Bermondsey with children: playgrounds, library mornings and family art
Bermondsey offers several different kinds of family outing without needing to borrow attractions from London Bridge or Canada Water. Younger children can start with songs and stories at Blue Anchor Library, then head outside for playground time at Bermondsey Spa Gardens or Paterson Park. Around Bermondsey Street, the Fashion and Textile Museum brings colour, pattern and hands-on exploring into an indoor visit. School-age children also have reading and chess groups, while Salmon Youth Centre adds after-school arts, music and sport with clearly defined age groups.
Updated
Choose an outdoor starting point
Bermondsey Spa Gardens combines a children’s playground, picnic areas and a running track on Spa Road. The Ellen Brown centre’s gated adventure-play area is a separate facility, so check its arrangements before promising that part of the visit.
For another local play stop, Paterson Park on Lynton Road has a children’s play area and a multi-use games area. Choose the park that fits your journey rather than trying to fit both into one outing.
- Bermondsey Spa Gardens
Playground time and a picnic in Bermondsey Spa Gardens.
- Paterson Park
A local park with a children’s play area and multi-use games area.
Songs, rhymes and books at Blue Anchor Library
Blue Anchor Library is in Market Place on Southwark Park Road, SE16 3UQ. Bookstart for ages 0–4 meets on term-time Mondays, 10:15–11:30. The Baby and Toddler session is on Thursdays, 10:30–12:00; Rhymetime for ages 0–4 is on Fridays, 10:45–11:30.
The library has ramped access and an accessible toilet. It opens Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 09:00–19:00, Friday 10:00–18:00 and Saturday 09:00–17:00, and is closed Wednesday and Sunday. A group’s session time is not the same as the library’s general opening hours.
- Blue Anchor Library
A neighbourhood library with songs and stories for under-fives, reading groups and chess.
- Bookstart at Blue Anchor Library
A Bookstart session for children aged 0–4 at Blue Anchor Library.
- Baby and Toddler session at Blue Anchor Library
A library session for babies, toddlers and their grown-ups.
- Rhymetime at Blue Anchor Library
Rhymes for children aged 0–4 and their grown-ups at Blue Anchor Library.
Reading and chess for older children
Chatterbooks is for ages 7–11 on the first Tuesday of each month in term time, 16:00–17:00. Chess Club welcomes ages 5–17 on Tuesdays other than the first Tuesday, also 16:00–17:00. Choose the right Tuesday for the activity your child wants.
- Chatterbooks at Blue Anchor Library
A library reading group for children aged 7–11.
- Chess Club at Blue Anchor Library
Play chess at the library in a club for ages 5–17.
Make an indoor visit creative
The Fashion and Textile Museum at 83 Bermondsey Street presents changing exhibitions, rather than a permanent display. Borrow a Museum Explorer Kit for primary-school-aged visitors, with activities such as fashion illustration and fabric swatch books. Ask the team on arrival.
The Create and Learn Space offers fashion- and textile-themed activities with materials provided; it can close, so check with staff if it is central to your plans. Children under 12 enter free, but adults need the appropriate exhibition ticket. Advance exhibition tickets are strongly recommended.
Usual opening is Tuesday–Saturday 11:00–18:00, last entry 17:15. The museum closes on Sundays and Mondays, apart from the final Sunday of an exhibition. Its Young Designers workshop detail pages currently specify ages 13–16; do not assume those workshops include younger children simply because they appear on a families page.
- Fashion and Textile Museum
Explore fashion and textile exhibitions, borrow an explorer kit and try creative family activities.
A quieter pause around Bermondsey Street
Tanner Street Park offers an outdoor break near Bermondsey Street and four tennis courts, which can be booked through the council. St Mary Magdalen Churchyard has seating and open grass accessible from Bermondsey Street and the eastern end of Long Lane.
Further east, St James’s Churchyard on Thurland Road has planting and walkways for a short local wander. These quieter green spaces make useful pauses, rather than substitutes for a playground when children want climbing and active play.
- Tanner Street Park
A park beside Bermondsey Street with four tennis courts.
- St Mary Magdalen Churchyard
Open grass and seating between Bermondsey Street and Long Lane.
- St James’s Churchyard
An open-air pause among planting and walkways in Bermondsey.
After-school choices at Salmon Youth Centre
Salmon Youth Centre is at 43 Old Jamaica Road, SE16 4TE. Its Thursday Junior Mixed Club is for ages 6–11, 16:00–18:15 in term time, with games, activities, homework support and a free hot meal. Membership registration is free; session entrance is 50p.
For ages 11–16, the term-time programme includes Monday basketball, trampolining and supervised gym, Tuesday multi-sport and climbing, Wednesday football, and art or music on selected weekdays. Art runs Mondays and Wednesdays 17:00–19:00; music runs Tuesdays and Wednesdays 17:00–19:00. Climbing is Tuesday 17:15–18:45.
Membership is publicly joinable: ask for a form or an online link. Under-18 forms need a parent or carer’s signature. The joining page lists age-specific activities at 50p per session. Book with the music tutor for one-to-one tutoring. Check holiday arrangements separately rather than carrying the term-time timetable into half term.
- Salmon Youth Centre
A Bermondsey youth centre with age-specific sports, arts, music and after-school clubs.
- Junior Mixed Club at Salmon Youth Centre
After-school games, arts, sports, homework help and a hot meal for ages 6–11.
- Art at Salmon Youth Centre
Develop creative ideas and techniques with arts-and-crafts activities and youth-worker support.
- Music at Salmon Youth Centre
Write and record music or try instrument tuition; book separately with the music tutor for one-to-one tutoring.
- Climbing at Salmon Youth Centre
Explore the outdoor climbing wall, big swing and cargo net, with opportunities to learn belaying skills.
- Basketball at Salmon Youth Centre
Play basketball in the youth centre’s age-specific club.
- Trampoline at Salmon Youth Centre
Try trampolining, develop moves and work towards trampolining accreditations.
- Gym at Salmon Youth Centre
Use cardiovascular and weight-training equipment with guidance and supervision from youth workers.
- Multi-Sport at Salmon Youth Centre
Try a range of sports in the centre’s sports hall.
- Football at Salmon Youth Centre
Join friendly Wednesday-evening football tournaments at Salmon.
Plan around one main activity
For a young child, choose a Blue Anchor session and leave room for an outdoor stop. Around Bermondsey Street, make the museum the main visit and use a nearby green space for a break. For an after-school club, confirm the child’s age group and joining form first.
Use the neighbourhood listings for current choices and follow the organiser’s booking information for a specific visit.
Useful sources
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Fashion and Textile Museum visitor and activity information
- Fashion and Textile Museum visitor and activity information
- Southwark Council visitor and activity information
- Southwark Council visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Salmon Youth Centre visitor and activity information
- Southwark Council visitor and activity information
