Child Magazine | Pretoria May 2012

P r e t o r i a’ s

b e s t

g u i d e

f o r

pa r e n t s

let’s party your one-stop guide to planning the perfect day

www.childmag.co.za

May 2012

free

party 101 – be the hostess with the mostest fun ideas and themes for all ages bake a creative cake with love great ways to remember the occasion

health

education

entertainment

Celebrate with us as we commemorate a new record – we now reach 177 000 parents every month!

May is always a time for joyful celebration at Child magazine. This year we have plenty to party about! After nearly nine years of publishing Child magazine in Cape Town and Joburg, this month we launch in Pretoria. I grew up in Pretoria and my mom, at 75, is still teaching there, so it’s great to go back to my roots, so to speak. Welcome to all our new Pretoria readers. We trust you will come to enjoy and rely on us, as many parents in Cape Town, Joburg and Durban do. Child magazine Durban also joins the party this month – it’s our fifth birthday in the city! So, it’s poppers and party hats all round. As usual, our gift to you every “Let’s Party” issue is the Ultimate Party Guide – featuring everything you may be looking for, from balloons and ball ponds to pirate ships and pamper parties. You’ll also find wonderful party themes, games and cake recipes for every age, stage and season. Make sure you hang on to this issue, because we’ve made sure that if you are planning a party, this is your one-stop shop.

Have a happy May.

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If you love the magazine, you’ll love our website. Visit us at childmag.co.za

Hunter House P UB L IS H ING

Publisher Lisa Mc Namara • lisa@childmag.co.za

Editorial Managing Editor Marina Zietsman • marina@childmag.co.za Features Editor Anél Lewis • features@childmag.co.za Resource Editor Simone Jeffery • pretoria@childmag.co.za

monthly circulation Joburg’s Child magazineTM Cape Town’s Child magazineTM Durban’s Child magazineTM Pretoria’s Child magazineTM

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to advertise Tel: 011 807 6449 • Fax: 011 234 4971 Email: ptasales@childmag.co.za Website: childmag.co.za

Editorial Assistant Lucille Kemp • lucille@childmag.co.za Copy Editor Debbie Hathway

Art Designers Nikki-leigh Piper • nikki@childmag.co.za Alys Suter • studio2@childmag.co.za Mariette Barkhuizen • studio@childmag.co.za Mark Vincer • studio3@childmag.co.za

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All our magazines are printed on recycled paper.

Pretoria’s Child magazineTM is published monthly by Hunter House Publishing, PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010. Office address: Unit 5, First Floor, Bentley Office Park, cnr Rivonia and Wessel Rd, Rivonia. Tel: 011 807 6449, fax: 011 234 4971, email: info@childmag.co.za.

Annual subscriptions (for 11 issues) cost R165, including VAT and postage inside SA. Printed by Paarl Web. Copyright subsists in all work published in Pretoria’s Child magazineTM. We welcome submissions but retain the unrestricted right to change any received copy. We are under no obligation to return unsolicited copy. The magazine, or part thereof, may not be reproduced or adapted without the prior written permission of the publisher. We take care to ensure our articles are accurate and balanced but cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage that may arise from reading them.

May 2012

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contents

may 2012

21 upfront 3

i f your baby swallows some soil, don’t panic. Anél Lewis explains

readers respond

Glynis Horning investigates both sides of the controversial Ritalin debate

21 resource – the ultimate party guide

14 the big day L ucille Kemp offers party suggestions for the different ages and stages

a list of everyone and everything that can help you create the best birthday party for your child. Compiled by Marina Zietsman

28 a good read

16 it’s my party

in this new book full of party theme ideas, Arina du Plessis and Bernice van

der Merwe give you some inspiration 18 always something there to remind me

10 dealing with difference

features

best for baby – chew on this

a note from lisa

7 over to you

9

Lucille Kemp suggests innovative ways to preserve special memories

20 party etiquette

who to invite, when and how? Anél Lewis gives some tips

new books for the whole family

16

regulars 6 wins 8 upfront with paul

children are individuals and should be treated accordingly, says Paul Kerton 29 what’s on in may 34 anél’s finishing touch

18

Anél Lewis promises to remember entertainment for the children at her daughter’s second birthday party

classified ads 31 family marketplace

this month’s cover images are supplied by:

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May 2012

Joburg

Cape Town

Durban

Pretoria

Accessorize www.accessorize.co.za

shutterstock.com

Christie Lee Mann www.colleensevitz.co.za

shutterstock.com

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May 2012

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wins

giveaways in may soak up softness fit and loving it Adventure Boot Camp is an outdoor exercise programme, offering fitness instruction, motivational training and nutritional counselling. Whether you’re a beginner or a fitness enthusiast, this is a fun exercise programme that will help you reach your goals. For more info: visit AdventureBootCamp.co.za Four readers stand a chance to win a four week camp, with one hour of training three times per week, valued at R530 or R560. Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-pta and use the code “Adventure PTA”. Your details will be made available to Adventure Boot Camp.

Baby Soft is running an on pack promotion offering everyone the opportunity to get an instant reward with discount vouchers for Radox foam bath – making sure you delight in life’s little comforts. Look out for promotional packs with Softie the Labrador enjoying a bubble bath.

One reader stands a chance to win a Baby Soft hamper, with Baby Soft and Radox products and a spa voucher for you and a friend, all valued at R2 000. Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-pta and use the code “Baby Soft PTA”. Your details will be made available to Baby Soft.

happy birthday Mungolistix at Centurion Mall has an indoor, adventure playground that is perfect for children up to the age of seven and a coffee shop where parents can relax. They also offer birthday parties with play time and party packs. For more information, contact: 012 663 2798, info@mungolistix.co.za or visit mungolistix.co.za One reader stands a chance to win a birthday party valued at R2 000. Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-pta and use the code “Mungolistix PTA”. Your details will be made available to Mungolistix.

baker baker Timber Toys specialises in imported, top quality toys, including ranges from Le Toy Van and Big Jigs in the UK, Uncle Goose and Manhattan Toys from the USA and Moover from Denmark. Coming soon is the new Moulin Roty range from France. Contact Michelle: 071 898 7910 or michelle@timbertoys.co.za One reader stands a chance to win a Le Toy Van Baking Set, with apron, a working cake mixer, baking goodies, birthday cake, stacking sundae and breakfast set, valued at R2 000.Simply enter via childmag.co.za/wins-pta and use the code “Timber Toys PTA”.

to enter simply visit childmag.co.za

or post your entry to PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010. Entries close 31 May 2012. Only one entry per reader.

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May 2012

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over to you on our website In response to the “heavy school bags” article I often see children with very serious spinal stress in my body stress release practice, and the sad thing is that these aches and pains are preventable. The weight of school bags, coupled with ergonomically incorrect desks and chairs, are responsible for many spinal problems in children. In a young, developing body these problems can become irreversible. A UK charity called BackCare has done a fantastic job of lobbying the authorities to take the spinal health of children seriously.

Sadly, no organisations like this exist in South Africa.

Melody Mitchell

on our facebook page In response to the website article on “motor development therapy” I’m a preschool teacher and I think that children don’t spend nearly enough time playing. They are not being allowed to explore and make up games. It’s not just parents who are at fault, preschools are pressured to do school “work” with the children, which detracts from play (the real work of children).

Sarah Ashwell

ritalin should not be first choice I am a mother of a two-and-a-half year old, as well as a teacher at a preprimary school, have a degree

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in psychology and sociology, and I am a qualified facilitator for children with learning disabilities. I myself have ADD, and a mild form of dyslexia, and have struggled with concentration and focus most of my life.

Teachers and doctors are far too quick to label and medicate. There is always more than one solution to any problem. Ritalin may work for some people, but I feel it is merely putting a Band-Aid on the problem rather than correcting it. There are other therapies that improve concentration without medication. There are also study techniques that improve test results and games you can play with your child that will improve their memory and listening skills, and enhance their self-confidence.

Jo-Ann

welcome to Pretoria We are so excited that Child magazine is now in Pretoria and it is perfect timing as we are just launching our first Drumkidz franchise in the Tshwane/Centurion area in May. Drumkidz head office I am really impressed with your magazine. I know the Cape Town magazine and have always wished you would launch one in Pretoria.

Ilse Botha

letters

be prepared A day next to a river on a holiday farm, 25 minutes from the nearest town, turned into a disaster. It was with horror that we discovered our accommodation had no first aid kit or emergency procedures. Thanks to guests who had a first aid kit. Also make sure you have the number of the nearest doctor, ambulance and hospital with you.

Diane Davidson

Follow us on twitter.com/ChildMag and facebook.com/childmag.co.za

write to us Let us know what’s on your mind. Send your letters or comments to: marina@childmag.

You can also post a comment online at

childmag.co.za

co.za or PO Box 12002, Mill Street, 8010. We reserve the right to edit and shorten submitted letters.

The opinions reflected here are those of our readers and are not necessarily held by Hunter House Publishing.

May 2012

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upfront with paul

a measured approach Don’t crush your children’s individuality by comparing them to others, or by charting their progress on a

w

development chart, says PAUL KERTON.

e all have our own ideas of what our children are supposed to be and do, and how they are supposed to behave and develop by what age – roughly. When they are babies it is much easier because they have an official government-enforced percentile chart, known as the Road to Health chart, and if your baby’s weight or height veers above or below the red line for more than a nanosecond then a very enthusiastic midwife will berate you sharply about giving too much or too little food. And if it continues, social workers will be around to bundle your pride and joy into the back of a van, until you get your portions and priorities right. At that critical period of development, standards do have to be rigorously adhered to or the baby won’t make it. Period.

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May 2012

But the older the child gets the more difficult it is to predict what they should be doing by what age, as there is no official development manual. Once your child gets to three, and certainly to four, then you are definitely on your own. All the best baby books, my own included, caution against comparing your child with others or getting deflated because your son is seemingly not as agile or aggressive as the other boys on the rugby field. Parents can literally drive themselves insane fretting over little Jimmy’s lack of ball control or clumsiness on the piano when, really, it matters, but not awfully.

We all coo in awe at child prodigies who can play Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Fifth Symphony in C minor” or paint a perfect copy of Van Gogh’s “Irises” using mom’s discarded mascara brushes. True,

these are extraordinary, gifted children, but it can be exasperating watching them star on YouTube when all you crave is for your child to sit still for half an hour while they do their homework.

Yes, comparisons may be odious, but there is very little else to go on. As with talent, most children find their own level, and generally progress at a similar pace to their peers; with a few spikes and troughs. Official measurements, charts and gauges are largely replaced with personal observations mixed with school performance. An average student at a top school could very well be a top student at an average school, so there is an odd dynamic at work. At least we have moved on from the unsympathetic era of “smart children” and “stupid children” where everything was very black and white and

any child failing to score upwards of 65 percent in anything spent their week in the naughty chair. The recognition of multiple intelligences, and the blend of intelligence that makes up each of our children, has created a more measured and humane approach; allowing a child who is slow at maths to experiment with other subjects more befitting their academic strengths.

Luckily modern teachers are more alert to the signs of “failing” and provide fresh alternatives in an effort to spread the curricula love.

In the end though, what makes us all so beautifully ourselves is that unique and incredibly complex mix of intelligences and abilities that make up each individual. Let’s celebrate, rather than crush it.

Paul Kerton is the author of Fab Dad 2: From Walking to Talking... and Beyond.

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PHOTOGRAPH: MARIETTE BARKHUIZEN

Saskia, Paul and Sabina

best for baby

chew on this Babies explore their world by putting things into their mouths.

ANÉL LEWIS finds out why they do this, and when you need to worry.

PHOTOGRAPH: shutterSTOCK.COM

a

ny parent of a baby or toddler will tell you that as soon as they discover their hands, “everything goes in the mouth”. My one-year-old daughter has a penchant for sucking on stones, has munched a couple of dogfood pellets and recently ingested a clump of garden soil, much to my horror. I was concerned about the germs and bacteria she was now happily popping into her mouth, but Meg Faure, co-author of Baby Sense (Metz Press), says this practice, also called mouthing, is essential for strengthening a baby’s immune system. “Putting their hands or other objects into their mouths exposes babies to manageable types and forms of germs and this allows the immunity to build up incrementally.”

Mouthing is also a natural and vital part of your baby’s development. Faure

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says babies will start placing their hands in their mouths from about three to four months. “Since the mouth has more tactile receptors than any other part of the body, it is used to explore the qualities of not only the hands, but any toy or foodstuff.” As your baby develops and starts to crawl, she will explore her expanding world by putting most of the objects she encounters into her mouth. Speech-language pathologist Suzanne Morris, of Virginia in the USA, explains that the mouth is your baby’s “window to the world”. By exploring a toy or object with her tongue, lips and jaw, your baby is able to discern more about its size, shape, texture, taste and weight.

Faure says while most babies will outgrow mouthing in the toddler years, it is not uncommon to see six year olds sucking the ends of their pencils.

when to worry Faure says, “The only time a mom should worry is if there is a health risk of choking or poison. If objects hold a choking risk, such as nuts or marshmallows, do not allow your

baby to eat these. Or put marbles in their mouths.” According to the Child Accident Prevention Foundation of Southern Africa (CAPFSA), most choking accidents occur between the exploratory ages of five and 18 months. If you notice that your child has put something potentially dangerous in her mouth, but hasn’t swallowed it yet, gently squeeze her cheeks and scoop out the item with your finger. If your child is choking on an object, hold her up by the heels and give her a firm slap on the back. If you suspect your child has swallowed something toxic, contact your nearest poison information centre for advice and medical treatment.

if swallowed, should also be kept out of reach. An often ignored potential hazard is the garden, which may contain poisonous plants and flowers. Plants to avoid include azaleas, daffodil bulbs, hydrangeas, lilies of the valley and clivias. If your intrepid explorer insists on testing some less than palatable substances, such as dog droppings, voice your displeasure or pull a face. Your baby will soon learn to associate the substance with a negative experience and will (hopefully) avoid it in future.

poison information centres

make mouthing safer

Red Cross War Memorial

Any object that can fit through an empty toilet roll can also be swallowed, and should be considered unsafe. Make sure cupboards containing poison substances, household cleaners and medicines are locked. Keep a look out for small objects, such as buttons, safety pins, glass, balloons or small stones that may be lying around. Magnets, which may cause serious internal damage

Children’s Hospital 021 689 5227 Tygerberg Hospital 021 931 6129 (information centre for all nine provinces) Unitas Hospital Pretoria 0800 111 2229 (toll free)

May 2012

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dealing with difference

rethinking

ritalin

Is this widely-prescribed stimulant a solution for your child’s behaviour, or a potentially dangerous substitute for a healthier diet and better parenting?

By GLYNIS Horning

a

mother describes what is becoming an increasingly common scenario in homes across South Africa and the western world. “My son was in Grade 1 when the teacher called me in,” says Lynne Visagie of Johannesburg. “She said he had concentration issues and couldn’t focus to finish work, he was getting bored and walking about disrupting the class.” Lynne immediately braced herself for the threeletter diagnosis currently handed down to an estimated one in 10 children: ADD, or attention deficit disorder. Then when an educational psychologist confirmed it, she braced herself again for the most commonly prescribed solution: Ritalin.

“Today every other child seems to be on it,” Lynne sighs. “But everything I’d heard made me totally against it. I was afraid and confused.”

While the formal definition may have helped end the punishment of many children, it has also created a label some consider stigmatising. And it’s now so liberally applied that it’s been estimated that a million children in the US alone may have been falsely diagnosed.

“The crux of the controversy is that there is still no single definitive biological, scientific test for ADHD,” says Lynne, who today runs the national office of Adhasa in Randburg. This has prompted US educator and author of Walking Targets (CreateSpace), Beverly Eakman, to protest that “children are being forced to take a drug that is stronger than cocaine for a disease that is yet to be proven”. And Dr Mary Ann Block, head of the (antipsychiatry) Citizens Commission on Human Rights and author of No More

Like many parents, Lynne was reluctant to medicate her child with a drug at the centre of considerable controversy, and for a condition that is relatively new and not clearly understood. “ADD has been around some 60 years,” says Terry Wilke, educational psychologist and former director of the Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Support Group of Southern Africa (Adhasa). It was first diagnosed as minimal brain dysfunction, then brain damage. “These children were seen as naughty troublemakers, and beaten in class or kicked out of school.” Around the 1980s, ADD was diagnosed as a separate disorder, and today the favoured term is ADHD, although you can have attention deficit (concentration problems) without hyperactivity (overactive behaviour), or with other conditions such as learning problems, obsessive compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and depression.

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May 2012

Ritalin (Block Systems), has asked: “If there is no valid test; no data proving ADHD is a brain dysfunction, why in the world are millions of children being labelled with ADHD and prescribed these drugs?” The answer that they have come up with is that it is an attempt by certain teachers and sometimes parents to control “natural childhood behaviour”, which they are unwilling or incapable of coping with, and a conspiracy by pharmaceutical companies, for which Ritalin and similar medications are a multi-million dollar industry. But what are the facts?

exploring the causes There may be no professional agreement on the cause of ADHD, yet most doctors and psychologists say studies suggest a mix of factors, from genetics to smoking and drinking during pregnancy, food additives or dietary deficiencies, magazine pretoria

PHOTOGRAPH & ILLUSTRATIONS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

The crux of the controversy is that there is still no single definitive biological, scientific test for ADHD.

±1 in 10 children is being labelled as ADHD

brain injury, and differences in the way children’s brains are formed or deal with neurotransmitters. “Specialised techniques indicate that ADHD is caused by insufficient levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the areas that control focus, cognitive planning and executive function, leading to distractibility, poor planning and organising and impulsive behaviour,” says Dr Johan Erasmus, a Pretoria-based developmental paediatrician with a special interest in ADHD.

Neuroimaging has shown differences in the thickness of these regions of the cortex with ADHD children, “but the clinical implications of these changes on ADHD are still not clear,” he says. “The problem with conditions of the brain is that, unlike the rest of the body, we cannot take biopsies to see what is wrong. We need to rely on indirect methods, which make diagnoses open to interpretation.” Theories for such differences therefore vary widely. Thom Hartmann, author of Complete Guide to ADHD (Underwood books), suggests that ADHD is an evolutionary adaptation, a throwback to hunter characteristics. But diet, lifestyle, family and personality are now all thought to play a part, and most professionals working with ADHD say these should be attended to before turning to medication.

could your child have ADHD? It’s natural for children to be inattentive, hyperactive and impulsive at times, but if several of the following symptoms are severe and persist, affecting your child’s progress and family life, Adhasa advises professional assessment: • unable to concentrate at school or read for more than a few minutes, • fidgety, • often sick, • generally disorganised, • easily frustrated, • struggles with social interaction, and • under-achieves.

Get professional diagnosis to eliminate other explanations: • parental conflict, divorce or separation, • abuse or bullying, • uncontrolled asthma or other allergies, • hearing or vision problems, and • stress or depression.

Your GP may suggest a child psychologist, developmental paediatrician, child psychiatrist or child neurologist. For recommendations of specialists experienced in ADHD, contact info@adhasa.co.za or visit adhasa.co.za

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dealing with difference

the Ritalin dilemma Methylphenidate, distributed as Ritalin or Concerta, increases or “stimulates” the dopamine levels that are too low, restoring focus, and functional and impulse control, says Erasmus. “It’s a stimulant, but it calms an overactive brain, so it works in children with ADHD if properly prescribed and supervised,” adds Wilke. “Sadly this isn’t always the case.”

“The dangers of medicating children who don’t need it into submission are quite tragic, and there are parents putting them on Ritalin who don’t have

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Ritalin can have an important role in managing ADHD, but it’s only number 10 on the list of things to try. an option,” says Durban clinical psychologist Robin Vanderplank, a regional coordinator for Adhasa.

Lynne was one. “My son’s school told me unless I put him on Ritalin they wouldn’t take him back. I told them, ‘You’re the teachers, and you should be able to handle him without resorting to drugs.’ Then I changed schools and started other treatments.”

how risky is Ritalin?

• hypersensitivity,

Ritalin is safe to use and has been in use for more than 60 years, says Dr Johan Erasmus, a developmental paediatrician. “Like any medication it can cause sideeffects, but these subside if the medication is stopped or the dose adjusted, and no long-term side-effect has ever been described with it. Most of the negative effects people are concerned about were seen with the injection, which was taken off the market many years ago, not the tablets, which get metabolised.” Ritalin should not be taken by children with: • high anxiety and agitation, • glaucoma, • uncontrolled epilepsy, and • motor tics or Tourette’s syndrome.

• nausea,

Recognised and reported possible side-effects are: • nervousness, • insomnia or drowsiness,

educational psychologist Terry Wilke. “ADHD children

May 2012

• loss of appetite, • weight loss, • dizziness, • headaches, • abdominal pain, • dyskinesia (involuntary movements), • blood pressure and pulse changes, and • palpitations, tachycardia, angina and cardiac arrhythmia. Ritalin, like many medications, should be used with caution by those with heart defects or abnormal heart rhythms.

“Reports of Ritalin encouraging addiction are a myth,” says not on Ritalin are more likely to use recreational drugs to ‘self-medicate’.”

“Ritalin can have an important role in managing ADHD, but it’s only number 10 on the list of things to try, including diet and exercise,” says Vanderplank (see “managing ADHD”).

Lynne passionately agrees. She put her son on a low-GI diet with omega and vitamin supplements and minimal sugar, and encouraged him to swim competitively and cycle. “He got super-fit and his focus improved, but not enough to complete tasks,” she says ruefully. When academic pressures mounted at high school, she finally agreed to try Ritalin. “It was amazing from the get-go – my boy listened, his marks improved, he blossomed. I felt guilty for not trying it earlier.”

But side-effects slowly set in. “He’d get emotional when the Ritalin wore off, then one morning he came in from a bike ride with serious heart palpitations.” She rushed him to a cardiologist and has since learnt that this is a rare side-effect of Ritalin, and children predisposed to heart problems should not take it.

Today Lynne’s son is 16 and off medication. “He still eats well, takes supplements and exercises, but he’s up and down again with the ADD.” She has the following advice for parents who call Adhasa for help. “Bottom line is that it’s a personal decision,” she says. “But I tell them Ritalin works. If your child is properly diagnosed and monitored for side-effects, go for it. I’ve seen a bad side, but I’ve also seen it can be a life-saver for some children; improving their behaviour, helping them socially and academically, and giving them the confidence to fly.”

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managing ADHD “At a recent ADHD world conference, every delegate agreed that medication on its own is not enough to manage the effects,” says clinical psychologist Robin Vanderplank. Adhasa supports these steps:

avoiding colourants, preservatives and other additives, as well as trans-fats and the sugar, caffeine and white flour some suspect cause spikes and dips in blood sugar levels. Adhasa also advocates professional testing for food sensitivities.

exercise This helps channel natural energy and brings mental focus by releasing feel-good endorphins.

reduce stress “This is a major contributor to ADHD, because to cope with increased stress levels we use up vitamins and minerals meant for our other important functions,” says Vanderplank.

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drink water 2 Dehydration impairs concentration; we need six to eight glasses a day. eat healthy foods Avoid fast foods high in fat and refined carbohydrates, and serve protein and unrefined carbohydrates at each meal. Encourage a child to eat often if concentration slides.

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diet A 2011 review by researchers from the Chicago Children’s Memorial Hospital of studies on diets and supplements showed “limited evidence” that these help ADHD, says Durban-based dietician Priya Seetal.

But anecdotal accounts abound, and Adhasa advises

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take supplements 6 Our bodies can’t make essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. We get these from food, and some studies suggest today’s food is less nutritious because of soil depletion from poor agricultural practices. Give a quality omega oil supplement and multivitamin. keep a calm home “No one can think clearly and work things out when angry or upset,” says Vanderplank. “Don’t shout, rather say ‘let’s talk about this’.” Also, make sure children get enough sleep.

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encourage emotional growth “Try to see things from your child’s point of view,” Vanderplank urges.

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respond differently “Those with ADHD have challenges and opportunities on a different scale to ordinary people,” says Vanderplank. “They’re among our brightest and most innovative members of society,” adds Johannesburg psychologist Anita Decaires-Wagner. Work with professionals to learn what the unique problems are that your child needs to sort out. Explore behavioural therapy, which uses positive reinforcement to help them learn to control their impulsivity.

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use medication wisely “Ritalin may be crucial at times,” says Vanderplank, “but unless a child is in danger of abuse from frustrated parents, it should be a last resort.” Dr Johan Erasmus, a developmental paediatrician says, “If all other interventions don’t improve the child’s quality of life, medication must be considered to prevent the serious long-term consequences of inadequately treated ADHD. With it, many relationships and careers have been saved.” A study by Rodrigo Escobar, a doctor and medical researcher in Madrid, showed that the quality of life of people with untreated ADHD is much poorer than that of people with untreated asthma. “But we don’t have a problem treating asthma, even with a medication that has side-effects way more dangerous and that can be longlasting.” It’s safe if well-controlled, he adds.

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ideas

the

day

It’s your child’s birthday, and you want to celebrate it in style. LUCILLE KEMP

m

gets some tried and tested ideas from moms on how to throw a memorable party.

any say that the simplest parties are often the ones where the best time was had, so though you may feel the pressure to produce the goods on the day, you don’t need to break the bank to do so. Half the battle is won with a good, solid party theme and a little imagination. Cape Townbased working mother of three and parttime caterer, Taryn Copeman advises, “Plan ahead, pick a theme and stick to it without overdoing it. For instance, if you’ve decided on a Cars theme you can use red, black and

white checks for décor, and maybe buy just one or two more expensive Disney-themed

Angie Cameron from Durban and mom to three-year-old Mackenzie, says the

I find the process enjoyable probably because I keep the end goal in mind – to have fun and be happy. For this I know I don’t have to go to great expense, so I don’t put pressure on myself. items to pull it together. Bake your own cake, if you can, as it makes it more personal, otherwise order well ahead of time.”

planning tends to become quite involved, so she starts organising her ideas in advance and keeps an eye out for odds

and ends when she’s at the shops. “I find the process enjoyable probably because I keep the end goal in mind – to have fun and be happy. For this I know I don’t have to go to great expense, so I don’t put pressure on myself. I’m hoping to keep my parties home-made, so my sister and I, for one, put a lot of energy into planning the cake.”

For another Durban mother, Catherine Jenkin, mom to three-and-a-half-year-old Cam, parties are strictly a family affair.

“We keep it small, and stick to Cam’s immediate family and closest friends.”

parties through the ages the one year old Key Their first birthday is a real milestone, but remember it’s more of a celebration for the parent.

You therefore don’t need to invite 15 one year olds, as Taryn informs me she did for her son Casey’s first birthday. As long as you’re within sight of your birthday girl or boy and the party falls in line with their sleep routine, it will be a success. Nancy Cockcroft from Cape Town kept the focus on one-year-old Georgina with a sweet gesture. She served only snacks that Georgie was able to eat and cut up foods to “Georgie-size”. Nancy says, “There were oaties, cucumber sticks, grapes, raisins, viennas and quartered sarmies. Party hats were worn to make it festive and I made cupcakes with sprinkles and put a candle on one for Georgie to blow out – more like for mom and dad to blow out – for a photo opp.”

Ideas If you want to inject a little fun into the first birthday while still keeping focus on the child, you could play dress up. One creative blogger says she dressed up her birthday baby as an eighties-inspired aerobics instructor, complete with a hand-embroidered, felt boom box.

Key Keep it simple and keep them active.

Toddlers are busy so have something that they can bounce on, slide down, twirl around or ride on. For this, all you need is your back yard and a hired inflatable apparatus, or a park where there’ll be a jungle gym, swings, a merry-go-round and seesaws.

Also focus on free play. Your toddler doesn’t sit still for long and gets sidetracked easily, so structured play, such as a craft workshop, is unlikely to work. Janine describes her son Connor’s second birthday party as a great success. “We hired a Lightning McQueen jumping castle with attached ball pond, which the children loved and spent most of the day playing in.”

Angie’s daughter, Mackenzie, had a jungle-themed second birthday with a monkey-face cake and a home-made mural, which they worked on for three weeks. Her third birthday was a low-key picnic in the park, but it still popped thanks to the giant cupcake-style cake and the park’s resident ducks, which the children enjoyed feeding.

Barbara du Randt from Durban and mom to five-year-old Noah, says, “The most special party for me and Noah was his third birthday; when he really understood that it was his birthday and could blow out his candles for the first time.”

Ideas When it comes to a theme for this age think cars, trains, teddy bears, fairies or Barbie. Activity venues are popular, or you can entertain with a storyteller. For simple dress-up ideas, moms have done a great job transforming their daughters into princesses and toddling boys will make cute little lions.

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PHOTOGRAPHs and illustrations: shutterstock.com

the toddler

the preschooler Key Keep them stimulated.

Janine, currently based in Guernsey, England says, “For Connor’s fourth birthday party my husband and I made a pirate ship out of cardboard and added a plastic slide, which we already had lying around the house. They had to climb through a tunnel to get into the pirate ship and then slide down to get out. It was a huge hit.

They spent most of the day in it and it cost us nothing.

We had hot dog boats for lunch with fruit and chips, and I made a pirate treasure-chest cake, which Connor loved.”

Ideas A cute and stand-out dress-up idea for a boy or girl is Wall-E or you could dress them up as a bunny and let them have fun with it by showing them how to hop around.

the young teenager Key Get them involved, let them feel like the grown-ups they aren’t and reduce the guest list because at this age, they’re all about their BFFs anyway.

Your tween is asserting her independence, and is likely to make her own party request. Taryn was initially taken aback when Skyla shunned her offer of a cake and instead requested a chocolate fountain for her 11th birthday party. Another popular idea at this age is a sushi-making party.

You may want to invite your immediate family, in-laws and your daughter’s best friend’s parents to celebrate the milestone 13th birthday, so include drinks and snacks for the adults.

Ideas Your child feels like a young adult so she’ll probably want a disco, a pool party, a sleepover, a movie night, a braai or, if it’s winter, a dinner party. If you’re feeling energetic and creative, why not throw a murder mystery dinner party?

Some great ideas for girls include a make-your-own-cake party or a pamper party at a spa. Boys at this age will love a paintball party, which can also be a great winter option, or you could splash out and hire a Hummer limo to fetch your birthday boy and a few friends from school on a Friday, take them to the movies and then home for pizza and a computer game party. Volleyball with friends on the beach is also a great idea for summer babies.

the prep schooler Key Be on theme. Build the party’s look and feel around your child’s favourite TV character, which will probably be Hannah Montana or Ben 10.

This is really your time to get creative and think outside the box. At this stage, your child has developed his own taste and special interests, so be prepared to hear him out and don’t be surprised if you are building an entire party around a science theme or your child makes a special request for a mosaic party. Your child’s imagination is in full bloom and professional entertainers can help to consolidate the party theme and keep the children’s attention. A magician will work well. For the eighth birthday of her stepdaughter, Kyla, Taryn organised a fairy party with a real fairy entertainer playing host. At this age, your daughter is likely to invite girls only, while your son may well want to stick to boys.

Cindy Perry, Cape Town mom to eight-year-old Josh, threw a Survivor party for 20 boys that was a roaring success despite its minimal cost. The venue, a grassed park situated on a family-friendly beach, was free and the eyeball cake was home-made.

Costs were kept low by using simple items for the games, which included a wooden jigsaw puzzle, made by a friend, leopard crawl, cupto-container and water balloons. The biggest expense was probably the lucky packet prizes of tattoos, stickers and animal figurines.

Ideas Popular themes for this age group include pamper parties, boot camp and parties outside at the pool. Girls like anything that is pretty and feminine, so simply decorating the venue with polka dots or holding a fancy-dress tea party, will be a success. Boys will enjoy anything involving physical activity or a hobby. Dress up your son as a ninja, and your daughter as Madame Butterfly.

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the slumber party This is a popular winter party option; Cindy’s daughter has been voting for a “sleepover” party since she was 10 years old. Your daughter probably won’t invite boys at this age, but if she does there isn’t a “yes or no” rule. Do what feels comfortable and judge the specific circumstances – you don’t want to invite mischief so stick to good friends only. Trust your instinct – you’ll know if your daughter is trying to pull a fast one and if the boy is more than just a friend. Have the party guests over before the sun sets so you can have the children around the pool, serve finger foods to snack on and when it’s time to take it inside, you can play games such as freeze dance, charades, general knowledge and cotton-ball pass.

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book extract

Take the stress out of planning your child’s Party Magic 3 for Boys and Girls by ARINA DU PLESSIS and BERNICE VAN DER MERWE.

• 60ml black butter icing • 125ml green mini Smarties, yellow Smarties and Smarties Mini Eggs • Nine or 10 quantities brightly coloured sweets (such as jelly sweets, Smarties and liquorice sweets) • thick black cardboard • ruler • cardboard cutter or heavy-duty scissors • double-sided tape

art class Painting and easel cake • 1 slab cake • wooden board, slightly larger than the slab cake • 600ml bright blue butter icing • kebab stick • 4 red liquorice rolls • 100ml each yellow, red, orange, pink and purple mini Smarties or similar sweets • jelly beans • a few candy-coated liquorice sweets in the same colours as the mini Smarties

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Place the black icing in a piping bag with a thin nozzle and pipe around the edges of the vase.

step 3 Form the stems with green mini Smarties turned on their sides. Now, make as many brightly coloured flowers as you like with the quantities of jelly sweets, Smarties and liquorice sweets.

step 1

step 4

Neaten the sides of the cake with a sharp knife and place in the middle of the wooden board. Cover the cake with bright blue icing.

Cut the top and legs of the easel from black cardboard and secure at both ends to the cake board and table with doublesided tape.

step 2 Use the kebab stick to draw the outlines of a vase, table top and flower stems on the cake. Start by forming the table top with the red liquorice rolls. Then cover the vase with mini Smarties, jellybeans and candy-coated liquorice sweets in a pattern of your choice.

Set the scene Most children love drawing and painting, and the ideal party theme for budding artists is a creative art class. Cover the table in large sheets of cardboard in different colours. Paint each guest’s name on a smaller piece of cardboard and use as place mats. Leave enough space for them to do some painting of their own. Supply water paint, crayons and brushes so that everyone can draw and paint to their heart’s content.

The invitation • stiff blue, green, yellow and red cardboard • small paintbrushes • plastic water paint sets • yellow raffia Cut the cardboard into rectangles (10cm x 7cm). Punch two holes along one long side (to hold the paintbrush) and one in the middle of each short side. Make a hole at each end of the paint set. Write the party details on the back of the card. Insert a paintbrush through the holes on the long side. Thread the raffia through the holes in the paint set and the holes on the short sides of the invitation, and tie.

Deliver by hand.

magazine pretoria

PHOTOGRAPHS: David Briers / shutterstock.com

it’s my party

special day with these imaginative ideas from

building site Bulldozer cake • 1 large loaf cake • 375ml orange butter icing • 2 kebab sticks • 8-10 chocolate wafer biscuits • 125ml brown butter icing • tinfoil • 125ml small brown liquorice sweets

• • • • • • •

step 1

125ml blue mini Smarties 2 flat orange jelly sweets 2 red Smarties 2 red mini Smarties 1 cardboard tube from a toilet roll 2 coloured ice-cream sticks 2 blue candy-coated liquorice sweets

step 2

Cover a cake board with paper and plastic.

Evenly slice the top off the loaf cake. Cut off a third of the loaf and place this part on top of the cake, at the back. Sandwich in place with icing and insert two kebab sticks to keep the cake in position. Cut the sticks the same height as the cake.

Cover the entire cake with orange icing.

step 3

step 4

Shape four wafer biscuits for tracks and attach. Pipe brown icing on the inside. Cover remaining biscuits with tinfoil for windows.

Edge with brown icing, pressing in brown liquorice sweets around the windscreen. Arrange blue mini Smarties on the bonnet and use jelly sweets and Smarties for lights.

about the book

Cut open the cardboard tube and cover one half with tinfoil. Press the icecream sticks to the sides of the cake, letting them rest on the cake board.

Pipe a thin line of brown icing where they end, and place the covered tube on the icing. Fill the bucket with sweets. Finish by sprinkling coloured desiccated coconut around the cake on the cake board.

Set the scene It’s construction time! Cover the table with brown corrugated cardboard, and decorate with building blocks and toy tools. Use pale blue sponge paper for place mats, wooden cutlery and orange containers for sweets and snacks.

Packed lunches Workers on a building site work hard and have hearty appetites. Pack a lunch for each guest: a box with cubes of cheese, sausages or cold meat, sandwiches (cut into wedges) and finger veggies (such as baby tomatoes and carrots).

In Party Magic 3: For Boys and Girls (Human & Rousseau), Arina du Plessis and Bernice van der Merwe suggest more than 20 creative party themes that will delight children of all ages. There are stepby-step instructions for making the cake, ideas for the invites, décor and party food, as well as suggestions of what games to play at each themed party. Parents low on time will love the short cuts, tips and simple templates, and the recipes for the basic sponge cake, swiss roll and cupcake mix are easy to follow. This is a one-stop party planning guide that will inspire you to make your child’s next birthday the most memorable one yet.

For more party theme inspiration, click on childmag.co.za/content/ theme-recipe

Willow country lodge

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top tips

always something

Get into the habit of preserving special memories.

LUCILLE KEMP suggests innovative ways to make each celebration last for years to come.

Photo books are probably one of the most popular forms of displaying photos, as they are quick and easy for busy moms to set up. At 24hourphotobooks.co.za you can download and install the software you need, choose a predefined layout or custom make your own theme, auto-flow or drag-and-drop the pictures from your folder until you are happy with the layout, and then hit “order”. You will get a hard copy, but you can also share the digital version with faraway family and friends via various social networking sites.

At rapidstudio.co.za, you create and design your keepsake online in one of the following downloadable templates: the birthday calendar, a photo diary, a photo calendar, a wall or desk calendar or a photo flipper. You then buy it and Rapid Studio will print and deliver your chosen product to you.

Evernote.com is a free online journalling app that is enabled for Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac and is popular because it can be accessed on your desktop or via your cellphone, making it quick and easy to write and upload when you have the time. If you’re using Evernote as your personal journal, you can influence the text recognition and tagging to make your journal entries available to family and friends. MyMemoir is a journalling app designed for iPad, where you can import images into your journal entries and export your journalling into an e-book format, transforming each of the entries into chapters. The e-book even includes a tool that enables quick navigation through the book, which makes it very professional looking. This can be a creative way of making a big deal of your child’s birthday. Another feature of myMemoir is its ability to export your journal entries to PDF, making the birthday chronicle easy to email to loved ones.

online platform for photo creativity. Once you’ve created the slideshow, build unique text, music, animation and other special effects around it. Once you’re done, share your slideshow with family and friends through email, or add it to your blog, post it to Facebook or Twitter, or even make a DVD and have everyone enjoy the birthday fun.

Create a blog site with Wordpress and Tumblr, both web-based micro-blogging platforms. At your instruction, these blog sites can feed your posts directly to social networking sites of your choice to alert others of updates. The blog sites are easy to use and you can opt to keep entries completely private.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

Make a slideshow or create a collage free of charge with kizoa.com, an

there to remind me

Create a Facebook album, which can be accessed by friends and family.

Most parents have a Facebook profile just to chronicle their children’s growing up through photo uploads. It offers an immediate and easy way to keep faraway family in touch.

Your Birthday Book: A Keepsake Journal (Potter Style) starts with the first birthday and ends with their 18th celebration. Amy Krouse Rosenthal came up with this novel book, which provides fun, fast and casual birthday activities for each year as well as space to stick birthday photos and other random pictures. There are amusing and thought-provoking questions to ask your child and a place to record their answers. There is also a time-capsule envelope for stashing away odds and ends such as artwork, school papers, hand tracings, birthday cards, invitations, and other memorabilia. The journal is available at Exclusive Books.

Make a party wall. What’s the use of having all your special photos stored in a file on your computer? Print out some winning party shots from all the children’s past birthdays, including yours and your partner’s. Thrift-shop for frames to suit your home and display the photos on a wall that you’ve now reserved for birthday party pictures. You will notice that having this party wall will inspire you to get creative with the photo taking at the next birthday, and the next... Soon that wall will be alive with your memories.

Bring the moment to life and record your child’s birthday on video. Make sure you have a tripod so you can get everyone in for some special moments, such as the singing of “Happy Birthday”. Also, don’t forget to flick the audio switch so your child’s birthday party isn’t recorded as a silent event – it has happened before. Do a good edit on the recording so that the party montage flows and then copy it to DVD to send to the grandparents. Perhaps you could start a tradition where the family comes over the week after the birthday to watch the video and share a few laughs. You can also upload the video so techno-savvy relatives can access it online, on sites such as Facebook or YouTube, or via email.

There is always the good, old-fashioned chronicling of scrapbooking. For many creative people, scrapbooking is a most rewarding, time-honoured tradition; for others, it just takes too much time and can be intimidating as you can’t edit your mistakes as easily. Never fear, if you are determined to create such a treasure, unleash your creative side effectively by planning each spread before you start gluing anything and keep the end result in mind as you progress. The finished product is a memory of your child’s birthday that is full of texture and your personal touch. Typical memorabilia include photographs, printed media, artwork, and the scribbling of poems, quotes and photo captions.

A party box, with photos and mementos kept from the day, is great to have. You could include the invitation, some of the decorations, any keepsake, especially if the birthday is a milestone. The party box is especially for the sentimental parent who wants to cherish all the special moments that marked the day. To make it extra special, decorate and label the box. magazine pretoria

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how to

party etiquette The party may only last two hours, but it can take weeks to organise.

invitation dilemma The general rule is to invite as many children as your child’s age, plus one. So if your child is turning seven, invite eight guests. You don’t need to invite the whole class. Just be aware that the school may prefer you not to hand out invites at the school if the whole class is not invited. Some encourage you to send cupcakes or treats for the last day of the month, in lieu of a birthday party. Find out what the school rules are when it comes to invites and birthday celebrations. The type of party you are having will also be a guideline for the guest list. Outdoor parties can accommodate more people. Older children will be able to draw up their own guest list.

snail mail or e-vites?

In today’s world of cyber communication, electronic invites may be easier to send. You can customise the invite according to your child’s theme, using sites such as smilebox.com or evite.com. Marianne Calvert, a former party planner, says the type of invitation you send reflects how you feel about the party. “A printed invitation means you care about the event and it is important to you, so people will keep the invite and be serious about it.”

Children love getting something in the post because

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everything is done electronically these days. You could also drop off the invites at school, depending on their party policy, or call the parents of the children being invited.

Calvert cautions that an sms invite suggests a last-minute decision and should be avoided.

Be sure to include the following on your invite: your child’s name, the date and time of the party, the venue and address, as well as a map if necessary, your contact details and an RSVP deadline. Don’t forget to mention if there is a dress code or theme, so that parents can plan well in advance, and if there are any other activities, such as swimming or outdoor games that would require comfortable clothing and shoes. Include the duration of the party. For younger children, it should be no longer than two hours and should take nap times into account. Send the invites a month in advance, giving parents about two weeks to RSVP so that you have time to plan. Be clear about who is invited.

You don’t want the child to arrive with a sibling or two in tow.

Parents will usually accompany younger children.

party politics With the mix of sugar and adrenalin, there is likely to be at least one meltdown during the party. If it’s your child, take

her aside and quietly encourage her to calm down. “I am a big believer in ‘time out’.” Often all they need is some quiet space and lots of water to drink, and then they are usually ready to go back,” says Calvert. If it is a guest, don’t make a scene in front of the other children. Try and divert the child’s attention with a game, or ask them to help you with an activity. “If they are still out of hand, you should call their parents and ask them to fetch them,” says Calvert.

With younger children, the parent will probably be there to help. Instil good party etiquette in your child from the start. Always remind them to say thank you for gifts, even if it’s something they already have or don’t like. Children are brutally honest, but encourage them to always show gratitude. Get older children to create thank-you cards after the event. Perhaps save the opening of gifts until after the party, especially for children younger than five.

magazine pretoria

PHOTOGRAPH: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

ANÉL LEWIS gives some quick tips for hosting the perfect bash.

resource

illustrations: shutterstock.com

Having a party? Here’s who to call. Compiled by MARINA ZIETSMAN

Ace Jumping Castles Hire out of jumping castles, water slides, popcorn and candyfloss machines and entertainers. Doringkloof.

Contact: 079 154 4391, cj@sombrero.co.za or visit acejumpingcastles.co.za Amazing Jumping Castles They hire out jumping castles with themes ranging from water slides to an adventure island.

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Centurion. Contact: 082 500 8873, natanya@amazingjumpingcastles.co.za or visit amazingjumpingcastles.co.za Balloon Magic Supplies custom-printed balloon décor to suit your theme. For centrepieces, balloon sculpting, balloon pillars and arches. Contact: 011 892 4219, 083 276 2747, cindy@balloon-magic.co.za or visit balloon-magic.co.za Banner Buddy They create personalised party banners to a theme of your

choice. Banners from R450 and R100 for delivery. Boksburg. Contact: 084 600 4100, jacobasson777@gmail.com or visit bannerbuddy.co.za B-day Parties Suppliers of themed party décor. You can choose from 180 themes.

Nationwide. Contact: 021 853 1727, linda@ bdayparties.co.za or visit bdayparties.co.za BellaBagheera Customised invitations, themed or basic, party favour stickers, cupcake toppers and thank-you cards.

Nationwide. Contact: 021 712 8628, 071 869 2151, info@bellabagheera.co.za or visit bellabagheera.co.za Berg Toys Rent the pedal go-kart. For 5 years and older. Contact Martie: 082 899 2221, Celia: 084 955 3254, info@bergtoys. co.za or visit bergtoys.co.za Bouncy Pals They hire out a variety of jumping castles, water slides, sky dancers, tables and chairs, high slides and marquee tents. They also set

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resource up and coordinate your event. Pretoria East. Contact: 082 366 0140, 084 838 7505, info@bouncypals.co.za or visit bouncypals.com Bumpy Jumpy Castles Large range of jumping castles, including the Dragon’s Hideaway, the Wishful Wizard’s Castle or a choo-choo train. They deliver, set up and collect. Gauteng. Contact: 082 227 8537, fun@bumpyjumpycastles.co.za or visit bumpyjumpycastles.co.za Candy Kids Fun Rides Hires out swings, a boat and horse carousel, mini trains, water-ski rides and slides. Contact: 073 228 4180 CNA For all your themed party accessories including paper plates, hats, balloons and more. Themes include pirates and fairys.

Contact: 0800 203 925 Cosmo Balloons Stockists of balloon décor, balloon printing, helium gas, party accessories, costumes, wigs, masks and face paint. Waterkloof Glen. Contact: 012 998 3596, lee@cosmo-balloons.co.za or visit cosmo-balloons.co.za Crazy Water Balls Rents out water balls and Zorb balls. Midrand. Contact: 082 449 4197, shauny@crazywaterballs.co.za or visit crazywaterballs.co.za Creatix Design House They do birthday party specials, photo books and canvas printing. Contact: 083 391 9740, 083 878 1831, cindy.creatix@gmail.com or visit creatixdesignhouse.co.za Cybazone Solutions Offers a wide variety of entertainment and hires out inflatable jumping castles, water slides, Zorb balls, belly dancers and they do a puppet show.

Pretoria. Contact: 012 377 3467, 072 655 3763 or info@cybazone.co.za Delite Foods They supply sugar-free, low-fat goodies such as sweets, jellies, biscuits and hot chocolate. Nationwide.

Contact: 021 702 0721, info@delitefoods. co.za or visit delitefoods.co.za Digital Works For digital personalised invitations, birthday banners and more.

Nationwide. Contact: 074 432 5913 or annalise@digitalworksbyannalise.co.za Dinkis Party Hire Offers jumping castles, cakes, party boxes, partyware, piñatas, themed party supplies and more.

Centurion. Contact: 082 553 8549 Dirk’s Entertainment Rents out go-karts and mechanical bulls. Pretoria. Contact: 079 880 1916, 072 877 3764 or isagofun@ gmail.com Enchanted Creations Supplies cakes, party packs, themed décor and accessories as well as personalised invitations, banners and T-shirts.

Nationwide. Contact: 084 567 5220, info@enchantedcreations.co.za or visit enchantedcreations.co.za Fabulous Party A party shop that supplies party décor, accessories, party packs, jumping castles and a wide range of gifts and toys. They do catering, delivery and setup. Centurion. Contact: 012 667 3081 or info@fabulousparty.co.za Fantasy Jumping Castles Jumping castles include the fairy jumper, water slide and princess combo. They sell chairs and banners. Meyerspark. Contact: 012 803 2705, borntoshop@telkomsa.net or visit fantasyjumpingcastles.co.za

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May 2012

Flower Fusion A range of floral designs and gifts. Nationwide delivery. Contact: 031 764 2801, flowerfusion@telkomsa.net or visit flowerfusionflorest.co.za Gelli Baff Turns water into colourful goo.

Water turns back to normal. Nationwide.

Contact: 021 556 0332, wendy.ekman@ altiustrading.com or visit gellibaff.co.za Gladiator Inflatables Hires out a variety of inflatable jumping castles, water slides and mini obstacle courses. Nationwide.

Contact: 011 781 5874, randburg@ gladiatorinflatables.co.za or visit gladiatorinflatables.co.za Indoor and Outdoor Play Centres Sell soft-play systems, jungle gyms, toddler play systems and educational products for indoor and outdoor use. Nationwide.

Contact: 079 887 8322 or info@iopc.co.za In Good Company They supply linen, tableware, decorations and party favours.

Shop online and they ship nationwide.

Contact: 011 447 1628, 079 041 8927, juliegallagher@ingoodcompany.co.za or visit ingoodcompany.co.za Its Mine Labels Supplies themed party invitations, party pack stickers and personalised tattoos. Nationwide.

Contact: 011 646 3640, admin@itsmine. co.za or visit itsmine.co.za Itz a Party An online party shop that sells accessories, balloons, blowouts, cake decorations, tableware, stationery, party packs and more. Nationwide delivery.

Contact: 011 794 5327, itzaparty@ telkomsa.net or visit itzaparty.co.za Jackflash Stories Get a personalised book, which tells your child’s birthday story with your own photos from R150.

Nationwide. Contact: 082 827 8474, jaci@jackflashstories.co.za or visit jackflashstories.co.za Jeremy Kusner Productions Suppliers of party and event entertainment, from carousels, mini trains, candyfloss and popcorn machines. Sound and lighting equipment available. Nationwide. Contact: 011 608 1485, 0861 112 876 or visit jkproductions.co.za Jitterbugs For all your magnet invitations, party pack stickers, décor and banner requirements. Magnetic invitations from R9. Nationwide. Contact: 031 261 1030, orders@jitterbugs.co.za or visit jitterbugs.co.za Just Labels Supplies colourful personalised gift stickers for children’s birthday presents. Choose your own wording and pictures on their website.

Nationwide. Contact: 031 266 1738, sales@ justlabels.co.za or visit justlabels.co.za Kids Labels International Fun gift labels as a party accessory. Nationwide.

Contact: 021 794 6637, info@kidslabels. co.za or visit kidslabels.co.za Kids Like Us Piñata Factory Offers custom-made piñatas in various themes and unique designs as well as professional face painting. Piñatas from R190−R350. Gauteng. Contact: 072 228 0563, cassandra@kidslikeuspiñatas.com or visit kidslikeuspiñatas.com Kids Party Packs For themed party supplies, serviettes, paper plates and party packs. Contact: 082 887 4298 or info@kidspartypacks.co.za

Kidz Fun Hire Rents and sells inflatables, balloons, tables, chairs, candyfloss machines, bubble machines and more.

Queenswood. Contact: 012 333 5371, 082 705 6310 or sales@kidsfunhire.co.za Kidz Party Zone They specialise in themed décor, tables, chairs, table cloths, tie-backs, banners, flags, photo boards, party boxes and balloons. Pretoria, Centurion and Midrand. Contact: 012 331 3460, 073 815 0575, kidzpartyzone.biz@ gmail.com or visit kidzpartyzone.co.za Koala Tea Collections An online supplier of stationery items such as invites and décor. From R20 to R350. Nationwide.

Contact: 084 851 6981, admin@koalatea. co.za or visit koalatea.co.za Labels Inc Personalised stationery including party invitations, gift labels and cards. From R60. Nationwide. Contact: 082 556 4232, 082 897 7799, lauren@ labelsinc.co.za or visit labelsinc.co.za Little Occasions For invitations, paper cups, plates, napkins, balloons, cards, wrapping paper and gift bags. Nationwide. Contact: 011 071 7436, info@littleoccasions.co.za or visit littleoccasions.co.za Macaroon Offers personalised, online stationery, which can be designed with your personal photographs to create invitations and more. Also gift stickers.

Nationwide. Contact: 074 581 1731, taryn@ macaroon.co.za or visit macaroon.co Mom’s Party Packs They deliver party packs with a selection of themes ranging from Disney, cartoon and rugby from R17 to R33 per party pack. Garsfontein.

Contact: 084 707 6983, 084 260 9309, chantelle@momspartypacks.com or visit momspartypacks.com Money Box Party Packs Unique and affordable party packs. There are 16 designs available, including a money box range, DIY option, and Smurfs, Hello Kitty, Ben 10 and more themes. Nationwide.

Contact: 082 422 7872 or visit jorsam.co.za Moonshine Beverages Frosty Fred slush, Frosty Fruit smoothies and Hi-Spiritz cocktail machines for hire. They deliver, set up and collect. Gauteng. Contact: 011 973 3967 or info@moonshinebev.co.za My Gas Supplies easy-to-use portable balloon and helium kits. Nationwide.

Contact: 011 794 2423, 084 365 6657, shaun@mygas.co.za or visit mygas.co.za Mystic Memories Specialists in party banners, digital invitations, photo editing, digital scrapbooking pages, and designed and printed photo books.

Nationwide. Contact: 083 781 2556, leeann@mysticmemories.co.za or visit mysticmemories.co.za Nox Designs Specialises in decorative personalised labels for party packs. From R40. Nationwide. Contact: 082 496 2930, nstark@mweb.co.za or visit noxdesigns. wordpress.com Parties 4 Africa Shop online for everything party related. They deliver nationwide. Contact: info@parties4africa. co.za or visit parties4africa.co.za Party Packs & Piñatas Party packs, cakes, cupcakes and biscuits made up according to your party theme. Nationwide.

Contact: 083 444 9888, gkavonic@global. co.za or visit partypacksandpiñatas.co.za

Party Solutions Rents out marquees, trestle tables, adult and children’s chairs as well as cutlery, crockery and glasses.

Marquees from R995, delivery and set up at an additional cost. Contact: 011 793 3933, 083 377 8118, partysolutions@ cybersmart.co.za or visit partysolutions.biz Party World They sell everything from balloons, costumes, masks, party boxes and buckets, cake tins and stands. Menlyn.

Contact: 012 348 2324, partyworld@mweb. co.za or visit partyworldpta.co.za Piñata and Balloon Africa Custommade piñatas to your party theme as well as balloon arches, columns, topiaries, balloon drops and balloon sculptures in any shape delivered nationwide. Contact: 082 457 2276 or mgwyther@mweb.co.za Poms & Tutus They sell décor pompoms, lanterns, tutus, ballet, fairy and party dresses, serviettes and accessories from R5. Nationwide. Contact: 011 803 8722, 076 259 9434, info@pomsandtutus.com or visit pomsandtutus.com Puzzle Worx Create a personalised puzzle with a photo of your child and use it as an invitation or keepsake. Various sizes from R20. Nationwide. Contact: 083 275 6567 or jodywebb@mtnloaded.co.za Rainbow Parties They stock themed décor, cakes and other eats, party packs and accessories and can arrange entertainment.

Pretoria East. Contact: 012 362 2383, 072 271 5371, carmenyup@iburst.co.za or visit rainbowparties.co.za Sensation Lab Manufacture and hire of unique structures, furniture, dance floors, marquees, candle-lit walkways and fairy and disco lights. Nationwide. Contact: 011 023 5940, info@sensationlab.co.za or visit sensationlab.co.za Sing Your Name They create a CD with your child’s name in a song for R129.

You can also replace party packs with a personalised CD with a message for each child. Nationwide. Contact: 083 456 8385 or info@sing-your-name.co.za Sky Toys Wholesale balloon company.

Nationwide. Contact: 011 837 3924, info@ skytoys.co.za or visit skytoys.co.za Stick With Us! Personalised party invitations, party-box stickers, thankyou cards, gift stickers, banners and posters. Nationwide. Contact: 082 377 0513, mandy@stickwithus.co.za or visit stickwithuslabels.com Sunrise Sweets Buy treats in bulk.

Roodepoort. Contact: 011 475 8366 The Castle Man They hire out 3-in-1 combo castles, standard castles as well as water slides from R340 per day. Midrand.

Contact: 083 965 0255, thecastleman6@ gmail.com or visit thecastleman.co.za Tinkle-pea Offers gifts and party favours.

Nationwide delivery. Contact: 082 804 5678, jenny@tinklepea.co.za or visit tinklepea.co.za Unlimited Jumping Castles They deliver, set up and collect. Centurion. Contact: 072 721 1675, unlimitedcon@mweb.co.za or visit unlimitedevents.co.za Water Walker The balls and pools used are made of durable materials and on-site supervision is provided. Contact: 082 566 3770, waterwalker@live.co.za or visit waterwalkerfun.co.za magazine pretoria

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Bester Birds and Animals Zoo Park This venue is home to several species of exotic animals and birds. Party children get to feed the animals. Party packs available.

Willow Glen. Contact: 012 807 4192, 012 807 2574 or zoo@besterbirdsanimals.co.za Croc City Crocodile Farm Touch or hold a crocodile hatchling under supervision.

Catering and entertainment provided.

Nietgedacht. Contact: 083 657 7561, info@ croccity.co.za or visit croccity.co.za Esperanza Riding School Party venue with farm animals, a playground, pony and donkey cart rides as well as quad bike hire. Pretoria East. Contact: 076 184 5660, 072 261 8518 or esperanzaridingschool@yahoo.com Farm Fun This venue in a bush setting offers horse rides, private use of the venue and braai facilities. Pretoria North. Contact: 082 449 5437 or info@farmfun.co.za Horse Dynamics Pony parties specially for children. Pretoria East. Contact: 012 807 1716, 082 410 7262 or 082 787 2212 Lory Park Zoo Offers self-catering braai facilities or set menus. Free use of jumping castle and jungle gym. Midrand.

Contact: 082 960 6415, info@lorypark. co.za or visit lorypark.co.za Ludwig’s Rose Farm and Butterfly Garden They offer a picnic spot, restaurant and a playground. Contact: 082 470 3719 or melani.hugo@gmail.com Mobile Animal Farm They come to your venue with a miniature horse, bunnies, goats and lambs and provide entertainment for 90 minutes for R1 600. Pretoria. Contact: 084 512 4931 or wccahill@gmail.com National Zoological Gardens Offers party venues as well as picnic sites and provides tailor-made party packs. Contact: 012 328 3265, info@nzg.ac.za or visit nzg.ac.za Predator World Venue with activities like piñatas, treasure hunts, party boxes, reptile demos, animal interaction, photos, kettie shooting and feed the goats. Sun City.

Contact: 076 817 6869, info@predatorworld. co.za or visit predatorworld.co.za Rhino and Lion Park Provides jumping castles, trampolines, a zip slide, jungle gyms, mazes, swings, rope climbing, a suspended net and a grass area. Kromdraai.

Contact: 084 689 4241, rhinolion@mweb. co.za or visit rhinolion.co.za SA Lion Park Children can play with the lion cubs, feed the tame resident giraffe and go on a game drive through the main park. Lanseria. Contact: 011 691 9905, lionpark@cknet.co.za or visit lion-park.com Wild and Earthly A mobile farmyard where children get up close with a range of animals. Your host also provides educational talks. Contact: 084 550 0120, lisa@wildandearthly.co.za or visit wildandearthly.co.za

Artjamming Painting parties with party packs, canvas and a huge variety of non-toxic paints. Discount for parties of 10 or more.

Irene. Contact: 012 662 1511, irene@ artjamming.co.za or visit artjamming.co.za

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Bambury Sticky mosaics to create mirrors, jewellery, cards or to decorate notes.

Nationwide. Contact: 083 680 5976, nikiw@ bambury.co.za or visit bambury.co.za Beadworx Activities vary from making bracelets, cellphone and bag accessories to key rings, mobiles and wine-glass markers. Contact: 083 479 5527 or soul. worx@yahoo.com Buddy Bear Choose an animal or bear, stuff it, add a heart and give it a voice. Nationwide. Contact: 031 764 2383, leanne@buddybear.co.za or visit buddybear.co.za Craft Blanche Retail suppliers of invitation, card making and scrapbooking requirements. Craft and DIY kits available.

Nationwide delivery. Contact: 021 554 2290, info@craftblanche.co.za or visit craftblanche.co.za Crafty Corner Entertains with a variety of age- and gender-appropriate children’s party crafts, according to a theme. They will come to your venue. From R110 per child. Contact: 011 782 0351, 082 780 3673 or winnie@craftycorner.co.za Just Kidding Around They sell Perler Beads, which is a craft-based activity for boys and girls from 4 years upwards.

Nationwide. Contact: 082 856 8140, julie@justkiddingaround.co.za or visit justkiddingaround.co.za Kidz Only They supply sand art from R120 for 14 children. Extra pictures are R6 each. Nationwide. Contact: admin@ kidzonly.co.za or visit kidzonly.co.za Kreatiewe Jol Candle dipping and sand art for children 5 years and older. Contact: 082 920 4396 or snydersjj@telkomsa.net Scrapbooking on the Move Scrapbooking parties for children. Contact Dorian: 083 409 7434, dorian@gam.co.za or visit scrapbookingonthemove.co.za Soul Space They have several packages for art parties, which are age-appropriate.

From R150−R400. Catering is provided at an additional cost. Brooklyn. Contact: 074 118 9184 or myspace@sobinn.co.za

Bluebells and Butterflies They create customised cakes and cupcakes.

Deliveries take place on Saturday.

Contact: 011 976 3136, 082 419 9598 or trudy@bluebellsbutterflies.co.za Cake Deco Mania Supplies edible cake image printing products such as icing sheets, inks and licensed pre-printed images. Contact: 083 657 9225, sarel@ inkredible.co.za or visit inkredible.co.za Cake Studio Offers a variety of character cakes in 3D and 2D for children of all ages. Contact: 012 997 4530, 082 331 9237 or sugarshop@telkomsa.net Centurion Ice Cream and Sweets They supply a variety of ice creams to the public at wholesale prices.

Hennopspark. Contact: 012 654 2420, charles@centurionicecream.co.za or visit centurionicecream.co.za Chlo Lo Catering Customised cakes and cupcakes. Food contains no additives, colourants, preservatives, and no added salt or sugar. Contact: 072 659 8919 or robynwilson1@googlemail.com magazine pretoria

Coffeespoonz & Afternoons Frozen muffin, crumpet, waffle, pancake, cupcake and brownie batter. Simply defrost, snip, pour and bake. Contact: 011 849 4273 or coffeespoonz@telkomsa.net Daisy Cakes Delicious and unique cakes, cupcakes, cookies and cake pops tailormade to your requirements. Contact: 072 112 3999 or laurenvnzl@gmail.com Dandy Donuts They supply a variety of donuts and confectionery, including cakes. Centurion Mall. Contact: 012 663 7576 or madeleine@donutcakes.co.za Designer Bites Customised cakes, mini cakes, gingerbread and platters and decorations. Centurion. Contact: 011 022 4575 or designerbites@gmail.com Hercules Baking Supplies Baking supplier with over 30 000 products. Contact: 012 377 2668 or visit bakeacake.co.za Juicy Lucy Platters, which include sandwiches, mini cheese grillers, dips, mini wraps and veggie sticks. Contact: info@juicylucy.co.za or visit juicylucy.co.za Kauai Wraps, sandwiches, canapés, fruit smoothies and fresh fruit juices for parties. Nationwide. Contact: 08611 KAUAI (52824) or visit kauai.co.za Lulu’s Cakes They specialise in children’s cakes, printed cakes, party packs, cupcakes and cake tin hire. Contact: 012 804 2565, 073 887 1881, info@lulucakes. co.za or visit lulucakes.co.za Tiny Bite Specialise in custom-made biscuits, biscuit party packs and 3D cakes. Biscuits start at R4; cakes from R600. Delivery charge may apply.

Centurion and Pretoria East. Contact: 082 927 9763 or allison@tinybite.co.za Vee’s Cakes and Biscuits They do birthday cakes, children’s party planning, printing of edible pictures, and assorted biscuits and chocolates. Moreleta Park.

Contact: 076 223 8612, info@veescakes. co.za or visit veescakes.co.za Zoe Cakes for Fun Unique character cakes customised to suit your needs. Outlets nationwide. Contact Ingrid: 011 706 7332, 073 046 8460, info@zoecakesforfun.co.za or visit zoecakesforfun.co.za

A−Z Creative Entertainment Organisers of pizza and sushi parties, and suppliers of catering, party equipment, and hands-on crafts. Contact: 011 682 2660, 072 373 8963, zelda@ creative-entertainment.co.za or visit creative-entertainment.co.za Choc Delite Children learn the art of chocolate moulding and they get to take home their edible, creation (three to four chocolate lollies per child). Contact: 083 554 6041 or moneera@mtn. blackberry.com Little Cooks Club Children’s cooking parties. Nationwide. Contact: 083 556 3434, christine@littlecooksclub.co.za or visit littlecooksclub.co.za Pizza Parties Supplies the dough, toppings, pizza ovens and chefs to assist in making the pizzas. From R45 per child, excluding labour and transport. Contact: 011 465 7270 or ciara@tsg4ways.co.za magazine pretoria

Tots n Pots Baking parties for children.

Nationwide. Contact: 083 400 1288, angie@ totsnpots.com or visit totsnpots.co.za

Experilab Scientists entertain with bubbling solutions, lava motion, flaming balloons, slime and more. Faerie Glen. Contact: 012 361 1134, info@experilab.co.za or visit experilab.co.za Science and Creepy Crawly parties Children watch four science experiments and do three of their own. Experiments may involve slime, rockets and volcanoes.

For children 4−12 years old. Contact: 073 260 5371 or alimorgan@webmail.co.za

Aalwyn’s Funtainment A ventriloquist, magician, mime and balloon artist.

Nationwide. Contact: 083 354 872 or aalwynd@vodamail.co.za AfrodizzyActs They provide performers such as magicians, stilt walkers, human statues, jugglers, acrobats and more.

Nationwide. Contact: 082 087 5748, afrodizzyacts@hotmail.com or visit facebook.com/afrodizzyacts Andy’s Action Parties Action birthday entertainment for children from the age of 6. Themes include army, Survivor, Fear Factor, Amazing Race, sports themes and more arranged at your home or venue.

Contact: 082 381 1051 or andrew@ aaparty.co.za Blue Flame Events and Branding Specialists They provide the entertainment such as stilt walkers, magicians and puppet shows and rent out costumes.

Nationwide. Contact: 072 599 2288, info@ bflame.co.za or visit bflame.co.za Calamity Jane Organises traditional party games for children such as pin-the-tail, running races, “I wrote a letter to my love”, and more with a theatrical twist.

Contact: 079 573 0609 Carlswald Health & Skincare They do pamper parties for girls from the age of 7. Party packs can be arranged and the party is either at their salon or a venue of your choice. Halfway House.

Contact: 011 312 0833, 084 505 3970 or bridgetkoekemoer@yahoo.com Carnival Games They hire out carnival games with stands and operators.

Contact: 012 661 2119, 082 979 1534, book@kulkuns.co.za or visit carnivalgames.co.za Crazy Colin Themed magic shows at a location of your choice. Contact: 078 625 9663 or info@colinunderwood.com Creative Faces Offers a wide range of detailed face-painting designs, body paintings, temporary airbrushed tattoos and glitter tattoos. Pretoria East. Contact: 073 631 0578 or info@ creativefaces.co.za Fairy Time They specialise in children’s themed parties and have added a boys’ camping party as well as adventure kits.

Parties cost from R2 000 for 20 children.

Contact: 083 258 3250, caroline@ fairytime.co.za or visit fairytime.co.za May 2012

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resource Fairytale Fantacies They provide mobile entertainment, event planning, party packs and cakes at a venue of your choice.

Costs start at R1 200. Contact: 073 347 6657 or info@fairytalefantacy.co.za Fun Prix Racing Parties They come to your venue and set up age-appropriate tracks so children can do laps in the racing cars. Contact: 083 755 4956, mpho@ funprix.za.net or visit funprix.za.net GameVan A high-tech mobile gaming theatre with XBox, Wii and PlayStation for children 8 years and older. R2 000.

Centurion and Pretoria East. Contact: 071 869 7753 or info@gamevan.co.za Gerard the Clown With magic shows, indoors and outdoors, for a maximum of 30 children from R1 200.

Contact: 012 661 2119, 082 979 1534, gerard@gerardtheclown.co.za or visit gerardtheclown.co.za Green Lizard Entertainment Does a 45-minute magic show with juggling, balancing acts, razor blade swallowing and fire juggling. Contact: 012 327 2534 or 082 409 9958 Kulkuns Kapperjolle Magicians that perform a show with illusions and comedy. From R1 200 per show. Contact: 021 661 2119, 082 979 1534, book@ kulkuns.co.za or visit kulkuns.co.za Maddy Hatty Kids Fun and Goodies Entertainment include face painting, art and crafts, recording, treasure hunts, pamper parties, dress up and storytelling. Contact: 082 575 1371 or bernicehurter@gmail.com Mr and Mrs Sparkles Balloon sculpting, face painting, magic, stilt walking and games. They also have a country music routine. From R650 per hour. Silverton.

Contact: 012 804 7367, info@focusonaction. co.za or visit focusonaction.co.za Ollie the Singing Clown (Ollie die Nar) He entertains with his magical singing act.

He rides the unicycle and, together with Jollie the Monkey and Lulu the Rat, keeps young and old entertained. Contact: 012 331 8894 or olliedienar@postnet.co.za Pamper Girlz For girls from the age of 4–13 with facials, foot and hand scrubs, make-up and nail polish. Roodepoort.

Contact: 082 515 8079, pampergirlz1@ gmail.co.za or visit pampergirlz.co.za Photobooth Inc Hire a photo booth and get 2x4 high-quality digital photos immediately.

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Contact: 083 377 9449, rob@photoboothinc. co.za or visit photoboothinc.co.za Pro Brush Princess Pamper Parties Girls from age 4 to 11 get a pedicure, mini manicure, hair dressing and make-up from R100 per child. Contact: 072 189 4602, info@probrush.co.za or visit probrush.co.za Puppet World Interactive puppet shows with music, lighting and delightful puppet characters. Contact: 012 991 7644 Remember Me For face painting and temporary airbrushed tattoos at your venue.

Novelty birthday cakes and cupcakes are also on offer. Kyalami. Contact: 083 305 1237 or cdedmondson@gmail.com Smilemakers Entertainment A party planning and equipment supplier offering a broad range of party entertainment plus entertainers for all ages. Contact: 086 111 2877, 011 640 6096, party@smilemakers. co.za or visit smilemakers.co.za The Enchanted Castle They arrange themed parties with entertainers such as Cinderella, Spider-Man and more.

Nationwide. Contact: 086 699 4308, 072 569 9332 or visit enchantedcastle.co.za The Fairy Factory Indoor and outdoor fairy and pamper parties. They arrange costumes, fairy décor, cakes, party packs and creative workshops at a venue of your choice. Contact: 083 463 8838, 073 204 0977 or gisele@icon.co.za The Incredible Dog Show From R1 200.

Nationwide. Contact: 084 500 0415, lloyd@ dogzcool.co.za or visit dogzcool.co.za Toi-Toi Face Paint and Clowning Face painting and balloon sculpting. Waverley.

Contact: 071 683 8415 Unforgettable Parties Entertains children with games and sports such as soccer and cricket. Jumping castles and a foam pit for hire. Contact: 011 333 9991, 072 804 4596, info@u-parties.co.za or visit u-parties.co.za Whimsical Parties Offers entertainment, fun activities, games and prizes. Also pamper, craft and themed parties, and supplies décor and catering. Contact: 071 444 0953 or whimsicalparties@gmail.com

Abracadabra Clothing Supplies fancy dress, theatre costumes and special-occasion dresses. Contact: 083 448 3570 or abracadabra.clothing@yahoo.co.za

Act Up Costume Hire They rent out costumes and themes and provide entertainment with costumes and storytelling. Contact: 083 661 6053, info@ actstudios.co.za or visit actstudios.co.za Costume World Fancy dress, costume hire, party costumes and accessories and wigs. Contact: 012 751 1732 or costumeworldsa@hotmail.com Creative Costumes A wide variety of costumes, accessories, masks and wigs.

Order online and they deliver or visit their stores. Centurion and Lynnwood Glen.

Contact: 012 663 6229, 012 348 1124, support@creativecostumes.co.za or visit creativecostumes.co.za Jules Costume Hire Importer, wholesaler and retailer of carnival and theatrical goods. Hatfield. Contact: 012 362 4691 Las Vegas Costumes A huge selection of costumes to hire. Also offers various party supplies. Montana. Contact: 012 548 1145 or info@lasvegascostumes.co.za

Annelize’s Kinderland Party Venue They offer an animal farmyard, trampoline, sandpit, bike track and a playground with jungle gyms. Equestria. Contact: 082 680 1368 or annelizelouw@hotmail.com Bydi Bos They supply the venue and do the catering. Entertainment includes mini cycle tracks, a petting zoo, tree house and foefie slide. Donkerhoek. Contact: 072 299 9377 or bydibos@yahoo.com Cedar Junction Theme Park Three venues overlooking a lake from R1 200 for three hours. They plan your party and mini train rides are included. Pretoria East. Contact: 012 811 1183 or jicon@absamail.co.za Cest la Vie For children from age 1–13.

They supply the gazebo, décor and furniture. Various catering options available and imported play equipment. Venue hire R500. Centurion. Contact: 012 654 0220, partyclv@gmail.com or visit c-estlavie.co.za Clamber Club They come to your chosen venue with equipment to clamber and climb on and entertainers. Contact: 011 325 2031, 079 402 3531, headoffice@ clamberclub.com or visit clamberclub.com Col’Cacchio Pizzeria They offer a “make your own pizza” facility for children.

Brooklyn, Lynnwood, Woodhill. Contact: 012 346 7048, 012 348 3025, 012 992 6050 or visit colcacchio.co.za Jingle Jangle Tea Garden Themed parties set within a tea-garden. Play equipment and petting zoo available. Moreleta Park.

Contact: 012 997 0134, jinglejangle@ vodamail.co.za or visit jinglejangle.co.za Kinderland Party Venue Private party venues with function halls for cold or rainy days and braai facilities on sunny days.

Contact: 082 680 1368, annalizelouw@ hotmail.com or visit kinderlandpv.co.za Rocky Ridge Estate Party Venue A selfcatering venue with a lapa or the Fantasy Mini Town. They supply the tables, chairs, glasses and more. Entry is R30 per child and R12 for adults. Kameeldrift. Contact: 082 566 6360, heidi@rockyridgeestate. co.za or visit rockyridgeestate.co.za Safari Restaurant Pony parties, train rides, a jumping castle, an animal farm with a jungle gym, party boxes, décor, platters and a full menu. The Willows. Contact: 0860 723 274, info@safarirestaurant.co.za or visit safarirestaurant.co.za

Aquila Corner A coffee shop that provides a special menu, a sandpit with toys, an adventure jungle gym and playground.

Sinoville. Contact: 012 333 6482, 079 508 0023 or dominicapatrick@vodamail.co.za Drumkidz Children drum to stories, songs and games. From R725 for 45 minutes, depending on age, and the birthday child receives a gift. Centurion. Contact: 021 434 7610, info@drumkidz.co.za or visit drumkidz.co.za Journey2Joy Parties Pamper parties from R130−R200 and themed party packs from R35. Moreleta Park. Contact: 071 885 6189, 076 145 8849, laurakim@ journey2joy.co.za or visit journey2joy.co.za Let’s Go Bowling Play one game and the birthday guest receives a free recreational membership valued for one year. Party pack included. R60. Centurion. Contact: 012 661 5524 or visit letsgobowling.co.za Mungolistix Indoor party and playpark offering full party planning and catering services. Centurion. Contact: 012 663 2798, 084 122 2797, info@mungolistix. co.za or visit mungolistix.co.za

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Spur Steak Ranches Selected children’s meals and they can enjoy the Play Canyon. For more info: spur.co.za The Ice Rink Northgate Take to the ice for an exciting ice-capade. Randburg.

Contact: 011 794 8706, northgate@ theicerink.co.za or visit theicerink.co.za Words Bookstore Venue with a play area, party packs, “vintage tea parties”, pamper parties, animal parties and art and crafts parties. Midrand. Contact: 011 315 3801 or maria@wordsbookstore.co.za

Acrobranch Enjoy the zip line, tree-to-tree suspension bridges and an obstacle course. Bring your own eats and drinks, to enjoy in their lapa. Centurion.

For more info: acrobranch.co.za Adventure n Beyond Select a package deal with activities such as running games, an inflatable gladiator track, archery and air riflers. Krugersdorp. Contact: 083 449 9819, info@anb.co.za or visit anb.co.za Ant’s Army Party Venue They set up the camouflage-themed party and provide the outdoor fun such as a foefie slide.

Hartbeespoortdam. Contact: 082 780 6656 Attitude Paintball They have jumping castles, jungle gyms, a swimming pool and a children’s entertainment area.

Akasia. Contact: 012 542 5554, 082 496 2016, ritchie@attitudepaintball.info or visit attitudepaintball.co.za Dipsy Dots A party venue with a lapa, play area, jungle gym, sandpit and plastic motorbikes. They’ll organise your party for you according to your theme including catering and entertainment. Centurion.

Contact: 012 654 1876, admin@dipsydots. co.za or visit dipsydots.co.za Faerie Folk Entertainers come to your party venue and provide dress-up activities, face-painting, games, music and stories.

Brooklyn. Contact: 012 460 6894, faeries@ faeriefolk.co.za or visit faeriefolk.co.za Giggles and Glamour Themed parties set in Villa San Giovanni. Cost includes décor, jumping castle and table settings. Various catering options available. Wonderboom Airport. Contact: 012 543 0843, gg@vsg. co.za or visit gigglesandglamour.co.za Gotcha Paintball Package includes use of paintball gun, jacket, face mask and

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100 paintballs. Newlands. Contact: 086 146 8242 or visit gotchapaintball.co.za Honeydew A-Maize-ing Mazes Explore giant mazes. Suitable for children from age 7. Honeydew. Contact: 073 795 2174 or visit honeydewmazes.co.za Kidz Galore This outdoor venue offers various themed parties including boot camp action parties. Tiegerspoort.

Contact: 074 117 7259, 083 657 8921 or kidzgalore@webmail.co.za Little Wonderland The venue has a lapa with a playground with a jungle gym, trampolines, a jumping castle, scooters with a track and a tea garden. Midrand. Contact: 082 955 4323 or info@littlewonderland.co.za Moo Zoo Pre-Primary A venue with jungle gyms, sand pits and a cycle track.

Bring your own food and they’ll supply the furniture. Contact: 083 400 2804 or visserliz@mweb.co.za Shaguma Garden Café They have a play area, swings and a jumping castle.

They have several menu and party option.

Midrand. Contact: 011 468 5941 or visit shaguma.co.za Struis Huis The party is set in farm surroundings and has a friendly ostrich for petting. The venue can assist with catering. Rietvalleirand, Pretoria East.

Contact: 012 345 2946 or 082 494 0491 Sunset Mountain Party Venue A venue overlooking the Zwartkop Mountains.

Magaliesburg. Contact: 083 777 0112 or dmann@chicabee.co.za Survive or Race the Adventure Parties designed around the television programmes, Survivor and The Amazing Race. Pelindaba. Contact: 082 895 2513, admin@surviveorrace.co.za or visit surviveorrace.co.za The Party Yard Venue with braai facilities, a mini train and play area. Centurion.

Contact: betsyrabie@mweb.co.za Valley of the Waves Water world, imitation beach and wave pool. Pack a picnic. Sun City. Contact: 021 424 1037 or visit suncity.hotel.co.za Wild Cave Adventures Underground cave adventures with a party twist. Sterkfontein.

Contact: 082 486 2464, info@wildcaves. co.za or visit wildcaves.co.za X-Treme Foam Parties Bubbling good fun for children’s parties. Nationwide. Contact: 082 462 2001 or visit foamparty.co.za

Zwartkops Quad Centre Quad parties for children from age 4. Includes party packs, cake, cupcakes and platters. Zwartkops.

Contact: 082 688 6046, bookings@ quadrides.co.za or visit quadrides.co.za

ABC Jumping Castle and Theme Parties They organise the themed party. Services include delivery, set up and collection. Contact: 082 602 4762, marna@abcjumpingcastles.co.za or visit abcjumpingcastles.co.za African Lilly They bring the party; with tables, chairs, balloons, party bags and more. From R2 000 for 10 children. Contact: 082 370 9220 or eryn@africanlilly.co.za Amazing Kiddies Parties They supply themed jumping castles, marquees, invitations, cakes, party packs and balloons. They also deliver, set up and clear up. Centurion. Contact: 082 500 8873, natanya@amazingkiddiesparties.co.za or visit amazingkiddiesparties.co.za Bring on the Party They specialise in all aspects, from furniture, linen, water slides, candyfloss machines, catering and face painters. Prices vary. Centurion. Contact: 072 256 7834, bringontheparty@vodamail. co.za or visit bringontheparty.co.za Bubble Ball Children walk, run, dive and roll on water without getting wet. Nationwide.

Contact: 083 201 1853, bubbleball@yebo. co.za or visit bubbleball.co.za Cradle to Crayon Indoor and outdoor party venue with a jumping castle, jungle gyms, a climbing wall and more. Braai area for parents. They organise all the entertainment. Hazeldean. Contact: 012 809 0475 Crazy Chameleon Kiddie Parties They set up the décor at your venue, supply cakes, party packs, balloons, catering, entertainment and accessories. Contact: 0861 543 343, info@crazychameleon.co.za or visit crazychameleon.co.za CreateSumMore Crafts brought to your home such as cookie icing, mosaic and more. Pretoria East and Centurion.

Contact: 084 976 1462, createsummore@ gmail.com or visit createsummore.co.za Enchanted Kiddies Parties Party planner. Pretoria East. Contact: 082 826 9842 or kiddiespartyplanner@yahoo.com

Extreme Theme Parties Online shopping for party paraphernalia. Nationwide.

Contact: info@extremethemeparties.co.za or visit extremethemeparties.co.za Fimble Fun Parties For planning and setting up themed children’s parties. They design and deliver at your venue. Centurion. Contact: 012 657 2363, parties@fimblefun.co.za or visit fimblefun.co.za Firefly Kidz Crew They take care of themed entertainment, party packs and more.

Contact: 072 997 5298, fireflykidzcrew@ gmail.com or visit fireflykidz.co.za Kiddabella They organise the cake, chairs and themed décor. The deliver and set up themed parties. Contact: 072 384 0580 or candice@kiddabella.com Kids Party Stuff Organises the food, inflatables, face painters and photographers, pony rides, drumming and cakes. Contact: 083 409 8003, info@kidspartystuff.co.za or visit kidspartystuff.co.za Monkey Magic Kiddie Parties They set up your themed party at your home or they source a venue. They custom make themes.

Contact: 071 871 4555, toni@monkeymagic. co.za or visit monkeymagic.co.za Party Shop For invitations, balloon décor, cakes, banners, tableware, entertainment, the venue and catering. Lynnwood Glen.

Contact: 012 348 9600, sales@partyshop. co.za or visit partyshop.co.za Pick & Party You choose your theme and they will do all the sourcing, buying and set up at a venue of your choice. Moreleta Park.

Contact: 082 847 0921, pickandparty@ gmail.com or visit pickandparty.co.za The Cornish Kettle Tea Garden A tea garden and venue with animal feeding and jungle gyms. They organise everything for you, from entertainment to food. Irene.

Contact: 012 667 2883, cornishkettle@ gmail.com or visit thecornishkettle.co.za Zesty Zelebrations They organise the party for you, from invitations, themed décor, furniture, cake, entertainment and more. Garsfontein. Contact: 072 567 7329 or zelebrations@gmail.com

Little Kickers Football birthday parties. Centurion and Hatfield. Contact: 0861 088 888 or visit littlekickers.co.za

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books

a good read for toddlers The Big Yawn

By Monika Spang and Sonja Bougaeva (Published by Gecko Press, R105) It’s night-time in the zoo and all the animals are getting sleepy. First to yawn is the tiger. Then the swans start, and the crocs give in, even though they are in the middle of their fish braai, then the giraffes, the pigs, the lion and Donkey all get sleepy... Soon the whole zoo is ready for bed. We all know how contagious yawning can be and that’s why this is the perfect book for bedtime. Children won’t be able to resist the joyful illustrations of these yawning animals. The story is written in rhyme, which makes it the perfect bedtime tale, and the illustrations are simply delightful.

ly fami m ti e

Zou

By Michel Gay

(Published by Gecko Press, R105) This is the ideal book to read with your child in bed while having a lie-in. Zou, a resourceful little zebra, finds a creative solution to a problem all young children will identify with, making for a sweet and humorous family story that is especially good to read on weekend mornings. How can Zou wake Mom and Dad so they won’t be grumpy? They need coffee, lots of coffee, so Zou sets off for the kitchen to prepare some, and ends up making an entire breakfast. Needless to say, the plan doesn’t work out as he would have wanted it to; with a mess here and a fall there. But it all ends well with a cuddle and a kiss.

for preschoolers

for early graders

The Magic Fish Retold by Margie Orford; illustrated by Lizza Littlewort

Penguin Pandemonium – Little Birds, Big Dreams

By Jeanne Willis

(Published by Jacana Media, R60) One day, a poor fisherman catches a magic talking fish, which he immediately sets free. When he tells his brother what has happened, his brother demands that he asks the magic fish for a bigger house.

The magic fish grants the fisherman’s wish. Will his brother be satisfied or will he be greedy and ask for more? This book is also part of the Best Loved Tales for Africa series and bestselling South African author Margie Orford gives the tale a new twist by replacing the shrewish wife with a demanding brother who insists that the family moves from a grass hut to a brick house. But nothing is ever good enough for him.

for preteens and teens

the heart warmer

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May 2012

parenting books

for us practical advice

The One and Only Ivan

By Katherine Applegate (Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, R86) Children, from as young as nine, can enjoy this book which is inspired by a true story. Ivan is a gorilla who is used to humans watching his every move.

He can hardly remember his life in the jungle. That is, until a baby elephant called Ruby arrives. Suddenly Ivan sees his home through new eyes and knows he must do something to make sure Ruby doesn’t end up like him. This is a heart-warming and unforgettable tale of friendship, hope and bravery that no animal lover will be able to resist.

(Published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, R65) Children from the age of seven will love this unforgettably funny animal adventure story about a little bird with big dreams from awardwinning author Jeanne Willis. It is one of the titles in the brand-new Awesome Animals series – the funniest fiction, starring the wildest wildlife, from prize-winning authors. Rory, the rockhopper penguin, loves showing off, but with too few visitors to the zoo, life has become a little dull. If things don’t improve the zoo might have to close. So when the keepers install a penguin cam, Rory grabs his chance with both flippers, organising a dazzling penguin talent show to pull in the crowds.

When Hoopoes go to Heaven

By Gaile Parkin (Published by Atlantic Books, R195) Ten-year-old Benedict loves his family’s new home in Swaziland, with its garden teeming with lizards, birds and butterflies.

Here, crouched in the shade of the luckybean tree, he can set aside his anxieties about the world, and plan imaginative ways to make things better. Of course, there are many things in Africa that can’t be put right by a boy who isn’t yet big.

But in Benedict’s wonder-filled world, even the worst situation has a certain magic. Warm, funny and brimming with life, When Hoopoes go to Heaven will capture your imagination and restore your faith in humanity.

Parenting Apart

By Christina McGhee (Published by Random House Struik, R215) This is a resource for separated and divorced parents wanting to raise happy and secure children. When a marriage ends, the most important thing parents can do is to help their children through this difficult transition and remain united.

Divorce coach McGhee offers practical advice on how to help children adjust and thrive during and after separation and divorce. She looks at all the different issues parents may face with their children of different ages, offering solutions to the most critical parenting problems divorce brings.

Groovy Adventurers: How to Encourage and Curriculum

By Lourdes Bruwer and Carly Tzanos; illustrated by Claudine Spratley (Published by New Voices Publishing, R250 for the set) With Groovy Adventurers, playing with your baby has never been so much fun. A focus on developmental stages rather than ages allows you to recognise and revel not only in his major achievements, but also his mini milestones. Create fun-filled challenges for your baby as you understand more of his physical and brain development at each stage. How to Encourage is packed with easy-to-use activities, each carefully selected by occupational therapists to build strong sensory, motor, perceptual and cognitive foundations. With Curriculum, you or your child’s caregiver can plan stageappropriate activities for the week and record your child’s progress.

magazine pretoria

calendar

what’s on in may

You can also access the calendar online at

childmag.co.za

Keeping you informed about what’s happening in and around Pretoria. Compiled by SIMONE JEFFERY.

1 tue

special events

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FUN for children

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only for parents

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bump, baby & tot in tow

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how to help

33

SPECIAL EVENTS Tour de Walkerville A charity walk for the young and old.

FUN FOR CHILDREN

ONLY FOR PARENTS

bump, baby & tot in tow

how to help

Camping tours Fall asleep to the roar of a lion and hoot of an owl.

Cultivino Unwind around boma fires as you sample food and wine from over 50 different suppliers.

Mother, baby and toddler festival Children are entertained with face painters while you shop for interesting items.

Veggie gardens for charity Teach children in rural areas to grow their own vegetables.

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May 2012

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SPECIAL EVENTS 1 tuesday Tour de Walkerville An annual charity walk through the Walkerville countryside, suitable for young and old, dogs, floats and strollers. Various charities benefit from the proceeds. All ages. Time: 7am–1pm. Venue: Walkerville Farmer’s Market grounds, 112 Main Rd, Walkerville (on the R82, old Vereeniging/Johannesburg Rd, just off the four-way stop in Walkerville). Cost: R30 per walker, R100 per float. Contact Gail: 079 076 7680, gail@wfmarket.co.za or visit wfmarket.co.za

5 saturday Cooper’s Cave Explore a living museum where fossils are literally visible on the surface of the 1,5-million-year-old cave.

After walking through the cave enjoy a light picnic lunch. Bring a torch, hat, jersey and sunscreen. Time: 9am. Venue: Sterkfontein Caves, Cradle of Humankind. Cost: R350, includes a light picnic lunch. Contact: 014 577 9000, childmag@maropeng.co.za or visit maropeng.co.za The Margaret Roberts Herbal Centre Pop in at the sand garden, labyrinth, herb garden, fairy village and giant chess board on your way to the tea garden where you can enjoy a delicious light lunch or snack. Margaret is hosting a lecture on planning your winter garden at 12pm.

Booking for the lecture is essential. Time: 8:30am–4pm. Venue: on the R513, near Zilkaatsnek, road 16, 1,5km into the mountain. Cost: health and vitality lecture R100. Contact: 012 504 2121, 071 161 6441, margaretroberts@lantic.net or visit margaretroberts.co.za The train to Cullinan Take the steam train to Cullinan and spend the day touring the museums and stores of the quaint mining town. All ages. Also 13 May. Time: 8:30am. Venue: Hermanstad Railway Station, Miechaelson St, Hermanstad. Cost: R175. Contact Friends of the Rail: 082 098 6186, sales@friendsoftherail.com or visit friendsoftherail.com

11 fri

Mini Market Pop along to Princess Christian Home’s annual market and make donations to the market or purchase freshly baked bread and biscuits, books, clothing, decorative items, furniture, plants and toys. All funds raised are in aid of the Princess Christian Home. Time: 8am–12pm. Venue: 120 Middel St, New Muckleneuk. Cost: free entry. Contact Linda: 012 460 2221, marketing@pch24.org or visit pch24.org

a suitable princess. Suitable for children 0–12 years. Time: 11am and 3pm. Venue: The Barnyard Theatre Menlyn, upper floor, North Court, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, cnr Atterbury Rd and Lois Ave, Menlo Park. Cost: R50. Contact: 012 368 1555, menlyn@barnyardtheatres.co.za or visit barnyardtheatre.co.za

pastries, tarts and 14 speciality teas. Time: 11am–1pm, Saturday; 11am–1pm and 2pm–4pm, Sunday. Venue: Rosemary Hill, on the R984, just past Silver Lakes Golf Estate, Boschkop/Donkerhoek. Cost: R135.

Contact Theresa or Leana: 012 802 0052, 083 235 6857, info@rosemaryhill.co.za or visit rosemaryhill.co.za

13 sunday

19 saturday

High tea Spoil Mom for Mother’s Day with a traditional high tea complete with pavlovas,

Fun walk Breathe in the fresh morning air and say good morning to the animals as you run the 5km route around the zoo. Each participant receives a medal. Time: 6am.

Venue: National Zoological Gardens, 232 Boom St. Cost: non-members: adults R40, children R25; members: adults R30, children R25. Contact: 012 328 3265 ext 168, info@ friendsofthezoo.co.za or visit nzg.ac.za

20 sunday

12 saturday The Princess and the Pea A humorous tale of a prince, who is searching for

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May 2012

26 saturday

13 May – High tea

Winter Wonderland Enter a potjiepot or if you think you have the talent to win a song competition, enter that too.

There is a single recording to be won and loads of prizes for best tasting pots. Time: cooking starts 8am. Venue: Orion Safari Lodge, Donkerhoek Rd, Rustenburg. Cost: potjiekos competition R300, R50 per helper (maximum of three). Contact Valria: 072 626 4042 or events2@telkomsa.net

Stargazing Vincent Nettman provides an interesting look at the role astronomy has played in the development of the human mind. Guests are encouraged to bring binoculars to participate in a beginner’s laser-guided sky tour. All ages.

Time: 6pm. Venue: Maropeng Boutique Hotel, Maropeng, on the R400, just off the R563 Hekpoort Rd. Cost: R295, including a three-course dinner. Contact: 014 577 9000, info @ maropeng.co.za or visit maropeng.co.za Wesbank Super Series Enjoy the rumble of the V8 Supercars, Bridgestone production cars, Engen Volkswagen Cup and Superbikes as they race around the track in this month’s Wesbank Super Series. Time: 8am–5pm. Venue: Zwartkops Raceway, off the R55, Pretoria West. Cost: adults R80, students R40, children free.

Contact: 012 384 2291, more_info@ zwartkops.co.za or visit zwartkops.co.za

FUN FOR CHILDREN art, culture and science Artjamming Children can gain a basic understanding of how to draw and paint.

Classes take place Monday–Wednesday for ages 5–13 years; and on Thursday for ages 14 and older. Time: 3pm–5pm.

Venue: shop 152–156, Irene Village Mall, cnr Nellmapius Dr and Ryneveld Ave, Irene. Contact: 012 662 1511, irene@ artjamming.co.za or visit artjamming.co.za Lesedi Cultural Village Offers an enriching experience with a look into five traditional homesteads including Zulu, Xhosa, Bapedi, Basotho and Ndebele.

Observe the way of life of the local families who live there permanently and enjoy their music and traditional dress. Time: 11:30am or 4:30pm, daily. Venue: Lesedi Cultural Village, on the R512, Broederstroom. Cost: R390, including lunch or dinner. Contact: 012 205 1394, enquiries@lesedi.com or visit lesedi.com

family outings Camping tours Fall asleep to the sound of a roaring lion, in the heart of the city, after you’ve enjoyed a night tour around the zoo and a bring-and-braai. Pack your

magazine pretoria

Survive or Race The Adventure Take part in “your own” reality show where you might get roadblocked, sent on detours, have to decipher clue cards, or get voted out in the tribal council.

Bookings essential. Suitable for children 6 years and older. Time: 9am, 12pm or 2pm, Saturday– Sunday. Venue: Pelindaba, Hartbeesport Dam. Cost: adults R220, children R165 for a 2,5 hour programme. Contact Debbie: 082 895 2513, admin@surviveorrace. co.za or visit surviveorrace.co.za

own tents and camping equipment.

Tables and chairs are provided. Booking essential. All ages. Time: 5pm, Friday– Saturday. Venue: National Zoological Gardens, 232 Boom St. Cost: adults R135, children R90. Contact: 012 339 2700, info@nzg.ac.za or visit nzg.ac.za Irene Dairy Farm Enjoy a picnic laid out on the lawns in the countryside as your children play on the jungle gym. Bring your own blanket and chairs and take advantage of their custom-made picnic baskets or mix and match your own by buying a few items from the farm shop and deli. Time: 8am–6pm, daily. Venue: Irene Dairy Farm, Nellmapius Dr, Centurion.

Cost: varies. Contact: 012 667 4822 or visit irenefarm.co.za Sammy Marks Museum Enjoy a day trip to one of South Africa’s national monuments. Order a delicious picnic basket from the on-site restaurant to enjoy on the lawns. Time: 9am–4pm, Tuesday–Friday; 10am–4pm, Saturday–Sunday. Venue: Sammy Marks, Zwartkoppies Hall, from the N4 take the Verwoerdburg off–ramp, turn left and follow the signposts. Cost: adults R35, children R10; picnic basket costs vary.

Contact: 012 755 9541 Zoo night tour Take an informative walk around the zoological gardens with a helpful guide who shares information about the nocturnal animals, their origins, habits, adaptations and conservation. Time: 6pm, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Venue: National Zoological Gardens, 232

Boom St. Cost: adults R90, children R75.

Contact: 012 339 2700, info@nzg.ac.za or visit nzg.ac.za

finding nature and outdoor play Chameleon Village Reptile Park Children love the live reptile shows that take place three times a day on weekends (11am, 1pm and 3pm), as well as the animal interaction sessions. Time: 9am–5pm, daily. Venue: Chameleon Village Reptile Park, plot 238/239 Zandfontein, Hartbeespoort. Cost: adults R50, children R20. Contact Greg: 082 469 2979 or visit chameleonvillage.co.za Hartbeespoort Aquarium See a variety of freshwater and tropical fish as well as a seal, penguin, pelican and crocodile show that takes place three times a day on weekends: 11am, 1pm and 3pm. Time: 8:30am–5pm, daily. Venue: off the R511 in Melodi, Hartbeespoort. Cost: adults R50, children R20. Contact Greg: 082 469 2979 or hbtaquarium@gmail.com Mystic Monkeys and Feathers View a private collection of 44 primates as well as a large number of beautiful exotic birds and predators, White Lions, Bengal Tigers and cheetah. You can also spend a few minutes cuddling a playful cub. Time: 9am–4pm, daily. Venue: off the N1 near Bela Bela, Rust de Winter Rd. Cost: adults R100, pensioners R80, children R50 (includes a two- to three-hour tour), playing with cubs R50 per 10 minutes. Contact Christa:

012 723 0315, blouduiker@mweb.co.za or visit mysticmonkeys.co.za Tour of the predators Learn more about these revered carnivores with a guided tour around the facilities. Be sure to visit during feeding times: 11am Monday, 4pm Thursday and 2pm Saturday. There should be no more than a 15- to 20-minute wait between tours. Time: 9am–5pm, daily.

Venue: Predator World, take the N4 to Rustenburg, turn right onto the R556.

Cost: adults R70, children R35. Contact: 076 817 6869, info@predatorworld.co.za or visit predatorworld.co.za Tswaing Asteroid Crater The Tswaing crater was created roughly 200 000 years ago when an asteroid collided with the Earth. A moderate to easy 7,5km walk takes you around the rim of the crater before descending to the salt lake in the centre.

Venue: M35 Soutpan, Soshanguve. Cost: tbc. Contact Rosa: 012 803 9109, rosa@ jacanacollection.co.za or visit footprint.co.za

Learn to cook with McCain

18 fri

Children can grab the chef’s hat, roll up their sleeves and learn a few tasty recipes to give mom a break from the kitchen. Booking essential as space is limited to 10 children.

Suitable for children 7–11 years.

18 May. Time: 2pm–4pm. Venue: Little Cooks Club, Centurion. Cost: free. Contact Michelle: 082 783 7737, michelleg@littlecooksclub. co.za or visit littlecooksclub.co.za

markets Fare on the Square A variety of art and crafts is on sale, alongside tasty eats, treats and fun entertainment. 27 May. Time: 8am–3pm. Venue: Irene Village Mall, cnr Nellmapius Dr and Van Ryneveld Dr, Irene. Cost: free entry. Contact Rentia: 012 662 4446, rentia@mseed.co.za or visit irenevillagemall.co.za Hazel Food Market Taste Indian and Indonesian food and satisfy your cravings for local specialties like biltong and Ouma Bessie’s fudge. You’re sure to find the food you’re looking for at this fresh food market. Time: 8am–2pm, every Saturday.

Venue: Greenlyn Village Centre, Menlo Park. Cost: free entry. Contact: 083 554 5636, info@hazelfoodmarket.co.za or visit hazelfoodmarket.co.za Military Fair Step back in time as you browse the stalls for a selection of military items and related goods. 1 May. Time: 9am–3pm. Venue: Voortrekker Monument, on the roof of the Amphitheatre, Eeufees Rd, Groenkloof. Cost: picnic R25, heritage levy R10 per person. Contact Geraldine: 012 323 1071, marketing@voortrekkermon. org.za or visit voortrekkermon.org.za Mother, baby and toddler festival A market where you can browse the stalls for toys, skin care products and other goodies.

Parents can enjoy the tea garden and live music while children are entertained with face painters, animal feeding and jungle gyms. 26–27 May. Time: 10am–4pm, every last weekend of the month. Venue: Cornish Kettle Tea Garden, cnr Cornwood Dr and Nellmapius Dr, Cornwall Hill Estate. Cost: free entry. Contact: 012 667 2883 or visit thecornishkettle.co.za

on stage and screen Disney Friday This month you can catch the lovable pint-sized chef, Ratatouille, proving that everyone can cook. 25 May. Time: 5pm, last Friday of every month on the Disney Channel, channel 303 on DStv. For more info: visit dstv.com Drive-in Snuggle up in the comfort of your car or bring blankets and chairs and sit outside. Tune into the 98.9fm radio frequency and watch two of the latest blockbuster movies at an affordable price. Time: 6pm, daily. Venue: Menlyn Park level 7, cnr Atterbury and Lois

family marketplace

magazine pretoria

May 2012

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6 and 27 May – Brunch cruise

St, Menlyn. Cost: R65 per car, on Sunday R30, pedestrians R30, on Wednesday half price. Contact: 012 471 0627 or visit menlynpark.co.za World Accordion Day A musical performance to revere the accordion in all its various formats. Enjoy the solos and accompaniments performed by veterans, among them the acclaimed Sergio Zampolli, through to upcoming starlets as young as eight years old. 6 May. Time: 3pm. Venue: Brooklyn Theatre, Greenlyn Village Centre, cnr Thomas Edison Dr and 13th St, Menlo Park. Cost: R130–R170. Contact: 012 460 6033, info@brooklyntheatre.co.za or visit ticketspace.co.za

playtime and story time Safari Garden Centre There are plenty of activities to keep your children entertained for hours. They can enjoy a pony ride, a safari train ride on the weekends, and monkey around on the large jungle gym where they can also view the marmoset monkeys, pot-bellied pigs, dwarf mountain goats, rabbits and other animals. Time: 9am–4pm, daily. Venue: from the N1 take the Lynnwood Rd off-ramp, turn right into Lynwood Rd, drive for 2,9km. Cost: free entry. Contact: 012 807 0009 or visit safarigardencentre.com

sport and physical activities Ama Zwing Zwing Zip Line Tours Zip down seven slides, connected by 10 platforms, 2–14 metres above the ground and the Crocodile River. Booking essential.

Suitable for children 7 years and older.

Time: departs every 30 minutes between 8am and 3pm, daily. Venue: Amanzingwe Lodge, Pelindaba Rd (R512), Hartbeespoort Dam. Cost: R380, includes refreshments and a meal voucher. Contact: 082 803 7731, info@amazwingzwing.co.za or visit amazwingzwing.co.za

throughout the week and replace it with a deep relaxation, achieved through meditation. Booking essential. 6 May. Time: 9am–11am. Venue: South African Centre for Sound Therapy, Meerhof, Hartbeespoort Dam. Cost: R150. Contact Wilna: 071 682 2548, wilna@soundtherapy.co.za or visit soundtherapy.co.za

on stage and screen Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II This comical operetta created in 1874 is accompanied by music composed by Johann Strauss II and sees a number of comedic incidences unfold over three acts. 2 and 4 May. Time: 8pm. Venue: Brooklyn Theatre, Greenlyn Village Centre, cnr Thomas Edison St and 13th St, Menlo Park. Cost: R180– R250. Book through Computicket: 0861 915 8000 or visit computicket.com Othello A Shakespearean tragedy that touches on themes of racism, love and jealousy. The play is a great teaching opportunity for students. 22–25 May. Time: 9am, 12pm, 2:30pm and 8pm.

Venue: Brooklyn Theatre, Greenlyn Village Centre, cnr Thomas Edison Rd and 13th St, Menlo Park. Cost: R60–R100. Contact: 012 460 6033, info@brooklyntheatre.co.za or visit brooklyntheatre.co.za

out and about Bone detectives Expand your knowledge of human evolution as you learn more about the hominoid skeletal anatomy and learn how to identify fossils. 12 May. Time: 9am. Venue: Sterkfontein Caves, Cradle of Humankind. Cost: R350, includes the tour

only for parents classes, talks and workshops Soil and planting workshop Learn how soil affects the growth of your plants.

5 May: Wallmannstahl, Pretoria North; 6 May: Soleil, Lynnwood Rd, Pretoria East.

Time: 10:30am. Contact Pretoria North: 012 544 01 44; Pretoria East: 012 817 2091 or visit ludwigsroses.co.za Sonic meditation group Release the pent-up stress that has developed

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May 2012

5 and 6 May – Soil and planting workshop

and a light picnic lunch. Contact: 014 577 9000, childmag@maropeng.co.za or visit maropeng.co.za Brunch cruise A day for the public to test the handling and performance of their motorbikes, with instructors on hand in case you have any questions.

Jackets and helmets are compulsory. There is entertainment for the children and refreshments are available. 6 and 27 May. Time: 7am. Venue: Zwartkops Raceway, off the R55, Pretoria West. Cost: driver R380, passenger R50. Contact Elvéne: 012 374 5800, events@zwartkops.co.za or visit zwartkops.co.za Cultivino Spend a winter evening strolling the cobblestone walkways of the centre, winding your way around crackling boma fires and fairy lights, and sampling the wares of over 50 food and wine suppliers. 24–25 May. Time: 5pm–10pm.

Venue: Irene Village Mall, cnr Nellmapius Dr and Van Ryneveld Dr, Irene. Cost: R50, includes a souvenir tasting glass and tasting booklet. Contact Rentia: 012 662 4446, info@irenevillagemall.co.za or visit irenevillagemall.co.za Dinner Club A delightful three-course meal in an idyllic setting demonstrated by the host chef. 4 May. Time: 7pm. Venue: My Soul Space, 78 Murray Street, Brooklyn.

Cost: R220. Contact: 074 118 9184, 083 400 5545, myspace@sobinn.co.za or visit mysoulspace.co.za Dinner for singles A perfect opportunity to network and meet new friends.

16 May. Time: 7pm. Venue: My Soul Space, 78 Murray Street, Brooklyn. Cost: R220. Contact: 074 118 9184, 083 400 5545, myspace@sobinn.co.za or visit mysoulspace.co.za Eco-Workshop Make beautiful art using the everyday objects found around you.

12 May. Time: 9am–2pm. Venue: My Soul Space, 78 Murray Street, Brooklyn. Cost: R1 500, including all materials and a light lunch. Contact: 074 118 9184, 083 400 5545, myspace@sobinn.co.za or visit mysoulspace.co.za Free day @ the Zoo Senior citizens older than 60 years can enjoy free entry into the zoo, the aquarium and the reptile park. 8 May. Time: 9am. Venue: National Zoological Gardens, 232 Boom St, Pretoria.

Cost: free for senior citizens; adults R60, children R40. Contact: 012 339 2700 and info@nzg.ac.za or visit nzg.ac.za Open day at Opti Baby An opportunity for you to view the facilities, meet the teachers and find out more about their programme. Suitable for children 3 months–5 years. 5 May. Time: 9am–1pm.

Venue: Opti-baby and Opti-kids, 19/21 Weavind Rd, Eldoraigne, Centurion. Cost: free. Contact Retha: 012 654 8502, 084 505 9588, retha@opti-baby.co.za or visit opti-baby.co.za Parenting Talk Learn a few tips, from an educational expert, on how to prepare your child for school, academically, socially and emotionally. 10 May. Time: 6:30pm.

Venue: My Soul Space, 78 Murray Street, Brooklyn. Cost: R250, includes a light meal. Contact: 074 118 9184, 083 400 5545, myspace@sobinn.co.za or visit mysoulspace.co.za

4 May – Dinner club

Soul Mates Book Club An opportunity to meet like-minded friends, read and discuss books and indulge in some me-time. 29 May. Time: 6pm, the last Tuesday of every month. Venue: My Soul Space, 78 Murray Street, Brooklyn. Cost: R350 includes your monthly book, dinner and dessert. Contact: 074 118 9184, 083 400 5545, myspace@ sobinn.co.za or visit mysoulspace.co.za Swartkrans Walking Tour Enjoy a privileged look around a working fossil excavation site with scientist Morris Sutton.

Booking essential. 19 May. Time: 9am.

Venue: Sterkfontein Caves, Cradle of Humankind. Cost: R350. Contact: 014 577 9000, childmag@maropeng.co.za or visit maropeng.co.za

Toddler dance classes

bump, baby & Tot in tow

classes, talks and workshops Prenatal yoga classes Maximum of eight moms per class. Booking essential. Time: 8:30am–9:10am. Venue: The Yoga Tree, 621 View St, Rietvalleirand, Erasmuskloof.

Cost: from R90. Contact Jo: jo@theyogatree. co.za or visit theyogatree.co.za Stork’s Nest Offers antenatal and postnatal classes. Contact: 0861 665 665 or visit storksnest.co.za Toddler dance classes Children can learn hip-hop, ballet, jazz, acrobatics and take part in body conditioning. Suitable for children 2 years and older. Venue: Waterkloof Ridge, Pretoria East and Wierda magazine pretoria

Park, Centurion. Cost: varies. Contact: 071 604 2249, contact@studioofmotion.co.za or visit studioofmotion.co.za

playtime and story time Jingle Jangle tea garden and nursery Pony rides, an animal farm, quad bikes, a jungle gym and trampolines are available to entertain the little ones while you relax in the tea garden. Venue: Wekker St, plot 54, Kimiad Estate, Moreleta Park. Cost: varies.

Contact: 012 997 0134, jinglejangle@ vodamail.co.za or visit jinglejangle.co.za Mungolistix An indoor playground where children can monkey around in a safe and secure environment. Suitable for children 0–7 years. Time: 9am–5pm, daily.

Venue: Mungolistix, shop 342A, upper level, Centurion Mall, between John Vorster Dr and South St, Centurion. Cost: R35 per hour, R25 for groups of four; drop and shop R40 per hour. Contact: 074 122 2787, info@mungolistix.co.za or visit mungolistix.co.za

support groups Berg-en-Dal Pregnancy Crisis Centre Offers care and support to pregnant teenagers and women aged from 12–40 years. Contact: 012 800 4700 or visit jacarandachildren.co.za Diabetes support group 19 May. Time: 2pm. Venue: Centurion Library, cnr Cantonement and Union St, Centurion.

Contact Sunette: 083 594 0959 or ptadiabetes@vodamail.co.za. For children contact: 012 529 3798/3230 Hi Hopes Provides home-based support for families with deaf or hard-of-hearing infants. Contact: 011 717 3750, info@ hihopes.co.za or visit hihopes.co.za La Leche League A breast-feeding support organisation. Groups in Lyttleton, Garsfontein and Mamelodi. Contact: 012 345 4898 or visit llli.org Pretoria Adoption Support Group (PASG) Provides support to families of

adoptive children. Contact Michelle: pretoriaasg@yahoo.com The Compassionate Friends A support organisation for bereaved parents, grandparents and siblings. Venue: 192 Edinburgh Avenue East, Clubview, Centurion. Contact: 012 654 1768

how to help Bedwetting support group 8am–5pm, Monday–Friday. Contact: 083 289 6640 Breast Milk Banking Donate your extra breast milk to help save the lives of babies. Contact Sasha at The SA Breast Milk Reserve: 011 020 0348 or visit sabr.org.za Jakaranda Children’s Home A non-profit organisation that looks after the welfare of abandoned, neglected, and emotionally and physically abused children. Contact: 012 800 4700, info@jacarandachildren. co.za or visit jacarandachildren.co.za National Plaster Day sponsored by Elastoplast School learners are encouraged to make a small donation and to wear civvies and enter a competition to win cash for their school. Funds raised go towards the upgrade of the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, specifically the B2 Ward, which treats the youngest and sickest patients. 25 May. Cost: stickers cost between R1–R10. Contact Tara: 021 659 1794 South African National Council for the Blind You can donate your time, sponsor a student or donate towards an individual’s rehabilitation and the purchase of equipment. Venue: 514 White St, Bailey’s Muckleneuk. Contact: 012 452 3811 or visit sancb.org.za Veggie gardens for charity Volunteer your time to help create vegetable gardens and teach children in impoverished rural areas to grow their own vegetables.

Venue: Shoshanguve. Contact Ronel: 082 341 2888, info@nutri-kids.org.za or visit nutri-kids.org.za

Rhino orphanage Prevent the rhino from going extinct by 2015 by assisting the world’s first rhino orphanage dedicated to caring for baby rhinos orphaned due to poaching. Contact: pete@theazaleagroup.com

don’t miss out!

For a free listing, email your event to pretoria@childmag.co.za or fax it to 011 234 4971. Information must be received by 4 May for the June issue, and must include all relevant details. No guarantee can be given that it will be published. To post an event online, visit childmag.co.za

magazine pretoria

May 2012

33

anél’s finishing touch

party pandemonium First birthdays are really about the grown-ups, says ANÉL LEWIS, so make sure there’s plenty to keep them entertained.

t

Anél and Erin

hings got out of hand pretty quickly at Erin’s first birthday party. There were cupcakes strewn on the floor, bottle tops in the pond and the inflatable pool had to be pumped up again after an energetic wrestling match – and that was just from the adults’ activities. Managing the handful of guests under the age of five was a breeze, barring their odd complaint about the bubble mixture that was more water than soap and the shortage of Barney-themed juice packs. It was the adults who needed constant supervision.

34

May 2012

I was initially quite blasé about the whole planning thing. I reckoned we would set aside a couple of hours on a Saturday, let Erin blow out a candle on a cake I had made and then watch her open a few presents.

But I was unaware that preparations for a parallel party, with far more grandiose dimensions, were already well underway.

It seems I had underestimated the grownups’ enthusiasm to celebrate.

Before I knew it, we were moving garden furniture to accommodate a 3kg lamb for the spit. Spit? What happened to my idea of cake and maybe a few bowls of marshmallows? No, it seems it had been decided that we needed to go large for this important milestone, and the men wanted meat – and lots of it.

Erin decided to take her nap as the guests arrived, so she was nowhere to be seen for the first hour. When she

did emerge, the heat combined with the surprise of a house full of people made her less than congenial. Fortunately, her friends were too busy poking holes in the gifts to really notice.

I squeezed her into a party frock for the obligatory photo, and then let her mingle with the guests wearing just a vest and her nappy. She’s going to hate me when I blow up those images for her 21st birthday party.

I am no baker. I last made rock buns for my home economics class when I was in Grade 9, and added salt instead of sugar to the mixture. Needless to say, I switched to art soon after that. So I begged a talented colleague to make Erin a beautiful bear cake. However, I was still determined to contribute in some way, and I made a batch of cupcakes. The only ready-made mix I could find came with iridescent pink

icing and sparkles. And yes, they tasted as artificial as they looked. I’m still finding bits of ossified cupcake stuffed into the corners of our outdoor furniture – no doubt from guests desperately trying to dispose of the noxious things.

Several long hours after the party started, the celebration was still in full swing. The spit was still turning, albeit a bit dejectedly, in the fading light, someone had locked themselves in the spare bathroom and yet another impromptu wrestling match had ended in tears. And no, there was not a child in sight.

Next year I’m hiring a jumping castle, and some entertainment for the children as well.

Anél Lewis is Child magazine’s features editor. By the time you read this, she will have had her second baby and will probably be planning his first party.

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