Welcome! From bumps to teens we have it covered.
This is your one-stop site for everything you need to know about living in Romford with children.
Swimming for more than 25 years, Aquatots have the most comprehensive swim programme available!
Unlike many less progressive schools, The Aquatots programme, truly is a journey from the little ones at 10 weeks to children aged 7 or 8.
The journey starts from the very youngest little ones at 10 weeks old starting out, in our Level 1 Ducklings class and can teach children all the way through, into the Primary school years, aged 7 or 8 in level 29.
This provides the most progressive structure teaching children, steadily building upon skills already learnt and introducing brand new ones, each and every 9 week term using the same learning techniques that children and parents have become comfortable following with us.
Not only that, but by offering an entire programme, we are committing to your child's full swimming education and saving you as a parent from struggling to find the next swim school every year and going through that settling in phase time and time again.
We have one pool in Romford and one in South Weald. One set within a school close to the town centre with classes on a Friday morning and another a little further out in a private residence, lovely and warm where we swim Mondays, Thursdays and both weekend days!
Our wonderful Level 1 joining offers include FREE underwater photos and unique Swimming Milestone Cards created just for swimming achievements! With the option to pay in three interest free installments and discounts for groups and multiples the choice is easy.
Follow us on social media to witness the fun and progress and contact us soon to book your place
Instagram: @aquatots_naturally
Facebook: Facebook.com/aquatots.swim
Website: www.aquatots.com
Email: [email protected]
Thank you to the thousands of people who cast almost 8000 individual votes in our 2023 awards!
That's an amazing number of votes and having counted and verified them all we're now delighted to announce the winners and runners-up of the 2023 Awards.
Best Activity Class or Group for Under 5s
WINNER - Hartbeeps Romford, Hornchurch & Upminster
RUNNER-UP - Fairytale Tots Upminster
Best Activity Class or Group for School-age Children
WINNER - Romford District Scouts
RUNNER-UP - The Outdoors Project Havering
Best Holiday Club or Class
WINNER - The Outdoors Project Havering
RUNNER-UP - Essex After School Club
Best Pre/Post-natal Support Service
WINNER - Basking Babies Romford
RUNNER-UP - Latch On Havering - Breastfeeding Support
Best Lifestyle Service for Parents
WINNER - The Babybank HQ
RUNNER-UP - The Mum Club Havering
Best Party and Celebrations Provider
WINNER - Old Macdonald's Farm & Fun Park
RUNNER-UP - Hartbeeps Romford, Hornchurch & Upminster
Most Family Friendly Cafe/Restaurant/Pub
WINNER - Eastbrookend Country Park Tea Room
RUNNER-UP - Scrums Cranham
Best Local Event
WINNER - Havering Christmas Land
RUNNER-UP - Visit Santa at Romford Shopping Hall
Best Local Independent Business
WINNER - Maa Eyecare
RUNNER-UP - Eastbrookend Country Park Tea Room
Best Family Attraction
WINNER - Hopefield Animal Sanctuary
RUNNER-UP - Stubbers Adventure Centre
Congratulations to all of the winners and runners-up and also to all the businesses who made it as finalists. It is great to see local businesses being so well supported in our community. There was some very close voting so it was a tough competition.
Christmas isn't far away and we have so much information to share with you.
🎄Mum's guide to Christmas in Romford & Beyond - this is the ULTIMATE guide. Its got Santa, lights, alternative Christmassy events, Panto, an amazing list of local Christmas markets and so much more!
🎄Letter to Santa - Print off our FREE templates for your children to write their letters to the man in red. There are different options to choose from.
🎄Where to See Santa - check out this great list and make sure you book the Santa that you really want. Some are already sold out or have limited tickets available.
🎄Christmas on a Budget - this is a great article sharing lots of ideas to help make those pennies stretch a bit further without spoiling the fun or feeling like you are missing out. It is updated for 2023 so check it out!
🎄 Choo Chooooo! Christmas Experiences on Trains in Romford, Essex and Beyond - who doesn't love a train ride, especially at Christmas. These will book up really quickly so check out what's still available here.
🎄Let's go to The Panto - There are so many panto shows running within just a few miles of Romford. There are ten in this feature just to get you started. All booking links are included.
🎄Festive Planner - If like me you struggle to keep tabs on what's happening where and when over the festive period, print off our planner and stick it to the fridge. Everyone can keep up with what's going on!
🎄Real Christmas Trees - where can you go to buy your tree and support local businesses.
We will update this regularly and keep you posted with all that's happening in and around Romford over the Christmas period.
German Market & Christmas Fair
(FREE)
14th September
- 24th December
Meadow Croft Garden Centre, Wickford
Meet Santa
9th November
- 24th December
The Mercury Mall, Romford
Walking with The Snowman Trail
(FREE)
21st November
- 5th January
Fleet Street Quarter, London
Dick Whittington
23rd November
- 31st December
Queen's Theatre Hornchurch, Hornchurch
Enlightened Hylands
24th November
- 1st January
Hylands Park, Chelmsford
Free to be Making Miracles this Christmas
25th November
- 24th December
The Liberty Shopping Centre, 11 Western Road, Romford
Havering Christmas Land
29th November
- 1st January
Harrow Lodge Park, RM11 1JU, Hornchurch
Enlightened Barleylands
1st December
- 24th December
Barleylands Farm, Billericay
Kingdom of Winter
8th December
- 7th January
London Excel, London
Havering NCT Christmas Party.
11th December
South Hornchurch community association, Rainham
HIGH ROPES - illuminated
15th December
Nuclear high ropes, Kelvedon Hatch
Ingrebourne Festive Forest Craft
16th December
Essex Wildlife Trust Ingrebourne Nature Discovery, Hornchurch
UV Kids - Every Saturday in December at Faces Nightclub
16th December
Faces Nightclub, Ilford
Christmas Open Estate Day - Hylands House
(FREE)
17th December
Hylands Estate, Chelmsford
Celebrate Christmas in Romford - The Nutcracker and Santa's Reindeer
(FREE)
17th December
The Liberty Shopping Centre, Romford
Thames Chase Christmas Celebration
(FREE)
17th December
Thames Chase Forest Centre, Upminster
Here's the latest recommendations from our visitors and followers. Click on the business name to find out more. If you'd like to add a recommendation for a business or organisation search for their listing here on the site and click on the Leave a recommendation button.
"I had my first session today and it was amazing! I am 38 weeks pregnant and Monique helped me so much to relax and have a me time before the baby comes. The session is not only a simple massage but also a way to relieve all your worries you might have built up during pregnancy. She is so knowledgeable and prepared, I felt like floating after the session!"
Why not browse through some of the listings we have recently added to the site...