What To Do With Children This June: Recommendations from the CE Team

We may already be itching to lock in our summer holiday plans, but don’t rush off just yet, there’s more than enough to keep the little ones (and you) happily occupied closer to home. This is what to do with children this June.

This month, the Citizen Enfants team has gathered so much inspiration you might find it hard to narrow it all down. From the ultimate soft plays to the much-anticipated return of Toy Story to the big screen, current favourite reads to dreamy Austrian getaways, unmissable exhibitions to the ideal summer wardrobes for you and your mini-mes. Here’s exactly what we’ll be doing with our children, and for ourselves, all month long.

Sheena Bhattessa, Founder

@sheenabhattessa

VISIT Oh London, my London in the summer! There’s no place I love more. I’m quite literally visiting everywhere. June is peak season for pick-your-own strawberries. I’ll take the kids to a PYO farm (there are loads within reach of London) and let them eat their bodyweight in the field. Garshons has a couple of locations, both very child-friendy. Southbank is my go-to. Rug Rhymes for my littlest, and hanging out and watching the street performers, perhaps an Aquarium visited added in for good measure. SEE My daughter is constantly singing all the Matilda songs so I’ll definitely be taking her to see the show. It will be her first West End theatre experience and I’m so excited for her to experience it. And I’m booking Showstopper! The Kids Show for the whole gang. ENJOY London Children’s Literature Festival at the end of the month, full of workshops and family shows. WEAR The Superga x Mrs. Francoise is utterly delicious. I’m not sure I’d wear the shoes by myself but I’d happily match with my daughter and these are very cute for summer. BUY My son turns three, and so I’m adding to list of all sorts of fun we can have. I’m looking to book a three-day getaway to Chester Zoo, I think he’ll absolutely love it! A stay in The Reserve and breakfast with the giraffes. It’s a win win!

 

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WRITE I’ve been a stickler for making my children write thank you notes, but it’s a lot easier when they have chic stationery. Smythson has a gorgeous new Beatrix Potter collaboration with correspondence cards featuring all the childhood favourites, paired with envelopes lined with a print inspired by the cretonne fabric designed by Potter in the 1920s. BOOK Dermot O’Leary’s best-selling children’s series, Toto the Ninja Cat, is a firm favourite in our house. It’s coming to the stage, starting in London, then nationwide, and we’re excited. WEAR I don’t intentionally go for the mommy-and-me look, but the new collection by Smock London is gorgeous, and has such beautiful choices for both my five and nine-year-old girls, and me. They have gone for matching dresses, while I’ve picked a different – but co-ordinating – print, so we’ll look pulled together (for once) in our holiday snaps. I don’t know how much longer I can get away with dressing my girls in sweet vintage-style dresses, but the new Laura Ashley’s collaboration with H&M is helping: I love the dresses and the co-ords for easy summer outfits. SWIM Pretty swimwear that covers up delicate little shoulders is a must whether you’re holidaying at home or abroad, and I love the vintage-inspired range by Seabass which has cute little ruffle or sailor collars and my girls have loved wearing – my youngest calls her two piece “my bikini”, and feels very grown up, whilst remaining covered up; the material protects skin to factor 50 and blocks 98% of all UV rays. PACK I can’t rave about my Antler Heritage Overnight Bag enough: it’s large enough for a weekend away, but also has a genius strap at the back that hooks it onto your wheely suitcase, meaning it doesn’t slip off like other bags do. I’ve found that the smallest Antler suitcase plus this bag work with many airlines for carry on, so you can sneak a surprising amount without having to check in luggage (and risk losing it). PAMPER Wild Beauty in East London offers extremely cute mini person manicures, which my five-year-old – more “girly” than her sister – particularly enjoys. I can get mine done at the same time and we both enjoy a chat about the colour selection. TRAVEL Getting to and from the airport for holidays can be a faff, especially with kids, but the chauffeur service Wheely makes it incredibly simple. It has an excellent app. I booked a car home while literally boarding my flight, just by putting in my flight number, which the driver then tracks and is waiting for you on the other side.

 

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Laura Normanton, Citizen Enfants Contributor

VISIT This month I am jetting off for some ‘me’ time at Yeotown in Madeira; its a yoga, hiking and detox retreat. Everyone needs a break from time to time and, while I will miss the kids, I’ll come back rested, renewed and hopefully a better parent as a result. SEE I’m taking my daughter to the Fairy Tales exhibition at the British Library and my son to the Natural History Museum to see the Wildlife Photography of the year exhibition and of course we will take a look at the roaring T-Rex. Im prioritising one-on-one trips with the kids this half term before we get super busy over the summer holidays. EAT I am slow to the party here, but I have just discovered Lune & Wild frozen kids meals and baby weaning cubes. It has been quite life changing not having to shop and prepare food while I wean my baby – and everything tastes delicious. DRESS THEM IN The kids are wearing raincoats from Toastie in this changeable weather and their summer wardrobe is made up of pops of primary colours in the softest cotton from Oso & Me.

 

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Frankie Graddon, Citizen Enfants Contributor

LISTEN Tonies has just launched a new Discovery Crew audio adventure set in collaboration with the Science Museum which my five year old is currently obsessed with. Each set contains four pocket Tonies which cover space, medicine, the information age and the Wonderlab (which is well worth a visit IRL). Screen-free entertainment sorted. STAY We’re staying in UK over the summer holidays and exploring Devon and Cornwall. On my wish list is a few nights at Cottage Orné, a super chic hamlet of self-catering cottages and shepherd’s huts complete with a heavenly pool. WEAR Beyond Nine’s SS26 collection has just dropped and I’m planning on living in the pull-on linen shorts in classic black. Just add sandals and Balzac’s Clément basket – the perfect summer mum bag. USE For sun-parched skin, there is nothing more nourishing that Dr Sebagh’s cult Rose de Vie Serum. It’s wonderfully calming on redness and irritation too. GO For an easy day-trip by train from London head to Bicester Village. There’s a brilliant playground, kid-friendly restaurants, lovely toilets (with baby change) not to mention fabulous shops. Look out for Cecconi mini chef pizza making classes too.

 

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Anjana Gosai, Citizen Enfants Contributor

@anjanagosai

SHOP We’re finally getting some sunshine and I’ve been really impressed with Beame Under The Spotlight UV Detection Stickers. The general rule is to reapply SPF every two hours, and these clever little stickers take all the guesswork out of it. They start clear and turn purple when your sunscreen has worn off. My kids have even been remembering to top up their SPF by themselves. TRY I had the most indulgent treatment at Notting Hill’s Cloud Twelve. Inspired by Japanese and Korean hair rituals, the Head Spa involved 21 steps over 90-minutes, including a scalp analysis, cleanse, condition, mask, steam, massage and LED therapy. It’s like a facial for the hair and left mine feeling super soft. VISIT We’re heading to the glorious Four Seasons Hampshire later this month and the kids (and I) can’t wait to spend time in Sharkie’s Reef, the hotel’s brilliant family pool complete with fountains and a water slide. READ I’ve just finished The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did) by psychotherapist Philippa Perry. It’s filled with wisdom on everything from shopping trip tantrums to how our own upbringings shape the parents we become – it leaves you feeling much kinder to yourself. I wish I had read it sooner. BOOK My boys absolutely loved TeamSport Karting’s new Brent Cross venue, where they got to burn off tons of energy with racing, bowling, arcade games and pool. Younger drivers (aged four to seven) don’t have to miss out on the fun either – there’s a Mini Racers track too. An ideal post-shopping pit stop. DO I use a lot of olive oil in my cooking, so I’m very much looking forward to the masterclass at the Citizens of Soil Olive Oil Bar, hosted by founder Sarah Vachon. She’ll be covering flavour profiles, sourcing and Mediterranean food culture – with plenty of tasting too. There are a few other masterclasses to book during the pop-up this month.

 

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