Families NW London Magazine issue 128 May June 2019

IN THIS ISSUE

∞ Childcare solutions in school holidays: Camps, Activities and Classes ∞ Demystifying Phonics ∞ What’s On for Families

Issue 128 May/June 2019

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Welcome to the May/June issue!

CONTACT US:

www.facebook.com/FamiliesNWLondon

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

www.FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk

@FamiliesNWLon Readership of over 60,000 local parents, carers and teachers every issue.

UPCOMING ISSUE:

Cover image: depositphotos.com

July/August 2019 - What to do with the kids this summer! Deadline: 1 June 2019 September 2019 – Back to School and Local Clubs and Classes – Deadline: 10 August 2019 Send in your news, stories and advertising bookings to the details left.

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.

NEWS New Children’s Garden at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew! The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has embarked on its most ambitious design project in recent years, with the creation of a giant new Children’s Garden due to open to the public on 18 May 2019. Covering 10,000m², it’s the size of nearly 40 tennis courts, and has been designed by Kew garden designers around the elements that plants need to grow: earth, air, sun and water. Children will be able to play and explore as they wind their way through a landscape filled with over 100 mature trees, discovering hidden treasures and adventure, and developing their love of nature, plants and the outdoors along the way.

Suzie Jewell, Children’s Garden Designer, RBG Kew said: “With the Children’s Garden we really hoped to design and create a unique space for children to play in, that would not only be fun and stimulate their imagination, but also give them a different perspective on how the plants grow and why they are so important. I hope that this will lead to a deeper connection with nature and a lifelong love of plants.”

2 Families North West London

5. How to turn off screens without a meltdown 6. D emystifying Phonic 7. How to encourage a love of music 10. Parenting 12-15. Childcare in school holidays 17. Local Classes 23. Children’s Theatre

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

Where is Families North West London?

www.kew.org

IN THIS ISSUE:

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

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.

North West London women win national NCT volunteering award Roya Haghighat-Khah and Sinead Walker from North West London have been highly commended at the national NCT Stars Awards, which fittingly took place at the Space Centre in Leicester.

Roya and Sinead resurrected the longdormant North West London NCT branch.

They transformed it, making it accessible and appealing to all parents through their excellent use of social media. They have shown commitment to building accessible and inclusive support networks for new parents and parents-to-be in the area.

In accepting the award, Roya said: “We’re delighted to receive this award. The revival and growth of our North West London networks was fuelled by the generosity, enthusiasm and skill of an incredible team of volunteers. Not to mention the copious amount of support from our local community, and cake, lots of it!”

Anyone interested in volunteering for NCT or finding out about activities and events in their area can contact the local NCT branch via NCT’s website or call NCT’s enquiries line on 0300 330 0770.

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NEWS CCMH Mental health awareness conference for parents and teachers Local recruiter celebrates 12 years of flexible working Ten2Two, local experts in part-time recruitment and flexible recruitment, is celebrating its twelfth year in business this year.

Since their launch in 2007, they have seen the employment landscape shift in favour of more flexible working arrangements and a greater acceptance from employers that embracing flexibility can add value at all levels across an organisation. MD, Deborah O’Sullivan says “when we first launched we would have to explain to our clients the various types of working formats available and that part-time roles weren’t just for junior positions.

Now, our clients come to us asking for all levels of candidates in all sorts of formats from three days per week, five short days, remote working or other flexible working formats.”

Ten2Two helps mothers (and fathers!) achieve a work-life balance by finding rewarding work with local employers working hours that suit life’s other demands such as the school run or nursery schedule. Their slogan says it all – Drop kids off. Have a career. Pick kids up. They are looking forward to expanding their business reach further during the year.

Find out more and register at www.ten2two.org

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Taking place on Saturday 15 June 2019 at The Child Centre for Mental Health in Islington (N1) the latest conference hosted by CCMH will address ‘What children and teenagers need to know about life in order to live well’.

Through fascinating film footage and deeply moving case material, teachers and parents can learn how to present science and psychologyinformed key information to young people on vital topics such as living with your emotional brain, why love hurts, how to make up after a row and knowing your brain chemicals so you can calm down effectively after stressful emotions instead of self-harming or turning to drink or drugs. Other topics to be covered include what drugs do to your brain, the key causes of depression and anxiety, how to prevent mental illness, how to keep going when you want to give up, why people want to die and why they want to live, what you need to know about sexuality and gender, how to manage friendships well and how to be a great parent.

To find out more visit www.childmentalhealthcentre.org.

The cost per delegate is £183.

Families North West London 3

NEWS Why I love teaching

Perform holiday courses Perform Producer, Gemma Payne, tells Families why she loves running Perform’s drama, dance and singing holiday courses.

Little feet can make a big difference this June Barnardo’s Big Toddle returns to raise money for vulnerable children Last year’s Barnardo’s annual Big Toddle fundraiser saw thousands of under-fives take part in short, sponsored “toddles” to raise money for the UK’s largest children’s charity, which supports more than 301,000 children, young people, parents and carers across the UK. The charity is now once again calling for children, families and nurseries to join in the fun this summer as Big Toddle Week returns with an animal theme from June 24th – 30th.

Those who register by May 20 will receive a Big Toddle pack containing information and fundraising ideas.

To register to hold your own Big Toddle, find out more about the Dudley Zoo Big Toddle or for further information, visit www. bigtoddle.org.uk or call 0800 008 7005.

Holidays should be fun and my job is to take the children on a magical adventure they will remember. Together, we work on songs, dances and character and it’s a joy to see the quieter ones come out of their shell and the bubbly ones become focused on learning song lyrics and lines.

On the last day, there’s a show for friends and family and the parents are so surprised and proud when they see what their child has achieved. The children’s faces light up when they hear the applause and they know they’ve done a good job as they run to their families for a cuddle. It’s a busy week but the feeling when you’ve put together something memorable and entertaining for the parents is just magical. And I suspect most of the children won’t ever forget it either!

Perform Wizard of Oz holiday courses run across July and August.

Visit perform.org.uk/holidays for full details

Gujutots celebrates their FIRST birthday!

In the year since Gujutots launched their first class in April 2018 hundreds of under 5’s have enjoyed learning Gujarati using this fresh new approach.

The themed, interactive Gujarati classes were started by local mum of two, Smitty Hindocha, who spotted a gap in the market. “Parents recognise it can be difficult to speak in Gujarati at home so by attending Gujutots classes, children get an opportunity to practice their Gujarati from birth in a fun, positive way - through singing familiar nursery rhymes, reading stories and playing games in Gujarati.” Smitty has written and composed her own songs and stories for the classes, and now has two highly popular CD’s for parents to use in the car and at home to continue to support additional language development. The NW London based Gujutots classes currently operate during the week, and is planning to shortly launch weekend classes in response to parent requests.

To find out more visit www.gujutots.co.uk

4 Families North West London

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Parenting

7 ways to turn off screens without a meltdown

By Andrew Campbell

To minimise the meltdowns, try these ideas: Explain your Reasons

The best part about your child’s screen time is that it gives you a short break. The worst part is the meltdown when you turn it off.

Helping children regulate their own media use is an ongoing process, and along the way you’re likely to experience some struggles when it’s time to turn off the TV or any other digital device.

When it’s time to move from TV watching to another activity, using pre-recorded shows can be effective. On traditional broadcast TV, one show follows another, but when you a DVR, streaming-video services like Netflix, or even DVDs, your child can be encouraged to turn off the TV when the show they want to watch is over.

If you don’t have any of these options, consider using the “watch later” feature on YouTube.

The site allows you to select and add videos to a playlist. Your child can simply watch what you’ve selected.

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Children are less likely to push your limits when you thoroughly outline your reasons for reducing screen time. Let them know that, in your family, you place a higher value on family bonding, physical activity and positive sources of entertainment. When you make it less about the negatives and more about the positives of reducing screen time, your children are more likely to comply.

Have a Clear Plan Explain to your child that he or she can watch a certain number of TV shows or be on a device for a specific time period. Let them know what to expect after the show or time period too. In other words, “After the show you need to turn off the TV or I will have to come and turn it off for you. Then we’ll do some baking.” Decide what times of day are appropriate for viewing.

For instance, you may decide that your children can watch television before but not after dinner, or that you want devices turned off a good hour before bedtime. When the rules are clear and consistent, you can avoid daily battles when you say it’s time for screens to be turned off.

Create a Routine Children who know they have to turn off the TV before a specific activity (like dinner) can sometimes transition more easily.

Encourage other Activities Keep other options such as board games, art supplies, books, Frisbees, and bikes around and ready when your kids claim there’s nothing else to do.

Disable Back-to-Back Shows If you’re using a streaming service, disable the setting that automatically plays the next show in a series.

Keep Screens out of bedrooms It’s much easier to exercise control when your child is within view. So that means keeping video games, the TV and the tablet in a common area where you can keep an eye on things.

Give Praise If your child successfully transitions to another activity without a meltdown, show your appreciation. Say something like, “Thanks for turning off the TV and coming to set the table!”

Children will be more likely to follow through again if they have a positive experience.

Families North West London 5

Education

Demystifying Phonics

By Andrew Campbell

Parents play a very important role in helping children learn to read.

But teaching methods have changed since most parents were at school and if you want to assist your children, it’s important to understand how they are taught.

∞ What is Phonics?

Phonics is used in all schools in the UK as the main first method for children to learn to read and write.

It is all about sounds. There are 44 sounds in English, which are put together to form words. These small units of sound are called ‘phonemes.’Some sounds are represented by one letter, like ‘t’, and some by two or more, like ‘ck’ in truck and ‘air’ in chair. The letter, or the combination of letters are called ‘graphemes.’ Children are taught the sounds first, then how to match them to letter(s), and finally how to use the letter(s) and sounds to read and spell.

∞ How is Phonics Taught?

The most widely used approach in UK schools is called ‘synthetic phonics’ in which the phonemes (sounds) associated with particular graphemes (letter or letters) are pronounced in isolation and blended together (synthesised).

The 44 sounds (phonemes), and the way they are written down, are taught individually. The first sounds to be taught are usually s, a, t, p, i, n. This is because once children know each of those letter sounds, they can then be arranged into a variety of different words (eg: sat, tip, pin, nip, tan, tin, sip). The teacher will show pupils how to ‘blend’ or sound out words, using the new sound. For example, the word ‘lock’ when spoken has three sounds. Children are taught to say the sounds separately then blend them together: ‘l-o-ck’, ‘lock.’

Once children are aware of the sounds of English and how spoken words are built from these sounds, they can learn the ways each sound is usually written, as a letter, or group of letters.

∞ What makes Phonics Tricky?

The English language is a bit more complicated than most languages. Having been invaded so many times throughout its history, it is a rich mixture of languages. For instance the word ‘fern’ comes from the Anglo-Saxons and the first sound is spelt ‘f’.

Whereas the word ‘phone’ comes from Greek and the same sound is spelt ‘ph.’ Tricky words need to be learnt by sight, rather than sound.

∞ Helpful Resources There are a large number of apps available including Jolly Phonics and Teach Your Monster to Read. The BBC Skillwise Phonics Tool allows you to hear sounds of English in five different accents and discover the correspondence between sounds and letters.

∞ How Can You Help?

Sounding out words is at the heart of phonics and helping your child with this at home is simple. Try introducing sounds one at a time.

Phoneme cards are useful (downloadable, printable resources can be found at www.phonicsplay.co.uk). Show a letter card to your child and say the sound. Ask your child to say it as well. This will help build a link between the letter and its sound.

You can go on to help your child blend the sounds by saying each of the sounds in the word and then pushing them together to say the word. Using the sounds to write is achieved by helping your child to work out the individual sounds in a word and matching these sounds to the letters. Say a word and ask your child to break it down into its individual sounds. For example big, b i g.

When reading to your child, practise by encouraging them to point to each letter and say the sound out loud. Then your child can read these words by blending the separate sounds together.

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6 Families North West London

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Education

How to Encourage a Love of Music in Your Child

By Jon Flinn

L

isten to the stories of successful young musicians today and they will tell you that they got involved with classical music, in large part, because they were exposed to it from an early age.

It sounds obvious doesn’t it? Yet no two musical ‘journeys’ are the same and there are many different starting points.

The reality, of course, is that most musicians are unlikely to even remember their first exposure to music because, as the evidence clearly shows, the process of responding to music starts before we are even born. After just 25 weeks a foetus has a functioning auditory system and can respond to sound, for example, by jumping or kicking in response to a very loud noise.

So how do you as parents or parents-to-be nurture your child’s relationship with music?

The British Association for Early Childhood Education has done some great work in this area, showing how parental support for their child’s musical development is underpinned by two simple but vital principles: positive relationships and enabling environments.

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Beyond giving warmth and love, relationships which encourage a child’s musical development are sensitive and responsive to the child’s needs, feelings and interests. For example, giving them access to variety of music to hear and play but acknowledging the child’s own tastes. They’re also about supporting the child’s own efforts to express themselves, and being consistent in setting clear boundaries.

Creating enabling environments is about making sure that your child – whatever age – has access to appropriate stimulating resources which are relevant to a range of children’s cultures and communities, has rich opportunities to learn through play and playful teaching and is free to take risks and explore through music.

There are dozens of great tips on their website (www.early-education.org. uk) – everything from copying children’s vocalisations to show that you hear and value them to using recording devices and creating ‘treasure baskets’ with items that the youngest babies can shake, scrunch or tap.

When it comes to developing your children’s relationship with music, you can’t start early enough – which is why it’s such great news that, when it comes into effect in 2020, the new National Plan for Music Education will

lower the age of children targeted from the current 5/6 years to nursery age.

It’s also why the national Music Commission (www.musiccommission.org.uk) focusses, in part, on the role that parents (whether they are musical or not) can play in their children’s learning. The Learn Music London (www. learnmusic.london) resource can also help parents in London find teachers and local support.

There’s lots that government and agencies like ABRSM can do to help support children to learn to develop their musical skills, but nothing is more important to a child’s musical development than the support of their parents.

The ABRSM is the world’s leading provider of music exams and an organisation which has spent 130 years inspiring the musical achievement of young people. It is currently looking for music learners ages 7 to 18 and their parents from a wide range of backgrounds to take part in a series of online discussions, polls and surveys.

If you are interested, register online at www.abrsm.org/parentslearners.

Families North West London 7

Education Please check school websites to confirm in advance of visiting advertised open days. Listings are subject to change.

Aldenham School Elstree WD6 Boys and Girls 3-18 yrs (Boarding/Day) enquiries@aldenham.com

Open Day: Sat 15 Jun 2019. Prep School 01923 851664. Senior School 01923 858122

Alpha Preparatory School Harrow HA1 Boys and Girls 3-11 yrs. www.alpha.harrow.sch.uk

Open Day: By appointment 0208 427 1471

Buckingham Prep School Pinner HA5 Boys School 4-11 years www.buckprep.org

Open Day: By appointment. 020 8866 2737.

Charlotte House Prep School Rickmansworth WD3 Girls 3-11 yrs www.charlottehouseprepschool.co.uk

Open Day: By appointment. 01923 772101

Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School Elstree WD6 Boys 5-18 yrs. www.habsboys.org.uk

Open Day: Sat 5 Oct, 1-4pm (Sen & Prep); Sat 9 Nov, (Pre-Prep – appt only) 0208 266 1950

Haberdashers’ Aske’s Girls’ School Elstree WD6 Girls 4-18 yrs. www.habsgirls.org.uk

Open Day: 4+: Wed 18 Sep, Thu 26 Sep, Wed 2 Oct, Fri 11 Oct, Thu 17 Oct, Tue 5 Nov. 7+: Tue 15 Oct. 11+: Tue 24 Sep, Thu 3 Oct, Thu 10 Oct, Fri 18 Oct, Thu 7 Nov, Mon 18 Nov . 020 8266 2302 email ldevine@habsgirls.org.uk

Haberdashers’ Adams, Newport, TF10 7BD. Boys 11-18 yrs (boarding) Girls 6th form. www.adamsgs.uk

Open Day: By appointment. 01952 953810

High Elms Manor School Watford WD25, Boys and Girls 6 months – 11 years. www.highelmsmanorschool.com

Open Day: By appointment. 01923 681103

The John Lyon School Harrow on the Hill HA2. Boys 11-18 yrs. www.johnlyon.org

Open Day: Tue 18 Jun, 5-7pm; Sat 21 Sep, 9.30am-12pm. 020 8515 9400

Krishna Avanti Primary School Edgware HA8. Boys and Girls 3-11 yrs.www. avanti.org.uk/kapsharrow

Open Day: By appointment. 020 8381 3344

Longwood School and Nursery Bushey WD23 Boys and Girls 3 mths – 11yrs. www.longwoodschool.co.uk

Open Day: Every day is Open Day, just call to book a tour.

01923 253715

Merchant Taylor’s Prep Rickmansworth WD3 Boys 4-13. Northwood HA6 Boys 11-18yrs www.mtpn.org.uk www.mtsn.org.uk

Open Day: Sat 11 May, 10am-12.30pm (Sen Sch). Thu 3 & Fri 4 Oct, both 9.45am-12pm (Prep). 01923 825648 (Prep) 01923 845514 (Senior)

North London Collegiate School Edgware HA8 Girls 4-18yrs. www.nlcs.org.uk

Open Day: Thu 16 May, Wed 5 Jun, Wed 19 Jun, Sat 28 Sep (Junior).

Jun Sch 020 8952 1276, Sen Sch 020 8951 6481/6468.

Northwood College Northwood HA6. Girls 3-18 yrs. www.northwoodcollege.gdst.net

Open Day: Wed 3 Jul, 9.30-11am (Early Yrs & Jun Sch) Mon 1 Jul, 9.30-11am (Sen Sch); Sat 5 Oct, 1-4pm (whole sch) 01923 825446.

North London Grammar School London NW9 Boys & Girls 11-18 yrs. www.northlondongrammar.com

Open Day: By appointment. 0208 205 0052

Orley Farm Harrow-on-the-Hill HA1 Boys and Girls 4-13yr www.orleyfarm.harrow.sch.uk

Open Day: Sat 11 May, 10am. 020 8869 7634/7600

Quainton Hall School Harrow, HA1. Boys 2.5-13yrs, Girls 2.5-11 yrs. www. quaintonhall.org.uk

Open Day: By appointment. admin@quaintonhall.org.uk 020 8861 8861

Reddiford School Pinner HA5 Boys and Girls 2yrs 9months – 11 yrs. www.reddiford.co.uk

Open Day: By appointment. 020 8866 0660

Roxeth Mead School HA2 Boys & Girls 3months-7yrs. www.roxethmead.com

Open Day: By appointment. 020 8422 2092

The Royal Masonic School for Girls Rickmansworth WD3 – Ruspini House Pre School (boys and girls aged 2-4) Cadogan House Pre-Prep and Prep Department (girls aged 4-11), Senior School (girls aged 11-18)

Open Day: Sun 6 Oct. 01923 725354

St John’s CofE Primary School Watford WD17 Boys and Girls 4-11 yrs www.watfordstjohns.org

Open Day: By appointment. 01923 255 017

St Helen’s College Hillingdon UB10 Boys & Girls 2-11 yrs www.sthelenscollege.com

Open Day: By appointment 01895 234 371

St Helen’s School Northwood HA6 Girls 3-18 yrs www.sthelens.london

Open Day: Thu 13 Jun, 9.30am-12pm; Sat 21 Sep, 9.30am-12.30pm.

01923 843230

St Hilda’s Preparatory School for Girls Bushey WD23 3-11yrs. www.sthildasbushey.com

Open Day: By appointment. 0208 950 1751

St John’s School Northwood HA6 Boys aged 3-13. www.st-johns.org.uk

Open Day: Wed 22 May, 9.15am. 020 8866 0067

St. Margaret’s School Bushey WD23 Girls 4-18 yrs (boarding/day) www.stmargaretsbushey.co.uk

Open Day: Sat 21 Sep, 9-11am. 020 8901 0872

St. Martin’s School Northwood HA6. Boys 3-13 yrs www.stmartins.org.uk

Open Day: By appointment. 01923 825 740

York House Rickmansworth WD3. Boys and Girls 3-13 yrs www.york-house.com

Open Day: Sat 18 May, 9.30am-12pm. 01923 772 395

8 Families North West London

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Education

WHAT’S NEW? Retro gaming mat – fun for the whole family!

Yoto We loved this clever speaker- designed by families, for families, using Montessori principals to empower children through play.

Yoto uses physical cards that young children use to unlock a world of curated and child-safe music, stories and interactive learning that grow with your child and it offers youngsters the opportunity to build independence over what they listen to or play. Yoto is ‘Playtime Amplified’

80s kids are going to love this Retro Gaming Mat. Remember when whole days could slip by in games arcade’s - never was there a better way to spend your pocket money.

Bring back all that nostalgia and all the fun (without the need for a bag of coins) with the Retro Gaming Mat. It enables you to play 200 old school 8-bit games - yet plugs into your modern TV. Bringing all the best bits from the 80s to the now.

The Orb Retro Gaming Mat costs £29.99 from ThumbsUp.com

Days Out Underground: 50 subterranean adventures beneath Britain

By Peter Naldrett A quirky and original guide for inexpensive ideas of something different to do on a weekend!

This unique guide explores 50 underground attractions, from caves to nuclear bunkers, abandoned mines to secret railways, labyrinthine tunnels to ancient crypts, all brilliantly described and portrayed with incredible colour photography throughout.Hidden beneath Britain are plenty of attractions open to everyone. There are atmospheric full colour photographs throughout, and boxes that highlight precisely why you should visit, as well as things to look out for when you do. Days Out Underground has something to excite everyone, especially families – here’s how you entertain the kids on those wet-weather weekends!

RRP £16.99 #daysoutunderground

Little Guides to Great Lives - newest books in the series - Anne Frank and Ferdinand Magellan Written by Isabel Thomas; Illustrations by Paola Escobar Meet some of history’s most inspiring figures in this beautifully-illustrated guide to their amazing lives. From artists to aviators and scientists to revolutionaries, Little Guides to Great Lives is a series of handy, accessible guides, each beautifully depicted by a different illustrator. The guides introduce children to the most inspirational figures from history.

Each features a timeline, glossary and index at the back of the book.

Yoto player + Card Starter Pack comes with A Yoto player with a Cards Starter Pack featuring: music and story cards; interactive cards for learning; our own live radio card; a favourite storytelling podcast; sound effects cards; and a set of blank Make Your Own cards that you can use to upload .

RPP starting from £129.00 Find out more at www.yotoplay.com

Moonlite story projector – your favourite story illutrations coming to a wall or ceiling near you!

Inspired by her daughter’s love of shadow play before bedtime, Canadian mother and former Google veteran, Natalie Rebot created Moonlite, a children’s story book projector for your mobile phone.

It creates a truly magical, immersive storytelling experience that fuels your child’s imagination like no other. This small device clips onto your smartphone and uses the torch to project vibrant storybook images onto any surface. While projecting the storybook images, the Moonlite app displays story text and plays charming sound effects, creating a special story time experience for you and your child.

Designed to be soothing and calming, Moonlite automatically operates in Night Shift mode to create a relaxing bedtime environment.

The Moonlite Starter Pack RRP £19.99.

Additional Story Reels RRP £7.99 each. www.mymoonlite.co.uk/

Recommended reader – Ages 7+ RRP £8.99 ea

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Families North West London 9

Parenting

Are you stressing out your kids?

By Susie Ramroop

O

ne of the most common beliefs that parents seem to have when it comes to keeping children happy is that they have to be busy all of the time, so much so that they fear what quiet time will be like.

As grown ups we can all go a little stir crazy, but the reality is this very rarely happens because we are caught in a busy trap, continually stacking our calendars. And worse, we are teaching the same patterns to our children.

Are you running you and your kids ragged on the basis that you think it is what they need?

It can easily happen - in this part of the country there is something to do every day of the week: from rhyme time to baby massage.

I noticed quite early on as a new Mum that my child was getting grumpy - drinking less milk and not sleeping so well. On one desperate Saturday afternoon I went to the library and turned to Gina Ford for advice. Whilst some people don’t like her regimented approach, for me it seemed like a savour. To stick to it, I had to give up some of the activities we were doing. Only in doing so did I grasp how many of them there were. I was treating my 6 week old baby like she cared what her social life looked like. And in truth, maybe I was putting my own needs to leave the house ahead of hers.

When I turned down events based on Elise’s routine people gave me funny looks, but frankly, my baby’s happiness and mine were more important - without routine and rest I

10 Families North West London

do not function at my best, and nor did my baby.

I started to own that I was disrupting her rest, and ignoring her needs because I was trying to keep up with other Mums. I didn’t think I was doing a good enough job just to trust my own instincts and parent the way that made us both happy.

And this is exactly the same in the clients I see today. They are running themselves from commitment to commitment with no respite in between, and they are enforcing the same routines on their kids. Our children need a break too.

Statistics show that stress levels in adults and kids are rising. The good news is that by helping yourself, you will be helping your kids get more resilient now and in the future.

Don’t teach them that they need to be busy

all the time. Teach them to choose activities that are replenishing. True hobbies are those that bring us joy, and don’t feel like a chore. So choose activities that juxtapose the structure of school promote creativity, like a drama class or a sport. How to choose? Pick the one that is visibly bringing the most joy. When you feel yourself racing from one thing to the other, it’s time to reduce the strain on your family schedule.

Susie Ramroop is a Mindset Coach helping busy parents to focus on what truly makes a difference in life and at work. Please send any comments and questions to susie@ susieramroop.com.

And if you realise having read this that you could do with cleaning up your act on this topic, her Spring Clean Your Life course will definitely help: www.susieramroop.com/ spring-clean-your-life

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Mummy on the Edge An unequal exchange.

“T

here’s a week-long work experience trip in Belgium to practice our French. Can I go?”

My imagination ran riot as I pictured myself at a sunny writing retreat; being pummelled by thalassotherapy jets at Champneys; ordering a portion of pescaito mixto frito and half a cerveza at a Spanish food market. Oh the joy!

to whether a Belgian family might want to host without sending. So I said ok.

“Wonderful YES go, darling. Be independent! Enjoy!”

Then she added, “It’s an exchange in March.”

My stomach sank. Was that because my child would be missing a week of school during ‘A’ Level term time? Was it because I would have to clean and tidy the house to the inevitably higher standard of an unknown quantity? Was it because it involved an unknown quantity hosting my child? Was it because I would have to prepare a packed lunch for an unknown quantity for five days running and I had no faith in my ability to wake up every day in time to slap luncheon meat and salad leaves between bread in an appetising fashion before delivering them to a work experience placement that I would have to find? What if unknown quantity had Dietary Requirements? Oh, the stress!

I consulted my best zen friend and she allayed my fears. She had hosted– twice - in her compact flat and she’d managed more than admirably. “You can do this,” she said. By the time The Teen came home flapping a letter with the actual dates on, I was ready to say “Yeah, alright then.” But, it turned out, the Belgian visit to London coincided with a week of nearly daily rehearsals and evening performances of The Teen’s school play. So I just said “Sorry, no” without thinking too hard about it. The fantasies of my solitary holiday evaporated. I would, I promised, find a week this year to go to France with her and make her do all the restaurant ordering. I didn’t feel it would be fair on the Unknown Quantity or on me for us to have to entertain each other while she was at school singing and dancing till bedtime. The Teen understood and did not get huffy.

The Teen went to stay with a lovely Belgian Senegalese family. We facetimed with her mum and sisters a week before she was due to leave. I ummed and ahhed about what to send as presents and opted for nice shortbread for the mum, Mini-Easter egg tubes for the kids and a Lindt bunny for the student as well as a mindfulness magazine called Teen Breathe. The family had arranged a placement at a nice Oxfam shop. She visited the Atomium, saw the famous and amusing Manneken Pis statue and ate Belgian fries, Belgian waffles and Belgian chocolate (probably all at the same time). She photographed a toilet with my likeness on it (ah… always thinking of me). We now look forward to hosting her lovely pal one day in the holidays. And my writing retreat at Casa Ana in Andalusia was super!

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

“I’m sorry,” I said, when I met her French teacher at parents evening and I explained why I had said no. Another girl in her class was also in the play and her parents had said yes. I didn’t realise I was the only trip-nixing parent among the entire cohort at her school. Teacher told me that The Teen was missing out. Oh, the guilt! Was there still time to change my mind? Teacher said she would make enquiries as

Open: Monday – Friday 8am to 6pm Year Round/Term-Time Ages: 3 months – 6 years • Excellent Standard of Care & Education • Qualified Montessori Staff

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• Safe Play Areas

We are an Ofsted Registered Independent Montessori Nursery School

• Nutritious meals prepared daily by our on-site chef

St Michael’s Church Annex St Michael’s Church Road Cricklewood NW2 6XG

0208 830 7331 info@livingspringmontessori.com

Families North West London 11

Summer Camps

Childcare in School Holidays Piecing together the Puzzle

By Gabrielle Nash

In their latest survey, the Coram Family & Childcare Trust found the average price of holiday childcare in Britain to be £133 per child per week. Megan Jarvie, the head of the trust, believes now is the time to urgently address the issue. “For too many families, the long summer holiday is a time of stress and expense as they try to patch together a solution despite gaps in availability and financial support.”

What are the Options? ∞ Annual Leave Most parents do not have sufficient annual leave to cover the entire school holidays, so it’s worth investigating if your employer can offer additional parental leave. A less desirable option is “shift parenting” whereby you and your partner each take annual leave separately. The downside, of course, is that you don’t see each other, although this option does cover a large portion of the holidays.

W

hat do the summer holidays mean to you? Ice creams in the park? Lazy mornings with the kids? Or a carefully constructed puzzle of parental annual leave and various childcare options?

When your children reach school age, the burden of full-time, stay-at-home parenting begins to lessen allowing both parents to work. Then the school holidays arrive and there are long weeks of childcare to find.

For many families this is a painful financial burden and with holiday childcare costs rising by 4% last year that burden is set to increase.

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∞ Flexible Working Can your employer offer the option to work flexibly? If you work shifts, can you work a different shift pattern to assist with holiday childcare? Katie Abdullah has five children and started her own business because of the tricky work/school balance. “I can tailor my work around the children. I try to take extra hours during the term so I can have more free time during the holidays.”

∞ Family Assistance If you’re fortunate enough to have extended family nearby, willing grandparents can play an integral role in school holiday childcare.

What about asking a sibling, aunty, uncle or even a friend to provide the odd day or even week?

∞ Childminders You may be lucky enough to find a childminder who handles term-time wrap around care and covers school holidays.

Alternatively, for more ad-hoc hours, try getting some regular, friendly babysitters on board.

∞ Holiday Nanny/Au Pair If you have term-time wrap around care sorted but require holiday care, another option is to find a childcare provider who can provide care in your home just for the holidays. These can be more affordable than you think.

∞ Holiday Clubs and Camps It’s unusual not to find several local holiday club options, with specialisations ranging from sport to drama or a mix of lots of activities. Some are run privately, others by your local authority. Local authority provision is less expensive but limited so it’s wise to investigate all options. Another option is American-style residential holiday camps.

Check out our extensive listing of local camps, clubs and activities on pages 14-15 For more parenting tips and advice, read Gabrielle’s blog @londonishmum

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Summer Camps Piecing It Together If your family are just at the beginning of school life, then the key is early planning for childcare that will accommodate, if possible, both school holiday and term time needs. But if you are already in a situation where you have term-times sorted but not school holidays, there’s still time to make this summer easier: Budget – what can you realistically afford to spend?

Research - what is available from your council? Are there local schools offering holiday camps? What other private local holiday camps are available? (Tip: make sure they don’t involve too much travel).

Reach out - can extended family help, even just for a few days? Perhaps a family member that doesn’t live locally might come and stay? Speak to local friends. Can you share childcare with one another?

Co-ordinate – for children who are resistant to attending holiday camps or clubs on their own, try signing them up with friends. This can make the experience more enjoyable and you might be able to share travel.

Schedule - when you’ve got your plans together, draw up a schedule and make it available to all the family.

Book early – the most popular holiday camps book up very quickly. Don’t leave your planning until the last minute!

With some forward preparation, there can still be relaxing down time with ice creams in the park!

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Families North West London 13

Summer Camps

Day Camps & Activities

for Half Term and Summer Our extensive listing of upcoming local opportunities to keep the kids happy, entertained and engaged out of term time.

Perform

Aqua Vie are doing Regular weekly Tues Wed and Sunday classes in Bushey during term times. Spaces for new babies Tues, Wed and new group Adult swim classes.

Learn mindful effortless swimming in a calm environment in warm water. Use less effort, swim further and experience the joy of water.

Email office@aqua-vie.com tel 01923 245 773 www.Aqua-Vie.com

DiscoG Coding Academy will be running a series of hands-on coding bootcamps on the Python programming language for children aged 6 - 8, 9 - 14, GCSE and A Level students. Join us to learn the language that writes the future.

Call Gerard on: 07767300940 www.discogcodingacademy.com Location: 504 Kenton Lane, Harrow, HA3 8RD

Artzania Art and Craft Activity Club (HA) Children’s Arts and Crafts activity club ages 1-11 yrs open during term time and holidays. Parent Toddler Group (aged 1-4 yrs); After-school/ Holiday Club (ages 5-11yrs). Contact to book your place: Keshma: 07419343105 E: Keshma.artzania@gmail.com

Echo’s Equestrian Centre – Summer Hoof Camp from. Open to kids from the age of 5+, get the chance to experience what it would be like to own your own pony. Each day consists of approx. 1 hour group riding, lots of hands on stable management and fun and creative theory. Sessions are 9am – 5pm. www.echosequestrian.co.uk

Aspire Offer Ofsted-registered activity camps during the school breaks. Camps are great for 5 - 14 year olds and are run by experienced staff.

020 8420 6725, www.aspireleisurecentre. org.uk/kidz-zone-holiday-camps Cinnamon Square (WD3) Baking workshops take place during the school holidays. Classes include chocolate making, classic cake making, cupcakes and an all-round baking workshop. The 2 hour hands-on sessions, which combine learning with fun, are suitable for 5 years and upwards. Everything the children make they take home with them including recipe sheets to continue baking at home. www.cinnamonsquare.com

The Elms School Holiday Multi-Sports Camps – Action packed daily sports camps running in Stanmore, Hatch End, Ruislip, Barnet, Watford and many more areas!

Football, hockey, tennis, netball and many more sports for ages 4-12 years. 020 8954 8787 www.elmsholidaycamps.co.uk Forever Green Forest School: Family Forest School. Sessions in the woods for the whole family during the school holidays. Activities include fire lighting, toasting some delicious food on the fire, make a woodland bracelet or keyring, fun games and more! Places must be booked and paid for in advance. www.forevergreenforestschool.com

Fun Fest Holiday Club-Watford at Holywell Primary School offers children a choice about spending their holidays. With an exciting menu of activities to choose children can plan their own individual holiday programme, developing social and physical skills. Fun Fest -Watford is Ofsted registered for children from 3 years, run by qualified and experienced childcare practitioners along with sports coaches/ enthusiastic students.

Tel: 07892721317 www.fun-fest.co.uk watfordoffice@funfestholidayclub.co.uk Future Stars Theatre Arts (HA5) Run an amazing Summer Academy each year which is held at The Harrow Arts Centre.

Students work towards professional performances, firstly to increase their confidence and secondly for parents to see first-hand how their child’s ability is developing. Their shows are exceptional, be prepared to be amazed at what your child achieves at Future Stars!

Give your child a confident start! info@ futurestarstheatrearts.co.uk 07912538656 www.futurestars.co.uk Harrow Arts Centre - Summer Music Camp - Thurs 25 – Wed 31 July, 9:30am - 5pm for ages 7-12 years. A special 5-day extravaganza of music, singing, craft, dance and FUN!! You will learn how to sing, dance and play the steel pans, ukulele and drums in sessions provided by professional instrumental teachers from Harrow Music Service, culminating in a finale performance to family and friends!

Optional breakfast and board games club from 8.30am – 9.30am. www.harrowarts. com Harrow Woodcraft Folk Fun & freedom in the countryside, at their weekend camps all summer, for all the family. Camp craft such as putting up tents & fire lighting; group games in the fields and woods; exploring nature; arts and crafts and campfire songs & stories. Call 0208 428 2409 www.woodcraft.org.uk

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Summer Camps Hertfordshire Sports Village have a range of activities over the holidays for children aged 0 – 18. Activities include Multi-Sports Day Camps, Unlimited Soft Play, Swimming and much more. An ideal childcare solution for working parents during school holidays, parents can drop children off between 8-9am and pick-up between 4-5pm. www. hertssportsvillage.co.uk Hillingdon Outdoor Activities Centre (HOAC) Sailing, Windsurfing, Kayaking and Land activities for 5-18 yr olds. 01895 824 171 www.hoac.net Holidaytime Holiday Club – Holiday club open 7.30am-6pm for children aged 2-13 years. Indoor and outdoor space. , sports, arts and crafts, cooking, trips, workshops, free time. Qualified and experienced staff. Full day, half day booking, Childcare vouchers except & tax free childcare.

07794078452 Elmgrove road Harrow. holidays@activetime.co.uk www.activetime.co.uk Huzzah Performing Arts Holidays Camps are designed around 20 years of experience in giving kids want they want while delivering what they need. Each week is a blend of drama activities, dance, singing and mindfulness combined with the focus of building up to a show at the end of the week. W10. 4 weeks to choose from.

Ages 4 - 11. huzzahperformingarts.com 02039767171 Ignite Tennis (HA3) A great way for kids to stay active and use their brains by learning a skill. Staying Fit and Healthy during the school holidays is quite a challenge these days, so join in this fun holiday programme.

3 Camps accommodating 3yrs – 16yrs.

Main Camp Tennis in the morning and a mixture of multiple sports in the afternoon.

May Half Term course 27th – 31st May, and Summer courses running from 15th July to 23rd August. info@ignitetennis.co.uk 07852 180905 ignitetennis.co.uk Jigsaw Summer Schools – designed to provide enjoyable and stimulating performing arts activities for students during the school holidays. The sessions are split into age groups of 3 to 5 years and 5 to 16 years. 020 8447 4530 www.jigsaw-arts.co.uk KangaRooKids Music and Drama Summer Camp 2019 – At Belmont Children’s Farm, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill - London NW7 1QT. Our wonderful camp is a mixture of drama, music, dance, art and farm fun for 3-7 year olds. www.kangarookidsgroup.co.uk

Little Big Leaders English, maths and science group tuition for children aged 3.5 - 16 years at London Academy from Monday 29 July - Friday 16 August and Bushey Academy from Monday 22 July Friday 2 August. Entrance exam prep also available. Contact us at Little Big Leaders on 020 3637 6266

Ruislip Baptist Church Summer Holiday Club - Monday 29th July - Friday 2nd August 10am - 12.15pm and 6.30pm 7.45pm. Join us for a week of fun, craft, team challenge, cooking, bible stories and singing. Register online via our website, we look forward to seeing you. www.ruislipbaptistchurch.org

Little Kickers Courses running throughout the summer. Football training for kids from 18 months to under 7 years. Ruislip, Pinner, Harrow, Harefield, Rickmansworth & Watford jodiesloan@littlekickers. co.uk 0208 123 9346. Mill Hill, Swiss Cottage, Hampstead, Golders Green, Muswell Hill, Friern Barnet jlevene@ littlekickers.co.uk 0208 201 1084. Bushey & Harrow HA3 0208 422 0676 www. littlekickers.co.uk

Science Group Tuition (HA8) for KS3 and GCSE pupils at our Little Big Leaders holiday schools - Winter, Summer, Easter for only £200 per week. Only 10 pupils per class. Our highly experienced tutor takes pupils through academic content in CGP Revision Guides and supports pupils through the completion of CGP Workbooks for KS3 and GCSE examination boards AQA, Edexcel and IGCSE. 020 3637 6266 www.littlebigleaders.com

Monkey Music workshops are a popular way to keep children entertained during the holidays. Unlike the regular classes where children are strictly grouped according to age, the holiday workshops cater for a mixed age group of children.

Older siblings love joining in the fun and we also welcome friends and visitors. Book early to avoid disappointment. 0208 427 6595 www.monkeymusic.co.uk NumberWorks‘nWords Maths and English tuition classes which will target identified needs to improve achievement levels.

Catering for all levels from 4 to 16 years old. Specialised programmes for 7+, 11+ and SATs. www.numberworks.co.uk 0208 868 7672 eastcote@numberworks.com Perform - There’s no place like Perform this summer. We’re off to see the wizard this summer, as we sing and dance our way down the yellow brick road in our Wizard of Oz holiday courses. With colourful costumes, uplifting songs and dazzling dancing, your child will have the best fun of the summer as we bring this story to life.

Book online at perform.org.uk/wizard Age range: 4-10 years. Dates: 12th – 16th August.

Five-day course. 10am to 3pm each day.

Venue: St Luke’s Parish Hall, Love Lane, Pinner, HA5 3EX Contact: T: 020 7255 9120 / enquiries@perform.org.uk.

Raviv Practice London - Prevent regression in the school holidays- Keep your child’s brain stimulated and improve academic performance during the holidays.

Raviv Practice London offers three evidence-based computer programs that present the perfect compromise between play and work. One-to-one intervention scientifically proven to improve your child’s grades. Contact Usha Patel -Raviv Practice London- on 0203 887 0486.

The Sharpe Academy Musical Theatre Intensive, for ages 6-18, includes a full week of Ballet, Tap, Modern, Acrobatics, Musical Theatre, Jazz, Stage Combat, Singing, Drama, Acting for TV & Film and all students present an end of week theatre showcase. www.sharpeacademy.co.uk Stagecoach - Children and Teenagers can make friends, have fun and develop some great new skills at the fabulous Stagecoach Holiday Drama Clubs and Workshops for 6-18 yrs. At the end of their time at the Stagecoach holiday workshops, the students will join together to showcase their new-found singing, acting and dancing skills to family and friends. www.stagecoach.co.uk Sylvia Young Theatre School - If your child would like to work with the top teachers from The Sylvia Young Theatre School (Marylebone) then why not join a one week Theatre Skills holiday school.

This fun filled busy course is open to anyone aged 7-18 years and offers Drama/ Audition Technique, Singing / Microphone Technique, Street Dance and Basic Circus Skills. Musical Theatre Performance weeks are also available. Hurry - some holiday courses are now sold out! One week courses run between 22nd July to 16th Aug, £310.00 per week. www.syts.co.uk Type IT! Typing Crash Courses for children age 10+. Learn to touch type in just one week with our fun, interactive tutor-led typing courses. Courses running during half terms and Easter and Summer holidays. To book contact Type IT! on 020 8434 7111. www.touchtypeit.co.uk

Kids Can Achieve Run playschemes for children with additional needs. The playscheme is all about your child having fun through play and structured activities, and sessions are arranged around constructive play, arts and crafts, outdoor play and swimming. 020 8420 2300 www.kidscanachieve.co.uk

Paediatric First Aid Courses Sun 19 May, Sun 9 June, Sat 13 July - 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

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Families North West London 15

Local Clubs and Classes Directory PARTIES

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 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

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 BaB – Bring a Baby courses for adults. All Bring a Baby Courses are designed for you, the grown up, but are fun and engaging for your kids too. Their courses get 5* reviews because they make it possible for you to learn a new skill and be with your children. Photography, Knitting, Embroidery, Cake Decorating and more.  www.bab-courses.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 Meditation (HA5) Every FIRST Thursday of the month, 8.00pm at The Stables, Eastcote House Gardens, Eastcote Village, HA5 2FE. Everyone 18+ welcome. Just £5. Feel energised, increase happiness, improve mental clarity and memory recall. Flush out negative thoughts and improve physical and mental health. Ten minute stress relief treatment for newcomers FREE. No booking needed, just come along. For more information, contact Alexandra Barrett: alexandrabarrett@me.com;  0775 334 90 24 Movers and Shapers (NW6) Fitness with babies in tow. Book online. www. moversandshapers.co.uk 020 7624 8687 queenspark@moversandshapers.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 Zest For Life Studio is a new secret fitness oasis for vitality and wellness near you. Let me welcome you in my garden studio to share an invigorating hour of zesty fitness, a unique programme of toning circuit & zumba: enjoy a variety of class at 9am, a personal touch, small group of 6-8. In&outdoor classes. marion.bignone.zumba.com zestforlifestudio@gmail.com

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

LANGUAGES AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT All Saints Toddler Group (HA8) Every Thursday 10am-11.45am. Everyone welcome. A small friendly group run by the pre-school, with qualified staff on hand to provide help and support if needed. At Waltham Drive, Queensbury, Edgeware, HA8 5PQ.  07985 284 498/07958 473 475.  allsaintpreschool@hotmail.co.uk www.allsaintpreschool.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 Giggling Panda Chinese School (UB5) offers fun, creative and engaging Mandarin classes for children aged 3-11. Small size classes are run on Sundays and the school is located conveniently off A40 with onsite parking. Alec Reed Academy Bengarth Rd, Northolt UB5 5LQ Lisa.malde@ gigglingpanda.co.uk 07916165228 www.gigglingpanda.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 Practice providing an exceptionally high quality, caring and individualised service for promoting the communication needs of children.

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We offer Speech and Language Therapy sessions within a modern clinic base, nurseries and schools. 01923 824 074 07956 994721  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 Guju Tots Swagatham! Kem Chho? Come along to a FREE taster of these fun-filled 45 minute classes in NW London to help kids 6 months to 5 years learn Gujarati through songs & stories! Interactive, relaxed classes, plus plenty of material to practice at home!  07956 385 316  www.gujutots.co.uk

Outdoor Forest School Parent & Toddler Programme. Monday and Friday Oxhey /Northwood. Come and explore in the woods, led by experienced and qualified Forest School Practitioners. Developing learning, confidence and well being through fire, den building, song, storytelling, craft and tool use.  07900 215 512  www.forevergreenforestschool.com

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

HEALTH AND WELLBEING Wellbeing Kids Workshops (WD3) Well-being workshops for children aged 9-12yr and 13-17yr olds. Holiday masterclasses to support the holistic mind, body and spirit learning. By exploring emotional intelligence, imagination, yoga, mindfulness, role-play and many more creative/ outdoor activities.For more information, please contact Anita  07956 849614,  wellbeingkids@gmail.com

Massage & Yoga Human Values Based Yoga After school classes run in Harrow by a qualified yoga teacher with over 40 years yoga experience and over 30 yrs teaching yoga in various settings, including adult education and family learning, community clubs, hospitals and mental health centres. For adults and children 6-11 years.  Joyce on 07912 879 103  joycedpower@aol.com 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 (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

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 Cloud 9 Leisure (WD25) Imagine a giant inflatable world which combines the fun, challenge and excitement of Ninja Warrior, Gladiator and Total Wipeout! Cloud 9 at Francis Coombe School in Watford is an incredibly new, exciting, active leisure experience for all ages. From a giant inflatable obstacle course and dodgeball arena to a 1v1 battle platform, the fun is endless with plenty more surprises in store.  www.cloud9leisure.com 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 Jungle Monkeyz (HA5) offers a unique Indoor Soft Play Area that is a safe environment for children aged 0-9 years. There are special areas for infants and toddlers, as well as the Junior zone for bigger monkeyz which has a 3 tier play structure and exciting Adventure zone. www. junglemonkeyz.co.uk 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 including classes, courses, complementary therapies and room & studio hire. 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

KangaRooKids Music & Drama classes for 0-6 yrs. Active Drama, Music & Movement. P-A-Y-G classes for 0-4’s & after school drama for 3-6 yrs. Mill Hill, Finchley & Hampstead. www.kangarookidsgroup.co.uk 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 OB1 Rhythm & Rhyme (WD17 and HA8) Music and Movement classes are fun, tactile and engaging for both parents and children. Enjoy nursery rhymes, instruments, scarves, ribbons, parachute, stories and music, whilst delighting in puppets and bubbles. Children will learn positive social interaction and enhance their coordination and physical development, as well as excite curiosity. Classes are aimed at 3 months to 3 years and follow the EYFS framework. Join a class in Edgware or Borehamwood.  07522405486 TheatreSchool@OB1.co.uk  www.

OB1.co.uk/RhythmRhyme Sling Swing (various) Award Winning Fun Dance Classes for Parents/Carers with your little one in a Sling/Carrier. For Babies aged from 6 weeks* No Experience Necessary. Slings available to use in Class. Dance styles include Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Salsa and Commercial. Hatch End- Ruislip- UxbridgeWatford- Stanmore.  www.slingswing.co.uk Info: gemmagoodman@ slingswing.co.uk

SPORTS AND EXERCISE All Stars Cricket Gives boys and girls aged 5-8 the chance to play, learn great skills and make new friends! 8 week course starts May 2018.  www.allstarscricket.co.uk 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 Echo’s Equestrian Centre (SL0) A small friendly livery yard and Pony Club Centre in Iver, Buckinghamshire. Junior Pony Club and a Hoof Club during the holidays. 07895 706053  www.echosequestrian.co.uk 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. 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 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 Hertfordshire Sports Village (AL10) have plenty of activities and sports sessions to keep your children active throughout the year. They cater for all children between the ages of 0 – 17 years and offer everything from swimming lessons, Gymnastics, Mini Movers, Trampolining and Mini Boots.  www.hertssportsvillage.co.uk Ignite Tennis (HA3) Coaching courses for ages 3+ at Kenton Lawn Tennis Club. Junior group coaching is for those who wish to improve their tennis skills with others of a similar age and ability. Each session will cover different aspects of the game and they will relate from one session to the next. All sessions include technical, tactical, physical and mental skills.

Contact James  07852 180905  info@ignitetennis.co.uk www.ignitetennis.co.uk Kaishi Karate School runs classes for children and adults in North London.

Karate helps with discipline, confidence, coordination and fitness. First class is a free trial and free karate suit to new members during the month of October. Call on 07875501674 or see class times on  www.kaishikarate34@gmail.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 London Academy of Gymnastics & Dance (LAGAD) Wembley and across north London (HA9, N2, N3, N12, N8, N10, N14, N15, N20, N22, NW11). LAGAD is a specialist company passionate about the provision of high quality, dynamic and fun dance & gymnastics classes. Classes for youngsters from 3.5 years through to advanced levels. Our fully-trained, highly qualified coaches and dance teachers work with all abilities to bring out the best in each child and help them develop a range of fantastic physical and life skills. Birthday Parties also available. Trial Classes throughout the term.

LAGAD aim to inspire and ignite a passion.  0208 883 4675 / info@lagad.co.uk www.lagad.co.uk

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Local Clubs and Classes Directory SportsKids Academy ((WD3 & HA3) SportsKids Academy provide 4 -16 year olds with an exciting and educational sports programme at weekends. We encourage and develop young people to grow as athletes and individuals. We have an extensive programme of team and individual sports as well as weekly team building challenges. ALL CHILDREN participate in a wide range of different sports , grow in confidence through leadership skills and have fun making lots of new friends. Their programme includes; American Football, Dodgeball, Handball, Basketball, Rugby, Softball, Gaelic Football, Rounders, Athletics, Cricket, Gymnastics, Tennis, Fencing, Lacrosse, Archery, Netball, Volleyball, Martial Arts, Football, Badminton, Hockey, Orienteering and Golf.  07983392479 8 sportskids@outlook.com www.sportskidsacademy.co.uk TISKA (HA1/9) Learn the fascinating art of Karate. Classes held in Wembley and Harrow. Families welcome, minimum age 4 yrs. 07739 572487  patel.karate@icloud.com www.tiskakarate-harrow.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

Swimmimg Aqua Vie are doing Regular weekly Tues Wed and Sunday classes in Bushey during term times. Spaces for new babies Tues, Wed and new group Adult swim classes. Learn mindful effortless swimming in a calm environment in warm water. Use less effort, swim further and experience the joy of water.  office@aqua-vie.com  01923 245 773 www.Aqua-Vie.com Brent Dolphins (NW10/HA0) Swimming lessons for children 5 years and over at Willesden and Vale Farm. Sessions are held in a fun and friendly environment from beginner to competitive swimming level.Further details are available on our website www.brentdolphins.org.uk or you can email our Club Secretary at: info@brentdolphins.org.uk

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.

Future Stars Theatre Arts (various) Drama – Dance – Sing – LAMDA. Future Stars is an established stage school with an outstanding reputation for excellence. They provide fun, fresh and dynamic training in Drama, Dance, Singing and LAMDA taught by the very best in the industry. Ages: 3-18 years.

Classes in Stanmore College, Northwood, Aldenham and Radlett.

Visit the website to book your FREE TRIAL now! Limited availability! info@futurestarstheatrearts.co.uk  07912538656  www.futurestars.co.uk Huzzah Performing Arts & Mindfulness Build confidence from the inside out with a Huzzah weekly class. Drama, dance, singing and a touch of mindfulness. Ages 4 - 7. Saturday 1 - 2.20pm in Queen’s Park. Sunday 10 11.30am in West Hampstead. Sign up for a FREE TRIAL  www.huzzahperformingarts.com. Creative, calm, confident kids.

JAM2000 Performing Arts & Agency (HA4) Truly like no other, with classes available in dancing and drama from 2.5 years – adults, male and female plus an incredibly busy Agency that is always looking for new recruits for TV, films and commercials.  01895 624755 www.jam2000.co.uk OB1 Theatre School (WD6 and HA8) Affordable SINGING and DRAMA classes for 4-18 years. Our unique approach to teaching, combined with our small class sizes means that each student is given the training and attention they deserve. Our classes are designed to build confidence, encourage creativity and teamwork, and inspire curiosity. We inspire our students to reach their full potential so that they can excel in every aspect of life - not just the performing arts. All The World’s A Stage. Book your FREE TRIAL at our venues in Edgware or Borehamwood.  07522405486  TheatreSchool@OB1. co.uk www.OB1.co.uk OB1 Vocal & LAMDA Studio (NW7 and SG5) We offer 1:1 private singing lessons with Oren - an award winning singing teacher, as well as 1:1 LAMDA sessions with Georgina, our acting coach. Lessons focus on the individual, enabling students to learn new concepts and technique in a safe and expressive environment. Earn UCAS points through LAMDA exams, build confidence, diction, energy, and expression. Ages 8+ years. We inspire our students to reach their full potential so that they can excel in every aspect of life - not just the performing arts. Lessons in Mill Hill Music Complex and our own studio in Letchworth. VocalStudio@ob1.co.uk www.OB1.co.uk Perform 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. Venues in Croxley Green, Golders Green, Eastcote, Northwood, Pinner, Harrow, Hatch End, Kensal Rise, Kentish Town, Queens Park, Stanmore and Wembley. 020 7255 9120 / enquiries@perform.org.uk  www.perform.org.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.

Classes are designed to develop children’s confidence, focus and social skills, while having fun and making lots of new friends. With more children attending Jigsaw Performing Arts Schools than ever before, now is the time to book a two-week trial and discover these unique benefits at a school near you. For more information or to book a two-week trial,  www.jigsaw-arts. co.uk or call 020 8447 4530.

Sharpe Academy of Theatre Arts (HA1, HA4, HA7, WD3) Performance based theatre school with venues based in Harrow, Rickmansworth, Ruislip and Stanmore where children 3-21 attend weekly classes in preparation for full scale Musical Theatre productions. 01923 437693  www.SharpeAcademy.co.uk

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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 Sylvia Young Theatre School (W1H) A specialist performing arts school offering a high level of academic & vocational studies. The Sylvia Young Theatre School is committed to providing high-quality part time training for students aged 4 to 18 years old. Classes are held on Thursday evenings and Saturdays at their Central London school at 1 Nutford Place, and focus on singing, dance and drama. www.sylviayoungtheatreschool.co.uk Wordworks Studio (HA5) Individual and group classes in Speech, Drama and Communication Skills for children 3-18yrs.  wordworksstudio@ymail.com Young A Listers (HA0) The UK’s first part-time Self-empowerment Drama School, founded by Actor/Writer/Director Samuell Benta, with an intention to raise young people’s awareness about their personal strengths and power.

The school offers the chance for children to pursue a career in acting or simply learn some new skills and build their confidence as a person. Classes every Tues and Thurs at St Johns Community Centre in Wembley. www. youngalisters.com info@YoungAListers.com 07508 031 672

Dance 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 and Bushey.  07814 793 772  instepschoolofballet@yahoo.co.uk www.instepschoolofballet.co.uk London Academy of Gymnastics & Dance (LAGAD) LAGAD is a specialist company passionate about the provision of high quality, dynamic and fun dance & gymnastics classes. Toddler and Parent Ballet (from age 18 Months) and Children’s Ballet and Street Dance classes for children aged 3.5 years upwards at the Ark Elvin Academy. All abilities welcome, Trial Classes available throughout the term. Wembley (HA9) and venues across North London.  0208 883 4675  info@lagad.co.uk www.lagad.co.uk Tartan Tots A fun introduction to Scottish dancing for 3 and 4 year olds.

Encourages co-ordination, rhythm and keeping time to music. Experienced and qualified teacher. Saturday mornings in Watford. Classes also in Highland dancing for primary aged children.  07866 295694  shunt@moose.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

ARTS AND CRAFTS

Art Classes for Kids (and Adults) in Stanmore (HA7) Drawing, painting and mixed media art classes for children and adults. On-going, small groups Mon–Thurs 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 Afterschool/ Holiday Club (ages 5-11yrs) Contact to book your place: Keshma 07419343105  keshma.artzania@gmail.com The Bite Me Corner’s Confidence building cooking & Nutrition programmes!

(HA9) Come, join our engaging Saturday cooking and nutrition sessions held in the heart of Wembley Park at The Yellow! 1 Humphry Repton Lane, Wembley Park, London HA9 0GL. Booking required for these sessions: 11am12pm ; 12:30- 1:30pm. Ages 7+. Create a variety of quick and tasty recipes from great pizza to double chocolate muffins! Healthy options start from being confident with your ingredients! Using organic and commercial food produce we’ll get you fired-up and back in the kitchen to create fantastic dishes! HEY, THERE’S MORE! If you would like to join on our After- school fun programmes which are held at: Cranford Park Academy, Phelps Way, Hayes, Middx, UB3 4LQ on Tuesdays 3:30-4:30pm or Friday 3:30-5:00pm or have one of our exciting Wellbeing Workshops contact Lauri on:  www.thebitemecorner.com contact@thebitemecorner.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  blankcanvasartclub@gmail.com, 07773 819 603 8 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

Academic Primary School Tuition (HA8 & WD23) in Maths/English or Phonics & Writing for 3.5 to 11 year olds at our Little Big Leaders Saturday School, Summer School and Winter School, in our 8th year of success. Tutors support and challenge pupils to improve their learning, and have a track record in

enabling pupils to demonstrate progress in their mainstream setting and/ or in 5+, 7+ and 11+ examinations. Childcare vouchers accepted. Free trial lessons. 020 3637 6266  www.littlebigleaders.com Adams Tutors (various) A bespoke tuition service from London’s leading tuition provider – one to one and group tuition. Experts in maths. 11+, Entrance Exams, 13+, GCSE, A-Levels. All tutors are DBS Enhanced checked. 020 7859 4556  www.adamstutors.co.uk All Saints Pre-School Queensbury (HA8) Free childcare for 2-5 yrs, 15-30 hours. Visit anytime Mon - Fri. Waltham Drive, Queensbury, Edgeware, HA8 5PQ. 07985 284 498/07958 473 475.  allsaintpreschool@hotmail.co.uk www.allsaintpreschool.com 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 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 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) Saturday in Term Time adjacent to Field End Junior School, Field End Road, Eastcote, HA4, for children aged 5 – 11 yrs. Join the friendly team of British Cycling Coaches at 9.15am and learn fun skills, race on the amazing fully enclosed Cycle Track, make new friends and enjoy a whole morning of fun till 11.30 - (refreshment break half way through). All you need is your own bike, helmet, gloves, water bottle and a shower proof jacket.  Contact Tracey at fieldendflyers@gmail.com The Harrow Woodcraft Folk (HA) Elfin group for children, 6 to 9yrs.

Parents wishing to join their children should contact the District Secretary; John Woolf: 020 8428 2409 or harrow@woodcraft.org.uk www. harrowwoodcraftfolk.btck.co.uk/HowtoJoin 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 Karen Wilkin Tuition (HA) 4+/5+ tuition. One to one, tailor made, handson, fun sessions in the comfort of your home. Experienced Montessori teacher with excellent results in all the top schools. Term time and holiday sessions available. 07887 984 401, wilkin@afrormosia.com Knowledge Above Standard (HA7) Maths, English, Verbal and non-verbal reasoning, 7+, 11+ 13+ exam preparation. 07985 588 085  www.knowledgeabovestandard.co.uk 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 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 The Play Shelter After School Club Malorees Infant & Junior Schools (NW6) 3.30pm-6pm term time. Play schemes available out of term-time. 0207 407 6744. admin@theplayshelter.co.uk www.theplayshelter.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 Raviv Practice London (UB5) Catch up reading course. Improve reading age by 1 year in 3 months of home based work. The computer interventions is similar to having a tutor in your home with daily monitoring and feed back. Usha Patel on 07766 837 616  info@ravivpracticelondon.co.uk (registered therapist) Stem Den (HA6) Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths for children aged 5 to 13 years. Develop problem solving skills and learn programming.

At St John’s School in Northwood. www.stemden.co.uk Susan Daughtrey Education (SDE) SW Herts courses are based on more than 25 years experience preparing students for 11+ tests. All courses have been personally written by Susan Daughtrey M.Ed, author of the market leading verbal reasoning Technique and Practice series. Every year since 1987, over 90 per cent. of the students on the courses have achieved success.  020 7683 0734  www.sdeuk.org/swherts 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.

Families North West London 17

What’s On

What’s On

listings for all the family 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 (July/August 2019 issue) send your entry by 1 June 2019 .Email Listings@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.co.uk for all our local weekly regular events. It’s updated every day!

MAY Weekends in May and Jun - Osterley Park and House: Family Canoeing On Middle Lake (TW7) Watersports return to Osterley Park with a paddle and a splash as the Sharks Paddlesports programme starts up again on Osterley’s Middle Lake. Enjoy an alternative experience of Osterley and get #NTActive as a family. Booking online. 12-4pm. www.thesharks.org.uk Sat 4 – Sun 5 May - Koinobori Flying Fish (SE10) Celebrate the Japanese festival of Children’s Day by learning how to make a fantastic carp kite inspired by Cutty Sark’s travels to Japan. 11.30am-1.30pm and 2-4pm. www.rmg.co.uk Sun 5 May - Kids K’nex Challenge Club (HA5) Using the K’nex building system to learn engineering basics and solve practical design and building problems at the Heath Robinson Museum. Themes include bridges, cranes, trucks, towers and much more. Your child’s imagination is the limit. 11am 12.30pm. www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org Sun 5 – Mon 6 May - Elizabethan May Bank Holiday Event (HP8) Experience traditional Elizabethan May Day Merriment with dancing and music at Chiltern Open Air Museum. Discover what it was like to live in Elizabethan times and experience an Elizabethan May Day celebration. www.coam.org.uk Sun 5 – Mon 6 May - Drop-in Design: May Bank Holiday Weekend 2019 (SW7) Take part in the V&A Museum’s Performance Festival during May bank holiday weekend and make your own crafty musical instrument using a variety of materials. Led by the Drop-in Design team. 10.30am–5pm. www.vam.ac.uk Mon 6 May - St Lawrence May Fair (HA5) St Lawrence Church in Eastcote is hosting it’s annual May Fair. A fun day out for all the family - BBQ with Beer tent, refreshments and cake stall, bouncy castles, face painting and games with prizes. 10:30am to 2:30pm. www.st-lawrence-eastcote.org.uk Mon 6 May - May Day at the Museum (HA2) Step back to Roman Harrow with a Roman reenactor spectacle including Roman gladiators and craftsmen, falconry displays as well as Roman Story time at Headstone Manor Museum. Between the busy programme of activities, treat yourself to homemade cakes, specialty foods, handmade crafts and gifts from the many market stalls that will be there on the day. With so much going on in a

18 Families North West London

8 June - Open Gardens - Barbican Wildlife Garden © Anna Barclay family fun extravaganza, May Day at The Manor proves to be the perfect bank holiday for the whole family! Gates open at 12:00pm. www.headstonemanor.org Mon 6 May - Watford Celebration 2019 (WD18) Watford’s celebration of its rich diversity of cultures, faiths and talents. There will be performances of music and dance from different cultures, a selection of international foods, children’s activities and a sacred space for discussion of different beliefs, plus free refreshments all day long. 11am-4pm at the Multi-Cultural Community Centre on Durban Road. www.watfordcelebration.com Mon 6 May - Free Funday Mondays: Aladdin Bring Aladdin’s flying carpet to life at Intu Watford, with colours and paints, plus interactive storytelling, mini games and soft play.

A free event for ages 1-5 years, from 9.30am-1.30pm. www.intu. co.uk/watford

Wed 8 May – Bach to Baby: Victorian Vox Pop (NW3) This spring, celebrate the 200th birthday of Queen Victoria with Bach to Baby at Hampstead Burgh House! The uprightpiano and super soprano will channel the voice of the people; singing Her Majesty’s favourite Mendelssohn melodies, Brahms ballads, and Gilbert & Sullivan songs! Doors open at 10am. Concert lasts for about an hour. www.bachtobaby.com Fri 10 May - Rock For Heroes (WD7) Fundraising in support of Help for Heroes - music, laughter & a rockin’ night out for all of the family! Following on from the hugely successful first year of touring, the incredible new live music experience Rock For Heroes returns. Bringing the perfect combination of your favourite Rock & Pop artist across the eras to the Radlett Centre, and fundraising in support of Help for Heroes. 01923 859291 www. radlettcentre.co.uk Sat 11 May - Watford Model Railway Exhibition (WD23) The South West Herts Model Railway Society Annual Model Railway exhibition, Queens School Bushey from 10am-4.30pm. Over 20 quality layouts have been invited from across the country covering a range of timescales from the early 20th century to the present day. Something for the whole family including the opportunity to drive model trains and purchase items for your own collection. www.southwesthertsmrs.org.uk Sat 11 May - Maritime Models (E14) Using clay make your own little ship or boat fit for the high seas at the Museum of London Docklands. Fill your boat with miniature sailors or the precious cargo that would have come to Britain from all over the world. www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands Sat 11 May & Sat 8 Jun - Morning Stars (SE10) This early morning show at the Royal Observatory Greenwich is for children with an Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC) and their families and carers. Explore the night sky and find out live from a Royal Observatory Astronomer what is visible on the night of your visit and the month ahead, with opportunities to ask questions afterwards. www.rmg.co.uk Sat 11 – Sun 12 May & Sun 16 Jun - Maple Lodge Nature Reserve: Open Weekend (WD3) Over the weekend this private nature reserve - one of Rickmansworth’s hidden secrets, will be open to the public. On both days guided tours of the reserve will be organised by members of the Maple Lodge Conservation Society. Light refreshments will be available all day and there will also be plants, second-hand books and handmade greeting cards on sale. Entry to the reserve and parking will be free of charge. www.maplelodgenaturereserve.org Sun 12 May - Cheeki Monkeys Children’s & Baby Market Rickmansworth (WD3) The Nearly New Baby Sales are community events for local families to make money while recycling unwanted items. Buy or sell quality, gently used babies’ and children’s toys, clothes and equipment. Great events for savvy mums & dads! Also, crafts, entertainment and refreshments. At Mill End Community Centre from 2-4.30pm. www.cheekimonkeys.co.uk

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What’s On Sat 12 May - The Jetstream Hatch End – Harrow Triathlon (HA5) A popular family-oriented race at Hatch End Playing Fields / Pool, targeted at inexperienced/less-confident triathletes and non-triathletes wanting a new challenge. The pool-based swim and less competitive, familyoriented nature makes this an ideal starter race for those new to the sport. The Junior races are for ages 8-16, with an off-road cycle and British Triathlon approved age appropriate distances. www.hatchendtri.com Sat 18 May - Lots for Tots Sale Watford (WD25) The Watford sale takes place at Francis Combe Academy, Horseshoe Lane, Watford WD25 7HW, and will have up to 40 tables selling great quality items. 10-11.45am. www. lotsfortotssale.co.uk Sat 18 – Sun 19 May Rickmansworth Festival (WD3) The Rickmansworth Festival celebrates canals, the community and the environment. The top attraction for many is the wonderful array of canal boats from across the country, and you’ll also find a range of music and performing arts, displays and presentations, traders, boats and catering.

The festival is based at the Aquadrome, on the towpath between Stockers Lock and Batchworth. www.rwt.org.uk/festival Sun 19 May - Watford Colour Run (WD6) Join hundreds of others at this fantastic family fun run, where you can expect to be covered in coloured powder as you make your way around the 5k route and through the famous Hundred Acre Woods hitting 6 colour stations along the way! The course is completely family friendly and pushchairs are welcome. There’s also a lively events village with food and games. www.peacehospicecare.org.uk Fri 24 – Sat 25 May - Open Air Cinema (NW9) Go along to the RAF Museum London for two special outdoor cinema screenings, taking place on the airfield, surrounded by hangars full of aircraft! Take your picnic blanket, get comfy and cosy up in front of a big screen for a night of movie magic. Deckchairs will be available to hire in advance. Full bar and a selection of delicious food on sale. Doors open at 7.30pm, you will have the opportunity to look around Hangar 1 and grab a bite to eat before the movie starts at 9pm.www.rafmuseum.org.uk Fri 24 - Sun 26 May - Feria de Londres (SE1) Returning to the UK for its third year, Feria de Londres will be bringing its famous Andalusian carnival spirit to London.

Colourful ‘casetas’ will be popping up in the aptly named Bernie Spain Gardens on the picturesque South Bank, serving up delicious Spanish tapas, refreshing cocktails, tasting workshops, vibrant Flamenco dance shows, interactive activities and live Spanish music. www.feriadelondres.com

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May Half Term Sat 25 May - Pre-Film Workshop: A Spoonful of Sugar Singalong & Half Term Film: Mary Poppins Returns (HA5) Mary Poppins is back and with her comes even greater songs! Join song star Fae Simon who will lead a vocal workshop from 10-10.45am at Harrow Arts Centre to learn some of this magical new film’s most popular songs before you fly off to watch the film which starts at 11am. www.harrowarts.com Sat 25 May - The Greatest Showman Singalong (HA5) Back at Harrow Arts Centre by overwhelming demand!

Enjoy the smash hit musical that everyone can’t stop singing, on the big screen! Experience the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation, with lyrics on the screen so you can join in as loud as you want. 5-6.45pm. www.harrowarts.com Sat 25 May - Community Market Garden Open Day (WD18) New Hope’s Community Market Garden will be open to members of the public. Featuring music, storytelling, refreshments, children’s activities and, of course, plants and produce! The garden is at 64 Rickmansworth Road, Watford and is accessed through a gate on the driveway of 62 Rickmansworth Road. There is NO parking on the driveway of 62 Rickmansworth Road. 10.30am3pm. www.newhope.org.uk Sat 25 May - South Indian Cultural Open Day (SE10) Go along to the National Maritime Museum for a free dropin event showcasing the colourful cultural heritage of Kathakali and Bharatanatyam – traditional south Indian dance forms. The event will include make-up demonstrations, costume displays and a series of short performances. 11am-3.30pm. www.rmg.co.uk Sat 25 – Sun 26 May - Beasts of London Family Festival (EC2Y) Take a walk on the wild side with your family at this weekend extravaganza at the Museum of London! Inspired by the new experience ‘Beasts of London’, go beast-tastic with a cacophony of workshops, performances and stories. This exciting festival is a free, drop-in event, though attendance does not include entrance to the experience ‘Beasts of London’. www.museumoflondon.org.uk Sat 25 – Sun 26 May Hertfordshire County Show (AL3) A family day out, with all entertainment included in the ticket price. Livestock, horses & dogs, arena displays, fun, food & shopping. At The Showground in Redbourn. www.hertsshow.com

Sat 25 – Tue 28 May - Airbrush Effects (SW3) Pick a colour, grab a blow pen and get creative with this giant poster half-term activity at the National Army Museum.

Abram Games used airbrush techniques when designing posters during the Second World War. Get inspired, grab a blow pen and create beautiful airbrush art on giant posters in this fun family workshop. Drop-in sessions run from 11am-1pm and from 2-4pm. www.nam.ac.uk Sat 25 - Fri 31 May - Osterley Park and House: 50 things to do before you’re 11 (TW7) Go and join the re-launch of 50 Things to do before you’re 11 ¾ activities. Whether you’re a regular 50 Thing’s participant or just starting out, the team at Osterley can help you explore the new activities.

From No. 1 get to know a tree, to No. 31 hunt for bugs, or No. find a geocache, come and see what adventures can be had at Osterley! Simply collect your 50 things information from our team and collect stickers as you complete each activity.

Booking Not Needed. www.nationaltrust.org.uk Sat 25 May – Sun 2 Jun - Spring Special (AL4) The Spring Special programme at Willows Activity Farm will include live sheep shearing demonstrations by Tuck the Shepherd – seeing the woolly friends getting their hair cut for the warmer weather. You will also enjoy new shows in the Peter Rabbit Theatre, Sheep Racing around the animal race track and all your Willows Favourites including Tristan the Runaway Tractor. www.willowsactivityfarm.com Sat 25 May – Sun 2 Jun - May half-term 2019 at V&A Museum of Childhood (E2) Play, build and design at the museum this May half term. Meet artists and designers for playful workshops and activities

coinciding with the Playing with Buildings display and London Festival of Architecture. www.vam.ac.uk/moc Sun 26 May - Fenton House and Garden: Fenton’s Big Picnic (NW3) Celebrate the English garden over the late May Bank Holiday Weekend. Take a picnic and while away some time in Fenton’s beguiling walled garden and 300-year-old orchard. Simple, delicious refreshments, wine by the glass and traditional garden games like croquet. Storytelling and other idle activities in an enchanting setting. www.nationaltrust.org.uk Sun 26 – Mon 27 May - Roman Gladiators (HP8) Watch provincial gladiators in action at Chiltern Open Air Museum, as a team of criminals, barbarians and other prisoners of war, disgraced soldiers and thrill seekers fight for the entertainment of the crowds and the Emperor. Who will live, and who will die: you decide! The gladiators will be brought to life by Britannia, one of the largest (and oldest) re-enactment groups in the U.K. www.coam.org Sun 26 – Mon 27 May – Spring Steam Gala 2019 (HP22) Steam train rides all weekend at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre. All available locos will be running!

10.30am-5pm. www.bucksrailcentre.org Mon 27 May - Redbourn in Steam (AL3) A popular annual steam rally at Redbourn Village Museum, plus model engineering exhibition and other activities for families. Small admission charge includes admission to Silk Mill House, now a museum exploring Redbourn’s impressive heritage. Engines in steam from around 11am to 4 pm.

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What’s On Continued from page 19

Mon 27 May - Wallace & Gromit Are Returning to London!

(EC2Y) Wallace & Gromit bring a brand-new production of their Musical Marvels show to London’s Barbican Centre, featuring the iconic characters on the big screen with live orchestral accompaniment. This is a fantastic opportunity for young audiences to experience live classical music for the first time, in an accessible, fun way.

Parents will also enjoy reliving their youth, with a screening in the second half of the all-time classic Aardman animation, The Wrong Trousers, again with live orchestral accompaniment – a world first. www.carrotproductions.com Mon 27 May - Dino Adventure (SG3) Go and experience the prehistoric world of the dinosaurs with Dino Adventure at Knebworth House. Aspiring palaeontologists and brave explorers can conquer the special dinosaur trail, travelling back in time to face the 72 life-sized dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures!

Adventurers who find all the dino eggs and complete the trail quiz sheet can claim an exciting reward. www.knebworthhouse.com Mon 27 – Fri 31 May - The Trader’s Game (SE10) Become a trader and cross the world on a board game to collect cargoes from different countries at Cutty Sark. Try to beat the other ships to buy the most sought-after cargo and beware of getting stuck in the doldrums. www.rmg.co.uk Mon 27 – Fri 31 May - Fly away with Easy Wings Travel! (EC2Y) Go along to the Museum of London and browse their selection of fabulous migration destinations!

Did you know hundreds of birds travel to London from countries all around the world? Chat to an

20 Families North West London

Easy Wings Travel Operator to discover more about real life bird migration patterns and book your own migration route. Where will your ticket take you? This is a drop-in activity, so stop by anytime between 12-1.30pm or 2.30-4pm. www.museumoflondon.org.uk Mon 27 – Fri 31 May - The Imagination Station: May HalfTerm 2019 (SW7) Go along to the V&A Museum for free making and performance activities this half-term, inspired by the exhibition FOOD: Bigger than the Plate. www.vam.ac.uk Tue 28 May - Half Term: Origami Workshop (HA5) Get hands on experience with this fun and engaging workshop from Origami specialist, Lavender Home at Harrow Arts Centre! Try your hand at this delicate Japanese art-form and create an array of Origami animals. Suitable for ages 6-12 years.

Parents do not need to stay with their children.

11am - 12:30pm. www.harrowarts.com Tue 28 – Wed 29 May - Out of This World (SE10) Take a family trip to the Moon with a planetarium show, interactive quiz and immersive virtual reality activity at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Start your orientation in the state-of-the-art digital planetarium, continue your mission with a brain bending quiz and finally take a virtual step onto the lunar surface with a virtual reality activity to feel what it’s like to be a moonwalker. 10am12:30pm, ages 7+. www.rmg.co.uk Tue 28 – Wed 29 May Thames’ Treasures Today (E14) The Thames is a spiritual and surprising site, even today. In this creative workshop at the Museum of London Docklands, make a piece of jewellery influenced by Yantra Hindu designs,

some of which have been found in the river. www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-londondocklands Wed 29 May - Half Term: Funky Mural Workshop (HA5) Think large All mural Stars Cricket with this painting art workshop brought to you by local pop-up shop, Picazzo Arts at Harrow Arts Centre. Learn to plan, grid out and execute a real mural – a workshop that encourages innovative thinking and personal development – little details that create an impressive large painting! The mural will be displayed up in the Harrow Arts Centre’s community corridor galleries for a month. After which, every child can take their little masterpiece home. 11am-2pm. www.harrowarts.com Thu 30 May - Family Takeover: Make and Create (NW1) Time to take over the Learning Centre at the British Library with creative family fun! Enjoy playful multisensory activities and learning resources.

A selection of children’s books will be available to relish, read and even perform if you wish! A range of materials will be on hand to inspire you to make, create and invent something to take home. Families are welcome to drop in at any point during the session. Stay for 10 minutes or the full four hours! 11am-3pm. www.bl.uk Thu 30 May - Holiday to Space (SE10) Travel across the Solar System at the Royal Observatory Greenwich and help Space Ted plan for a holiday on another planet. Enjoy a special 20-minute Space Safari planetarium show filled with spectacular views of the planets up close and a chance to sing along to help Ted find the great big bear followed by a 30 minute workshop to find out a little more about Ted’s adventure to the planets. 10-11:30am, ages 4-7 years. www.rmg.co.uk Thu 30 May - Phoenix of Persia (NW1) Celebrate the launch of The Phoenix of Persia with this spellbinding storytelling event at the British Library! Go along and celebrate the launch of the stunning new picture book The Phoenix of Persia with a spellbinding family storytelling event from author Sally Pomme Clayton. 2-3.30pm, ages 6+. www.bl.uk Thu 30 May – Sun 2 Jun Poster Printing (SW3) Channel your inner graphic designer with this family-friendly print-making workshop at the National Army Museum, inspired by the art of Abram Games.

Make your own foam stamps and print a design

11 June - The Royal Opera House BP Big Screens of Swan Lake, Trafalgar Square (c) 2018 ROH

of colourful, bold shapes. Then add a catchy slogan with stencilled or stamped letters. Drop-in sessions run from 11am-1pm and from 2-4pm. www.nam.ac.uk Fri 31 May - Mini-engineer’s Workshop (HA5) To celebrate Heath Robinson’s birthday, members of the West London Meccano Society are returning to the Heath Robinson Museum in Pinner for the fourth year in a row to run this popular course for the budding engineers of tomorrow or girls & boys who just love a challenge. Booking essential. bookings@heathrobinsonmuseum.org www.heathrobinsonmuseum.org

JUNE Throughout June - Marvellous Moons (SE10) Discover more about the moons of the Solar System in this amazing photographic exhibition at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. From our familiar Moon to the lava world of Io or toxic lakes on Titan, this exhibition showcases the fantastic variety of planetary moons in our Solar System. www.rmg.co.uk

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What’s On Sat 1 Jun - Watford Rural Parish Council Summer Fun-Day (WD19) Summer Fun-Day, including stalls, kiddie’s funfair, face painting, balloon artist, music and raffle. Free entry, all rides £1. At St. Andrew’s Precinct, South Oxhey. www.watfordrural-pc.org.uk Sat 1 – Sun 2 Jun - The Hendon Pageant (NW9) Go along to the RAF Museum for a nostalgic vintage festival celebrating the style and charm of the Hendon Pageants. The pageants drew huge crowds and were a chance for spectators to see aircraft fly, to experience technology they had never seen before and to see the Royal Air Force in action. Join in this family festival that will capture some of the magic of the past Hendon Pageants. 10am – 5pm. www.rafmuseum.org.uk Sat 1 – Sun 2 Jun - Ready, Set, Action! (SE10) Have fun exploring different forms of performance and dance from around the world at the National Maritime Museum. Find out about Kathakali Indian dance and how sailors would perform on-board HMS Intrepid when stuck in the frozen Arctic ice. 11am–1pm & 2-4pm. www.rmg.co.uk Sun 2 Jun - Outdoor Theatre: The Tempest (HP8) The Handlebards all female troupe’s hilarious outdoor theatre performance at Chiltern Open Air Museum. Starts at 6.30pm. www.coam.org.uk Mon 3 Jun - Free Funday Mondays: Toy Story 4 (WD17) Toddlers can create beautiful finger puppets using a selection of materials and embellishments, plus interactive storytelling, mini games and soft play.

A free event at Intu Watford for ages 1-5 years, from 9.30am-1.30pm. www.intu.co.uk/watford Mon 3, 10, 17 & 24 Jun - Mindful Mondays (HP8) Take part in a range of mindful activities and forgotten skills at Chiltern Open Air Museum. 6pm. www.coam.org.uk Sat 8 Jun - Watford Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids!

(WD18) Whatever your ability, get muddy and help beat cancer sooner with the Pretty Muddy and Pretty Muddy Kids obstacle course at Cassiobury Park! Race for Life Pretty Muddy is a brilliant 5k muddy obstacle course. Scramble over the A-frame, crawl through the mud pit, have fun with your friends and raise valuable funds for lifesaving research. Kids can take part in the Pretty Muddy Kids obstacle course. To register visit: www. raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org

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Sat 8 Jun - Children’s Piano Concert (WD18) Praised for his “sensitive and unpretentious musicality” by Pianist Magazine and referred to as “a major talent” by The Classical Source, Ji Liu has positioned himself as one of the brightest stars in classical music. This eagerly anticipated children’s concert will feature pianist Ji Liu performing a collection of short fun pieces for piano. This will be an enjoyable, educational event for children. Clarendon Muse, Watford, 3-4pm. www.mastermusicpublications.com Sat 8 Jun - World Oceans Day (SE10) World Oceans Day returns to the National Maritime Museum with a day full of indoor and outdoor activities, workshops, prizes, live music, character encounters, tours and contemporary art installations. 10am-5pm. www.rmg.co.uk Sat 8 – Sun 9 Jun - Enrich Festival (WD17) A three-day event at Watford Palace Theatre, created to give space and visibility to talented people with additional needs, break down social barriers and challenge misconceptions. Through a variety of inclusive, creative and accessible performances, workshops and live music concerts the artists and the audience will have a chance to spend a good quality time enjoying themselves in a friendly and prejudice-free environment. See website for further details and times. www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk Sat 8 – Sun 9 Jun - Open Garden Squares Weekend (Various) This June, over 130 London gardens will open for public fascination and enjoyment as part of Open Garden Squares Weekend 2019.

London’s most popular garden-visiting weekend allows members of the public to visit and explore some of the capitals most exciting private gardens, and to take part in a whole range of special events, activities and tours. www.opensquares.org.

Sat 8 – Sun 9 Jun - Sugar Family Festival (E14) Sugar was one of the most important goods stored in the Museum of London Docklands when the building was still a warehouse. Join in a weekend of hands-on workshops, arts, crafts and performances exploring our relationship with sugar. Some sessions will look at the history of sugar and how there is a dark history to this treat. Prepare to be surprised, entertained and educated at this lively festival weekend for the whole family. www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-londondocklands

Sun 9 Jun - Music in the Park (WD18) Grab your picnic blanket and head down to Cassiobury Park for ‘Music in the Park’ presented by Peace Hospice Care Watford Support Group. 2pm to 6pm. The event is free to attend and the team will kindly be raising money for the Hospice and the Watford Renal Unit at Watford General Hospital. www.peacehospicecare.org.uk Tue 11 Jun, 2 Jul & 9 Jul – The Royal Opera House BP Big Screen (HA9) Enjoy free culture on your doorstep when the Royal Opera House BP Big Screens are hosted at 24 key locations across the UK this summer including Arena Square Wembley Park. Take a picnic and your friends and family to see beloved classics: Romeo and Juliet (11 June), Carmen (2 July) and The Marriage of Figaro (9 July) as they are live-broadcast. www.roh.org.uk Sat 15 Jun - Wonderful Whales (E14) Create a beautiful spinning mobile inspired by the wonderful big beasts of the sea at the Museum of London Docklands. These magnificent creatures have even been spotted in the Thames! www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-londondocklands Sun 16 Jun - Father’s Day Medieval Jousting (SG3) The turrets and towers of Knebworth House provide a spectacular backdrop to the costumed knights on majestic warhorses galloping at full tilt across the arena in a fantastic display of horsemanship.

The crowds are encouraged to cheer and jeer the Knights of Arkley as they demonstrate their skills in hand-to-hand combat. Once again, the Green Dragon Bowmen will be offering visitors the chance to try some archery. www.knebworthhouse.com Sun 16 Jun - Osterley Park and House: Father’s Day (TW7) Celebrate Father’s Day at Osterley House, with free entry for all Dads. Don’t forget to visit the Stables Walled Garden, with beer tasting from the National Trust range. Also enjoy a brisk walk around the formal gardens or explore Robert Adam’s designs in the Osterley House. www.nationaltrust.org.uk Sun 16 Jun - Montessori Play Day (E2) To coincide with their centenary, Montessori are once again holding their very popular Play Day at the V&A Museum of Childhood. Visitors will be invited to explore the Montessori approach to teaching, based around hands-on learning and collaborative play. Tutors from Montessori Centre International – the charity’s training college – will share fun, creative

and useful techniques for parents to apply at home to help their child’s learning. 11am-4pm, free drop in, ages 0-4 years. www.vam.ac.uk/moc Sun 16 Jun - Historic Commercial Vehicle Rally (HP22) The 35th Annual Ridgeway Road Run for Historic Commercial Vehicles starts in Henley and finishes at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre on Father’s Day. Up to 60 historic vehicles will be on display, arriving from about 11am. Steam trains will be running offering unlimited free rides, and the miniature ride-on steam trains will be running too with rides for £1 per person. Gates open 10.30 am and last admission 4.30 pm. www.bucksrailcentre.org Mon 17 Jun - Parenting with Positive Discipline (HA1) As a parent it can be exciting and satisfying seeing our children grow into unique individuals and also challenging when they decide they want things their own way. This session at Hope Harrow will look at parenting our children with respect, making sure it’s consistent and firm but fair, ensuring we create a long-lasting positive relationship. 7-9pm at The Lodge, 64 Pinner Road, Harrow. To book a place please call 0208 863 7319 or email: info@hopeharrow.org.uk. www.hopeharrow.org.uk Mon 17 – Sun 23 Jun - Refugee Week (SE10) The sea has, for centuries, played a crucial yet unforgiving role in the migration of refugees. For Refugee Week 2019, the National Maritime Museum will be exploring the experiences of displacement as well as the ways in which communities have welcomed and embraced new arrivals. Go along for a week of talks, workshops and performances. www.rmg.co.uk Wed 19 – Sun 23 Jun - Taste of London Festival (NW1) The perfect family day out is coming to Regent’s Park this June! The five-day festival celebrates the best food and drink in London, with a range of family friendly activities - while the kids are having fun in ball pits, the parents can enjoy highlights of London’s renowned food scene and a glass of Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé. This year’s festival is centred around the theme ‘Wild in the City’, and sustainability will be a key concept, educating kids on the importance of high-quality, handmade produce whilst spending a day of family-fuelled fun in the sun. www.london.tastefestivals.com Continued on page 22

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What’s On Continued from page 21

Fri 21 Jun– Sun 1 Sep - Midsummer Mowed Maze (HP18) Inspired by a historic maze design from a book in the collections at Waddesdon House and Gardens, visitors can challenge themselves to find their way through this horticultural puzzle mowed into the grass. Free with house & grounds admission, 10-5pm. www.waddesdon.org.uk Sat 22 Jun - Family Day: Build a Story (NW1) Take part in an exciting family day at the British Library inspired by the magic of storytelling! Go along to make, touch, sign and explore, as you create, share and celebrate stories. This event is fully accessible for families with deaf children, parents and carers. 12-4pm. www.bl.uk Sat 22 – Sun 23 Jun - Bushcraft Weekend (HP8) Discover more about essential bushcraft skills and ancient survival techniques at Chiltern Open Air Museum. www.coam. org.uk Sun 23 Jun - Peppa Pig and George in the Park (SG3) Peppa Pig and George will be making appearances in Knebworth Park at intervals between 10am and 2pm. There will be photo opportunities so don’t forget to take your camera! www.knebworthhouse.com Mon 24 – Sun 30 Jun – Barnardo’s Big Toddle (Various) Little feet can make a big difference this June as Barnardo’s Big Toddle returns to raise money for vulnerable children. Children, families and nurseries are being called on to put their best foot forward as Big Toddle Week returns with an animal theme from. With lots of opportunities for creative dressing up and exclusive animal-themed early years learning resources available to those who register, this year’s Big Toddles are sure to be roar-some! www.bigtoddle.org.uk Fri 28 Jun - Outdoor Theatre: Much Ado About Nothing (HP8) The Handlebards all-male troupe’s hilarious outdoor theatre performance of Much Ado About Nothing. At Chiltern Open Air Museum at 7pm.www.coam.org.uk Sat 29 Jun - Lots for Tots Sale Rickmansworth (WD3) The Rickmansworth sale takes place at Rickmansworth School, Scots Hill, Rickmansworth WD3 2AQ, and will have up to 40 tables selling great quality items. 10-11.45am. www.lotsfortotssale.co.uk Sat 29 Jun - Astronomy and Islam: Family Special (SE10) Held before the predicted sighting of the next New Crescent Moon, this special Astronomy and Islam planetarium show at the Royal Observatory Greenwich will use the planetarium to explore Arabic tales woven into the starry night sky and explain why the Moon seems to change shape over the month. Visitors will be able to extend their stay beyond the show as access to the historic part of the Observatory is included in the ticket price. Ages 7+, 10-10.45am. www.rmg.co.uk Wed 3 Jul - The Luna Cinema: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (AL4) Highfield Park in St Albans will once again play host to open air cinema this summer. Make sure you book early to get your place at St Albans’ most exciting open-air cinema experience. £1.50 from each ticket sale will go directly to the Highfield Park Trust charity who manage the park. thelunacinema.com Sat 6 - Sun 7 Jul - Summer Fest (HP18) Experience Waddesdon’s new summer spectacular, Summer Fest. Immerse yourself in the festival atmosphere and be amazed by a range of extraordinary street theatre and arts performances, including an incredible tightrope performance by the Bullzini Family. Complete with family activities and live acoustic music throughout the weekend, this is one event you don’t want to miss. www.waddesdon.org.uk

Thu 25 - Sun 28 Jul Camp Bestival (BH20) Camp Bestival is known as the UK’s ultimate family festival, having won Best Family Festival at the UK Festival Awards five times. Taking place July 25th-28th at Lulworth Castle, Dorset, the four-day festi-holiday offers hundreds of things to see and do. From headliners Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Jess Glynne and Annie Mac, family fun with Mr Tumble, Mister Maker and Shaun The Sheep, to science shows and circus workshops, there’s so much for kids of all ages to enjoy.Tree-climbing, woodland workshops, helter skelters, giant bubble workshops and face painting for the kids through to teens having poetry slams, teen only spinning classes, sleeping out under the stars and How To… workshops, there really is something for everyone.

Parents are particularly spoilt at Camp Bestival; well, they do buy the tickets! Amazing live acts and DJs, raves, discos, parties, comedy, literary talks, parenting advice and stories, cocktails, award-winning street food, likeminded people all in a big old field by a castle and the sea. www.campbestival.net/tickets

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What’s On

What’s On Children’s Theatre We couldn’t fit them all in! More online www.FamiliesOnline.co.uk

Compiled by Anna Blackshaw

We aim to be as accurate as possible, but these listings are compiled several weeks beforehand and may be subject to change. Please check with the venue directly before setting out.

The Alban Arena Civic Centre, St Albans 01727 844488 www.alban-arena.co.uk Wed 19 – Thu 20 Jun - In The Night Garden Join Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, Makka Pakka and friends at In the Night Garden Live for a brand new show on their first ever UK theatre tour in 2019!

Artsdepot 5 Nether Street, North Finchley, N12 020 8369 5454 www.artsdepot.co.uk Sun 26 May - Stick By Me “a joyful and funny show” (The Guardian) about friendship and play, and the importance of treasuring little things. This “Charming, delightful, inventive show” (The Wee Review) is created by Andy Manley and Ian Cameron, co-creators of international hit show White. Ages 3-6 yrs Thu 30 May - Sun 2 Jun - The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Created by Jonathan Rockefeller, the critically acclaimed production features a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets, faithfully adapting four of Eric Carle’s stories Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Lonely Firefly and of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Ages 2+

The Beck Theatre Grange Road, Hayes. 020 8561 8371 www.becktheatre.org.uk Wed 8 May - Bring Your Own Baby Comedy The UK’s number one baby friendly comedy club! The show features some of the funniest comedy stars from the circuit and TV. This event is all about you… the parents! A brand new line up of comedians every month featuring two acts, plus a compere, with a 15 minute interval, lasting approximately 75 minutes. Please note: comics will be performing their usual adult material, there is a 12mth age limit for the little laughers.

Wed 29 May - Milkshake! Live: Milkshake Monkey’s Musical Milkshake Monkey can’t wait to put on a spectacular new musical for you all! But when stage fright hits, his favourite Milkshake friends come to help, creating the most dazzling show you have ever seen! Learn the amazing songs and dances with your favourite Milkshake friends.

Cadogan Hall 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 020 7730 4500 www.cadoganhall.com

Thu 9 May - London Chamber Orchestra: Peter and the Wolf

A youthful take on orchestral music: hear Prokofiev’s childhood classic narrated by his own grandson, Gabriel, alongside Gabriel’s acclaimed piece for DJ and orchestra – debuted at the BBC Proms in 2011. And, of course, the outreach project Music Junction returns with participants performing a brand new piece written specially for them.

Chickenshed Chase Side Southgate N14.

020 8292 9222 www.chickenshed.org.uk Tue 7 – Sat 18 May - Stig of the Dump Everybody had told Barney not to play too near the edge of the chalk pit. But today was one of those grey days when there was nothing to do, nothing to play, and nowhere to go. This new adaptation of Clive King’s Stig of the Dump has been developed by members of the Chickenshed Young Company and celebrates a world of imagination and friendship.

Thu 20 Jun - Baby Broadway Family Concert Enjoy well-known musical numbers from your favourite shows and films, all performed by amazing West End singers. You can also expect bubbles, puppetry, dance moves and lots of audience interaction - join in as much or as little as you want to! Ages 0-6yrs

Harrow Arts Centre Hatch End HA5 0208 416 8989 www.harrowarts.com Sat 8 Jun - The Flying BathWhen everyone has left the house in the morning, the bath toys spring into action and head off on exciting adventures in their magical flying bath! This charming and adventurous story from bestselling author Julia Donaldson is brought to life using music, rhyme and puppetry in this exciting new stage adaptation. Ages 2+

familiesonline.co.uk

Little Angel Theatre 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross St, N1 020 7226 1787 www.littleangeltheatre.com Fri 10 May – Sun 4 Aug - The Slightly Annoying Elephant What’s big, blue, bossy, and turns up uninvited? A slightly annoying elephant, of course! This hilarious story by author David Walliams is brought to life through puppetry. Ages 3 – 8 yrs Thu 23 May – Sat 13 Jul - Suffrajitsu From the cotton mills of the Lancashire hills to the big smoke of London, we follow Annie, as she fights for her right to vote. Combining original music, puppetry and some graphic novel style ‘Ka-Pows!’ Ages 7 – 11 yrs Fri 31 May – Sat 1 Jun - A Message From The Sea Captain Jorgan’s found a message in a bottle – a message for Charlie. Join them on a steampunk voyage to discover the truth. Inspired by a story by Charles Dickens, step into a colourful new world of discovery with some of puppetry’s freshest voices.

Ages 6 – 11 yrs

Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7ES 0844 482 9674 www.nimaxtheatres.com Wed 3 Jul – Sun 8 Sep - The Gruffalo Live on stage Searching for hazelnuts, Mouse meets the cunning Fox, the eccentric old Owl and the high-spirited Snake. Will the story of the terrifying Gruffalo save Mouse from ending up as dinner for these hungry woodland creatures? After all, there’s no such thing as a Gruffalo – is there? Songs, laughs and monstrous fun for children aged 3 and up and their grown-ups, in the much-loved show that’s toured Britain and the world!

The O2 Arena Peninsula Square, London SE10 0208 463 2000 www.theo2.co.uk Wed 26 – Sun 30 Jun - Cirque du Soleil: Toruk Inspired by James Cameron’s recordbreaking movie AVATAR, and with creative input from James Cameron and experts from the movie’s production, TORUK – The First Flight is unlike any other Cirque du Soleil experience. With the brilliance of the Cirque du Soleil performers whose athleticism and acrobatics bring to life the Na’vi, the show is a visual effects spectacular where the world of Pandora is depicted through impressive multimedia projections, massive set-pieces and the largest collection of puppetry in Cirque du Soleil history creating a narrative driven official prequel to AVATAR.

Puppet Theatre Barge Little Venice W9 (During the summer the Barge is at Richmond, TW10) 020 7249 6876 www.puppetbarge.com Sat 4 May – Sun 7 Jul - A Child’s Garden of Verse Shadow puppets and marionettes combine with specially composed music to make this a programme of beauty, poignancy and fun, which captures and nurtures the imagination. Ages 4 +

Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom

Unicorn Theatre 147 Tooley Street, SE1.

020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com Sun 16 Jun – Sun 4 Aug - Aesop’s Fables A few of our favourite writers select one fable and re-tell it for today’s audience. two versions: one for ages 4-7 and one for ages 8-12.

Watersmeet High St, Rickmansworth WD3 01923 711 063 www.watersmeet.co.uk Thu 23 – Fri 24 May - RARE Productions present: Youth production of High School Musical It’s the first day after winter break at East High. The Jocks, Brainiacs, Thespians and Skater Dudes find their cliques, recount their vacations, and look forward to the new year.

Disney’s High School Musical is fun for the whole family.

Wed 29 May - The Jungle Book With brand new songs, creative staging and bags full of fun, why not bring your cheeky little monkeys to laugh like a pack of hyenas when The Jungle Book swings into town!

Watford Palace Theatre Clarendon Road, Watford WD17 01923 225 671 www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk Tue 11 – Wed 12 Jun - The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Eric Carle’s timeless classic has made its way off the page and onto the stage, featuring a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets.

Watford Colosseum Rickmansworth Road Watford WD17 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Wed 29 - Thu 30 May - 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? A stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem… expect to be surprised!

Ages 3+ yrs Wed 19 – Thu 20 Jun – Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom From the makers of Peppa Pig comes this BAFTA award-winning television animation live on stage! Holly is a young Fairy Princess, who lives in the Little Kingdom with her friend Ben the Elf. Join Ben and Holly, and their friends on this exciting, enchanting and magical musical adventure packed full of games, songs and laughter. This beautiful story of elves, princesses and childhood innocence will delight all the family!

Winston Churchill Theatre Pinn Way Ruislip HA4 01895 250615 www.hillingdontheatres.uk Sun 16 Jun - Jeremy Isaac presents Billy’s Band Join Billy’s Band on a fun musical adventure! Featuring great music, world class musicians, pre-concert activities and family participation.

Ages 3+.

The Radlett Centre 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett, WD7 01923 859291 www.radlettcentre.co.uk Fri 31 May – Sat 1 Jun - The Wizard of Oz This spectacular Spring pantomime adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s classic story is packed with good jokes, quality song and dance routines, spectacular scenery and plenty more for all the family!

Tue 18 – Wed 19 Jun - ZOG Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved Zog comes to life in Mike Shepherd’s magical adaptation with Johnny Flynn’s sumptuous folk score featuring live musicians roaring fun for all ages. Ages 3-7 yrs

Trestle Theatre Russet Drive, St Albans, AL4 01727 850950 www.trestle.org.uk Sun 26 May - John Hinton: Ensonglopedia of Animals Twenty-six animal songs, one for each letter of the alphabet. Get to grips with fascinating facts about extraordinary echinoderms, distressed damselflies, crazy corals, batty birds and amazing arachnids. Ages 5 to 105 yrs

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