Balham Food Festival 2016, more Open Days and half term ideas: Your What’s On activity guide from NappyValleyNet

Dear NappyValleyNetter,

Welcome to your weekly What’s On activity guide from NappyValleyNet! 

Anyone else noticed a distinct lack of conkers so far this season?  It was pointed out the other day as we crossed the common, kicking leaves.  The children and I, not Mr NVN, although never say never.  Maybe there’ll be a deluge now the temperature has dropped almost back to normal for this time of year.  Hard hats at the ready.  In between conker collecting you’ll be hard pressed not to find activities every which way you turn.  Our calendar is bursting with a bountiful harvest of goings-on, be they outdoors on the streets or commons, indoors in halls and schools or further afield in a theatre, a museum, or even a field. Dip in regularly and keep on posting! (click here)

If you’re thinking of a move, start your search with us.  We have homes for sale and to rent in the area together with school catchment distances, so you can find your next family home via postcode, price and distance from front door to school gate. (click here)

Check out these four homes from our Preferred Property Partners this week

For sale with Marsh & Parsons is a chain-free 6-bedroom house on the sought after Heaver Estate and close to both Balham and Tooting Bec tubes, beautifully redesigned and stretching to over 3,000 sqft, with a south-facing decked garden. …click here for more details

For sale with Rampton Baseley is a 4-bedroom house on a corner position in a quiet enclave of streets just off Battersea Park Road, completely refurbished throughout with unique ground floor space wrapping around an internal courtyard to give a great sense of space and light. …click here for more details

For sale with Portico is a 3-bedroom Victorian house near to Clapham South tube and Clapham Common, recently refurbished to a high standard and beautifully presented, with a private garden and the scope to extend. …click here for more details

For sale with Hamptons International is a 3-bedroom flat in a Victorian school conversion, with double height ceilings, a mezzanine landing, an en-suite with jacuzzi, and panoramic city views. …click here for more details

Food, culture, health and drama. Your daily mix of goings-on

The week that launches the Balham Food Festival is here!  This weekend, central Balham and beyond will be overflowing with foodie delights, a nirvana for anyone and everyone who likes to exercise their taste buds with food glorious food!  There are discounts galore and brilliant add-ons and offers in lots of local establishments, not to mention the main Balham Banquet on Sunday on Hildreth Street and Bedford Hill. Tuck in and enjoy! …click here for more details

The Little Gym Wandsworth & Fulham is going to be giving the GBBO a run for its money next week as they take part in The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning forMacmillan Cancer Support.  If you love baking, this is your chance to showcase your talents. If you love eating cake, this is the place to be. With almost 600 children coming through the doors next week, they’ll go like hot cakes! …click here for more details

Let’s Act is holding an Open Day this Saturday at St Luke’s, showcasing their performing arts classes for children aged 3 up to 14.  This term they’ll be working on both Annie and Mulan, culminating in shows at The Lost Theatre.  Watch your children grow in confidence on stage while having a whole lot of fun in the process! …click here for more details

Stuffel Pop-Up Shop comes to Skylark Café on Wandsworth Common next week, with their range of ingenius-looking playmat toy bags.  They’ll have activities to keep your little ones busy while you peruse and if you purchase, 10% of sales will go to the Wandworth Food Bank. Plus fab coffee at Skylark while you shop.  What’s not to love!?…click here for more details

Head to Putney next week if you feel you need to Get Your Groove Back, with talks from a variety of speakers including top tips on how to get steady energy all day long, boost your self confidence, address your posture and nip sugar cravings in the bud. …click here for more details

Bright Sparks is on at Polka Theatre in Wimbledon this weekend for 3 to 7 year olds.  Links and Rex are light and dark, left and right.  One is logical while the other is a daydreamer.  Watch them get their noodles in a muddle as they look for ways to work and play together, with mesmerising visuals for the little ones. …click here for more details

More Open Days to add to your schedule (this weekend and beyond)

Alleyn’s Junior School Open Event …click here for more details

Dulwich College Junior School Open Morning …click here for more details

Dulwich College Lower School Open Morning …click here for more details

Finton House School …click here for more details

Hornsby House School …click here for more details

The Laurels School Open Event …click here for more details

Streatham & Clapham High School Open Day …click here for more details

Whitgift School Open Morning …click here for more details

Whitgift School Open Evening …click here for more details

Woldingham School Y6 Sleepover/Taster …click here for more details

Thinking ahead to half term already?  You won’t be the only one! 

Eddie Catz have a great range of half term fun on offer at each of their three soft play venues in Earlsfield, Putney and Wimbledon.  A Ghostbusters workshop with Dance Grooves, The Great Fire of London Lego workshop with Mini Engineers, Arty Family Fun, Halloween Cookery with Cookie Crumbles and a Playball Playdate to name a few. …click here for more details

Little Voices Performing Arts Week is on in Fulham during half term for boys and girls aged 4 up to 16 to be transported through a wondrous week of singing, dancing and acting inspired by Aladdin.  Hope they get to meet the Genie and fly away for a while on a magic carpet! …click here for more details

Sparks are running an Attack of the Beasts Filmmaking Workshop over three days, so if your little monsters aged 7 to 10 or 11 to 14 want to shoot a monster movie, this is for them.  And there’s a lovely 10% off for NappyValleyNetters – thank you, Sparks! …click here for more details

Role Models is taking bookings for its half term Confidence & Resilience Courses in Putney and Imperial Wharf for those in Years 3 to 7, focusing on nurturing core skills and emotional intelligence, helping children to overcome obstacles and collaborate with their peers.  Brilliant skills, whatever your age! …click here for more details

Miniversity Halloween Holiday Camp runs daily career-based workshops for children through the use of ICT.  Want to practice your English and be a News Reporter for the day? Or Science and be a Forensic Scientist for the day, or an Investment Banker – great for your maths! Or be a movie-maker or graphic designer with Pokemon or Minecraft.  The world’s your oyster. …click here for more details

NappyValleyNet – offers just for you! 

Did you know we run monthly NappyValleyNet offers & competitions put together with you in mind?  Lovely away-stays around the UK thanks to Luxury Family Hotels or Barbados with Tots Too; a fab 25% off SW Yoga or the chance to win 30 consecutive days of yoga with Kula Wellbeing; a place on a First Aid for Dogs course to help your four-legged friend.  Free tickets to The Family Travel Show or win a family ticket to The Telegraph Ski & Snowboard Show. £100 worth of John Lewis vouchers or a family ticket to Flip Out.  Take your pick! …click here for more details

Who knew that whisky and curry are a match made in heaven?  Tiger Dram, a new pop-up from Battersea Rise’s Cornish Tiger, wants to show you how these two flavours can work so well together.  Here’s 20% off for you – there’s a secret door and a special code to get in. Go dip into sharing plates, fine whiskies and well-chosen beers. …click here for more details

Toddlepass brings the world of children’s classes to you, all in one place at just the click of a button.  To celebrate the start of a new term (and to cheer us up post-summer), they’re offering our followers a fabulous deal of just £1 (instead of £24) for the first month. …click here for more details

And finally, a literary date for you diary 

STREAM 2016 is the South London Book Festival at Streatham & Clapham High School.  A day dedicated to all things bookish with a fantastic line up of authors and events. Former Children’s Laureate, Malorie Blackman OBE, headlines with her new book, ‘Chasing the Stars’, as well as Judith Kerr and many others.  Plus, celebrations for Shakespeare’s 400th and a 90th birthday celebration of Winnie the Pooh! It’s a book festival, it’s free and it’s on the doorstep! …click here for more details

That’s it.  Whatever you do, have fun and check into our calendar to keep in the loop.(click here)

Love,

Annabel & the NappyValleyNet team xx