Families Birmingham Jul/Aug 2023 PRINT

Clubs, Classes & Activities

BILINGUASINGBIRMINGHAMSOUTH

LearnaLanguagewithyourLittleOne!

Song-filledSpanish&FrenchClassesinHarborne,Bearwood andBournville. Helpdevelopyourlittleone’searly communicationskills,buildtheirconfidence,andenhancetheir physicalandemotionaldevelopmentwithourmulti-awardwinning music,language and sensory classes.Earlyexposuretoasecondlanguageis fantasticforyourlittleone’sbraindevelopmentandlearningskills.

ARTATTHEHEART

Areyouaged8-12withapassionforart?Join ArtattheHeart,14th-18thAugustinSolihull, foranunforgettableSummerHoliday experience:"BeanArtistforaWeek".Wantto beaSculptor?Graphicdesigner?Fineartist? Architect?Fashiondesigner?Trythemalland thenshowyourworkinthegallery.Spacesare limited–booknowforfun-packedartistic adventuresthatboostconfidenceand wellbeing.

OurcolourfulArtClubs/YouthArts(ages7-18) runyear-round,taughtbyqualified,awardwinningartisteducatorswithDBSclearance.

Fullprogramme: https://www.artattheheartcic.org/shortcourses/

Orspeaktous: 07772319303

THECHOCOLATESHED

Classesforbabies(from4weeks),crawlersandtoddlerstopre-schoolers!Youdon'tneedto knowanylanguagestojoinin-you’llbesingingalonginnotime!

Findoutmoreat:bilinguasing.com/find-a-class/birmingham-south Tel:07539863024,Email:lucy@bilinguasing.com

THEATRETRAIN,HARBORNE

AtTheatretrainwe:empoweryoungpeople;encourageselfexpression,individuality,andcreativethinkingalongside professionaltuitionin•SINGING•ACTING•DANCING

AtTheatretrainwebelieveperformingartsshouldbe accessibletoeveryone,that’swhyweneverauditionnewstudentsoraskforanyprevious experience.It’sourpolicythatfeesarekeptatalevelaffordabletomostfamilies.Theatretrain LOVESTOPERFORMbothlocallyandnationally,givingourstudentsvastopportunitiesina widevarietyofshows.

Joinnowtobepartofourfun-packed,high-energy,creativeclassesandseeyourchild’s confidencesoar!ClassesinHarborneandBromsgrove

ContactMelanieDykeson07766724834;harborne@theatretrain.co.uk; theatretrain.co.uk/harborne

Themedchocolatemakingpartiesandworkshops forchocoholicsofallages.Allofourholiday workshopsandchildren'spartiesarerunbyourfabulousteamoflocal chocolatierswhoarelookingforwardtoguidingyouthroughtheprocess ofcraftingyourchocolateycreations.Everyworkshopisuniqueandwe offerarangeofdifferentoptionswhichwillbetailoredtotheneedsofyou andyourparty.Yourchocolatemasterpieceswillbemadeusingreal, sustainableandlocallysourcedingredientswherepossibleandevery workshopinvolvesalotofsticky-fingeredfunandtasting!

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

SINGANDSIGNCLASSESFOR INFANTSUPTO2YEARSOLD

UsingmusicalactivitiestoteachBaby signingtodevelopcommunicationand easefrustrations.Learnsignstosupportyourdailyroutines.

InCastleBromwichandacrossSolihull. wendyjackson@singandsign.co.uk 07517381117|singandsign.co.uk

BORN2SING

Weofferchildren’ssinginglessonswherewe focusondevelopingvocaltechnique,breathing exercises,buildingconfidence,audition preparationandsomuchmore.Wealso welcomeandsupportchildrenwithSpecial EducationalNeedsinreachingtheirgoals.

07859809350|born2sing.co.uk

FOOTBALL FUN ATICS

Introducechildrentofootballandlifeskillsinthe mostfunway,developingconfidence&technique inanopressureenvironment.

Qualifiedcoachesrunfunfootballsessionsand amazingartsandmultisportscampsforallabilities. Ages5-13. footballfunatics.co.uk

LEARNIRISHDANCINGWITH GRANARINCE

Fun,fitnessandfriendship-Irishdancing classesforgirlsandboysaged4+ availableinSellyOakandRedditch.First classfreeofcharge!Alllevelscateredto. ContactLouiseon 07790876345 or louise-stanley@hotmail.co.uk granarince.co.uk

SOFTPLAYTAKEAWAY

Oursoftplaypackageskeeplittleones entertainedatpartiesandotherspecial occasions.Weprovideequipment includingbouncycastles,ballpits,musical mats,softplayshapes,andmore!Weare alsoavailableforhiretotoddlergroups andnurseries.

01618184876 softplaytakeaway.co.uk

tododuringthelongsummerschoolholidays,nowisyourchance.

Wehaveloadsoffabulous‘boredombusting’ideasforprojectsto keepthekidsbusy-manyarelowcost,free,educational–oreven explorewaysinwhichyourkidscanusetechnologyconstructively! Goingawayonholidayisapleasurebuttheendless‘Arewethere yet?’questionsfromyourkidsasyoutravelaredefinitelyNOT.So, beforeyougo,takealookatouradviceondealingwiththissituation. Meanwhile,there’sloadsofinspirationforfamilyfunonyourdoorstep thissummerinourWhat’sOnguideaswellasin@torinbirmingham’s articleonhowtokeepcoolintheMidlands.It’stimetogetoutand about!

Lookoutforanother OrchardToysgamegiveaway –wehaveNEW gamesbundlestogiveaway!Applyinsideandyou’llalsoensureyou receiveourdigitalmagazinewithlotsmorecontentandgoodieson offer.

21-22CalthorpeRoad,B151RP T:01214541170

@childbase.com

3-4HighfieldRoad,B153ED

News EDUCATION

Preventingsummer braindrain

ByJemmaZSmith

Summerholidaysarefabulousbutalltoooftenthereturn toschoolinSeptembercancomeasabitofashocktothe system.Howdoyouspellthatwordagain?What’sthat fractionsrule?Thefeelingofforgettingeverythingisreally common(foradultstoo!).

Herearesomefunactivitiesyoucandooverthelongsummer breaktokeepeveryone’smindsintiptopconditionandjustas sharpasintermtime.

Timestablebingo

Thiscanbeareallygoodwayofpractisingyourtimestables. Therearelotsoffreeanddownloadableresourcesouttherebut essentiallyallyouneedispaper,pencilsandperhapsatimes tablesquarethatyoucanreferto.

Whileyou’reinthemathszone,trymakingupdicegames. Forexample,startwiththreeormorediceandsetchallenges: canyourollanumberhigherthan…anevennumber,aprime numberoranumberinacertaintimestable.Thepossibilitiesare endless.Assignpointstothewinnerandmakeitascompetitive asyouwish!

Kim’sgame

Thisisapopularmemorygamethatyoucanplayanywhere.Find tenobjectsandplacethemonatrayorpicnicblanket.Everyone hasagoodlook,thenallbutonepersonclosestheireyesandan itemissilentlyremoved.Canthe kidsrememberwhathasbeen taken?Forvariation,coverthetrayandeveryonehastotryto rememberthewholelistoftenobjects.

S4SwimSchool

S4SwimSchool,aleadingproviderofswimminglessons,is proudtoannouncethatithasbeenprovidingqualityswim lessonstochildrenforoveradecade.Theschoolhashelped hundredsofswimmersprogresstoCounty,Regional,and Nationallevelcompetitionsandbeyond,thankstoitsexcellent pathwaysbetweenS4andotheraquaticorganisations.

Theswimschool’ssmallgroupsizespromotefastprogression, allowingeachchildtoreceivepersonalisedattentionfrom experiencedinstructors.UponjoiningtheS4SwimSchool, everychildreceivesaswimhat,membershipcard,anda bookletthatshowcaseswhattheycanachieve.Additionally, theycanloginonlineandseewhattheyhavecompletedand whattheycanstrivefornext.

“Fantasticlessons!Can'trecommendthemenough.My daughterlovesitandtheyhavebeenfabwithmyyoungest whohasonlyjuststarted!” (Facebook)

FormoreinformationaboutS4SwimSchool,pleasevisittheir websiteat s4swimschool.uk.

Storystones

Thisisalovely,artisticwayofkeepingthekids’imaginationsand creativityfiring.Firstly,youneedtogoonawalkandfindsome smoothpebblessuitableforpaintingon.Theideaisthenthat eachstoneisusedtopaintadifferentsectionofastory.Acrylic paintorpermanentmarkersarethebesttodecoratestones.The kidscanevenactoutthestorylater.

Lights,camera,action!

Feelingdramatic?Encouragethekidstobecomeanews broadcasterfortheday!Theycantakeontheroleofacharacter andchoosesomethingthattheywanttotalkabout.Willitbe scaryorfunny?Whowillbetheinterviewee,thedirector,camera personandlightingtechnician?Then,ofcourse,theywillneed toprepareatimedscriptandpractisespeakingclearlyinfrontof anattentiveaudience.

JemmaZSmithisDirectorofTheEducationHotel, www.educationhotel.co.uk

ArtattheHeart:Fantastic forFamilies!

In2022,ArtattheHeartreceivedaCivicHonoursAwardfor MakingaDifferencetoYoungPeople.Thisfollowed‘Solihull SaysThankYou’forsupportingyoungpeoplewithcreative activitiesthroughlockdowns.

Doyouknowabuddingyoungartistaged8-12?Thissummer theycantakepartinanunforgettableSummerHoliday experienceand"BeanArtistforaWeek".Withachancetotry sculpture,graphicandfashiondesign,fineartandarchitecture andexhibitinginagallery,theycanbeadifferenttypeofartist everyday.Signupvialinkbelowforfun-packedartistic adventuresthatboostconfidenceandwellbeing,too.

QualifiedartisteducatorswithfullDBSclearancerunour colourfulArtClubsandYouthArtsyearround.Checkoutthe onlineclassesifyoucan’tgettoSolihull.

Furtherdetails: https://www.artattheheartcic.org/shortcourses/ orspeaktous:07772319303

Helpyourchildwith schooltransition

ByLisaWanderandCatherineLoble

Whilemovingtoanewclassornewschoolcanbechallenging forkids,mostadapttochangeswithinthefirstfewweeks asroutinesareestablishedandnewfriendshipsformed. Preparationisakeycomponentwhichcanmakeahuge differencetothereadinessofyourchild.Atthesametime, emotionalresiliencegreatlyhelpschildrenadapttodifferent environments,routinesandsocialdynamics.So,howcan parentssupportchildrenthroughtheirjourneyofchangeand uncertainty?

Encourageopencommunication

Opencommunicationisessentialinhelpingchildrenexpress theirworriesandconcerns.Encouragethemtosharetheir thoughtsandfeelingsandvalidatetheiremotions.Setaside dedicatedtimeandspacesfortheseconversations.Thiscanbe assimpleasthewalkordrivehomefromschooloroverasnack attheendoftheday.

Developproblemsolvingskills

Encourageyourchildtoidentifypotentialchallengesand discusspossiblesolutionstogether.Thiswillhelpthemfeel morepreparedwhiledevelopingtheirownproblem-solving skills.Encourageyourchildtobeopentonewexperiences, emphasisingtheimportanceofadaptabilityinovercoming challenges.

Modelresilience

Bymodellingresilienceyouprovideapowerfulexampleforyour childtofollow,helpingthemdeveloptheemotionalstrength neededtoadapttonewexperiences.Giveexamplesofyourown copingstrategies,takingcaretomaintainapositivespin.Show

yourchildthatchangeisanaturalpartoflifeanddiscussthe excitingopportunitiesthatthenewacademicyearwillbring.

Emphasisetheimportanceofself-care

Establishhealthyroutinesincludingregularsleep,exercise andhealthyeating.Encourageparticipationinarangeofout ofschoolactivitiesthattheyenjoy.Thiswillhelpthembetter managetheirownstressandmaintainapositiveoutlookduring timesofchange.

Celebratesuccess

Acknowledgeandcelebrateyourchild’sachievementsand milestonesduringtransition.Praisingtheirabilitytoovercome challengesboostsconfidence.Keeptheopencommunication goingsoitbecomesahabit.Childrenneedtoknowyouwill alwaysbebehindthemthroughandbeyondtheirteens.Remain patientandunderstandingaseachchild’sexperienceisunique anddevelopingemotionalresiliencetakestimeandpractice.

LisaandCatherineareco-foundersofEmparenting (www.emparenting.co.uk),supportingchildren,parentsand familieswiththeinsights,skillsandtoolsneededtonurture thedevelopmentandwell-beingofthenextgeneration.

StagecoachColeshill

FROZEN!

EARLYSTAGESSUMMERWORKSHOP

Ajam-packedoneweekMusicalTheatreWorkshop,learningnewskillsand techniques,havingincrediblefunwithyourfriends,andputtingonafullshowin ofthedecade…FROZEN!

14TH-18THOFAUGUST

Age: 4-7year-olds

Time: 9.00amto12.00pm Performance: Fridayat11.30am

Cost: £80(£70forsecondsiblings)

Venue: JohnHenryNewmanCollege,B375GA

StagecoachColeshill

BOOK NOW

WEWILLROCKYOU!

MAINSTAGESSUMMERWORKSHOP

*WithPermissionfromMusicTheatreInternational.OriginalBroadwayOrchestrationsbyDaveMetzger.OriginalBroadwayMusicSupervisionandArrangements

byStephenOremus.AdditionalBroadwayDanceArrangementsbyDavidChase.FrozenJR.MusicAdaptedandArrangedbyMadelineSmith. FrozenJR.ScriptAdaptedbySaraWordsworth*

CreativeCourage ForLife® StagecoachPerformingArtsisthetradingnameofStagecoachTheatreArtsLimited.StagecoachTheatreArtsschoolsareoperatedunderfranchiseand are independentlyownedbytheirPrincipals.StagecoachandCreativeCourageForLifeareregisteredtrademarksofStagecoachTheatreArtsLimited.

BOOK

Ajam-packedoneweekMusicalTheatreWorkshop,learningnewskillsand techniques,andputtingonafullshowinoneweek. Thisyearwearedelightedto bringyouoneofthemostpopularmusicalsofthedecade…WEWILLROCKYOU! LimitedAvailability.Opentonon-Stagecoachstudentsalso.ChildcareVouchersaccepted.

14TH-18THOFAUGUST

Age: 6-18year-olds Time: 9.00amto3.00pm Performance: Fridayat3.00pm

Visualprocessing: whatparentsneed toknow

ByUshaPatel

‘Myson’sEducationalPsychologistReportrevealedhehas visualprocessingproblems.IamsoconfusedbecauseItake himtotheopticianregularlyandtheynevermentionedany problems.’

Parentsareoftenbaffledwhentheylearnthingsarenotasthey seemwheretheirchild’seyesareconcerned.Opticianswill checkyourchild’seyehealthandhowwelltheireyesworkin termsoftakinginvisualdata–andmaybeprescribeglasses–butthisisonlyhalfthestory.Theotherhalfofhowvisionworks ishowourbrainsinterpretwhatwesee.

Whatisvisualprocessingandhowdoesitaffectlearning?

Visualprocessingisanumbrellatermforseveralactivitiesthat oureyesandbrainmustperformtogether.Thesuccessofthese activitiesisfundamentaltolearningastheyaffectreading, copyingandunderstandingwhatisbeingread.

Thebrain,theeyesandtheirmusclesallneedtoworktogether. Anopticiandoesnottestforthis,soitmaybethatvisual processingproblemscometolightinotherways.Asparents, therearemanyindicatorsyoucanlookfor.

Ifyourchildcannotmovetheireyessmoothlyacrossahorizontal lineofascriptwhenreadingorverticallywhencalculating columnsums,itcouldbethattheyhavea trackingdifficulty.

Ifyourchildcannotsuccessfullymoveandfocusfromoneword ontothenext,thiscouldbea fixationissue. Theymayre-read, gobackorskipforwardwhenreadingasentence.

Ifbotheyesdonotworkwellasateamtoformonepicture,then yourchildmayhave binocularvisualdifficulties; oftenthese childrenseedouble.

Ifyourchildhasdifficultiesthrowingandcatchingaball,these arealsorelatedtoreadingtasks.Theeyesneedtoconvergeon onefocalpointwhentheballcomesnearerandthendivergeas itmovesaway. Convergence isalsoneededforclosereading andfortheabilitytoholdthatpositionwhenreadingovera longerperiod. Divergence isneededwhenreadingfromthe whiteboard;bothareneedediftheyarecopyingfromtheboard.

Thosechildrenwithapoorfieldofvisioncanonlyfocusonone itematatimeandmayfinditachallengetoseealineoftext.In playsituations,theyalsomaynotnoticewhoisaroundthem.

Ifyourchildcontinuestoconfuseletterssuchas‘b’and ‘d’ormisreadswordssuchas‘spot’and‘stop’beyondthe developmentalphase(afterage6),thenthiswouldbe considered visual-perceptualdifficulties.

Undetectedvisualprocessingdifficultiescanhinderlearningby slowingdownhowquicklyvisualinformationisabsorbedand understood.Parentswithchildrenwithspecialeducationneeds (SEN)canlearnalotbywatchingtheirchildread.

Whathelpisavailable?

Infinity-Walk and PrimitiveReflexIntegrationTherapy canhelp childrenwithoneoranumberofthoseproblemsmentioned above.

Ittakesaroundsixweekstostopchildrenfromreversingtheir letters;oncetheyaresureoftheletterdirectiontheycanread withlessdifficulty.

Usingone-to-onetherapycombinedwithtriedandtested phonicsprogrammes,suchas AlphatoOmega helpsmake changestohowchildrenprocessvisualinformationinasalittle astwelveweeks.

UshaPatelisaneurocognitivetherapistatRavivPractice London.Formoreinformation,includingaboutInfinity-Walk andPrimitiveReflexIntegrationTherapy,visit www.ravivpracticelondon.co.uk

Whatthenew childcareproposals meanforyou

ByAnnaLetouze

Therewasgoodnewsforparentsinthisyear’sSpringBudget whenitwasannouncedthatthegovernmentwillbeextending fundedchildcare.Thisfundingextensionwillmeanthat bySeptember2025workingparentsofchildrenovernine monthsanduptofiveyearswillbeentitledtothirtyhoursfree childcareperweek.

Asanyworkingparentknows,payingforchildcarebeforethe existingfundingforthree-year-oldskicksincanbefinancially crippling.Thatthegovernmentacknowledgesthisstruggleisa bigstepforwardforfamilies.

Thispolicyhas thepowertohelpmoreparentsbacktowork andimprovethequalityoffamilylifewithincreasedincome. However,it’simportanttoacknowledgethatwhenyoulook morecloselyatthepolicy,thereisariskthatitcouldpotentially exacerbateexistingissuesinthechildcaresystem.

Unfortunately,thechildcaresystemhasnotreceivedfull governmentfundingtosupportthe‘free’childcareplaces forchildrenages2to4thatitintroducedsomeyearsago.In response, nurserieshavehadnooptionbuttoincreasefees to meettheshortfall,resultinginthecostofchildcareincreasingfor manyparents.

Simultaneously,therunningcostsforchildcareprovidershave skyrocketedandtheyhavebeenclosingenmasse;overfive thousandinthepastyearalone.

Again,fundingforthegovernment’sambitiousnewplansfor childrenages1and2isestimatedbytheCBItobehalfofwhat itwillcosttoimplement,whichwilllikelyresultinmoreclosures, morecompetitionandhigherfees.Currently,themathsjust doesn’taddup.

From April2024, all 2-year-olds willbeeligiblefor fifteenhours offreechildcare. From2025,childrenaged ninemonthsand above willbeeligiblefor thirtyfreehours.

Thereasonforthedelayisthatthedwindlingnumberof providerscouldn’tcopewithasuddenincreaseindemand. Evenwiththelongerleadtime,manyprovidersstillwon’tbe

abletoaffordtooffertherequiredplaces.Thismayleavesome parentsinthesamesituationofnotbeingabletoaccesstheir entitlement.

Ifyourchildisgoingtobeeligibleforfreehoursunderthe proposedchanges,getaheadnowandcheckwithyourlocal providerstoaskwhethertheyaregoingtobeofferingfreehours for2-year-olds.Iftheyare,youmayneedto putyourchildon awaitinglist because,asthingsstand,theremaybealotof competitionforplaces.

Inthemeantime,thereareotherthingsyoucandotolighten theload.First,makesureyou’reclaimingallthebenefitsyou’re eligiblefor.Ifyouareaworkingparentandnotcurrentlyclaiming financialsupport,startwiththegovernment’sonlinebenefits calculatoratwww.gov.uk.

It’salsoworthresearchinganyothersourcesofsupportyoumay beabletoaccess. TheCostofLivingSupport onthe Working Families website(www.workingfamilies.org.uk)isagoodstart point.

Youcouldalso considerrequestingflexibleworking. Everyone hastherighttomakearequestonceinarolefortwenty-six weeks.

Currentlyemployersarenotobligedtoconsiderit,soprepare thegroundworktoputforwardastrongcase.Headtothe WorkingFamilieswebsiteforadviceandfreeresourcesonthe bestwaytomakearequest.

AnnaLetouzewritesonbehalfofWorkingFamilies (www.workingfamilies.org.uk),theUK’snationalcharityfor workingparentsandcarers.

FlexibleWorkingBill

Flexisbecominganeverydaypartofourworkinglivesandthe upcoming EmploymentRelations(FlexibleWorking)Bill will facilitateflexformanymoreparentsandcarerswhoneedit.

Ifitispassedlaterthisyear,thebillwillmakerequestingflexible workingarightfromdayone,permittworequestsayear,reduce theprocessingtime,removetherequirementtoexplainhow aproposedarrangementwillworkandrequireaconsultation betweenemployeeandemployershouldtherequestbe rejected.

Findyourflex

Flexcomesinallshapesandsizes.Hybridorremoteworking, reducedorcompressedhours,changingstartandfinishtimes, flexitime,jobshare;thelistgoeson.

Ifwestartthinkingofrolesascomprisingdifferenttasksthereis oftenanelementofflexibilityinwhenandhowwecancomplete thosetasks.

There’snoonewaytoworkflexibly;instead,itisbestachieved withasolutionthatistailoredbothtoyourneedsandtheneeds ofyouremployer.

BeYourself,BeAmazing withPQAPerformingArts

Theperformingartsisawideandvibrantindustryincluding theatre,music,dance,filmmakingandmore.Withitsmany facets,theperformingartscanopenupaworldofpossibility foryoungpeopletodevelopandgrowinanenvironmentthat issafeandsupportive.Byprovidingaplatformforcreativity, fosteringconfidence,andpromotingasenseof connectednessandcommunity,theperformingartsplaya vitalroleinshapingthelivesofyoungpeople.

BeConfident

Confidenceisfundamentaltoayoungperson’sdevelopment; itenablesthemtohaveago,trynewthingsandsucceedand failinasafeenvironment.Theperformingartsnaturallyhelps youngpeoplebuildconfidenceastheypracticeroutines, performinfrontoffellowstudents,familyandfriends,and receiveandactonfeedback.Allthisworkculminatinginthe thrillofperformingforanaudience,withtheknowledgethat theyhavebuilttheskillstocreategreatwork.

BeCreative

Ofcourse,theperformingartsareanoutletforcreativity! Whetherlearningadanceroutine,actinginaplay,orpitching afilmidea,theperformingartsgivesyoungpeoplean opportunitytousetheirimaginationandexpressthemselves. Flexingtheircreativemusclesallowsyoungpeopletothink outsidetheboxandfindcreativesolutionstoproblemsthey encounterintheirworkbutalsointheireverydaylives.

BeConnected

Thereareveryfewindustriesthatrelyonteamworkasmuch astheperformingarts.Whethertheyarerehearsing, performing,orfilming,theperformingartsallowsyoung peopletoconnectwithotherswhosharetheirpassion. Connectingwiththeirpeers,youngpeopleformbonds, deepentheirempathy,anddevelopcompassionfortheworld aroundthem.

AtThePaulineQuirkeAcademyofPerformingArts,we believethattheperformingartscanhaveahuge,positive impactonthelivesofyoungpeople.Everyweek,ourstudents learnnewskillsandmakenewfriendsthoughourthreecore modules,Comedy&Drama,Film&TelevisionandMusical Theatre.Throughourethosof‘BeYourself,BeAmazing’our studentshavetheconfidencetoputthemselvesoutthere,the creativitytothinkdifferentlyandthecommunitytofeel supportedwhilstdoingso.

pqacademy.com

Arewethereyet?

ByTanithCarey

FourofthemostdreadedwordsforparentsintheEnglish languageare:‘Arewethereyet?’

Recentresearchhasfoundthatchildrenwillaskthisquestion justoverhalfanhourintoacarjourneyandrepeatitfourtimes duringtheaveragetwohourcartrip.

However,whenyoulookatlongcarjourneysfromachild’spoint ofview,shouldwereallybesurprised?

Foronething,foryoungchildren, hoursandminuteshavelittle concretemeaning untiltheyreachaboutage7.Afterthatit willstilltakemanymoreyearsforkidstodeveloptheirimpulse controlandabilitytowait.

Youcanhelpyourkidsunderstandthelengthofthejourneywith moresolidphysicalmarkers, suchas:‘We’llbethereafterwe haveournextsnack,’or‘Whenthefieldsturnintoatownagain.’

Beforeyousetoff,lookoutforplacestostop-parks,service stationsorplaygroundsalongtheway. Buildinshortexercise breaks attheseplacestomarkyourprogressinstages.

Journeyswillalsopassmorequicklyifwereframehowwe viewthem.Ratherthananordealtobeendured,seethemasa chancetospenduninterruptedtimewiththechildrenwherethe journeyispartofthefun.

Liventhingsupbydownloadingaready-madepicturecar bingogame,sokidscancrossoffasquareeverytimetheysee somethinglikeapolicecar,abridgeoratractor.

Askingyourchildwhattheywouldliketobringwiththemtohelp thetimepasswillhelpthemfeelmoreincontrol;suggestthey puttogethertheir‘journeykit’ inabagtohangonthebackof yourseat.

Ithelpstoalsohaveafewnoveltiesthatyoucanproduceat differentstagesofthejourneytoo.

Foryoungerkidstrywindowwaxcrayonsandstickersthey canusetodecoratethewindows.Forolderones,beready withapairofbinocularsoracompasssotheycantrackyour progressandappreciatewhattheyareseeing.Byappreciating wherechildisatdevelopmentally,youcanmakejourneysmore pleasantforthewholefamily.

TanithCareyisco-author,with DrAngharadRudkin,of What’s MyChildThinking:Practical ChildPsychologyforModern Parents. Thebookincludes manytopicsincludingthebest waystocommunicatewith children.PublishedbyDKbooks andavailablefrom www.bookshop.org

Toptipsfortravellingwith kids

Ifyouexpectyourkidswillwanttoexpendsome energykickingthebackofyourseat,takeofftheirshoes!You won’tfeelitasmuchanditwon’tbeassatisfyingforthem. Headofftantrumsoverlosttoys. Packapairofkitchentongs toretrievethefiddlytoysthatkidstendtodropdownthesides ofseats.Andtrynottotaketoomanyfiddlythings,likeLego peopleandPollyPockets.

Packatowelforeachchild. Itcanbeusedasablanket,amop foranyspillsorontoddlers’lapstohelptoysstayput.

Youcanalsotuckoneendintothewindowandhangitasa curtaintokeepoutthesun.Ifchildrengethotandsweaty, moistenthetowelwithwatertohelpkeepthemcool.

Packapotty. Ifyouarestilltoilettraining,bringapotty.Lineit withanappyforeasydisposalofthemess.

Handlingdogphobia andaggression

ByCarolineWilkinson

Itisappropriateforchildrentobecautiousaroundunfamiliar dogsbutwhencautionbecomesintenseandinterfereswith dailyactivities,itcanbeclassifiedas cynophobia orthefear ofdogs.

Thisfearcanbetriggeredbyanynegativeexperiencewitha dog,suchasbeingbittenorchasedordevelopwithoutany obviouscause;sometimesevenfromfictionalsituationsifyour childhasavividimagination.

Parentscanalsopassontheirownfears; forexample,pulling backtheirchildfromapproachinganewdog.Whileit’sagood ideatoeducateyourchildtobecautiousarounddogs,especially ifthey’reover-enthusiasticandwantingtogreeteverydog youmeet,forcefullyrestrictingyourchild’smovementscould potentiallyincreasetheirfearresponsesinthefuture.

Thebestwaytohelpthosekidswhoarekeentosay‘hello’is teachingthemtoalways askthepersonwalkingthedogifit’s okaytoapproach; andthenhowtocalmlygreetadog.

Whenachildhasseverefears,forexample,totheextentofnot evenbeingabletoviewimagesofdogs,itisworthconsidering professionalhelpfromapsychologist.

Ifthefearisatalowerlevel,borneofinexperience, seeking outapetprofessional whoworkswithkidsanddogsisreally helpful.Apetprofessionalcanguideyourchildtowardsabetter understandingofdogsaroundthem.

Caninebodylanguageisoftenmisinterpreted.Forinstance, waggingtailsdon’tALWAYSmeanthedogishappy.Helping

Dealingwithboisterousor aggressivedogs

Encounteringaseemingly-aggressivedogwhileoutfora walkcanbescarybothforchildrenandtheirparents.Itmay bethatthedoginquestionissimplyuntrainedandoverexcitedandmeansnoharmatall-butthisdoesn’treducethe stressyourchildmayexperience.

Whenoutandabout, keepadistancefromdogswhoappear nottobeundercontrol. Staycalmifadogdoesapproachyou, breathingslowlyandavoidingdirecteyecontact.Mostdogs willjustwanttocomeandsniffyoubutbealertforstiffbody language,warninggrowlsorshowingoftheirteeth.

Teachyourchildtostaystillandquiet whenadogapproaches asifthey’reatree,foldingtheirbranches(arms)around themselves.Ifyourchildhappenstobeonthefloor,askthem topretendtobearock,curlingtheirbodyintightlyandstaying still.

Callouttothedog’scarerandpolitelyaskthemtorecalltheir dogimmediately.

childrenunderstandwhatadogistryingtocommunicatecan helpthemappreciatedogsasaspecies,instillingconfidence whentheyseethem.

Teachingchildrenhowtointeractwithdogswillhelpreducethe chanceofadefensiveresponse.Forexample,touchingdogson theirchestorsideoftheirbodyratherthantheirheads.Itcan alsobehelpfultogiveyourchildtreatstothrowtowardsadog fromadistancesobothhavetimetoconsideriftheywanttosay ‘hello’.

Cynophobiacanbechallengingtomanagebutwithproper understandingandsupport,itcanbeovercome.

CarolineWilkinsonisaCertifiedAnimalBehaviouristand KAD(KidsAroundDogs)Trainer.AstheFounderofdigital petcoachingserviceBarketPlace(www.barketplace.co.uk), Carolinehasapassionforimprovingconnectionsbetween humanandhound,withafocusonrelationshipsandreducing stressforcanineslivinginahumanworld.

Managingyourdog aroundunfamiliarchildren

Yourdogmayloveyourownyoungfamily,butnotall dog:childinteractionsgosmoothly.Kidscanbe unpredictable,leadingtounexpectedaggressionfrom frighteneddogs.Boisterousdogscanalsocausestressfor childrenwhofearthem.

injuryorstressallround.Withappropriateprecautions,youcan

timearoundunfamiliarchildren.Inbusyparks,keepyourdogon aleadiftheyhavepoorrecall,ensuringplentyofspacebetween yourselvesandotherchildren.Athome,helpyourdogtofeel relaxedbehindachildgate,whereyoucaneasilyseparatethem fromanyvisitingchildren.Explaintoyoungvisitorshowthey cansafelyinteractwithyourdog.

Twentythingsfor coolkidstodothis summer

ByClaireWinter

Thelongschoolholidaysarehere,theweatherhasperked up(hopefully)andthere’splentyoffuntobehad!Dipinto Families’twentyideastokeepyourkidsbusyallsummer–andthegoodnewsisalotofthemareabsolutelyfree!

Coolkidscan…..

Explorealocalforestor

woodland withfamilyorfriends. Packadeliciouspicnictoenjoy amidstthescenicbeautyand organiseascavengerhuntto maketheexperienceevenmore exciting.

Visitadifferentplayground orsplashpark tokeepcoolon hotterdays.It’sfuntoventure furtherafieldtoaddexcitement andadventuretoyourchild’s summerexperience.

Putonashoworconcert.

Think Britain’sGotTalent and TheVoice combined;it’sa fantasticwaytoshowcase singingordancingandcreate lastingmemories,particularlyif youvideotheiracts.

Becomeanextrapocket moneygenerator. Getthe kidstoputtheirskillstouse byofferingtodochoresfor neighbours,friendsandfamily.

Hostamini-Olympics. Come upwithsomequirkygames andcompetitionsthatwillget everyone’sbloodpumpingand havingablastwhiledoingit.

Createanewspaperor magazine. Encourageyour child’swritingskills–get themtocomeupwithexciting articles,interestingstoriesand plentyofpictures.Yourchildcan alsopractisetheirdigitalskills byusingacomputerortablet.

Getfit. Bea#fitfamand promoteahealthylifestyleto yourkidsbygoingonarunor

ajogtogether.You’llbestaying activeandyou’llbesettinga greatexampleforyourchildren.

Signuptoasummercamp orworkshop. Encourageyour childtoexploretheirpassions anddevelopnewskills.Notonly willtheyhavefunandmakenew friends,they’llalsogainvaluable experienceandknowledgethat willbenefittheminthefuture.

Learntotype. Nomorepecking likeaT-Rex;getthekidsto leveluptheirkeyboardgame. Withonlinetypinglessonsor software,theycanimprove theirtypingskillsandimpress everyonewiththeirlightningfastfingers.

Explorethegreatoutdoors and completethe NationalTrust’s50 thingstodobeforeyou’re11¾. Frombuildingadentoclimbing atree,thislistispackedwith excitingactivitiesthatwill challengeandinspirethewhole family.Timetostartticking!

Beinchargefortheday. Invite thechildrentoplananepicday outforyourfamily.Getthemto putontheirplanninghatsand seewhattheycomeupwiththewackierthebetter.

Getcreativeinthekitchen and getthekidstomakeadelicious mealorsnack.Beinspiredby cuisinesfromothercountriesor takeinspirationfromafavourite TikTokcheforfoodinfluencer.

Bekind. Teachyourkidsthe valueofkindnessbygetting themtovolunteertohang outwithsomeoftheolder generationorpeopleinneedin yourcommunity.Theycanchat, playgamesorevenhelpwith somehouseholdchores. Bescreen-free. Areyoutiredof

theconstantscreentimebattles withyourkids?Challengethe wholefamilytodisconnect andenjoyadevice-freeday! Spendtimeoutdoorsandtry newactivities.It’sagreatway torechargeandcreatelasting memoriestogether.

Haveawaterfight. Nothing beatsanold-fashionedwater fightwithfriendsorfamily. Whetheryouusewaterballoons, waterpistolsoroldwashingup bottles,it’sagreatwaytobeat theheatandhavelotsoffunat thesametime.

Visitapick-your-ownfruit farm. Yeskids,fruitgrows onbushesandtrees!Picking yourowncanbearelaxing andrewardingexperience. Manyberriesfreezewellso youcanstockupforpuddings andbreakfasttoppersifyour children’senthusiasmmeans youhavetoomuchfortoday’s teatime.

Trywildswimming. Makea splashinariver,lakeorthesea. Prioritisesafetybychoosinga safeandappropriatelocation, checkingwaterconditionsand alwaysswimwithabuddyor underadultsupervision.

Visitaworkingfarm. Farmlife canbeafabulousadventure foryoungerchildren.Meetcute animals,learnhowtomilka cowandhelpwithchoreslike collectingeggsorfeedingthe pigs.

Getarty. Beinspiredby Banksyanddosomegraffiti artwithyourkidsortryother artprojectslikecollagesor mosaics.Itisagreatwayto bondandunleashyourinner artist!

Morecool stufffor kidsto dothissummer

Havefunonabudget

Summeristheperfectseason toenjoythegreatoutdoors.

However,itcanbeachallenge tofindfunandaffordable activities.Luckily,thereare someoptionsthatwon’tbreak thebank.

Checkoutlocalsummer events, startingwithour What’sOnpages.

Thereareoftenfreeorlowcost eventsheldbylocalcouncils thatcanbebothinformative andentertaining,plusfree-toenterfestivalsandmuseums.

Embracethedigitalworld

Haveagardencampout

Pitchatentinyourgardenand plantospendthenightunder thestarswithlotsofpillows, storybooks,torchesand snacks.Kidswilllovethesense offreedom,you’llsavemoney andit’snotfarto‘gohome’if theychangetheirminds!

Haveadayatthebeach

Kidscanenjoybuilding sandcastles,paddlinginthe seaandexploringrockpools. Gettingtherecanbecheaper witharailcardoracoach. Youcanmakeitallpartofthe adventure.

LichfieldMaizeMaze, Sunflowers&Pumpkins

Thissummergo andvisitabeautiful familyfarm-only12 milesfrom BirminghamCity centre!

Exploreana-maizing MaizeMaze and a minimaze forlittle legs!Over3milesof pathstoexplore!

Enjoywandering through over65,000 sunflowers where youcan pickyourown whilstmarvellingatthebeautiful wildflowerstrips.

Entryincludesmap,gamecard&stickers,aswellasfulluseof a largepicnicarea,sandpits,minitractoryard and bale towers. Takeapicnicorenjoylightsnacksfromtheon-site caterer,aswellasdeliciouslocallymadeicecream.Freshair andspaceinabundancewithbeautifulphotoopportunities aplenty.

Returnin October fornewspookymazegames,pumpkin pickingfromthehiddenpatchandtohaveaphotographinthe incredible PumpkinHouse.

Bookticketsonline: www.lichfieldmaizemaze.co.uk

@lichfieldmaizemaze

Areyoulookingforsomefun andinteractivewaystokeep yourkidsentertainedwhile alsoembracingthedigital world?Therearelotsof optionstochoosefrom;just remembertosetatimerand sticktoit.

Forstarters,lookfor coding gamesorapps thatcanteach thebasicsofprogramming. Ortry languagelearning. Duolingo (www.duolingo.com) haslaunchedtwonewapps forchildren;DuolingoABCfor learningtoreadandDuolingo KidswhichteachesSpanish, FrenchandEnglish.Bothare free.

Anotherengagingactivityfor kidsis creatingtheirown videos. WiththeriseofYouTube andsocialmedia,theycanuse theircreativitytomaketheir ownvideosandsharethemwith friends.Bysupervisingwhere theyposttheirvideos,this activitycanalsobealessonin onlinesafety.

Finally,forthosewholove gaming,thereareplentyofcool options.From Minecraft to Roblox, thesegamesencourage kidstousetheirimaginationsin creatingtheirownworldsand adventures. Plustheyboost theirproblem-solvingskills.

UltimateActivityschool holidaycamps

UltimateActivityCampsprovideoutstanding,Ofstedregulated summeractivitydaycampswiththeprimaryfunctionof deliveringaveryhighlevelofcareandwelfareforchildrenaged 4to14duringtheschoolholidays.

Itscampsareanexcellentoptionforparentslookingtoprovide theirchildrenwithafun,activeandexcitingexperiencewhile notatschool.Thecampsofferawiderangeofactivities,from sportsandoutdooradventurestoarts,survivalskillsandtech camps.Campsarestaffedbyexperiencedprofessionalswho provideasafeandsupportiveenvironmentforchildrentolearn andgrow;theyareagreatplaceforchildrentogainconfidence andself-esteem.

Duringthesummerholidays,theseaward-winningcamps, deliveredbyqualifiedandmotivatingstaffwillberunningat KingEdwardVICampHillSchool,Birmingham.

Findoutmoreandbookat ultimateactivity.co.uk/locations/kings-heath-birmingham

Coolingoff!

By@torinbirmingham

AstheweatherheatsupintheMidlands,I’vebeen thinkingaboutthebestwayswe’vefoundtocooloff.Here aresomesupersummeryideasforcoolfamilyfunnear you.

FabulousFountains

Hurrah!ThefountainsareBACKinCentenarySquare!Their long-anticipatedreturnisfinallyoverandyoucanrun,splash andtakefabulousfountainphotosintheiconicfeature outsideBirminghamLibrary.Whynotcombineittoatripto thesecretgardenonthelibrary’s7thfloor?Thereyoucan enjoyalittlesitinashadyareaandsomewonderfulviews overthecity.Youcanalsotakeabreatherandgetabitein eitherB:Eats,theICCortheExchangewhichsurround centenarysquare.Allaresuitableforfamilies. Facebook@libraryofbirmingham

Icegems

Goingoutforanicecreamhastobeoneofthebestsummer treatsandissomethingthatthewholefamilyenjoys.Check outthepopularLA-POP!inEdgbaston.Itsuniquestylesand flavoursareutterlyscrumptiousandlookveryappealing!You cancreateyourownicelollywithdifferentbases,dipsand toppings.ThebrandhasrecentlyappearedatDishoominthe citycentre,soI’llbekeepingmyeyeoutforthemla-popping upatotherplacesaroundthecitytoo! la-pop.co.uk

AgreatdiscoveryImaderecentlywasatthetearoomsat CannonHillPark.Theyservethebestsaltedcaramelice cream!Lovely,luxuriousandcreamy,theyaretraditional farmhousestyleicesservedinatuboraconeandnaturally

Otherlocalsplashparkscanbefoundat: WalsallArboretum@walsall.arboretum,DartmouthPark Sandwell@sandwellcouncilMaryStevensParkin Stourbridge@dudleymbcandfinallyBrintonParkin Kidderminster brintonpark.com

Wildswimming

AbitofawildideabutIabsolutelyLOVEDIT,wildswimming isawonderfulsummeractivitythatItriedforthefirsttimea coupleofyearsago.Whileitisalittlehair-raisingavoidingthe duckpoo,thereedsandnothavingthesideofthepoolto reachfor,itdoesalsogiveyouagreatsenseoffreedomand connectingwithnature.

Myadviceistowearawetsuitasitdoesgetnippy.Youcan alsotakeafloatforalittlesupportandbesttoswimwitha friend. midlandsopenwater.com

TheminimumageforswimmersattheMidlandsOpenWater whereIswamis16butit’spossibleforunder16’stoswimat DotshillQuarrywithaparentorguardiandiveandswim.online andalsoatChaseOpenwater chaseopenwater.com (minimumage10)@chaseopenwater

Ifyouaren’tquitereadyforyourswimonthewildside,then therearealsomorefamilyfriendlywaterparksavailable locally.NearbytoMidlandsOpenWateryoucanfind KingsburyWaterPark@kingsbury_water_parkCliffLakes @cliff_lakesandoutinWorcestershiretheAztecAdventure @aztec_adventure

Getyourskateson!

comeinalltheotherfavouriteflavours. cannonhillpark.co.uk

OthergreatlocalsuggestionsareLil’sParlourinNorthfield @lilsparlour,theMilkcakemaninKingsHeath @themilkcakeman,EisCaféwhichcanbefoundonCoventry RoadandLadypoolRoad@eiscafe.birminghamandfinally TreatzinSuttonColdfield@treatzsutton

Splashtastic

WehadtheperfectweatherforourtriptotheLido,Droitwich Spa.Yes,itisalittlebitofadrivebutohsoworthit!Takea diponasunnydayintherefreshingwater(1.5metresdeep) andskiparoundwiththekidsinthesplashareathatshoots waterfromvariousfountains.Therearealsochangingrooms, refreshmentsandashadedarea.Youonlyneedtotake swimwearandatoweland£1foryourlocker. riversfitness.co.uk/droitwichlido

Youmightthinkoficeskatingasawinteractivity,butactually it’sagreatindoorvenuetoescapetheheatonthosesuperhotdays.Infact,youcanthankmelater,butsomepricesare lessthanHALFwhattheyareintheWinter!Checkthisout–theSnowdomeinTamwortharecurrentlydoingaHUGE summersalewhereyoucanget25%officeskatingandthe snowfunparkand55%offskiandsnowboardlessons.

snowdome.co.uk

PlanetIceinSolihullaredoingdoublediscountsforicecard membersoverholidayperiodstooandtheyalsorunholiday clubsandlessonsforlittleones.YoucanalsofindaPlanetIce inCoventry.

planet-ice.co.uk

FollowmeonInstagramformoreideastokeepyourfamily coolthissummer.

DroitwichSpaLido

CannonHillPark

A–Zguideofsummerfun!

WHAT’SON Out&About

AckersAdventure, Birmingham ackers-adventure.co.uk

Opendaily

Adventurousoutdooractivity centreforallthefamily.

AdventureMiniGolf,StarCity adventureminigolf.co.uk

Opendaily

Twofamily-friendlybrilliantly themed18-hole‘crazy’golf courses.

AshEndHouseChildren’s Farm,Tamworth ashendchildrensfarm.co.uk

Opendailyinschoolholidays Outdoorandindoorfarmfunfor children.

AstonHall,Birmingham birminghammuseums.org.uk

/aston-hall

OpenWeds-Sun Avarietyofeventsaretaking placethissummer.Seewebsite.

BaddesleyClinton,Solihull nationaltrust.org.uk

/baddesley-clinton

Opendaily

Explorethegreatoutdoorsat Baddesley,creatingmemoriesto lastalifetime.

BarberInstituteofFineArts, Birmingham barber.org.uk

OpenTues-Sun

8July,SummerGifts:Free artist-ledFamilyWorkshop. Forage6–12.

13&27July,Nature’sPalette FamilyWorkshop. Forage2–5.

1–11Aug,FamilyFestival

BirminghamBotanical Gardens birminghambotanicalgardens. org.uk

Opendaily

DiscovernaturewithFamily Backpacks.Regularevents throughoutthesummer.

BirminghamBullring&Grand CentralandSouthside birminghamhippodrome.com

26-27Aug

BirminghamWeekender2023

Pop-upperformancesand interactivegames.

BlackCountryLivingMuseum, Dudley bclm.co.uk

Opendaily Aplacetoexploreandenjoy26 acresofhistory.

CastleBromwichHallGardens castlebromwichhallgardens .org.uk

OpenWeds–Sun Orchards,amaze,walksanda wildareatoexplore.

DraytonManorThemePark, Tamworth draytonmanor.co.uk

Opendaily Over50attractionsincluding ThomasLandanda15-acrezoo.

DudleyZooandCastle dudleyzoo.org.uk

Opendaily Birdsofpreydisplays,talks abouttigers,giraffesandmore.

FlashClimbingCentre,Solihull flashclimbingcentre.com

Opendaily Rockclimbingchallengesforall thefamilytoenjoy.

GoApe,CannockChase goape.co.uk

Opendaily Openairaction.HighRopes, tarzanswings,ziplines,etc.

HattonAdventureWorld, Warwick adventure.hattonworld.com

Opendaily Falconrydisplays,indoorand outdoorplay,tractorridesand more.

HoarPark,ShoppingandCraft Village,Nuneaton hoar-park.co.uk

OpenTues–Sun

Seasonaleventsallyearround. CraftFaireverythirdSunday.

HoleFarmRidingCentre, Quinton holefarmridingcentre.com

OpenTues–Sun Ponymorningsrunthroughout theschoolholidays.

LapworthMuseumofGeology, EdgbastonBirmingham birmingham.ac.uk/facilities /lapworth-museum

Opendaily Familyactivities,educational talks,toursandarts&crafts.

LichfieldMaizeMaze, Sunflowers&Pumpkins lichfieldmaizemaze.co.uk

OpenJuly–September Seewebsiteforopeninghours SummerMaizeMazes,PYO Sunflowers,PumpkinHouseand freshair.

MartineauGardens, EdgbastonBirmingham martineau-gardens.org.uk

OpenMon-Sat Naturetrail,wildflower meadows,birdhide,ponds,and beehives.

NationalSpaceCentre, Leicester spacecentre.co.uk

Opendailyduringsummer holidays

DiscovertheRocketTower, planetarium,rockets,satellites andmeteorites.

PackwoodHouse,NT nationaltrust.org.uk

/packwood-house

Opendaily

Packwoodhaslotsoffun activitiestotryonyournext familyadventure.

RockUp,Birmingham rock-up.co.uk

Opendaily Climbingwallsforage4+.No experienceorequipment needed.

RushUK,Stirchley Birmingham rushuk.com

Opendaily Trampolineparkwithsoftplay, dodgeball,foampit,slackline andmore.

SandwellMuseumService sandwell.gov.uk/museums Arangeofdifferentsitesacross Sandwell.Mostlyfreetovisit. Activitiesonoffer.

SealifeCentre,Birmingham visitsealife.com/Birmingham Opendaily AquariumZones,penguins, sharksandothermarvelloussea creatures.

SellyManor,Bournville sellymanormuseum.org.uk

OpenTues-Sun Activitiesavailabletokeepthe familyentertainedoverthe holidays.

SellyParkRecreationGround birminghamhospice.org.uk /get-involved/

Sat22July

PartyinthePark–FREEENTRY Pop-upbeach,livemusic,street food,fairgroundstallsandmore.

SummerCamps

AckersAdventureHoliday Camp,Birmingham ackers-adventure.co.uk

Throughoutthesummer

Eachdayincludes3exciting outdooractivities. Age8–16.

ArtattheHeart,TheCore TheatreSolihull artattheheartcic.org

/events/summer-camp/

14-18Aug

Aweekofcreativefun, personaldiscoveryand development.

TheChocolateShed, Henley-in-Arden thechocolateshed.com

3,8,17&22Aug

Chocolatemakingsummer workshopsforchocoholicsof allages.

FootballFUNatics

footballfunatics.co.uk

Bothcampsstartfrom31July

WheelersLaneTechCollege

2weekcamp

HollywoodSchool

5weekcamp

Excitingfootballactivity sessionsinafun,friendly environment.

S4IntensiveSwimming Lessons,variouslocations s4swimschool.uk

/swim-intensives/ SessionsthroughoutAugust Giveyourchildaboostin theirswimmingdevelopment thissummer.

SAMPAD,MidlandsArts Centre,Birmingham sampad.org.uk/events

21-24Aug

JourneystoBirmingham: PerformingArtsSummer School.

StagecoachColeshill,John HenryNewmanCollege stagecoach.co.uk/coleshill

StaffordshireRegiment Museum

staffordshireregimentmuseum .com

Opendaily Comeandseeusatthe Museumthissummer.Joinin withoneofourmanyeventsor activities,whichkeepallthe familyentertained.

TamworthCastle tamworthcastle.co.uk

OpenTues–Sun TryouttheCastle’straditional tasksanddomesticchores.

ThinkTank,Birmingham birminghammuseums.org.uk

/thinktank

OpenWeds–Sun Award-winningscience museumforfun-packedfamily daysout.

14-18Aug

FrozenJnr:Summer Workshop

Ajam-packedone-week MusicalTheatreWorkshop opentoall4–7yearolds.

StagecoachColeshill,John HenryNewmanCollege stagecoach.co.uk/coleshill

14-18Aug

WeWillRockYou:Summer Workshop

Ajam-packedone-week MusicalTheatreWorkshop opentoall6–18yearolds.

UltimateActivityCamps, KingEdwardVISchool, CampHill ultimateactivity.co.uk

Throughoutsummerholidays Outstandingactivityday campsfor4–14yearolds.

familiesonline.co.uk