Kids in London - A Country Affair (Morden and Clapham)

Last year we had a fantastic time when A Country Affair was at Hampton Court. So encouraged by the great weather, this Bank Holiday weekend we went to see how it was at Morden Park Hall - which meant a walk through the stunning National Trust grounds there across a series of very pretty streams.

Anyway. All the things that we found particularly good for the kids at last year's event were there:

the free circus toys and tricks area

the numerous stages with an eclectic mix of music acts

the arenas showing everything from racing chickens to genuine Maypole dancing (where parents with young children were positively arm wrestled to participate) to entertainment by some large insect like characters in foam suits that the toddlers simply adored

the old fashioned fairground rides including a ferris wheel and a helter skelter

a miniture steam train

the farm area where you could get up real close and personal with a selection of chickens, geese (the kids loved it when they hissed!) and rabbits

lots of craft tents where you could buy all sorts of interesting things from gourmet sweets, to wooden toys, to high quality furniture, to home made soap and lots and lots of jewellery

There are loads of food stalls - some of which were a bit pricey for those with lots of young kids and a couple of drink concessions - real lemonade and, our favourite, the Pimms tent. Plus lots of seating with tables close to the music

We all had a go in a simulator - pretending to be in a Formula One racing car (would it really be that bumpy we all wanted to know?). The star of this year's show was a New Zealand guy who did a Sheep Show - this included introducing us to a variety of English sheep breeds (with musical theme tunes), showing us how to shear a sheep (the record in New Zealand is just 45 seconds but he took about five minutes as he chatted a lot and made us all laugh) and finished with a hilarous demonstration of dancing sheep which really was incredible.

This really was a great day out - for all the family, toddlers and teenagers. So try to catch it on the next bank holiday (24th to 26th May) when it takes place on Clapham Common.

:aussie: (well, a New Zealand sheep farmer actually!)
:bangin: