jan/feb’17
The useful magazine for families with young children in York, Harrogate, Tadcaster, Wetherby & Selby STOCKELD
PARK
Where magic is made & adventures
begin
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Loads of indoor fun on the farm this February half term! The Sheep Show featuring dancing sheep, Live lambing barn where you can bottle-feed new born lambs, ‘Meet the Vet’, Tractor trailer rides and animal petting barn. New for 2017 is our giant indoor Farm Play Baa-rn, with junior tractor drivers area, straw bale mountain, giant slides, swings and dig’n’play. PIGLETS, NR YORK YO32 9ST TEL 01904 499183 PIGLETSADVENTUREFARM.COM
BRACKENFIELD SCHOOL
128 Duchy Road, Harrogate HG1 2HE
OUR NEXT OPEN MORNING Friday 10th March
Harrogate’s only stand-alone Preparatory School for 2-11 yr olds.
10.00am to 11.30am ✓High academic standards ✓Traditional Values ✓Warm family atmosphere
“Outstanding in all areas” Ofsted May 2016
74
issue
Please contact us for further information or a tour of the school
T: 01423 508558 • www.brackenfieldschool.co.uk
welcome
Just before Christmas my daughter told me she was looking forward to January because that’s when she gets to stand up in assembly and report back on the previous year’s resolutions and set new ones.
“So what was last year’s?” I asked her. “To eat my vegetables,” she replied. I’ll bet you’re thinking that what follows is a smart comment from yours truly in the spirit of having a chuckle (again) at my kids’ expense. I’ll admit I was about to question her vegetable eating when I realised that, actually, without me really noticing, my 9 year old HAD been eating her vegetables for quite a long time. Admittedly she hasn’t eaten ALL of every vegetable, but she’s certainly tried them all and finished what she could. And I hadn’t noticed. All year, without me nagging, my daughter had been sticking to what she promised herself. I’m not sure whether I should be berated for my lack of attentiveness, or whether she should be praised for being determined to keep a promise to herself whether or not her actions are seen. I’m happy to let myself believe that in neglecting to praise or criticise, I’ve allowed my daughter to develop some valuable decision-making skills. I must make a resolution to do that more often. Happy New Year!
Editor of Families VOY
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2 Families Vale of York
families magazine
Tel: 01405 860831 editor@familiesvoy.co.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk
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Families Vale of York 3
news
Does your child like programming?
ScratchMyPi is an award winning York-based business teaching programming to children and teenagers in an engaging and fun way. They run a number of holiday workshops in York, Harrogate and Ripon as well as several code clubs. ScratchMyPi’s holiday workshops are always popular and include robot wars, Minecraft programming, design a burglar alarm, joystick games, Morse code and remote control robots. If your child enjoys coding, it’s a great way to learn some new techniques and to engage them with fun things like Minecraft and electronics. Workshops last for 2 hours and there’s always the option to leave your child over lunch so they can do 2 workshops in a day. ScratchMyPi won the York Press award for new business in 2014. It’s run by a primary teacher who also teaches computing in primary schools as well as running workshops and training in schools. Workshops are very popular and tend to fill early. Full details of the venues and workshops can be found at www.scratchmypi.co.uk
Allergen barrier wins award
HayMax has just won a prestigious bronze award from Mother & Baby, the UK’s No.1 Pregnancy, Baby and Toddler Magazine. HayMax Kids is an organic drug-free allergen barrier balm that helps trap pollen, dust and pet allergens. When applied around the base of the nostrils (and around the bones of the eyes if desired) it forms an invisible barrier that traps pollen and dust and pet allergens before they enter the body. As long as this is enough to keep your child below their sensitivity level, their symptoms won’t be triggered. HayMax Kids is popular with parents because of its 100% drug-free and natural formulation. Its ingredients have been selected to be suitable for babies from birth, toddlers, children and teenagers. It is also Soil Association certified organic, vegetarian and has never been tested on animals. Because it is non-drowsy it won’t affect children’s performance at school or during important exams. Inventor of HayMax Kids, Max Wiseberg said, “This award means so much to me as HayMax Kids was originally created in answer to a common question from mums ‘is HayMax suitable for kids?’ And now so many of these mums have voted for it, as a loved and trusted brand for their little ones’ allergies. I’m proud to say that this is our 45th award for HayMax”.
YES. A 30% IMPROVEMENT IN MATHS. SHALL I EXPLAIN THE FIGURES? Our maths and English tutors are here to build confidence, and we’ve got independent research to prove the difference we make. Explore fearless learning today by calling 030 3003 4006 to book your free trial. explorelearning.co.uk /explorelearning @exploretutors
4 Families Vale of York
HayMax Kids retails at £6.99 per pot and is available from Holland & Barrett; selected Boots; independent chemists, pharmacists and health stores; on 01525 406600 and from haymax.biz.
Stagecoach News
Students from Stagecoach York are gearing up to appear in a number of professional tours - including AbbaMania, La Boheme and Evita. On top of this all students have the opportunity to appear at the York Barbican on March 4th in Stagecoach York’s own show “A Night at the Musicals”. “This follows students appearing in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat earlier this year,” said Sally Thrussell of Stagecoach York. Twenty of Sally’s students also appeared in the heart of London’s West End at Her Majesty’s Theatre, home of Phantom of the Opera (pictured). Stagecoach York is now enrolling for the spring term starting in January. For more information contact principal Sally Thrussell on 01904 672662 or via the website www.stagecoach.co.uk/york Stagecoach Harrogate is excited to be celebrating it’s 20th anniversary this year. “There will be lots going on as part of the celebrations,” said principal Celia Darby. “An Anniversary Charity concert for Rotary charities will be held on April 2nd, there will be Rada Workshops and a West Yorkshire Playhouse Workshop, along with a trip to the theatre to see ‘The Witches’ by Roald Dahl at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. This Christmas Harrogate Stagecoach students took the RSLA Musical Theatre exams watched by nervous and excited parents. “The results will be out in the New Year,” said Celia, “so fingers crossed for some great grades!” For more information about Stagecoach Harrogate contact Celia on 01423 771138 or via the website www.stagecoach.co.uk/harrogate
York Theatre Royal’s
Railway Children now on DVD
If you were fortunate enough to see one of the most popular and unique theatrical experiences of recent years, you’ll be pleased to learn that the Olivier Awardwinning production of The Railway Children is now available to buy on DVD. The stunning stage-to-screen version was directed by International Emmy Award-winning Ross MacGibbon. Together with the expert production team, Ross navigated the production’s thrilling and clever staging, including moving platforms, props, rail carts and a real steam engine (the original locomotive from the much-loved original 1970 film), capturing every spectacular and spellbinding moment of the fast-paced production. First produced by York Theatre Royal at the National Railway Museum, where it enjoyed two sell-out and critically acclaimed seasons in 2008 and 2009, the production then opened at Waterloo Station in the former Eurostar terminal in July 2010, where it won the 2011 Olivier Award for Best Entertainment, before opening in Toronto in 2011 in a temporary theatre built at the base of CN Tower in Roundhouse Park. Loved by adults and children alike, this is a fabulous piece of theatre captured perfectly on film. Running time: 134 mins approx (show – 109 mins, special features – 25 mins), Cert: U. Available from Amazon priced at £10.
news
York Nursery Scoops Two National Awards
York’s Little Green Rascals Organic Day Nurseries have followed up their success in winning the Employer of the Year at The Press Business Awards by winning Green Nursery at the prestigious NMT Awards 2016 in London. Vanessa Warn, the Founder & Managing Director of Little Green Rascals also picked up the Personality of the Year at the ceremony. Vanessa said; “We’re on top of the world: to follow up a local award with National recognition from our sector is absolutely amazing. I’m delighted for all my team who’ve put so much effort in over the last twelve months.” The judges chose Little Green Rascals Organic Day Nursery because they were totally inspired and blown away by their passion and vision for a truly green and sustainable nursery. Children, their families and the wider community work in total partnership and all benefit from the holistic ethos. In the Personality category, the judges chose Vanessa because the testimonials and submission clearly evidenced the exceptional impact that Vanessa has had on children, families and staff. The interview process provided further evidence of Vanessa’s quality. Winners of the NMT Nursery Awards 2016 were presented with their trophies by Professor Robert Winston at the high profile Gala Night held on Saturday 26th November at the London Hilton Metropole Hotel, attended by over 600 guests.
“Professional, reliable childcare from Bright Beginnings” Qualified Nannies Maternity Practitioners Nursery Staff Mobile Creches Babysitting Parent Helpers Tel: 01904 691698 or 0782 333 2627 Email: info@bbchildcareuk .com www.bb-childcare.co.uk
Hosting International Students We are looking for families to host children attending boarding school in the UK when they are unable to travel home at weekends and half term holidays. In exchange for your hospitality you will receive a generous compensation package as well as the experience that hosting an international student can bring to you and your family. For further information please contact: jane@collegeguardians.co.uk www.collegeguardians.co.uk 01684 581600
Does your child like programming? They’d love our holiday workshops Minecraft programming Robot wars Design a joystick game Design burglar alarms Code electronic music
Plus much more York, Harrogate and Ripon
ScratchMyPi 01904 848814 scratchmypi.co.uk
Families Vale of York 5
news Young Heart
Learn to swim in 2017
Patients Benefit
The New Year is here so it’s a good time to think about all the new things you can do – and in particular how to get fit for 2017!
From Fundraising
Young patients with heart conditions across Yorkshire will receive a boost after pupils, parents and teachers at Belmont Grosvenor School school raised almost £7,000 for charity. The school handed over a cheque for £6,746 to the Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) at Leeds after choosing to support the charity during 2016. Pupils, parents and staff at the school took part in a wide range of fund-raising activities throughout the year, including a sponsored ‘Race to Rio’, which saw youngsters swim and run the 5,761 miles to Brazil in time for the Olympic Games, and a black-tie Summer Ball in a marquee in the grounds of Belmont Grosvenor. CHSF Regional Fundraiser Myriam Barker dropped into the school to pick up the cheque – and thank pupils, staff and parents for supporting the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit at Leeds General Infirmary. “Belmont Grosvenor School will be directly supporting the 10,000 babies and children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) who pass through the Unit each year, covering the whole of the Yorkshire region and beyond,” said Myriam. ”The school will also help Leeds remain at the fore of specialist cardiac surgical facilities and ensure the unit continues to provide excellent care to all CHD babies and children in the region for generations to come. “
On Yer Bike for brain tumours!
Brain Tumour Research is holding its national spinnathon event on Saturday 25th February 2017. Gathering a group of friends, family or work colleagues is the most fun and easy way of taking part and raising sponsorship. You can choose the location; either approach your local gym or become the team leader at your nearest Xercise4Less -- the national sponsor for On Yer Bike. Whether you take turns, or pedal for the entire duration and you’ll be helping to raise vital funds and awareness for brain tumours, and if you raise £2,740 your team will have sponsored a whole day of research and will earn their own tile on one of the charity’s Walls of Hope. Find out more at www.braintumourresearch.org
Yearsley Pool and Energise offer some of the best swimming lessons in York and you don’t have to be a child to take part, they offer lessons for all ages from 6 months old to Adult. Yearsley Pool manager Simon Luck told Families: “Some people think they are too old to learn but we cater for all adults, from the absolute beginner through to stroke improvement and fitness training. Our aim is always to deliver high quality lessons using qualified ASA level 2 teachers. Lessons are fun and fantastic and great places to meet new friends.” If you don’t fancy a lesson why not just go along for a dip with your family and friends and get fit in 2017. www.yearselypool.co.uk www.energiseyork.com
Brackenfield School’s 40th Anniversary Calling all past Brackens!!
Brackenfield was awarded outstanding in all areas by Ofsted earlier in the year and remains Harrogate’s only stand-alone independent prep school for 2-11 year olds. This academic year is Brackenfield’s 40th anniversary and to mark this special accolade the school is holding a special celebration on Saturday 20th May, 2017. Brackenfield would like to hear from anyone with past connections to the school in an attempt to reach as many ex-Brackens as possible. Headteacher, Pat Sowa is looking forward to a very special day:
but we want to make sure as many past Brackens as both fully involved in the daily life of the school, possible are made aware of our anniversary.” Anthony Comerford is the current Principal and Brackenfield was founded in 1977 by Margaret Helen Comerford is the Learning Support Teacher. Sutcliffe who still lives on the Duchy. She grew her nursery due to the demand from families who wanted an independent school that focussed on the individual with traditional values and a strong family ethos. The school continued to grow but in spite of waiting lists and demand for places, to maintain the high quality of education, Brackenfield remained with one form per year group with small classes of 22 pupils.
Principal, Anthony Comerford is looking forward to this special year: “This is a very exciting year for Brackenfield and we are looking forward to a fitting celebration. My wife and I are so proud to be involved in such a wonderful school that holds such a special place in Duchy and Harrogate life. We are looking forward to welcoming back as many past pupils and families as possible.”
“We already have a number of past pupils who are now parents at the school with their own children at Brackenfield and we had a number of past Brackens visiting during our recent open morning. Mrs. Sutcliffe has since retired but over the past nine Brackenfield can be contacted on With our strong family ethos, many of our ex pupils years, the present owners, Mr.& Mrs. Comerford 01423 508558 or admin@brackenfieldschool.co.uk and families keep in close contact which is fabulous have built on these solid foundations. They are
6 Families Vale of York
Photo: www.istockphoto.com
Once the excitement of Christmas is over and gone, it can often feel like a real struggle for the whole family to keep things fresh and lively at the beginning of a new year. However, there are so many opportunities for you to do things together as a family - both indoors and out - that you’ll soon banish the January blues!
Here are a few ideas to keep in mind… A family read-in
When it’s blowing a gale outside, there’s no better way to spend an afternoon than snuggled up with a good book. For younger children you can encourage them to act out the story and show off your full range of funny faces and voices. For older children, take the opportunity to discuss what they’re reading in some depth - talk about plot and characters and why they enjoy a particular type of book. Who knows, you may even inspire them to try writing their own story!
Family Bake-Off
Who doesn’t love the Great British Bake Off? Those grey January days offer the perfect opportunity to get into the kitchen and bake up a storm. Let younger children indulge in some messy play with their own bowl of cake mix or a piece of pastry - don’t get stressed about the mess but enjoy a real opportunity to spend some creative time together in the kitchen. For older children, encourage some healthy competition by going ‘full Bake off’ and seeing who can produce the best cookies or cupcakes.
Get creative in the garden
Outdoor crafts are a wonderful way to liven up the garden for pennies, using materials you can find outdoors or simply lying around the house. It’s amazing how ice, berries and watercolours or food colourings can transform tap water into beautiful ice baubles to decorate the garden when set in interesting moulds. Or spread peanut butter all over the outside of an empty toilet roll holder or that piece of over crunchy toast, then roll in birdseed to create an instant feeder that the kids can hang near the kitchen or living room window. Add a bird book and they can pass a few hours identifying and logging the birds that come to visit. Just make sure they wrap up warm!
Look to the heavens
On a clear night, there’s nothing better than wrapping up warm and heading outside to stargaze. Download an app and see how many constellations you can find and identify. Younger children will enjoy spotting stars and older ones can test their astronomical knowledge.
Create rock pets
The best way to blow away the cobwebs during January is to take the family for a long winter walk. It’s great exercise, but it’s even more fun if you make your walk an excuse to collect items for some winter crafting.
Fun in the snow
Of course, snow in January isn’t guaranteed, but if it does snow you have the ideal excuse to wrap up warm and organise snowman building contests and a monster snowball fight. Kids of all ages love playing in the snow, but have you ever played tug of war? Or tried snowball dodgeball? Once that snowman is built, try frisbeeing a hat onto his head or play a game of pin the nose on the snowman using a carrot. And everyone can join in a simple game of tag, made a little more interesting if you’re only allowed to use the footprints of the other players!
Find a talking stick
Another interesting find on your walk might be a stick that transforms, with the help of some beads, feather, paint and markers into a wish stick for younger children or a talking stick for the older members of your tribe. Talking sticks have a long history in tribal cultures as a way of allowing everyone to have their say - you can only talk when holding the stick - so, for larger families, this could be an ideal way for your kids to create something that will ensure they’re heard.
Have a tech-free day
Be brave and ban iPads, smartphones and games consoles for the day. Instead put out a pile of blank paper, pens and craft materials and see what your children can create. Boredom can be the best motivator for creativity.
Revive the art of den building
For younger children, provide blankets, boxes and furniture indoors while encourage older children to get outdoors and get den building in the garden or the woods. Find out who’s the Bear Grylls of the family and who can create the best fantasy castle/spaceship/dragon’s belly. Den building is for everyone, so get involved!
HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES for children aged 5 to 12
m Fro 5:30 5- y 1 : r 8 Eve y Da
EE FR YS!k A boo D I FR en you ) (wh
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Fun and active clubs EVERY SCHOOL HOLIDAY !!!!! Venues Across York & Harrogate
for prices and more info please visit :
www.totalsportslimited.co.uk Childcare vouchers accepted T: 03444 14 13 13
For more ideas on keeping the kids active visit: www.familiesonline.co.uk/activities
Families Vale of York 7
Feed your fussy eater’s imagination with these clever and humorous books which will inspire even the pickiest of children to start exploring the wonderful world of food. Good luck!
by Russell Hoban
This lovely book tells the story of Frances who loves bread and jam so much she eats it at every single meal! At least that’s until she realises what else she’s missing...This charming tale will keep parents and kids entertained!
Green Eggs and Ham
Oliver’s Vegetables
This fantastic story teaches little ones that you never know whether you like something or not until you’ve tried it! With Dr Seuss’ unique combination of funny rhymes and cool characters, this book will be a delightful read for both adults and children.
This book is aimed at parents with a picky eater at the dinner table! This story tells the tale of young Oliver who loves chips so much that he refuses to eat anything else! Well, until this grandfather plays a game with him where he must eat every vegetable he finds in the garden!
by Dr Seuss
Monsters Don’t Eat Broccoli
by Barbara Jean Hicks and Sue Hendra In this stunning picture book the monsters insist that they don’t eat broccoli; despite the fact the tractors and rocket ships look EXACTLY like broccoli! Maybe vegetables aren’t so bad after all?
by Vivian French
I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child
Little Lola is a really picky eater; she won’t eat peas, carrots, mushrooms, eggs or sausages - and most definitely NOT tomatoes! Well, until her brother Charlie explains to her that actually peas are small green drops from Greenland and carrots are orange twiglets from Jupiter - this fun-filled book will keep your kids entertained and you never know; they may even start to eat their veg!
by Lynne Rickards
This fun, engaging book is ideal for young fussy eaters. Showcasing the tale of Marlene McKean; this story is all about how little Marlene absolutely hates the colour green!
Tea Time for Pirates by Richard Dungworth
Packed with fantastic rhymes and funny illustrations, this book is a perfect story for picky eaters. Telling the tale of how Captain Cutlass convinces his crew that sausages, carrots, mash and peas will make them big and strong!
our For more amazing books for y
8 Families Vale of York
I Do Not Eat the Colour Green
Photo: www.shutterstock.com/ VICUSCHKA
Bread and Jam for Frances
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Photo: www.istockphoto.com
The little guide to little
bilingualbrains Dr Evelyne Mercure
Infants and young children have an impressive capacity for learning languages. They are curious, very eager to communicate and their brains are designed for fast learning. Bilingual families have an interesting opportunity of making the most of these early learning capacities in teaching their children two languages from birth. There are several interesting advantages to raising bilingual children. • Bilingualism does not cause language delays. Bilingual children usually learn two languages at the same pace as monolingual children are learning one. For example, bilinguals say their first words and start combining words into sentences at the same age as monolinguals. Bilinguals may sometimes appear to know fewer words than monolinguals, but this is usually because their vocabulary is divided between two languages.
• Learning two languages encourages children to think about languages.
Young monolinguals might struggle to recognise that ‘caterpillar’ is a bigger word than ‘whale’ because they find it difficult to dissociate a word from its meaning. Bilingualism attracts children’s attention to language itself, making children more aware of the sounds, words and regularities in languages. This gives them a head start in school when learning phonics or grammar rules.
• Bilingualism might make your child better at multitasking or listening to someone speaking in a noisy environment. When speaking one of their languages, bilinguals must inhibit the impulse to use words in their other language. To achieve this task, they activate parts of their brain involved in cognitive control. This extra practice at controlling their own thoughts may lead to a ‘bilingual advantage’ in certain cognitive tasks.
• Mastering two languages will give children a better understanding of their family’s cultural background.
The most unique aspects of a culture always risk getting lost in translation. For this reason, being bilingual helps children become ‘bicultural’, making them more aware of cultural differences and more likely to take part in two cultures.
Every family and every child is different. There are a million different ways of raising bilingual children and the most important is to find a way that feels right for your family. Here are a few tips that can help making these decisions for your family. • Keep it fun. • Maximise face-to-face Your child’s motivation to learn each communication. From the first days of life, babies love making eye contact and hearing their loved ones speak, vocalise and sing. Face-to-face communication is the motor of language learning and early experience is key. Making sure you talk to your baby as much as possible, and you involve your child in as much conversation as possible will lead to better abilities in one, two or more languages.
• Have a plan.
It is important to think about what ‘bilingualism’ means for your family. Would you like your child to have a basic understanding of another language? Are you hoping for your child to be fluent in two languages? Or read and write in two different languages? Make sure you provide plenty of experience for your child to achieve each of these goals. It might be a good idea to decide on a language to be used at home. One parent may decide to use one language when addressing their child, while the other parent will use a different language. Think of the language(s) you want to use when reading to your child or singing to them. The more exposure your child will get in one language, the more fluent they are likely to become in that language.
of their languages will make a huge difference to their achievement. A child may find it unpleasant if they feel constantly tested and criticised when speaking. The main focus should be on what is being said and not how it is being said.
• Find role models.
One way of keeping their motivation up, may be to involve people who are not fluent in your child’s dominant language. This may encourage them to use a language they are less comfortable in. It will also show them that this language is spoken by people other than mum and/or dad. Children will also learn a lot from other children, especially older ones. They will want to speak like them and adopt their accent and expressions. Cousins who are not fluent in your child’s dominant language, for instance, may become excellent role models and a very good source of motivation.
Offering a bilingual environment to your child is a richness they will benefit from all their life. They may not only learn two languages, but also a new way of thinking about cultural diversity. Do not be afraid of making the most of their incredible language learning abilities!
Evelyne Mercure studied Speech & Language Pathologies, Neuroscience and Psychology. She is currently an ESRC fellow at UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, investigating the impact of language experience on infants’ brain and cognitive development. She is also the proud mum of three bilingual children.
Families Vale of York 9
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How to make
mathsfun for kids Maths is one of the fundamental skills that all children need to acquire, and there are plenty of ways you can make maths fun through the use of games and maths activities at home.
Numeracy targets are fundamental to the National Curriculum and to primary school testing and that can seem as intimidating to you as to your child. But there are some simple strategies you can put in place that can make maths fun for your kids and reinforce how important those life skills are.
Do your homework
Before you can support your child’s maths learning at home, you’ll need to find out about the way they learn maths at school. Do some homework on modern maths methods like number lines and gridding, and find out whether your child’s school offers maths support classes for parents. If not, there are some excellent resources available online like the family maths toolkit from national numeracy or the ‘Maths for Mums and Dads’ books by Mike Askew and Rob Eastaway.
Maths by stealth
There are plenty of ways you can incorporate maths into everyday life, which is an excellent way of letting children know how important numeracy skills are outside of the classroom. Next time you have a cake or a pizza, ask them to divide it into quarters or thirds or an even number of portions for the number of people eating it. Baking isn’t just a pleasurable activity to do with your kids, it’s one of the very best ways of embedding the importance of weights and measures. They’ll also need to keep an eye on the clock to know when their goodies are ready to come out of the oven. Meanwhile, every time you go to the shops, encourage them to add as they go and then make their best estimate of the final bill. From calculating the change they should receive when they buy an ice cream to keeping score in a friendly game of football, everyday maths really is everywhere!
Make tech and tables count There are numerous maths apps available for children of all ages, from simple counting games to more advanced calculations. Doodle Maths and Mr Thorne’s Maths Universe should get even committed young mathphobes practising their numeracy on their tablets and smartphones. Percy Parker Sing Your Times Tables and Squeebles Times Tables are both excellent apps for embedding times tables in young brains. Why not try singing along with Percy Parker on your next long car journey? For older children facing their end of primary school tests, ensure that they know not just the multipliers but the divisors too, up to 12 x 12.
%6÷ +
The way maths is taught in schools has changed fundamentally over the past few years so, who knows? You may end up learning something new, too.
Try gamification
In other words, get out some old fashioned board games. Children learn best when an activity is fun, and they’re usually unaware that they’re learning through playing games. Dominoes is an excellent game for practising basic maths concepts, as is Snakes and Ladders. They’ll be having too much fun to notice they’re adding and subtracting and recognising basic number patterns. For older children, Monopoly introduces more sophisticated numeracy skills and Scrabble is a brilliant way to practise both numeracy and literacy. Board games are also valuable for introducing related concepts like strategy, logic and reasoning skills into the mix.
Make it more formal
As your children’s maths skills progress, you can begin to make their home learning more formalised. There are any number of online maths resources available and your school may encourage at-home use of a programme like Mathletics to challenge and reinforce skills learned in the classroom. These online resources usually feature progressive levels so you can easily track your child’s progress but do check before you sign up to a paid programme that it’s compatible with the National Curriculum. Although it’s easy to assume that children will prefer working on the computer, many also enjoy ageappropriate workbooks, with stickers to reward their progress.
Learn with and from your children
As the family maths toolkit points out, maths is not a can or cannot subject but something we can all improve, however old we are. When your children start to bring home maths homework, take the opportunity to learn about new maths concepts from them and show them real world examples of how to put those skills into practice - by checking your shopping or phone bill. Encourage them to contextualise a newly acquired skill by putting it into practice around the home, whether it’s telling you the time their favourite TV show comes on or estimating how long their bath takes to run. And always praise their effort rather than their talent, to reinforce the message that by working hard anyone can improve their maths skills.
To find out more about helping your child learn visit: www.familiesonline.co.uk/education
10 Families Vale of York
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coding
How to get your child involved in
Computers and technology are fast taking over the modern world, and becoming an integral part of our lives. While previous generations didn’t have access to this technology until they grew older, nowadays computer sciences are present in children’s lives from a much younger age. As a result, it’s becoming vital to educate our children correctly, making them more aware and safe as they grow, and preparing them for future developments and industries as they reach adulthood.
What is coding? First of all, what exactly is coding and what is it used for? Coding can be difficult to understand, as there is no limit to how advanced and detailed it is. But coding is basically what makes the programmes in computer systems and technology that we use every day. It tells our computers and smartphones what to do; from setting a spin cycle on a washing machine to sending an email on your laptop, coding is the building blocks of all technology.
So why do our children need to learn to code? Teaching children coding is quickly becoming a vital part of their education, and is even now a part of the national curriculum. It teaches them basic life skills as well as preparing them for the future. Even at a basic level, coding and programming are difficult. For children, learning at a young age will test them and encourage them to think differently in order to work around a problem. Coding is a great way for children to develop important problem-solving skills, in a way which interests and fulfils them. After learning the basics for yourself, you will quickly recognise the similarities between learning to code and learning another language. Understanding the rules and structures of the HTML codes teaches children how
languages are created and differ from each other. Learning these at a young age opens a child’s mind when it comes to understanding foreign languages, and can make it easier for them to understand these later on. Technology is such a vital part of our lives now, and it will only continue to develop more as time goes on. So, computer skills are a fundamental part of a child’s education in order for them to continue to understand the modern world and thrive in it. With more careers available in technology than ever before, computer sciences are becoming as important for job opportunities as sciences and languages. Engineers, computer technicians, web developers and scientists all use coding and programming in their daily work life, and more jobs and careers are being created as technology develops further.
How can you teach coding to your child? Any child that can use a smartphone or tablet can learn some level of coding and programming. There are many ways to teach them the basics and into further developments, but as with any learning, it needs to be fun and interesting. For many children, coding can become a hobby and passion in their life, often without them even realising the importance of what they are learning.
For more information about helping your kids get learning visit: www.familiesonline.co.uk/education
Here are a couple of ways to help your little ones grow in the subject of coding: Daisy the Dinosaur app This free app is ideal for younger children and teaches them the very basics of coding while making it feel like a fun and colourful game. They quickly pick up the rules and methods, while making Daisy the dinosaur dance around on the screen and follow the instructions.
Hopscotch Created by the same people as Daisy the Dinosaur, this app is ideal for teaching yourself and your children the coding basics in a slightly more in depth way. This app has won many awards, such as ‘Parents Magazine: Best Apps for Families’ and ‘Children’s Technology Review: Best Educational Technology’, so is essential for most families. It allows children to make and play on their own games, publishing them online for others to see as well.
Code.org This website was launched in 2013 with the aim to expand access to computer science developments. The creators want to increase the diversity of programmers, and encourage young girls and underrepresented minorities to become more involved in coding. With a multitude of online courses and useful information, this site is brilliant for learning at home and in the classroom. There are many other apps, games and websites with endless resources for both your children and you to learn coding and develop your understanding of technology. As a parent, learning alongside your child will not only allow you to expand your own knowledge, but it will encourage them to take an interest. Work together through tasks and games, keeping the emphasis on fun. You will be surprised at how quickly they pick up the basics! With the modern world developing around us, and a technology-heavy future ahead of us, programming is an excellent way of teaching children basic skills and preparing them for a brighter future.
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musiclessons: Why your child should start right away!
All you need to know before your child starts to play a musical instrument… When should your child begin lessons? Although some parents start their children at three, most teachers would agree that seven is ideal for several reasons; they must be able to hold the instrument, be able to grasp simple music notation and have the attention span required.
What skills are important?
Notes in music range from A to G. As long as your children know this, forwards and backwards, they can start to read and learn music. Obviously, an idea of co-ordination is useful. Your child will need to have an idea whether they want to play left-handed or right-handed. This will most often be the way that feels most natural to them, but as the adult it is important to know that left-handed equipment is often not as easy to find.
What is needed?
Purchasing the instrument is the easiest way to ensure your child is going to progress as quickly as possible, however, this is not the cheapest option! It may be worth talking to local schools and clubs about hiring the equipment in the first instance, but if the student has the instrument at home, they will be far more likely to practise. You can buy music books including grade books, however, most music can now be found for free or at a small cost online.
How often should they practise?
One lesson a week is ideal, so as not to over-burden the youngster. Practice really is up to the individual, but research would suggest if your child practices at least once more a week, they will improve far faster.
How does learning music benefit a young person? Academic studies Learning a musical instrument is proven to help your child in school-related activities. If they are learning about beat, rhythm and rhyme, in essence, they are also learning how to divide, create fractions and recognise patterns. The art of studying music and lyrics will also help to improve a child’s shortterm memory and, if continued, their long-term memory too. It is also widely believed that the scientific principles of strumming a guitar or playing a violin can aid the basic understanding of subjects such as physics. Cool, huh?
Physicality
Learning instruments such as the drums, percussion or even the double bass can help youngsters develop physically too. Co-ordination and motor skills benefit most specifically, yet in addition, a lot of instruments are high energy, helping your child enjoy and feel the creative flow of the activity, while letting off excess energy! Also, learning to cope with uncomfortable positions for short periods of time helps increase ambidexterity and timing.
Patience
Your child will also learn the key components of patience and delayed gratification. Learning to play with others at different levels is one of the key elements of contemporary music and helps increase acceptance levels in the young. In addition, some tricky instruments like the violin or piano, have a steep learning curve, so it teaches young people adult traits at an earlier age, giving them an advantage as they move through into adulthood.
Thinking about cost
A music lesson can vary quite considerably in price, ranging from £15 up to £40. This will depend on the quality of the teacher or location. Make sure you shop around and get the teacher that you want. In essence, you need to know what it is you want your child to gain from the experience and make sure the teacher you choose is the sort of individual your child can learn from and grow a special bond with. There would be nothing worse than spending money only for it to fail, but if you choose your instrument carefully and the teacher, the craft of learning an instrument is a gift you can give your little one that will last forever! So hopefully it is clear to see the benefits of learning to play a music instrument. Whether an African drum or the simple recorder, the benefits of learning could be limitless!
To find more information on music classes visit: www.familiesonline. co.uk/activities
Self-esteem
Self-esteem will be boosted as your child is likely to meet new people, as well as master an art form that is tricky to say the least!
Photo: www.istockphoto.com
Many parents encourage their children to play a musical instrument and the younger they begin, the more they can benefit. This guide aims to assist parents unsure of why their children should begin learning an instrument and what skills are required. Firstly, and most importantly, learning a musical instrument is hugely beneficial to your child’s development. Whether they wish to be the next Chopin or Joe Satriani, the art of music can only be positive for your son or daughter as they navigate the choppy waters of adolescence.
Over the past few years there has been huge debate around when children should be left home alone.
What the law says
The Government’s advice is to follow NSPCC guidelines, although you are advised never to leave your child alone when they are ‘at risk’ and you may be prosecuted for neglect if you leave an unsupervised child ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health.’ The NSPCC guidelines state that babies, toddlers and young children should never, under any circumstances, be left alone and that children under the age of 12 are rarely mature enough to cope with an emergency. Therefore they should not be left alone in the house for any length of time. Children under 16 should not be left alone overnight.
Leaving a child alone in Are they ready to be in the car charge? Children should never be left alone in the car. Stranger danger is an ever present issue for young children - however well you teach them, young children can act quite differently when something tempting is apparently on offer. Leaving a toddler in the car runs the risk of them wandering off into traffic or a busy car park. And no child is safe from the risk of another car crashing into yours, even when your car is stationary.
Leaving your child home alone
This is far trickier to navigate as growing children begin to want their independence from their parents. The important thing to remember, in the absence of a clear legal framework, is your child’s wishes. If they simply can’t cope with being left alone then you’ll need to make other arrangements. But when they reach the age of 12, you could experiment with leaving them for a short amount of time. If you do, make sure you’ve thoroughly discussed the kind of behaviour you expect from them - like not boiling a kettle - and that they know exactly what to do if there’s a problem. Take your mobile and make sure they have the number, plus a list of trusted adults to contact if they can’t reach you. If you have more than one child, make sure they’re engaged in a calm activity, like watching TV or doing homework so squabbles and problems are less likely to occur.
Some children actively enjoy showing how grown up they are, but it’s wise to run through a few scenarios to reassure yourself how they might genuinely cope in an emergency. Try asking them what they’d do in a power cut, or if the bathroom flooded. What if they’re hungry or a stranger knocks at the door? Have the conversations for a few minutes at a time, to try and gauge how they’d react. Remember, you don’t have to leave them alone at home if you don’t want to, but sometimes the situation is unavoidable so you’ll need to know how they might cope. By having these conversations, you can work towards a plan of action if you do need to leave your child in the house alone.
Make a checklist If you and your child decide that they’re
responsible enough to be left home alone, perhaps after school while you’re still at work, then work together on a checklist that covers both your concerns.
• Double check that they’re happy to be left
alone: it may be that they’d feel happier if a neighbour looked in on them from time to time.
• Set some ground rules: your child may be as
worried as you are about the responsibility of being left in charge.
• Agree what’s safe and not safe to do: you
might be happy for them to visit a friend or have a friend to visit.
• Be clear that mentioning you’re home alone on social media is not a cool idea. • Let them know when you’ll be home: leave a number where you can be contacted, and let them know you’ll inform them if you’re delayed in any way.
• Check in every now and again: give them a call to check that they’re OK. • Put potentially dangerous objects out of harm’s way before you leave. • Knowing when the right time to leave
your child alone is never easy, but through planning and good communication you can both enjoy peace of mind. For more information about keeping your child safe visit: www.familiesonline.co.uk/ wellbeing
Photo: www.istockphoto.com
Knowing when your growing child is responsible enough to be left alone, even for a short time, can be difficult and there is no law that governs when this might be appropriate. For parents, in the absence of any hard and fast rules, knowing when it’s the right time to allow your children more responsibility can be tricky.
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cutting the costs of
family holidays
PISA, ITALY
Family holidays cost a lot of money and with the falling value of the pound against the Euro they are becoming more expensive still. So it’s more important than ever to know that there are still bargains to be had out there- even in the school holidays- you just need to know where to look. Here are three tips on saving tons of money on your next family holiday.
Head north for bargain ferry crossings
Ferries are a great way of reaching the continent and kids love exploring them, especially the larger overnight ones which have facilities that can make the voyage one of the highlights of the holiday, rather than just a means of arriving. Just like flights though prices often rocket in the school holidays. DFDS Seaways on the other hand seem to keep their prices at a reasonably steady level, even at peak periods. Half term sailings in May between Newcastle and Amsterdam could be found at the time of writing for a very reasonable £214 for a family of four (children aged 5 and 2) in a four berth cabin; around 30% cheaper than rival ferries running a similar route. Upgrades to luxury Commodore Class cabins with complimentary mini-bar and breakfast buffet included still weigh in around the same price as the rival’s most basic cabins. The DFDS service has the best facilities for children of all the ferry companies that I’ve used, with a proper soft play area, ball pool, older kids activities, face painting and night time entertainment. What’s more the ferry drops you within 40 minutes of Amsterdam, as opposed to other services that arrive in the middle of Rotterdam Europort and require a long transfer to the capital. So even though the ferry crossing is a few hours longer you save this on the transfer, and if it’s a choice of spending two hours on a bus with children or two hours on a ship...well, I know which I’d take.
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AMSTERDAM
So you’ve found a bargain ferry deal to Holland- so where to head now?
How about Center Parcs? “Wait a minute,” I hear you cry. “We’ve got a Center Parcs in England. Why have I travelled all the way to Holland for one?” Well for starters there’s the price difference. Four nights in Sherwood Forest’s cheapest accommodation in May half term cost an eye watering £949 for a family of four (kids aged 5 and 2). Four nights in Center Parcs De Eemhof, close to Amsterdam on the other hand cost €448, yes that’s Euros not pounds. Center Parcs European sites also offer much more flexibility than the UK sites (except in high summer), so you can just stay for 2 nights if you prefer and you can arrive on any day of the week. Facilities vary by site but all have the trademark tropical pools and activities galore. Many of the European sites also have activities that are far more interesting than the UK ones- such as tropical fish to snorkel with, surf lessons and indoor ski lessons. The accommodation has interesting differences too with the jungle cabanas, treehouses and houseboats probably being the most fun for kids. Prices for these come at a premium but are still less than four nights at Sherwood’s basic cottages at half term.
But we wanted to fly somewhere this year
High flight prices in school holidays are virtually unavoidable even with budget airlines. For instance flights from Leeds Bradford to Alicante in May half term cost around £1000 for a family of four with Ryanair. But if you’re willing to be adventurous then it’s possible to save hundreds of pounds by being creative about where and when you fly from; you even get a mini break in a famous European city for the same price. Use the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam (see above) then fly from Maastricht or Eindhoven to Alicante for around £400 for a family of four. Even with the price of the ferry included you’ve still saved around £400 and you’ve had a free mini cruise and visit to Holland in the bargain. Similar savings can be found from Eindhoven to Portugal and Italy in May, indeed last year we saved around £1000 by flying from Holland on two holidays, to the Algarve and to Pisa. It’s important to note that the savings were not as dramatic in the colder holidays of February and March so you might also want to save the money by flying from the UK in these holidays instead.
By Paul Wojnicki
CENTER PARCS
Practicalities DFDS Seaways sail daily between Newcastle and Amsterdam. The ships (either King Seaways and Princess Seaways) depart North Shields at 5pm arriving at Ijmuiden near Amsterdam at 9:30am the next morning. The return legs depart Ijmuiden at 5:30pm, arriving in North Shields at 9am the following morning. The ferries include a mix of accommodation including four bed and two bed en-suite cabins. Passengers can travel either with a car or as a foot passenger (with transfers to Amsterdam included), there are no baggage restrictions. The cruise-ferry style ships include a range of restaurants, including the gourmet Blue Riband, a mix of entertainment including free live performances, cinema, casino and children’s play areas. The ORCA Wildlife Centre onboard provides information on conservation in the North Sea and the chance to spot wildlife with the resident ORCA Wildlife Officers. Prices start from £38pp based on four people sharing a cabin and travelling by car. To book visit www.dfds.co.uk or call 0871 522 99 55
Center Parcs Europe have 21 parcs dotted across France, Germany, Holland and Belgium. The parcs are less homogenous than the UK parcs, though all have the same core facilities and accommodation. Premium accommodations vary by parc with treehouses being found on two parcs, houseboats on three and jungle cabanas on one in Holland. The cottages often have a mini play park with slide and swing in your own private garden. To book visit www.centerparcs.com or call +31 10 498 97 54
Paul Wojnicki is a freelance journalist who now specialises in family and overland travel.
Families Vale of York 15
Photo: www.istockphoto.com
outside
How to get the kids
gardening Gardening can be a great way to get your kids playing outside, learning about nature and engaging with the environment. From the smallest seed in a pot to growing huge sunflowers in the garden, your children will love getting their hands dirty and watching their garden grow. While we may not have the best weather here in the UK, it’s so important for kids to experience the natural world, get some vitamin D and learn some great lessons through gardening. So how do you get them outside? We’ve put together a few creative ways that you can encourage your children to start gardening.
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Do a treasure hunt!
Every child loves hunting for treasure, and what better way to get them outside than to go on a nature hunt? You’d be surprised how many different species are in your garden - dandelions, vegetables, woodlice, earthworms. See who can find the most different animals and plants. If they don’t know what it is, help them to find out on the internet. This is something you can keep up throughout the year, encouraging them to observe the changing seasons and what plants grow at different times. Ask them what plants and animals they would like to see in their garden and start growing these/ encouraging wildlife together.
Encourage your kids to take their favourite toys outside...
...and build miniature worlds for them. Help them create a race course with ramps for toy cars, a jungle for their favourite animals to hide in or a fairy-tale wood for their princess dolls. Encourage them to think about what their little world looks like, and start to name the plants with them while they play.
Grow your own dinner!
There’s nothing better than eating peas straight out of the pod or picking your first strawberry, and all of these can be grown in your own garden. If you’re not hugely confident with gardening, cress is the best place to start, and you can grow it on your window sill. It’s a
great way for children to learn about how plants grow, watching seeds turn into tasty snacks. It can encourage your children to try new foods, after all - they grew it themselves, and it can add to their important 5-a-day!
It’s a great way for children to learn about the food they eat and where it comes from, and standing in the mud with a big spade is a million miles away from the supermarket, and far more fun. Some great fruits and vegetables to grow with your little ones are carrots, tomatoes, strawberries, courgettes, salad leaves, herbs, peas and potatoes. Grandparents are great at this kind of knowledge: why not organise a trip to a garden centre with them to choose seeds and plants? Keep an eye on the time of year and encourage your kids to read up on their plants, water them when needed, and take care of them. Don’t worry if it doesn’t go to plan and you only get one tomato - it’s a learning process, and your kids can think about why it might not have grown and what to try next time.
Create a wildlife garden
Kids love animals, bugs and creepy crawlies, and a wildlife garden can be a great way to get them outside and stuck into gardening. Plant flowers such as lavender, honeysuckle and verbena to encourage butterflies and bees in the summer. Maybe think about building a pond to encourage frogs, dragonflies and water boatmen, and let your children learn about the life cycle as they turn from frogspawn
to tadpoles to baby frogs. Encourage them to learn about and identify the different creatures and how to attract them to your garden and help them to make new habitats and learn where animals live, from bug barns to hedgehog houses. Great fun!
Fill your garden with colours, smells and textures Choose bright flowers like geraniums, pansies and sunflowers so your kids can enjoy making the garden more beautiful. Choose strong smelling plants like honeysuckle, or plants that make interesting noises, like bamboo rustling in the breeze. Encourage your kids to make their garden their own, and if they love it, let them loose at Grandma’s too!
Get messy!
There’s something so satisfying about getting all muddy: kids can’t resist it. Gardening doesn’t have to be about neat rows of flowers. Let your kids dig ‘til their hearts’ content. If they can’t get enough of mess, try making bird cakes to hang from the trees, and let them watch as quietly as possible as birds come to feed. Or how about a bird feeder made out of Cheerios and pipe cleaners? Encourage your kids to get crafty in the garden, making everything from bottle top wind chimes to lolly ice stick plant markers, so they know which plant is which. For more awesome activity ideas with the kids visit: www.familiesonline. co.uk/activities
We’ve ordered everything Until 31 Mar 11 – 19 Feb Winter Abbey Tours Half Term at Armley Mills according to start date – Fountains Abbey Leeds Industrial Museum at be sure to look out for all Armley Mills Knowledgeable guides bring to life the In February half term as part of the the events which run for dramatic history of the beautiful Abbey. literature festival, have a go at printing several weeks / weekends 01765 608 888 your own book. There will be poetry trails, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/fountains-abbey demonstrations and talks about literacy too. And be sure to check and printing. This event is in partnership before you set off. These 4 Jan – 28 Feb with Leeds Central Library. 0113 378 3173 www.leeds.gov.uk were correct as we went Winter Explorer Map Fountains Abbey to print but may have Head out with a winter explorer map to 11 – 19 Feb changed. Check if you need discover the best nature hot spots around Half Term at Thwaite Mills the estate. 10am to 4pm Thwaite Mills Watermill to book ahead too. 01765 608 888 Indoor games, a picnic area, learn how www.nationaltrust.org.uk
animals get through winter, make a wind More ‘Days Out’ can be chime and explore what makes power. found online at FROM 21 JAN 0113 378 2983 www.leeds.gov.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk. Fairy Tale Fun 11 – 19 Feb All events are now Abbey House Museum February Half Term Fe Fi Fo Fum, I smell some family fun! In searchable by date, venue & honour of their new exhibition, February’s Thwaite Mills Watermill weather at Thwaite Mills can get pretty age range making it much activities will be themed around fairy tales. The wild, but that doesn’t mean it’s not the 0113 378 4079 perfect place for all-weather fun. All week easier to find all our local www.leeds.gov.uk they have indoor games and a picnic area, events at the click of your self-led crafts exploring how animals get through the winter and ready for spring. mouse.
jan/feb 2017
11 – 19 Feb
Temple Newsam
February Half Term On the opening weekend of half term visitors will get the chance to step into a real life ‘cluedo’ mystery, as you follow the clues through the house to solve who committed murder! Sit on the magic carpet as part of the Storytime on Wednesday 15th. They will also have a host of craft activities throughout the holidays on the theme of love and secret liaisons. www.leeds.gov.uk 14 – 17 Feb
Half Term at Leeds City Museum
Leeds City Museum On Tuesday 14th the museum hosts a special day for families with The Grammar School at Leeds. Then the rest of the week you can embrace your inner Bear Grylls with crafts to test your survival skills. There is also an Urban Art Workshop on Friday 17th for those aged 11+. 0113 378 5001 www.leeds.gov.uk/schoolholidays
www.leeds.gov.uk
Photo: English Heritage
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what’’son
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14 - 17 Feb
18 – 26 Feb
Half Term at Abbey House Museum
Half Term Fun
Abbey House Museum Fe Fi Fo Fum, I smell some family fun! In honour of the new exhibition, the Abbey House February activities will be themed around fairy tales. 0113 378 4079 www.leeds.gov.uk 17 – 26 Feb
February Fun
Stockeld Park Get active in the great outdoors this February half term at Stockeld Park in the beautiful surroundings of the Yorkshire estate. With a fabulous outdoor ice skating rink as well as The Enchanted Forest and the Maze to be explored there is plenty to keep you busy this February half term. Stockeld will also be reinstalling their indoor play for the period so you can bounce and play to your heart’s content, even in wet weather.01937 586101 www.stockeldpark.co.uk 18 – 26 Feb
50 Things to do before you’re 11 3/4 trail
Brimham Rocks Follow a trail of 50 things to do before you’re 11 3/4 at Brimham Rocks. Perhaps build a den or hunt for bugs around the rocks and in the trees. 01423 780 688 www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Brodsworth Hall Explore the garden trail, get creative with crafts, enjoy the adventure play area and fill up on scrumptious treats from the tearoom www.english-heritage.org.uk 18 – 26 Feb
February Half-Term
Beningbrough Hall and GardenS Two trails themed around finding your way with a map and compass - one for younger visitors and a more challenging option for older children. Eden from Stories Alive will be there on Friday 24th Saturday 25th February for free story sessions throughout the day - not to be missed. 01904 470666 18 – 26 Feb
Get Geocaching
Rievaulx Terrace Get outside and have a go at geocaching through the woodland. You never know what you might find. 01439 798340
Open up the world for your child with our Montessori nurseries.
Photo: English Heritage
Outstanding care and education to inspire and guide each individual child.
Fulford 01904 642666 Strensall 01904 490339
www.yorkshiremontessorinursery.co.uk
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18 – 26 Feb
Half Term Fun
Whitby Abbey Half term fun at the abbey. www.english-heritage.org.uk
theatre
18 – 26 Feb
Until 6 Jan
21 Jan
Pots of Fun!
Snow White
Hyena Lounge Kids Comedy
Fountains Abbey Prepare a plant pot for seeds by painting them at Swanley Grange through-out half term. Check out the Swanley Grange medieval style garden for inspiration before heading into the workshop to decorate your own pot to take home ready for some spring gardening. 01765 608 888 www.nationaltrust.org.uk 20 – 26 Feb
Jorvik
JORVIK Viking Centre The Vikings return in February Half Term 2017 to help bring back to life one of the most exciting periods of the city’s history! 01904 615505 www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk 21 Feb
Black Magic – The Little Mix Show
The Spa This highly energetic show follows in the footsteps of the award winning girl band with stunning live vocals and iconic dances. Kids and adults alike are sure to be partying in the aisles. 01262 678258 www.thespabridlington.com 22 – 24 Feb
Bird Box Making
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Roll up your sleeves and make a wooden bird box for your garden. Feathery friends will be looking around for places to nest pretty soon, so this half-term the team at Fountains Abbey will be showing you how to make a home for them to put up in your own garden. 01765 643 189 www.nationaltrust.org.uk 25 Feb
Spot the Birdy
Fountains Abbey Drop by Studley Lakeside to take a peek through a telescope and see the water-loving birds dipping and diving. The Fountains Abbey wildlife team will be there to help you spot them and to tell you more about your feathered finds. 11am to 3pm 01765 608 888 www.nationaltrust.org.uk 26 Feb
Family Muck-in Day
Brimham Rocks Go along and help keep the scrub off the moorland. Find out why moorlands are vital parts of the entire ecosystem and what makes them so special in the UK. 01423 780 688 www.nationaltrust.org.uk 17 Mar – 31 Dec
Fashionable Yorkshire; 500 Years of Style
Lotherton Hall Explore the history of fashion through the clothes and personal stories of a selection of Yorkshire women. Discover the individual lives of each of the women — from a rich merchant’s daughter who married a Yorkshire landowner in the 1600s to an art student enjoying the freedom of the 1970s. See the clothes they have worn and find out how their fashion choices can help to reveal how society has changed over the centuries. www.leeds.gov.uk
The Georgian Theatre Royal This traditional story will be played out against a 1920s Hollywood backdrop. Featuring all the pantomime ingredients - dazzling dances, catchy songs, sparking costumes, a live band, a dame, a yummy prince, a camel plus huge helpings of comedy and plenty of audience participation - the traditional story will be played out against a 1920s Hollywood backdrop. A feast for the eyes and exuberant entertainment for the whole family. 01748823710 www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk Until 7 Jan
Cinderella
Carriageworks Theatre It’s time to be charmed by the classic rags to riches fairy tale of downtrodden Cinders.. She’s off to the ball, so why don’t you go too? 0113 376 0318 www.leeds.gov.uk/carriageworks Until 8 Jan
Sleeping Beauty the Rock ‘n’ Roll Panto
City Varieties Music Hall Sing along to The Eagles, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye and more. With all the familiar characters, jokes and full-blown, and now legendary, ‘boulder fight’. Until 15 Jan
Dick Whittington
Harrogate Theatres Join Dick and his magical feline friend on their enchanting adventure to the nation’s capital where the streets are said to be paved with gold. 01423502710 www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk Until 28 Jan
Cinderella
York Theatre Royal Following an astounding panto at the Signal Box Theatre, Berwick and the gang are back where they belong: on the brand-new stage in the newly refurbished York Theatre Royal.. Even more incredible sets, stunning costumes, outstanding song-and-dance routines, jaw-dropping effects, and slapstick lunacy to amaze and delight all ages! 01904658162 www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk 7 Jan
The Jungle Book
Joseph Rowntree Theatre Enjoy the comical adventures of Mowgli the man cub as he battles to survive and become the leader of the pack. 01904658197 www.jrtheatre.co.uk 16 - 21 Jan
Jack and the Beanstalk
Whitby Pavilion Complex All is not well in the village of Old Windy Bottom with the Giant taking up residency high in the clouds and casting shadows and misery upon the villagers. Step forward Jack, a bright and plucky young man who lives on the dairy farm with his mum Dame Dolly Dimple and brother Simple Simon. He sets out to outwit the Giant and win the hand of Princess Primrose...but not before some business with some very magic beans! 01947 820625
Harrogate Theatre
The Hyena Lounge Kids Comedy Club with jokes that are suitable for children but funny. 01423502710 www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk 22 – 25 Feb
Cinderella
Pannal Memorial Hall Will Cinderella get to marry her Prince Charming or will her vain stepsisters, the loathsome Malaria and Diptheria, get there first? All proceeds to local charities supporting families affected by cancer. www.jumblebee.co.uk/pannalplayerscinderella 23 – 25 Feb
Molly’s Marvellous Moustache Harrogate Theatres 01423502710 www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk 24 Feb
The Tinderbox
Helmsley Arts Centre A roguish soldier acquires a magic tinderbox which gives him the power to summon three extraordinary dogs to do his bidding. 01439 771700 www.helmsleyarts.co.uk 25 Feb
Compagnie Animotion: Musicians of Bremen Junction, GOOLE This visually stunning adaptation tells the tale of four animals put out to pasture; a donkey, a cat, a cockerel and a dog. Too old to be of any use to their masters, this tumbling, musical adventure, shows that despite our differences, we can be friends, and that we are never too old to live our dreams. With puppetry, movement and trapeze, all accompanied by live music, for children aged 3 to 7 and their families. Running Time 40 mins. 01405763652 www.junctiongoole.co.uk 4 Mar
Justin’s Party
Hull City Hall A brand new show which is packed full of fantastic songs, dances and hilarious games guaranteed to make it the party of the year! There will be lots of exciting surprises along the way and you’ll get to meet Justin’s adorable new puppy Engelbert! Get your party clothes ready and join in with this very exciting funtastic celebration! 01482 300300
table tots www.tabletots.co.uk 4 Feb
Kettlethorpe High School, Wakefield 1pm
5 Feb
Kingswood Academy, Hull, 1pm
19 Feb
Aireborough Leisure Centre, Guiseley 1pm
25 Feb
Lock lane Sports Centre, Castleford 1pm
26 Feb
Morley Leisure Centre 1pm
5 March
Brighouse High School 1pm
AWA R D -W I N N I N G V I S I TO R AT T R AC T I O N
DISCOVE R HOW CHO CO LATE MA DE HISTO RY
A F U L LY GUIDED TO U R
Book online today www.yorkschocolatestory.com
Open Morning Thursday 19th January 9:30 to 11:45am
An ‘outstanding’
co-educational prep school and nursery in a stunning rural location Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith, Harrogate HG3 2JG. email: admin@belmontgrosvenor.co.uk www.belmontgrosvenor.co.uk Tel : 01423 771029