[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBZvBhw843M]
Right at the heart of what is likely to be one of London’s busiest areas over the summer, Coram’s Fields (coramsfields.org) is a child-centric space perfect for families that need to escape the Olympic frenzy for a few hours. Open to children and young people under the age of 16, this was originally the grounds of Thomas Coram’s Foundling Hospital and in 1921 became London’s first public children’s playground. A sign on the gate sternly instructs visitors that adults are not allowed in unless accompanied by a child. The site offers playgrounds and a little farm for younger children and the free use of sports equipment for older ones. A series of theater productions takes place in the evenings throughout the summer. The adjacent Foundling Museum (foundlingmuseum.org.uk) was once a home for abandoned children and an early public art gallery. There’s a children’s trail through the exhibitions as well as family workshops and concerts. You can extend your community-spirited excursion into a principled lunch by buying a picnic at People’s Supermarket (thepeoplessupermarket.org), a nearby cooperative store run on sustainable ideals.
(LIST: 10 Things to Do in London)