Families NW London Magazine 118 Nov/Dec 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

Seasonal Celebrations!

Santa, Skating, Shows and more!

THE BIG SKATE BOOK NOW

25 Nov - 14 Jan The Parade by the Pond Watford watfordbigevents.co.uk #BigSkate

Issue 118 Nov/Dec 2017

familiesonline.co.uk

Welcome to the November/December issue!

CONTACT US: Families North West London Magazine Editors: Heather Waddington and Janine Mergler P.O. Box 2378, Watford WD18 1RF T: 01923 237 004 E: Editor@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk Listings and Features Editor: Anna Blackshaw E: Listings@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk

5 Flexible school holidays

www.facebook.com/FamiliesNWLondon @FamiliesNWLon Circulation 30,000+ copies every issue.

Published seven times a year. For families from birth to twelve.

6 Secret life of 4&5 year-olds

10 Getting ready for the Holidays

14 Where’s Santa

16 What’s On

21 Pantos and Seasonal Shows

UPCOMING ISSUES: Jan/Feb 2018 - Nurseries and Childcare Deadline: 23 November 2017 Mar/Apr 2018 - Children’s Parties Deadline: 1 Feb 2018

Cover image: watfordbigevents.co.uk

Send in your news, stories and advertising bookings to the details left.

www.FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk

Feature images used under license from depositphotos.com. Other images have been supplied by independent sources.

Where is Families North West London?

Families North West London Magazine is distributed bi-monthly throughout north west London. An area bordered by the A40 to the south, by the A5/M1 to the east and out towards the M25 in the north and west.

You can collect a copy FREE from scores of outlets: schools, nurseries, play groups, clubs and classes, sports centres, children’s libraries, family doctors and baby clinics, theatres, your local council offices and children’s shops. If you would like to stock copies to give to parents, please let us know.

2 Families North West London

IN THIS ISSUE:

Families North West London Magazine is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families NW London Magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families North West London Magazine.

Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families North West London Magazine, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

familiesonline.co.uk

NEWS Baby to Toddler Returns to London!

Good news as Baby to Toddler, the shopping event for modern parents of children aged 0 to 4 is returning for a second year! Coming to the London ExCeL from 18th to 19th November, the two-day shopping event will partner with Peppermint where visitors will have access to exclusive offers and deals from some of the biggest brands and names you know and trust.

A natural progression from the hugely popular Baby Show with a greater focus on toddlers and preschool children (but not forgetting babies too!), guests will also receive a free book worth up to £4.99 by Campbell Books upon arriving, whilst stocks last. The Kids Zone will make a return, to keep the kids entertained and the MAM Feeding Area will have everything needed to feed the attending tots, including bottle warmers, microwaves, bibs and more! www.babytotoddlerevents.co.uk.

St John’s C of E Primary School Celebrates its First Birthday with a Global Feast!

Watford’s newest primary school celebrated its first birthday in October with an international themed party!

The celebration took place in the school’s temporary home on Estcourt Road where the parents and friends of the school shared an impressive array of tasty home cooked dishes inspired by a variety of cuisines from around the world. With music and displays from across the globe the party had a real carnival atmosphere as the friends, parents and staff raised a glass to toast the success of the smallest and newest school in Watford.

The local restaurant Tarboush, in Market Street, enhanced the community spirit by contributing generous platters of delicious Turkish food.

Father David the founder of the school said, “I am so proud of our wonderful school, our first year has been fantastic and the children have really flourished. We may only be a little school but we definitely have big plans for the future” St John’s Church of England Primary School opened in September 2016 in the temporary site in Estcourt Road. The school will move into their purpose-built school in Clarendon Road welcoming their third intake of 60 reception children in September 2018.

To find out more about the wonderful world of St John’s please visit www. watfordstjohns.org where you can book a school tour and register your interest for September 2018.

familiesonline.co.uk

Families North West London 3

NEWS Eat and be Charitable

Families Magazine Distributors Needed in NW London!

Charitable Bookings is a revolutionary restaurant booking app that gives back to charity at absolutely no cost to individuals.

When making a booking through Charitablebookings.com £1 for EVERY diner in the party will be donated by the restaurant to a charity of the booker’s choice.

Reliable individuals with own transport needed to drop Families North West London Magazine to specific locations covering NW2/NW6/NW10 once each issue (seven times/year).

Would suit active Mum/Dad or grandparent with school-age children.

Customers can choose one charitable cause close to their heart every time they make a booking from a list of over 7,500 UK registered charities.

Get in touch to find out more! Editor@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk

Bookings can be made by calling the restaurant directly or online via their webpage. With the ability to see the restaurant’s sustainability credentials, guide price, type of cuisine, address with map, ratings, photographs, awards and a description of the restaurant, this is an essential guide to dining out. www.Charitablebookings.com

Eye Level North Harrow Learning Centre is a leading provider in supplementary education for Maths and English We strive to coach children ages 3-16 years in basic learning skills.

Ruislip, Northwood/Oxhey, Pinner, Harrow (HA2), Harrow on the Hill and Watford

We are currently offering a 2 week FREE taster session for your child to enjoy the programme

call: 0208 123 9346 email: jodiesloan@littlekickers.co.uk

██ Our programme blends both offline and online elements to support each child’s individual learning, which we call Blended Learning.

Harrow (HA3), North Wembley and Bushey

██ The maths programme not only offers Basic Thinking Maths (Pure Maths) but also a Critical Thinking module to enhance their problem solving and analytical thinking ability.

call: 0208 422 0676 email: niro@littlekickers.co.uk

██ Our English programme consists of basic language arts and reading with vocabulary. It also helps to foster students’ interest in reading, writing effectively, and approaches it in a fun, creative way.

For more details, please contact us on harish.marwaha@myeyelevel.com or call us on 07455198053 Eye Level North Harrow, 56, Northumberland Road, Harrow, HA2 7RE. Onsite Parking Available

www.myeyelevel.com

4 Families North West London

familiesonline.co.uk

Education Science says that family holidays will help your child’s brain to grow

So, what do you do when school and family time clash?

W

hen welcoming a new bundle of joy into the world, few parents really appreciate how much life is going to change. But once that first year is over, and the baby begins to grow into a toddler and then a child, most think that they’ve adjusted to this parenting business.

And then school happens. Suddenly you need to drop your child off at 8.50pm and collect them at 3.20pm. You need to make harvest assembly, the Christmas concert, Easter parade. You find a childminder or relative to collect them after school, but when you get them home, exhausted at 6pm, rather than relaxing before bed you need to cajole them through homework.

Family life is not quite as fun as you’d hoped.

Everyone is counting down to the hardearned holidays.

But for many, school holidays are a further source of frustration. Not all parents can take leave during school breaks. Some will work in industries that are busiest during school holidays. Others may need to negotiate with colleagues. Plus, the cost is eye-watering – prices can double or treble as soon as the school holidays begin!

Everywhere is heaving, of course. Oh, and some parts of the world are in the middle of a monsoon.

Crystal, a mother of 7 and 2-year olds from Harrow explains, “Family holidays are so important for everyone – especially for children’s mental health and sense of identity. But my husband isn’t allowed to take time off during school holidays. We’ve asked the school for permission to go during term time but they’ve refused. It is a heart-breaking situation”

The science backs Crystal’s on the importance of family holidays too.

Professor Jaak Panksepp, of Washington State University, has discovered that both ‘play’ and ‘seeking’ (when you explore a new place) trigger neurochemicals that reduce stress. But they are also important skills in themselves – essential for anyone working in a field requiring curiosity, creative solutions and entrepreneurism. And some psychologists go beyond this, linking ‘enriched environments’ that offer new experiences in social, physical, cognitive and sensory interaction to higher IQ in children!

In other words, your hard-earned family holiday could help your children to do better at school.

So, if you are struggling to carve out family time, what can you do? One new school in Harrow is offering an ingenious solution; the option to shorten the Summer break to lengthen either the Spring or Winter holidays. Mariposa Primary School, opening in 2018, offers two weeks of Project Based Learning at the end of every term.

Just at the point when teachers, children and parents are beginning to tire, they will inject some energy by setting the children a challenge. Whilst completing this challenge they will consolidate their learning, while benefitting from a boost to teamwork, leadership, problem solving and communication skills. Children will attend two of these challenges, leaving families to choose whether to retain the six-week Summer break or instead extend Spring or Winter.

Hugh, one of the parents setting up Mariposa explains: “Holidays are a worry

for so many parents, often putting them in conflict with school. So, we’ve found a solution that will work for families as well as school. When we tell parents about our holiday options they are amazed, and excited at the prospect of more valuable family time together.”

In the meantime, if you are struggling to balance family time with the pressures of school and work, arm yourself with the knowledge that in taking a well-earned break as a family, you are helping everyone not only to feel better, but to work on essential skills too.

ROXETH MEAD SCHOOL ESTABLISHED 1859

Independent school for boys and girls between 3 years and 7+ ◆◆ Small classes ◆◆ Dedicated staff ◆◆ Excellent academic record ◆◆ Caring and supportive atmosphere ◆◆ Happy, considerate and confident children Vacancies sometimes available for 5 & 6 year olds.

Contact the Headteacher

Tel: 020 8422 2092

E-mail: info@roxethmead.com www.roxethmead.com Buckholt House, 25 Middle Road, Harrow HA2 0HW

familiesonline.co.uk

Families North West London 5

Education

The Secret Lives of

4 and 5 Year olds at School

M

ost parents and carers wish they could be a fly-on-the-wall when their child starts school. Well, Channel 4’s Secret Lives of 4 & 5 year Olds which returns this November, allows them to do just that. Filmed in a specially rigged Essex school, the new series aims to give viewers a child’s perspective of their transition to a school setting.

Claire Winter talks to Dr Elizabeth Kilbey, a psychologist from the show, about what she learnt whilst filming the series.

Can you tell us more about the series?

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

How did the children cope with the transition to school?

“Parents main worry is generally ‘will my child be alright?’ and some children are very

Call us to arrange an individual appointment

6 Families North West London

familiesonline.co.uk

Education anxious. A great example is that wonderful picture of Prince George looking a bit worried on his first day of school. What I can now confidently tell parents and carers is that their children are absolutely fine, once they are gone. They are doing lots of interesting things and coping brilliantly.”

Not all children cope with the transition so well, what advice would you give to them?

“Take a calm, pragmatic approach.

Essentially children tend to be worried about what they think might happen. In reality, they are going to be fine, but they just don’t know that yet. Be confident and reassure your child that everything will be okay.

Children are inherently social beings. They are curious and want to interact with people so even timid children will find something that sparks their imagination. Remember, the school setting is designed to engage them.

It’s getting them to go in which is the tough bit. Once they are there they’ll be fine.”

What advice can you give parents whose children haven’t started school yet?

“Children need to develop communications skills, get used to talking and relating to others and playing cooperatively. All of these social abilities will be vital later in life.

Encourage lots of play with other children and get them to question how things work

familiesonline.co.uk

because natural curiosity is the main driver for learning.”

How can kids deal with friendship issues, if they have fallen out with someone?

“It’s very tempting as a parent to want to fix this problem, but children fall in and out of friendships hundreds of times a day and can usually sort issues out themselves.

If the problem is more complicated and you think there is unkind behaviour or bullying, then an adult might need to step in. But on the whole, conflict, when you are learning to be social is perfectly normal. Ask your child, “Is there anything you can do to sort the situation out?” Try and help them understand the other child’s perspective. As parents, we often overcomplicate issues. We can learn a lot from children, particularly the way they are so open and forgiving.”

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

I feel that gender isn’t particularly a driving force for children this age. They do make assumptions about children but they are happy for them to be corrected and they play on a much more straightforward basis.

Gender becomes a much bigger issue for children towards the end of primary school. It’s important to encourage them to keep an open mind and understand that children of all ages and genders need the

same opportunities because that is what is important for their development. Brains are not gendered, brains allow our children to learn.

What can you do if a child is exhibiting OCD type behaviour?

“Anxiety needs a non-emotional response and a calm authority can be incredibly helpful. It’s tempting to offer support to someone who is suffering by saying, “isn’t this terrible,” but this reinforces the idea that there is something to be scared of. Parents shouldn’t try to neutralise the anxiety or reinforce it; it is best to carry on, with a business as usual approach.

“If you are concerned or the behaviour is continuing over a long period of time and in more than one setting, get some advice from your school, GP or Health Visitor.”

What was the most interesting insight you gained from watching the children?

“I learnt that children of this age are hilarious and multi-layered. They are not that different from adults. They have amazingly rich social lives. They test hypotheses, ask questions, fail and then carry on. They are resilient and incredibly complicated, just like we are.”

‘The Secret Lives of 4 and 5 Year Olds’ will be aired on Channel 4 in November.

Families North West London 7

Education

Top Tips from Explore Learning on how to make the most of your recent Parent Consultation

S

o you’ve been to a meeting with your child’s teacher and you’ve got an overview of how your child is progressing. But what do you do next to help?

Discuss with your child the feedback from their teacher. They may already be aware of what they need to work on but if they don’t, talk about it.

Set a goal together of something they would like to achieve based on the feedback and aim to complete this by the end of next term.

Plan together about how they are going to get there and how you will measure/mark the achievement. For example: You’re told they give up every time they must learn something new, especially times tables. The goal you come up with together is to have a can-do attitude. Steps to getting there could be taking a new set of tables and learning them in small batches. Praise them for the ones they have got right alongside highlighting when they are being positive towards their learning so they know what kind of attitude is expected.

If you’ve set any goals with the teacher, then plan a time to review these. Depending on how the teacher likes to work this could be an email, call or face to face catch up 6-8 weeks after the initial meeting. Review how things are going and make changes if needed.

You may come away from a meeting and realise you’ve forgotten something or you don’t understand how the school is reporting on progress. Contact the school if you still have questions, or look on their website as you should find a wealth of information on there.

Ask others for help or guidance - don’t worry if you don’t understand

something or want to know what others are doing, lots of people will be in the same position so talk to fellow parents for advice. Alternatively, there are some great advice websites like www.theschoolrun.co.uk and www.oxfordowl.co.uk or if you have a tutor, talk to them about what you have learned from the meeting and integrate any changes/support with their program where possible.

At Explore Learning our tutors always help parents when they need advice and will consider your child’s recent reports and feedback when tailoring their learning. Never be afraid to ask, there is no such thing as a silly question when it comes to your child’s learning!

8 Families North West London

familiesonline.co.uk

Education

familiesonline.co.uk

Families North West London 9

Seasonal Celebrations

Getting Ready for the Holiday Season Contributor: Claire Winter

T

he winter holiday season is fast approaching and bringing with it all the lovely elements for spending time with family, giving and receiving of gifts, and creating and eating wonderful food. Whether you are ‘ready’ or not, the time will come and go regardless and we at Families Magazine have put together some helpful ideas for making your limited time and energy more efficient and productive.

• Ideas for Spending time with Family • Go Ice-skating. Check out The Big Skate on Watford High street or make a special trip to have hot chocolate at the beautiful ice rink at Somerset House in London (www.somersethouse.org.uk). There are also pop-up rinks at Canary Wharf, the Natural History Museum and Hampton Court, which are open right through till February next year.

• Get the kids involved in helping with Christmas cards – learning to address envelopes and write out the ‘to’ and ‘from’ is great practice for when they have their own lists!

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

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

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

• Check out a Christmas Light show. Stately homes and gardens are lighting up with festive brilliance across the country. Christmas at Kew has its annual show, where the garden is illuminated by 1 million twinkling lights along a mile-long trail (www.kew.org). Blenheim Palace in Oxford will also be lit up, so you can see the Capability Brown designed grounds in all their glory (www.blenheimpalace. com)

10 Families North West London

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

Christmas isn’t Christmas until you’ve chosen your tree. Our experts (wearing kilts!) will be on hand to give advice at our store in Wembley, Unit 7 Lumen Road, East Lane Business Park, HA9 7NE, from the 17th November, 8am to 7pm. So pay us a visit and let us get the festivities well and truly under way. It’s a great family day out and we even have a delivery service from our stores between 7pm-10pm to local postcodes for an extra cost. It couldn’t be easier! Our stores are re-stocked every morning with dozens of trees, freshly cut and delivered straight from our plantations. You won’t get fresher, fuller or more fabulous trees anywhere else! USE CODE : FAM17 to get your free gift with purchase! www.pinesandneedles.com/christmas-tree-stores • Help others. Find out what your local food bank needs at Christmas time. Maybe they are collecting stocking fillers for children or need extra festive food. Get your children to think of someone locally who might like a visit or some extra help during the Christmas period or create a reverse-advent calendar to collect one present or food donation each day to be delivered to a local family on Christmas Eve. Join in the Christmas fun and share your Christmas moments with us on Facebook/Twitter/Instagram using the hashtag #FamiliesMagsFestiveFun

familiesonline.co.uk

Seasonal Celebrations • Ideas for Gift Giving

Snuggly Rascals headband headphone

Play in a Box - Let little ones take the lead

A team of dads, all whom have small children, set out to design a set of headphones their kids would love, would be comfortable to wear and, as importantly, would protect their ears – the Snuggly Rascals headband headphone was born!

Snuggly Rascals can be purchased from www. snugglyrascals.com for only £14.99

Imaginative children can try their hand at creating, producing and acting in their very own play with this all-in-one theatre kit, just in time for Christmas.

Containing 30-character cards, eight setting cards, and a book full of plot twists as well as a programme and tickets, Play-in-a-Box is a great way to showcase budding performers’ talents. Complete with a “Stagecraft Handbook,” provide creative thespians with step-by-step instructions on everything from acting to prop design. www.shop.nationaltheatre.org.uk. RRP £12.99

Birdfeeder giftboxes - for all ages!

The perfect gift for those who love to see red-breasted Robins in their garden at Christmas! There are three different boxes to choose from and you can select a date for them to send the box and include a personalised gift message. Simply add the item to your basket and then add the information in the box provided. A donation of 50p from every box sold is made to various wildlife charities in the UK to support the wonderful work they do.

Did you know? Robins have a high mortality rate - many don’t make it through the winter due to a scarcity of food. Therefore, a garden supply of winter bird feed can really help the robin to survive a particularly cold spell of weather.

Christmas Bird Seed Gift Box - £18.00; Bird Feeder Gift Box - £28.00; Children’s Big Bird Gift Box - £24.00 www.boxwild.com 07855603478

familiesonline.co.uk

Check out the Hamleys Toy Parade 19th Nov on Regents street and pop in store to check out their amazing range of gifts and toys including: Hamleys Magic Drawing Board £15 RRP Baby Ellie & Friends Interactive Baby doll £29.99 RRP Lucky Voice gold karaoke Mic £29.99 RRP Selected lines, subject to availability in store and online www.hamleys.com

Families North West London 11

Local Clubs and Classes Directory

Directory editor: Anna Blackshaw

PARTIES

LANGUAGES AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Adam Ants Offer high energy fun parties from 1-8 years. Magic/Balloon Modelling/Puppets/Music/Dancing - loads of fun! Ask about the special Build a Bear/Olympic Sports parties. They have amazing Face Painters/Hire Tables and Chairs. Bouncy castles/ Ball Ponds - invite your favourite character Peppa/ Mickey/Spiderman/Elsa and more.  www.adamantsparties.co.uk email info@adamantparties.co.uk  0208 959 1045 / 07969 121094 LEGO® Engineering Clubs, Parties And Workshops. E2 Young Engineers programmes inspire young people to be innovative critical thinkers and problem solvers by exploring aspects of engineering and science building working models using our custom made kits. Programmes available for ages 4 – 99! Build self-confidence, resilience and creativity through play! www. young-engineers.co.uk Central and West London:07522 602 122Info. westlondon@youngengineers.co.uk Hertfordshire & Middlesex: 07454 363 766 Shelina@young-engineers.co.uk  07565 195 895  Smita@ young-engineers.co.uk Mini Maniacs are an Award Finalist Party Entertainment Business. Specialising in themed and non themed children’s parties for 1-9 year olds. From princesses to Discos, Bouncy Castles to Mascots, we have it all. Our reviews are outstanding and our entertainers are unbelievable. Book today to see the magic for yourself! 07751 231737  www.facebook.com/theMiniManiacs www.twitter.com/theMiniManiacs www.mini-maniacs.com Perform Parties - Based around a colourful theme, Perform’s energetic party leaders use a magical mix of songs, games and laughter to create fun-filled, action-packed parties. Call 0207 255 9120 or visit performparties.co.uk Silly Millie the Clown - parties for 3 - 9 year olds. Funny magic show, puppet’s, party games, silly songs & balloon animals. 020 7823 8329 or 07939 239 397  www.sillymillietheclown.co.uk The Windmill Studio Centre (HA4) Fun for kids, hassle-free for parents, birthday parties at The Windmill Studio Centre, Ruislip Manor, for 1-10 years boys & girls include invitations, party leader & assistant(s), freshly prepared food, decorations, music, lights, games, dancing, props and prizes. Optional extras - adult refreshments, face-painting and party bags. Lots of themes from Princesses and Super Heroes to Monsters, Trolls, Makers and Mad Hatters!

Modern & clean venue.  01895 624755  thewindmillstudio@gmail.com www.thewindmillstudio.com

Baby Lab (WC1E) Have fun for free with your baby making discoveries about brain development at the Centre for Brain & Cognitive Development. Birkbeck College, Malet St, London. Travel expenses refunded. 020 7631 6258  www. cbcd.bbk.ac.uk Chinmaya UK (HA) Do you want your children to connect to their Indian culture through stories, games and celebration of festivals? Go along to Bal Vihar classes to explore culture and values in an engaging, positive environment.

Every Sunday in Harrow and Hendon for children aged 5-17.  bv@ chinmayauk.org www. chinmayauk.org 07812 146428 Club Petit Pierrot (NW3/8/11) French Parent & Toddler group for 2-4 year olds in Hampstead at the JW3 Centre (NW3). Mon from 10.30am-11.15am and will be a multi-sensory session, totally in French, with many fun and varied activities including songs, rhymes, music, arts & crafts, dances and movement, language games, and puppets…all great fun! There will also be new fun French after-school classes on Weds for 4 to 6 yr olds and 6 to 8 yr olds in St Anthony’s School for Girls, Hampstead (NW11). Multi-sensory sessions with arts & crafts and music & movement also take place in St Mark’s Church Hall, St John’s Wood/Maida Vale (NW8) on Thurs, Fri and Sat.  020 7385 5565  admin@clubpetitpierrot.co.uk www.clubpetitpierrot.co.uk Gujarati Masti Maja classes by Sansaar (HA5) Fun and interactive Gujarati music, song and dance classes for 3 to 6 year olds in North London, to help your child speak Gujarati confidently. Saturday morning at 9am and 10am at St Lawrence Church in Eastcote, Pinner.  www.sansaar.org Little Stars Baby Club (HA9) A fun and friendly baby club where new mums with babies from birth to sitting can relax and meet new friends whilst babies play and explore with a range of lovely sensory toys. Every Friday 9:30-11:15am at Powell Suites @ Chalkhill Community Centre, The Welford Centre, 113 Chalkhill Road, Wembley Park HA9 9FX. £2.00  0208 385 1836  littlestarswembley@gmail.com The Northwood Speech and Language Therapy Practice (HA6) An independent service covering a range of children’s communication difficulties. 01923 824 074  www.northwoodpractice.co.uk Portuguese for Children (NW6) Every Saturday, from 10am to 12pm, the International Gospel Church on Belsize Road will be open for children from 4 to 12 years of Brazilian-English parents to enrol. Lessons will include how to read and write and Brazilian culture, including music. Lessons run from September and February 2016 and are free.  contact@igclondon.org.uk

CLASSES FOR GROWN-UPS Adult Art Classes in Stanmore (HA7) Drawing, painting and mixed media art classes for adults. Weekday morning studio sessions in a relaxed, supportive environment.  020 8954 2897 or 07500 006 099  myartclub@yahoo. co.uk Capital Connection Chorus - female A capella harmony (HA4) Calling women who love to sing! Particularly need lower range voices at present. Perfect way to meet new friends and sing with a great group of women. Wed night 7.45pm to 10.30pm at Ruislip Community Centre.  www.capitalconnection.org.uk Eggless Cake Delights (HA) offer eggless baking, cake decorating and dessert classes for kids & adults in Harrow. Classes are held in small groups in hands on and Demo format, during weekdays, weekends and during term holidays in a friendly environment.  07737847405 or info@egglesscakedelights.com.  www.egglesscakedelights.com The Veggie Kitchen (HA7) Pure vegetarian cookery courses in Stanmore.

Specialising in Indian cuisines, as well as Thai, Chinese and many more, students learn to cook nutritious and delicious vegetarian meals in a friendly and homely environment. Group and one-to-one hands on courses.  0208 204 1906  www.veggiekitchen.co.uk Yogabellies Aquabellies (various) Beautiful water based yoga classes for women throughout their lives. The sessions incorporate traditional yoga asanas (postures) adapted for water, water relaxations and positive life building experiences for women, mothers and mothers to be. There are AquaBellies - Aquanatal yoga for pregnancy, AquaMamas, post natal and AquaBelles aqua yoga classes suitable for all women. NEW YogaBelles: yoga designed for a unique women’s body.  07840 904887  anjli@ yogabellies.co.uk www.yogabellies.co.uk/members/anjli

First Aid MCS Training (HA1, HA5) Paediatric First Aid Course. Accepted for full and voluntary Ofsted Registration. Certificate valid for 3 yrs.  Margaret 07814 191 395  mcstraining@hotmail.co.uk

12 Families North West London

Sign Language Sing and Sign (Various) Fun classes combining the benefits of baby signing with music to develop language, memory and attention skills. Babies 6-30 months. Bushey, Rickmansworth, Stanmore and Harrow.  www. singandsign.com

ACTIVITY CENTRES Aspire National Training Centre, Kidz Zone activities (HA7) Wide range of activities available from 6mths to 12yrs. 020 8954 5759  kidzzone@ aspire.org.uk. Wood Lane, Stanmore, HA7 4AP JAMtots (HA4) An Interactive daytime activity centre for parents with babies and toddlers. All pay as you go with a variety of sessions that include Parent & Toddler Groups, Musical Tots, Gym Tots and one off events plus special visits from Jimmy the JAMtots Bear. 01895 624755  thewindmillstudio.com Rumble Tumble Harrow (HA1) Harrow’s only indoor supervised soft play children’s play group. Why not take advantage of the Drop & Shop facility and have a stress free shop, or book a special event in the Party Room available for all occasions. You can even relax and have a snack in the restaurant while your little ones are playing. 0208 427 8847  info@rumble-tumble.com www. rumble-tumble.com The Windmill Studio Centre (HA4) An exciting activity centre that has just about everything to offer for all ages from babies to adults. 01895 624755  www. thewindmillstudio.com

MUSIC & MOVEMENT Beat Building Vibrant & energising music classes using African drums and funky percussion. Great songs and games get the imagination glowing & introduce the concepts of beats, rhythmic patterns, time keeping & also encourage sharing, taking turns and listening. A wonderful introduction to music and rhythm, beat Building is brilliantly fun! 07721 623 171  info@ beatbuilding.co.uk www. beatbuilding.co.uk www.facebook.com/beatbuilding

Colourstrings (various) Music Kindergartens for babies, toddler, and children up to 6 yrs with small, age-related classes. Classes are enjoyable and inspire learning, developing inner hearing and core music skills. New class starting in Hendon in Jan 2017. 020 8444 9435  www.nlcolourstrings.co.uk Diddi Dance Harrow & North Hillingdon (various) At diddi dance we enhance children’s endless energy and enthusiasm through funky, full of fun sessions that build confidence, co-ordination and creativity. Classes in Pinner,Ruislip & Stanmore with new ones opening soon. To book a FREE TRIAL contact tejal. patel@diddidance.com Mini Maniacs (Various) Multi award nominated classes that are filled with music, dance and exploration – plus plenty of excitement.Focusing on a range of engaging activities, the classes take you up tempo then down tempo, leaving parent and child feeling like they’ve been on a tummy tickling roller coaster!  hilda@mini-maniacs.com www.mini-maniacs.com Monkey Music (Various) Award-winning Monkey Music introduces babies and young children to music in a way they understand and enjoy - and is brilliant fun for children and adults too! The unique four-stage curriculum, written by classically trained musicians, ensures that classes are a “good fit” for pre-schoolers. Parents across the UK have voted it as “Best National Toddler Development Activity” and “Best National Pre-school Development Activity”.

Age guides are as follows: Rock’n’ Roll from 3m, Heigh Ho from 1yr, Jiggety Jig from 2rs, Ding Dong 3- 5yrs. Classes are open 6 days a week, at venues in Uxbridge, Eastcote, Northwood, Harrow and Stanmore. 020 8427 6595  www.monkeymusic.com

SPORTS AND EXERCISE Better leisure centres (various) We exist to make community services and spaces better for everyone. That means providing access to quality community leisure and fitness facilities - and more - at a price everyone can afford.  www.better.org. uk/families Capoeira Academy UK (HA) Classes in Stanmore providing outstanding and fun classes for children aged 4+years. A unique blend of martial arts, dance, acrobatics and music; capoeira develops skills for life with inspiring and nurturing teachers. 07841342874  capoeiracademyuk@gmail.com www. capoeiracademyuk.com Enjoy-a-Ball classes (Various) Sports coaching for 3-9 yr olds in a fun, positive and non-competitive environment. Ten ball sports for the perfect introduction to sport. Physi-ball classes - Ball skills and core skills for toddlers aged 18mths to 3 yrs. Classes run in Mill HIll, Finchley, Golders Green and Muswell Hill. Call 0333 334 0845 or 07763746886 to book a trial session. Enjoy-a-Ball parties are for super-active 3 - 9 year olds. They are full of high energy games loved by boys and girls alike! 0333 334 0845 or 07763746886  www.enjoy-a-ball. com northlondon@enjoy-a-ball.com Everyone Active (various) Why should your child learn to swim? Swimming is lots of fun for people of all ages and also provides loads of health benefits which can help to keep you and your children healthy and happy at the same time. What’s more, swimming is the only sport which can save your child’s life. Drowning is still one of the most common causes of accidental death in children, so being able to swim is an essential life-saving skill.  To find out more about learning to swim at your local leisure centre visit www. everyoneactive.com.

Field End Flyers Saturday Morning Community Cycle Club (HA5) Saturday in Term Time, Field End Rd for ages 5–11 yrs. Join the friendly team of British Cycling Coaches at 9.45am, and learn fun skills, race on the amazing fully enclosed Cycle Track, make new friends and enjoy a whole morning of fun till 12.30 - (refreshment break half way through). All you need is your own bike, helmet, gloves and water bottle and a shower proof jacket.  Tracey fieldendflyers@gmail.com Harrow Junior Hockey Club (HA1) run sessions for children aged 4- 16 years on Sunday mornings and Tuesday evenings at The John Lyon School Playing Fields, Sudbury Hill, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 3NA. Everyone welcome please contact us for more information  harrowhcjuniors@outlook.com Little Kickers (Various) Enabling children aged 18mths up to their 7th birthday to develop their coordination, balance and agility through football activity classes Mill Hill, Swiss Cottage, Hampstead, Golders Green, Muswell Hill, Friern Barnet 020 8201 1084  jlevene@littlekickers.co.uk. Ruislip, Northwood/ Oxhey, Pinner, Harrow (HA2), Harrow on the Hill and Watford  0208 123 9346  jodiesloan@littlekickers.co.uk or Harrow (HA3) Bushey and North Wembley  0208 422 0676  niro@littlekickers.co.uk www.littlekickers. co.uk Rugbytots - the UK’s first rugby based play programme for 2-7 year olds.

Focusing on developing your child’s motor skills and confidence with

familiesonline.co.uk

Local Clubs and Classes Directory fun-filled programmes aimed at improving general ball skills, balance, agility and coordination. Currently classes in Watford, Rickmansworth, Bushey and Stanmore.  For more information contact charlie@rugbytots.co.uk SportsKids Academy (WD3 & HA3) Multi-sports Activities for children.

All students are taught in small groups of similar age and ability. Mini academy ages 4-6 years (an hour and a half) Main Academy 6-16 years (3 hours). (Previously known as SportsCoach.) Held at JFS The Mall Kenton and Rickmansworth Masonic School Rickmansworth 01923255099  sportskids@outlook.com www.sportskidsacademy.co.uk White Crane Karate School (HA8) Karate classes for ages 4 years and above held in Edgware, East Finchley, Finchley Central , Stanmore and Harrow Weald. Adult classes in Barnet. Sheena 0787 550 1674  whitecraneedgware34@hotmail. co.uk www.karatewhitecrane.co.uk Y Active (HA2) New Harrow classes booking now for children and adults at the YMCA. A beautiful studio with free parking and a play garden. Baby, Ballet, Gym, Soft Play and Classes from £4.40. 020 8832 1576  yactive@ ymcawestlondon.org www.ymcawestlondon.org

and Bushey.  07814 793 772  instepschoolofballet@yahoo.co.uk www. instepschoolofballet.co.uk Karan’s Bollywood Masterclass (Various) Learn a fusion of Bollywood, Bhangra, Hip-Hop and Salsa at our weekly classes. Open to Toddlers, Children & Adults the courses are Fun, Motivating and KBM offers many performance opportunities.

All dance levels welcome. Contact our friendly team for your class registration.  0208 423 9543/07944 457 984  www.kspark.co.uk Lorna Clark School of Dance (Various) Established for over 40 years, training students from 3-18 yrs - Ballet, Tap, Modern, Classical Greek and National. Royal Academy of Dance Examinations are taken in Ballet from Primary to Advanced Level and ISTD exams in all other Genre to the same standard. All classes held in South Harrow/Eastcote. Book a free No Obligation Lesson with this advert.  0208 8662105 or 01923 285380.  www.lornaclarkschoolofdance.co.uk The Van Niekerk Academy of Dance (HA7) Ballet classes to develop poise, technique and expression through dance, for boys and girls aged 3-16 years with Royal Academy of Dance examinations  020 8950 2457  www vanniekerkacademyofdance.co.uk

Massage & Yoga

ARTS AND CRAFTS

Positiv-Life Fitness (various) Specialise in Small group Personal training Pregnancy Pilates, Mum & Baby Yoga & Postnatal Pilates, Baby Massage & Fitness for Mums for those in & near Eastcote, Ruislip, Harrow, Pinner, Northwood, Uxbridge, & Maida Vale West London. info@positivlifefitness. com 07974 062 973  www.positivlifefitness.com www.facebook.com/ positivlifefitness > Twitter @PositivLifeFit YogaBelliesKidz Family yoga (HA & WD) Share the mental and physical benefits of yoga...peace of mind, relaxation and increases body strength and flexibility!

YogaBellies Mum and Baby yoga: Monday afternoons (birth to 10 mths) YogaBellies Little Angels pre-school yoga (18 mths to 4 yrs): Sat mornings, Bushey YogaBelliesKidz family yoga (children 4-12 yrs): Sat & Sun mornings, Bushey NEW: YogaBelles Mum and Daughter (13-16 yrs): Weekday evening, Bushey 07840 904887  anjli@yogabellies.co.uk; www.yogabellies.co.uk/ members/anjli

Swimmimg Aqua Vie Swimming based on effortless swimming and true water confidence.

Fun classes for babies & Children from 6wks+ to all ages including Adults. New Tues, Wed & Sunday morning classes in Bushey WD23.  01923 245 772  www.aqua-vie.com or email office@aqua-vie.com Splashtime Swim School (various) Swimming lessons, Holiday clubs and After school club held at Quainton Hall School. Swimming lessons also held at Merchant Taylors School and Uxendon Manor Primary School.  Splashtime Swim School 07903126486 Children’s Activities 07794078452

THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS Beverley School of Performing Arts (HA8) After school & Saturday classes in Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Street, Singing & Drama for boys and girls aged 3-18years. ISTD and LAMDA examinations to advanced level. 07974 750 224  www.beverleydance.co.uk.

JAM2000 Performing Arts & Agency (HA4) Truly like no other, with classes available from 2.5 years – adults, male and female plus an incredibly busy agency that is always looking for new recruits! 01895 624755  www. jam2000.co.uk Jigsaw Performing Arts Schools (Various) A new school year is here, which means that children across London and the Home Counties are taking to the stage as Jigsaw begins an exciting new term of drama, singing and dance classes; the perfect activity to escape the cold, wet October weekends.

Performing arts classes are an excellent way to build confidence and social skills and are lots of fun. For more information or to book a two-week trial,  www. jigsaw-arts.co.uk or call 020 8447 4530.

Italia Conti Ruislip (HA5) Performing Arts School for students 2yrs to adult, at Haydon School in Eastcote. ISTD Ballet, Tap and Modern, Street dance, Break Dance, Hip Hop, Musical Theatre, Singing, LAMDA, acting, Gymnastics, Lyrical and much more! Shows twice a year at Harrow Arts Centre. Call or email for a Free Trial 20 8838 8747  info@italiacontiruislip.co.uk www.italiacontiruislip. co.uk Perform (various) weekly drama, dance and singing classes. Confidence building fun for 4-12s. A unique mix of drama, dance and singing specially formulated to bring out every child’s true potential. Classes are kept small to ensure lots of individual attention. Perform offer no-obligation FREE trial sessions for newcomers, from Saturday 2 September - Sunday 17 December 2017.  020 7255 9120  enquiries@perform.org.uk www.perform.org.uk Sharpe Academy of Theatre Arts (HA1, HA4, HA7, WD3) Performance based theatre school with venues based in Harrow, Rickmansworth, Ruislip and Stanmore where children aged 3-21 attend weekly classes in preparation for full scale Musical Theatre productions. 01923 437693  www.SharpeAcademy. co.uk Stagecoach (Various) Training in three disciplines: drama, dance and singing.

Great for building confidence, making new friends and beginning to hone talent and enthusiasm for performing, or being coaxed out of their shell by having fun!  Harrow 020 3504 0100 Harrow on the Hill & Sudbury Hill 01923 248 294 Stanmore & Harrow Weald 020 3504 2154 Watford 01727 768 738 Queen’s Park 020 7723 5861 Northwood 01442 263 599  www.stagecoach.co.uk Wordworks Studio (HA5) Individual and group classes in Speech, Drama and Communication Skills for children 3-18yrs.  wordworksstudio@ymail.com

Dance Futunity UK Academy of Sport and Dance (UB8) Purpose built facility in Uxbridge City Centre. Classes for children ages 2 all the way through to adults.

Hip Hop, Street Dance, Gymnastics, Free Running, Breakdancing, Ballet (RAD), Tap (ISTD), Contemporary, Cheerleading, Pole Fitness, and Children’s Parties.

Classes range from beginners to advanced/competitive levels. Three fully equipped studios available for hire, at very competitive rates. Futunity UK also supply dance (all genres) and gymnastics teachers into schools to run after/ before school extra curricular sessions, and PE and PPA cover lessons. 01895 251224  admin@futunityuk.com www.futunityuk.com Instep School of Ballet (HA/WD) Trains students of all ages and abilities in ballet, tap, pointe and performance. The school offers examinations with the Royal Academy of Dance (ballet) and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance (tap), and all teachers are fully qualified and registered with the RAD and ISTD. They produce a summer show each year. Classes in Harrow, North Harrow

familiesonline.co.uk

Art Classes for Kids (and Adults) in Stanmore (HA7) Drawing, painting and mixed media art classes for children and adults. On-going, small groups Monday–Thursday afternoons and Saturday mornings in Term Time for children from Year 1 up. Weekday morning studio sessions for adults in a relaxed, supportive environment. 020 8954 2897 or 07500 006 099  myartclub@ yahoo.co.uk Art and Craft Club (HA5) Term time, Mon 4.30-5.30, Sat 10-11am or 11-12pm at Harrow Arts Centre. New activities introduced every term; drawing, painting, printmaking, collage, sewing, fabric printing and much more! For 5-11yr olds. Materials provided. Qualified teachers. 07946 055 422  info@ mysistersandme.co.uk Artzania Art and Craft Activity Club (HA) A new and exciting Arts and Crafts activity club for children ages 1-11 yrs open during term time and holidays. They offer and Mother Toddler Group art club (aged 1-4 yrs) and an After-school/ Holiday Club (ages 5-11yrs) Contact to book your place: Keshma 07419343105  keshma.artzania@gmail.com Blank Canvas Art Club (HA4) Do your kids love Art? Then welcome to the club!

Sign them up for these fun classes where I teach art techniques to 5+, 7+ and 11-18 year olds. Weekly term time classes & holiday workshops, with public or small group private options are available in Ruislip Manor & Eastcote. Special member’s benefits, sibling discounts and a refer a friend scheme are available so why not book now & let them develop a love of Art that will last a lifetime!

Contact Suzi at (E)blankcanvasartclub@gmail.com,  07773 819 603 www.

Facebook.com/BlankCanvasArtClub Messmakers! (HA5) A gentle and fun introduction to creative arts for the very young and their families, with lots of mess and none of the tidying up!

Exploring different materials and textures each week. Ages under 5, come dressed for mess! 0208 416 8989  www.harrowarts.com/family Stitch Club (HA5) Stitch and Sketch Club for children and teens. Start with simple hand sewing then developing sewing machine and design techniques to design and create your own items. Saturday Sketch Club develops looking and drawing skills and confidence. Also parties and one-off workshops. Adults’ weekly Dressmaking sessions and occaisional Beginners workshops.  stitch. club E: sam@stitch.club

AFTER SCHOOL CLUB/EDUCATION SUPPORT 1Point4Teacher (HA) Do you have a child in KS1 and KS2? Would you like to improve on their end of year report? Does your child need more of a challenge?

Then give 1Point4Teacher a try today. Lessons from a qualified primary school teacher, with a class ratio of 1 adult to 4 children. We offer English tuition on Mondays and Tuesdays, covering reading comprehension and SPAG (spellings, punctuation and grammar) with math lessons taking place on a Wednesday.

We are located in Harrow, 5 minutes from Kenton Library. For further information visit www.1Point4Teacher.co.uk or email the Head Tutor Mrs Edwin on info@1point4teacher.co.uk Brownies and Guides (Various) Rainbow, Brownie and Guide Units exist across the area which provide fun activities for girls aged from 5 onwards.  www. girlguiding.org.uk/interested or Peggy Brand 020 8205 7597 Champs Learning (HA1) A very structured tuition course for English, Maths, Science and 11+ exams. Courses run at Harrow College. 020 3004 9007  www.champslearning.co.uk Click IT! Computer lessons for Children (HA2) Fun, exciting and educational weekly computer lessons for children aged 2-5. Classes held at nursery schools all over North West London. Have fun learning with technology: mouse and keyboard skills and devices including graphic tablets, trackpads and digital microscopes. Every lesson is designed to complement the EYFS curriculum.

Free trials available. 020 8434 7111.  www.clickit-kids.co.uk. wendy@ clickit-kids.co.uk.

DiscoG Coding Boot Camp (various) Weekly Coding Programme teaches Primary and Secondary School children the basics of coding. Using the Python Programming Language and the Raspberry Pi 3 your child will create fun and engaging gadgets that spring to life with lights and sensors, and prototyping devices that will ‘amaze and inspire’. Tailored courses written to support the National Curriculum for GCSE and A Levels. Adult courses are also available. Gerard on 07767 300940  info@discogcodingacademy.com www. discogcodingacademy.com Elisa’s Tutorial School (HA8) Experienced private tutor in Edgware. Programmes for children from 2.5-16 yrs. If your child needs a little extra help, in English maths verbal and non-verbal 4+ 7+ and 11+ preparing for entrance exams or you just want to give them every advantage, Elisa can help. 99% success rate. 020 8958 1192 07956868119  www.childrensstories.net www. kidslearnfast.co.uk Explore Learning centres provide maths and English tuition to 5-14 year olds of all abilities. Visit their website to find your nearest centre or call to book a free trial class!  www.explorelearning.co.uk.

Field End Flyers Saturday Morning Community Cycle Club (HA5) Every Saturday in Term Time adjacent to Field End Junior School, Field End Road, Eastcote, Middx HA4, for all children aged 5 – 11 years. Join the friendly team of British Cycling Coaches at 9.15am prompt, and learn fun skills, race on the amazing

fully enclosed Cycle Track, make new friends (for both children and parents) and enjoy a whole morning of fun till 11.30 - (refreshment break half way through).

All you need is your own bike, helmet, gloves and water bottle and a shower proof jacket.  Contact Tracey at fieldendflyers@gmail.com The Harrow Woodcraft Folk (HA) Elfin group for children, 6 to 9 year olds are reopening their group after the Summer holidays on Tuesday 6th September in Central Harrow. Parents wishing to join their children should contact the District Secretary; John Woolf: 020 8428 2409 or  e-mail: harrow@woodcraft. org.uk For more information regarding Harrow Woodcraft Folk visit their web site: www. harrowwoodcraftfolk.btck.co.uk/HowtoJoin Holidaytime After school club is part of Activetime Children’s Activities limited (HA1) Pick’s up from four local school’s at the end of the school day, then take the children back to the club for a snack and the daily activity. They are open Monday- Friday 3pm-6pm Nicole 07794078452  holidays@activetime. co.uk www. activetime.co.uk Integratedbrain - Improve Co-ordination for learning! (UB5) Activities to help those with poor co-ordination, dyspraxia, dyslexia or fine motor difficulties.

Small groups of 4/5 children working to develop better all-round motor integration. Usha Patel 07766 837 616 ushapatel.raviv@gmail.com www. integratedbrain.co.uk JKEducate Educational Consultancy and Tutoring (various) Tutoring, Assessments, Consultancy for children 5-18yrs. 7+, 11+, GCSE, A Levels, SEN, EFL. 020 3488 0754  www.jkeducate.co.uk Knowledge Above Standard (HA7) Maths, English, Verbal and non-verbal reasoning, 7+, 11+ 13+ exam preparation. 07985 588 085  www. knowledgeabovestandard.co.uk Leaders are Readers (HA5 & N21) Offer specialist experience and accelerated learning in their award winning Saturday School, and also run popular Summer and Winter Schools during holidays. 2 hours spent per subject, including English, Maths, Learning to Read and Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. All programmes are for ages 3.5 to 11 and the success rate is 90% for helping pupils prepare to sit entrance exams, including 4+, 5+, 7+ and 11+. Childcare vouchers accepted. 01992 651 300  www.leadersarereaders.co.uk Little Big Leaders Ltd (HA7) 2 courses for the price of 1 in Maths and English or Maths and Reading. Lessons take place on a Saturday at, Edgware, Rickmansworth or Bushey 020 3637 6266  www.littlebigleaders.com.

The London Tutors (Various) Specialises in providing 11 Plus classroom based learning, to yr 4 and 5 students. Prepare students to sit exams for Grammar and private schools.  For a call back email your name and number to info@ thelondontutors.co.uk Mastermind Tuition (HA) Specialists in 11+. Maths, English, Verbal and NonVerbal, Grammar & independent School Preparation. £15 per session. Classes in Harrow and Northwood. 075 10 10 50 50. www.mastermindtuition.com Math’scool Award-winning Maths Tuition plus out-of-lesson homework support. 0333 12 33 445  www.mathscool.com Number Works ‘n’ Words (Eastcote) Maths and English tuition classes which target identified needs to improve achievement levels. They set goals for your child, monitor progress and provide regular progress reports. Cater for all levels from Reception to Year 11.  www.numberworksnwords.co.uk Pinner Tuition Centre (Pinner) After school and Sat tuition for Reception to Year 11 by fully qualified teachers. Tuition in Maths, Reading, Spelling, Writing, SATS, 11+ and GCSE. Free assessment. Ofsted Registered.  www. pinnertuitioncentre.co.uk The Play Shelter After School Club at Malorees Infant & Junior Schools (NW6) - 3.30pm to 6pm term time. Play schemes available out of term-time. 0207 407 6744. admin@theplayshelter.co.uk www.theplayshelter.co.uk The Rainbow Club (various) Specialise in preparing for 3+, 4+ and 5+ entrance exams. 07850 045 471  Sonya.Thiru@gmail.com Raviv Practice London (UB5) Catch up reading course for children on the SEN register. Reading courses are flexible with home based learning (via computer) monitored daily. Usha Patel on 07766 837 616  info@ravivpracticelondon. co.uk (registered therapist)

SDE Susan Daughtrey Education Registrations now being taken for: Year 4 11+ Preparation Courses in Bushey Heath for 2019 Candidates.

Specialist 11+ courses designed for the SW Herts Consortium Schools and other schools using CEM tests including Henrietta Barnett.

Contact Phillipa Bloom (Course Director) for more details or registration pack.  01923 552 001  Pbloom@sde11plus.com www.sde11plus.com/swherts Stanmore Tutor Stanmore Tutor prepares students thoroughly for the top selective schools ensuring that they reach their maximum potential for that all important place.  020 3538 2437 Type IT! - Touch Typing Lessons for Children (HA2) Learn to touch type!

Weekly lessons and intensive holiday courses for children from age 8-18.

Highly recommended for children with dyslexia. Classes are held at their office in Harrow on the Hill, HA2 0JT. Free trials available. Adult classes also available.  020 8434 7111.  www.typeitforkids.co.uk. wendy@typeitforkids.co.uk.

SPEECH & LANGUAGE THERAPIST An independent service covering a range of Children’s communication difficulties.

Contact THE NORTHWOOD PRACTICE MRCSLT, HPC

Call 01923 824074

Families North West London 13

Where’s Santa

Where’s Santa?

Broadwalk Christmas

 HA The Broadwalk Centre Edgware (HA8) Thurs 21st Dec – Sun 24th Dec – 12pm until 4pm: Santa will be making a special appearance to the centre and will be available for photo opportunities throughout the day. www.thebroadwalkcentre.co.uk Pinner High Street (HA) Pinner Pantomime Evening will take place on 30 Nov this year. A great fun evening featuring a Pantomime Theme Window Dressing Competition and shopkeepers dressing up in costumes. Rides for young children and music, concluding with a magnificent fireworks display in Pinner Memorial Park. www.pinnerlocal.co.uk Ruislip Lido Railway (HA4) Santa Specials on 3rd, 10th, 16th and 17th December. Santa is a very busy man around Christmas time, but once again, he has managed to find a space in his diary to visit the Ruislip Lido Railway. The train ride, lasting about 12 minutes, will carry you on an enchanting ride through the woods and around the Lido to the Grotto, where Santa will be waiting for a chat with the children and a photo opportunity with all the family before EVERYONE (yes – grown-ups too!) receives their presents. 01895 622595 info@ruisliplidorailway.org www. ruisliplidorailway.org Squires Stanmore (HA7) From Sat 25 Nov – Sun 31 Dec a magical circus show is travelling to the North Pole to perform for Santa with their amazing dancing polar bear, Boris! See it first before they reach their final stop on Christmas Eve. Hosted

by Ringmaster Chris Balthrop with Andrea the clown. Meet Santa after the show where children will receive a present if they have been good. www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk St Luke’s Hospice (HA3) Join St Luke’s and Santa for tea and treats at the Hospice on Saturday 25th November. Browse the festive stalls, buy Christmas Gifts and Cards and visit Santa’s Grotto, whilst finding out about the work at the hospice and much more! Timeslots to see Santa are available at 2pm, 3pm or 4pm.

Book early to avoid disappointment. www.stlukes-hospice.org St Martin’s Church Martinmas Fayre (HA4) Go along to the wonderful Martinmas Fayre at St Martins Church Ruislip on Sat 18th Nov, where there will be Santa’s grotto, Cakes, Gift stalls, Games, Cafe, Music, Face Painting and much much more. www.stmartins-ruislip.org

 NW ZSL London Zoo (NW1) Throughout every weekend in December and the final week leading up to Christmas, visitors can book to Meet Santa at ZSL London Zoo as an extra wintery treat. Join in arts and crafts with Mrs Claus and chat with cheeky elves before heading into Santa’s grotto to meet the main man himself and receive an early Christmas gift. 9th, 10th & 16th-24th December. www.zsl.org

14 Families North West London

Compiled by Anna Blackshaw

 UB

 Further Afield

Harlington Locomotive Society (UB3) The Annual Mince Pie Run Christmas event sees Father Christmas arriving by train to meet the young visitors. Warm Mince Pies will be served from theTea Bar, along with the usual refreshments.

This special Open Day is open from 11am to Dusk. www. harlingtonlocomotivesociety.org.uk Hillingdon Narrowboats Association (UB9) Santa Claus and his band of merry elves are back in the grotto at HNA this year, and are hoping to see lots of good boys and girls to give them a present! Children and their parents can catch the Santa Canal Trip, and take in a cruise up the canal, calling in at Santa’s canal-side grotto on the way back to see if he got anything for them. Trips will run from the Coy Carp public house in Harefield on 2nd/3rd, 9th/10th and 16th/17th December, departing at 10.30am and then every 30 minutes from then on, each trip will take around 60-75 minutes. www.facebook.com/ HillingdonNarrowboatsAssociation

Chiltern Open Air Museum (HP8) Get in the Christmas spirit in this traditional Christmas event on 2nd – 3rd December. Meet costumed re-enactors making preparations for a Victorian Christmas, see Father Christmas in his grotto and receive a gift, see the historic buildings traditionally decorated for the holiday, try your hand at some festive family crafts and treat yourself to warm mince pies, freshly-cooked hot food, mulled wine and hot drinks in the tea rooms. www.coam.org.uk Hamleys Toy Shop (W1B) Open from 25th November – 24th December, join Father Christmas and his lovable elves at The Finest Toy Shop in the World for fun, magic and theatre at this very special time of year. Meeting Father Christmas at Hamleys is an extra special experience where children will take part in seasonal activities, enjoy delicious snacks, spend time with Father Christmas and receive an extra special gift bag to take home. www.hamleys.com.

Legoland (SL4) Experience the Ultimate LEGO® Christmas at the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort. Wonder at the twinkling lights, snow dusted pine trees, exciting seasonal festivities and see the Park as you have never seen it before… all with a sprinkling of LEGO magic. The elves will be looking for little helpers to help build LEGO gifts to take home and write letters to Father Christmas. Even Ollie the Dragon and LEGO Santa will be taking part to spread festive cheer! The highlight of your day will be meeting Father Christmas in his magical grotto, where every child will receive a LEGO gift… just follow his trusted elves. Taking place on 2nd & 3rd, 9th & 10th, and 16th - 24th December. www. legoland.co.uk Mill Green Museum and Mill (AL9) A Victorian Christmas Fair on 26th November from 2pm to 5pm. Santa will be in his grotto along with his trusty elf. There will also be Victorian street sellers, Victorian photos, Christmas Pop-Up Shop and free children’s activities including seasonal story telling in the enchanted wood grotto. www.welhat.gov.uk Leicester Square (WC2H) Christmas in Leicester Square will transform the centre of bustling London into a wonderland including traditional Christmas markets with handcrafted goods and delicious food and drinks, and a Santa’s Grotto where children will be able to meet the man himself. From 10th Nov – 7th Jan. www.christmasinleicestersquare.com Paultons Theme Park & Peppa Pig World (SO51) Christmas is a special time of the year at Paultons - meet Santa in his magical Grotto, experience Peppa Pig World in a festive setting and enjoy selected rides and attractions, including Lost Kingdom and Critter Creek, across the Park. The event starts on 18th November 2017 and runs on selected dates until 23rd December 2017. www.paultonspark.co.uk December 2017. www.paultonspark.co.uk Portobello Winter Festival (W10) This unique festive celebration at Acklam Road in Portobello on Sat 9th and Sun 10th Dec will see music fill the air as families celebrate and shoppers pick up gifts unavailable anywhere else. Among the activities taking place will be festive street performances, Santa’s Grotto, food, drink and more. www.westway.org/winterfestival The Rainforest Cafe (W1D) Hidden in the depths of the jungle is a magical Winter Wonderland. The elves are waiting to greet all the good little boys and girls before taking them for a grotto experience the whole family can enjoy. This Magical Experience Includes: a personalised meeting with Santa Claus in his grotto, a Christmas Gift and children’s 2 course meal & soft drink. You can meet Santa from 18th November to 24th December. www.therainforestcafe.co.uk WWT London Wetland Centre (SW13) From 2nd-3rd December get into the festive mood at WWT London Wetland Centre’s wonderful winter weekend. Children will be thrilled to hop aboard for a husky sleigh ride and visit Santa in his magical grotto. Head over to their northern pine forest; Father Christmas will be ready to welcome families in his cosy grotto among the trees (tickets to see Santa must be pre-booked). www.wwt.org.uk/london

 WD Intu Watford (WD17) This year’s Grotto will open on Thur 12th Nov with a ‘Build a Snowman’ theme. Bookings can be made online or at the Grotto. The opening coincides with the Christmas light switch on and there will be free family activities from 4pm. www.intu.co.uk/watford Maple Cross JMI School (WD3) A Christmas Fair on Fri 1st Dec, with tombolas, Santa’s grotto, raffle, gift stalls and more! 3.30pm until 5.30pm. www.maplecrossjmipta.co.uk Nascot Wood School (WD17) Go along and join in a family fun filled afternoon at the Nascot Wood School Christmas Fair. Visit Santa in his Grotto, play games, enjoy the entertainment and browse the stalls for Christmas gifts. All topped off with mulled wine and mince pies. On Sat 2nd Dec from 12-4pm. £1 adults, children free.nwsa@live.co.uk The Radlett Centre (WD7) Winter Fair and Light Switch-on taking place on Sunday 26th November at the Radlett Centre from 2-5pm. Festive fun for all of the family with entertainment, arts and crafts stalls, Santas Grotto and festive attractions. www.aldenham-pc.gov.uk Rickmansworth (WD3) From Mon 4th December until Mon 18th December, Santa will be making his way around the streets of Rickmansworth! For a full list of dates and the route, please head to the Rotary Clubs of Rickmansworth’s website. www.rotary-ribi.org St Andrew’s Precinct, South Oxhey (WD19) Watford Rural Parish Council Christmas Fun-Day on Saturday 2nd December, with kiddie funfair, bungee fly, bucking bronco, face painting and more! Also a Santa’s Grotto with FREE presents for under 10’s. 11am - 3pm Free entry. All rides £1.00. www. watfordrural-pc.org.uk The National Animal Welfare Trust Watford (WD25) Christmas Bazaar and Fun Dog Show on 3rd December from 11am - 3pm. There will be lots of fun stall with loads of goodies for all the family as well as gifts for Christmas. Santa will also be there, so make sure that you pop in to see him! www. nawt.org.uk Watford Colosseum (WD17) The Countdown to Christmas has started at Watford Colosseum on 25th November!

Herts Inclusive Theatre and Watford Mencap have come together for a family fun day, showcasing performances from local groups, Santa’s Grotto, puppeteer storytelling, soft play, games, face painting, arts and crafts and a Christmas market. www.hit-theatre. org.uk admin@hit-theatre.org.uk 01923 216951 www.hit-theatre. org.uk Santa to your Door (various) Arrange a magical visit from Santa on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or any other time.

He will deliver your presents and chat to your children about their favourite things. He may even sing a few festive songs before he says goodbye having nibbled a mince pie, or two. Call the Santa hotline on 020 8959 1045/ mob 07969 121094 or email info@ adamantsparties.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Mummy on the Edge

A

s GCSEs creep ever closer I’m feeling like it’s me that’s taking them, not Midi-Me. I have to keep reminding myself that it’s no good feeling sick about not having started revision ages ago, because I’m too late (- about 30 years too late to be precise).

By contrast, Midi-Me herself is floating about, nonchalantly signing up for all kinds of unnecessary activities, like Duke of Edinburgh Award, THE SEQUEL (aka Silver) where she has to do 6 months of volunteering, skill-learning and exercise, and spend two nights in the wild. At times like this, I feel completely torn. One part of me thinks that I should put my foot down and say “No, do it next year.” And another thinks I should just let her make her own decisions and live with the consequences.

That’s actual proper training for life, innit?

So off she went on the practice expedition with her troop, fighting off nettles to the left and barbed wire to the right as she beat a path from Berkhamsted to Hemel with an even heavier deadweight than last time on her back.

I thought I could use the fact that she HAS to do weekly exercise for 6 months to bring her round to the benefits of yoga and meditation. Because if I had taken it up at her age I surely would have started revising early, succeeded at all my exams and embarked on a lucrative career as a writer and broadcaster; by now I would be a wellknown media personality with a column in a national supplement (or Waitrose Weekend, that would be great too!) and my much awaited 3rd work of contemporary women’s fiction would be coming out in time for Christmas.

But I didn’t. Which is why at time of writing,

we are currently on week 3 of our yoga crawl. Without too much protest, MidiMe has allowed me to subject her to a surprisingly varied scale of experiences including poem readings, question and answer segments, heavy breathing, group humming and mantra singing; This is either a display of unparalleled good-naturedness on her part or the sheer pleasure of watching her mother break down in fits of concealed laughter while doubled over trying to touch her toes and hum at the same time. We’ve not yet found a class that is quite right for us. There are so many after school things to deal with that it’s a question of not only finding the right class, but the right class at the right time.

But onward and upward. I am determined that we will both become masters of chillaxitude, together.

Channelling my inner yoga mom and mustering all the nonchalance I could, I asked Midi-Me, “Do you have a test on Monday?” “Erm, no I don’t think so,” she replied. Well actually, I walked past her phone on the stairs (where I insist it lives) just when all these message previews appeared on her locked screen. No, I wasn’t spying but when I drop a sock while taking laundry upstairs and I bend to pick it up and see multiple messages appearing containing vague expletives and the words “physics” and “test” I can’t help but utter some choice expletives of my own. But I’m practicing to be a cool yoga mom, so I reined it in. Inhaled, then exhaled. Like you’re supposed to when you’re flowing into downward dog. “Hmm. Are you sure though? Maybe you should ask your friends.

Just to make sure.”

A few minutes later she came back and said I think the teacher said there

MIGHT be a test so maybe I will go and revise monkey-handed twizzle effects [obviously I’m making that subject up because this pretend yoga mum with her perfect calm disposition and rested brain cannot right now while writing think of ONE valid scientific field of study].

“Well done darling, that’s very responsible of you” I exhaled (- definitely wasn’t a huff).

Happy holidays, everyone. And if, like me you are stressing over your teen’s mocks, I’m sorry I haven’t much advice for you because I’m clearly not zen myself yet. I’m sure champagne will help. Hopefully.

Listen to Angelina’s popular chat show Dessert Island Discs on live on www.thepulsehr.uk Thursdays at 10am or catch up at www.mixcloud.com/angelina-melwani *facebook. com/angelinamelwani * twitter @appleina * mynotesfromtheedge.blogspot.com *Instagram @mynotesfromtheedge

Up to 50% off your First Month’s Nursery Fee’s Limited Spaces Available - T’s & C’s Apply ✷Funding available 15 & 30 hours subject to T’s & C’s

familiesonline.co.uk

Families North West London 15

What’s On

listings for all the family

What’s On

Compiled by Anna Blackshaw

To promote your local event, coffee morning, nearly new sale, parenting courses or community group in the next What’s On listing (Jan/Feb 2018) send your entry by 23rd November 2017 Email Editor@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk. Listings in this section are FREE for most non-commercial ventures. Please check details of the events before setting off in case anything has changed since going to print.

www.FamiliesOnline for all our local weekly regular events. It’s updated every day!

Ongoing National Theatre Back Stage Tours (HA7) Explore the backstage life of the National Theatre. The National Theatre is a working building, producing over 20 new productions every year. Preparation for the shows, including rehearsals, prop and costume-making all happen on site. No two tours are ever the same, so come and see what’s happening behind the scenes today. Tours run Monday - Saturday, exploring the unseen areas of the theatre and giving you a glimpse into the backstage world. £10 pp tours@NationalTheatre.org.uk 07809 403553

November

25 Oct onwards - Backyard Cinema presents The Snow Kingdom (SE1) Backyard Cinema present the Snow Kingdom this winter, where ticket holders will enter an adventure into the fantasy realm at Backyard Cinema’s permanent home of Mercato Metropolitano in Borough. The Snow Kingdom is set in an enchanted castle, and adventurers will enter through a secret entrance at the foot of the mountain and venture though an ice cave across a frozen lake! Once inside the grand ballroom, relax on giant beanbags and enjoy potion themed cocktails before settling under a blanket to watch a favourite movie. www.backyardcinema.co.uk Mon 6 Nov - Naptime Concert Series (HA7) Balou brings you their innovative Naptime Concert Series for babies up to two years old. Go along to Bentley Priory Museum for an extraordinary concert infusing classical music and storytelling enthralling babies and adults alike! The concert is 50 minutes long with audience participation and no intervals. info@baloubalou.com Wed 8 Nov - Remembrance: An Evening of Spoken Word (SW3) Go along to the National Army Museum at 6pm for an evening of poetry and spoken word to mark the Remembrance period with performances from some special guests. There will be performances from local school children, special guests, and an open mic session for visitors to share their own responses. If you’re new to poetry and spoken word, drop in to one of the writing workshops running throughout the evening. www.nam.ac.uk Thu 9 Nov - A Challenge of Ice and Fire (NW1) ZSL London Zoo is encouraging brave challengers to embrace their inner wildling and prowl barefoot across fire and ice to help protect wildlife. The Walk of Fire and Ice will see fearless fundraisers tread barefoot across a path of burning coals or opt for an icy trek

National Theatre Back Stage Tours

across broken glass. The fundraising event will see the roar-some challengers guided through a ‘Nothing is Impossible’ seminar to help them break through the fear as they step out into the heart of the Zoo to face what’s on the other side of the wall. www.zsl.org/firewalk

Mayor’s Day is packed with spectacle. The River Pageant sets off from Westminster at 8.30am, and the Procession leaves Mansion House at 11am. The firework display can be seen from the banks of the Thames at 5.15pm, with the launchpad between Blackfriars and Waterloo. www.thelordmayorsshow.london

Fri 10 – Sun 19 Nov - EFG London Jazz Festival 2017 (EC2Y) EFG London Jazz Festival, presented

by Barbican Associate Producer Serious, celebrates its 25th year in 2017. Concert highlights include British vibraphonist and multiinstrumentalist Orphy Robinson, joined by regular collaborator and pianist Pat Thomas performing under their collective alias Black Top. Also at the Barbican will be two giants of Cuban piano music Chucho Valdés and Gonzalo Rubalcaba in a rare joint performance. www.barbican.org.uk

Sat 11 - Sun 12 Nov - Celebrate your City!

(EC2Y) Get inspired by the digital technologies that shape how we live in the city at this weekend extravaganza of free family activities at the Museum of London. Expect digital workshops and demonstrations, craft activities, performances, tours and interactive story-telling. www.museumoflondon.org.uk

Sat 11th Nov - Lord Mayors Show (EC2R) The 2017 Lord Mayor’s Show features events all day and many other family activities and special exhibitions will be laid on in the area.

From the Lord Mayor’s arrival by river to the fireworks finale, the Lord

Wed 15 Nov – Sun 15 Apr - Ferrari Exhibition (W8) A major new exhibition at the Design Museum will commemorate the 70th anniversary of Ferrari. The exhibition offers an insight into the life of Enzo Ferrari, unique cars and rarely seen documents. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at the design, manufacturing and engineering of one of the most iconic car brands

The Van Niekerk Academy of Dance • Ballet classes for boys & girls aged 3-18 • Outstanding Royal Academy of Dance examinations results • Established 14 years in Stanmore •

• •

Successful places at Royal Ballet School, Tring Park, Central School of Ballet, London Senior/Junior Ballet, London Studio Centre, Ballet West Numerous cups/medallists – British Federation of Festivals Contemporary/Jazz classes

Classes are held in the Stanmore and and Bushey Area Suzanne Van Niekerk (RAD Qualified Teacher) T: 020 8950 2457 www.vanniekerkacademyofdance.co.uk “Develop poise, technique and expression through dance”

16 Families North West London

familiesonline.co.uk

What’s On on the planet. Key exhibits include rare personal memorabilia and archival material relating to Enzo Ferrari’s life, early cars, wind tunnel models and hand-sculpted models in both clay and wood. www.designmuseum.org Fri 17 Nov - The South Herts Breast Cancer Now charity Gift Fair (WD23) The South Herts Breast Cancer Now charity, formed by a group of local mums who are driven to raise as much money for the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, are holding an exciting Gift Fair from 9.30am to 2.30pm at the Bushey Centre, Bushey Country Club, High Street Bushey WD23 1TT. There will be fabulous stalls selling gifts for all ages in Fashion, Beauty, Homeware and Kids. Entrance is £5 including refreshments, and there will be an opportunity to buy tickets for some great prizes in the raffle. For more information find us on Facebook at South Herts Breast Cancer Now or email southhertsbcn@gmail.com Fri 17 Nov - Big Imagine Sleepout (WD17) Give up your night to raise money and awareness for homelessness in and around Watford. This year New Hope have partnered up with Imagine Property Group to host the 2017 Big Imagine Sleepout.

Located at Fullerians Rugby Club, the event aims to raise awareness as well as vital funds to help those currently facing homelessness in Watford and the surrounding districts. The event is open to anyone over the age of 11, but ALL under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. www.imaginesleepout.com Fri 17 Nov - Kids in Museums Takeover Day at the Geffrye (E2) Join pupils from a local primary school as they take over the Geffrye for the day, running activities for families and visitors. 10.30am - 12pm and 1 - 2.30pm. www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Sat 18th Nov Nearly New, Toy, Book and Baby Equipment Sale (HA6) 2- 4pm at Emmanuel Church Hall. In aid of Emmanuel Toy Library funds. Refreshments available including homemade cakes. Admission is free but donations appreciated.

Sat 18 Nov - Lots for Tots Sale Rickmansworth (WD3) An indoor table top sale at Rickmansworth School for people that want to sell their second hand baby, toddler and children’s items, and those that want to buy them.

Visitors can browse each sellers table and pick out exactly what they need, paying the seller direct. The sale opens to the public at 10am and finishes at 11.30am and is just £1 entry per adult. info@lotsfortotssale.co.uk www.lotsfortotssale.co.uk Sat 18 Nov - Nearly New, Toy, Book and Baby Equipment Sale (HA6) In aid of Emmanuel Toy Library funds. Refreshments available including home made cakes.

Admission is free but donations appreciated. 2- 4pm at Emmanuel Church Hall, High St. Northwood HA6 1AS. www.ecn.org.uk Sat 18th Nov - Parmiter’s Christmas Gift Fair (WD25) The Parmiter’s School Christmas Gift Fair is a very successful and popular annual event for those looking for gifts and treats. There will be over 70 professional stalls offering a wide variety of products as well as hot food & refreshments, mulled wine and mince pies. Adults £1.50, Children free. Plenty of free parking.

11am-4pm. parmitersfair@gmail.com Sat 18 Nov - The Inspiration Machine: A Creative Writing Workshop (E2) This playful workshop at the V&A Museum of Childhood is an opportunity to learn how famous (and infamous) writers use creative constraints, and to try some out for yourself. The workshop will be led by children’s authors Anna Kemp (Dogs don’t do ballet, The Worst Princess), and Sylvia Bishop (Erica’s Elephant, The Bookshop Girl).

Suitable for aspiring writers, the curious, and the silly. A free event

familiesonline.co.uk

for ages 10+, booking required. www.beinghumanfestival.org.

Sat 18th Nov – Dawnosaurs (SW7) Dawnosaurs is a free event that lets children on the autism spectrum enjoy the Natural History Museum with their families and siblings, free from the hustle and bustle of the general public. Visitors have access to a wide-ranging programme of activities, including a chance to see, meet and even touch live animals. All activities are supported by experienced, autism-aware facilitators. A dedicated Sensory Room will also be available for those children needing a quieter and calmer space. You can apply online three weeks before each event.

Spaces are in high demand, and priority will be given to first-time attendees. www.nhm.ac.uk Sat 18 – Sun 19 Nov - Archives Weekend: Archive Detectives (SW3) Discover some secrets from the archive at this family friendly workshop at the National Army Museum. Become a detective and take part in this family workshop, uncovering some artefacts and stories from the museum’s archives. Can you put all the pieces together to solve the puzzle? Open all weekend, drop in from 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 4pm. www.nam.ac.uk Sat 18 Nov - Sun 28 Jan - Hogwarts in the Snow (WD25) 2017 will conclude with the return of the Studio Tour’s popular festive feature, Hogwarts in the Snow. The festive makeover will see Christmas trees line the Great Hall, the Gryffindor common room dressed for the season and a blanket of filmmaking snow covering the majestic Hogwarts castle model. Visitors will even be able to touch samples of the different types of ‘snow’ used during production, each selected for its ability to float like falling snow, crunch under foot or glisten in the light like ice. www.wbstudiotour.co.uk Sun 19th Nov Hamleys Christmas Toy Parade (W1B) Hamleys, the Finest Toy Shop in the World, are bringing the magic of Christmas to Regent Street, which will be transformed in a traffic-free, all-day extravaganza for the biggest toy parade the city has ever seen! The Parade is back for its successive third year with a cast of hundreds, including favourite characters from TV and film, marching bands, festive floating blimps, street theatre, dancers and toy vehicles. The day will kick off at 11am from the entrance to Air Street working its way up Regent Street, finally concluding at Great Marlborough Street. Arrival early as the street will be closed for access when viewing reaches capacity. Following the parade Regent Street will be packed full of fun activations for families to enjoy. www.hamleys.com/christmastoyparade Sun 19 Nov - SoundHoppers Family Workshop (NW1) Go to the British Library and get involved in some sound experiments, and explore different qualities of sound through engaging games and fun listening exercises. The session will be led by Wajid Yaseen, a British artist who develops sound-based artworks involving live performances, acousmatic music and sound sculptures. This workshop is free and places are limited to 40 people per workshop and allocated on a first come, first served basis.

11:30am – 1pm and 2-3.30pm. www.bl.uk Sun 19th Nov - Family Day: Autumn Garden Art (NW3) Create leaf rubbings to celebrate the beautiful natural shapes and shades found in the Keats House garden this autumn. Gather foliage, ferns and beautiful beech leaves – then use them to create autumn art to brighten up those grey November days. Free drop in from 1-4pm.

0207 332 3868 keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk Tue 21 Nov – Sun 7 Jan - Christmas Past (E2) Escape from the hustle and bustle of Christmas today and

step back through time to Christmas Past at the Geffrye Museum.

Authentic festive decorations, lighting, music and greenery transform the museum’s period living rooms, giving an evocative glimpse into how Christmas has been celebrated in English homes over the past 400 years. Seasonal food and drink will be on the menu in the café and the shop will be full of Christmas decorations and cards, stylish home-wares, gifts and treats. www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Sat 25 Nov - Christmas Gift & Coffee Morning (WD5) Christmas gift stalls, toys, preserves, raffles and tombolas at St Lawrence Church Hall in Abbots Langley.

Refreshments including bacon butties, sausage butties, cakes, tea and coffee. 10am -1pm Free entry. www.abbotslangley.org.uk Sat 25 – Sun 26 Nov - Light up a Life Annual Appeal and Remembrance Ceremonies (HA6) Remember and celebrate the life of someone you love by dedicating a light in their memory for the Michael Sobell Hospice annual Light up a Life appeal. Supporters’ are invited to come together to remember loved ones and friends at forthcoming Remembrance Ceremonies of music and readings, taking place over the weekend. Lights will be lit during the ceremonies and a special Light up a Life tree will be illuminated until the Twelfth Night of 2018. To make a dedication and to book your attendance at one of the Light up a Life ceremonies, please visit the website. www.michaelsobellhospice.co.uk 020 3826 2367 Sun 26 Nov - Christmas Designer Market (E2) Visitors to the V&A Museum of Childhood will enjoy stress free shopping to the melodic sounds of the Becontree Brass Band and will have the chance to buy unique gifts directly from some of London’s most exciting established and emerging independent designers and makers. 10am-5pm. www.vam.ac.uk/moc Sun 26 Nov Watford Grammar School for Girls Christmas Fair (WD18) 11am to 3pm. Stalls selling gifts, refreshments, books, games, grand draw, auction and tombolas. Fun for all the family.

Contact wggspa@gmail.com for information.

Wed 29 Nov - Denham Green Christmas Street Fayre (UB9) A Christmas Street Fayre held at Station Parade, with the turning on of the lights at 6.30 pm. There will be something for everyone to enjoy and participate in, including Fairground attractions for children; a Christmas market with wonderful handmade crafts and gifts, Hog Roast; Christmas sweets and Novelties, seasonal entertainment and local school choirs. This is a free of charge non ticketed event, everyone welcome. www.denhampc.co.uk Thu 30 Nov - Pedal for Pounds (WD19) A Charity Exercise Bike Ride in aid of ASCEND at The Centre, South Oxhey. Go along and pedal on static exercise bikes for half or one hour, and help them to raise vital funds for their charity. Anyone interested in taking part in this sponsored event, should contact ASCEND for further details and to get their sponsor forms.

020 8420 1364 www.ascend.org.uk Thu 30 Nov - Keats House by Candlelight (NW3) Join the knowledgeable guides for an evening tour and a magical opportunity to see Keats House dressed for the festive season and illuminated by candlelight. Finish the evening with a glass of wine and a mince pie in the majestic Chester Room. First tour: 6.30–8pm Second tour: 8–9.30pm, booking essential. www.cityoflondon.gov.uk Continued on page 18

Families North West London 17

What’s On Continued from page 17

December Sat 2 Dec – Watford NCT Nearly New Sale (WD25) Go along to the winter Nearly New Sale - you’ll find a great selection of quality preloved children’s clothes, toys and equipment. Loads of bargains available! Entry only £1 per adult (please take along cash for the door). 11.30am – 1.30pm at Parmiter’s School. nns.watford@nct.org.uk Sat 2 Dec - Harry Potter Family Day (NW1) Explore the magic of the British Library at this fun family day. Visit the Harry Potter: A History of Magic exhibition, get creative in handson workshops and delve into the magical world of storytelling.

Before or after a visit to the exhibition, take part in a number of creative activities with your family - create your own puppets, make and gaze through your own star telescopes, hear some amazing stories and meet some magical creatures. Booking is essential. See details on website. www.bl.uk Sun 3 Dec - Santa Dash (WD18) A fun event for all ages and abilities at Cassiobury Park. Dress up as your favourite Christmas character - prizes for the best-dressed as well as the fastest runners in both the 1km and 5km events. www.watford10k.org.uk/santa-dash Sun 3 Dec – Lucky Button Day Workshops and Book Reading with Michael Morpurgo (WC1N) Join children’s author Michael Morpurgo at the Foundling Museum for a reading from his new book inspired by the Foundling Hospital, and enjoy music featured in the story. As part of Lucky Button Day, you can also drop in to the art workshops inspired by Michael Morpurgo’s new book. In these free creative workshops, make your own musical instrument, inspired by Michael Morpurgo’s new book Lucky Button. Suitable for age 5+.

020 7841 3600 enquiries@foundlingmuseum.org.uk

Sun 3, Sun 10 & Sun 17 Dec - Under the Christmas Tree (W8) Visitors to Kensington Palace will be able to experience the excitement of Queen Victoria’s Christmas with ‘Under the Christmas Tree’. This family-friendly event will see visitors being treated to Victoria’s memories of Christmas past, before being able to create their own beautiful Christmas decoration to take home. www.hrp.org.uk Sat 9 Dec - Santa Dash (WD3) It will be HO HO HO all the way as the Michael Sobell Hospice Santa Dash returns! Setting off at 10.00am from outside Michael Sobell Hospice, don your festive attire with family and friends, and take on the 1-mile reindeer run, jog or walk along Northwood High Street, heading to Northwood Methodist Church. You will be greeted by Santa’s little helpers, serving well-deserved refreshments, plus an opportunity to browse and buy a variety of Christmas goodies and must have stocking fillers for those all-important gifts at the MSH Festive Gift Fayre! www.michaelsobellhospice.co.uk Sat 9th Dec - Trinity Church Hall Christmas Fete (HA1) 10am-12pm At Hindes Rd HA1 1RX. There will be stalls, crafts, face painting, cakes, raffle, meet santa and more Christmassy things for your little ones to do. Free entry Sat 9 Dec - Pinner Jazz: Alan Barnes – A Christmas Carol (HA5) Multi-instrumentalist Alan Barnes gives us his take on Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’ in timely fashion. With Alan will be Bruce Adams, trumpet, Mark Nightingale, trombone, Robert Fowler, Karen Sharp, saxophones, with another Pinner favourite, the estimable Dave Newton on piano, plus bassist Simon Thorpe and that fine drummer Clark Tracey. At Pinner Parish Church at 8pm (doors open 7.30pm). www.pinnerjazz.org.uk Sat 9 Dec - Family Workshop: Christmas Sparkle (E2) Create some Christmas magic for your home in this decoration-making activity at the Geffrye Museum from 10:30am - 4:30pm. Free, drop-in, places on a first-come, first-served basis. www.geffrye-museum.org.uk

Sun 10th Dec - Family Barn Dance (NW1) Take the entire family to Cecil Sharp House and take part in lively dances from the British Isles in a supportive and fun environment! Live music inspires the dancing and expert callers guide the moves with simple instructions. Groups should include a minimum of one adult for every four children. Children under 5 should be partnered by an adult and may need guiding or carrying through the dances. No unaccompanied children or adults! www.cecilsharphouse.org Wed 13 Dec - Watford Philharmonic: Christmas at the Colosseum (WD18) Conductor Michael Cayton and Watford Philharmonic Society invite you to join in their annual family celebration of Christmas, with music to get the festive season going with a bang! Featuring Tenor, Peter Han Hulle and Little Green Primary School. www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Fri 15th Dec - Perfect Pomanders (EC1M) Go along to this Christmas workshop at The Charterhouse and make a perfectly perfumed pomander. Popular during the Middle Ages, when the black death and other ailments ran rampant, the belief went that the pleasant scent of a pomander could repel diseases in the air. Now, their sweet citrus scent ushers in the festive season.

Take along as many oranges as you like & they’ll supply the rest!

Suitable for ages 6-11 www.thecharterhouse.org Fri 15 – Sun 24 Dec - Christmas Gift Wrapping (HA1) Volunteer your time to help wrap presents for St Luke’s Hospice in St George’s and St Anns Shopping Centre in Harrow Town Centre. Get together with friends, family and colleagues and give a few hours to help raise money for local people. events@stlukes-hospice.org Sat 16 – Sun 17 Dec - Beauty and the Beast (HA1) The Hillplayers present an original pantomime of the classic tale. A large cast of regular and new Hillplayers, old and young, will fill the stage of the Ryan Theatre in Harrow on the Hill with fun and drama. There will be music and laughter, and quite possibly a happy ending. What better way to start the Harrow holiday season? Adults £10; Concessions ( u/16 and senior citizens) £7; Family (2 adults and 2 children) £30. Tickets can be purchased online. www.hillplayers.ticketsource.co.uk 0333 666 3366.

Sun 17 Dec - Animal Christmas Crackers: Concert and Art Workshop (WC1N) Join the Waldegrave Ensemble at the Foundling Museum for a magical animal-themed family concert. Enjoy the story of dancing mice, cats and fauns in Berio’s Opus Number Zoo, and discover the fate of the duck escaping from the hungry wolf in Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Afterwards you can create animal-themed Christmas crackers in a free family workshop. Inspired by the family concert, design your own cat, mouse or wolf crackers to take home and pull. Suitable for age 5+. www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk

MORE

ONLINE familiesonline.co.uk

18 Families North West London

familiesonline.co.uk

What’s On Sun 17th Dec - Family Day: Christmas Printmaking (NW3) Join artist Orly Orbach at Keats House for a hands-on printmaking workshop. Create your own Christmas cards and wrapping paper for the festive season. You’ll use lino cuts and plasticine to personalise your Christmas stationery, adding a special handmade touch to your gifts this year. Free drop in from 1-4pm.

0207 332 3868 keatshouse@cityoflondon.gov.uk Mon 18 - Fri 22 Dec - Colouring in 2018: Bank of England (EC2R) It’s time to get creative this festive season. Colour your way into 2018 by decorating a Museum-inspired calendar and bring some of your favourite Museum objects to life! The calendar will include museum events for 2018, the perfect way to plan ahead! There’s a free chocolate coin for every child. Admission and all activities are free. www.bankofengland.co.uk Tue 19 Dec - The Buzzer Challenge at Intu Watford (WD17) Games and good times for 12-17 year olds at intu Watford. Go along to chill out, challenge your mates and take home top prizes on the first day of every school holiday. Today’s challenge is The Buzzer. Challenge your mates and win a £25 intu Gift Card...Don’t miss out! Plus: Create your own personalised festive bath bomb.

Perfect to give as a Christmas present to a loved one. www.intu.co.uk Tue 19 Dec - Winter Quest & Craft (NW3) A creative workshop to bring Kenwood’s world famous paintings to life. Families will get to work together to try out different art and crafts whilst exploring the house and finding out more about its collections. Sessions will take place in the house. Just turn up between12pm-3.30pm to take part. www.english-heritage.org.uk Wed 20 Dec - Lantern Making & Christmas Carol Singalong (N6) Spend an afternoon making Christmas lanterns to get your into the swing of Christmas at Lauderdale House. Then take your lantern along to the Lower Gallery for a free Christmas Carol Singalong. All ages welcome,Children must be accompanied by a parent/carer. enquiries@lauderdale.org.uk www.lauderdalehouse.org.uk Wed 20 - Thu 21 Dec - Handmade holidays at Museum of London Docklands (E14) Many wartime holiday decorations were handmade in the ‘make do and mend’ spirit of the times. Create your own handmade decorations for the holiday season at the Museum of London Docklands. www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands Fri 22 - Sat 23 Dec - Freezing Frost Fairs (E14) Imagine a winter so cold the Thames freezes and an elephant can cross the ice! It happened over two hundred years ago during London’s last frost fair. Go along to the Museum of London Docklands to create a collaborative frost fair scene that recaptures the magic of these special celebrations on the Thames. www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands Fri 22 Dec – Mon 1 Jan – Elizabethan Christmas (HP8) Visitors to Hampton Court Palace will be treated to an ‘Elizabethan Christmas’, with Tudor-style courtyard entertainment, live

Hamleys Christmas Toy Parade

period music and dance conjuring up the Christmas of 1592 with Elizabeth I and her court. The Tudor Queen herself will even be in residence for the celebrations! www.hrp.org.uk Wed 27 – Sun 31 Dec - Medieval Christmas Festivities (EC3N) Revel in the festivities at the Tower of London with King Richard III, Queen Anne Neville, and the knights and ladies of medieval England, with music, dance and games adding to the family entertainment. www.hrp.org.uk Fri 29 – Sat 30 Dec - Peter Pan: an Arena Spectacular (HA9) For the first time ever, The World’s Biggest Pantomime Ltd will play in London, presenting Peter Pan, a stunning new arena spectacular, at The SSE Arena, Wembley. Starring Bradley Walsh as Mr Smee, Martin Kemp as Captain Hook, and Matt Knight as Peter Pan, J.M. Barrie’s original story and characters will be brought to life by a cast of over 100 performers, including a thrilling team of BMX riders, stuntmen and trapeze artists, along with a 7m-long animatronic crocodile! www.ssearena.co.uk Sat 30 Dec & Mon 1 Jan - Hanukah Celebrations at the Museum of London (EC2Y) Discover the origins of the story that inspired Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, and design your own celebration cards to share with friends and family. Then explore the Hebrew language and learn how to write your name! www.museumoflondon.org.uk

January Sat 6 – Sun 7 Jan - Farewell to Christmas and Closing Party (E2) Help say goodbye with a bang to both Christmas and the Geffrye Museum which will be closing on Sun 7 Jan for almost two years for a transformational development project. Enjoy street food, winter cocktails, live music and bargains in the shop’s big sale. www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Sun 7 Jan – Sun 11 Feb – Cirque Du Soleil: OVO (SW7) Cirque du Soleil returns to London’s Royal Albert Hall with OVO which comes to the UK for the first time. A celebration of nature and co-existence, the cast of OVO is comprised of 50 performing artists from 17 countries specializing in many acrobatic acts. OVO, meaning “egg” in Portuguese, is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a nonstop riot of energy and movement. www.cirquedusoleil.com/ovo www.royalalberthall.com 020 7589 8212.

SportsKids - Multi-Sports Academy

Sports Activities for 4 to 16 year olds

Tel: 01923 255099 E: SportsKids@outlook.com Sportscoach are celebrating 10 years by expanding and rebranding to

SportsKids Academy

www.activetime.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

American Football - Dodgeball - Handball - Basketball Tag Rugby - Softball - Gaelic Football - Rounders - Athletics Kwik Cricket - Gymnastics - Tennis - Climbing Wall - Fencing Lacrosse - Netball - Volleyball - Archery - Martial Arts - Kin Ball Football - Badminton - Tri Golf - Uni-Hoc We are located in Harrow and Rickmansworth

www.sportskidsacademy.co.uk Families North West London 19

What’s On

the afternoon sun as it glistens on the ice, soak up the romantic atmosphere at twilight, or skate after dark under the stars. www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com Wed 22 Nov – Sun 24 Dec – Willow’s Farm Village Festive Farm Fun (AL4) As part of their Santa Spectacular Grotto and Festive Farm Fun, Willow’s Farm will have a Magical Ice Rink where you can Glide around the synthetic ice with ski boots available to fit all sizes. Great fun for the whole family! www.willowsactivityfarm.com

ICE RINKS

Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink

Thu 26 Oct – Sun 7 Jan – Natural History Museum Ice Rink (SW7) Set against the backdrop of the Waterhouse building, the Ice Rink at the Natural History Museum is one of the most magical places to be this winter. Experience the thrill of skating surrounded by fairy lights nestled in frost-covered trees, with the smell of mulled wine and toasted marshmallows in the air. Whether you can dance on ice like Torvill and Dean, or you skate more like Bambi, a visit to the Museum’s Ice Rink is a must this festive season. www.nhm.ac.uk Sat 4 Nov – Sun 14 Jan – Royal Pavilion Ice Rink (BN1) The most beautiful rink in the South East, Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Ice Rink is open to the public this season from Nov 4 – Jan 14. Stunning, twinkly, romantic, child-friendly... all topped off with beautiful food in the rinkside bar and restaurant. www.royalpavilionicerink.co.uk Sat 4 Nov – Sat 24 Feb – Ice Rink Canary Wharf (E14) In November, the spectacular outdoor ice rink will be back up and running for 16 magical weeks of ice skating in the picturesque surroundings of Canada Square Park. Back by popular demand, the serene skate path leads you on a new route this year underneath the park’s enchanting canopy of trees. If you want to eat, drink and shop all in one go, Canary Wharf is the spot. Stay close to the action at the rink-side bar, or choose from the array of restaurants, bars, and shops surrounding the ice rink. www.icerinkcanarywharf.co.uk Fri 10 Nov – Sun 24 Dec - Christmas Wonderland at Crews Hill, Enfield (EN2) After you have taken the train to meet Santa and his real reindeer at Christmas Wonderland, London, you’ll get the chance to experience the giant snow globe and get your skates on at the new indoor skating rink! www.christmas-wonderland.co.uk Wed 15 Nov – Sun 14 Jan - Skate at Somerset House with Fortnum & Mason (WC2R) Overlooked by a beautifully decorated 40ft. Christmas

tree, families can enjoy the perfect day out in the neoclassical surroundings of Somerset House. Under-eights can enjoy polar bear skating aids designed especially for Somerset House, with the Polar Cub Club offering guidance from NISA (National Ice Skating Association) for little ones taking their first steps on the ice. For parents looking to improve their skating skills, Skate School will offer single lesson and courses with NISA accredited instructors.

Additionally, for skaters and non-skaters alike, the rink-side Skate Lounge offers a selection of hot drinks, mince pies and excellent views over the ice. www.somersethouse.org.uk Thu 16 Nov – Sun 7 Jan – Bluewater’s Ice Skating (DA9) Take a trip to Bluewater’s spectacular undercover outdoor ice rink, beneath a beautiful clear roof so you can skate rain or shine! Perfect for all the family to enjoy, there are seal shaped skating aids for kids, bob skates for those who need to be steady on the ice and skate lessons for anyone hoping to whirl, glide, skate and slide around the huge sparkling Christmas tree.

Beverages, hot drinks and refreshments are available from the rink side cabins. www.bluewater.co.uk Fri 17 Nov – Tue 2 Jan - Tower of London Ice Rink (EC3N) Ice skate at the Tower of London - one of the capital’s most iconic historical landmarks! The Tower of London Ice Rink allows you to glide around the famous moat for an unforgettable festive experience. Evening sessions are illuminated by hundreds of snowflakes on the castle walls, while an early morning session, new for this year, is perfect for little skaters. A huge Christmas tree adds to the magical atmosphere and there’s pop-up food and drink too. www.toweroflondonicerink.co.uk Fri 17 Nov – Mon 1 Jan – Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland (W2) The ice rink is the largest open air ice rink in the UK, set around Hyde Park’s Victorian bandstand under a canopy of sparkling lights. Open from 10am – 10pm, stretch out and practise your skating moves during a crisp morning skate. Enjoy

Thu 23 Nov onwards – Winterville (SW4) This Christmas a magical town will spring up on Clapham Common, offering you a completely different festive experience. Glide across the outdoor Ice Rink or skate around the Roller Disco. Take your kids to the Fairground and ride the Big Wheel. Try out Plonk Golf or lose yourself in Backyard Cinema’s Winter Night Garden. www.winterville.co.uk Fri 24 Nov – Sun 7 Jan - Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink (KT8) For the most regal skating experience London has to offer this winter, head to the Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink and take to the ice at Henry VIII’s former home.

With its stunning Tudor backdrop and picturesque riverside setting, it offers a unique way to celebrate the season with all the skating space the family could desire. Then, when the sun goes down and the palace’s iconic facade lights up, the romance factor goes off the scale! With 500 years of history to discover at the palace, why not arrive early and explore all that Hampton Court has to offer, from the spectacular State Apartments to 65 acres of formal gardens and even a world-famous maze? www.hamptoncourtpalaceicerink.co.uk Sat 25 Nov – Sun 14 Jan – Watford’s Big Skate (WD18) The outdoor ice rink returns to The Parade in Watford for the festive season, featuring a viewing area and bar, and serving festive food and drinks for all ages. A host of twinkling Christmas trees and fairy lights will bring the festive spirit to life for skaters and those who prefer just to watch. All skating tickets must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. Alternatively, you can just turn up when the ice rink is open, and you will be allowed to skate if it hasn’t yet reached full capacity. ​www.watfordbigevents.co.uk Sun 3 Dec – Sun 14 Jan – JW3 Ice Rink (NW3) JW3’s ice rink returns for it’s 5th year! With a skating area of 200m2, skaters can enjoy special events, glimmering lights, vibrant music and an electric atmosphere. For those who aren’t as steady on the ice, the helpful penguin stabilisers will be available and for less confident little ones, they can still have fun on the seated banana toboggans. www.jw3.org.uk

MORE

ONLINE familiesonline.co.uk

Paediatric First Aid Courses Sat 2 Dec, 6 Jan, 11 Feb - Harrow on the Hill

Suitable for Ofsted Registration.

Includes some home study.

Certificate valid for 3 years Cost = £85

Contact Margaret at mcstraining@hotmail.co.uk or on 07814 191 395 for bookings Other dates available

20 Families North West London

familiesonline.co.uk

What’s On

Pantos and Seasonal Shows The Little Christmas Tree

The Alban Arena Civic Centre, St Albans 01727 844488 www.alban-arena.co.uk Sat 25 Nov - The Nutcracker Be swept away on a magical adventure in one of the most famous classical ballets of all. With its combination of enchanting choreography and unforgettable music, this fabulous ballet is a Christmas treat like no other. Set to Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous score, the traditional tale of The Nutcracker tells the story of Clara and her enchanted nutcracker doll. Their adventures see Clara and the Nutcracker combat the Mouse King, and join the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier on a wonderful journey through the glistening Land of Snow to a kingdom made entirely of sweets.

familiesonline.co.uk

Thu 7 Dec – Sun 7 Jan - Aladdin This Christmas, take a magical carpet ride to the Far East… Whatever you do, don’t miss this funpacked family pantomime. There’ll be comedy, singing, dancing, stunning sets, dazzling costumes, and a top-quality West End cast! Once again the show will be written by Paul Hendy and brought to you by Evolution, the producers of last year’s hilarious production of Snow White. This promises to be the biggest, best and funniest panto ever!

Artsdepot 5 Nether Street, North Finchley, N12 020 8369 5454 www.artsdepot.co.uk Sun 12 Nov - Leaf Go along and hear the life story of a very special leaf in this warm,

intimate and playful new piece for under 3s, inspired by nature and the seasons. Framed within an evocative soundscape, this is the perfect introduction to theatre for the very young. At the end of the performance, children are invited onto the stage to play among the leaves and explore a landscape created by the changing seasons.

Ages 0-3 yrs Sun 19 Nov - Morgan & West: More Magic for Kids! Time-travelling magicians Morgan & West return to the stage with a marvellous magic show full of crazy capers for the young, old, and everyone in-between! Expect the unexpected, believe the unbelievable, but do not dare miss the unmissable Morgan & West! Can everyone’s favourite duo of deception finally find fame, fortune, and a box of fondant fancies? Find out all of this and more in Morgan & West: More Magic For Kids! Ages 5+ Mon 20 - Fri 24 Nov Shakespeare Schools Festival Shakespeare Schools Foundation is proud to present the world’s largest youth drama festival at artsdepot. Whether you are a parent, friend or another local school, you are invited to an exhilarating evening of theatre where you will see Shakespeare’s stories brought to life like never before. In the celebratory finale of their Festival journey, 30,000 young people from primary, secondary and special schools across the country will unite in their local professional theatre in thrilling performance evenings. It promises to be the most exciting Festival yet!

Sat 25 - Sun 26 Nov - The Night Before Christmas On the night before Christmas, Emily stares out of the window, hugs her teddy and waits excitedly for the morning, while in the corner a little mouse called Eddie can’t understand why only humans are allowed to get presents. So he sets off in search of Father Christmas to find out for himself. A magical festive tale brought to you by the team behind Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! and Aliens Love Underpants. Ages 3+ Wed 29 Nov - Sun 3 Dec Around the World in 80 Days The mysterious and fabulously wealthy Phileas Fogg wagers his life’s fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in just 80 days. Join Fogg and his loyal valet, Passepartout, as they voyage from the misty alleys of Victorian London to the exotic subcontinent and the Wild West in a race against the clock. Ages 7+ Tue 5 - Sun 31 Dec - The Tiger Who Came to Tea A musical play adapted and directed by David Wood, based on the book by Judith Kerr. Direct from a smash-hit West End season. The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger!

The tea-guzzling tiger is back in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, singa-long songs and clumsy chaos! A stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem... expect to be surprised! Ages 3+ Continued on page 22

Families North West London 21

What’s On Continued from page 21

Tue 12 - Sun 31 Dec - Hush-ABye Nestle among branches and meet the neighbours in Oily Cart’s immersive tree-top world. The leafy canopy is home to some of the creatures you might expect, and one you definitely won’t. Experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of a woodland wonderland, the audience must explore to find answers. Hush-ABye is an interactive, multi-sensory production for the very young, with live music, puppets and an enchanting environment. Ages 3-5 yrs

The Gruffalo’s Child, Lyric Theatre

The Beck Theatre Grange Road, Hayes. 020 8561 8371 www.becktheatre.org.uk Sun 19 Nov - The Tiger Who Came To Tea The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea.

Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger! Packed with oodles of magic, sing-along songs and clumsy chaos, this is a stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem… expect to be surprised! A musical play adapted and directed by David Wood based on the book by Judith Kerr.

Wed 29 Nov – Sun 3 Dec Robin Hood The awesomely awesome Robin Hood and his Merry Men are busy robbing the rich to give to the poor! The horribly horrid Sheriff, with his cronies Snivel and Grovel, is trying to thwart our hero – but he has a cunning plan!

Will it involve the beautiful Maid Marian and her friends or the trend setting Emma A’Dale?

Go along for a fun-filled adventure jam packed with dancing, singing and much Merry-Men-t!

The members of British Airways Cabin Crew Entertainment Society are thrilled to return to the Beck, doing what they do best…putting on a show, to raise money for charity and have fun doing it!

Sat 9 – Sun 31 Dec - Aladdin Starring Rita Simons from Eastenders and produced by One From the Heart, Aladdin features all of the ingredients of the very best Beck Theatre pantomime; a lamp-full of laughter, music, mayhem, a wish-granting genie and plenty of audience participation!

Cadogan Hall 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 020 7730 4500 www.cadoganhall.com Sat 16 Dec - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Christmas Cracker Don’t miss this fun, festive favourite, featuring West End singers Graham Bickley and Anna-Jane Casey, hit Christmas songs, best-loved carols and plenty of joy and sparkle! Programme to include: I Believe In Father Christmas, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), I’ll Be Home For Christmas, It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, Last Christmas, All I Want For Christmas, Let It Snow, A Christmas Festival, A Christmas Overture, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, Jingle Bells… and many more!

Wed 20 Dec - The Snowman and Carnival of the Animals Give the whole family a magical Christmas treat as The Snowman is shown on the big screen while the Mozart Symphony Orchestra provides a live soundtrack. Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals will be performed with lots of extras and fun surprises including poetry by Ogden Nash and others, terrible Christmas jokes from the conductor’s podium and wonderful cartoon animations projected onto a screen above the orchestra. Ages 4+ Thu 21 Dec - Father Christmas and Peter and the Wolf Raymond 22 Families North West London

Brigg’s Father Christmas is brought to life this Christmas on the big screen with live orchestral accompaniment from the Mozart Symphony Orchestra and actors providing the dialogue and sound effects. Prokofiev’s chilling tale of one small boy’s bravery against a wild wolf has thrilled generations of children and is the ideal way to introduce young people to orchestral music. The perfect Christmas treat! Ages 4+

Chickenshed Chase Side Southgate N14. 020 8292 9222 www.chickenshed.org.uk Wed 22 Nov – Sat 6 Jan Rapunzel Chickenshed is delighted to present Rapunzel in a new and exciting musical version of the well-loved fairy tale. Mysterious, romantic and life-affirming, this will be a dramatic re-telling of a story you thought you knew! Featuring Chickenshed’s famously large and amazingly diverse cast, this magical, musical and mysterious version of Rapunzel will dazzle and delight children and adults alike. Ages 5+ Tue 5 – Sat 30 Dec - Christmas Tales Do you like puppets? Do you like funny characters? Do you like songs? Do you like dancing? Do you like Christmas? You do?? Then you are going to LOVE Christmas Tales! The Tales from the Shed team take all of their usual fun and silliness, then they supersize it to create a festive extravaganza guaranteed to entertain the very youngest audiences at this most wonderful time of the year! Ages 0-6yrs

Compass Theatre Glebe Avenue, Ickenham UB10 01895 673 0200 www.hillingdontheatres.uk Fri 1 – Sat 30 Dec - Cinderella You shall go to the Ball as the most magical pantomime of all arrives at Compass Theatre!

London Borough of Hillingdon and DK proDuKtions Ltd are excited to announce this year’s great value, local professional pantomime, Cinderella!

The classic rags to riches tale will be performed this December, featuring familiar Compass panto faces, popular songs and plenty of silliness.

Expect lots of laugh-out loud comedy, traditional audience participation and enchanting magical

animation, guaranteed to make your panto experience unforgettable!

Harrow Arts Centre Hatch End HA5 0208 416 8989 www.harrowarts.com Sat 16 – Thu 28 Dec - The Wizard of Oz You are invited to click your heels, journey over the rainbow and ease on down the yellow brick road as Immersion Theatre & HAC proudly present a magical pantomime guaranteed to have you in stitches! With lashings of audience participation, dazzling costumes and plenty of laughter, this hilarious and faithful re-telling promises to have you shouting, clapping and singing along!

Little Angel Theatre 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross St, N1 020 7226 1787 www.littleangeltheatre.com Fri 10 Nov – Sun 4 Feb – Go Noah Go! A Great Flood is coming and Mr and Mrs Noah have been set the most impossible task: to take two of each animal and build them a home! A magical ark that is built on stage, over 50 carved animals and a host of songs to sing along with make this production one of Little Angel Theatre’s most successful and impressive shows.

John Agard’s stunning Caribbean adaptation of this timeless story, combining puppetry, masks, stories and songs returns for another thrilling season that will enthral the entire family. Ages 5 – 10 yrs Sat 11 – Sun 12 Nov – Great Odds Exploring ambition, communication and friendship, the story follows the Great Odds; Marco, Grouch and Jewels, on an exciting and sometimes wobbly journey… Dreams change shape, unexpected things are uncovered and success comes through surprising discoveries.

Integrating visual storytelling, British Sign Language, live music, sound and puppetry, Mac’s Arcadian presents Great Odds, its first play, in coproduction with Lighthouse Poole, supported by Improbable. Ages 6 to 11.

Fri 17 Nov – Sun 4 Feb Sleepyhead It’s been a long day for Dad

and he can hardly keep his eyes open. All he wants is for Baby to go to sleep so he can catch up on a little shut-eye too. Dad’s usually got some tricks up his sleeve to help send Baby off to the Land of Nod. But tonight, Baby has other ideas… As soon as Dad’s out of the way, Baby gets his hands on the magic top hat, and when his friend Rabbit shows up the fun and games really begin! Mix in some magic, a pinch of circus and a large dollop of silliness and you have the recipe for a little adventure with a lot of laughs!

Ages 2 – 5 yrs Fri 1 – Sun 24 Dec – Santa’s Little Workshop Ever wanted to be an elf for a day? Put on your best elf outfit, get into the festive spirit and turn up for your first day of work at Santa’s Little Workshop! Start your experience by seeing ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, brought to life with a touch of magic and sparkle in the Little Elf Cinema. Then enjoy crafty festive puppet making on the elf production line. You’ll even get a chance to meet “The Boss”, our very own puppet Santa. Ages 3-9 yrs

Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7ES 0844 482 9674 www.nimaxtheatres.com Wed 22 Nov – Sun 7 Jan – The Gruffalo’s Child Following hot on the heels of The Gruffalo’s monstrous West End success comes Tall Stories’ much anticipated sequel, The Gruffalo’s Child based on the awardwinning picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s Child tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist… does he? Expect 55 minutes of magical, musical fun for families with children aged 3 and up.

Pump House Lower Watford High Street, Watford WD17 01923 241 362 www.pumphouse.info Sat 16 – Thu 21 Dec - Blag Theatre Company’s 19th Christmas Show A fun filled Christmas show with songs, sketches and audience participation akimbo! Ideal for all the family.

familiesonline.co.uk

What’s On Beauty and the Beast, Watersmeet

Puppet Theatre Barge Little Venice W9 (During the summer the Barge is at Richmond, TW10) 020 7249 6876 www.puppetbarge.com Sat 2 Dec – Sun 7 Jan - The Little Christmas Tree The Little Christmas Tree is a bit wonky, so no one wants to buy it… That is until a young boy called Joe turns up and finds himself drawn to the tree. All he has to do now is get the rest of his family to agree to buy the tree and not to throw it away in the New Year! This new Christmas production combines exquisitely carved wooden marionettes and beautiful shadow puppets to tell the poignant story of the unique friendship between a boy and a little Christmas tree. The Puppet Theatre Barge provides the perfect setting for this imaginative and atmospheric story – snow, magical lighting effects, cute little animals and a friendly policeman all guaranteed! Ages 3+

The Radlett Centre 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett, WD7 01923 859291 www.radlettcentre.co.uk Sun 12 – Mon 13 Nov - The Gruffalo’s Child Following hot on the heels of The Gruffalo’s sell out tour and his monstrous West End success comes The Gruffalo’s Child - with attitude! Just how brave is she? The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo should ever set foot in the deep dark wood. . . One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s Child ignores her father’s warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist. . . does he?

Tall Stories returns, bringing Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s award-winning sequel to life in this magical, musical adaptation. Ages 3+ Sat 9 – Sun 31 Dec - Beauty and the Beast Upstage Productions return to The Radlett Centre with this heart-warming show that has something for everyone, combining a popular classic fairytale with all the cherished traditions of a family pantomime. With fantastic musical numbers, dazzling sets and costumes, this production of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ promises fun and laughter, colourful pantomime characters, a beautiful heroine, a beast who is not as he seems and lots of audience participation! Ages 3+

Unicorn Theatre 147 Tooley Street, SE1. 020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com Until Sun 12 Nov - Laika Laika, the space dog: the first living creature to orbit earth. That was in 1957. Today it’s 2057, and Sami lives with his mum. She’s an astronaut and she understands that there could be a better future out in space. But Sami’s life is down here. So now they must face the prospect of letting go, saying goodbye and – just like Laika – head off into the unknown. A moving sci-fi adventure, inventively and beautifully told using puppetry, movement and music. Ages 6-12 yrs Fri 17 Nov – Sun 31 Dec - The Velveteen Rabbit The Velveteen Rabbit is a heart-warming story about a very shy toy rabbit who longs for nothing more than to become real. He spends his days waiting patiently on the nursery floor, watching the Boy play with other toys and dreaming of being picked up and loved. And then, one day, he is rediscovered and all his hopes start to come true... First published in 1922, this classic American tale loses nothing of its power, magic and charm in this bold and adventure-filled adaptation for the Unicorn stage.

Ages 5+

familiesonline.co.uk

Wed 22 Nov – Sun 31 Dec The Gruffalo’s Child, Lyric Theatre Boing!

This piece of dance-theatre captures the delirious excitement of two boys waiting for Father Christmas to arrive on the most magical night of the year. There are beds to be jumped on, pillows to be fought with, seas to be sailed…

On this most extraordinary night, let your imagination soar right up to the stars. Following in their tradition of bringing enchanting shows for small children to venues up and down the country, Travelling Light have created this show to get your feet tingling and your head spinning with a whirl of colourful images and playful sounds. This is a deaf-friendly show. Ages: 2 - 6

Watersmeet High St, Rickmansworth WD3 01923 711 063 www.watersmeet.co.uk

Thu 7 – Sun 31 Dec – Beauty and the Beast Bigger, better and beastlier than any panto seen before, Beauty and the Beast will not disappoint with live music, wonderful sets, beautiful costumes and rip-roaring adventure in true panto style!

Only Fools and Horses Sue Holderness will be starring as Malevolent and joining Sue are Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists Kieran Sutcliffe and Sarah Jameson. Kieran will play the fabulous Dame Dorothea Derriere and Sarah is the franglais-speaking Fairy Formidable!

To book call 01923 711063 or book online at www.watersmeet.co.uk.

Don’t miss this BEAUTYful tale that’s simply the BEAST!

Watford Palace Theatre Clarendon Road, Watford WD17 01923 225 671 www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk Sun 19 Nov - Shark in the Park Timothy Pope is looking through his telescope –but wait, is that a Shark, in the Park!? From the creative team behind ‘The Hairy Maclary show’ - see all 3 of Nick Sharratt’s ‘Shark in the Park’ books live on Stage! Featuring all 3 of the ‘Shark in the Park’ Series – Shark in the Park, Shark in the Dark and Shark in the Park on a Windy Day – this fin-tastic, family musical follows Timothy Pope (and his telescope!) on 3 exciting adventures…

Watford Colosseum Rickmansworth Road Watford WD17 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Fri 1 – Sun 24 Dec - Santa Claus And The Christmas Adventure 2017 Songs, stories, a meet and greet with Santa & a free gift! The adventure takes place at Santa’s HQ in the North Pole, The Reindeer Sat Nav is programmed and the toys are piled high on the sleigh, then…chaos strikes! Rudolph is missing and the Elves are misbehaving … will Santa ever deliver the presents to all the boys and girls?!

This magical adventure filled with songs, nursery rhymes and stories promises to be the Christmas treat you won’t want to miss.

Wed 13 Dec - Watford Philharmonic Society Presents Christmas at the Colosseum Conductor Michael Cayton and Watford Philharmonic Society invite you to join in their annual family celebration of Christmas, with music to get the festive season going with a

bang! Featuring Tenor, Peter Han Hulle and Little Green Primary School.

Fri 22 – Sun 24 Dec - The Nutcracker One of Tchaikovsky’s most famous compositions and a popular Christmas ballet presentation, The Nutcracker, will be brought to life by Ballet Theatre UK. This well-loved traditional Christmas ballet will be performed in a unique setting with 24 international dancers, from companies around the world. The Nutcracker ballet recounts the adventures of a young girl Clara the night before Christmas. With grand sets and stunning costumes, The Nutcracker, promises to be a highlight on the Christmas calendar for the whole family. Ballet Theatre UK’s Nutcracker is sure to leave you with a sense of warmth and treasured memories that will last a lifetime.

MORE

ONLINE familiesonline.co.uk

Fri 1 – Sat 30 Dec - Aladdin Aladdin dreams of fame. Will he fall into the clutches of the evil Norwegian pop mogul Sven Gali? Or will he find true love? And will Widow Twankey ever get those socks washed? Your festive family treat, featuring talented talented actors, live music and dazzling sets and costumes made right here in Watford, and a Panda!

Sun 10 – Tue 19 Dec - The Nutcracker The young Clara creeps downstairs on Christmas Eve to play with her favourite present – a Nutcracker doll. But the mysterious magician Drosselmeyer is waiting to sweep her o on a magical adventure. After defeating the Mouse King, the Nutcracker and Clara travel through the Land of Snow to the Kingdom of Sweets, where the Sugar Plum Fairy treats them to a wonderful display of dances. Back home, Clara thinks she must have been dreaming – but doesn’t she recognize Drosselmeyer’s nephew? A Delayed Live screening from the Royal Ballet.

Families North West London 23