Time to fire up tiny minds this winter at the Southbank's annual festival of readings, storytelling and poetry aimed at kids aged five to 11. Some of the UK's best writers for children will be on hand to get them interested in wordplay, with Carol Ann Duffy kicking things off as she reads from her new fairytale, The Princess' Blankets. James Campbell offers a more hilarious take on storytelling with Comedy 4 Kids, while Brian Patten conjures up ghosts and goblins in his charmingly titled poetry show (confessional?) The Day I Got My Finger Stuck Up My Nose. A sing-along, exhibition of book illustration and the chance to create stories round off accompanying free events.

• Visit southbankcentre.co.uk