MotherCulture

MotherCulture has been on up and running for eight weeks and it’s got me thinking about when the wee man was the same age.

There were piles of washing everywhere, Harry Belafonte’s Banana Boat song on repeat (eight months later, it still has a weirdly calming effect on the wee man) and he seemed to be permanently attached to my boobs. 

I wasn’t venturing out much and certainly no further than my own postcode. But on one particularly blustery autumn day some NCT friends and I decided to visit Punk Me Up, a ceramics cafe on the corner of Peckham Rye Park, to get clay imprints of our babies hands and feet. 

Now, the first thing to say is that with prices starting at £60, this ain’t no cheap keepsake. When I looked at the website I must admit I thought twice about it. However, still drunk on love hormones, I decided to throw caution to the wind and go for it nonetheless. My goodness I’m glad I did.

The ladies at Punk Me Up are lovely, and had a table set up for us in the back studio of the shop (incidentally, a space where they also host a range of classes, including Monkey Music; check out their website and Instagram for more info).

There were four of us in the group, and Toni – the owner – took time to discuss with us individually the different options we could go for including paint colours, finishes etc. There are other options too; some in the group got little hand-prints on Christmas baubles (a lovely present idea for doting grandparents!) It was fun! At eight weeks, the babies were a little non-plussed as we moulded their feet and hands in to wet clay but the results were fabulous and after surviving the first – often brutal – eight weeks of motherhood, it definitely felt like a treat we all deserved.

For older kids, the main café offers a treasure trove of ceramics for creative young  minds to get busy on. Prices start at £8 for the ceramics and £3.50 for a child over £2.  I’ve been with my nine-year-old god-daughter and her big sister, who absolutely loved it; choosing their ceramics (one did a cup and saucer, the other a bowl), paint-colours and working out their designs … it was a lovely way to while away a couple of hours over coffee and cake.

Cost ⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s not the cheapest but then neither are the results, plus you get to take home one-of-a-kind ceramics made by your little creative geniuses. Worth every penny.

Accessibility ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There’s a pram-park outside so you don’t have to negotiate the steep step at the front.

Facilities ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Good baby changing facilities, high-chairs etc.

Feeding friendly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a family focussed café, making it a comfortable place to feed.

General vibes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A SE London family favourite!

We’ve noticed of late that soft play has been getting a bit of a bad rep.  Now don’t get us wrong, we aren’t so keen on the distinct smell of sweat, the loud colours, loud noise or even the abundance of mini dictators running around like maniacs either. However, our babies are just about to turn ten months and it’s been a game changer. Long gone are the days where they would sit still playing with their toys; instead we spend our days constantly trying to keep them alive. Plugs in mouths, fingers in sockets, lamps used as aids to stand, the sofa treated as if it’s Everest to climb…you name it and it’s a hazard. Soft play has therefore been our saving grace and saves our home from complete devastation.

Now we haven’t been to the huge, over-populated ones but we have found a little gem in the Apple Tree Children’s Cafe. It has a small soft play area with a ball pit and enough space that children can thrash around in but also it’s small enough that we know our little ones won’t get trampled in an adrenalin-enthused stampede. There are also mini kitchens for the children to play with, a shop, till and a reading area. Importantly, it isn’t just aimed at the kids. There’s a lovely cafe for parents to have that much needed coffee or even a cake fix if you are in need.

They have a menu tailored to kids of all ages from weaning onwards and the staff are extremely lovely and helpful.  My mini dictator demolished a weaning platter and left various bits on the floor (we love the drop the food game at the moment!) and the staff were so relaxed about it and stopped us from trying to salvage the floor ourselves.

It’s located in Herne Hill and is a three minute walk from the station (overground). It overlooks the beautiful Brockwell Park and is in the hub of Herne Hill so why not make a morning or afternoon of it?  Have a walk too in the park and there’s plenty of choice for food.  Our favourites are: Cafe Provençal, the Half Moon Pub and if you walk just 5 minutes down the road, the Lido Cafe (see previous post for details).  All are baby friendly and have changing facilities and high chairs.

We are also in love with the enchanting Tales on Moon Lane, the sweetest children’s book shop.  They do storytelling every Thursday morning at 9.30am for free during term time.  We can’t help but buy a book each time we go and this time we bought “In the swamp by the light of the moon” by Frann Preston-Gannon. At one point the book says, “My friend…your song’s unique and important like all of the rest.  Even small voices count, so let’s hear yours – only you sing your song best”.  Amen to that.

⚠️ On Saturdays Apple Tree closes at midday and does not serve food on the menu but has a small selection of food pouches, pastries and cakes. On Sundays it is closed.

Cost ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Per Play at Apple Tree Cafe is free for 0-6 months, £3 for 6-12 months and £5 for 1 years – 5 years. They also offer a ten visit pass for £42 online for 1 years – 5 years.

Accessibility ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Easy with pram or sling, all on the same floor.

Facilities ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Baby changing facilities are available in all the cafes we have mentioned and there is buggy parking at Apple Tree.

Feeding friendly ⭐⭐⭐

Easy to feed in the cafes at the tables but don’t expect a sofa/armchair!

General vibes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Apple Tree Children’s Café makes soft play bearable, we would go even so far as to say enjoyable. Herne Hill, though it only has a small hub has so much going for it: make a day of it and you won’t regret it!

In the last few weeks, Instagram seems to have been flooded with pictures of the Olafur Eliasson exhibition. That and pictures of that spotty Zara dress.  Having already been a marketing victim and bought the dress (!), it was time for a trip to the Tate Modern.

So last weekend I managed to drag my husband, the baby and my brother along too. It didn’t disappoint.  Nor did the Tate Modern itself which proved to be so baby friendly that I think I might be able to persuade my husband to go back again #winwin.

You can buy tickets when you get there but given it’s popularity, top tip #1 buy them in advance and pick a time slot that suits you and baby.  We went post morning nap and before lunch when he’s usually at his most amenable 😂. Top tip #2: go to the right part of the Tate Modern- the Blatnavik Building.   We went to Level 2 of the Boiler House, only to realise we had ventured to the wrong part of the building. By the time we finally got there, there was no queue and we went straight in. I always get a little anxious going in to an exhibition as you never know how the tiny dictator is going to behave but I immediately felt relaxed as there were lots of families with babies.  The exhibition itself was in a large space and so it’s easy to navigate with a buggy.

It was a brilliant, immersive exhibition not just for adults but for children and babies too. It was like a baby sensory class on steroids.  From moss walls, a fog room, a spiral view tunnel, rain, thunder…the exhibition invites you to experience nature and the powerful forces that govern it.  The intention is not for you to just be a spectator but for you to consider your place in the planet too, and indeed the negative role mankind are having on nature. The only part of the exhibition we avoided was the fog room, mainly because we didn’t want the babby to feel at all claustrophobic. The staff member at the entrance to this part of the exhibition was very helpful and showed us how we could navigate round it.  We did go through individually and saw lots of children happily going through it; we just didn’t want to risk it. The rest of the exhibition the baby was honestly enthralled, at one point continuously craning his neck back to look at the mirror on the ceiling.  He also loved the room of colourful shadows and was crawling along the floor whilst other children were dancing around taking in their reflections.  Top tip #3: in case of any meltdowns or any older children getting bored and wanting something more hands on, there is a brilliant interactive table at the end of the exhibit with 3D structures to play with.

We followed the exhibition with a trip to Gail’s Bakery which is located just behind the Tate Modern.  With highchairs, baby changing facilities, helpful staff and a good selection of food that can be adapted for weaning it was a big hit. All in all a brilliant family day out.

Have you been yet?  How did you find it?  Share your stories below!

Cost ⭐⭐

Expensive, unless you invest in an Art Pass – £18 per adult but £9 with an Art Pass. Children under X go free.

Accessibility ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Easy to navigate the museum with pram or sling, there’s a lift that takes you up to the exhibition floor.

Facilities ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Baby changing facilities are available and there is a cloakroom with buggy parking should you need it.

Feeding friendly ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Don’t expect comfy seats but there are places to sit and feed as you go around and the cafe has highchairs (although we popped to Gail’s Bakery which was brilliant).

General vibes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Such a sensory treat for all the family, we had the best morning and we will be back for sure. Very family friendly and no air of art snobbiness about it. A huge thumbs up from us!