Winter Wonderland in Dulwich Park

A magical trip to Whippersnappers’ Winter Wonderland to make gingerbread cookies and meet Santa Claus in beautiful Dulwich Park. 

School is out for the winter break! Lady Yeya’s social calendar is busy with the end of term pizza celebration on Friday. Then she had a birthday party in the morning, followed by lunch/playdate on Saturday. To continue the festive cheers, my mom friend kindly invited us to Whippersnappers’ Winter Wonderland in Dulwich Park on Sunday.

Whippersnappers

Founded 30 years ago, Whippersnappers is a charity focusing on arts and music for all children and adults. Whippersnappers hosts youth events and playschemes yearound and two marquee events – Fairyland in July and Winter Wonderland in December. For children who love immersive theatre, art, and music, it is worth checking out Whippersnappers if you are local to Dulwich and Herne Hill.

Immersive Winter Wonderland

Upon arrival, the girls had some light refreshments of minced pies. Then there was an opportunity to ride on Santa’s sleigh and feed his reindeers in the “Wyld Woods.” Promptly at 12:15pm, it was on to “The No 1 Elf” Radio Station 12.25 FM in the Yurt. Here, the kids got creative with some music instruments and practised some festive Christmas songs. Lady Yeya volunteered herself as the lead singer for a funky rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas. 

Ever curious what it is to be an elf? Lucky kids stopped by the “Elf’s Cabin” to watch a quick video called “A Day in the Life of an Elf”. Along with complimentary popcorn, there was a pop quiz too. Phew. Being an Elf is hard work. After the busy festive period, Santa rewards with trips to Paris, Swiss Alps, and the Caribbean. 

Mrs. Claus eagerly awaits the children for some classic fun of decorating gingerbread cookies in her kitchen. There was more singing and festive cheers before the children made their way upstairs following the Sooty Footsteps to meet Santa. In the Winter Wonderland waiting room, there are facepainting, classic Victorian toys, and painting. One by one, the children enter Santa’s Grotto and meet the big man in red and a white beard. The girls had a lovely conversation with Santa, reconfirming that they both have been very good and nice. 

It was a lovely festive event! It was a very well-organised winter wonderland in support of a wonderful local charity promoting the arts. 

Day Out in Dulwich

To make the most of the sunny day, we went to Dulwich Park early so the girls could have some time at the playground. This is one of my favourite playgrounds in southeast London along with Greenwich Park, Beckenham Place Park and Peckham Rye. Dulwich Village is a beautiful neighborhood with gorgeous Victorian houses, art galleries, top-notched independent schools, and numerous cute cafes and restaurants. Dulwich is hidden gem in south London.

After a fun immersive Winter Wonderland experience and to say a huge thanks for inviting us, I hosted lunch at Megan’s. Having been to the Clapham and Balham branches, Megan’s In the Hamlet next to St. Barnabas Parish Hall did not disappoint with tasty Mediterranean-inspired dishes. With beautiful decor and lively atmosphere, Megan is family-friendly and pet-friendly, a perfect place for a mother-daughter Sunday lunch. 

Tis the season to be merry!