There is no better way to teach children the enjoyment of fresh fruit and vegetables than an inspired trip to a London Farmer’s Market; all of which feature a very high standard of quality.
All the fruit, vegetables, meet, cheese, jams, juice and are locally grown or hand made by the farmers themselves. The markets are not solely organic, but the food is fresh and local with some farmers selling organic crops. Though the harvest season is waning, there are still plenty of fresh, root vegetables to make into a comforting feast to keep the seasonal malaise of Daylight Savings Time at bay.
What makes the London Farmer’s Markets particularly well-suited for families, aside from their wholesome appeal, is their close proximity to fun things for our little ones to do. If you bring a rucksack to carry your bounty from the market, you and the kids can not only enjoy healthy produce, you can go on to enjoy some near-by attractions.
Sundays, 10 – 2pm, just off Marylebone High Street, in the Cramer Street parking lot behind Waitrose, between Moxton and St. Vincent streets. www.lfm.org.uk/mary.asp
The Marylebone Farmer’s Market is one of the largest in London and is set equidistance from the Paddington Gardens playground and Marylebone High Street. If you have another set of hands, the day can be really fun for all. Begin with a family shop in the market, and then take the children to the playground, which has interesting equipment for babies right up to big kids. Further, the playground has one gated entrance, two or three picnic tables and even a covered area to shelter in the event or rain. There are clean public toilets at the end of the gardens on Paddington Street. One person can stay with the kids while the other has a wander through the charming shops of Marylebone Village, which include, among other things, my favourite foodie delights of The Ginger Pig, La Fromagerie, and Rocco Chocolates.
Another great day trip is the Notting Hill Gate Farmers Market:
Saturdays 9 – 1pm, located just off Kensington Church Street, accessed by Kensington Place, in a parking lot behind the Waterstones. www.lfm.org.uk/nott.asp
The Notting Hill Gate Market is in very close proximity to the Princess Diana Memorial Playground, otherwise known as the Pirate Ship Playground owing to the enormous pirate ship in the middle. After a shop through the market, you can go to the monitored gated playground in Kensington Gardens that promises to be busy on a Saturday with nice weather, but really fun. In addition to a mammoth and authentic looking pirate ship that doubles as an extremely challenging climbing frame, there are areas for the big and small. There are sand areas, small houses to climb in and out of, swings for big and small, ladders and slides, a music area, a water pump and a tunnel. Also, there are loads of picnic tables, a coffee and snack stand and clean toilets in the playground. After the kids have had their fun, you can wader up to antique-filled Portobello Road and find the spice shop where they have every possible mixture of spice on the planet or down to High Street Kensington to the Whole Foods Market, in addition to the enormous selection of clothing stores. You are not far from the Museum Campus which include the Science Museum, The Natural History Museum and the Victoria and Albert, all of which have free entrance.
For yet another London neighbourhood, The Pimlico Road Farmer’s Market:
Saturdays 9 – 1pm, Orange Square, corner of Ebury Street and Pimlico Road. www.lfm.org.uk/pimlico.asp
This small, but well-stocked market is located in the charming surroundings of Orange Square which boasts a three-storey Daylesford Organic, the recently re-done Orange Brewery and scores of antique and decorative shops down along Pimlico Road. After the market, you can head off towards the Royal Hospital Grounds for a real autumn play in the hilly brambles of the gated Ranelagh gardens, or head to the other side of the Hospital Grounds and see if the Chelsea Adventure Playground is open (the playground has tentatively been reopened, but do check before you leave to head out as I have not been able to get in touch with anyone there 020 7730 4093). If the weather is wet, walk along a bit further and check out the Kid Zone in the Army Museum (ring ahead as it is sometimes booked for parties on the weekends 020 7730 0717) or head towards Duke of York Square and go to the Saatchi Gallery. All of which have free entrances.
This post was written by Laura Vogel, a former primary school teacher and full-time mother of two who is enjoying every minute of her life in London discovering the city with her children on her extended maternity leave.
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