Here are the boys pulling faces for the camera on the tube. We had booked onto an artist-led workshop at the Tate Modern.
On the walk from the tube station, we walked from London Bridge Stn. again, we passed lots of interesting things. London by foot is really great fun. There is something interesting round almost every corner.
This is a pair of anchors we found next to Sir Francis Drake's ship (which you can pay to go onto). They climbed all over the anchors instead.
and shimmied down the wall towards the treasure chest!
Caden outside the Tate Modern. It is such an imposing building. It reminds me of the Yorkshire Mills back in Bradford a bit.
We got to the workshop just in time. It was pretty amazing that we made it. Miles was very tired and had screamed and refused to move for pretty much the entire morning. It had been hard work getting there.
He did cheer up when he saw the pens.
The artist explained that we were going to a room with exhibitions of work based around the theme of Chance!
We worked in a team with another mother and two similar age boys (it turns out we happen to be attending the same camp as this family in August so it was a stroke of luck). We were asked to create a piece of art by chance. The other mother suggested that we allow the kids to draw and continually knock their hands so they make an unpredictable, chance drawing. This worked pretty well. Then they got out the scissors and starting cutting pieces off the drawing. We thought that if we held the cut outs above the main drawing and allowed them to fall and land by chance then we could tape them together.
They all enjoyed this activity. It was very age appropriate and the fact that the workshop was actually within the rooms of the exhibitions and we were surrounded by incredible works of art makes the whole museum and the concept of art so much more accessible for the children. They have a template for future visits and some familiarity with the environment.
Each group talked about their piece of art to the rest of the group at the end and explained to the others what they had done and why.
Then we went down to the very large room downstairs, I have forgotten the name of it, and began another exercise.
This was for all the children to make a huge pen out of bamboo sticks to collaboratively create a T shirt for themselves by chance.
The children all threw out a few suggestions about how to make the pen and decided on each group of children taping together a few bamboo sticks and then putting them all together after.
These were our sticks and tape.
Here the boys are using tape to tie together the canes.
The artist came over and led Caden carrying our completed 'pen' to the others.
Then all the children grabbed a part of the pen each and the person at the front had to control the fabric pens that were taped to that end and try to draw a picture for themselves on their own t-shirt which was taped to the wall. It was hard to do because the rest of the children holding the pen were pulling it backwards and forwards and side to side to write on the t-shirt as well.
The boys had a lot of fun with this!
Caden is drawing on his t-shirt.
Miles having his turn.
Then they got some free time to finish off their t-shirts by hand with various fabric pens and pastels.
There had been two teams of children on the workshop and they had done different t shirts so we all then came together and had a football match.
Sharing home made jerky and home made elderflower cordial (it is lush) for their lunch.
This is how they both decided to exit the museum!
This is a view of the large room within the museum. We had been right down at the far end. It is vast!
Outside Miles resumed his whinging and screaming. Here he is refusing to come out of the middle of a hedge. I ended up picking him up and carrying him off screaming down the bank side.
We made it to the science museum and Miles had slept on me for a bit so we all perked up a bit.
We went straight to the basement which is where the age 3-6 section is. It is excellent. Lots of interactive science based play.
Miles is at the top and Caden is using a pulley to get bricks to him.
Pumping water onto the blades of a water wheel to turn it.
Lots of unusual reflections.
More water play.
Then we went back upstairs. They really wanted to visit the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground again but we managed to look at a few things on the way out of the museum.
Miles really liked the old trains and aeroplanes.
We thought this car looked like Toad's car out of Wind in the Willows.
We walked past it saying Poop Poop!
This was an awesome model of the Crick and Watson DNA double helix. Truly amazing. I could have looked at it for ages. I explained to them what it was. I think the fact that they learned it is called DNA, saw its helix shape and know that it contains a code that makes you what you are is plenty.
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We saw Apollo 10, from the first landing on the moon.
Miles is looking at an original Hoover vacuum.
Caden is looking at a small working model of a mill.
They both liked this screen with different images of the sun showing solar flares, sun spots and the corona.
When we got outside we saw a street performer in a headless suit. It looked like a moving headless man.
We walked up to Hyde Park and saw a small production taking place. We stopped and watched them in passing. It was good to feel like a part of the things that were going on.
They watched some crows and a squirrel fight over some food and they decided to break it up and chased the crows away and the squirrel up this tree.
Then we arrived back at the playground after about a 45 minute walk. It was a glorious day so we stayed for about two hours. It wasn't too busy and they had a great time.
Miles chasing pigeons on the way home.
We have had a great couple of days and spent £64.10 on the two days, all in and we've done so much in that time.
£16.80 x 2 for three return train fares (with family and friends railcard).
£7.50 ice creams
£2.40 entry to Tower Bridge.
£2 water/juice.
£2 coffee
£7.60 food (essential as we had run out of packed lunch).
£9 taxi. (in future I will know that the off peak travel card is valid all day on the tube, even at Peak times but there we go)
If you were very well prepared and took everything with you then it shouldn't have to cost more than the price of a train ticket which is less than the entry fee into many museums. There is so much we haven't seen or done that is free to look at or visit and learn from.
Waiting for the tube on the way home. Shattered but happy!
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