Conventions and Kids

[millymollymo]

Would you lovely people be so kind as to share recommendations for those of you that have been to any of the uk cons?
I'm very aware of how horrible young kids can be and how there's a place for them. Nice places mind, not under stairs cupboards... no matter how tempting it might be at times.
We managed to make Lincoln's Steampunk Asylum a few years back, but us grown ups are beginning to get all kinds of twitchy for being stuck within the tinny indoor playzones. You can only behead Barbie so many times before it gets tedious.
The youngest is still a goblin and will always be, eldest showed us some amazing geekness when we ventured into Forbidden Planet not so long back and we'd like to nerd her out a bit more .

 

[Brian G Turner]

There were quite a few kids at Eastercon, though I'm afraid I'm not sure what arrangements were made. Which con are you going to - might be able to see what facilities may be available for that.

 

[millymollymo]

Thanks Brian. I think after a lot of hunting and research we'll head to LonCon next year and see where that leads us. We might make Futura this month ... a lot depends on the car!

 

[Susan Boulton]

Eastercons in the past have had creches and run a program for 5-15 year olds. My daughter was a helper one year at Eastercon and spent one afternoon helping children make Dalek cakes! Eastercons always have seemed more child friendly, though each year each committee takes a different approach. British Fantasycon has always seemed more adult based in its programming.

I know a lot of folks who have taken their children from an early age, some started taking them in their early teens. My daughter decided to tag along when she was 17. Now the cons we attend have become a mum and daughter get together and its me that can't take the late nights, well after 1.00am nights.... lol

 

[Nesacat]

The last Worldcon to be held in Glasgow also had a creche and an awesome kids programme stream. The kids had a lot of fun. I remember one activity involving a VW Beetle. It children's programme was run by James Bacon and he's been doing this for several conventions. He's on the committee for Loncon so I think there will be a fine programme for kids and a creche.