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PERFECT PARTIES Solving pitfalls, and local entertainers FAMILY LIFE Are we putting our children under too much pressure? WHAT’S ON Family workshops, shows and half term events
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The Ice Queen Summer holiday fun for 4–7s Put on a fantastic show at our fun-packed drama, dance and singing courses and have the coolest summer ever! Call 0845 400 1277 or visit perform.org.uk/icequeen
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MAY 2015 ISSUE NO. 168
NICE here, innit? Southeast London in May is lush and green, and when it's sunny, people smile more at each other in the streets. And barely have the children returned to school after Easter, there's half term round the corner; a week's practice before the big summer holidays. What's not to like? Find a warm spot to sit outside and enjoy the latest magazine we've written for you - it's all good... Robina Cowan, editor
IN THIS ISSUE
LocalNews email your news to editor@familiesse.co.uk
ildren Activities for ch
2-3 Local News and Views Active fun for children; Billy Elliot tickets to be won, spring fairs and tennis in Ladywell
4-5 Educations News Success stories from local schools; gardening projects and fundraising pupils
6-7 Perfect Parties Avoiding pitfalls, and local professionals to make your celebrations go with a swing and whoops of fun
8 Family Life Are we putting our children under too much pressure? Author Tanith Carey helps parents whose children are struggling in school and at home
9 Family Life - part 2 Health advice, Child Safety Week, and maintenance payments after marriages break down
10 What’s New Beautiful new products, and sharing technology as a family
11 Making Mealtimes Fun How playing with food helps little ones learn
12-18 What’s On Our pick of forthcoming family events, shows and creative workshops worth noting in your diary
Diddi dance at home The team behind the muchloved national pre-school dance classes, Diddi Dance, are dancing for joy on the launch of its first ever collection of CDs, for dancing fun at home. The new dance CDs feature the classes’ original and funky songs written especially for little ones, with a variety of dance styles encouraging boys and girls to get on their feet in the living room, the kitchen, the hallway... Each also has relaxing and soothing tracks, offering a great way for little ones to wind down at the end of the day. The music is available as individual CDs, as a set, or iTunes downloads. For orders and local class details, go to www.diddidance.com.
Tumbletots ‘Eat Fit Keep Fit’ According to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey of pre-school children, less than half of children aged 1 - 4 regularly eat fruit and 20% of British school children eat no fruit at all. Tumble Tots teamed up with Organix for this year’s campaign Eat Fit Keep Fit, with fruit as its central theme. Eating the daily recommended five portions of fruit and vegetables can sometimes be difficult enough as adults, and getting our children to eat their required daily portions of fruit can be very challenging. Fruit is a very important part of a healthy diet for children of all ages and this year’s Eat Fit Keep Fit leaflet tells you why, while also providing many tips on helping your child to eat fruit every day. With children’s tastes generally mostly formed by the time they start school, it is important to get them eating and enjoying fruit (and vegetables) by the time they are 2 - 3 years old. The Eat Fit Keep Fit campaign promotes an awareness of the importance of a good diet alongside regular healthy exercise for all our children, right from the time they are able to first sit up and crawl. Julia Forrest runs Tumble Tots and GymBabes classes across southeast London. She told us: “I love eating fruit and would like my children to enjoy fruit too. I am always looking for tips and suggestions for ways to incorporate fruit in my family’s diet on a daily basis and the Eat Fit Keep Fit campaign is just the right place to look for those tips.” Copies of the leaflet are available to families enrolled in Tumble Tots classes call Julia Forrest on 020 8464 4433 or email julia.forrest@tumbletots.com for details. It is also available as a free download from www.tumbletots.com.
19 The Bookseller Crow Bookseller and writer - read Justine Crow’s page of new publications
Front cover: Boy wears: blue beanie hat £6, stripe polo top from £7, grey cuff jogger from £13, all from Next, 0844 844 8939.
June issue out 29 May, deadline 8 May
Families South East PO Box 11591, London SE26 6WB 020 8699 7240, www.familiesse.co.uk, editor@familiesse.co.uk © Families South East. We take every care preparing this magazine, but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence. Families South East is part of the Families group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence.
families south east - may 2015
Calling young writers The National Young Writers’ Awards return for an electrifying, timedefying seventh year! Back by popular demand, children from all over the country are competing in one of the biggest writing contests of the year - taking on the challenge of putting pen to paper and writing a 500 word story to theme of ‘Strange Events & Peculiar Happenings’. This year’s judge is none other than author of the hugely popular The World of Norm series of books, Jonathan Meres. Since launching seven years ago, tens of thousands of children have battled it out to be crowned National Young Writer of the Year where they are awarded the coveted prize of a trip to Disneyland Paris for their whole family and £500 worth of books for their school. The contest is organised by English and maths tuition provider, Explore Learning, which has 111 centres located across the country. Children aged five to 14 can enter for free by submitting a 500 word story via www.explorelearning.co.uk/youngwriters or popping into your local Explore Learning centre (see page 5). The closing date is Friday 5 June.
familiesse.co.uk
ts News for paren Hay fever relief Love West Dulwich on 16 May The Love West Dulwich Spring Fair will take place on 16 May, and promises to be a wonderful day for all the family. Run in conjunction with Dulwich Festival and following on from the success of Love West Dulwich Christmas Fair, the day promises live demonstrations, workshops, entertainment and music, face painting, street food stalls, arts and craft stalls, ‘Shaun the Sheep’ activities, with special discounts and familyfriendly events just for the day. The Fair will take place in and outside the shops and businesses on Croxted Road, Parkhall Road and Rosendale Road SE21 from 10am-5pm. For the full programme and updates, find ‘lovewestdulwich’ on Facebook.
Spring is in the air - and so, unfortunately, is hay fever. Roger Humbles from Fourway Pharmacy in Herne Hill has taken to the airways (see what we did there?) to endorse Prevalin Allergy Nasal Spray which is fast, effective and drug-free so can be used in pregnancy and while breast-feeding. It is available for adults and children. To see the TV advert, and a whole lot more family health advice, go to www.fourwaypharmacy.co.uk. Fourway is a friendly neighbourhood pharmacy which offers a wide range of baby products, eco-friendly and organic toiletries plus a comprehensive range of medicines and NHS services. Call in at 12 Half Moon Lane, Herne Hill from 9am-7pm weekdays, to 6pm Sundays, 020 7924 9344.
adult and child passport photos green toiletries, homeopathy, aromatherapy friendly and free health advice
Special offer! Free pack of eco-friendly nappies when renting a TENS machine for labour!
12 Half Moon Lane Herne Hill SE24 9HU t: 020 7924 9344 www.fourwaypharmacy.co.uk
Stuck or stressed? Tired? Bad habits? Need some positive energy? Feel in control, confident, authentic, joyous
Tennis in Ladywell WIN a family ticket to see Billy Elliot the Musical This year, Billy Elliot the Musical celebrates its 10th birthday and to mark the occasion, we’re offering Families readers the chance to win a family ticket to see the awardwinning show for themselves! Set against the background of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of one boy’s struggle to realise his dream to dance against the odds. Featuring a timeless score by Elton John, sensational dance and a powerful story, Billy Elliot the Musical is an uplifting and spectacular theatrical experience that will stay with you forever. For more about the show, see our What’s On listings or www.billyelliotthemusical.com. To enter the competition, go to www.familiesse.co.uk and hit ‘Competitions’ in the toolbar before the closing date on Friday 29 May and good luck!
On 17 May, community tennis company South East London Tennis is hosting an free open day for the local community as part of the Great British Tennis Weekend, from 10am-1pm. There will be taster sessions for 4-10 year-olds, adult cardio tennis, family sessions and the chance to chat with the friendly coaches at their base on the courts in Ladywell Fields. Established in May 2011, South East London Tennis has recently won a Lewisham Business Award for Social Enterprise. They offer affordable sessions for all on Saturdays; free junior coaching in primary schools; and school holiday tennis camps for children in Sydenham. The latest offer is Tennis Tuesdays in the evening for women only, while on Wednesdays the Tennis Express course is for adult beginners. For bookings and more information, go to www.southeastlondontennis.com.
Book The Mind Body and Soul Coach and feel on top of things Kathy Yvanovich 0775 369 9232 www.themindbodyandsoulcoach.co.uk
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may 2015 - families south east
3
education news New life for old tools As spring sprang into life, young gardeners from Streatham’s Hitherfield Primary School were delighted to receive a donation of equipment for the edible playground which the school is growing in partnership with Trees for Cities. B&Q West Norwood proudly handed over some very special tools from Tools Shed, The Conservation Foundation’s garden tool recycling project which is run in association with a number of UK prisons. Tools Shed is a successful sustainability project which gives productive work and skills to prisoners, while saving tools from landfill. The refurbished tools give schoolchildren the chance to get involved with fun, outdoor projects, learning to tend and grow plants and create something they can feel proud of. Last year B&Q held a tool amnesty in a number of stores in order to collect broken garden hand tools for Tools Shed. Store manager Lee Tattersall commented: “B&Q was so pleased to help out with the project. It’s a really great cause and we look forward to seeing how Hitherfield Primary School’s edible playground grows!” Chris Ashley-Jones, headteacher of Hitherfield Primary School said: “Our children are very excited about the development of their edible playground, and with the support of B&Q the children will be able to plant and grow a variety of edible foods, learning about where foods come from and the seasonality of the plants.” Sharon Johnson, Chief Executive of Trees for Cities said “Edible playgrounds engage children with nature and show them how rewarding it is to spend time outdoors.” Schools and community gardeners can apply for tools by contacting tools@conservationfoundation.co.uk, and read more at www.conservationfoundation.co.uk and www.treesforcities.org.
Marathon fundraisers Congratulations to all who took part in Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice’s Mini Marathon around Royal Greenwich Park in April. 1000 children took part, raising over £40,000 for the Hospice, enough to enable its doctors and nurses to provide specialist care to Hospice patients for one whole week. “The best part of the day for me was seeing the children's faces as they crossed the finish line to receive their medals,” said organiser Augusta Adu. For more hospice news and information, go to www.communityhospice.org.uk.
Bromley High School is best known for its outstanding academic reputation (this year’s Upper Sixth hold offers for Oxford, Cambridge, Princeton and several medical schools); but its ethos is one of all-round achievement. Little surprise then, that some of the school’s athletes swept the board at the British Schools’ Biathlon Championships at the Olympic Park, with Bromley High girls placed 1st in the U13 event, 2nd in the U16, and 3rd in U10, making this the fourth year in succession that a Bromley High girl has been a national biathlon champion. In the run-up to Easter, girls won national awards for public speaking and creative writing, sung on stages from the Queen Elizabeth Hall to Disneyland, from Paris to Leipzig. During the school holiday, the majority of Y10 took off on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the English countryside; classicists enjoyed the delights of Italy; geographers the thrilling landscapes of Iceland, while the World Challenge Team prepares for its expedition to Madagascar.
Artist in residence at St Dunstan’s
Magic of Maths
Theatre-maker and former pupil, Vivien von Abendorff, has been collaborating with St Dunstan’s College (SDC) as Artist in Residence. Vivien approached her old school as part of preparations to bring the show, I Am Not Antigone, to the Brighton Fringe Festival this May. Matt Lewis, also an Old Dunstonian, is a technician on the project. St Dunstan’s provided on-site rehearsal space for two weeks, where Vivien and her theatre company gave students a private performance of the show, along with theatre-based workshops for pupils. The collaboration comes at a time when SDC plan for a new summer Arts Festival in 2016 and are keen to work with more local artists. “This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to learn from professional performers and closely follow the work that goes into putting together a successful theatre production,” said the school’s deputy head, Mr Tim Kirk.
Magic of Maths is a fun packed, school-based educational show that is all based around numbers. It goes into probability, chance and odds using every day props such as coins, playing cards and dice; where students are challenged to work out the odds. Invited to make a magic square from a number they choose is truly mind-blowing and engaging. The show includes interactive maths questions which teach pupils to look at things from a different angle and think outside the box - a skill which can be used for life. Magic of Maths typically runs over a double lesson and has already captivated pupils in local schools including Streatham & Clapham High GDST. Interested schools can book or find out more by calling Simon on 020 8480 8176, or email simonrosselli@themagiccircle.co.uk.
St. Olave’s local charity fundraising The Freddie Farmer Foundation is over £4,700 better off, thanks to a 13-year-old student from St. Olave’s Grammar School who nominated the charity to benefit from the school’s annual festival and cabaret. Student Nikhil Dawood nominated the charity at a school assembly where pupils got to vote to support their favourite local cause. The annual school festival and cabaret supports a local and a national or international charity every year, and last time the students raised over £9,400 for the Freddie Farmer Foundation and DEC Ebola Crisis, through various events including non-uniform days, stalls and game show events, culminating in a sixth form musical cabaret on stage in the Great Hall. “We are incredibly proud of all of our pupils for their hard work in raising such an impressive amount,” said St. Olave’s director of Sixth Form, David Budds. Freddie Farmer charity officer Karen Smith added: “We’re over the moon and can’t thank the school enough. We’ll use the funds to purchase adapted equipment needed for the children receiving therapy at our centre. The Freddie Farmer Foundation was formed in 2011 to raise the funds needed for a specialised physiotherapy centre in southeast London for children and young people with cerebral palsy and serious mobility problems. It is in Bromley. Read more at www.freddiefarmerfoundation.org.uk.
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Running ahead of the pack
families south east - may 2015
familiesse.co.uk
Murder in the library Thirty-two budding crime scene investigators aged between 11 and 12 gathered recently to solve the fictitious murder of ‘Victor’, whose body had been discovered in the library of Forest Hill School. Starting with clues including hairs, fibres, fingerprints, footprints and spilt ink, it was up to them to gather the evidence, subject it to a number of laboratory-based tests and present their courtroom evidence. Organised by Sydenham School, the science challenge was presided over by special guest, the author Dr Malcolm Rose. “If I wasn’t here, I would be at home trying to day-dream my way through the plot of the latest novel I have got on the go - my 42nd,” he told the students. “It is a great joy to get out and take part in something like this,” he later confided. “As well as observing and advising the teams, it is helpful for me too, chatting to young people and hearing about what they enjoy and don’t and even gauging what vocabulary they are familiar with - ‘contamination’ posed them no problems while some students needed a little help with ‘chromatography’”. The event was the culmination of a term’s effort throughout Forest Hill and Sydenham Schools. “The murder mystery day was the reward for students who had produced the best work associated with a variety of science writing challenges,” explained Forest Hill librarian Carol Webb. “To qualify they had to have written a science-based story, a journalistic piece and a science book review. What we asked the students to do is very much based on the science curriculum, and also the type of science they’ll encounter in Malcolm’s books.” In the end the winning team was commended by Carol Webb for its scrupulous evidence collecting including the quality of the fingerprints they retrieved from the murder weapon - a bottle. The winning team were presented with medals and books by Dr Malcolm Rose and PC Bawden.
BROMLEY HIGH SCHOOL
OPEN EVENT Discover what makes us special
Friday 5th June 2015
YEAR 5 TASTER SESSIONS 2.15 pm – 3.45 pm
June 11th 2015 10.55 am - 2.45 pm
Scholarships and Bursaries available (Senior School)
FOR GIRLS 4-18 YEARS
admissions@bro.gdst.net Tel: 020 8781 7000 www.bromleyhigh.gdst.net
Maths & English tuition centres For 5 to 14 year olds of all abilities • • • •
Courses mapped to the National Curriculum. Adapts to the individual needs of your child. Convenient for families - Open 7 days a week. Ofsted registered - we accept Childcare Vouchers.
Free trial session - book today! New Cross Gate
020 7871 7110
Sydenham
020 8659 6026
Brixton
020 3713 9722
www.explorelearning.co.uk familiesse.co.uk
“Explore Learning members’ improvement in maths was 30% higher than that of the comparison group after controlling for gender, age, year group and special educational needs.” Independent Efficacy Study by the Institute of Education at Reading University (2013). See www.explorelearning.co.uk/efficacy.
are s c ild her ! h C uc pted Vo acce
may 2015 - families south east
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Perfect Parties - solving pitfalls
Can you... go it alone?
Are you planning a party and need some advice? Sarah Butters takes a look at some party pitfalls and has tips for avoiding serving a can of worms at your child’s next celebration...
Can you... say no to siblings?
Can you... host a successful sleepover?
Most of us wouldn’t dream of turning up to a party uninvited. Yet some parents feel it acceptable to bring along a string of siblings and presume they too are welcome. “They won’t eat. In fact you won’t even know they’re here,” cry the parents as they sprint out of the door, while said siblings begin pilfering from the pre-prepared party bags. The point is if you’ve budgeted for 20 and catered for 20, you’re ready for 20 children - not 25. Very often entertainers insist on a maximum number and siblings can tip you over the limit, and in turn, tip you over the edge. Prevent the problem at the point of invite and make the sibling rule clear. A simple ‘Sorry, no room for siblings!’ means there’s no question. I find the addition of an exclamation mark makes you look fun and not mean.
Let’s face it. They shouldn’t be called sleepovers. They should be called stay awake overs because you will sleep about as well as a meerkat balanced on a branch and the children won’t sleep at all. However with a few basic rules, you can survive. Keep the numbers low - as far as sleepovers go, more is definitely not merrier but it is noisier. Keep them busy and active before bed time to exhaust your pint sized house guests. Remove electrical devices at a reasonable hour and make sure you have a note of all parental contacts - as sure as night follows day someone will get homesick at about midnight and infect everyone. Wildly exciting for children, sleepovers aren’t for faint-hearted parents and deserve a whole article in themselves, so we’ve written one; covering everything from home sickness to headlice and house rules. Find it online by clicking Family Life/ Children’s Parties on our website www.familiesse.co.uk.
Can you... exclude individual children? This is a tough one because as a general rule, you should stick to one of three party invitation rules. 1. Invite the whole class - this is perfect for Reception age children 2. Invite all the girls or all the boys - this becomes popular as children head into KS2 and the opposite sex become toxic 3. Invite a few close friends - this works when you’re keeping the budget down or as you head towards the end of primary school. However there are exceptions. If your child is the victim of a classroom bully, you’ve grounds to exclude that individual. This is your child’s special day and they’re entitled to enjoy it without fear. Excluding problematic children is more difficult. In this case it’s best to ask the parents of said child to stick around to offer a helping hand.
NUTTY’S CHILDREN’S PARTIES
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families south east - may 2015
Of course. If you love the idea of over 20 high spirited children rampaging into every nook and cranny of your home; and are confident that they will happily take part in every activity you’ve scheduled, go for it. However, a seasoned entertainer brings enviable crowdhandling experience and fun plus a big bag of props. How much more tempting to sit back and enjoy it all from the sidelines.
Party pr
Can you... invoice a parent for a no-show? Well, we all know the tale of the mother who invoiced another parent after they failed to turn up to her son’s skiing party in January - it was all over Facebook and the press in a trice. There is little more irritating than parents who confirm their child will be joining your party, only to make other plans, leaving an empty, often paid-for space at the bowling alley/ cinema/ birthday table without so much as an apologetic last minute text. While you might feel justified in ‘billing’ a parent, it’s likely to make you the subject of gossip at the school gates and could alienate your child. Our advice is to move on - life’s too short for grudges and surely it’s better to teach your child how to behave with grace.
THE BEDLAM BUNCH
LO
Call THE BEDLAM BUNCH Children’s Entertainers for professional, theatrical fun! Hilarious characters, interactive story-telling, magic, balloon modelling, puppets, music, games, treasure hunts and plenty of surprises. The Bedlam Bunch specialises in adventure stories in which the children play a vital role all the way through. There’s no sitting down and being quiet! The team harness kids’ energy in a roller-coaster ride of discovery and downright silliness. Choose your character and let them take over in the best possible way! The Bedlam Bunch entertainers are professionally trained, CRB checked and fully insured. Suitable for children aged 2 - 10 years. For a friendly party quotation, call 07846 068 583, www.thebedlambunch.co.uk. DIDDI DANCE bring parties to your choice of location. Little ones enjoy an hour of great activities including dancing games, action songs, hoops, dance ribbons, bubbles, balloons, bells and lots of fun. The parties promise fun and affordable entertainment which will ensure your party is the talk of the tots. Call Anne-Marie on 07973 982 790, Nicola on 07832 913 282, or see www.diddidance.com LOVE A SLICE is a family run business delivering cheesecakes by the slice, cupcakes and milkshakes to your door - perfect for birthday teas! Drop in and try one at 260 High Street Beckenham, or contact them on 020 8663 6655, www.loveaslicetogo.com.
AMIGO’S MAGIC
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chocolate crepe
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GAMBADO
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O F C H E E S E C A K E The largest range of CHEESECAKE, desserts, milkshakes, paninis, jacket potatoes, wraps, Fresh HOT crepes and chocolate bar hot chocolate too and more
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Cheesecakes any 4 slices for £15 Any 5 Desserts £20 - Delivered THINK CHEESECAKE call: 020 8663 6655 or visit us: Love A Slice, 260 High Street, Beckenham, London BR3 1DZ
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OVE A SLICE AQUAMANDA THEATER TOTS
ofessionals AMIGO’S MAGIC brings a magical show for all ages from 3 - 99+. With over 20 years’ experience across the world (and a member of the Magic Circle), award-winning Simon encourages the children to come up and help (as it all ‘goes wrong’ for him). The more they get involved, the more things begin to happen - making for a fast, exciting and interactive entertainment. At the end of a one hour show all the children receive balloon models. The two hour show includes plate spinning, interactive and non elimination games all to music with a bubble machine at the end. Mini Disco and Karaoke are also available, while for adult parties there’s close up magic (table hopping/ mix and mingle) and a cabaret. Amigo’s also do fundraising shows for PTAs and charities. As it doesn’t cost anything to put one of these on you have nothing to lose and it’s a win-win situation. These shows sell out and there is little or no work from your side, as most of it is done for you. To find out more, email simonrosselli@themagiccircle.co.uk, 020 8480 8176, www.amigosmagic.co.uk. THEATRE TOTS run interactive drama parties for 1-6 year-olds. Filled with songs, stories and silliness, you can choose from a traditional hour long party or a themed character party hosted by one of 10 original characters - from pirates to princesses, dinosaurs to jungles. The team can work in spaces big or small, you only need provide a plug in the wall! Call Laura on 0780 107 2776 or see www.theatretots.com. GAMBADO With their huge indoor playframe, dodgems, carousel and interactive games, birthday parties are hassle free at Gambado Beckenham. Party packages cater for children up to 12 years old and include Laser Tag, NERF parties, Make A Bear, Tiger Tots and the popular Tiger Parties. Prices include a party host, balloons, invitations, thank you cards and a free gift for the birthday child. See www.gambado.com or call 020 8662 6910. THE GOLDEN HINDE hosts pirate parties aboard the reconstruction of Sir Francis Drake’s ship beside the River Thames. The adventure includes invitations, a treasure hunt and games with madcap sailors, with add-ons including party lunch boxes, a cake, party bags and professional photography. Ages 5+ on Sundays, 020 7403 0123, www.goldenhinde.com.
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DIDDI DANCE
NUTTY’S CHILDREN’S PARTIES is run and owned by Danny Nutt, is based in West Norwood and covers all of London and the South East. They offer a variety of fun-packed, exciting, dynamic and original adventure parties for children aged 3-9, discos for ages 4-11, drama workshop parties for ages 7-11 and football parties for ages 5-11. Especially aimed at those with active imaginations and bags of physical energy, kids will be transported to: Pirate Dan’s Treasure Hunt, Super Dan’s Adventure, Explorer Dan’s Adventures (for fans of Andy’s Dinosaur Adventures and Indiana Jones), Danijel The Space Warrior’s Mission (for Star Wars fans) and The Princess’ Adventure, plus many more themes! All parties are run by experienced, dedicated, professional actors and most themes can be catered for. They are also offering holiday workshops this summer in Dulwich from 20-22 July. Visit www.nuttyschildrensparties.co.uk, email danny@nuttyschildrensparties.co.uk or call 07884 050 954. DJ AQUAMANDA is a musical performer and popular DJ (and also a local mother of two), who brings all the latest tunes to your party, with a full sound system including sparkly lights. At your venue, home or school 0796 851 2229, www.aquamanda.net.
Established
1979
The springboard to confidence for your child • Exciting physical play programme • Specially designed equipment • Supervised by trained staff • Develops a child’s confidence, balance and co-ordination • First steps to an active life • Great fun! • Parties available For more information please call Julia on: 020 8464 4433 julia.forrest@tumbletots.com Classes in: Battersea, Clapham, Dulwich, Blackheath www.tumbletots.com/dulwich
MORE ENTERTAINERS How about a spin painting party in Peckham? Or a Latino dance party? For more party ideas, click Children’s Parties in our directory at www.familiesse.co.uk.
may 2015 - families south east
7
family life
Are we putting our children under too much pressure? By Tanith Carey Anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, homework resistance and learning blocks. These are just some of the issues children can develop in today’s hot-house educational atmosphere.
•
• Children in the UK are currently some of the most tested on earth. But as my new book Taming the Tiger Parent shows, far from making them a generation of high-achieving, accomplished uber-children, they are actually the most worried and unhappy. In the constant striving for league table positions, not just by schools, but also by the Education Ministers above them, one important lesson seems to have been lost: stressed kids don’t learn. Many parents also may not realise that some of the behavioural problems they are struggling with at home are down to the fact that children feel judged very early, and almost continually, as they move up the education system. How a child responds to an overly pressurised environment will vary according to many factors: their temperament, their genes, their resilience, their success at school, their personal threshold and also their relationship with in their family. If they are affected, at first it can be hard for parents to tell the difference between what is a normal stage of childhood - and what might require some help. But when children do suffer the ill-effects, it’s vital that we intervene. Studies have found that children who show signs of anxiety in primary school are more likely to develop depressions in adolescence. Some of the early signs that kids feel overly pressured to achieve include: • Saying they just want to go home and play • Using a whispering voice in class • Saying they don’t deserve good marks - or pointing out how much better other children are doing and ripping up work • Asking to go to the toilet a lot in lessons. • Avoiding eye contact when talking to a parent. • Stopping enjoying activities they used to enjoy • Fidgeting, hair-twirling, chronic nail-biting and skin-picking • Showing a lower tolerance to frustration than normal; shouting without making much sense or flying off the handle • Having a sad look and difficulty smiling, which may be remarked on by others in the family or at school • Starting to express feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and worthlessness • Experiencing chronic worry, becoming overly panicked by small things and thinking small setbacks are the end of the world • Having trouble sleeping • Finding excuses not to go to school • Talking less and less to parents • Suffering unexplained stomach pains and tension headaches
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families south east - may 2015
Suffering physical symptoms such as mouth ulcers, cold sores, eczema or panic and asthma attacks Showing OCD-like symptoms such as frequent washing of hands, arranging possessions or developing rituals that they insist on doing.
Beyond that, I found that children who are in a constant race to compare themselves in all areas have brittle confidence, because this is not a warm and welcoming world in which to grow and find out who they are. Instead it turns childhood into a constant battle on all fronts.
The good news is that it these symptoms can be relieved by addressing your child’s worries directly, taking steps to ease the pressure and re-calibrating your relationship. For example, one of the most distressing symptoms parents witness is kids insisting they are ‘rubbish’ at a subject or they are ‘stupid.’ That’s often because in today’s test-driven culture, youngsters often internalise the critical voices they constantly hear telling them they must do better.
There’s a good chance you have had enough too. Perhaps you are tired of constantly nagging your child about school work. Perhaps you have tired of the competitive undercurrents with other parents at the school gates; the conversations which feel like duels; the icy smiles you have to feign as humble brags about reading levels, maths scores and music grades rain down on you like body blows.
Children assume that because they hear these messages inside their head they must be true. Teaching them to recognise them, and showing them how to switch them off is an important first step.
Or possibly you hate the constant, overarching fear that other parents are working harder than you are to make their offspring excel and get ahead of yours?
Another upsetting outcome is that because your child always thinks you always expect them do better, they distance themselves. They may become uncommunicative, defensive and try and avoid you to protect themselves from the pain of feeling your disappointment.
Most of all, there’s a good chance you don’t like the way being constantly measured, assessed and judged makes the children you love feel about themselves. Possibly you can’t remember the last time you saw your children truly feeling carefree. Perhaps you can’t see any other option if your child is not going to be left behind.
At the other end of the scale, there will also be the children who are so desperate to meet the expectations placed on them they become overly worried about tests and homework. They turn into perfectionists who live their childhoods with the fear that whatever they do is never going to be good enough.
But there is a way out - and you can start today with your family. By making the simple decision to put your child’s well-being first, letting them play more and letting them focus on their innate talents, you will be one step closer to restoring the balance.
However your child reacts, it’s important to help them realise that being good at everything is an impossible goal and there are lots of different ways in life to excel, outside the increasingly narrow confines of the current concentration on Maths, English and Science.
You will also be reclaiming your child’s right to a carefree childhood, a better guarantee of success in life than any number of high-flying exam results.
There are also techniques that I describe in my book for taking your relationship back to the time before the resentments and defensiveness started to push you apart.
Read more
Of course, it’s very hard to take your foot off the gas when you know that every other parent you know seems to doing it and you fear your child will sink without you. But it’s worth it because the simple truth is that tiger parenting can actually make kids perform worse, making kids develop anxieties like maths anxiety and reading resistance.
Furthermore you will not just start to enjoy being a parent once again, rather than a ring-master.
Taming the Tiger Parent: how to put your child’s well-being first in a competitive world by Tanith Carey is published by Constable/ Little Brown, rrp £8.99. For more information, go to www.tanithcarey.com.
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family life
Family Health Is it coeliac disease? Coeliac disease is a serious autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system damages the lining of the small bowel when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye is eaten. There is no cure and no medication; the only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life. Key symptoms include; diarrhoea, stomach pain and cramping, mouth ulcers, fatigue, bloating, vomiting and unexplained anaemia. Coeliac Awareness Week will run from 11-17 May 2015. The charity Coeliac UK is highlighting the most common symptoms, aiming to prompt people experiencing them to ask themselves - ‘is it coeliac disease?’ The campaign website has information and advice for the general public and healthcare professionals on the symptoms and risk factors associated with undiagnosed coeliac disease. A new self-assessment checklist helps people decide whether they need to seek further medical advice about diagnosis of coeliac disease. Read more at www.isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk.
Tackling teatime terrors Child Safety Week 2015 will run from 1-7 June, and this year’s theme is ‘tackling teatime terrors.’ Katrina Phillips, chief executive of the Child Accident Prevention Trust, acknowledges that: “Teatime is a high pressure time for parents, with lots of competing demands. But it’s when pressures are high and everyone is tired that serious accidents can happen, including devastating burns and children knocked down by cars.” CAPT’s top 10 tips are: 1. A hot drink can burn a young child even 15 minutes after it has been made. Place your much-needed mug of tea or coffee somewhere your baby or toddler can’t grab at it. 2. Child road injuries peak between 3pm and 7pm. Set a good example to your children and avoid dashing across the road or using your mobile while you cross. And remember that your car’s speed can make a huge difference to a pedestrian’s likelihood of survival if they step out in front of your car. 3. Detergent liquitabs are really convenient for laundry loads but pose new risks to young children. If yours are under the sink, move them away from little hands and mouths. And look for products with a bittering agent - this makes them taste disgusting so children spit them out. 4. Remember some 3-4 year olds can open child safety caps in seconds (‘child-resistant’ doesn’t mean ‘child-proof’). So keep medicines away from small hands too. Don’t forget the painkillers in your bag - painkillers are the most common cause of poisoning for small children. 5. Trampolines are a great way for children to work off surplus energy at teatime. Remember, it’s safest if there’s just one child on the trampoline. Add safety netting or a safety cage so children can’t be thrown to the ground. 6. Small, hungry children can mistake a button battery for a sweet. But, if swallowed, a button battery can burn a hole through their throat and kill within hours. Keep objects with accessible button batteries well out of young children’s reach and take care when replacing batteries. 7. Toddlers can choke on food that’s too big, even just the size of a grape. Take a minute at tea-time to cut their food into small pieces.
8.
In five seconds a toddler’s skin can be burned so badly by hot tap water that they need to go to hospital. At bath time, put the cold water in first and top up with hot, then test the water with your elbow, to reduce the risk of your child being burned. 9. Drowning is silent and babies can drown in as little as 5cm of water. Always stay with your baby or small child when they’re in the bath. And remember, while bath seats can be a great help, they’re not safety aids - don’t leave your baby alone in one, even for a moment. 10. It’s the end of the day and finally the children are in bed. To keep them safe while they sleep, get a smoke alarm fitted on every level of your home and test it regularly. Thick, black smoke from a fire can fill your home in minutes and kill your sleeping child in seconds. For more safety tips and events taking place up and down the country, visit the Child Accident Prevention Trust website www.capt.org.uk.
“Lady of leisure lifestyle no longer an option”, says Court of Appeal By Grant Saw Solicitors The Court of Appeal has turned down a woman’s appeal against a decision that maintenance payments from her ex-husband should no longer be payable once he reached retirement. The case concerned a couple who had divorced after an 11-year marriage. The original decision of the court was that the ex-wife should receive £75,000 per annum from her former husband. As well as child maintenance and school fees, this included £33,000 in maintenance for her for life. The couple’s matrimonial home was ordered to be sold and the proceeds divided between them, allowing her to have a property free of mortgage with stabling for the family’s horses. However, when the husband, now 59, began to consider his retirement and the consequent reduction in his income, he applied to the High Court to have the maintenance payments to his ex-wife reduced. A family judge criticised the ex-wife for making no effort to find work for herself and expecting that her ex-husband would maintain her for life, saying that she should ‘get on with it’ and get a job to support
herself. She ordered that the payments must cease, being gradually reduced over a five-year period until the ex-husband’s retirement. The Court of Appeal refused the ex-wife permission to appeal against the ruling, Lord Justice Pitchford saying, “It is now imperative that the wife go out to work and support herself.” Judges have discretion when deciding the financial arrangements on divorce and each case will be decided on the individual facts. If you are concerned about your maintenance obligations you can contact Grant Saw solicitors for advice. With offices in Greenwich and Blackheath, Grant Saw offer a first fixed-fee appointment of £100+VAT in respect of
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relationship breakdown and/ or issues concerning children. Call 020 8858 6971 or see www.grantsaw.com.
may 2015 - families south east
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What’sNew Crowning glory We couldn’t resist it! If you’ve recently welcomed your own little prince or princess into the family, how cute would they look in their own adorable knitted crown. Priced at £24.95, these are two from a delightful range of Cobwebknits’ handmade hats, which also includes Viking hats and policeman helmets; plus teacosies, wraps, knitting kits and more, from www.cobwebknits.co.uk.
Cheeky chompers Cheeky Chompers, home to the award-winning Neckerchew, has introduced the first in a range of special needs products for children and adults with chewing and dribbling symptoms, commonly known as oral motor stimulation. The product is based on the design of the world-first Neckerchew, a chewy dribble bib uniquely combining the popular bandana bib style with an attached chewable teether. The second is the Comfortchew; a teething comforter that attaches to a buggy, wheelchair and car-seat. Both products are machine washable and come in a variety of stylish designs, priced from £9.99 at www.cheekychompers.com.
Springtime caterpillars Talking of caterpillars, how about this funky outfit? Baby Moo’s new season designs include everything boys and girls could want, from caterpillar outfits to skull skirts, funky babygros and funky t-shirts. Baby Moo founder Anna loves to give babies personality with their clothing: “I was bored with seeing all of the bland pinks and blues”, she said of her motivation to set up her new company. To see the range, go to www.babymoos.com.
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families south east - may 2015
More than meat Local food entrepreneur and healthyeating enthusiast Barry Honeycombe has launched a range of tasty and satisfying meat-free products, including burgers and casseroles. More Than Meat dishes are home made in small batches, and are high-protein, zero-cholesterol made with no added fat, no eggs and no dairy. Suitable for everyone, the range is loved by meat-eaters, meat-reducers, vegetarians and vegans alike. The burgers and casseroles are available to try and buy from the monthly SEE3 market in Sydenham (next dates 9 May and 12 June), and online at www.morethanmeat.co.uk.
Saving fairies from eviction Following the news that Wayford Woods in Somerset began removing some fairy doors from its grounds, The Irish Fairy Door Company brought forward its expansion into the UK in order to prevent a rapid rise in fairy homelessness. As director Niamh Sherwin Barry, explains, “Removing fairy doors from the woods needlessly casts fairies out of their homes, whilst also spoiling the magic and belief for those who visit them to leave gifts or letters. Everyone at Fairy HQ was hugely disappointed to hear of the potential evictions and we received an overwhelming number of messages from worried adults and children across the UK, expressing concern and offering human homes to the newly-homeless fairies.” The company has already housed more than 150,000 fairies worldwide since its inception just 18 months ago and has now come to UK shores to ensure no fairies are left out in the cold. Created by life-long friends Niamh Sherwin Barry and Aoife Lawler, along with their husbands Oisin and Gavin, The Irish Fairy Door Company helps fairies relocate into homes, classrooms, gardens and woods by creating beautiful, high quality, handmade Irish fairy doors which can be installed almost anywhere. Once in place, the creative team at Fairy HQ ensures direct access to Fairy Valley so the magic continues long after the fairy has moved in, with ongoing magical messages, play ideas and stories delivered to children and parents who register their fairy, via Magical Matters on the website www.theirishfairydoorcompany.com.
My tech family My Tech Family, backed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, tackles the concerns of UK parents that the rate at which technology is developing, is creating a divide between the generations. Following on from an in-school pilot study that ran to January this year, thousands of primary schools across the UK are now benefiting from a new initiative to help engage parents in the computing curriculum, and to encourage children and their families to share more digital activities. In conjunction with Vodafone, the initiative provides resources for primary schools that are designed to extend beyond the classroom, allowing parents and children to explore their shared digital world at home. To help teachers introduce My Tech Family into lessons for all primary school classes from Year 3 to Year 8, there are free, downloadable resources available - including a Digital Style Quiz, presentations, lesson plans and a workbook. The activities help children discover their digital learning style by taking a simple quiz, and by encouraging other family members to take it too, help children explore the online world safely with their families while learning and enjoying a range of digital activities together. Some of the examples of how children shared technology with their families during the schools pilot include:
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A child showed her grandparents how to watch a live feed from CCTV cameras on the family farm so they could watch cows being milked • A child taught her aunt, who lives some distance from the family to do FaceTime successfully • A child downloaded a recipe with his mother and tried cooking with her. From making a movie, to building a game, the resources highlight a wide range of fun and creative digital activities for families to try. Start with the Digital Style Quiz at www.digitalstylequiz.co.uk, and join in at www.vodafone.com/parents/mytechfamily.
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Making mealtimes fun
The O2 London 28 May - 13 Jun
Being creative and playful with food is great for little ones as they try new foods for the first time and start learning to feed themselves. The challenge for parents can be how to introduce variety and come up with new ideas to present food that will help make it fun for their little ones. Creative fun with finger foods helps little ones try something new and learn to feed themselves. Finger foods are a great way of offering variety to your child, as they provide a whole new world of exciting tastes, textures, shapes and colours to your baby, in foods that are easy for them to grab and get hold of so they feel more in control of their choices. Playing with finger foods helps little ones learn. Mixing up textures, shapes and colours and encouraging little ones to play and experiment with food helps them gather sensory information and learn how to accept new foods. From chewy pasta, to crispy rice cakes, melt in the mouth corn puffs, crumbly baby biscuits and squishy strawberries, you can offer lots of texture choices to help develop your baby’s curiosity about food and build their confidence and enjoyment. Unlike in the old days when parents told their little ones off for playing with their food, modern mums see the positive benefits of encouraging little ones to play with their food and have fun. Dr Frankie Phillips, Nutrition Advisor to Organix, says, “The introduction of finger foods can help to develop a little one’s sense of independence, and parents can encourage a positive attitude to food by making mealtimes fun for their child and allowing them to play with and experiment with their food.” Frankie explains that as well as encouraging self-feeding, independence and autonomy, finger foods come with lots of other benefits for little ones, like developing hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills, and improving dexterity. The variety of colours, shapes and sizes of finger foods also gives little ones a range of sensory experiences. Psychologist Dr Angharad Rudkin says, “This is important as babies learn through their senses in the first two years of life. So when you introduce a new food to your child, by giving them an opportunity to touch it, squish it and rub it between their hands, you are allowing them to use all of the resources they have to learn about that food.” Fun finger food plates help little ones explore food. To add some fun with a creative finger food plate, you can mix up purees with finger food so your baby has a choice of tastes, textures and shapes to explore. You don’t have to have an art degree, just a little imagination and a little help from Organix! Try these fun ideas: trees made with Organix carrot sticks as the trunk, vegetable florets for the branches, an Organix sweetcorn ring for the sun and mashed avocado for the grass; a caterpillar made with Organix carrot & tomato rice cakes and pieces of salad and vegetables; or an Organix baby biscuit bird, with banana wings, flying over a blueberry sea. And you could always make up a rhyme or song to sing along with each creation to make it more fun. For more inspiring finger food plate ideas, visit ‘organixfood’ on Facebook or Instagram, where you can also upload and share your ideas with other parents; and find more advice and recipes at www.organix.com.
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Half Term Holiday Clubs ELECTRONIC KEYBOARD HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS HERNE HILL, BATTERSEA and STREATHAM, 0800 107 7949, www.funkymonkey.info Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes music workshops are brilliant ‘taster’ courses for 4-8 year beginners. Fun packed one day taster sessions will be running in the May half term. In an action packed four hours, children learn to read, play and write notes C-A alongside learning electronic keyboard technique and countless music-based activities including composition, artwork, singing and performance skills! All equipment provided. See the website or telephone for prices, times and more details.
FIT FOR SPORT Various venues including DULWICH, BERMONDSEY, DOWNHAM and GIPSY HILL, 0845 456 3233, www.fitforsport.co.uk Fit for Sport will be bringing Looney Tunes-themed sports, games and even the beloved characters themselves to more than 250,000 children at 80 Activity Camps during school holidays across the country. The energetic Looney Tunes characters are Warner Bros’ ambassadors for active lifestyles, making them a perfect fit for Fit for Sport’s Activity Camps, where children are encouraged to be active and healthy through fun sports and games. Ages 4-14 years, 8am-6pm, bookings available by day at £45 or £144 for four days. READER OFFER: Readers can claim 10% off - quote ‘Families’ when booking.
THE HIVE DAYCAMPS 26-29 May, ELTHAM COLLEGE, 69 Marvels Lane SE12 9PH, 020 3291 3791, www.thehive-kids.com Book a week of outdoor fun on a team-building adventure which will teach children new and different skills every day. The Hive Daycamps introduce children to such skills as foraging, nature webcams, geocaching, lab-building, fire making, wildlife tracking, wild cooking, whittling, bee keeping, gardening, scripting filming, and even potion making. Ages 7-11 years. The Lair, ages 9+, £70 per day of £260 for four days. Project Haekon, £190 for the week.
NIMBLE ARTS HOLIDAY CLUB
GAMBADO ACTIVITY CAMPS 26-29 May 2015, GAMBADO BECKENHAM, NatWest Sports Ground, Copers Cope Road, Beckenham BR3 1NZ, 020 8662 6910, www.gambado.com/clubs/beckenham Gambado’s Ofsted-registered holiday activity camps are run by fully qualified managers who run themed activities, with a hot lunch, snacks and drinks included. Prices from £23 for a half day, from £35 full day, with the option to add extended hours between 8am and 6pm. Parents can pay with childcare vouchers too. Book first.
CAMP BEAUMONT DAYCAMPS
Kathy Yvanovich, Reiki Master Teacher 0775 369 9232
www.themindbodyandsoulcoach.co.uk
SE LONDON TENNIS CAMPS 26-29 May, SYDENHAM LAWN TENNIS CLUB, Lawrie Park Road SE26 6ET, www.southeastlondontennis.com, email chris@southeastlondontennis.com Four day group activities with professional coaches in weekly blocks. Each session includes tennis coaching, games and other team events, with a mini tournament at the end of each week. Facilities are available for wet-weather activities if necessary. Beginners and improvers welcome. 9am-12noon for 7-10 year-olds, 1-4pm for 11-15 year-olds, £52 for all four days, one day £15. Book and pay online; or call Chris on 0773 993 6999 or Michael on 07956 995820.
26-29 May, HEBER PRIMARY SCHOOL, East Dulwich SE22 9LA, www.nimblearts.co.uk Improvise your way through a dramatic adventure, carry out crazy experiments in the Mad Professor’s Lab, design and make things to take home and exercise your vocal cords at Nimble Arts’ Sing School. Choose all four days or pick the ones that interest you the most! Ages 4-12, 10am4pm with free wrap-around childcare from 8.30am-5pm for 5 to 12-yearolds. Half days 9am-1pm or 1-5pm for 4-year-olds. The workshops are Ofsted registered and parents can pay with childcare vouchers. 26-29 May 2015, COLFE’S SCHOOL, Upwood Road, Lee, SE12 8AW, 01263 823000, www.campbeaumont.co.uk Up to 40 different activities ranging from arts and crafts, swimming, soccer, tag rugby, tennis, motorsports, dance and drama, basketball, and many more. Ages 4-16 years, 8.30am-5.30pm, from £175 per week.
Book 1-to-1 treatments; or self-healing courses with attunements for children 5+ and adults from £145pp. Small groups at your home, at my private SE24 practice, or Grasse, South France.
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Imagination for the Everyday Early years Drama www.theatretots.com
CAMERA OBSCURA: COPIED CREATIONS 26+27 May, DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, London SE21 7AD, 020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Study perspective and draw like a master of the Renaissance. Ages 7-10 years, 10am-12noon, £12, book first.
Weekly classes in Lee, Blackheath and Hither Green Schools, nurseries and parties too! info@theatretots.com - 07801072776
Dairy Dates For Grownups CAR BOOT SALE
SEE SYDENHAM ARTISAN MARKET
10 May, HEBER PRIMARY SCHOOL, Heber Road, East Dulwich SE22 9LA Are you having a Spring clean? Sell your unwanted/ preloved things household, garden, toys, equipment, anything goes! 9.30am-12.30pm, £10 for a car pitch, £5 table top rental, £1 admissions for buyers (children free). Refreshments available, car parking near site. Email kristy.macdonald@heberparents.org for more information.
16 May and every second Saturday in the month, VENNER SQUARE & Queensthorpe Square, Sydenham SE26, www.see3.co.uk Mexican and Vietnamese street food, vegetarian, dry curd meats, sushi maki, bakery, cakes, Japanese & Asian teas plus a range of hand-made cards, bags and leather goods, fashion jewellery, knitted goods, antiques and much more - often including live music. 11am-5pm.
CRYSTAL PALACE FOOD MARKET
16-24 May, in and around HITHER GREEN SE13, www.hithergreen.com Now in its seventh year, Hither Green Festival returns to SE13 with dancing, music, food and much more! The line up was being finalised as we went to press but highlights incude Open Gardens, a Teddy Bear’s picnic, live music events, a quiz night, free pilates sessions, beekeeping demonstrations and guided historical walks. Tickets can be bought from the Cafe of Good Hope and You Don’t Bring Me Flowers, and online from the event website.
Saturdays, Haynes Lane SE19 3AP, www.crystalpalacefoodmarket.co.uk Locally sourced meats, fresh fish, fruit & veg, eggs, cheese, raw milk, artisan bread, cakes and hot food, on sale in the heart of Crystal Palace. Open 10am-3pm every Saturday, with regular events as well (check first as these are subject to change). BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS, 9 May. The market will celebrate its second birthday with musical performances, face painting and more. TOTE BAG MAKING, 16 May. Green Leaves Art Club presents a special drop-in tote bag making workshop. Dig into the history of illuminated manuscripts and create your own tote bag inspired by this ancient art. 12-3pm, donations welcome, www.greenleavesartclub.com. THE MAN FROM STORY MOUNTAIN, 30 May. Tales to enthral, inspire, and send you away on wings, told by children’s author and professional storyteller Adrian Beckingham, aka The Man from Story Mountain. 11am-2pm, suggested donation £1.
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HITHER GREEN FESTIVAL
HAVEN’T STOPPED DANCING YET 16 May, St SWITHUN’S CHURCH HALL, St Swithun’s Road, Hither Green SE13 6QE, 0796 716 3247, www.haventstoppeddancingyet.co.uk HSDY offers 70s and 80s soul, funk and disco - for people who remember the tunes first time round and still want to party. DJs Lord Anthony and hula-hooping DJ, Da’Lynne spin the tunes, with dance line-ups to get everyone into the groove, plus free retro sweets and ice pops. 7.30-11pm, £12 on the door, or guarantee your place on the dance floor by booking first for £10.
may 2015 - families south east
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A REAL MERMAID’S TALE
IN THE NIGHT GARDEN LIVE
BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
What’sOn
THE NATIONAL THEATRE
THE ADVENTURE, 23 May - 6 June. When a famous scientist is abducted, it takes his two children, their best friend, an incompetent storyteller and audience members to rescue him and to help solve a fiendishly puzzling mystery. This interactive mystery promenade performance takes audience members backstage. Ages 7-13 years.
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Theatre, Shows and Music
STORY DAYS AT THE GLOBE GREENWICH THEATRE
SOUTHBANK
GREENWICH THEATRE, Crooms Hill, Greenwich SE10 8ES, 020 8858 7755, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk AVENUE Q, 12-24 May. Following five years in the West End and sell-out runs worldwide, this hugely entertaining show is back! Hilarious, cheeky and uproariously entertaining, with a terrific batch of songs performed by a cast of hugely talented performers and puppets, Avenue Q is the musical like no other. Ages 14+, tickets £28.50. THE CAT IN THE HAT, 25-27 May. From the moment his tall, red-andwhite-striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that the cat in the hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. Based on the much-loved book by Dr Seuss, The Cat In The Hat is a lively and engaging first theatre experience for young children. Tickets £13.50, concessions £8.50. LITTLE HOWARD’S BIG SHOW FOR KIDS, 28 May. Life is tough in showbiz; Little Howard’s big new act keeps going wrong, Roger The Pigeon has spent all their money on cookie cutters, his comedy counterpart Big Howard has been diagnosed with being clinically unfunny and there’s a slug in the backstage toilet. And it’s about to get worse: a sinister figure arrives and Big Howard and Little Howard have to put on the best show of their lives to keep themselves out of jail! 2pm, tickets £13.50, children £8.50. KID CARPET AND THE NOISY NEIGHBOURS, 6 June. This funny and moving new show uses music, puppetry and projection to look at what it’s like to move into a new house in the city and find your place there. Are the neighbours really feeding cats to their dog? Why do they smell like lemons and cat wee? Where has Dad mislaid the children this time? Can he be un-arrested before Mum gets home? And why is that car on fire? 2pm and 5pm, tickets £13.50, children £8.50.
SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8PX, 0844 847 9944, www.southbankcentre.co.uk FUNHARMONICS, 3 May. Join the London Philharmonic Orchestra on a musical adventure to the home of jazz, blues, bright lights, big cities, Hollywood and the Wild West. 12noon, tickets from £3 children, £10 adults. MORGAN & WEST’S SPECTACULAR MAGIC SHOW, 2-23 May. Time-travelling Victorian magic duo Morgan & West unload another boxful of bafflement and impossibility for kids and childish grown-ups, at Udderbelly. Tickets £10. CAPTAIN FLINN AND THE PIRATE DINOSAURS, 27+28 May. When Flinn discovers a pirate hiding in the school supply closet, it’s all aboard, me hearties, for a real live pirate adventure. Captain Stubble needs Flinn’s help to find his stolen ship, but there are some mean pirate dinosaurs on the loose, and Flinn and his friends soon sail into trouble... Will fearless Flinn be able to captain the ship and defeat the pirate dinosaurs? Ages 4+, tickets £12. CIRCUS GEEKS: BETA TESTING, 26 May - 21 June. Three jugglers share their obsession with throwing and catching through theatre, comedy and circus skills. Tickets from £10 children, £12.50 adults.
BLACKHEATH HALLS 23 Lee Road, Blackheath SE3 9RQ, 020 8463 0100, www.trinitylaban.ac.uk FRACTURED FAIRY WORKSHOP, 9 May. Local author Rachel Mortimer will be introducing you to her fairy tales with a difference! Meet Red Riding Hood and the Sweet Little Wolf who loves fairy tales, and Snoring Beauty, who snores so loudly, the whole kingdom is in chaos. Hear about The Three Billy Goats Fluff and see how Mother Goat finds a clever way to make Mr Troll happy. Last but not least there’s Jack, who can’t resist the sweetshop and finds a delicious Jelly Bean Stalk in his back garden. 11am, ages 3+, £7. RUMPLESTILTSKIN, 9 May. A traditional puppet play using hand and shadow puppetry, mechanical moving scenery with wheels that spin and windmills that turn. Ages 4+, 3pm start, tickets £7. THE TODDLER FOLK TREASURE BOX, 17 May. Delve into the Folk Treasure Box and experience sounds and textures in a delightful play session. Ages 1-4, 11am-12.30pmn, free with a ticket. STORYTELLING CORNER, 17 May. Listen to traditional tales brought to life with music, for all children. 2-3pm, £7. FAMILY CEILIDH, 17 May. Folk dancing fun for children, family and friends. 4-6pm, tickets from £5. A REAL MERMAID’S TALE, 30 May. Follow intrepid explorer, Amelia Buttersnap, on an exciting adventure on the high seas with pirates, monstrous sea creatures and mermaid treasure. A fun and exciting show full of magic, puppetry and mutinous rats. 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £7.
UNICORN THEATRE UNICORN THEATRE, 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7645 0560, www.unicorntheatre.com GET UP AT THE WEEKEND. Join the Unicorn Play Club every Saturday from midday. Take part in free activities in the foyer such as rocket building, cake decorating or even Olympic musical chairs. PLANETA KA, 7 May - 4 June. An explorer gradually discovers this mysterious land; its mountains, craters and caves full of surprises. Tickets £10 for one child and up to 2 adults. HENRY THE FIFTH, 17-31 May. Kings need crowns and castles to prove themselves, and so does Henry. Henry the Fifth, that is, of England. Tickets from £10. ONE LITTLE WORD, 6-21 June. Two characters play together, exploring new space, new objects, dressing up and taking turns. But there’s a bit of a struggle when one of them wants to be the only captain of the ship. Tickets from £10.
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IN THE NIGHT GARDEN LIVE 28 May - 13 June, The 02, Peninsula Square, Greenwich SE10 0DX, www.nightgardenlive.com This summer, the world’s only In the Night Garden Live Showdome returns to The O2 - for two weeks only. See Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka brought to life with beautiful costumes, magical puppets, enchanting music and breathtaking projections. In the Night Garden Live takes place in its own family-friendly Showdome. With just 13 rows of seats, you’ll be close to the action and everyone gets a great view! Watch the trailer and book online at www.NightGardenLive.com. Tickets from £14.50.
BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE, Victoria Street, London SW1E 5EA, 0844 248 5000, www.billyelliotthemusical.com Set against the background of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy Elliot is the inspirational story of one boy’s struggle to realise his dream to dance against the odds. Featuring a timeless score by Elton John, sensational dance and a powerful story, Billy Elliot the Musical is an uplifting and spectacular theatrical experience that will stay with you forever. Tickets from £29.50, family tickets from £105. READER OFFER: We have a family ticket to be won. For details on how to enter, see page 3.
THE NATIONAL THEATRE THE ROYAL NATIONAL THEATRE, Upper Ground, SE1 9PX, 020 74552 3000, www.nationaltheatre.org.uk The Clore Learning Centre is a new dedicated space for Learning at the National Theatre, offering events and courses for all ages, exploring theatre-making from playwriting to technical skills, often led by the NT’s own artists and staff. Family days take place on the first Saturday of every month and in school holidays. They are designed for children aged 6-12 and adults to enjoy together. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: SET DESIGN, 2 May and 6 June. Work with a director to create a character and perform a brand new version of this popular traditional tale. 11am-12.30pm, £3 children, £5 adults, book first.
BRER RABBIT AND THE TAR BABY Until 17 May, PUPPET THEATRE BARGE, Blomfield Road, Little Venice W9 2PF, 020 7249 6876, www.puppetbarge.com Long, long ago, the Rabbit was king of the tricksters. He was always playing tricks on the other animals, and getting the better of them, and he usually got away with it... Movingstage bring this classic AfricanAmerican story to the stage, with marionettes, music and mischief.
LYRIC HAMMERSMITH Lyric Square, King Street W6 0QL, 020 8741 6850, www.lyric.co.uk BUGSY MALONE, From 1 May. Fat Sam’s Grand Slam comes to Hammersmith to reopen the Lyric after a multi-million pound redevelopment. Join Bugsy, Blousey and Tallulah for an unforgettable theatrical experience. Ages 6+, tickets from £8 .
Sackler Studios, SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE, 21 New Globe Walk SE1 9DT, 020 7401 9919, www.shakespearesglobe.com/education Dynamic and unforgettable retellings of Shakespeare’s stories by Globe Education story tellers, suitable for the whole family. Ages 6+. 11am and 2pm start. Tickets £15 for one adult and one child.
THE FAIRFIELD FAIRFIELD HALLS, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG, 020 8688 9291, www.fairfield.co.uk MERLIN: THE SWORD IN THE STONE, 10 May. Arthur is a young squire destined to become king. Guided by Merlin, he has many adventures culminating in successfully pulling the sword from the stone and unwittingly fulfilling the legend’s prophecy. With beautiful costumes, enchanting sets, magical puppetry, the opportunity to singalong and for some children, to participate in the show, this is live theatre at its best. Tickets £14.50, concessions £12.50. THE CAT IN THE HAT, 22+23 May. From the moment his tall, red and white striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that The Cat in the Hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. Based on the much loved book by Dr Seuss, The Cat in the Hat is a lively and engaging first theatre experience for young children aged 3+. Tickets £11.50 children, £13.50 adults, £48 families. THE PIRATES OF TREASURE ISLAND, 23+24 May. This swashbuckling adventure is packed with treasure maps, bearded one-legged pirates, tropical islands, parrots, mutiny, and the dreaded black spot! This new stage version of the children’s classic by Robert Louis Stevenson, blends the best of storytelling, pantomime and musical theatre, to create a spectacular adventure for the whole family, with a full supporting cast and a 5-piece band. Tickets £15 children, £20 adults, £65 families. ALIENS LOVE UNDERPANTS, 2+3 June. Hold on to your undies and prepare for a bloomer-ing, knicker-tastic, pant-abulous adventure! This zany and hilarious tale based on the bestselling children’s book, written by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort, is delightfully brought to life on stage for the very first time with stunning effects, madcap action, original music and loads of crazy aliens. Make sure you are nice and early to join in the activities before the show. Suitable for ages 3+, tickets £14.
FAMILY SHOWS AT THE ALBANY THE ALBANY, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk All tickets £7 or £24 for a family unless otherwise stated. THE JOURNEY HOME, 10 May. Join Polar Bear as he sets off in search of a new home when the ice starts melting. The acclaimed children’s book by award winning author Frann Preston-Gannon, is brought to life through puppetry, lyrical music and transformative design in this new production by Little Angel Theatre. 1 and 3pm, tickets £7, family tickets £24. DISCO KIDS: DOWN ON THE FARM, 17 May. Jump on your tractors, round up your sheep and head to the Albany’s disco barn for an afternoon of farmyard fun. DJ Jean Genie will be spinning some spring time favourites and C-12 Dance return to teach you and your little farmhands the best country-disco moves. Learn to plant and plough in the Albany garden, enjoy growing games and play in the hay. 2-5pm, £6, family ticket £20, book first.
CANADA WATER CULTURE SPACE Canada Water Library, 21 Surrey Quays Road, Rotherhithe SE16 7AR, 020 7525 2931, www.canadawaterculturespace.org.uk THE FEATHER CATCHER, 9 May. Freda loves feathers but there’s one special feather that she just can’t catch on her own. Can Greta help her on her quest and teach her about friendship at the same time? This non-verbal show playfully uses live music and beautiful projections to tell this delightful tale of teamwork, with a chance to stay and play with the performers after the show. 1 and 3pm, tickets £7, family tickets £24. PUSS IN BOOTS, 23 May. Would you trust a talking cat? You never know, he might turn you from a pauper to a prince just like the hero of this story, brought to vivid life on our incredible sloping stage by Patrick Lynch from Cbeebies. With a host of puppets, a working windmill and an avalanche of fruit and nuts, come and see this classic furry tail. It’s the cat’s whiskers! 1 and 3pm, tickets £7, family tickets £24.
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Celebrate 25 years of our biggest fundraising event! Join us at Keston Common, Kent – walking to support St Christopher’s Hospice and St Christopher’s Bromley
BRER RABBIT
THE CAT IN THE HAT
POLKA THEATRE
BACH TO BABY CONCERTS
POLKA THEATRE, 240 Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB, 020 8543 4888, www.polkatheatre.com SHOE KANGAROO, 8-10 May. Did you ever lose a shoe that tumbled into a bird that flew? Come on a fantastical journey to the island of lost shoes with clowning, mime and beautifully crafted puppets. Ages 4-7, tickets £11.50. MRS McMOON’S TEA PARTY, 16+17 May. Singing flowers, scrumulumptious biscuits and a Scottish jig are all just a door knock away at Mrs McMoon’s entertaining tea party. Let her take you by the hand to explore a world of daring adventures, mischief, surprise and laughter. Ages 3-6, tickets £11.50. UP IN THE ATTIC, 23 May. Join three children on a bedtime adventure in this story about friendship and overcoming your fears. Exploring the attic of an old house they discover hidden secrets, unravel a mystery and realise there is no need to be frightened of the dark. Ages 3-6, tickets £11.50. THE COSMIC DANCER, 27-31 May. Pepita wants to be a dancer. More than that, she wants to become a cosmic dancer, to swing from a star and be lifted by the clouds. But that’s not as easy as she thought, the stars are far away and the clouds slip through her fingers. Exquisite balletic charm is combined with swirling digital projections, set to Debussy’s rich and evocative music and inspired by Linda Ferri’s picture book. Ages 4 - 8, tickets from £10. OPERATION MAGIC CARPET, 1-24 May. Nomi wants a story of her own. She lives in London but dreams about Baghdad, where her parents are from. One night over dinner, a genie bursts out of a mango pickle jar and Nomi is swept away on a magic carpet to Baghdad. Characters from the Arabian Nights come to life as she meets Sinbad, swims the Tigris and sees a water buffalo. A magical play about exploring your culture and knowing where you come from so you know where you’re going. Ages 6-11, tickets from £10. CASA ... HOME, 27-31 May. Casa. Home. A place where I am just who I am. A home in which to shelter, eat, have a bath, sleep. A place in which to live and share experiences. To welcome others. A home to explore, a place that changes as I change; to leave and discover everything outside it, and to go back to, every time. Performed in English, with some Italian. Ages 2-4, tickets £11.50.
4 + 25 May, St PAUL’S CHURCH, Bedford Street, Covent Garden WC2E 9ED, www.bachtobaby.com A concert for babies and tots to enjoy together. Children dance, roam about and listen to music the way they feel it, while you take a moment for yourself and enjoy exhilarating performances by outstanding musicians, with your baby in tow. 11am, £10 adults, children free.
ROYAL ALBERT HALL Kensington Gore SW7 2AP, 0845 401 5045, www.royalalberthall.com STORYTELLING AND MUSIC SESSIONS, Wednesdays from 13-27 May. Storytellers Paul Rubinstein and Olivia Armstrong deliver a series of sessions for babies and toddlers, aiming to engage and encourage interaction between parents/ carers and their little ones using musical instruments, singing, movement and stories. Ages 0-4 years, 10am and 11.30am, £4. SHH.. BANG! 26+27 May. Two characters set out on a journey through a world filled with boings, whooshes, tick-tocks... and cacophony! Their journey is punctuated by silence, and as they are wrapped up in stillness, they learn to listen to that silence. A delicate dance-theatre performance for children and their adults, playfully exploring sound and silence. Suitable for ages 3+, tickets £9. ALBERT EINSTEIN: RELATIVITIVELY SPEAKING, 28 May. Join Albert, the genius behind the übercoolest moustache in science, for a lecture like none you’ve ever seen. Along with his wives, his mum and a guest rapper, he quantum leaps through two world wars, the wurst sausage joke ever, and even some actual proper boffin-checked science. Suitable for bright sparks of 6 years and up.
10 May, St Paul’s Church, Bedford Street, COVENT GARDEN WC2 9ED, www.alternativearts.co.uk The festival celebrates its 40th anniversary with over 40 Punch & Judy and puppet shows performing throughout the day. At 11am a ground procession will tour the neighbourhood of Covent Garden, led by the Superior Brass Band with a birthday toast to Mr Punch. From 12.30-5.30pm visitors can enjoy puppet workshops, stalls, refreshments, folk music, maypole dancing and clowns. Admission free.
LEEDS CASTLE LEEDS CASTLE, near Maidstone, Kent ME17 1PL, 01622 767866, www.leeds-castle.com Leeds Castle has been a Norman stronghold; the private property of six of England’s medieval queens; a palace used by Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon; a Jacobean country house; a Georgian mansion; an elegant early 20th century retreat for the influential and famous; and in the 21st century, it has become one of the most visited historic buildings in Britain. Grounds open 10am daily, admission to castle and grounds free for under 4s, children £13.50, adults £21, valid for a whole year.
To register free visit www.stchristophers.org.uk/funwalk Contact funwalk@stchristophers.org.uk or 020 8768 4575 for more info *Latest start time for the 8 and 11 mile walks is midday and for the 3 and 5 mile walks is 3pm www.stchristophers.org.uk St Christopher’s is registered charity 210667 © St Christopher’s Group January 2015
#funwalk15 Let everyone know you’re walking for St Christopher’s... and why!
THE TWITS 1-31 May, the ROYAL COURT THEATRE, Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AS, 020 7565 5000, www.royalcourttheatre.com Mr and Mrs Twit are not very nice. In fact they’re extremely nasty. They’re nasty to each other, and they’re vile to everyone else. Mischievously adapted from one of the world’s most loved books by Roald Dahl, Enda Walsh turns the The Twits upside down and brings this revolting revolution to the stage.
The Great Outdoors COVENT GARDEN MAY FAYRE AND PUPPET FESTIVAL
Start from 8.30am* and pick your walk of 3, 5, 8 or 11 miles Awards for best fancy dress and the most money raised Entertainment and refreshments on the Common throughout the day
GREAT BRITISH TENNIS WEEKEND 17 May, LADYWELL FIELDS, Ladywell Road SE13 7UT, 0773 993 6999, www.southeastlondontennis.com Play tennis for free! South East London Tennis is hosting an open day for the local community, with taster sessions for 4-10 year-olds, adult cardio tennis and family sessions. 10am-1pm, find out more and book online. For open days in other locations, go to https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/opendays.
HEATH FOR HEALTH 10 May, BLACKHEATH COMMON SE3, www.heathforhealth.org.uk The second Heath for Health community fun run will raise funds for Cancer Research, Macmillan Nurses and the 999 club in Greenwich. With sponsorship from Hamptons estate agents, the event will begin with a fun and dynamic dance based warm up followed by a 5km run for adults and families, and a one mile race for children. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd places awarded to participants, who are running the event competitively and a race clock so that all entrants can work on personal bests or with the view to improve their time in future events. All runners will receive a bespoke running number and Heath for Health medal. See the event website or Heath for Health Facebook page for updates and more information.
familiesse.co.uk
Join us at Royal Mail fun runs Put your best foot forward this May with Royal Mail’s 5km and 10km fun runs in aid of our Charity of the Year, the Stroke Association
Greenwich Park, London Sunday 24 May 2015
Entry cost for the 5km is £5 and 10km is £10 Children under 16 and adults over 65 can participate for free Find out more and register at www.royalmailfunruns.com
may 2015 - families south east
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BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM
LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM
HMS BELFAST
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM
MoreWhat’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesse.co.uk then click What's On
ST CHRISTOPHER’S FUN WALK 17 May, from KESTON COMMON, Kent, 020 8768 4575, www.stchristophers.org.uk/funwalk or email funwalk@stchristophers.org.uk By signing up for this year’s St Christopher’s Fun Walk you’ll be able to help raise essential funds for the south London hospice. Choose from a 3, 5, 7 or 11 mile walk and join in the fun - the more, the merrier! There’ll be prizes for the best fancy dress and the most money raised, with entertainment and refreshments on the common throughout the day. St Christopher’s cares for over 2,500 dying people each year with 750 patients being cared for in their own homes on any given day. The charity serves an ethnically and socially diverse area of London, covering Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham, Croydon, and Bromley, and provides education services which benefit healthcare professionals worldwide.
ROYAL MAIL FUN RUN 24 May, GREENWICH PARK SE10, www.royalmailfunruns.com/london Sign up and join hundreds of runners in raising funds for Stroke Association, who provide Life After Stroke grants to help survivors take their first steps back into the community. There are 5km and 10km circuits, plus a series of fun-filled activities including sack races, ‘guess the weight of the parcel’, facepainting and a guest appearance from Lenny the Letter in his mail van. 10am start, entry £5 for the 5km run and £10 for the 10km (free for under 16s and over 65s), with £1 from every entry fee going to the charity, thanks to Royal Mail’s support.
IGHTHAM MOTE Mote Road, Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, Kent TN15 0NT, 01732 810378, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ightham-mote Ightham Mote is a moated manor house dating from 1320. Described as the best example of a small medieval manor house in the country, the main features of the house span many centuries from a great hall through to the last owner’s library dressed from 1950s. There is an extensive and beautiful garden, children’s natural play area, sign-posted walks on the surrounding estate, plus an onsite cafe and shop. Open 10am-5pm.
50 THINGS TREASURE HUNT, 23-31 May. Pack a compass and head off on a treasure hunt. 50p. GROW YOUR OWN CRESS HEAD, 28 May. Tick off another of your ‘50 things’ by growing something to eat. 11am-3pm, £1.
EDWARDIAN LIFE AT HEVER 23-31 May, HEVER CASTLE, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG, 01732 865224, www.hevercastle.co.uk The half term event for families gives a fascinating glimpse of the Edwardian era just before the First World War when the Astors were in residence. Children can take part in an Edwardian school in an old fashioned classroom complete with chalk and blackboard. There are traditional games such as croquet and a coconut shy, and a prize for the best dressed boy and girl each day for those who come in Edwardian costume. In the Castle’s Astor Suite, an exhibition brings the fascinating ‘Upstairs Downstairs’ years vividly to life. Listen to interviews with former ‘below stairs’ staff on old fashioned telephones and radios and watch the Astor’s rare archive collection of home movies on a 1930s TV set. Gardens open 10.30am, castle from 12noon. Admission £16 adults for castle and gardens, £9 children, £42.50 families.
STEAM UP AT KESR 23-25 May, KENT & EAST SUSSEX RAILWAY, from Tenterden Town Station, Station Road, Tenterden, Kent TN30 6HE, 01580 765 155, www.kesr.org.uk The Kent & East Sussex Railway is one of the country’s finest examples of a rural light railway. The line gently wends its way from Tenterden for ten and a half miles through unspoilt countryside on its way to the shadow of the magnificent Bodiam Castle. During the Bank Holiday weekend visitors can travel between Tenterden and Bodiam station. Some train services will also be timetabled to take the journey over a new section of restored railway track between Bodiam and Junction Road. The new track is part of a major reconstruction project which will ultimately extend the current line from Bodiam to Robertsbridge.
THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM
LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM, 39 Wellington Street, Covent Garden WC2E 7BB, 020 7379 6433, www.ltmuseum.co.uk Let your children’s imaginations run wild as they are transported back in time at the historical and interactive London Transport Museum. Filled with buses, trains, and taxis they can take the wheel, try their hand as a tube conductor or bump around with the other passengers in the back, as they explore the vehicles of London’s past and present. Museum open 10am-6pm Mondays to Thursdays and weekends, from 11am Fridays. Admission free for under 17s, £16 adults. Tickets are valid for 12 months’ unlimited admission. ALL ABOARD. In the museum’s exciting new playzone, children can get into the driver’s seat of a real bus, repair a mini Tube train and play in the ‘Lost Property’ office. They can also enjoy ‘sailing’ the Thames Nipper, serve passengers in the Nipper Cafe, fly the Emirates Air Line cable car, make driver announcements and help customers at the mini information desk using a magnetic message board, maps and clocks. Ages 0-7 years.
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KENSINGTON PALACE Kensington Gardens W8 4PX, 0844 482 7777, www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace THE KIDS’ SLEEPOVER, 16 May. The palace is throwing open its doors for a very special slumber party. Princes and princesses are welcome for a fun-filled evening of activities and entertainment before bedding down in one of the spectacular palace rooms. Then rise and shine the next morning for a breakfast fit for royalty. Ages 5-11 years, children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets: adult and child £60 each with breakfast included. WHEN I GROW UP... 26-30 May. Join in with games, dressing up, craft activities and storytelling and hear tales from Princess Victoria’s governess about Victoria’s strict childhood growing up in the palace. Family event recommended for children aged 4 -11 years old. Limited capacity, admission included as part of a Kensington Palace ticket.
CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS
Events and Attractions HORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk Museum open 10.30am-5.30pm daily, general admission free, charges apply for special exhibitions and the aquarium. The museum’s music gallery and hands-on base, regular weekend and holiday drop-ins and workshops allow family visitors to explore the collection through arts and crafts, music, stories and hands-on sessions. All this within 16 acres of beautiful green space which has the oldest nature trail in London. PLANTASTIC, Until 1 November. Explore the wonderful world of plants on a massive scale. From giant seeds and exploding cucumbers to sun-seeking flowers and a huge crawl-through root system, Plantastic’s interactive exhibits and games bring visitors up close to all kinds of fantastic plant life revealing how plants are essential for life on Earth. Special discovery and craft events run alongside the exhibition during school holidays. £3.85 per child, £7.15 adult, £18.15 family.
40 Brunswick Square, Camden Town WC1N 1AZ, 020 7841 3600, www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk Britain’s first home for abandoned children and London’s first public art gallery, The Foundling Museum reveals the stories of the Foundling Hospital’s founder Thomas Coram, the artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel. It houses significant collections of eighteenth-century art, interiors, social history and music. Open 10am5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and from 11am Sundays. Admission free for under 16s, £8.25 adults. INTRODUCTORY GALLERY. Showcasing a decade’s research into the Hospital’s archive, the introductory gallery takes visitors on an emotional journey through the history of London’s first home for children who would otherwise have been abandoned. New displays of favourite objects offer visitors greater access and depth of information, while previously unseen items shed new light on the Foundling Hospital story. SIR JACOB EPSTEIN: BABIES AND BLOOMSBURY, until 10 May. The exhibition reveals how babies and children inspired modernist sculptor Jacob Epstein, and explores his unconventional family life in Bloomsbury. A very important selection of Epstein’s remarkable and moving bronzes and drawings of babies and children, including of members of his own family, are brought together for the first time.
THE FAMILY STATION. Visit the Family Station, pick up a coin bag and choose some activities to do as you explore the museum. Whether you fold your own bus and drive it between the vehicles, design your own poster-postcards or take photos through flickr frames, there is something here for families with children of all ages. Open weekends and school holidays, suitable for families with 3-12 year-olds. LONDON PLACES & SPACES, 15 May - 6 September. The Prize for Illustration 2015: London Places & Spaces exhibition will display 100 illustrations that capture a variety of aspects of London’s unique character and qualities.
GAMBADO PLAYCENTRE NATWEST SPORTS GROUND, Copers Cope Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1NZ, 020 8662 6910, www.gambado.com/clubs/beckenham Gambado Beckenham boasts one of the largest indoor play frames in greater London, plus special dodgems and a carousel. Children can play, learn, explore and party in a healthy, fun and safe environment while parents can kick back in the cafe bar. Open 9.30am-6.30pm daily, admission from £6.60 children, £2.95 adults plus a registration fee of £5.50 on your first visit.
BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R, 020 7601 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Examine intricately-designed banknotes, feel the weight of a genuine gold bar and see the pikes and muskets that were once used to defend the Bank. Children’s activity sheets provide fun for younger visitors. Open 10am5pm Mondays to Fridays, admission free. MAGICAL MOSAICS, 26-29 May. Learn about the colourful mosaics that decorate the ground floor of the Bank. Join a creative workshop and make your own mosaic to take home, with designs inspired by the animals and plants featured in the Museum’s Flora and Fauna exhibition. 10am-4.30pm.
CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS, Clive Steps, King Charles Street SW1A, www.iwm.org.uk The Churchill War Rooms were originally the Cabinet War Rooms, created in 1938 as underground storage areas for the Office of Works Building in Whitehall. They were soon converted to house the central core of government and to become a temporary military information centre serving the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of Staff of the air, naval and land forces. Visitors can hear the first-hand personal accounts of those who worked in the Cabinet War Rooms during the war. Learn what life and conditions were like underground and experiencing the authenticity and emotional resonance of walking through the corridors where Churchill made history. Open 9.30am-6pm, admission free for under 16s, £15.95 adults.
SCIENCE MUSEUM SCIENCE MUSEUM, Exhibition Road SW7 2DD, 0870 870 4868, www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Aiming to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science, the Science Museum makes sense of the science that shapes our lives, sparking curiosity, releasing creativity and changing the future by engaging people of all generations and backgrounds in science, engineering, medicine, technology, design and enterprise. Open daily 10am-6pm except 24-26 December. LAUNCHPAD SCIENCE SHOWS. The largest free interactive science gallery in the UK is packed with exhibits which allow visitors to launch a rocket, turn their head into a sound box and control a magnetic cloud. Ages 8-14, free. ENGINEER YOUR FUTURE. Put your problem-solving skills to the test and explore engineering through large-scale, high quality interactive games and digital experiences. Discover some of the fascinating stories of women and men who work in engineering today, with striking objects and an accompanying film illustrating cutting-edge engineering. Suitable for ages 11+ CRAVINGS: CAN YOUR FOOD CONTROL YOU? From the flavours you learned to love in the womb to the very next bite you take, your appetite has been shaped by food. Through personal stories, fascinating objects and cutting-edge science and technology, Cravings explores the power food has over our bodies, brains and behaviour. This new exhibition will reveal how the brain, gut brain and gut bacteria work together to control our desire for food. Visitors will be able to discover how not one but two brains affect our cravings and take part in real experiments to uncover how our senses trick our brains into wanting more.
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1 Pickfords Wharf SE1 9DG, 020 7403 0123, www.goldenhinde.com Board the replica ship on Saturdays for a family-friendly guided tour to find out about life at sea and Sir Francis Drake’s voyage around the world. Regular fun days with costumed staff feature Tudor life at sea, filled with gruesome stories, treasure hunts, battles and hands-on activities. Open 10am-6pm, £4.50 children, £6 adults, £10 families.
ROGUES & RASCALS
Eltham Palace & Gardens By Zosia Edwards Eltham Palace & Gardens, Court Road, Eltham, London SE9 5QE, 0370 333 1181, www.english-heritage.org.uk Set just behind Eltham High Street, the glamorous Art Deco mansion sits intertwined with the remnants of the medieval royal palace where Henry VIII spent much of his childhood. Eltham Palace reopened this April after a £1.7 million English Heritage makeover, revealing five new rooms never before seen by the public. Visitors are invited to step inside the home of textile magnates Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, as it would have been when they owned Eltham in the 1930s - complete with their beloved pet ring-tailed lemur Mah-Jong. The newly opened rooms provide a fascinating insight into their lives of luxury from the stunning circular entrance hall to lavishly decorated bedrooms, and the magnificent Great Hall, which dates back five hundred years. Virginia Courtauld’s walk-in wardrobe features beautiful vintage clothing, while the 1930s map room demonstrates the levels of planning that went into the Courtaulds’ exotic holidays to locations across the globe. You can even experience what sheltering from the Blitz might have been like for the household, deep below in the cellar. Along with new information panels, visitors can borrow a multimedia handset, and the family tour is certainly a highlight. Visual guides featuring a dapper 1930s chap named William tour the palace with you, and there are lots of games to play as you wander around. Family-friendly facilities include a dressing up box of costumes, a stamp-collecting paper trail for children, an outdoor play area and garden paths to follow, a greenhouse cafe stocked with freshly cooked snacks and meals, and free car parking. Also check the website for special events throughout the year. Open 10am-6pm Sundays to Thursdays April-September; check for winter opening hours. Admission with Gift Aid £14.40 adults, £8.60 5-15 year-olds, £37.40 families. English Heritage and Art Fund members free.
HMS BELFAST On the THAMES at The Queen’s Walk by Morgans Lane, Tooley Street SE1 2JH, www.iwm.org.uk Discover the exciting stories of those who served HMS Belfast; exploring the nine decks where sailors once hurried up and down its ladders, or take a look at the mess desk where her 950-strong crew ate and slept. Open 10am-5pm, admission £16 adults, children £8, family tickets from £28. GUN TURRET EXPERIENCE. Immerse yourself in the Gun Turret Experience, a chance to see what fighting at sea would have really been like. Overlooking the front of the ship, or Fo’c’sle, is the forward most of HMS Belfast’s Triple Gun Turrets. Lights, audio, videos and projections will recreate the experience, highlighting the hectic and cramped conditions that would have seen twenty-six men in this confined space at any one time. Entry included in general admission price. THE TOURISTS, until 7 September. In 1962, at the height of the Cold War, HMS Belfast was making her last international voyage. The ship called at Trinidad exactly three months after Carnival. Artist Hew Locke imagines an alternative history with the ship arriving in time for these celebrations. By altering the ship’s normal displays he shows us the crew preparing to take part, as a fantasy narrative featuring dramatically costumed mannequins.
CROSSING THE LINE, 23-31 May. Witness the ceremony that took place when sailors crossed the equator for the first time. Find out why the crew dressed up as different characters from Neptune’s court and what kind of initiation rites men were put through - including being blindfolded and getting soaked! 11am-12.30pm and 2-4pm.
NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 5BD, 020 7942 5000, www.nhm.ac.uk Dinosaurs, volcanoes, precious gems and creepy crawlies - discover the diversity of the natural world through the nation’s finest collection of natural history specimens. Fascinating exhibitions display up to 70 million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals, with a hands-on education centre where you can meet real scientists at work. Museum open 10am5.50pm, admission free. ONE MILLION YEARS OF THE HUMAN STORY. What was Britain like when the first humans arrived on its shores? Travel back in time nearly one million years to uncover what life was really like for our ancient relatives. £4.50 children, £9 adults, £24 families. DINO SNORES, 9 May. Discover what really happens at the museum when the staff and visitors have gone home. Children aged 7-11 years, from 7pm to 9.50am the following day. Tickets £60.
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23-31 May, LONDON DUNGEON, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road SE1 7PB, 0871 423 2240, www.thedungeons.com/london ‘Stand and Deliver’ as London Dungeon brings to life the deadly (and dandy) highwaymen (and highwaywomen) who robbed the rich (and not so rich) on the roads around 17th century London. The notorious Moll Cutpurse and Claude Duvall will be holding up the Dungeon and demonstrating the skills required to pull off the perfect highway robbery in a flamboyantly fun masterclass. Visitors who prove they have the daring to deliver the goods will be signed up to join Cutpurse and Duvall in a life of crime; those who fail may pay for it with their purses! More rascals and rogues lay in wait, deeper into the depths of the attraction. From Jack the Ripper’s Whitechapel to Sweeney Todd’s Fleet Street, Henry VIII’s deadly torture chamber and Guy Fawkes’ parliament, 1000 years of London’s murky past is brought to life in 18 shows, featuring 18 actors, two thrilling rides and plenty of edge of the seat surprises. Admission on the door £25.95 adults, £20.95 children, discounts for online pre-bookings.
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, Lambeth Road, London SE1, 020 7416 5000, www.iwm.org.uk IWM London has been transformed with ground-breaking First World War Galleries alongside a central atrium space with large object displays, shops and cafes. Family-friendly creative and object discovery sessions take place on Sundays. Admission free. FIRST WORLD WAR GALLERIES. Discover the story of the war - how it started, why it continued and its global impact, through the lives of those who experienced it at the time on both the front line and the home front across Britain and its empire. HORRIBLE HISTORIES - SPIES. Uncover the deadly world of spies in interactive exhibition aimed at families. Horrible Histories: Spies brings to life the horrible history of Second World War spies and their secret schemes, based on Terry Deary’s book. Adults £6.20, children £3.30. A FAMILY IN WARTIME. Explores the lives of William and Alice Allpress and their ten children and what life in London was like during the war. A Family in Wartime is brought to life through interactive exhibits, photographs, recorded interviews with the family, archive film footage, paintings, personal documents and an intricate model of the Allpress family home. FASHION ON THE RATION, until 31 August. Explore the ways in which fashion adapted and even flourished during the Second World War, with items on display including a woman’s siren suit, the original ‘onesie’, and underwear made from RAF silk maps. Adults £10, children £5.
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France with the Family Justine’s family friendly house in rural Normandy is available to rent. Sleeps 6+, fully equipped, beautiful location Contact Justine@Justinecrow.co.uk thenormandienest.wordpress.com
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM, Royal Hospital Road SW3 4HT, 020 7881 6606, www.nam.ac.uk The history of British land forces from 1485 to the present day, with costumes, paintings, artefacts and special displays telling the stories of men and women who served in British armies across the globe. Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free. ACTION ZONES. Learn about life as a Victorian soldier or World War evacuee through quizzes, games and hands-on activities. KIDS’ ZONE. Under 8s can enjoy an exciting soft play area.
MUSEUM OF LONDON MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, West India Quay E14, 020 7001 9844, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands, and MUSEUM OF LONDON, London Wall EC2Y 5HN, 020 7001 9844, www.museumoflondon.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, admission free. Regular programmes of weekend and holiday events and workshops help visitors find out more about London’s history, covering events such as the Great Plague, Londoners’ jobs and occupations, and Roman life. On Sundays, museum hosts help visitors explore the galleries through fun, hands-on activities at 11am and 2pm.
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may 2015 - families south east
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CUTTY SARK
IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM
ROYAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM
CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698, www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark The world famous 19th century tea clipper offers visitors four levels to explore. Take in the views from the main deck and steer at the ship’s wheel, meet the crew who worked on board, explore the various cargoes from wool to whiskey, and see how tea was loaded on board through interactive displays, props, information boards and animations. Family friendly events run at weekends and during school holidays. Open 10am5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £7 children, £13.50 adults, from £24 families. Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal Museum Greenwich attractions. WEATHER MOBILES, 25+26 May. Cutty Sark sailed in all kinds of weather. Bring waves and storms to life by designing your own weather mobile to take home. 11.30am-1.30pm and 2-4pm, included in admission entry. FISH ON A DISH, 27-29 May. What lives in the water? Using a paper plate and your imagination, create a colourful sea creature to take home and play with. 11.30am-1.30pm and 2-4pm, included in admission entry.
RAVILIOUS – DULWICH GALLERY
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BRITISH MUSEUM
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ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, Greenwich SE10, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk Royal Museums Greenwich holds the world’s largest maritime collection. It is housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House, and Cutty Sark. The Museums works to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people, and is also a major centre of education and research. On Saturdays and Sundays free performances and workshops entertain family visitors, while on Tuesdays prechoolers can make music and play with parents and carers. Open 10am-5pm daily. General admission is free; some buildings, special exhibitions and events have an admission fee. AGAINST CAPTAIN’S ORDERS, until 31 August. A new family adventure run in conjunction with Punchdrunk Entertainment. With so much history secured in one museum: so many objects, so many stories, so many doorways to other times and other worlds, who knows who or what will turn up on this exciting journey. Exhilarating, enlightening and perhaps just a tiny bit dangerous, this is a theatrical expedition through the museum, the likes of which have never been seen before. Ages 6-12 plus parents, tickets £19.75. THE GREAT MAP. Borrow a tablet and ‘set sail’ to explore distant lands, discovering stories of female pirates, Scott’s Antarctic expedition and more. AHOY! Visit the museum’s new gallery where younger visitors can board a pirate ship, stoke the fire of a steamship, navigate an ice-breaker, and more, all under one roof. Under 7s, free. HALF TERM EVENTS, 25-29 May. A week of craft workshops, storytelling and more. A SAILOR’S TRAFALGAR STORY, 26-28 May. Discover what life was like for a sailor in Nelson’s navy through the eyes of John Simmonds, who was press-ganged from his home in Jamaica. 12noon, 1, 2 and 3pm at the Maritime Museum.
MEET THE TIME TRAVELLERS, Weekends and holiday weekdays throughout June. Meet time-travelling Astronomer Royal Nevil Maskelyne or his human computer Mary Edwards next to the Steampunk time machine in the Meridian Courtyard and find out about their life and work at Greenwich in the 18th-century. 12noon, 1, 2 and 3pm, ages 7+.
V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, www.museumofchildhood.org.uk This gem of a museum is fascinating for families with young children. The collection includes dolls, dolls’ houses, puppets, teddy bears, games, childcare, clothing, furniture and art and photography. Everyday drop-in activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, and trails. There’s dressing-up, role play and an under 3’s area, an indoor sandpit, and regular special events. If it’s sunny there’s an outdoor space to enjoy a picnic. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free. ALICE IN WONDERLAND, 25-29 May. Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Enter Alice’s weird and wonderful world with great activities, making, story-telling and dressing up inspired by this classic children’s book. Drop-in, suitable for all ages. Plus, Mad Hatters Hat Making. Join artist Miriam Baez to fashion a bonkers hat inspired by the wonderful images and imaginings from Alice’s world. £5, book first. AT HOME IN A DOLLS’ HOUSE, until 6 September. This exhibition reveals the fascinating stories behind some of the UK’s best-loved dolls’ houses, taking you on a journey through the history of the home, everyday lives and changing family relationships. The small stories of 12 dolls’ houses from the past 300 years will be brought to life by the characters that live or work there. Meet the residents and discover tales of marriages and parties, politics and crime. IT’S MY PARTY. Take a look at children’s birthday parties from the perspective of both children and parents. The exhibition centrepiece is a life-sized installation telling the story of a party thrown for Wilfred, a shy resident of the museum.
BRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8181, www.britishmuseum.org The British Museum was founded in 1753, the first national public museum in the world. Each year nearly 6 million visitors pour through the doors to see the museum’s collection of ancient and historical artefacts including the ever-popular Egyptian mummies, or to take in the latest block-buster exhibition. Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free, charge for some exhibitions.
GEFFRYE MUSEUM EVENTS GEFFRYE MUSEUM, Kingsland Road E2 8EA, 020 7739 9893, www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Special workshops and quizzes inspire creativity and provide amusement for accompanied 5-11 year-olds on the first Saturday of each month and during school holidays. Places allocated 30 minutes in advance of each workshop. Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, from noon Sundays. HISTORIC ALMSHOUSE TOURS, 15 + 28 April, 2, 12 + 26 May. The restored historic almshouse has been fully restored to its original condition, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of London’s poor and elderly in former times. Tours are conducted by museum volunteers and take place at specific times each month. Adults £3, under 162 free.
FIREPOWER - THE ROYAL ARTILLERY MUSEUM ROYAL ARSENAL, Woolwich SE18 6ST, 020 8855 7755, www.firepower.org.uk Firepower, the Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich tells the powerful and dramatic story of artillery, scientific discoveries made through warfare and human stories of courage and endeavour. The ‘ground shaking’ Field of Fire audio-visual show puts you in the midst of battle as shells whizz overhead and guns roar. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays. Admission £2.50 children, £5.30 adults, £12.50 families. MUSEUM SLEEPOVER, 16 May. ‘Put That Light Out!’ is an evening packed with fun activities followed by sleeping in among the guns and exhibits of the Museum. £60 for one adult + one child. WATERLOO WEEK, 26-29 May. To mark Waterloo 200, the museum’s half term activities will all have a Waterloo theme. 11am-4pm, admission plus £4.50 for children.
Art Activities DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY
SOMERSET HOUSE FAMILY EVENTS
DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, 020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends and bank holidays. Admission free for accompanied children, £6 adults. Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child. RAVILIOUS, until 31 August. The first major exhibition to focus on the watercolours of celebrated British artist Eric Ravilious (1903-42). Well known for his iconic work for Wedgwood, he was also one of the finest watercolourists of the century, with a prolific carer spanning peace and war. Tickets £12.50 adults, £7.50 concessions. EYE SPY WORKSHOP, 16+17 May. Contribute to a mass installation creation on the external walls of the gallery, inspired by the work of Eric Ravilious. 11am-5pm, included with a gallery ticket. EYE SPY STORYTELLING, 16 May. Join a special session with one of the gallery storytellers to experience the magic of storytelling and learn about the life and work of Eric Ravilious through the works featured in the current exhibition. 11am, included with a gallery ticket. ARTPLAY, first and last Sunday of each month. Creative drop-in workshops for adults and children, with a different activity each session. Make anything and everything from bunting to block printing and all things in between. 2-3.45pm. FREE FAMILY TRAIL. Ask a gallery assistant or stop by at the Gallery Friends desk for a free trail; updated frequently and available for the permanent and temporary exhibitions.
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk The gallery features thousands of portraits of the most famous people in British history, from the 16th century to the present day. DROP IN FAMILY SUNDAYS. On the third Sunday of every month, families are invited to drop-in with children aged 3+ to take part in portrait-related events.
SOMERSET HOUSE, Strand WC2, 020 7845 4600, www.somersethouse.org.uk
SUNDAY FAMILY ART CLUB THE CONSERVATOIRE, 19-21 Lee Road, Blackheath SE3 9RQ, 020 8852 0234, www.conservatoire.org.uk Join the Conservatoire on the first Sunday in every month for a family art adventure. Each month there is a different themed activity and absolutely no experience is required as the sessions are led by a professional artist tutor. Pre book or just drop by, but places are limited. Max three children per family group. 10.30am-12noon, £15 per family.
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families south east - may 2015
THE WALLACE COLLECTION THE WALLACE COLLECTION, Hertford House, Manchester Square W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500, www.wallacecollection.org The Wallace Collection displays wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, in their main London townhouse. Family multi-media tours and trails bring the exhibits to life for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission free.
ART AT SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSE SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3PB, 020 7440 4263, www.soane.org Tucked away in Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the heart of London, this magical, mysterious museum encourages young visitors to explore Soane’s treasures and develop new skills with specialist guidance. Sir John Soane (1753- 1737) was an inveterate collector, filling every nook and cranny of his beautiful home with items that fascinated him. From fossils to classical fragments from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and from contemporary paintings to architectural models, drawings and literature, he intended that after his death both his house and its extraordinary contents should be used to educate and inspire. Free drop-in activities run on the third Saturday of every month, with activities for all ages and families can take part together from 1.30-4.40pm.
Free family workshops run on Saturdays from 2-3.30pm. Tickets available from 1pm from the information desk. Children aged 6-12 years must be accompanied by an adult.
THE NATIONAL GALLERY TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2N 5DN, 020 7747 2885, www.nationalgallery.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, Fridays to 9pm, admission free. With over 2,300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the gallery, along with free hands-on art workshops for families at weekends and during school holidays. No need to book, but places are limited and allocated on arrival up to one hour before the start. THE HORSE’S TAIL, 23 May. Celebrate the unveiling of Hann Haake’s fourth plinth by taking part in a special horse themed day full of interactive performance and art workshops.
FAMILIES AT THE TATE TATE BRITAIN, Millbank SW1, 020 7887 8888, www.tate.org.uk/britain Open daily 10am-5.50pm, and until 10pm the first Friday of the month. Family trails are available daily from the Information Desks and are free for 5yrs and under. Go on a journey around Tate Britain and post your discoveries into your ‘Post it’ box as you go. When you get home, open up the box and show your friends what you found. Or you could follow the ‘Join up’ trail: play the listening game, search for shapes, patterns and talking hands, and make your own sculptures. Every weekend the free Art Trolley encourages children to imagine and create, make colourful collages, style a wonderful sculpture or perhaps make a sketchbook and fill it with great ideas.
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The Bookseller Crow
is a fantastic, volume stuffed shop run by some of the most knowledgeable bookworms in the business. Call in for the feel of a real bookshop, or if you’re too busy, pick up the phone or point your mouse at their website for a fast mailorder service. Justine Crow recommends this month’s best titles. Ah. Finally, summer term is here. No more hunting about at the last moment for miniature matching gloves, or matching socks, or even matching shoes. When you emerge from swimming lessons, it is, miraculously, still light. Plus when the sun shines, a glass of wine after school on a Tuesday is strangely perfectly legal, honourable even. On the downside, chasing a toddler around as you attempt to apply pump action suncream is a regular pain in the neck. Once, I pretended to give up, abandoned the Nivea with a shrug and warned my small son that only those that use sun lotion were allowed ice-cream, before going inside to get myself one from the freezer. When I came out again making cruel “mmmm, yummy” noises, I found he had squirted novelty blue SP50 all over the lower half of the French windows. Quite aside from the astronomical cost of a modest quantity of cancer-prevention slop, have you ever tried rubbing that stuff off glass? KIDS COOK FRENCH by Claudine Pépin , illustrations by Jacques Pépin - Quarry rrp £12.99. The aforementioned smeared windows were not only French, but actually in France. My son, now tall enough to reach the top of those very same windows should he get out of bed for long enough, as my regular reader knows, is less than impressed by my insistence on returning to Normandy year-in, year out preferring to consider himself deprived because we’ve never been to the Maldives or Malibu (“We’ve never even been to McDonalds,” he adds), is not surprisingly, a reluctant French student. He isn’t a brilliant eater either, unless the menu includes Frosties. But I haven’t given up trying to coax a love of food or France out of him and have had my eye on this cookbook with a twist for a while now. It is a clever conceit: Gallic flavoured dishes that are easily concocted with the recipes in English on one side and in French on the other. Next stop Poulet Roti aux Herbes de Provence and a big fat Crème Glacée! Bon appétit! COMPLETE CHILDREN'S COOKBOOK - Dorling Kindersley rrp £19.99. As with all these so called educational giants who put house-style before imagination, the creators of this huge tome are not credited on the cover and inside, there is no single ‘author’, just a mention of a robotic sounding ‘pre-production producer’ (eh?) and a ‘special sales creative project manager’ (yawn). And people complain that children have no idea of the value of books thesedays. Still, what it lacks in, er, human warmth, it makes up for in practicality and quantity with photograph after photograph of step-by-step food prep for nearly 300 child friendly dishes. Merely leafing through it is kind of fascinating in a clean and tidy automaton sort of a way. There’s even the odd pic of a smiling child in there. Though that could possibly have been an oversight. Its sister publication, billed as a book for baking and learning together, MUMMY AND ME BAKE, rrp £9.99 looks like an appalling grammatical error until you realise it is the name of a series and punctuation has been deemed unnecessary by one of the cast of a hundred that compiled it. I’m not gonna make a habit of knocking a significant institution like DK but if you are going to produce books by committee, at least appear to set a good example. You are still in the literary business, afterall. Sheeez... 1000 THINGS TO EAT - Usborne rrp £9.99. Another dedicated educational outfit that sometimes, though not always, forgets we punters like human attribution on the cover, at least this company remains an indy, which is rare in our industry. And I happen to find their loose and informal illustrative house-style very appealing, though possibly that’s because, as Trasha my middle one is oft to remark accompanied by a fleck of snakespit, I am an excited four-year old inadvertently wearing middle-aged lady's clothes. Listen, any book of food lists that not only has a condiments page but one that name-checks Worcestershire sauce has got to be worth buying for your little darling. Who’s hungry? ONE THOUSAND THINGS by Anna Kövecses - Wide Eyed rrp £12.99. I agree with the blurb, this is indeed a “vibrant vocabulary builder” - along with a question, there’s a little mouse to find on every page.. D@mm*t!! DINOSAURS, MY BEASTLY ACTIVITY BOOK by Victor Escandell - Thames & Hudson rrp £9.95. More than just a
colouring book (the lastest band-wagon genre), if the excellently knowledgeable interactive content featuring facts and puzzles in robust sketchbook format complete with bright elastic page-marker never sees a frayed felt-tip or coloured pencil, its superb illustrations and tongue-in-cheek style ensure it stands alone as a worthwhile picture book. THE KING & THE SEA by Heinz Janisch & Wolf Erlbruch Gecko rrp £9.99. Twenty one extremely short stories about a king with attitude, solemnly told but philosophical and nonetheless funny. For example, he shouts at an indifferent dog and points to the ground: “I am the King! Stop! Fetch! Heel!” Then naturally he has to run after it. Yes, it is a familiar scenario for us parents. YOU CAN’T TAKE AN ELEPHANT ON THE BUS by Patricia Cleveland-Peck, illustrated by David Tazzyman - Bloomsbury rrp £6.99. A brilliant title and a jolly ridiculous ruse that parks animals on inappropriate modes of transport with abso-chuffinglutely hilarious pictures. Genius. And I especially like the perforated ticket endpapers. There are some things that children today are definitely deprived of - the utter joy of a two inch clipped sugar paper machine printed ticket for one. That marvellous sensation of having your ticket clipped for another. Horrible Oyster cards simply can’t encapsulate the memory of a magical bus ride on a terrific day out. Ghastly money-loaded plastic. We are back in France for the tale of THE HAPPY LION by Louise Fatio & Roger Duvoisin, Dragonfly Books rrp £5.99, a classic originally copyrighted in the 1950s recounted with the characteristically deft panache of its era that retro wannabes can only dream of today. USE YOUR IMAGINATION by Nicola O'Byrne - Nosy Crow rrp £6.99. Rabbit is bored but suddenly a wily wolf, our fairy tale stalwart, is on hand to suggest they write a story together but he can’t quite prevent his appetite from hurrying the process along. “Use your imagination,” he implores with lupine impatience. So Rabbit does. And zoom, up in the air in a rocket goes Mr Wolf! After weeks and weeks and weeks up to our necks in the election, envisaging stuffing all the participants in a rocket and blasting it off to space works for me. THE SOMETHING by Rebecca Cobb - Macmillan rrp £6.99. More thoughtfulness here with what appears to be a more traditional and down-to-earth series of drawings but as the story out in the garden unfolds, what is going on under the ground down that little hole? And why is that fox wearing sunglasses, drinking wine and listening to a record player? Methinks he is enjoying the summer term too. YOUR HAND IN MY HAND by Mark Sperring & Britta Teckentrup - Orchard rrp £6.99. Journeying through the seasons with big mouse & tiny mouse, this would be a little too icky for my tastes if it wasn’t for the fine, fine artwork from this accomplished illustrator. It really is all about the art for me this month. I think we’ve all had enough of rhetoric. THE GOOD MORNING GAME by Hervé Tullet - Phaidon rrp £7.95. Here’s another delightfully silly French toddler book for the collection (and not just because I’ve discovered where to find accents - ooh là là! - on my laptop keyboard). Pop your finger through the petit trou for the full daft effect. DREAMS OF FREEDOM, IN WORDS AND PICTURES by Amnesty International, Frances Lincoln rrp £12.99. What is freedom? How do you explain the concept to the young without frightening them or causing anxiety? It seems that we are going to need all the help we can get to convey hope and reason and right to our babies in this current selfish climate where it is apparently respectable to deny others what we take for granted ourselves; acceptable to be the arbiter of just who is worthy of occupying civility and comfort and who isn’t; to condone exclusion and call it fair-mindedness. Gah! With words from Anne Frank, Mandela, Chief Standing Bear, Malala and Elsa Wiezell among many, and wonderful images by the likes of Jackie Morris, Chris Riddell and Alexis Deacon, all royalties will be donated to the charity whose simple barbed wire encased candle appears on the cover, speaking volumes. Vote for books! that’s what I say.
The Bookseller Crow, 50 Westow St. Crystal Palace, London SE19 3AF Telephone: 020 8771 8831 email: info@booksellercrow.co.uk www.booksellercrow.co.uk familiesse.co.uk
may 2015 - families south east
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