Last updated: 16 April 2024
Next review: 16 April 2025
Children's centres and adventure play
Children's Centre
For ages 0 to 5 years old, SEND specific activities by invite-only.
- Good Beginnings
- Somewhere to belong
Children and Family Centres offer services where you can enjoy activities and get support from skilled and experienced staff. There are four Children and Family Centre Hubs in Waltham Forest and the Lloyd Park Children’s Charity which runs sessions across the borough.
Tanz Toddlers
For children up to 5 years old.
Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (term-time).
Time: 9:30am to 11:30am
Come and meet other local parents, enjoy our fabulous facilities, planned play experiences, sensory sessions and interactive singing and story time.
Family Playtime
For children aged 0 to 12 years.
First Saturday of the month.
Time: 9:30am to 11:30am
Saturday morning play for all the family. Scoot around our adventure playground, make a mess at our arts and crafts table or chill out in our sensory room.
Splat!
For ages 5 to 12 years old.
Wednesdays (term-time)
Time: 3:30pm to 5:30pm
Come and join us for arts, dance, drama, and music-making.
Buddy and befriending
For children aged 6 to 18 years (through short breaks only)
Tailored outreach support service, providing one-to-one support for children with SEND.
Activities are led by each child’s preference, with the necessary extra support & guidance.
Makers and shapers
Ages 5 to 25 years old
The Limes has always been shaped by the children we serve; their input and ideas are invaluable.
Our Makers and Shapers sessions are divided into groups, by age, under 12s and 13 and over.
Teen scheme
For 13 to 18 year olds (through short breaks only).
School holidays and weekends. Activities include:
- trips out such as bowling, boating and trampoline centres
- events, and museums in central London
- cooking
- outdoor games
- survival skills
- Nintendo WII tournaments
Go for it
For children aged 10 to 15 years old
Fridays (term-time only)
Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Join our Go For It youth club and you could enjoy going on trips out around London, seeing the sights or catching a film.
Top of The Limes
For 16 to 25 year olds
Day: Wednesday (term-time only)
Time: 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Join our youth club and you could be going to central London, bowling, trying out activities such as cooking, playing on the Wii or watching films.
The English shed
The Engine shed is a ‘train club’ aimed at children on the autistic spectrum and their families.
All ages are welcome.
Monthly on Sundays.
Time: 11am to 2pm.
Venue: St Francis Church Hall, Hawkswood Crescent, Chingford E4 7RS
Walthamstow toy library and play centre
Walthamstow toy library and play centre is an educational charity run by local volunteers. It provides children under five with a stimulating, creative learning and play environment.
The mighty mega club - Discovery Centre, Stratford
Mighty Mega is a free club for disabled children, their families, or carers. Children can take part in storytelling, music, dance, arts, crafts, and multi-sensory play.
Email education@discover.org.uk to sign up and get weekly emails with Mighty Mega digital activities to try at home.
Age: 5 to 11 years
Day: Saturdays
Time: 10am to 11am
Pearson street adventure playground, Hackney
Saturday stay and play free drop-in sessions for children with a disability.
Ages 6 to 16 years old.
28 Pearson Street, Hoxton, E2 8EL
Call 020 7033 4322 or 07903 742233 for more information.
Email: pearsonstreet@hackneyplay.org
Owls soft play, Fairlop Waters
The Owls play centre is a local indoor play and party venue packed to the rafters with fun and adventurous activity for children up to age 12.
Sessions for children with SEND and their families are run on the first Saturday of each month (except August) from 8:30am to 10am.
WimX - SEND Tennis - Rigway Park, Tennis Hub
Inclusive tennis sessions for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent children and young people. All disabilities and abilities are welcome. Sessions adapted to the needs of the group.
Ages: 12 to 16
Day: Tuesdays
Time: 5:30 to 6:30 pm
Cost: £5.00 booked termly
Register at WimX - SEND Tennis
For more information, please contact 0207 993 9883 or
email Disability.Inclusion@accessSport.org.uk
WimX - SEND Tennis - Chingford School of Tennis
Inclusive tennis sessions for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent children and young people. All disabilities and abilities are welcome. Sessions adapted to the needs of the group.
Ages: 6 to 11
Day: Wednesdays
Time: 4:30 to 5:30 pm
Cost: £5.00 booked termly
Register at WimX - SEND Tennis
For more information, please contact 0207 993 9883 or
email Disability.Inclusion@accessSport.org.uk
Shine
Shine provides specialist advice and support for spina bifida and hydrocephalus across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Please join us, for free, as a member of the Shine family, you'll receive:
- FREE access to national and regional support groups
- Invitations to national and regional events
- A network of friends and peers to help you
- FREE help and advice from our trained specialists
- A FREE copy of our twice yearly magazine Together
- Option to join our FREE home delivery service
We’re here to help. To access local services, get in touch by phone or email.
Website: Shine
Email: firstcontact@shinecharity.org.uk
Phone: 01733 555988
Royal Society for Blind Children (RSBC)
The Families First Service is a national service with Family Practitioners based all over England and Wales. The address in London is our head office where we have some activities and some of our activities also run online.
Ages: Blind and partially sighted children 0 to 25 and their families
Day: Contact us Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm
Time: Many of our activities also run on evenings and weekend
Costs: all our services are free
Website: RSBC
Email: connections@rsbc.org.uk
Phone: 0203 198 0225