker to life with exquisite dancing, beautiful sets and Tchaikovsky’s popular score played live. Kids go half price. 16 Dec-8 Jan. NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE www.atgtickets.com/new-wimbledon-theatre Dick Whittington Christmas Pantomime 4 Dec-2 Jan Action-packed pantomime full of laughter, music and dance. Here Comes Santa Claus 15 Dec-17 Dec New production with Christmas songs and Santa Claus live on stage, for ages 3-8. POLKA THEATRE, WIMBLEDON www.polkatheatre.com Cinderella: the AWESOME truth 12 Nov-30 Jan A magical topsy-turvy adventure, for 5+. The Night before Christmas 4 Dec-16 Jan Featuring original music and skilful puppetry, for 3-7. RICHMOND THEATRE www.atgtickets.com/richmond-theatre Cinderella Christmas Pantomime 3 Dec-2 Jan Starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton Du Beke. Packed with all the traditional panto ingredients discerning audiences expect. RIVERHOUSE BARN, WALTON ON THAMES www.riverhousebarn.co.uk The Snow Queen 17 Dec-23 Dec Brand-new adaptation of this magical story, for ages 3+. THE ROSE THEATRE, KINGSTON www.rosetheatre.org Beauty & The Beast 3 Dec-3 Jan Features songs, heart-warming characters and a touch of magic, for ages 5+. WATERMANS THEATRE, BRENTFORD www.watermans.org.uk Big Red Bath Sun 21 Nov Quirky, vibrant and humorous tale, for 2-5 years
Robin’s Winter Adventure Sun 28 Nov Uplifting tale with puppetry, poetry, music and magical design, for ages 3+. YVONNE ARNAUD THEATRE, GUILDFORD www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk Dick Whittington Christmas Pantomime 3 Dec- 9 Jan This panto will be a Whitting-tonne of fun.