Families Birmingham PRINT July-Aug 2022

Birmingham

IN THIS ISSUE:

Summer Fun Holiday Childcare Early Years What’s On

Issue 70 July/August 2022

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CONTENTS Welcome The long summer holiday is nearly here, bringing with it both the prospect of holidays and fun with the family, but also, for many parents, the challenges of summer childcare arrangements and keeping the kids entertained for at least six weeks….

Birmingham

Contact us Editor: Suzanne Brown Email: editor@familiesbirmingham.co.uk Tel: 07807 352087

In this issue

Well, you can rely on us to have you covered. We have loads of lowcost summer entertainment ideas in this issue and tips on piecing together the summer childcare jigsaw. Of course, you’ll also find plenty of information about local events and activities to make the summer really memorable.

We hate to mention the word “school” at this time of year so all we will say is – September is (unfortunately) closer than you think so keep the necessary preparations in mind. In our Education section, check out our uniform tips and the skills you can help your school starter build over the summer before the big day.

Finally, in this issue, we have loads of cool kids’ backpacks from Grass & Air to giveaway! Apply for these handy accessories for your child at familiesmag.co.uk/go. By doing so, you’ll also ensure you receive our digital magazine with lots more content and goodies on offer.

4.

Clubs, Classes & Activities

7.

Summer Fun 1

10.

Childcare

11.

Early Years

March/April competition winners

12.

Education

Congratulations to all our winners. You can find a list at https://bit.ly/MArecipients

14.

Summer Fun 2

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News

Clubs, Classes & Activities S4 SWIM SCHOOL S4 Swim Intensive - School holiday swim courses designed to give your child a real boost with their swimming development!

A typical Swim Intensive course would involve four experienced swim instructors and four different level groups. These courses are on offer for Non-Swimmers, Beginners, Improvers and Advanced children.

• Max of 5 swimmers per group • On-going swimmer assessment • Taught the S4 way, producing swimmers with a high degree of skill & technical ability • A consistent professional approach at all venues (group structure, teaching standards) Find swimming lessons near you at s4swimschool.uk

SOLIHULL YOUNG DANCERS Ballet classes from the age of 2 ½ and Tap classes from the age of 4.

On Saturday mornings from 09:00am at St Helens Church.

For more details, please call Kate on 07722 732678. www.solihullyoungdancers.co.uk

PYJAMA DRAMA ERDINGTON, CASTLE BROMWICH AND SOLIHULL Pyjama Drama have been delivering drama and imaginative play classes and interactive shows for children aged 0 to 7 years since 2005. We can visit your nursery or school or find us at public sessions locally. We harness the power of the imagination to develop key skills such as communication, confidence, co-operation and problem solving. Our incredibly talented teachers deliver child-led sessions that take children on magical adventures where they make new friends, explore new worlds and ‘trial’ situations before they happen.

Whether it’s swimming with mermaids or going to the dentist – Pyjama Drama nurtures happy, confident and curious children. carolinef@pyjamadrama.com

BILINGUASING BIRMINGHAM SOUTH

RUGBYTOTS EAST STAFFORDSHIRE AND SUTTON COLDFIELD

A Sensory Music Class - with added French or Spanish!

Help develop your little one’s early communication skills, build their confidence, and enhance their physical & emotional development with our multi-award-winning music, language & sensory classes.

Early exposure to a second language is fantastic for your little one’s brain development and learning skills.

Lovely baby classes (from 4 weeks old), interactive “crawlers” classes and fun-filled mixed-age “toddler” classes - perfect if you’ve more than one child under 4!

You don't need to know any languages to join us - you’ll be singing along in no time! lucy@bilinguasing.com | 07539 863024 www.bilinguasing.com/find-aclass/birmingham-south

Our fun, structured play sessions take children on a journey of sporting imagination with engaging coaches teaching them how to catch, pass, kick, run with the ball and play as part of a team. Our motto is simple; "make it more fun". We do this by delivering our specifically designed programme for each age group with energy, enthusiasm and excitement creating an atmosphere that is engaging for parents and children alike.

Classes are split into 3 age groups; 2-3.5yrs, 3.5-5yrs and 5-7yrs.

FREE tasters available!

Find your nearest venue at www.rugbytots.co.uk/Class/Find Contact matthew@rugbytots.co.uk 0345 313 0803

THE CHOCOLATE SHED Themed chocolate making parties and workshops for chocoholics of all ages. All of our holiday workshops and children's parties are run by our fabulous team of local chocolatiers who are looking forward to guiding you through the process of crafting your chocolatey creations.

Every workshop is unique and we offer a range of different options which will be tailored to the needs of you and your party.

Your chocolate masterpieces will be made using real, sustainable and locally sourced ingredients where possible and every workshop involves a lot of sticky-fingered fun and tasting!

W: www.thechocolateshed.com E: info@thechocolateshed.com

Would you like to be seen by our readers online and in print?

Contact the editor today on 07807 352087 4 Families Birmingham Magazine

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News

CLUBS, CLASSES & ACTIVITIES

A love of performing can develop key skills for life Whether it be diving into their dressing up box or stepping onto the stage, performing is important to children and young people, and the benefits of this can often go unnoticed. Performing arts can teach children and young people key skills that can be used in everyday life.

Creativity Children are naturally imaginative, and pretend play and make believe comes easily to them. Imaginative play can enable a child’s social and emotional development, helping them to form new ideas and develop resourcefulness.

Problem solving The ability to solve problems creatively within the safety of a performing arts environment can be transferred to everyday life when dealing with a variety of issues. If children feel comfortable exploring and dealing with problems in a nonlinear way, this makes them more confident overall.

Empathy Performance is a classic form of storytelling, not only for entertainment but for sharing tales and ideas. Performing in character can help children appreciate another person’s point of view. To accurately portray a character, we need to be able to step into their shoes, understand their situation and what has brought them to that situation. If a child understands a character in this way, they can apply this to everyday life, helping them to react to friends and adults and develop their social skills.

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Listening The ability to listen is an important skill, especially when a child is in a new setting with new routines and expectations.

During performing arts classes children take direction from their teachers and peers. This encourages them to be receptive to others’ ideas and work collaboratively.

Confidence Building Some children are never happier than putting on a show for their family and friends, but for some standing up in front an audience can be daunting. Performing arts are hugely beneficial to children’s confidence levels. Learning new skills, rehearsing, and performing in a safe space, with the support of expert teachers and encouragement of their peers, can prepare children to deal with situations in which they feel anxious.

At PQA we believe that our three core modules, Musical Theatre, Comedy & Drama and Film & Television, offer our students the very best mix of both performance based and technical training as well as providing them with skills for life to help them grow into well-rounded individuals.

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CLUBS, CLASSES & ACTIVITIES News

Meet your local children's club or class

S4 Swim School S4 Swim School have been providing swimming lessons to thousands of children for over a decade. Hundreds of S4 swimmers have progressed to County, Regional and National level competitions and beyond, thanks to the excellent pathways between S4 and other aquatic organisations.

Member reviews: “My daughters took part in the intensive course and absolutely loved it. Was really pleased at the progress they made in such a short time, we have now signed up to regular classes and can't wait to see the progress they will make”. (Facebook) “Fantastic swimming school, the instructors are brilliant with young children, very positive and encouraging. Would definitely recommend”. (Facebook) “Both of my children completed this course in Easter. They have returned to swimming weekly after Easter and have both improved so much and have now progressed into a new swimming group”. Thanks S4 (Facebook)

The Running School, Birmingham We teach people of all ages and abilities how to run better, run faster and become less prone to injuries.

We find that although some kids are born natural movers there is a majority who can improve their running and then their speed by improving their running technique.

The Running School for Kids helps young athletes of all ages and abilities to improve their running technique, speed, balance, body control, and coordination. Improving running technique will see a great improvement in children’s confidence in sport, and we believe, give them a life skill they can carry with them into adulthood.

Learn more at www.RunningSchool.com or get in touch with our coaching team in Birmingham at Birmingham@RunningSchool.com or 07748 139403 to chat with our specialists today!

www.s4swimschool.uk

BilinguaSing Birmingham South Our multi awardwinning sensory, musical language classes help to develop your child’s early communication skills, build their confidence, and enhance their physical and emotional development. Each BilinguaSing session is a fun-filled sensory adventure, combining our original songs and bilingual nursery rhymes with fantastic puppets, lighting, bubbles, and props. BilinguaSing classes also offer the grown-ups some mental stimulation, helping to stave off ‘baby brain’!

Why Singing?

Singing in a foreign language makes it easier to learn - think of all those old songs you somehow still remember the words to!

In a BilinguaSing class you’ll sing in English, then Spanish or French so you and your little one will gradually make connections between the two. You don’t need to know any languages to join us - you’ll be singing along in no time!

Sessions for babies, toddlers, nurseries and primary school clubs. https://bilinguasing.com/find-a-class/birmingham-south Tel: 07539 863024 | Email: lucy@bilinguasing.com 6 Families Birmingham Magazine

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News

SUMMER FUN

Three’s a crowd!

By Tori JP Entertaining three boys of different ages (12, 6 and 3) can be a challenge. I’m not a particularly crafty mum and therefore I like to get out with the kids as much as possible. Over the years, we’ve been to many indoor and outdoor venues, so I’ve learned a fair amount about what works for all three of them.

Days out that have gone well for us tend to have certain elements in common; there’s somewhere to run around (burning off some energy first!), their interest is sparked and, of course, it’s suitable for a range of ages.

Here are my favourite venue types for great days out for all ages:

and many have activities during school holidays too.

A nature trail can tick every box

The Science Museum in London or the The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester are obvious examples. If you can, look for somewhere that also has an outdoor area so you can tick the physical activity box.

Check your local National Trusts, arboretums and country parks.

We loved hunting for the Gruffalo at Queenswood Country Park in Herefordshire and exploring the deep dark wood at Cannock Chase in Staffordshire.

An activity farm The National Forest Adventure Farm in Burton on Trent was described by my husband as one of the most successful days out we’ve had as a family. The kids absolutely LOVED the potato digging event. This type of venue can also be great for wet weather days as there will often be an indoor play area and inside activities to enjoy. For a summer day, try your local fruit picking farm for guaranteed edible fun.

An interactive science museum These are generally really engaging for children of different ages

An outdoor adventure centre Something like the Habberley Trail in Kidderminster is ‘days out with the kids’ gold. Think a two mile long obstacle course with obstacles generally suitable for kids of all ages. Places like The Crocky Trail in Cheshire and Nets Adventure at Moors Valley in Dorset are also great. You also can’t beat an adventure playground or splash pad!

Don’t forget to factor in naps, snacks, spare socks and hats, porta-potties and any other contingencies you might need for a successful day out. It’s also sensible to check out parking, pushchair friendliness, baby change, available deals or discount codes in advance. As with most things, good preparation is key.

Find more from Tori JP on Instagram @girlaboutbirmingham

Divide and conquer

Team up

If you are staring a six week summer break with two, three (or more) kids in the face and feeling daunted about how you are going to keep everybody busy and happy, try to find ways in which you can spend time with just one or two of the children at a time. Can you still take advantage of your little ones’ nursery days to do activities that are suitable only for the older ones?

There’s no need to go it alone. The chances are that there are many local parents who will be in the same boat as you. There aren’t many things more exciting for kids than playing with another child’s toys, so why not arrange playdates with friends who have children similar ages to yours?

It’s also worth looking for reasonably priced or free clubs provided by local schools and community centres – these have worked well for me. Try your council website and local leisure centres for their offerings too.

Or perhaps a group picnic to the park? It is definitely ‘the more the merrier’ where the summer holidays are concerned and I find that my children play much more nicely together when they each have a friend their own age present. Find out from your school network who else is looking for holiday activities.

Can you allow an older child to go to a movie with friends whilst you take the littlies to see a different film on another screen in the same cinema? Or do playdate swaps with other families?

I’ve found that the weeks are easier when I have a clear plan.

Don’t rule out making a spreadsheet!

Good luck.

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Whilst you’ll probably find that lots of regular groups don’t run during the holidays, some local parent groups do continue to meet. Blaze Trails (www.blazetrails.org.uk) is one group that operates nationwide.

We’ve become accustomed to staying very close to home over the last couple of years but try to reach out again to your network this summer. Remember, it takes a village….

Families Birmingham Magazine 7

SUMMER FUN

Game on!

How to get involved with the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham By @girlaboutbirmingham The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games are almost upon us. If you are looking for some family and budget friendly ways to get involved check out the ideas below!

Visit the Venues Many of our favourite locations around the Midlands are being used for the Commonwealth Games events. Some venues such as the Alexander Stadium have been fully revamped, but we’ll have to wait until the start of the Games to see them. However, others are still accessible, so get a sneak preview and take a trip to one of the following: Cannock Chase, Staffordshire will set the scene for the mountain biking, but there’s still time to hunt for the Gruffalo or complete the Superworm trail. What’s really exciting is that the forest has been able to improve its cycle routes: in particular the ‘Pedal and Play’ trail which sounds fantastic for families with kids! forestryengland.uk/cannock-chase-forest /pedal-and-play-trail Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield - will host the triathlon event. A beautiful park to visit - particularly at this time of year. Why not see the developments that have been made specially for the games before feeding the ducks in Powell’s pool? birmingham.gov.uk/suttonpark Moseley Cricket Club, Solihull - has been chosen as a training venue for the women’s cricket teams competing in the games!

Their facilities are currently being upgraded to bring them into line with those at Edgbaston. The club is accepting applications for new junior cricketers aged 7+. moseley.play-cricket.com/home

Wyndley Leisure Centre, Sutton Coldfield - a training venue for hockey, triathlon, and para-triathlon. Improvements have been made to the running track to ensure they are brought up to the World Athletics standards. It’s possible to book a session on the track if you want to run on the ground where the athletes will tread! birminghamleisure.com Soak up the culture The Birmingham 2022 CG Festival is already in full swing! If you haven’t managed to catch any of the events yet, then go online to check the calendar.

Key to the City - Time is running out to pick up your key to the city. The keys are available from New Street Station beneath the departure boards until 10th July. wearefierce.org/key-to-the-city/ Children's Poetry Festival - A display of local children’s poetry inside Birmingham Cathedral and Cathedral Square which has been inspired by the Commonwealth Games. July – September.

It’s a marathon not a sprint!

If you haven’t bought tickets for the games but do still want to have a slice of the action, then plan ahead early to attend some of the free events. birmingham2022.com/visit The finish line Just a couple more final tips from me. Check birmingham2022.com/mascot to find out all about Perry, the Mascot for the Games. Also, I’ve noticed that there are some Commonwealth Games activities happening at local libraries on 26th July. Get involved on social media by following @birminghamcg22. birmingham2022.com/festival/events

visit i it www.dis discoverdudle d dley.org.uk k There’s lo ots to see and do in the bo orough of Dudley

@D DiiscoverDudley D D dl

8 Families Birmingham Magazine

@DiscoverDudley @Di D dl

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SUMMER FUN

Low-cost summer fun

Something different

Outdoors

Enjoy a wild swim. When it’s warm, it doesn’t get much better than taking a dip in the sea, lake or river. If you live in a big city, don’t be put off! You’ll be surprised how many wild swimming spots are nearby. www.wildswimming.co.uk

Join in National Play Day. National Play Day takes place across the country on 1 August. Children and families have the chance to play at hundreds of community events, from mass adventures in woodlands to street parties with games. Find your nearest ones at www.playday.org.uk

Let’s fish! The Canal and River Trust is running free fishing taster sessions over the holidays, with professional angling coaches on hand to teach the basics. www.canalrivertrust.org.uk Go geocaching. This is a real outdoor treasure hunting game that uses an app. You navigate to a set of GPS coordinates and try to find the treasure at that location. www.geocaching.com Borrow a doggy. Join Borrow My Doggy to let your kids bond with a dog that need some love while their owners are out at work. It’s a great way to get the kids walking in the school holidays. www.borrowmydoggy.com Free tennis coaching and court usage. You can net free tennis sessions or coaching as part of Big Tennis Weekends, organised by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), at venues across Britain. www.lta.org.uk

Go fly a kite! They’re cheap and easy to buy or you can even make your own. Read up on tips about how to fly them. www.thekitesociety.org.uk Go for a bike ride. Cycling is a great way to reconnect with nature and get off the beaten track. Take a ride on a local cycle path or if you’re a bit more ambitious, why not take a family bikepacking trip somewhere a bit further afield?

Find the Gruffalo. If your kids love Julia Donaldson, there are themed walks based on her books up and down the country to take the family to visit. Find out more details on these trails at www.forestryengland.uk/gruffalo Woodland adventure. Explore your nearest woodland and enjoy adventure play areas, natural play, off-road cycling and lots of space to create dens. Find your local wood or forest at www.forestryengland.uk

Water fun

Crafty capers

Sponge water bombs. So easy to make! Just cut sponges into strips and tie them together in the middle with string in order to make fun water soakers, perfect for little hands.

Paint some rocks. Find some smooth and fairly flat rocks and paint them in vivid summer designs. They’ll brighten up the garden, or you can use them as paperweights.

Flower soup. Give your child a basket and pick lots of flowers and petals. Then fill a bowl or tray with water. Let them pop their flowers or petals in, one at a time to see if they will sink or float.

Flower Pressing. Flower pressing is a great way to preserve and study flowers. Once the kids have pressed their flowers, they can make them into greetings cards or bookmarks.

Petal potions. Ask your child to gather leaves, seeds, petals and grass. Then give them a pestle and mortar to grind their leaves and petals in. Give them a jug of water and little jars so that they can make petal perfume or potions.

Make a sundial. Teach your kids how people used to tell the time before clocks and watches were invented. All you need is a compass to pinpoint north. Then put a stick in the ground and watch the shadow change position as the sun moves.

Pouring fun. Fill a paddling pool or large tub with water and add a selection of pouring jugs, ladles and funnels. Add some food colouring to make it extra fun.

Create pictures with melted crayons. Do something with all those broken, used-up or otherwise useless crayons. Remove any paper or plastic wrapping. Then using a hairdryer, melt the crayons onto paper or cardboard and create your very own work of art.

Sprinkler fun. Turn on the sprinkler and fill the paddling pool while your children run through the sprinkler water! Guaranteed excitement.

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Leaf and petal nature kebabs. Give your child a kebab stick and tell them to find leaves and petals to poke on the sticks to make a nature kebab.

Families Birmingham Magazine 9

CHILDCARE

The summer holiday childcare jigsaw

By Andrew Campbell For many parents, the long summer holidays can cause a massive childcare headache requiring an enormous amount of juggling and ‘piecing it together’ and involving substantial cost. If you’re facing the school holiday childcare puzzle right now, then here are some of the pieces you might be able to fit together in your jigsaw.

Family care Family members, typically grandparents, are often more than happy to share the childcare burden and with this comes with the advantage of knowing your children are with someone you all trust. Your kids will benefit by learning they don’t need you all the time and will build long-lasting bonds.

Other parents Teaming up with other parents by taking turns to care for each other’s children is a great way to spread the load. But this will require forward planning and organisation - so get in now. Try setting up a summer childcare WhatsApp group with the parents of your child’s friends.

Private nursery Many nurseries continue as normal throughout the summer but those adjoined to schools and pre-schools usually follow school term dates. Some private nurseries will take on some younger children just for the summer holidays. Contact them to enquire.

Childminders Childminders care for small groups of children of different ages in the childminder’s home. The children usually come from different families and sometimes include the childminder’s own children. If you currently use a childminder, ask about availability

for summer childcare as they take holidays too.

Nanny share A nanny share or ‘home childcarer’ is when you and another family share the costs and responsibilities of employing a nanny to look after your children in your home. Nannies can often work for two or more families, by caring for the children all at the same time or by splitting the week between them.

Holiday camps and workshops Run by private providers, these can be multi-activity day camps focussing on a variety of sport and/or creative activities or single activity camps focussed on a specific sport/creative activity.

Holiday workshops tend to take place for shorter more intense periods and, often organised by providers that also offer weekly term time classes, they offer a valuable opportunity to receive elite coaching and tuition.

Holiday play schemes Playschemes are usually for children of primary school age. Run by schools, councils, youth clubs and community groups, they provide a range of activities and typically cost around £30 a day although this can vary widely, with subsidised prices offered for low-income households.

Give your child the opportunity to experience nursery life with Seesaws excellent childcare, up to date facilities, and experienced professional staff

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10 Families Birmingham Magazine

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EARLY YEARS

What are babies and toddlers thinking?

Babies can’t tell you what they’re thinking and toddlers may not have all the words necessary to explain themselves. But sophisticated advances in technology are making it possible to get an understanding of their behavioural and cognitive development.

This is the work of the Birkbeck Babylab & Toddlerlab (www.cbcd.bbk.ac.uk), a specialist university research centre in the heart of London, which has spent decades perfecting the art of running non-invasive studies of babies and toddlers, with the aim of uncovering how they develop and learn.

Elena Throm is part of a new study at Birbeck which looks at babies’ social interactions and development. As part of the study, she is seeking to understand what environmental cues facilitate the development of brain regions involved in social interaction in that first year of life.

oxygen levels of blood in the brain) to investigate whether toddlers brains are interested in a specific task. Toddlers brains are studied via a novel child-friendly ‘helmet.’

Currently, Lisanne is running a behavioural study with 3-yearolds investigating whether children use both hands when constructing a toy house.

This pioneering study combines an artificial intelligence algorithm with babies’ responses to a range of visual, auditory, or live stimuli, analysed in real time. The algorithm uses the information about individual brain responses to the presented stimuli to identify the set of characteristics that leads to stronger responses in the baby’s social brain network.

The ability to co-ordinate the use of both hands at once is thought to develop in the second year of life. However, when the task is hard, 3-year-olds tend to rely on just one hand. Lisanne’s new toy house task will use easy goals to monitor whether or not these enable 3-year-olds to use both hands.

Elena is recruiting babies ages 5 to 12 months to help her with this exciting study.

Lisanne is also conducting studies with older children up to age 6, including one which involves children doing tasks with parents.

Although babies are happy to sit through Elena’s study, busy toddlers are not!

Developments in mobile technology have allowed Birbeck to create studies that work for toddlers and children who are too busy to stay still. These take place in a ground-breaking and custom designed lab called the CAVE (cave automatic virtual environment). In this immersive virtual reality environment, projectors direct images at the walls and floor of a room size cube.

The CAVE allows researchers to recreate any environment or scenario of interest, from playgrounds and school classrooms to meadows and mountains. The hope is that by conducting research in more naturalistic settings, the findings will be more relevant to life in the real world.

Using Birbeck’s new virtual reality lab, Chiara Bulgarelli is researching the role of empathy in toddlers’ daily social interactions. Her project will use virtual reality and fNIRS to investigate the social situations and behaviours that trigger empathic reactions in toddlers. She aims to map the behaviours through which toddlers express empathy and understand which brain regions are responsible for it.

Birbeck also has researchers studying a variety of other areas, including the development of curiosity as a tool for learning and the impact of socioeconomic status and the home environment on school readiness.

If you have a baby, toddler or older child, and would like to help Birbeck with any of its research, you can find out more at www.cbcd.bbk.ac.uk/toddlerlab

In her current research, Lisanne Schröer is using a combination of motion capture and fNIRS (a child-friendly method to measure

FREE copy of Help your Child Cope with Change Families has teamed up with Summersdale to offer readers this accessible guide to supporting your child through difficult experiences and life changes, including divorce, new siblings or the loss of a loved one.

What is fNIRS? fNIRS is ‘functional near-infrared spectroscopy,’ a child-friendly method to measure oxygen levels of blood in the brain.

It is made up of a comfortable, portable neoprene cap with optical probes including light-emitting and light-detecting fibres.

As the fNIRS optodes shine light onto a baby or child’s head, this is then refracted back – like when you shine a flashlight onto your hand. The resulting measurements show the colour of the blood and thus what parts of the brain are oxygenated or deoxygenated and in use. familiesonline.co.uk

Change is part of life but for a child, events such as starting school, dealing with changes in the family or unsettled times in the wider world can feel destabilising and frightening.

As parents and carers, it can sometimes be hard to know what to do for the best. This book, written by Liat Joshi Hughes, offers actionable tips that will give you and your child the tools to navigate difficult times.

To apply for your free copy, visit www.familiesmag.co.uk/go Closing date: 19 August. T&Cs at https://bit.ly/Famhelpyourchild Families Birmingham Magazine 11

EDUCATION

How to have an educational holiday

By Jemma Z Smith Holidays are all about swimming, having fun and playing games, all past bedtime, aren’t they? Living in the UK, our ‘big annual holiday’ often takes place in the summer and whether you are jetting off abroad or staying in a tent at home, this break is generally considered to be a time that is free from the demands of school and everything that comes along with it.

What does it mean then to have an educational holiday? Do you have to stay inside and read books all day? Well, no. Holidays can be fun AND educational. You can use these tips to make sure that your child comes back from their summer break knowing a little bit more than they did before.

Get kids involved with planning Whether you are choosing to go to Spain or Salcombe, get your child to look up the location on a map or on Google Earth. They can find out how many kilometres you will travel to get there, how long it will take to drive, walk or fly. This will help them contextualise the place they are visiting, hopefully avoiding the ‘are we nearly there yet?’ questions as well.

Learn a bit of the local language Regardless of where you are travelling to, the locals will have a specific vernacular. Learning hello, goodbye and thank you is not just a way to introduce a new language to your child, it is also a great way to get along with the locals. Discuss any similarities between English and the local language, for example, in French the word for ‘dance’ is ‘danse.’

Take an immersive class If you are travelling to Italy, how about learning how to make pizza or pasta? If you’re on holiday in France, learn how to play boules; in Spain, try a bit of flamenco! It is a great way to celebrate a local culture and learn a new skill; after all, not all learning happens in the classroom.

If you’re holidaying by the beach and your child likes being in the water, consider scuba diving, fishing or surfing tuition.

Waiting games Instead of handing your child your phone when you’re in a queue for an attraction, try some simple word games. See how many words you can think of that are … a type of hat? Trilby, sombrero, cap, bowler! You could even bring along a pocket quiz game to keep you all occupied.

Jemma Zoe Smith is Director of The Education Hotel (www.educationhotel.co.uk).

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EDUCATION

Preparing for school

By Emma Lewry No sooner has summer arrived than we are starting to talk about ‘starting school’ or ‘back to school’ preparation.

Uniforms line the shop rails tempting us to think about being organised and ready for school. If you’re already thinking ahead, here are some top tips for preparation.

If your child is starting school this year it can feel like a huge event with lots of pressure.

You may be aware of parents swapping notes about how ready their children are to start school. Try not to compare your child with others; each child is unique and individual in their strengths and in the areas with which they need support. Teachers are ready for this and they know how to support lots of different children in a class. In fact, the uniqueness of each child is often what they love best about the job!

When you start to think about preparing your child to begin school there are some key skills which are beneficial to practise and develop. I’m not talking about academic things; your child doesn’t need to be able to read the alphabet or do the two times table.

The three skills I recommend are building CONFIDENCE, COMMUNICATION and INDEPENDENCE. These skills can be developed through play and fun at home, giving lots of opportunities for your little ones to try new things and offering plenty of praise and encouragement. Talking to your child and reading books about school opens up lots of valuable communication too.

schools want children to be working on developing those confidence, communication and independence.

It can be helpful to offer additional emotional support in the lead up to going back to school, especially if your child is moving to a new school. Talk about what will be different but also what will be the same.

These constants support many children’s need for things to feel safe and familiar. What if your child isn’t keen on talking?

Looking at pictures, reading stories and role-playing school are all great ways to initiate conversation over the summer.

Good luck with starting and going back to school!

Emma Lewry is an Early Years teacher, headteacher and mother of two. Emma co-owns Every Day’s a School Day (www.edasd.co.uk) which guides families through starting school with courses, groups and a school starters planner.

If your child is heading back to school and moving up a year group, many of the starting school ideas apply. At all ages,

Independence

Uniform top tips

Building independence is important for children of all ages.

Children who are independently motivated to play, complete tasks and try new things will often excel at school across the age ranges.

Be careful to check the school uniform list and stick to the items and colours listed. Schools are generally strict about their uniform and as it’s expensive, it’s not worth having to re-buy items if they are wrong.

Here are two ideas to try before school starts.

Make a shoe fitting appointment now for the week before school starts. If it’s possible to book in with a shop local to you, this is a great idea and will ensure you don’t get left in a shoe panic two days before the start of term! You might feel happy to buy trainers in advance but buying school shoes is best left as late as possible to avoid an expensive trip at half term if your child’s feet suddenly grow.

Give your child ownership over one meal that they can plan and prepare for the family, with appropriate support for their age.

This could be a simple breakfast that they get to choose and make or a more complex dinner. Any activity like this means they are getting a feel for completing a task and the pride they feel will boost their desire to try other independent tasks.

Don’t rush in to help them when they are struggling. Sit on your hands, count to fifty or do something to distract yourself while giving them the opportunity to struggle a little with a task.

Check out the school website and social media pages if they have them. This is a great way for you and your child to get tips on sourcing uniform, to check specific uniform requirements and to find out about ways of obtaining uniform more cheaply.

This ‘holding back’ goes for anything and for children of any age - from simply joining a child who is playing alone or stepping in to help with a new craft. Children who are more exposed to the need to persevere are more likely to have the ability to be independent.

Many schools or their PTA (parent and teacher associations) will run second hand uniform sales which can be a great way to pick up some bargain items. It’s also good for the planet to reuse and re-love as much clothing as possible.

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Families Birmingham Magazine 13

OUT AND ABOUT THIS SUMMER

A-Z guide of family fun!

Ackers Adventure, Birmingham Open daily Adventurous outdoor activity centre for all the family. ackers-adventure.co.uk

Go Ape Cannock Chase Open daily Have a summer of adventure: high Ropes, tarzan swings, zip lines, etc goape.co.uk

Aston Hall, Birmingham Open Weds - Sun A variety of events are taking place this summer. See website. birminghammuseums.org.uk /aston

Hoar Park, Shopping and Craft Village, Nuneaton Open Tues – Sun Summer Fun: Donkey rides & Bouncy Castle (weather permitting) Craft Fairs: 17 July, 21 Aug hoar-park.co.uk

Baddesley Clinton, Solihull Open daily Explore the great outdoors at Baddesley, creating memories to last a lifetime. nationaltrust.org.uk /baddesley-clinton Barber Institute of Fine Art, Birmingham Open Tues - Sun, 10am - 5pm View Barber’s collection through different themes with fun and friendly Family Trails. barber.org.uk Black Country Living Museum, Dudley Open daily Step back in time and enjoy 26 acres of history brought to life. bclm.co.uk Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Open Weds – Sun Orchards, a maze, walks and a wild area to explore. castlebromwichhallgardens .org.uk Core Theatre 2, 9, 16, 23 & 31 Aug Fun Family Films shown throughout August. thecoretheatresolihull.co.uk Dudley Museums Exhibits, arts & crafts and family days at fantastic venues. dudley.gov.uk/see-anddo/museums Dudley Zoo and Castle Open daily Free roaming lemurs, feed rainbow lorikeets, enjoy Farmyard Fun. dudleyzoo.org.uk Flash Climbing Centre, Solihull Open daily Rock climbing gym for all ages to enjoy. flashclimbingcentre.com

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Hole Farm Riding Centre, Quinton Open Tues – Sun Pony mornings run throughout the school holidays. holefarmridingcentre.com Lapworth Museum of Geology, Edgbaston Birmingham Open daily Family activities, educational talks, tours and arts & crafts. birmingham.ac.uk/facilities/la pworth-museum Martineau Gardens, Edgbaston Birmingham Open Mon - Sat Nature trail, wildflower meadows, bird hide, ponds, and beehives. martineau-gardens.org.uk Packwood House, NT Open Daily Packwood has lots of fun activities to try on your next family adventure. nationaltrust.org.uk /packwood-house Rush UK, Stirchley Birmingham Open Daily Trampoline park with soft play, dodgeball, foam pit, slackline and more. rushuk.com Sandwell Museum Service A range of different sites across Sandwell. Mostly free to visit. Activities on offer. sandwell.gov.uk/museums Sarehole Mill Open Fri & Sat Spot wildlife at the mill pond and visit the bakehouse for delicious treats! birminghammuseums.org.uk /sarehole

Selly Manor, Bournville Open Tues - Sun Activities available to keep the family entertained over the holidays. sellymanormuseum.org.uk

SUMMER FESTIVALS Music for Youth National Festival 8 – 9 July Symphony Hall, Town Hall, CBSO Centre Birmingham mfy.org.uk Birmingham Fest 15 - 31 July St Paul's Church; Blue Orange Theatre; Crescent Theatre birminghamfest.co.uk

Staffordshire Regiment Museum Open daily Come and see us at the Museum this summer. There are lots of activities to get involved in to keep all the family entertained. staffordshireregimentmuseum .com Tamworth Castle Open Tues – Sun Try out the Castle’s traditional tasks and domestic chores. tamworthcastle.co.uk West Midlands Safari Park Open Daily Summer Safari drive-through, adventure theme park and more. wmsp.co.uk Winterbourne House & Garden Open Daily Children’s garden with willow tunnel, interactive exhibits and activity trails. winterbourne.org.uk

Simmer Down Festival 17 July Handsworth Park, Birmingham simmerdownarts.com Solihull Summer Fest 23 – 24 July Tudor Grange Park solihullsummerfest.co.uk Worcester Festival 13 – 29 August Venues across Worcester worcesterfestival.co.uk Just So Festival 19 – 21 August Rode Hall, Cheshire justsofestival.org.uk Insomnia: Gaming Festival 26 – 29 August NEC, Birmingham insomniagamingfestival.com Moseley Folk and Arts Festival 2 – 4 September Moseley Park moseleyfolk.co.uk WV1 Fest 10 – 11 September West Park, Wolverhampton wv1fest.com

Events are subject to change. Check online before visiting.

Pre-booking sometimes necessary.

BIG BOUNCE - Sunday 25 Sept Interiors Wood Burner Stoves, NEW: Angel & Co – Antiques & Lifestyle Furniture & More Interests Tack, Animal Feed, Florist, Wood-turning, Beadz Galore Craft Supplies, Knitting Wool NEW: Adult well-being workshops, Kids workshops, b’day parties all year & weekends Food and Drink Chocolate Shop, Tea Rooms, Butcher & Farm Shop General Pyrography, Salt Lamps & Crystals, Antiques, Art Gallery & Commissions Fun - Creative Workshops for all age groups CRAFT FAIR DATES 2022 | 17 Jul, 21 Aug, 18 Sept, 16 Oct

Tel: 024 7639 4433 www.hoar-park.co.uk B4114 Nr Ansley, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV10 0QU

Families Birmingham Magazine 15