Families Solent East Jan/Feb 23 PRINT issue

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Editor Rebecca Carr editor@familiessolenteast.co.uk 07789 882467

Sales Claire Clarricoates claire.clarricoates@familiespublishing.co.uk 07812 218331

Book now to be included in our March/April issue. Book by 3 February. We will feature all things Easter, holiday clubs, education and more.

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© Families Solent East 2023.

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In this issue

Local

New

Health

Get muddy, get healthy! Find out why a bit of mud is good for your child.

Happy New Year from all of us here at Families! We wish you the very best for the months ahead.

If you’ve abandoned New Year resolutions already, then let Families re-inspire you! This really is a great time of year to focus on how to get healthier – but it’s difficult to do it on your own. So how about taking on a health challenge as a family instead and you can motivate each other? Whether it’s a new challenge or finding out why it’s healthy for kids to get muddy, this issue offers you lots of food for thought.

And, as the kids head back to school for the new term, we have a great article on SATS, advice on safely choosing an online tutor and how shared reading and language development can help your child.

Finally, we have Britannica Magazine subscriptions to giveaway! Apply for six month subscriptions plus a Britannica All New Children’s Encyclopaedia inside. By doing so, you’ll also ensure you receive our digital magazine with lots more content and goodies on offer.

Enjoy the issue!

Rebecca

Editor, Families Solent East

2023.

Meet the Head

Families talks to Will Turner, Head at Ryde School.

What’s On

We’ve got a round-up of the best events happening in January and February in the local area.

The Big Garden Birdwatch

Get your family involved in the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and help monitor bird life in the UK.

Simply count the birds you see in your garden, from your balcony or in your local park for one hour between 27 and 29 January.

Challenge your children to see who can spot the most birds. Take a bike ride to a local park or make a day trip out of it and spot birds in a new place.

You can also watch Big Garden Birdwatch Live! on YouTube and Facebook to discover what birds are being spotted across the UK with live commentary, interviews and chats with special guests and wildlife experts and the chance to ask them questions.

To learn about ways to attract birds to your garden and get your FREE guide, visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

Wear a Hat for a better future!

Wear A Hat Day, an iconic and fun annual event, is one of the UK’s most popular and family-friendly charitable fundraisers and it’s happening again on Friday, 31 March!

Running for more than ten years, this event raises millions for vital research into brain tumours – the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under the age of 40. Wear A Hat Day events help children explore their individuality and creativity, whilst learning to work together and think of others – in a really fun way.

Participation fosters friendships, creates better local and school communities, offers unique learning opportunities and provides new ways for children to explore ideas around different life experiences, all while giving hope to brain tumour patients and their loved ones.

Join this event, as a family or by persuading your local school to take part. Register now for more information and your FREE fundraising pack at www.wearahatday.org

Fair Ways Fostering, rated Outstanding by Ofsted, is an award-winning charity fostering agency based in Hampshire. They receive over 200 weekly referrals for local children needing safe and loving homes, but simply don’t have enough foster carers to fulfil this need.

Many of their foster carers have had young children when they began fostering and one said: ‘Our children are now 8 and 5 and we began fostering when our eldest was only 2 years old! We made a fantastic choice; the children love fostering and they have just won a national award for Birth children excellence. Fostering has been life changing for all of

Three ways to grow intelligence

Barbara Langford, Deputy Head - Academic, Westbourne House School in Chichester tell us more.

Research tells us that intelligence can be developed. So how can you help grow a child’s brain?

If I had to pick one thing, it would be conversation. Children pick up almost all their values and attitudes from their parents and modelling behaviour through conversation is incredibly powerful.

1. Plan your focus: If parents talk about a child’s efforts rather than achievements, the child will learn to value the skills that will ultimately help them to succeed. Parents could praise thinking skills, such as creativity and critical thinking, as well as behaviours, such as open-mindedness, curiosity and perseverance.

2. Chatting at home: Talking and listening to family members helps children develop empathy and an understanding that not everyone shares the same opinions. Talking about a book can spark imagination and develop intellectual playfulness.

3. Tell stories of challenges faced: If a child sees a parent giving in and saying ‘I’m rubbish at this’, it sets the scene for children to think it is acceptable to lose heart and stop.

An alternative approach could be: ‘I wish I hadn’t rushed into that job of putting the shelf up; if I had taken more time planning it would be straight. Next time, I’m going to get a spirit level out!’ Here the parent is modelling resilience and awareness of thought process.

Westbourne House School are inviting children with academic and/or music potential to apply for scholarships in March. Visit www.westbournehouse.org/scholarships to find out more.

FREE Early Years play programme launched

Leading toy company, Fisher Price™ has teamed up with a leading support charity, Family Action, to launch the Family Action Play Programme for children ages 0 to 5 to help with their early childhood development.

The programme is available online and free to families and it shares early years expertise, practical tips and simple activities for families looking for quick and easy ideas to build play into the everyday and help their children thrive.

The programme includes five modules that tackle the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of play and its importance in early childhood development and has been developed drawing upon expertise from the Fisher-Price™ Play Lab and from the practice-based experience of Family Action staff.

Visit www.bit.ly/PlayProgramme to access the Family Action Play Programme.

Free online Maths Circles launched

Children aged 10 to 16 who are keen to extend their mathematical horizons can now take part in free weekly interactive maths sessions online called Maths Circles.

Maths Circles is a way for students to learn from some of the best maths educators in the world. The session contains a mix of challenging questions, puzzles and enrichment topics. The highly interactive sessions, with live chat and polling, also provide an opportunity to develop and practice the sort of problemsolving skills that are used to solve Primary Maths Challenge problems.

The initiative is the creation of Parallel, a charitable mathematics project founded and run by best-selling science author and maths educator, Simon Singh. The Maths Circles sessions are completely safe and securestudents do not appear on screen and cannot be heard and only the educators can see chat comments.

More info at www.parallel.org.uk

Having fun with Mum and Dad at Portsmouth Grammar Pre-School

The Portsmouth Grammar Pre-School is all about learning through play, days are filled with painting, dancing, outdoor learning, writing, reading and lots of smiles. Sharing some of the fun with your grown-ups is great!

At the beginning of the Autumn term parents were invited to stay for a selection of topic themed activities, including making pinecone owls, leaf wrapping with wool, a Boogie Mites session, and a playdough disco! There was a fair amount of mess, some confused looks (the grown-ups), hugs and laughter.

“It has been a great morning,” said Mrs Chloe Eastburn, the Pre-School Lead. “The children really enjoy sharing their learning with their parents and it’s very important to build links between school and home to help the children develop.”

Everyone had a wonderful time sharing the activities with each other, and the children really enjoyed showing their families everything they love to do at Pre-School!

To find out more about The Portsmouth Grammar Pre-School call 023 9236 0036 or visit www.pgs.org.uk

SATS: getting in the know

By Jessica Joan

In May, Year 2 (KS1) and Year 6 (KS2) pupils will take their SATS exams. Yet, from their very first day at school, children are being trained to be able to perform in preparation for these assessments.

So much work goes on behind the scenes in other years to get children ready and when it comes to the year in which they take their SATS, teachers are under pressure for them to do well.

To prepare for the exams, your children will be doing lots of maths, reading and writing at school, intertwined with other subjects so that they are consistently practising those skills. Sometimes this means that other foundation subjects are deemed ‘not as important’ and additional maths and English lessons squeezed in instead.

So how can you ensure your child does well in their SATS?

Your child’s school will more than likely be sending home maths, English and reading homework in preparation. It can be difficult to make your child do homework, especially when they have been worked so hard during the school day; however, it’s an important support in preparation for SATS so anything you can do with your child can really make a difference to how they perform.

Providing your child with any opportunity to read, write and do mathematical calculations will be massively appreciated by your child’s teacher!

In addition, you can download and look at past SATS papers from previous years (www.sats-papers.co.uk) to get an idea of what your child will have to do. There will be some things that have changed since you went to school so ask your child to show you how they do things - they will relish this opportunity!

Likewise, you can always speak to your child’s teacher who will happily show you how you can support your child’s learning at home.

As well as these things, ensuring your child eats well and stays hydrated will support their minds and bodies during the school day. Similarly, creating a good bedtime routine will mean your child gets a decent night’s sleep and has the brain power to be ‘on the ball’ throughout the school week.

Jessica Joan is a primary school teacher from Worcestershire with a ten year teaching career. After experiencing burn out, she set up as a Work/Life Balance Coach for stressed out teachers and launched her Happy Teacher Course. Find out more at www.jessicajoan.co.uk

SATS and your child’s wellbeing

It’s very common for children to feel worried and even stressed about doing their SATS, especially for Year 5 children going into Year 6.

There is plenty that you can do at home to support your child mentally and emotionally in preparation. Explain that it’s totally normal to feel this way before a test and share some of your own experiences. This will help them feel less alone and comfortable in being able to share what’s going on for them.

It’s a great opportunity for you to teach them about emotional intelligence and wellbeing. Start off by labelling the emotion that they are experiencing like anger, worry, anxiety. Then discuss the physical sensations they feel which come with that emotion, whether that’s sweaty palms or a racing heart. Now practise a wellbeing technique to promote feelings of calm and self-assurance during these times. Breathing techniques, exercise and meditation are all great ways to support your child’s wellbeing throughout stressful times during their childhood.

Are KS1 SATS being scrapped?

The government previously announced its plans to scrap KS1 SATS (Year 2) after the introduction of the Reception Baseline Assessment (RBA) which began in September 2021 and is taken by all new primary school pupils. However, it has since been decided to make KS1 SATS (Year 2) optional for schools from September 2023 instead.

The RBA is usually done with a teacher in an informal setting during a child’s first six weeks of school. It is an activity-based assessment conducted via a number of practical and interactive tasks. There have been pilots done all over the country and the validity report confirms that this new assessment provides an ‘accurate’ starting point from which to measure the progress a child makes in primary school.

To my knowledge, this change is welcomed amongst primary school teachers across the country as it limits the amount of pressured standardised testing that takes place during a child’s early school years. Primary school is a time for children to explore their learning through play and their own curiosities.

Shared reading and language development

By Dr Jamie Lingwood

Early language development is incredibly important and sitting down to read with your child gives them a big advantage. Here are my thoughts on the how’s and why’s of shared reading.

Make it a conversation

Shared reading is so much more than simply reading books aloud from start to finish. It’s powerful as an interactive experience, creating a conversation along the way. Evidence suggests that asking children lots of open questions about books can really boost language skills. Exposure to new words builds their vocabulary and the more they hear spoken language, the more easily they can use it themselves. The earlier you start, the better their reading ages will be at school. Research has demonstrated how shared reading protects against a lot of language difficulties and delays. It can even predict how successful children could be as adults in terms of income!

Doing it your own way

Parents, grandparents, carers or sibling will each have their own reading styles; and that’s a good thing. Find the flow that comes most naturally to you, making the experience more interactive as you go along.

Picture books are a good start

Picture books with few or no words are great starting points. A good example is Hug by Jez Alborough, which simply repeats the word ‘hug’ on each page. It’s then down to the adult to create a story around this, starting a conversation with the child. Talking with them about what they see and what they think about the story naturally involves using a mix of words and grammatically structured sentences. The book becomes a prompt for children to express themselves.

Reading the same book over and over...

I hear this a lot from parents: ‘My child wants to read the same book over and over again.’ As an adult, what do you do? Do you read the book for the thirty fifth time this week or encourage

them to read something else? A recent study suggests that reading the same book repeatedly can help with a child’s memory, in terms of building familiarity with particular words. The biggest challenge is your stamina - knowing it’s all in a good cause might help here!

When and where?

When it comes to shared reading, little and often is the way forward. You don’t have to sit down and rigidly read with your child for a set hour at a time. Five minutes here and there is just as useful, particularly when it comes to keeping them motivated.

Fit reading around what works for you and the structure of your own lives. You may well choose a time towards the end of the day when you’re settling them down for bed. But for a lot of people, that isn’t successful because, by that point, their child is too tired to engage properly. Remember it doesn’t have to be bedtime. Pick a different point in the day. Or grab five minutes when you’re travelling on the bus together, for example.

And finally…

Do it yourself! When your child sees you reading and clearly enjoying it, they will want to copy you. This will help them develop a habit that will open up a lifelong world of adventures and learning.

Dr Jamie Lingwood is a Lecturer in Psychology at Liverpool Hope University (www.hope.ac.uk/psychology) and belongs to the ChildLab research group, a group of psychologists and educators who are interested in researching how children develop and grow.

Meet the Head: Ryde School

What attracted you to Ryde School?

What I love is that it is an all-round school, it has traditional educational values but also a great range of opportunities for all pupils and I like the fact we are an Island school with a global outlook. Thinking global, acting local is important in an increasingly smaller world and it’s important to see beyond what is immediately in front of you. I really like the educational challenges of providing a fulfilling educational experience for pupils from 2½ to 18.

How do you think your students would describe you?

Engaged, approachable and decisive.

What was it about Ryde School that made you want to apply for the position?

The location. The Isle of Wight is a wonderful place to live and is therefore a wonderful place for a school and the educational opportunities that we offer. I live with my family in the school and the combination of both was important.

What do you think are the key skills that children should be mastering at the start of their school journey?

In younger years, the concept of sharing, thinking of others, being good friends and being thoughtful and kind. These are more values than skills but are more important at this stage in their own development as a person. Problem solving; resilience and the skills of team work and the ability to work alone are all good building blocks for children as they move up the school.

How would you describe the ethos of Ryde School?

We are an Island school with a global outlook and that’s our identity, underpinned by a strong sense of service with our motto ‘Ut Prosim’ to be of service and the concept of thinking of others before ourselves. We are a kind, caring, considerate community and we are of a

size that means we offer a good range of opportunities and all pupils have an identity within the school which creates a safe and secure environment for young people to thrive in.

What are the qualities of a great teacher?

A great teacher will really hook the pupils into their learning. The teacher’s responsibility is to engage pupils meaningfully with lessons that focus on both skills and knowledge and its important when thinking about teaching a programme over a year that both are being taught and developed within the subject.

What does being a Head mean to you?

Pupils at Ryde come from many different backgrounds on and off the Island and it’s really important to me that we have a thriving community for all those people and our parents and we all feel we are working together. As a Head you tweak things and change things and see what you can achieve in that community for the betterment of the young people that are there.

Meet the Head Special feature

How do you think a Head can make a real difference to an individual pupil?

Making a community where every child is cherished and valued and is supported and guided effectively throughout their time at the school. As a Head I also think it is important when I can I congratulate pupils on something they have achieved, if I’ve seen them in a school concert for example or equally if they have overcome difficulties. It makes a big difference for pupils to have a sense of being noticed and I think that is an important part of the Head’s role.

In what way is Ryde School different from other schools?

The natural difference is the location on the Island, it’s been here for 101 years, is a significant employer and has a strong affinity with the Island and the community see it as their school. There is a sense of real pride for Rydeians and many come through from the Prep School right through to the Sixth Form.

How do you help pupils who need extra academic support?

Recently, I have been having coffee with groups of Upper Sixth pupils who say the extra support they get from the staff is a strength of the school. They feel teachers make time for them and it’s never too much to give them extra support when needed.

What would you like to achieve over the next couple of years and beyond?

I don’t have any set goals. Ryde is a very strong school so it’s about evolution not revolution and how to drive the organisation forward. It’s my responsibility through consultation with staff, parents, pupils and governors to think about how we map that out. I’m in my first term so I am getting to know the school as much as possible. It is about making pupils’ experience here the best it can be.

If you weren’t Head of Ryde School, what would you be?

In an ideal world I’d have been a professional cricketer; I particularly like food and would have liked to have run a deli, I like making things too, and I’d have quite liked an artisanal shop making things out of wood.

What is your most useless skill?

Retaining knowledge such as capital cities, past presidents, prime ministers and useless pub quiz knowledge.

What is your real-life superpower?

I feel I’m quite calm and that’s quite important in a leadership position and I’m consistent and supportive.

To find out more about Ryde School, visit www.rydeschool.org.uk or call 01983 562229.

Families chats to Will Turner, Head Master of Ryde School, Isle of Wight

Getting the best from online tutoring

By Lisa Wander and Catherine Loble

With Covid and the move to online platforms, tutoring has become more accessible, with more options and opportunities available for tutors and students. As a result, over fifteen percent of children across the country are now receiving private tuition.

An Institute of Education study shows that well delivered tuition has a positive impact on attainment across the board. Certainly, in the highly competitive worlds of selective schools and public exams, tutoring has become the norm in ensuring that children are prepared and supported.

Today many parents turn to the internet to find a suitable tutor as it offers wider and often less expensive access to more options. But with it comes the concern around finding quality teaching in an unregulated world.

Online tutoring options are prolific on social media - you’ll likely get more offers than you could sift through in one evening! There are also many specialist online agencies offering a range of tutoring options, as well as A-level or undergraduate student tutors offering their services.

Employing an A-level or undergraduate student tutor may be advantageous in offering your child a positive role model.

Equally, your child may feel more comfortable with somebody closer to their own age and may therefore be more likely to challenge themselves and grow in their learning. This option can also offer a less expensive tuition route. However, it is really important to bear in mind that student tutors are unqualified and

inexperienced and don’t have the experience or understanding of child development.

In this exploding world of online tutoring, to give your child the best chance to succeed, you will need to do your research AND practise due diligence. Paying for a tutor is an important investment and cutting corners may do your child more harm than good.

Most educators recommend a robust academic assessment prior to hiring any tutor. For some children, an experienced tutor will be essential whilst for others a student tutor to support their learning can provide a wonderful experience. Either way, parents should be involved in what and how a tutor is planning for their child and have some degree of control and understanding of which topics will be covered.

Lisa and Catherine are co-founders of Emparenting (www.emparenting.co.uk), supporting children, parents and families with insights, skills and tools to nurture the development and well-being of the next generation.

Safe tutor selection

Meet your online tutor in a video call prior to engaging them and check their references thoroughly.

Consider their professional training as well as their general character and attitude.

Request qualification certificates and background checks.

Ask how they measure progress. Request regular feedback and that any homework is sent via you.

Ask for planning information. A professional tutor will never mind sharing this with you.

Sessions should only be arranged via parents; tutors should never contact your child directly.

Which platform will they use? Make sure that your child knows the rules around safety too.

Monitor online lessons by setting up in an open space in your home or leaving a door open if you are not in the same room. Trust your instincts as a parent; if something doesn’t feel right, stop sessions and change tutors.

An academic assessment

A recommended element of the tutoring process is an academic assessment prior to beginning sessions. This is the process of gathering data to understand the strengths and weaknesses of a student’s learning. It should be tailored to the individual student and delivered by an expert educator. An academic assessment will:

Test a child’s ability against the national cohort.

Help parents understand the academic level their child is currently reaching.

Identify gaps in learning, allowing tutors to create programmes tailored to your child’s needs.

Reveal potential and determine if it’s being reached.

Recommend suitability for future schools.

A robust assessment in advance of using the unregulated online world of tutoring will give you some degree of control and enable you to be more involved and aware of what your child needs in advance of hiring a tutor. It will provide a baseline for you to ensure that your child is being taught to a high standard.

The benefits of extracurricular activities

Extra-curricular activities can boost your child’s confidence to interact socially with others, extend their social networks and provide your child with new skills and abilities. Above all, they offer an important space to have fun and relax away from the pressures of schoolwork.

Below we take a look at some popular activities and assess their key benefits for health and academic and personal development.

KEY

Health – you’ll find healthy benefits highlighted in BLUE. Academic development – these are highlighted in PURPLE. Personal development eg social skills, communication, concentration, confidence, respect for others, commitment –you’ll find these in ORANGE.

BALL SPORTS

Ball sports are great for fitness but lesser contemplated advantages include:

LANGUAGES

In general terms, the younger the mind, the easier it is to learn a second language. This can enable children to communicate with friends or family or when abroad. Other benefits include:

• improved school performance, better memory and problem-solving skills.

• better understanding of the world and other cultures.

MARTIAL ARTS

✓

• life skills - managing winning and losing, persistence, leadership, teamwork, making friends, improving selfesteem.

• physical health - this goes without saying.

• confidence – acquired as they master each incremental step.

COOKING

For many adults, it’s a chore but it’s generally great fun for kids and laden with the opportunity to acquire important development skills:

• fine motor skills - mixing, rolling and using cooking implements.

• maths’ skills - measuring ingredients and understanding fractions, addition and subtraction.

• focus and attention to detail.

DANCE

If your child can’t resist busting a move whenever music is the air, then dance classes may be a great way to channel that enthusiasm. The pay offs include:

• physical health - flexibility, coordination, stamina, muscle strength and posture.

• dedication, self-discipline and focus.

• self-expression.

DRAMA

Whether you have a shy child or a natural performer, structured drama classes can have a wealth of benefits and develop:

• emotional intelligence.

• enhanced communication skills - vocal projection, articulation, listening and observation.

• confidence.

HORSE RIDING

Learning to ride under proper guidance is very safe and offers your child lots of rewards:

• responsibility and accountability - through caring for an animal.

• mental health - coping with anxiety. Equine therapy is increasingly used for children with special needs.

• physical health - develops muscle strength, movement and co-ordination.

Learning a martial art like judo or karate can have benefits for physical fitness and strength but other advantages include:

• self-control, concentration and respect.

• physical health – it’s a great full body workout and allows the release of frustration and anger in a non-violent way.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

Learning an instrument can have upsides for your child that you may not have considered:

• maths skills - sequences such as beat, tempo and rhythm involve recurring mathematical patterns.

• social skills - children can join groups and orchestras and acquire a sense of belonging and team-work.

SWIMMING

Benefits are:

• water safety - drowning is one of most common causes of death in children.

• physical health – brilliant for healthy heart and lungs, strength and flexibility, stamina, balance and posture.

Learning the FUNdamentals of Football

Football fun for children aged 18 months - 8 years old.

Book your first class now!

Visit our website:

www.LittleKickers.co.uk Call: 07551 664969

LittleKickers

Put a spring in your child’s step with Perform

Happy spring term!

Perform confidence-building classes are sure to blow away the winter cobwebs and will help children feel energised and inspired. This term sees 4-7s trapezing and somersaulting into a Circus Adventure whilst 7-12s work on a fun and funky adaptation of Robin Hood, in Outlaw. Imaginations will soar as children work towards a magical performance for family and friends.

Perform is not like other children’s drama schools. Its classes have a special emphasis on child development, using a mix of drama, dance and singing to bring out every child’s potential. Run by experienced actor-teachers, Perform classes focus on developing the 4 Cs: Confidence, Communication, Coordination, and Concentration. With all abilities welcome, children can join at any point in the term and will take part in the performance. The only requirement is to get ready to have the best fun of the week!

Children are welcome to try a FREE class. With local venues in Chichester, Fareham, Petersfield, Southsea and Waterlooville.

Find the right class and book at www.perform.org.uk/try

More about Perform’s weekly classes

Confidence building weekly drama, dance and singing classes for 4-7s and 7-12s. Classes are designed to boost confidence, communication, concentration and coordination. Visit www.perform.org.uk/try, email enquiries@perform.org.uk or call 020 7255 9120 to book a FREE trial class in one of the following venues.

Chichester: St Michael’s Church Hall, PO19 6PN

Fareham: Catisfield Memorial Hall, PO15 5NN

Petersfield: Salvation Army Hall, GU32 3AD

Southsea: St Simon’s Church Hall, PO5 2PW

Waterlooville: Merchistoun Hall, Horndean, PO8 9LJ

Football fun for children

Learning the FUNdamentals of football in a pressure free, fun environment for children aged 18 months to 8 years across the Portsmouth and Gosport area.

There are four different football classes each tailored to a different age group giving children a positive introduction to football with their ‘Play not push’ ethos.

Little Kickers believe football can be educational. Coached in the right way, it can stimulate imagination and aid early development skills such as learning colours and numbers, following instructions and playing as a team.

To find out about their tailored football classes and the exciting badges that each child receives, email: ajane@littlekickers. co.uk or visit www.littlekickers.co.uk

New Year challenges

By Claire Winter

Every New Year we are inundated with health, fitness and self-improvement messages. Often, if we do decide to challenge ourselves and make a change, we don’t feel adequately supported and quickly lose motivation. One way of addressing this is to take on a new challenge as a family. Not only do you all have to get up off the sofa but you get to spend quality time with each other too!

Does your family thrive on a bit of competition? You could make your challenge a goalorientated one. Or perhaps you have family members who want to nail screen time, healthy eating or exercise? Call a family meeting and decide which challenge will suit you all. If you can’t decide, hold a vote! Here are some challenge ideas.

Get wild

We know that spending time in nature is good for you and science backs it up. Challenge each other to name different trees on every walk you go on, see shapes in clouds, identify birdsong; whatever it takes to draw the family into the fresh air.

The RSPB has some great wild challenge suggestions for families; check out fun and learning at www.rspb.org.uk

Reduce screen time

If you decide as a family to spend less time on devices, there are some great apps like AppDetox or AntiSocial which can help. Plan family fun as a healthier and more inclusive use of your time.

Catch me if you can

Coach Martin Sharp (www.martinsharp.com) suggests a family running challenge. ‘You could keep it simple and see how many laps of the park you can all do. But if you want to make it more exciting you could enter a Color Run (www.colorrun.co.uk) or a Tough Mudder (www.toughmudder.co.uk) says Martin. ‘Exercise doesn’t have to be the same thing day-in, day-out; with a bit of imagination it can turn into a grand adventure.’

Make a family chart and log everyone’s goals and achievements.

Eat around the world

Bored with your normal meals? Inspire yourselves by researching healthy ingredients you’ve never tried before. Then plan a family challenge to cook meals from around the world. Everyone gets to try something they’ve not eaten before.

Be mindful

In this stressful world, taking time to ‘just be’ is so important. Try some relaxing yoga and meditation every evening for just five to ten minutes, for a month. Insight Timer (www.insighttimer. com) is a free meditation app, packed with different tracks and exercises.

Use workout cards

Fitness expert Lauren Allen (www.strongasamum.co.uk) suggests using playing cards to mix up workout challenges. Allocate a movement or an exercise to each suit. For example, clubs is squats, spades is push-ups, diamonds is star jumps and hearts is high knees. Shuffle your deck and deal out the whole pack to everyone. The number on the card represents how many repetitions of the exercise you need to complete. Set a timer and whoever clears their hand in the quickest time wins the round.

Be brave

Try a new activity that stretches the family’s comfort zone, such as ice skating, wild swimming, rock climbing or paddleboarding. Set yourself an achievable goal and get started!

Ready, steady, cook!

Cook up your own version of Come Dine with Me, with the aim of making your meals healthier. Social media platforms are full of inspiring chefs whipping up feasts you can copy at home.

Get muddy, get healthy

By Gabrielle Nash

Is your child always making mud pies, splashing in muddy puddles and making friends with worms, leaves or sticks? Do you embrace it or hate it?

We all have those memories of getting messy and muddy as a child but when it comes to our children, it can be difficult to allow them free rein. Yet scientific evidence now suggests young children who are encouraged to enjoy safe, outdoor muddy play will go on to develop stronger immune systems than children who are discouraged from it, leading to better overall health.

In the last decade, over sanitised childhoods have contributed to higher cases of allergies in the western world1. The percentage of children diagnosed with allergic rhinitis and eczema has trebled over the last thirty years.

Meanwhile, other studies have also found children who grow up on farms, with easy access to farm animals and the outdoors have a lower risk of developing asthma2. The reason behind these findings is an immune system that is exposed to bacteria and viruses when young and becomes strong, meaning it is much less vulnerable to allergies and asthma.

So how can you safely achieve muddy play?

The best way is to get your child outside as much as possible, from as young an age as possible. Touch trees, leaves, grass and mud. Play with sticks, jump in puddles and breathe fresh air. Forest schools are now a popular alternative to traditional indoor nurseries and forest school activities run by Forestry England and the National Trust are increasingly common during the school holidays.

Locate your closest natural play area - playgrounds made from natural materials; some even have options for den building and mud kitchens. Not only are you giving your child’s immune system a boost but being in the fresh air has countless other physical and emotional benefits. Instilling a love of the outdoors from a young age will continue the healthy habit of getting outside.

You can also give young children regular exposure to safe bacteria through mud kitchens and gardening. This helps

bolster their immune systems from an early age, contributing to a more diverse range of bacteria in the gut and skin. Recent research has found a direct link between diverse microbes in a child’s gut and potentially chronic conditions like obesity, diabetes and even healthy brain development. If you don’t have access to a garden, consider a local allotment or community farm project where children learn about how our food is grown AND get their hands safely dirty.

Children who grow up with a pet, especially dogs, are also known to have a healthier immune system because of the dirt an animal naturally brings in. Use common sense with this though. Don’t play in muddy areas to which cats or dogs have regular access so you can avoid harmful bacteria your child may not be used to. Always wash hands with warm soapy water.

Messy and muddy play requires patience and a relaxed attitude – from you!

Don’t put children in their best clothes outdoors; a second-hand puddle suit and old wellies will suffice.

Don’t wait for a sunny day. If the weather isn’t perfect, remember, you need rain to create that mud.

Get involved yourself. Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean you have to miss the fun and it might even help your immune system!

The saying ‘a little bit of dirt never hurt you’ really is true.

1 www.allergyuk.org/about-allergy/statistics-and-figures/ 2 www.newscientist.com/article/2206654-microbes-from-farms-may-protectchildren-from-asthma-even-in-cities/

Ideas for getting muddy

Mud paintings. Add some food colouring to watery mud and paint on patio slabs or paper.

Mud sculptures. Mould mud into shapes and add pebbles, twigs and leaves.

Den building or mud houses. Use sticks as a structure and mud to secure them.

Mud towns. Get old dump trucks and plastic toy figurines to dig waterways and pour the water in.

And don’t forget some good old-fashioned splashing in muddy puddles. Make it a competition!

Make a mud kitchen

There are lots of way to enjoy the benefits of a mud kitchen without spending a fortune. Make one yourself by sourcing three wooden pallets, two for the base and one for the backing. Sand them down thoroughly before attaching them securely with ten-centimetre screws.

Next, use colourful exterior paint to brighten up the kitchen! Add old kitchen utensils, oven tray, washing up bowl, spoons and spatulas.

Then, just add mud!

What's On listings for all the family

To promote your local event, coffee morning, nearly new sale, parenting courses or community group in the next What’s On listing. Email: editor@familiessolenteast.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.

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All listings correct at the time of going to print. Please check with the venue before visiting to ensure events are still going ahead and venues are open.

DIARY DATES

Every Wed & Fri

Baby Stay and Play

Gosport Discovery Centre, High Street, PO12 1BT

Come along to a fun play session for babies up to pre-crawlers. Session includes activities to help your child’s early communication and support attachment. £1 per child. 10.30-11.30am.

Every Fri

Toddler Rhymetime Fareham Library, PO16 7EN www.hants.gov.uk/ librariesandarchives/library/ events

Sing the old favourites, learn some new rhymes for toddlers under 5. Free to join, parent/ carers must remain with their children during the session.

Every Sat

Family Saturdays Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth, PO1 3BF www.aspex.org.uk

A different creative activity and fun workshop each week, from painting to model making. FREE.

Every Sun SEN Session

FlipOut Portsmouth, PO6 4BQ

A quiet session wtih no music playing and the team are sensitive to the participants differing needs. One hour of fun 9-10am. £8.50

Until Sun 8 Jan

Portsmouth On Ice Guildhall Square, Portsmouth, PO1 2AB www.portsmouthiceskating.uk Dig out those ice skates and go and enjoy a fun and exhilarating time skating in Guildhall Square.

Until 28 Jan

Out of This World! Space Race Toys

Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery, GU32 3HX www.petersfieldmuseum.co.uk

On display in the Museum Learning Space, experience a blast from the past with a presentation of over 20 original space-inspired toys, games, books and annuals. Kids go free.

Fri 6 Jan

The January Wolf Moon

Southdowns Planetarium, Chichester, PO19 8EB www.southdowns.org.uk

The full moon in January is traditionally known as the Wolf Moon by the Native Americans. To learn and discover more this event is sure to make one howling at the moon.

Sun 8 Jan

Wintertime Stars, Moon & Planets

Southdowns Planetarium, Chichester, PO19 8EB www.southdowns.org.uk

Discover and gaze upon the winter night skies. For a guided tour of some of the celestial wonders. Ages 6+.

Thu 12 Jan Baby Talk Workshop

Waterlooville Library, PO7 7DT

This interactive workshop for babies 9 to 18 months. From tips and ideas of the importance of sounds and gestures; to how babies communicate, developing attention and listening skills - all through the use of singing, games and rhymes.

Thu 12 Jan

Debutots-Early Years Drama

Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, PO16 7DX www.ashcroft.org.uk

A magical world of fun and adventure in the role of storytelling. The main elements to their classes are: Story, Drama and Play. For ages 3+ from £4.50.

Fri 13 Jan to Fri 31 Mar

Mini Movers

Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, PO16 7DX www.ashcroft.org.uk

Bond together while having fun with music, sensory props and a whole lot of dancing. For children aged 0 to 5 years, this creative dance session will be fun for all.

Tue 17 Jan

Toddler Talk Workshop

Bridgemary Library, Gosport, PO13 0LA

1½hr of fun and learning for parents and carers of children aged 2 to 3 years. Discover how children’s speech and language develops and give parents awesome ideas from games and activities to learn and have fun.

Tue 24 Jan

Baby Talk Workshop

Bridgemary Library, Gosport, PO13 0LA

For babies from 9 months to 18 months this 1½hr workshop is designed to give practical ways to help develop their speech and language.

Tue 24 Jan

Ancient Life Activity Day

Butser Ancient Farm, Waterlooville, PO8 0BG www.butserancientfarm.co.uk

For an activity-packed day out get hands on with history being brought to life. From creating your own Stone Age jewellery, making medieval ink and try writing with a quill, playing a Roman game and much more!

Tue 31 Jan

Family Food, Fun & Fitness Workshop

Bridgemary Library, Gosport, PO13 0LA

Make mealtimes fun! For parents and carers of children aged 1+. This one-off session gives an understanding of all things food.

From portion sizes, nutrition, resources and ideas to try at home and lots more. Making meal times a fun family activity.

Sat 28 Jan

Creative Saturday: Build with Bricks!

Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery, GU32 3HX www.petersfieldmuseum.co.uk

Come along and enjoy some brilliant brick building fun. There will be a LEGO® building challenge. 10am to 4pm. Included in museum admission.

Sat 28 Jan to Mon 20 Feb

Zero Degrees

Winchester Science Centre Winchester, SO21 1HZ www.winchestersciencecentre.org

The temperature may be dropping but things are heating up at Zero Degrees. As well as all the usual Science Centre fun, there’ll be even more on offer to excite all ages including Northern Lights experience in the Planetarium and Hands on Science Live demo, create a Cloud in a Bottle.

Wed 1 Feb

Mischief Makers: Museum Story Time Petersfield Museum and Art Gallery, GU32 3HX www.petersfieldmuseum.co.uk

Celebrate National Storytelling Week with a FREE Storytime event! 11am & 2.30pm.

Sat 4 Feb

Burglar Bill

The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, PO9 1BS www.thespring.co.uk

Watch the picture book of Burglar Bill by Janet and Allan Ahiberg’s, brought to life on stage. With an exciting set design of puppets and original music and song. Ages 3+.

Sat 4 Feb

Exploring Pottery for Children

Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham, PO16 7DX www.ashcroft.org.uk

Each child will have fun learning different modelling techniques to build their creations before making them come to life with adding colour. Ages 6+.

Mon 13 Feb

Mrs Blossom Makes-Circus and Magic Families

Ashcroft Arts Centre, PO16 7DX www.ashcroft.org.uk

Let’s go to the circus! Join Mrs Blossom and learn the skills of the circus through craft making. From making a set of juggling balls to learning to juggle that will amaze family and friends.

Mon 13 to Fri 17 Feb

Meet the Big Guns

Royal Armouries Fort Nelson, Fareham, PO17 6AN www.royalarmouries.org

Fort Nelson invites visitors to experience its famous collection of big guns in action. Experienced staff will be firing one the Big Guns on the Fort’s impressive parade ground.

Wed 15 to Sun 19 Feb

Dick Whittington

Trinity Theatre, inside Francis Avenue, Southsea PO4 0LX www.halftermpanto.com

The Phoenix Players’ panto is back. Enjoy Dick Whittington, Tommy the Cat, and all their friends for the biggest adventure of the half term at Southsea’s Trinity Theatre.

Fri 17 Feb

The Tap Dancing Mermaid

The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, PO9 1BS www.thespring.co.uk

Be enthralled in a tap dancing performance, perfect for children as well as adults. Featuring stunning puppets and original live music.

Sat 18 Feb

Finger Sports

The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, PO9 1BS www.thespring.co.uk

An exciting, interactive workshop for all to celebrate Artist Anna Bruder’s. Wriggle, skip and twirl your fingers in an array of hilarious games based on your favourite hobbies, plus create your own finger puppets.

Sat 25 Feb

Heritage Collage Family Dropin workshop

The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre, PO9 1BS www.thespring.co.uk

Free for all, located in the garden room, join collage artist Clare Whiting in creating a massive collage inspired by Havant’s history.

Wonder Gig for Families

For ages 7 and under, enjoy gentle activity and music led by Filskit Theatre. Tickets are £3.

Sun 26 Feb

National Spirit Hurdle Raceday Fontwell Race Course, BN18 0SY www.fontwellpark.co.uk

Spend the perfect day at the races. Named after the winner of the champion hurdle in the 1940’s, this race continues to be an exciting and thrilling day out!

FAMILY THEATRE

Chichester Festival Theatre

Oaklands Park, PO19 6AP Box office: 01243 781312 www.cft.org.uk

Sat 7 Jan

Mischief and Mystery in Moomin Valley

With magical puppetry, pop-up book set, original music and interactive play. Expect surprises and a lot of Moomin mischief. Ages 3-7.

Wed 18 Jan

Children’s Concert

For ages 5 to 11, an hour live music performance played by professional orchestra. Including audience participation.

Sat 21 Jan

The Bubble Show

Join Mr. Bubbles in this bubble extravaganza. With one of the best bubble artists in the world, an interactive blend of magic, storytelling and bubbles to fill the delight of young minds.

Sat 7 to Wed 11 Feb

Mother Goose

An hilarious family-friendly panto. With Ian McKellen, John Bishop and Anna-Jane Casey. Don’t be a goose. Instead get ready for the mother of all pantos.

Wed 15 to Sun 19 Feb

Bugsy Malone

The UK’s first ever professional touring production. A crowdpleasing hit full of laughter and custard pies – a show that is bound to be a spectacular theatrical performance that shouldn’t be missed.

Sat 25 Feb

Comedy Club 4 Kids

The best stand-ups, sketch acts and cabaret stars for children and families that is sure to be a delight for young ones. £12.

New Theatre Royal 20-24 Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, PO1 2DD Box office: 023 9264 9000 www.newtheatreroyal.com

Thu 16 Feb

Morgan & West: Unbelievable Science

The hugely talented Morgan & West are one of the most recognisable conjuring acts on the UK touring circuit. This half-term come and see them in a family science extravaganza!

Sun 19 Feb

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

An interactive family show for children aged 2 to 7 year old, with catchy songs, funky dances to clap along to and a rapping troll. This wild, musical adventure is not one to be missed!

Sat 25 Feb

Motionhouse: Starchitects Motionhouse presents Starchitectsa mission to the moon! Five children dream of reaching the moon from their bedroom… Will they succeed? And if they do, what will they find there..? A magical performance using dance-circus fusion and digital projections.

The Festival Hall

Heath Road, Petersfield, GU31 4EA www.wintonplayers.co.uk

Selective

dates in January

Robin Hood

He took from the rich to give to the poor with his band of merry men. Will Robin defeat the evil Sheriff of Nottingham? An entertaining show for both young and old.

Station Theatre, Station Road, Hayling Island, PO11 0EH Box office:023 9246 6363 www.stationtheatre.co.uk

Fri 6 Jan to Sun 15 Jan

Treasure Island

With all the traditional panto traits: a raucously misbehaving dame, a dastardly villain, well-known songs, silly jokes and much more. Join young Jim Hawkins and his feisty Mum facing their most terrifying enemy yet!

Fantastic family shows at Chichester Festival Theatre

Chichester Festival Theatre’s winter season continues with amazing shows, activities and events for all the family. The new year offers Mischief and Mystery in Moomin Valley, bubble magic in The Bubble Show Comedy Club for Kids!

There’s room to unwind in CFT’s free family friendly spaces with amazing shows or exciting events. February promises glitz and glamour with the musical comedy crafts with Creation Station (both at half-term), and before that CFT offers up a theatrical feast, Ian McKellen and John Bishop in an hilarious panto – Mother Goose.

On top of all this, CFT’s Youth Theatre offers weekly sessions to build confidence, have fun and learn new skills. And, the welcoming Café on the Park is the ideal location after a winter walk with toys, colouring-in, chalkboards, fancy dress and books in the nooks to discover as well as barista coffee and home-made cakes.

Find out more at cft.org.uk/forfamilies