njc97

Snappy Snaps on Rye Lane.

Brooklyn children's museum as already mentioned has a soft play area. Central Park Zoo is brilliant. FAO Swartz (toy shop with giant keyboard from Big). We went for a week with a 14mo. TBH he just loved going around in the pushchair looking at things (which was good, since it was very cold and snowy, so not best for him running about).

Greenwater. All going ahead apparently. I think there's some reason why they don't get final sign off from DoE until late on but they have been approved so they are 100% confident it'll go ahead. As monniemae says, there have been delays at the temple grove site (something to do with insurance companies) so the current temple grove school* will still be on the Haberdashers site come September, and the free school will be in temporary classrooms on the other side of the site (where they're going to build proper new school in due course). *I think the new free school will be temple grove, with the current temple grove school getting a different name. No idea why, seems very confusing to me.

Nunheadmum - we get around 12 mbs with be online, I think on the same exchange as you. Depending on how IT savvy you are, you could get a raspberry pi tiny computer, plus wireless keyboard and mouse and download your TV/films via bittorrent or similar. Otherwise for the mainstream streaming services, internet TVs' interfaces can be a bit clunky. A second hand PS3 would be a cheap option. (unless you've got a laptop you can just plug into the TV)

BeccaL - how many coats did you use and is it magnetic? We've got 2 cupboard doors done but only with one coat and not really magnetic. I want to know how many more we have to do (and therefore if I can be bothered); I think the paint tins recommend 4 coats.

Trinity Laban do a parents and toddlers class for 2.5 up on Saturdays, but is in Depftford and might have a (very) long waiting list. http://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/schools-community/for-children-young-people/dance-classes-for-children/childrens-classes-timetable

Has anyone on the fast diet tried the "no calories" noodles?

milk chocolate hobnobs. No argument.

Saffron - yes, the Wavelengths website is out of date (and generally rubbish). The leisure pool, including slides, is shut, due to open "Spring 2013" (but I'm not holding my breath, it was "after Christmas" when it first shut). The 25m pool is still open. There's also a very old fashioned slide at Surrey Quays but I've neveer seen it open. Nor the children's pool which always has a bike parked in it....

Little kickers in Nunhead also do rugby on Saturday mornings. My son has also just started a dance class in Deptford - not sport, but pretty much jumping, running etc so tires him out as well.

There's also a minor injuries unit at lewisham hospital if you can get there.

Saskia - we've got 2 children there and love it. Feel free to PM me if you've got any specific questions.

We used to go to Deptford for sunday lessons, but they are on hold until they re-open the leisure pool in the new year. (we're holding out as the teacher there was really good)

Toys R Us (and other shops) do Octonauts toys that go in the bath - my son loves his Gub-B and Kwazii kitten.

Southwark carrib train on peckham rye: http://www.southwarkcaribbfc.co.uk/

To the people complaining about lack of trains after 7 and Sundays - isnt that just going back to the service we had prior to Thameslink building work (i.e. 3 years ago)?

The other issue with Charing X is that for 2 years during the London Bridge improvements, Charing X trains wont stop at LB. So it's a tube or Cannon St the tube instead.

I do it Nunhead to City Thameslink every morning. Usually reliable to within a few minutes. Usually get a seat at Nunhead in the last carriage, as does a colleague who gets on at Peckham Rye, but some trains are busier than others (infuriatingly, the 7.30ish train is busy, so if you have to get in early you might not get a seat, which adds to the misery). And sometimes they only run 4 carriages and it gets horrible, but that's reasonably rare. Timetables are a bit odd so worth checking up yourself - there's an extra train 6-7 in the evening as well as 4-5, plus there's a couple that go via Peckham Rye but not Nunhead.

There used to be baby gym on Fridays at Honor Oak Children's centre and according to this leaflet there are also ones at Deptford and New Cross. But I'd ring first (not least because they used to insist you booked, even when it wasn't busy) http://www.lewishamhomes.org.uk/OneStopCMS/Core/CrawlerResourceServer.aspx?resource=9A79E567-EB5D-4529-B1CC-70EB736E3BFA&mode=link&guid=1ab3cac6616d438bb433addb4c14d1fc

Skegness, sorry more news. Apparently the new free school is having "information sessions" on 26 Novemeber at 5 to6 and 6 to 7, plus a further date in January. Letters setting this out on the way to everyone now.... PS sorry to everyone else for this re-appearing at the top of the threadlist

Skegness - I think they must be combining the open days, but it was my wife who told me about it. I think you (we) get to visit the current temporary Temple Grove set-up to see what the new free school will be like (as it's the same philosophy etc and also the the free school will be in those temporary class rooms to begin with). As you say, it'll take some of the worry out of seconday applications. But it's a new school, so they'll be bound to be teething problems and I dont know about my son being the oldest year throughout. We'll also be visiting Hollydale and Edmund Waller to consider them and maybe John Stainer for interest. There's another bugle class as JS this year, together with the free school opening might make their catchment area a bit more reasonable.

Monkey - I'm not sure I'd worry. We're not bilingual but I had a long conversation with a friend of mine who is. He only speaks German to his children while his wife only uses English (they live in England). Now although his 3 year old clearly understands everything said to him in German, he never uses it himself. Apparently this is exactly the same as my friend, only in reverse. He grew up in Germany with his dad speaking English to him. Until 6 or 7, he clearly understood English but never used it. Then suddenely (and apparently it was almost overnight) he started talking to his Dad in English and was fluent.

Skegness - apparently HA are having open days at Pepys Road site on: Wed 14 Nov 9-10, Thur 29 Nov 2-3 and Thur 10 Jan. (this is according to my wife, I couldnt see on their website where they got the info from). There's still a risk they won't get funding, as I understand it, so worth looking at other schools as well.

Cars, trains, dinosaures, Disney DVDs.

The bus is brilliant as is Deptford Project. If you can combine it with something on at the Albany you can get a great family day out. Alas, the swimmming pool is shut for refrubihsment until January *grumble*