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Pennines

IN THIS ISSUE

Christmas Where's Santa?

Secret Life of 4 & 5 Year Olds at School Dr Elizabeth Kilbey

What's On

NOVEMBER and DECEMBER

Plus

News, Education and Classes

I Issue 41 November/December 2017

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WELCOME

It's Christmas! I can’t believe it’s Christmas already! This year has flown by, but you know what they say! It’s been a fun year seeing the children grow another year older and spending lots of quality family time together.

IN THIS

ISSUE

04 NEWS

06 ROAD SAFETY WEEK

You can also find out how you can get involved to make our roads safer as part of Road Safety Week in November.

07 SECRET LIVES OF 4 & 5 YEAR OLDS

10 CHRISTMAS

14 WHAT’S ON

As always, a huge thanks to all those that help with the magazine from design, sales, distribution and printing – you all do a great job, and I really appreciate it. And of course a big thanks to all our advertisers!

FAMILIES PENNINES Editor: Emily Raleigh 07974 401663 editor@familiespennines.co.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk

To get you into the festive spirit, we’ve crammed this issue with seasonal craft and baking ideas, there’s some great must-dos to keep the family entertained over the holidays, as well as what’s on the shelves this Christmas. There’s also some fabulous events coming up, from Christmas markets, pantomimes, craft events and where to find the big man himself across the region. If you ever watch Channel 4’s Secret Lives of 4 & 5 year Olds, you’ll want to read our interview with Dr Elizabeth Kilbey, a psychologist from the show, on our education pages.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year. See you in 2018!

Emily Raleigh Editor, Families Pennines

@FamiliesPenMag

/FamiliesPenninesMag

CIRCULATION 20,000 DEADLINE Early December 2017 FRONT COVER Just Play Photography, www.justplay.photography IMAGES www.depositphotos.com DESIGNED BY Theresa McDermott, 07462 961793, www.designedbytree.com PRINTED BY Brookfoot Print, 01484 722732, www.brookfootptrint.co.uk Copyright Families Pennines November / December 2017 Families Pennines is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Pennines are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Pennines. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

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New Support Brain Tumour Research this Christmas Pioneering charity Brain Tumour Research has taken an innovative approach to their range of Christmas cards this year, signing up supporter and artist, Caroline Copland, to design a new card for 2017. Caroline, who sadly lost her mother Janet to a brain tumour three years ago, was inspired by the Christmas Hope Trees which decorate the charity’s Research Centres of Excellence across the UK each year. The Hope Tree cards will join other festive favourites in the charity’s range. All cards are priced at £4 per pack of ten, with at least 60% of the proceeds going towards supporting vital brain tumour research. Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK focused on funding sustainable research to find a cure for brain tumours, which kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer.

Order via: www.braintumourresearch.org/ fundraise/christmas-cards

SATs Results: Girls Outperform Boys in All Areas Provisional results of the primary school Key Stage 2 SATs tests show girls performing better than boys in all areas. In both reading and maths, 75% of girls reached the expected standard, compared with 68% of boys in reading and 74% in maths. In writing, there was a 12 percentage point gap, with 82% of girls reaching the expected standard, compared with 70% of boys. Girls outperformed boys in grammar, punctuation and spelling too, at 81% to 73%. Good news for boys in maths though, where 24% of boys reached the higher standard (110 or above) in maths, compared to 21% of girls. For more information visit www.gov.uk/government/statistics/ national-curriculum-assessments-key-stage-2-2017-provisional

Astronaut visits local school Pupils from Norristhorpe J&I School in Liversedge, had an out of this world visit from local astronaut Tim Gregory who came to the school to do an assembly and some follow up workshops with Year 5 who are studying Space. Tim from Dewsbury, is a PHD student and currently appears in the BBC’s Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? Pupils at the school have been following his progress each week on the programme. Claire Lyles, Headteacher at the school, said: “Tim has been an inspiration to our pupils with his passion for science and dreams of being an astronaut. “As a school we try to instil in our children that they can be anything that they want to be if they work hard and be nice to people. Tim’s visit helped them realise that they can achieve their goals and believe that anything is possible.”

Parents Eligible for Childcare Compensation Thousands of parents who have missed out on Tax-Free Childcare due to technical problems with the Childcare Service website may be able to claim compensation from the Government. The Childcare Service website, which is run by HMRC, has been plagued with technical glitches since it went live in April, affecting parents’ ability to register for Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours childcare. In order to receive 30 hours free childcare in September, eligible parents needed to have received a code from HMRC by 31 August and taken it to their childcare provider to secure a place. New guidance published on the gov.uk website under the heading ‘Childcare Service Compensation’ states that: ‘If you’ve been unable to access Tax-Free Childcare through your childcare account for technical reasons, you may be able to claim compensation.’ For more information call HMRC on 0300 123 4097 or visit www.gov.uk/guidance/childcare-service-compensation

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All Different, All Equal Anti-Bullying Week 13 to 17 November 2017 Anti-Bullying Week runs from 13 to 17 November this year and the theme, ‘All Different, All Equal’ aims to promote difference and equality in schools. The idea is to help children and young people celebrate what makes them, and others, unique and help them understand why it’s important that every child feels included at school and able to be themselves without fear of bullying.

Winter is the perfect season for hunkering down and burying noses, so here are some suggestions for filling your youngsters' boots with words. 0-2 Years Twinkle Twinkle ABC by Barney Saltzberg, Phaidon RRP £8.95 And we begin with this artful and melodic board book that mixes and matches possibly the two most sung baby songs on the planet (well, your particular parental planet at any rate) accompanied by a banjo, a growling bear and a pirouetting cow (of course!).

The Snowbear by Sean Taylor & Claire Alexander, Frances Lincoln RRP £11.99 Iggy and Martina head off into the snow to play but somehow they wander off just a little too far and after all their hard work getting cold hands whilst patting the snow into shape, who do you think comes to their rescue?

The Anti-Bullying Alliance will be supporting schools with a range of free activities to help them take action to prevent bullying and create safe environments for their pupils. Anti-Bullying Week will also see the ‘Power for Good’ award made to teachers, school support staff and youth workers who go beyond the call of duty to help children with issues such as bullying, relationships, family life and mental health.

3-5 Years

To get involved visit www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk

The Bear & the Piano Sound Book by David Litchfield, Frances Lincoln RRP £14.99 Everyone can enjoy this new sound edition of last year’s sumptuous hit picture book for pre-schoolers.

Richard Scarry’s Best Treasury Ever by Richard Scarry,Harpercollins RRP £20.00 Everything and everyone is on the go here in aeroplanes, umpteen diggers and buses, and of course Mr Frumble’s Pickle Car. Just don’t get a ticket from Sergeant Murphy!

6-8 Years Santa Claude by Alex T Smith, Hodder RRP £5.99

How Children Eat Says a Lot about Their Personality Most toddlers go through bouts of picky eating, but infants with more inhibited personalities are more likely to turn up their nose at new foods, according to researchers. In a study, researchers observed how infants responded to new foods and new toys throughout their first 18 months. The study found that infants who were wary of new toys also tended to be less accepting of new foods, suggesting early food attitudes stem from personality. "From the time they're very young, some infants are more 'approaching' and react positively to new things, whereas other infants are more 'withdrawing' and react negatively to the same stimul," said Kameron Moding from the University of Colarado, Denver and author of the paper. “Keep trying! Research from other labs has consistently shown that infants and children can learn to accept new foods if their caregivers continue to offer them," Moding said. For more information visit www.sciencedaily.com

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Our eponymous hero Claud is back and wearing a certain festive person’s trousers, which are just little too big (ho ho ho!) and is causing mayhem with his best friend dear old cuddly Sir Bobblysock.

Scaredy Cat, Scaredy Cat by Phil Earle, Hodder RRP £6.99 For our final visit to Storey Street, we meet young resident Kay Catt, a timid soul with much to worry about. Enter Wilf Wilkinson, the weirdest pensioner ever to set foot in the street. Never mind a flat cap and cardi, this old codger has a pointy hat. Just like a.. um.. wizard?

9-11 Years Father Christmas & Me by Matt Haig, Canongate RRP £14.99 Meet Amelia and her newly adoptive parents, none other than Father and Mary Christmas. But wait, everything we love about this very special time of year is under threat from a certain jealous Easter Bunny and his rabbit henchmen.

The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman, David Fickling RRP £20.00 Set ten years before the Northern Lights, we meet a new character, Malcolm, who navigates the Thames in his canoe ‘La Belle Sauvage.’ One day he discovers that the priory across the water has a visitor, an infant named Lyra. Justine Crow is co-founder of the famous South London bookshop ‘Bookseller Crow on the Hill’ based in Crystal Palace. As well as being a blogger and reviewer, parent of three and qualified swimming teacher, she also co-authored The Little Book of Nits published by Bloomsbury.

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FAMILY LIFE

Families and community groups across the region are being encouraged to shout out for safer roads this November, by getting involved with UK Road Safety Week 2017. The UK’s biggest road safety event will take place from 20-26 November and is organised by Huddersfield-based national road safety charity Brake. Parents and community leaders can get involved by simply registering via www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk for a free action pack to help them raise awareness and campaign for safer local roads. Road Safety Week has been inspiring people for 20 years and is coordinated with the support of headline sponsors Aviva and BriteAngle, and the Department for Transport. It’s a great opportunity for community groups, families and schools to take action on local road safety issues and raise awareness to prevent needless casualties. Parents and community road safety champions can access free electronic resources and guidance to help them get involved. A free online action pack includes downloadable, interactive resources for both children and adults, advice on how to campaign for slower speed limits, and case studies of what others have done in previous years. For this year’s Road Safety Week, Brake has chosen to focus on the important message of Speed Down Save Lives. In the UK speeding is still a major problem. It causes needless crashes, untold suffering and stops people living safe and healthy lives. Driving is unpredictable and if something unexpected happens on the road ahead – such as a child stepping out – it is a driver’s speed that will determine whether they can stop in time and, if they can’t stop, how hard they will hit. Those with children or who work in community groups can link activities to this theme by using Brake’s resources.

And for the first time, groups can see what others are doing across the UK via a new interactive map. Dave Nichols, community engagement manager for Brake, said: “Speeding remains a major problem in the UK. Not only does it put kids' lives at risk every single day, but it prevents them from being able to walk and cycle safely in their communities. We all live busy lives and there is often a temptation to speed up in the hope of saving time, where in fact we could be costing lives. That is why we’re encouraging everyone to Speed Down Save Lives this Road Safety Week.” Road Safety Week is an ideal time to focus on: • Speed causes deaths and serious injuries on our roads • Rural roads are not race tracks • 20mph is the only safe speed in heavily built-up areas used by pedestrians and cyclists • Going slow = stopping in time • Speed is scary and noisy. It stops communities being enjoyable places for children and families to walk, talk and play • Speed cameras work. They save lives. • Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) is an important development that is likely to be fitted to all vehicles in the future

Register at www.roadsafetyweek.org.uk/communities to get a free online action pack. Plus, stay in touch by following @BrakeCharity and tweet about the Week using #roadsafetyweek and #SpeedDown

"Speed is scary and noisy. It stops communities being enjoyable places for children and families to walk, talk and play"

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EDUCATION

f o s e iv L t e r The Sec Olds at School 4 & 5 Year Most parents and carers wish they could be a fly-on-the-wall when their child starts school. Well, Channel 4’s Secret Lives of 4 & 5 year Olds which returns this November, allows them to do just that. Filmed in a specially rigged Essex school, the new series aims to give viewers a child’s perspective of their transition to a school setting. Claire Winter talks to Dr Elizabeth Kilbey, a psychologist from the show, about what she learnt whilst filming the series.

Can you tell us more about the series?

How can we deal with the issue of gender with young children?

It offers this wonderful window, through which we can watch the children playing and interacting with each other. We give them lots of things to do, to see how they manage and play. It’s an amazing way of showing viewers what their children are actually doing at school.

I feel that gender isn’t particularly a driving force for children this age. They do make assumptions about children but they are happy for them to be corrected and they play on a much more straightforward basis. Gender becomes a much bigger issue for children towards the end of primary school. It’s important to encourage them to keep an open mind and understand that children of all ages and genders need the same opportunities because that is what is important for their development. Brains are not gendered, brains allow our children to learn.

How did the children cope with the transition to school? Parents' main worry is generally ‘will my child be alright?’ and some children are very anxious. A great example is that wonderful picture of Prince George looking a bit worried on his first day of school. What I can now confidently tell parents and carers is that their children are absolutely fine, once they are gone. They are doing lots of interesting things and coping brilliantly.

Not all children cope with the transition so well.. what advice would you give to them? Take a calm, pragmatic approach. Essentially children tend to be worried about what they think might happen. In reality, they are going to be fine, but they just don’t know that yet. Be confident and reassure your child that everything will be okay. Children are inherently social beings. They are curious and want to interact with people so even timid children will find something that sparks their imagination. Remember, the school setting is designed to engage them. It’s getting them to go in which is the tough bit. Once they are there they’ll be fine.

What advice can you give parents whose children havent started school yet? Children need to develop communications skills, get used to talking and relating to others and playing cooperatively. All of these social abilities will be vital later in life. Encourage lots of play with other children and get them to question how things work because natural curiosity is the main driver for learning.

What can you do if a child is exhibiting OCD type behaviour? Anxiety needs a non-emotional response and a calm authority can be incredibly helpful. It’s tempting to offer support to someone who is suffering by saying, “isn’t this terrible,” but this reinforces the idea that there is something to be scared of. Parents shouldn’t try to neutralise the anxiety or reinforce it; it is best to carry on, with a business as usual approach. If you are concerned or the behaviour is continuing over a long period of time and in more than one setting, get some advice from your school, GP or Health Visitor.

What was the most interesting insight you gained from watching the children? I learnt that children of this age are hilarious and multi-layered. They are not that different from adults. They have amazingly rich social lives. They test hypotheses, ask questions, fail and then carry on. They are resilient and incredibly complicated, just like we are. ‘The Secret Lives of 4 and 5 Year Olds’ will be aired on Channel 4 in November.

HOW CAN KIDS DEAL WITH FRIENDSHIP ISSUES IF THEY HAVE FALLEN OUT WITH SOMEONE? It’s very tempting as a parent to want to fix this problem, but children fall in and out of friendships hundreds of times a day and can usually sort issues out themselves. If the problem is more complicated and you think there is unkind behaviour or bullying, then an adult might need to step in. But on the whole, conflict, when you are learning to be social is perfectly normal. Ask your child, “Is there any thing you can do to sort the situation out?” Try and help them understand the other child’s perspective. As parents, we often overcomplicate issues. We can learn a lot from children, particularly the way they are so open and forgiving.

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EDUCATION

Helping Your Child with Spelling: A Parent’s Guide The new school year is here, and pretty soon your child may start bringing home weekly spelling lists to study. As a parent, you may be wondering, how can I help my child become a better speller? Firstly, it is useful to understand the different ways in which children remember spellings. VISUAL ‘Does it look right?’ The child responds to the shapes of words and patterns of the letter-strings within them. AUDITORY ‘Sound it out!’ The child recognises the relationship between sounds and letters or groups of letters and analyses words in these terms. KINAESTHETIC ‘Let the spelling come out of the end of your pencil!’ The child becomes accustomed to making specific hand-movements to produce particular words or letter strings. LINGUISTIC ‘Why is it spelt like that?’ The child learns to be aware of relationships between words or parts of words based on meanings, syntax, derivations etc. Next, it is helpful to appreciate that all children have a preferred learning style and by offering your child activities which suit their style, you will help them learn more quickly and effectively. Visual Learners learn by looking at the letter/word as it is said or written. A visual link is created to the manual, oral and auditory channels of their brain. Oral Kinaesthetic Learners learn by saying the letter/word as it is viewed or written. An oral link is created to the manual, visual and auditory channels of the brain. Manual Kinaesthetic Learners learn by writing/creating/modeling/ tracing the letter/word as it is viewed or spoken. A manual link is created to the oral, visual and auditory channels of the brain.

SE D

CUI

Here are some activities you can try at home with your child to help them with their spelling skills. • Show your child how words can be broke down into syllables e.g. together = to-get-her, discovery = dis-cov-er-y. • Ask your child to draw pictures for each of the spelling words. Get them to write the word below the picture. Take all the pictures and create a spelling reference book. • Create a word search with your child’s spelling words. You can do this by making a grid of 10 squares by 10 squares, writing the spelling words in the grid, then filling up the other squares with random letters. Keep a list of your child’s spelling words nearby for them to refer to. • Together, think of ways to remember the words. For example, You HEAR with your EAR; He will be a FRIEND until the END; Big Elephants Can Always Upset Small Elephants. These types of memorisation tricks are called mnemonics. • Encourage your child to write a story using as many of their spelling words as possible and also include illustrations. • Trace, copy and replicate. Write the word out on a sheet of paper ensuring that it is spelt correctly and is large enough to trace over. Trace over the word and say it at the same time. Then, move to the word you have just written and write it out as you say it. Turn the page over and write the word as you say it, and then check that it is spelt correctly. • Rainbow writing. Using coloured pencils in different ways can help to make parts of words more memorable. Highlight the tricky part of a word or write the tricky part in a different colour.

• Rearrange letters from your child’s name or other known words to make new words. • Enjoy playing word games with your child eg. Scrabble, Boggle, Hangman and Word lotto.

YEAR 7 ENTRANCE EXAM Academic excellence is only part of the story. 0161 624 4497 | www.ohgs.co.uk | admissions@ohgs.co.uk

• Play the ‘plasticine writing challenge’. Flatten a piece of plasticine and use a pencil to ‘write’ a spelling word in it. Now look at the word together. After a while, smooth over the plasticine and challenge your child to write the word from memory.

When studying spelling, encourage your child to use the ‘Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check” method. LOOK first look at the whole word carefully and if there is one part of the word that is difficult, look at that part in more detail.

Wednesday 17th January 2018 8.45am - 3.30pm

SAY say the word as you look at it, using different ways of pronouncing it if that will make it more memorable. COVER cover the word. WRITE write the word from memory, saying the word as you do so. CHECK Have you got it right? If yes, try writing it again and again. If not start again – look, say cover, write, check. Repeat the process and keep practising until the word has been spelt correctly three times. Above all, ensure that your child feels confident that, as a writer, they always have your interest, admiration and support. Andrew Campbell

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EDUCATION

How to make the most of parents’ meetings Explore Learning helps you make the most of your recent school parents’ meetings. So, you’ve been to a meeting with your child’s teacher and you’ve got an overview of how your child is progressing. But what do you do next to help? • Discuss with your child the feedback from their teacher, they may already be aware of what they need to work on but if they don’t, talk about it. Set a goal together of something they would like to achieve based on their feedback and aim to complete this by the end of next term. Make a plan together about how they are going to get there.

• Ask others for help, don’t worry if you don’t understand something or want to know what others are doing. Lots of people will be in the same position so talk to fellow parents for advice. Alternatively, there are some great advice websites like www.theschoolrun.co.uk and www.oxfordowl.co.uk or if you have a tutor, talk to them. At Explore Learning our tutors always help parents when they need advice and will take into account your child’s recent reports and feedback when tailoring their learning. Never be afraid to ask, there is no such thing as a silly question when it comes to your child’s learning!

For example: You’re told they give up every time they have to learn something new, especially times tables. The goal you come up with together is to have a can-do attitude. Steps to getting there could be taking a new set of tables and learning them in small batches. Praise them for the ones they have got right alongside highlighting when they are being positive towards their learning so they know what kind of attitude is expected. • If you’ve set any goals with the teacher, then plan a time to review these. Depending on how the teacher likes to work this could be an email, call or face to face catch up 6-8 weeks after the initial meeting. Review how things are going and make changes if needed. • You may come away from a meeting and realise you’ve forgotten something or you don’t understand how the school is reporting on progress. Contact the school if you still have questions, or look on their website as you should find a wealth of information on there. Image: Explore learning, Dominic James

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CHRISTMAS

How to make a SCRAPtastic Christmas Wreath

fairandfunky runs SCRAPtastic workshops with schools and community groups, creating individual works of art using recycled materials. Their simple crafts are fun for all the family, and are affordable too. This Christmas why not have a go at making your own little egg box Christmas Wreath that doesn’t cost the earth! You will need • Egg box • Cardboard – a cereal box is fine • Scrap green and red paper and card • Glue • Scissors

Prepare your SCRAP! Draw round a plate and a mug to be able to cut out a circular shape from your cardboard. Cut your egg box up into smaller sections – we actually find it easier to rip the egg box. Using the scrap paper to cut out leaf and berry shapes. We used an old teabag box and an old envelope for this!

Create your SCRAP! You can cut each portion of your egg box into new styles – spikey, rounded or just leave ripped up. All work just as well.

r u o y s g 10 thin ust do fa m i l y mi s t m a s t h i s C h r By Claire Winter 1

Oh no it wouldn’t! Many families make it a tradition to watch a festive show. Many of the local theatres have their annual panto which run from November to January, including the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Theatre Royal Wakefield and the Oldham Coliseum. If Panto isn’t your thing why not go and see the iconic ‘Nutcracker’ at The Victoria Theatre in Halifax or listen to the Orchestra of Opera North perform the music from The Snowman and Cinderella?

Go Ice-skati

Check out your local ice rink, there’s Bradford Ice Rink or Ice Sheffield. There are also pop-up rinks in Manchester from November and the Ice Factor in York. Or why not make a special trip to have hot chocolate at the beautiful ice rink at Somerset House in London, Canary Wharf, the Natural History Museum or Hampton Court, which all have rinks that are open right through till February next year.

Bake with the kids Make festive gingerbread men with the children. The smell of baking, ginger and cinnamon immediately evokes the scent of Christmas. You could also be ambitious and bake biscuits to construct a gingerbread house too. Don’t worry you can also cheat and buy a readymade set from supermarkets like Asda, Aldi and Lidl!

Stick each egg box piece onto your cardboard using PVA glue. Add the leaves and berries in between the egg box pieces to create a beautiful egg box Christmas wreath. ‘SCRAPtastic’ the book is out now! Full of crafty ways to recycle it’s perfect to keep the whole family entertained. Head to www.fairandfunky.com to get yourself a copy.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Panto

Check out a Christmas Light show

Stately homes and gardens are lighting up with festive brilliance across the country. The Christmas Experience at Lotherton Hall in Leeds has its 12 days of Christmas Walk, there’s also Tameside Winter Carnival with a lantern parade and fireworks.

10 Families Pennines familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

Every day we get closer to Christmas the children (and adults) get a little bit more excited. Here are some great ideas to get in the festive mood with the whole family.

Make reindeer food

Generate excitement about the arrival of Father Christmas and his reindeer by making a special food for Rudolf and friends. You can pre-make it and have it ready to sprinkle on the lawn or hallway on Christmas Eve, so Santa and his friends know where to go! Mix oats with edible glitter (don’t use normal glitter as it could be harmful to animals) and cake sprinkles and then pop the mixture in a suitable bag. You can also get the kids to design their own festive labels and give the bags to family and friends at school.

Visit a Christmas market Many cities and towns across the UK now have wonderful choice of markets, where you can buy a vast array of gifts, drink mulled wine and soak up the festive atmosphere. Manchester hosts a variety of markets including a traditional German, French and World Market and Leeds has its Christkindelmarkt in Millennium Square, both from 10 November.

Deck the Halls

Help others

Find out what your local food bank needs at Christmas time. Maybe they are collecting stocking fillers for children or need extra festive food. Get your children to think of someone locally who might like a visit or some extra help during the Christmas period.

as film

m Watch a Christ

Snuggling up with a hot cocoa and watching a festive classic can be just what the doctor ordered after a hectic day of Christmas shopping. It's a Wonderful Life, The Polar Express, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street and Home Alone are just some of the films people love to watch.

Christmas is upon us, come and see our Winter Show!

Put on some Christmas tunes and decorate the house as a family. Get all the decorations out and have fun making your home all Christmassy. Collect some greenery from the garden or whilst you are on a walk. The traditional holly and ivy looks great draped over a mantelpiece or around a doorframe. You could also get the kids to make their own decorations - card, glue and glitter is all you need!

Go and see the Christmas lights

If you’re on a budget this a great way to get into the festive spirit without having to spend a fortune. Most towns and cities have a festive switch-on, where a local celebrity or panto star turns on the lights and there is usually some free entertainment too. Even local villages get in on the act! Find out when your local Christmas lights switch on is – they’re usually in November.

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25 From - 7 Nov Jan

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CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

Christmas all wrapped up

The Christmas countdown has begun - to make sure you stay on your kids' ‘good’ list here is our 2017 definitive Christmas gift guide. Avoid last minute panic shopping by getting most of it done now!

inter By Claire W

B a b ie s

Children

Rosa & Bo Nesting Babies £20, www.rosaandbo.com Age: 3months – 3years How cute is this stylish, Russian doll inspired sensory toy? You can find Bo the Bunny inside and as an added bonus he chimes too.

Little Tikes Princess Horse & Carriage £99.99, Amazon Age: 18 months+ For the little princess in your life. This amazing toddler ride-on comes complete with clip-clop sounds and a horse that moves side to side.

Lion Stacking Toy

Stickibox Cardboard Box Car Kit

£16, www.double-flip.com

£18, www.stickibox.com

Age: Suitable from birth

Age: 3+

A classic set of brightly painted stacking rings that will look great in any nursery. Your little one gets to place the rings on the wooden pole and finish it off with a cheerful lion head. Great for babies and toddlers hand eye coordination.

Capitalise on the premise that all children like playing with cardboard boxes with this great kit, where you can make your own customised cardboard car with its very own personalised number plate!

Talking Peter Rabbit £15.99, www.what2buy4kids.co.uk Age: Suitable from birth Whether they are fans of the original Beatrix Potter books or the hit TV Show on CBeebies, your child will be hopping with delight when they receive this lovely talking Peter Rabbit.

Fisher Price ‘Teach n Tag Movi’ £54.99, Argos Age: 3+ Tech inspired toys will always grab children’s attention and this cool little robot will get kids moving and learning along with him. With 360 degrees of mobility it encourages pre-schoolers to get their minds and bodies moving while teaching them to follow directions and think critically about the world around them.

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Christmas Novelty Cupcake RECIPE Vtech Kidizoom Flix Playset

Head baker Judy at Ruddi’s Treat Rooms in Linthwaite has put together a fab recipe for some festive cupcakes. The kids will love getting involved and decorating them! You will need: 175g Self Raising Flour 150g Caster Sugar 2tbsp Cocoa Powder 150ml Milk 150ml Vegetable Oil 2 Eggs 2tbsp Golden Syrup

£59.99, Amazon Age: 4+

Hatchimals Colleggtibles £10, Argos Age:5+ Hatchimals look set to be another must-have toy this year with their colleggtible range. Hold the egg in your hands, rub the heart and when it changes from purple to pink, it's ready to hatch. There are over 70 to collect. You have been warned!

Meet Flix! An alien VTech Kidizoom camera. It can detect faces and will sound out funny alien responses when you speak to him. You can change the colour of his eyes and background. Available in blue and pink, it also has a ‘guard mode’ where it takes secret photos or videos.

Pie Face Sky High Game £26.99, Amazon Age: 5+ Messy fun for the whole family, a new take on the runaway hit game of the last two Christmases - Pie Face. This is a new ‘fairground style’ version where you hit the hammer and see how far up you can get the pie to splat your opponent. Pies at the ready!

Method: 1. Sieve the flour, caster sugar and cocoa powder and mix together in a large mixing bowl. 2. Then add the milk, vegetable oil, eggs and syrup and mix well. 3. Pour the mixture into 12 cupcake cases. 4. Pop the tray into the oven and bake at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes. 5. Once cooled, decorate using buttercream or fondant icing.

Tips for decorating: Use a good quality coloured sugar paste or buy white sugar paste and colour using 'pro gel' colours (not liquids). The christmas tree, snow and snowflake have been done using piped coloured buttercream. All the details have been done using coloured sugar paste and moulded by hand, except the star which has been done using a cutter and the bauble using a textured rolling mat.

For more information on Ruddi's Treat Rooms' bespoke cake making service, go to www.ruddistreatrooms.com

Ol d e r Chil d ren

SelfieMic £19.99, Argos Age: 8+ This toy combines a karoke mic with a selfie stick and pop-star style ear-piece. Like many toys out this year it also comes with an app. Expect to be inundated with lots and lots of videos.

Anki Cozmo £199.99, Amazon Age: 7+ Another tech toy with a hefty price tag but this is an amazing gift. Cozmo is a real-life robot that is truly interactive. He’ll nudge you to play with him and his personality evolves the more time you spend with him.

Lego Boost £149.99, Amazon Age: 7-12 A must for any LEGO fan and listed in the Amazon top ten of Christmas toys is this amazing LEGO BOOST Creative Toolbox. You can build and code interactive motorised robots, models and creations with distance, colour and tilt sensor technologies, which you can also access by a dedicated app. How cool is that?

Airhogs DR1 Official Race Drone £99, Argos Age: 10+

familiesonline.co.uk

The Very Merry Christmas Game £19.99, Amazon Age:8 + Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a family board game. Why not get this festive themed one? You move around the board collecting presents to put in your stocking. You can also land on a singing space, where you will have to belt a verse from a Christmas carol or song and watch out for the dreaded Sprouts card!

Images amazon.co.uk

A great gift for a tween. Download the free app, place a smart phone in the headset, and start piloting like a DR1 drone racing professional with a live stream from the camera on the drone.

Families Pennines 13

WHATS ON THIS NOVEMBER / DECEMBER

THEATRE & CINEMA

CHRISTMAS MARKETS

11 November 2017- 13 January 2018

10 November - 21 December

DICK WHITTINGTON

MANCHESTER CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Fairbottom Street, Oldham, OL1 3SW, 0161 624 2829 coliseum.org.uk With fabulous costumes, glitz, glamour, silliness and slapstick and hit songs to sing along to it will appeal to the whole family. £17.50/ £15.50/ £13.50. 19 November

THE UGLY DUCKLING Square Chapel, 10 Square Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 1QG, 01422 349422 squarechapel.co.uk Brilliant storytelling, fantastic puppets and a delightful musical score make this a fabulous show. Approx. 45mins + 15 mins meet the puppets. 2.30pm. 3+. £8. 7 – 10 December

SANTA’S MIXED UP MARTIAN The Victoria Theatre, Fountain Street, Halifax, HX1 1BP, 01422 351158 victoriatheatre.co.uk An unmissable festive treat for all children up to the age of 6 years. 35 minutes followed by a meet and greet with Santa. £8.50/ £11.50 for children (includes gift). 14 December

HARRY POTTER: A HISTORY OF MAGIC Huddersfield Library, Princess Alexandra Walk, Kirklees, West Yorkshire, HD1 2SU ticketsource.co.uk/kirkleeslibraries. In partnership with the British Library, Huddersfield Library will be capturing the magic at the heart of the Harry Potter stories with an exciting new exhibition featuring reproductions of drafts and drawings by J.K.Rowling. The exhibition will run up until Christmas. For all ages. Booking essential. Free. festive season with this magical mix of music, comedy, adventure and pantomime fun. £15.75 - £23.70.

and some magical shadow play. 3pm, 6pm, 11am & 3pm at Red Brick Auditorium. £12 (£10 concessions).

16 December 18 - 28 January 17

23 November – 7 January 18

CINDERELLA

ALADDIN

The Alhambra Theatre, Morley Street, Bradford, BD7 1AJ, 01274 432000 bradford-theatres.co.uk Starring Alhambra Theatre favourite Billy Pearce, Coleen Nolan and stage star Shane Nolan. £15.50 - £40.

Theatre Royal Wakefield, Drury Lane, Wakefield, WF1 2TE, 01924 211311, theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk Aladdin features fantastic sets, magical costumes and some of the best performers in the country. Peak £23.50, £21, £14. Off Peak - £20.50, £18.50, £13. Concessions available.

23 – 24 December

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Square Chapel, 10 Square Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX1 1QG, Beautiful scenery, captivating storytelling, compelling live action

THE NUTCRACKER Hyde Festival Theatre, Corporation St, Hyde, SK14 1AB, 0161 342 4144 hydefestivaltheatre.org.uk Magical choreography, exquisite costumes and breath-taking scenery that together create an atmosphere of fantasy and illusion. 7.30pm £16 Adults, £12.00 concessions. 14 December

OPERA NORTH CHRISTMAS Dewsbury Town Hall, Wakefield Old Rd, Dewsbury WF12 8DG, 01484 225755 kirkleestownhalls.co.uk The Orchestra of Opera North is joined by the combined voices of Opera North’s Chorus, Youth and Children’s Choruses. 7pm £17/£8 16 December 17 – 6 January 18

ALADDIN The Victoria Theatre, Fountain Street, Halifax, HX1 1BP, 01422 351158 victoriatheatre.co.uk Add a touch of sparkle to your

10 November - 24 December

CHRISTKINDELMARKT LEEDS Millennium Square, whatson. leeds.gov.uk Millennium Square will once again be transformed into a scenic winter village featuring a variety of authentic wooden chalet stalls, cosy indoor retreats, a traditional carousel and daily programme of light entertainment. 16 November – 24 December

SHEFFIELD CHRISTMAS MARKET sheffieldchristmasmarkets.co.uk Specialist wooden cabins stocked with a host of goodies readily line the streets - with fantastic choice available on sweets, treats and craft products. Decorative gifts and handmade trinkets are always in plentiful supply too. 24 - 26 November

8 Dec 17 – 6 Jan 18

THE HEPWORTH WAKEFIELD CHRISTMAS MARKET

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK The Lawrence Batley Theatre, Queen’s Square, Queen Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP, 01484 430528 thelbt.org Brought to you by the same creative team behind LBT’s sellout 2016 pantomime Cinderella, it will feature everything you love about a traditional panto – laughs galore, magnificent live music and spectacular costumes. £18 - £12 / Children under 16 £2 off

www.manchestermarkets.com Manchester’s world famous Christmas Markets spread across the city centre with 300 traders offering international food, drinks and Yuletide gifts.

12 December

THE SNOWMAN & CINDERELLA Huddersfield Town Hall, Corporation St, Huddersfield, HD1 2TA, 01484 225755 kirkleestownhalls.co.uk Join the Orchestra of Opera North and narrator John Savournin, with the classic rags-to-riches tale of Cinderella with music and illustrations before the orchestra performs the soundtrack to the timeless classic The Snowman. 6pm. Adults £13, children £6.

hepworthwakefield.org/whatson/ Christmas-Market/ Visited annually by over 6000 people, the Christmas Market presents high quality craft and food items, produced and sourced by independent makers, collectives and small organisations from Yorkshire and further afield. 2 & 3 December

KELHAM ISLAND MUSEUM 25TH VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET

Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust, Kelham Island Museum, Alma Street, S3 8RY simt.co.uk The Dickensian themed event attracts over 16,000 visitors to its cobbled streets and ambient market quarters home to over 120 stalls.

14 Families Pennines familiesonline.co.uk

WHATS ON THIS NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 10 December

CAROL CONCERT AT THE ABBEY

CHRISTMAS

Temple Newsam Estate, Temple Newsam Park, Leeds, LS15 0AE, 0113 336 7460 leeds.gov.uk/ Storytelling, crafts, music, games and craft activities at the festive farm. 16 – 31 December

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS

18 November

TAMESIDE WINTER CARNIVAL creatingcarnival.org/illuminated Celebrating community spirit in an evening of light. Featuring the magical community lantern parade and pyrotechnic finale and lantern making workshops. 18 & 19 November

CHOCOLATES FOR CHRISTMAS Temple Newsam Estate, Temple Newsam Park, Leeds, LS15 0AE, 0113 3367460 leeds.gov.uk Learn to make Belgian truffles and take away beautifully packaged chocolates. £35 includes the workshop, a house tour and tea and cake. 1-4pm. Booking essential. 19 November

VICTORIAN CHRISTMAS FAIR Tolson Museum, Ravensknowle Park, Wakefield Road, Huddersfield HD5 8DJ, 01484 223240 kirklees.gov.uk/museums A warm Victorian welcome awaits, with stalls, refreshments and music to get you into the Christmas spirit. Free. 11am-4pm. 26 November

FAMILY WORKSHOP: FESTIVE TREE DECORATION MAKING Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton, Wakefield WF4 4LG, 01924 832631 ysp.co.uk Enjoy making your own seasonal decorations inspired by Chinese culture to hang on your tree. All materials are provided. From. £5. 11am & 2pm. 2 – 3 December

Leeds Industrial Museum, Canal Road, Armley, Leeds, LS12 2QF, 0113 378 3173 leeds.gov.uk/schoolholidays Join us for crafts on a Victorian theme throughout the school holidays. There will be plenty to amuse, educate and inspire! 16 – 31 December

FESTIVE FILM SCREENINGS Leeds Industrial Museum, Canal Road, Armley, Leeds, LS12 2QF, 0113 378 3173 leeds.gov.uk/schoolholidays Did you know that the museum has one of the smallest cinemas in the UK? Join them every day during the Christmas holidays for a festive family favourite film. 17 December

CINDERELLA'S MAGIC WAND Shibden Hall, Lister's Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX3 6XG, 01422 352246 ticketsource.co.uk/Calderdale Meet Cinderella and Buttons in this magical costumed workshop. Help Cinderella with her chores and discover old toys. Age:4-8. £3.50/ £7. 11.15am-1pm & 1.30-3.15pm KCS_Family Pennines 130x87mm_Ad_AW.indd 1 19 & 21 December

CHRISTMAS CRAFTS Thwaite Mills Watermill, Thwaite Lane, Stourton, Leeds, LS10 1RP, 0113 3782983 leeds.gov.uk/school holidays Creative Tuesday crafts and make something on Experimental Thursday. Find out how to make your own sleigh!

WORLDWIDE WINTER STORIES

Oakwell Hall Country Park, Nova Lane, Birstall, Batley WF17 9LG, 01924 324761 kirklees.gov.uk/museums Craft stalls with Christmas music, food and Santa in the Hall too! Free entry to the Barn and Hall over the weekend. Small charge to see Santa. 12-4pm.

Leeds Discovery Centre, Carlisle Road, Leeds, LS10 1LB, 0113 378 2100 Discover global celebrations and traditions at this festive time of year. Enjoy free craft activities and a tour of the museum store. 10am-12pm. Call to book.

CHRISTMAS AT THE ABBEY Kirkstall Abbey, Abbey Walk, Kirkstall Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS5 3EH, 0113 230 5492 leeds.gov.uk/schoolholidays A magical Nativity procession, starting with Mary being visited by an angel and finishing with carols in the church. (Please wear sensible shoes and warm clothing.) 3pm.

familiesonline.co.uk

The Lawrence Batley Theatre proudly presents

20 December

CHRISTMAS CRAFT WEEKEND

6 December

26/09/2017 15:51

A traditional family pantomime Written by Andrew Pollard Directed by Joyce Branagh

27, 28, 29 Dec & 1,2,3,4,5 Jan

CRAFTS AT OLD MOOR RSPB Dearne Valley, Old Moor, Old Moor Lane, Dearne Valley Nature Reserve, Wombwell, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S73 0YF, 01226 751593 rspb.org.uk/oldmoor Crafts in the activity zone and a winter trail out on the reserve. Crafts and walk are free however reserve entry fee applies.

Fri 8 December - Sat 6 January Box Office 01484 430528 Online thelbt.org Lawrence Batley Theatre, Queen’s Square Queen Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP