Families Cheshire Magazine - Issue 58 March/April 2019

Cheshire In this issue: Times tables tips & tricks Family friendly working Mother’s Day after loss

Issue 58 Mar/Apr 19

familiesonline.co.uk

News Children’s spring portraits in the daffodils

Spring is here! The cheerful sight of bright yellow daffodils bobbing in the breeze is enough to make the grumpiest of us smile. So Cheshire children’s photographer, Helen Rae, will be making the most of the lovely backdrops and photographing children in the daffodils fields again. All to help raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

For the fourth year running, exclusive mini portrait sessions will be held at Foxwist Green daffodil farm near Northwich with profits going to the Macmillan charity. Mini photo sessions will take place throughout the day on Friday 5 and Tuesday 9 April. Pre-booking is essential, and you need to book soon as these slots fill up really quickly!

A daffodil session is suitable for children from sitting baby (around 7 months) to 12 years and costs £150. Each 20-minute photo session includes a package of prints and digital images.

Further details are available on Helen’s website www.helenraephotography. co.uk/portraits-in-daffodilsmacmillan or by emailing enquiries@ helenraephotography.co.uk.

Daffodil Walks at Foxwist Green Farm near Northwich take place from 27 March until 7 April.

Rewind North’s legendary line-up

Following the festival’s massive 10th anniversary celebration last year, Rewind North returns to Capesthorne Hall in Macclesfield this year from Friday 2 to Sunday 4 August with a legendary line-up including Thin Lizzy and Gloria Gaynor as headline acts. Organisers promise to take Rewind to new heights this year with their most musically diverse line-up yet – plus added entertainment including a jam-packed comedy programme and family activities.

Backford Belles – for a great Easter outing!

Bag a bargain at the Northwich NCT Nearly New Sale Head over to The Grange Junior School in Nortwhich on Sunday 12 May for the ever-popular Northwich NCT Nearly New Sale!

The sale runs from 1 – 2.30pm (if you’re an NCT member you can get early entry from 12.30pm) and entry costs £1 per adult.

This pop-up shop offers over 10,000 nearly new, quality baby and children’s items for sale – all items are quality checked and displayed like they would be in a shop – so you can

browse all clothes in one age group, toys, books etc. in one go.

Prams, maternity clothes, bumbo seats, travel cots, DVDs, outdoor toys, books etc. are also for sale.

All NCT events and sales are run by volunteers. If you can help out on the sale day please contact nns.northwich@nct.org.uk.

Volunteers benefit from a privileged shopping period before the sale opens to the public and get priority for seller places at the next sale. nns.northwich@nct.org.uk / www.facebook.com/ northwichnctnns

Next issue: May/June 2019

Advertising/artwork: advertising@familiescheshire.co.uk

Circulation: 30,000 copies of Families Cheshire are available through nurseries, schools, libraries, selected shops and other points throughout Cheshire. If you would like free copies for your organisation, please let us know.

Contact details: Families Cheshire, 3 Hall Hill, Bollington SK10 5ED Tel: 01625 801 801 www.familiesonline.co.uk Editors: Jayne Keep & Caryl Hall Editorial: editor@familiescheshire.co.uk 2 Families Cheshire

Events, diary dates, what’s on: events@familiescheshire.co.uk Cover Photography: Deposit Photos www.depositphotos.com Design: WITH Creative, Congleton. www.withcreative.co.uk Print: Warwick Printers, Caswell Road Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV31 1QD Tel: 01926 883355 www.warwickprinting.co.uk

Rewind is famed for its fun family atmosphere and this year the festival will be rolling out its most comprehensive entertainment line up yet.

There’s something for all ages.

In the kid’s area, Ziggy’s will be hosting circus skills workshops, family sports days and giant bubble parties. Over the coming months, Rewind will unveiling their full comedy and entertainment line up and family festival programme.

Tickets are on sale now from www.rewindfestival.com

Enjoy award winning ice cream this Easter at Backford Belles, with over 20 flavours as well as a small range of dairy free sorbets and ice creams.

Let the kids play on the climbing frame, swings and toy tractors and say hello to the calves, chickens, ducks and Families Cheshire is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Cheshire are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families

lambs – and then head into their family friendly shop for a sweet treat or a hot drink.

You’ll be spoilt for choice with all the flavours, cone types and toppings – or try out a milkshake using any of the flavours on display!

Later on in the summer the maize will be tall enough for their annual “maze” which is fun and free for all to wander or run around.

Easily reachable If you’re local, out for a drive, visiting Cheshire Oaks or Chester Zoo, you’ve got to stop in to Backford Belles for guaranteed happy faces and some of the best ice cream around!! www.backfordbelles.com

Cheshire. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but but Families Cheshire, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof. @FamiliesChesMag facebook.com/FamiliesCheshire

familiesonline.co.uk

News Family Safety Week

Accidents are the biggest killer of children and young people with at least one child under 5 killed each week.

Every year, over 2 million children under the age of 15 have an accident in and around the home which takes

them to A&E and half of the under 5s visiting do so as a result of a preventable accident.

Family Safety Week, which starts on 1 April, is run by the RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) to help raise awareness of the “simple things you can do to stop your child becoming an accident statistic.”

RoSPA provides free resources and advice to help families keep children safe in their homes. Its free Keeping Kids Safe packs also enable schools, nurseries, playgroups and children’s centres to hold child safety session for parents.

More info: www.rospa.com

Bank holiday family fun days

If you’re looking for something fun to do at a weekend then look no further than the Leisure Centre at Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College.

Close the blinds, dim the lights, turn up the music and have a whale of a time splashing about to the beats in swimming pool

which is heated to a cosy 31 degrees. Children and adults alike can get involved playing with swim toys, giant floats and the large inflatable slide.

This is a one of a kind swimming experience in Cheshire running every Saturday 6-7pm; why not come and experience a unique swimming pool atmosphere with disco lights, pop classics and maybe treats the kids (or yourselves) to unicorn slush afterwards.

Follow them on Facebook ‘SJDLeisureCentre’ and watch out for their special themed disco’s where you may even find the water has changed colour!

LEISURE CENTRE www.sjd.ac.uk

Children’s parties now available!

Sir John Deane’s Leisure Centre is a great place to hold your child’s birthday party!

Swimming Bouncy Castle Sports Bubble Football Tag Archery For more information, or to book, call 01606 810026.

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Cheshire 3

News Are you feeling lucky?!

WIN one of three Family Tickets to Gulliver’s World!

Experience the ultimate family fun day this Easter at Gulliver’s … for FREE! We’ve teamed up with Gulliver’s to give away an egg-cellent day out at their Easter Extravaganza.

In addition to the 50 rides and attractions already on offer at Gulliver’s, over the four-day Easter Bank Holiday Weekend (19 April – 22 April) there will be special guest appearances from the Easter Bunny as well as amazing entertainment for your little chicks.

Gully and the gang will be hosting games and competitions, as well as exciting entertainment on the main stage including an Easter Bonnet Parade and the Big Bunny Bounce!

To be in with a chance of winning, simply send an email to caryl@familiescheshire.co.uk with the word GULLIVER’S in the title, and include your name and contact number in the body of the email along with the answer to the following question:

Families needs a new editor!

Easter is commonly associated with which animal?

A.) Mouse B.) Bunny C.) Penguin The competition closes Sunday 31 March. Visit www.gulliversfun.co.uk for more information.

Terms and conditions apply. Tickets are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The family Easter Extravaganza prize is valid for up to four people (at least one adult and one child). Winners will be contacted by Gulliver’s hotline to arrange their visit to their preferred park on a mutually agreed date up to Sunday 21 April, subject to availability.

WIN a Family Ticket to Gandeys Circus!

Gandeys Circus is coming home to Cheshire with an all-new action-packed production for the family! The Greatest Show Tour brings over 30 international circus artistes to Newcastle-under-Lyme, Knutsford, Ellesmere Port and Arclid, in a spectacular show presented by the fourth generation of the Gandey family.

Performing high in the roof of the Big Top, The Gerlings walk, dance, and ride a bike on a single silver thread. A ‘rubber man’ contorts into shapes you didn’t realise were possible. Courageous Cubans launch themselves off the springboard. Jacqui and Brandon delight with a romantic aerial ballet on the silks, and Gina displays mystical artistry and poise on the low wire.

Acrobats balance, tumble and bounce on a Russian bar… there’s electrifying excitement from the African Warriors… and bellyfuls of laughter as Europe’s favourite clown Chico Rico returns! Top it all off with adrenaline-fuelled antics in the space wheel, and motorbikes in the ‘globe of death’. You’ve never seen anything like it!

With production numbers inspired by the West End, in a new fully-heated Italian big top theatre of A Million Dreams, this truly is The Greatest Show!

For tour dates, times, prices and bookings visit www.gandeyscircus.com.

Discounted family tickets are available.

We’ve bagged a Family Ticket to this spectacular show to give away to one of our lucky readers! The ticket will be for at any of the Knutsford, Ellesmere Port and Arclid shows.

All you need to do to enter is to email your name and contact number to caryl@ familiescheshire.co.uk with the word CIRCUS in the title.

But hurry – the competition closes on Sunday 17 March – so get your entry in NOW! Good luck!

Enjoy British Science Week

Cheshire

Cheshire

Are you feeling lucky?!

In this issue: Make the best of Open Days Foraging with kids Is your child sport ready?

Cheshire

Love Families Cheshire?

Looking for a new opportunity?

Then you may like to consider becoming the new editor of this fabulous publication!

Jayne and Caryl have been publishing this magazine since 2009 and have now made the decision to move onto new things. We’re looking for someone to nurture and enjoy it as much as we have, so if that’s you then please get in touch!

A Families franchise offers you a reputable, trusted and ethical brand, as well as access to constant advice, encouragement and support from both head office and a

4 Families Cheshire

In this issue: Easter fun!

Is Shared Parental Leave for you?

Finding the right childcare provider

Issue 55 Sep/Oct 2018

familiesonline.co.uk

Issue 52 Mar/Apr

2018

familiesonline.co.uk

In this issue: Making maths fun!

Winter clubs & classes A safer digital world

Issue 51 Jan/Feb 2018

familiesonline.co.uk

community of over 40 Editors countrywide. The role is so varied – everything from writing and editing to selling ad space and invoicing – so it gives you a huge skills base to take forward into other roles in the future.

Challenging? Yes. Rewarding?

Definitely!

If you’re interested, please email editor@ familiescheshire.co.uk for more info.

Families can enjoy wonderful time together during British Science Week 2019 which takes place from 8 to 17 March.

Science Week is a celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths with fascinating, entertaining and engaging activities for all ages taking place across the UK. Last year there were over 2,100

events involving almost 1 million participants.

You can also download a series of FREE activity packs at www.britishscienceweek.org filled with resources and ideas to try out at home or school, without the need for a science background or expensive equipment.

To find an event close to you, visit www.sciencelive.net

familiesonline.co.uk

Education Times tables tips and tricks • For example, 2x is just doubling the number. This is the same as adding the number to itself: 2 x 2 = 4, 2 x 3 = 6, 2 x 4 = 8 etc. So, the pattern is 2, 4, 6, 8 etc. And once these are remembered then the rule of commutativity above means they also know 3 x 2, 4 x 2 etc.

• 9× has a pattern too: 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81, 90.

Notice how the tens (first digits in every number) go up by one and the units (second digits) go down.

• All the multiples of ten end in zero.

• All the multiples of 5 end in either 5 or 0 and are half as large as the multiples of ten. (10 x 5=50 which is half of 10 x 10 = 100).

• Any number x 0 is always 0.

No matter what.

• The answers to the 4 times table are double the answers to the 2 times table. For example, 3 × 4 = 12 is the same as 3 × 2 × 2. Likewise, the answers to the 8 times table are double the answers to the 4 times table. For example, 5 × 8 = 40 is the same as 5 × 4 × 2.

• Learning the 11 times table is actually easy up to the number 9. It is simply doubling the appearance of the number you wish to multiply by. For example, 2 x 11 = 22, 3 x 11 = 33, 4 x 11 = 44 and so on.

Teach the tricks

The great thing with times tables is that there are many tricks that can help your child memorise them more easily. Let’s take a look at a couple of tricks: 2 times tables: Double it! Two times a number simply means add the number twice. 6 x 2 is actually 6 + 6 and 8 x 2 is the same as 8 + 8.

4 times tables: Double the number you are multiplying, then double it again! It is simply a matter of doubling the number, then doubling the answer. For example, 4 x 5 is 5 + 5 = 10 and then 10 + 10 = 20. 4 x 5 is 20.

12 times table is 10x plus 2x.

For example: 10 x 4 = 40, then add 2 x 4 = 8

In 2020, it becomes compulsory for all Year 4 students to undergo a new times table test and this is likely to put additional pressure on parents to help their children get to grips with their times tables.

Children’s inability to instantly recall times tables and manage simple multiplication is a recurring theme of mathematics teaching reported by teachers in primary schools. These skills need to be embedded by Year 4 in order to prepare for the maths teaching for the next two years. At secondary school, lack of basic numeracy, including not knowing their multiplication tables really well, can lead to an inability to grasp new concepts and really slow children’s mathematical progress.

While it may seem tedious to practise times tables with your child, by ensuring your child is confident with times tables you

will be equipping them with essential tools for success in maths.

Cheshire Exam Success

Homework tips for learning a language

Sessions in Lymm, Cheshire. Term time and holiday sessions available.

Next holidaycourse – EASTER 2019 Small Group tuition available for: • Key Stage 2 – Maths and English • 11+ Entrance Exams • Key Stage 3 – Maths and English • GCSE – Maths, English Language and Literature, Science, Spanish, French, History One to one tuition for GCSE and A-levels. Email or call with your requirements to find out how Cheshire Exam Success can help: jayne@cheshireexamsuccess.co.uk 07872 954217 www.cheshireexamsuccess.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Getting familiar with multiplication concepts

The first step with multiplication is to make sure your child understands what multiplication really means. In other words, they need to understand that 4 x 3 is the same as 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 and be confident with such number sequences.

The rule of commutativity

Show your child that each answer repeats, so, technically, they only have to learn half of the tables.

In other words, 4 x 5 is the same as 5 x 4. The rule of commutativity helps them understand that they know more than they might think.

Point out patterns

It doesn’t all have to be memorised by rote. There are clues and helpful hints that can be learned.

When your child reaches secondary school, they often have to learn multiple languages in their first year. Experienced language teacher, Emily Lusty and founder of The Language Gap, has some tips on how to learn languages successfully at home.

• Homework for modern languages should be based around work completed in lessons, for consolidation, not primary learning.

• Written work needs to be marked carefully and students need to be given time to make corrections and learn from their mistakes.

Many teachers no longer have time to do this.

• Online vocabulary apps such as Vocab Express and Memrise are brilliant tools for learning at home if you choose examspecific vocabulary. It’s essential that students and teachers track their scores to make sure that the learning is useful.

• Popular language app Duolinguo is good preparation for going

Drilling

Some drilling is inevitable. Drilling should be done once the child is familiar with their tables or at least a set of numbers. Drilling should be started in order and once you feel they are getting there you can mix it all up. They may hesitate at the beginning but the more you drill the more the times tables will be embedded into their memories.

Everyone’s different

Some children like to learn by rote; for others it doesn’t work at all. To support their learning, work out what will make times tables stick in your child’s mind, whether that’s singing them, putting them into practice with puzzles, playing games with them or writing them out.

Good luck!

abroad but does not prepare for GCSE specific vocabulary and skills.

• Five minutes a day, three times a week is better for vocabulary learning than a 15 minute session; the human brain learns by repetition, so make the most of it.

• For a laugh, Lyrics Training (www.lyricstraining.com) is a great way to get into the language.

• For reluctant learners, why not change the commentary on FIFA or other computer games to the target language?

The Language Gap is a company specialising in tailor made overseas language learning experiences. To find out more go to www.thelanguagegap.org.uk

Families Cheshire 5

Education Header Does homework work?

By Claire Winter

Does the word ‘homework’ fill you with dread or do you think it is an important aspect of your child’s education? How much time do you spend supervising your child’s homework? What is it actually teaching your child?

Is it really necessary or should schools just scrap it altogether?

In the UK, the government says it’s up to individual head teachers in primary schools to decide whether to set homework or not. It. In 1997, 6 out of 10 primary schools were setting homework.

Just two years later, 90% of schools were setting it and it seems that the majority of schools have continued this trend.

A recent report by the BBC highlighted that only 11% of parents in Britain are spending an hour a day helping their children with homework. While in other countries, like India, 64% of parents are spending an hour a day on this activity.

Whilst many people think children at primary school are too young to do homework, education specialist Melanie Harwood (www.harwoodeducation.com) believes homework is vital for developing learning skills. It helps children: • develop a sense of their own self-worth and individual learning styles.

• become confident working things out in their own space without the constraints of being “watched over” by a teacher, their parents or peers.

• develop critical thinking and

puzzle solving skills, which will serve them well in life and further education.

• develop a deeper understanding of a particular point within a task or specific item of learning, by completing further work on it at home.

Melanie adds: “Learning to work on one’s own and time management are important life skills. This is what will separate many learners from the rest of the pack. Being able to focus on a task and having the self-motivation to complete it is extremely important when working both in a team and on your own.”

Ex-teacher Hannah Deane who now runs a social media marketing business from home (www.littleshout.org) says setting homework at a primary level has always been a contentious issue amongst many teachers.

“In my experience, if you get a group of teachers in a room, (without the presence of an Ofsted inspector or anyone who has power over their career!), they usually agree that before senior school, homework is surplus to a child’s educational needs.”

“Learning spellings and reading

at home can be beneficial, but the constant flow of worksheets, practice SATs papers, and ‘homework’ seem to be little more than a box-ticking exercise.

Homework at primary level has no proven track record of enhancing a child’s education. Let them play and learn through an unstructured activity. Once they reach senior school, their levels of concentration and capacity have increased to allow them to continue with formal learning outside the school day.”

A recent report about homework by the Teaching Schools Council says that homework set at primary school should have a clear purpose.

The report states that schools should explain to pupils and parents why they are setting it, and the teachers should let pupils know how well they have done.

While the jury is still out on whether homework is a good thing for primary school children, it is clear that schools need to do more to help parents and pupils understand exactly what the benefits of the homework they’re setting are, as well as making it achievable for all involved including parents!

20 0m 20 £6 ns

e EW op

N us p m ca

Find out more about how we see education differently for your child at our...

‘Dare to Discover’ morning for Infants Saturday 9 March, 10am–12pm

Infant & Junior Open Afternoon

Charity No. 1137204

Thursday 2 May, 1–3pm The King’s School in Macclesfield 01625 260000 admissions@kingsmac.co.uk www.kingsmac.co.uk

6 Families Cheshire

She sees chess, we see an Investment Analyst.

familiesonline.co.uk

Education WE’RE PUTTING THE SUM INTO

SUMMER

Mathnasium of Amersham 29 Hill Ave, Amersham HP6 5BX Call 01494 729 726 eMail amersham@mathnasium.co.uk

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL MATHNASIUM FOR DETAILS OF THEIR SUMMER PROGRAMME At Mathnasium, we believe that every child has the ability to be successful in maths - it’s a matter of teaching the way that makes sense to them.

When maths makes sense, children excel - whether they’re far behind or eager to get ahead.

We Make Maths Fun

Mathnasium of Bramhall 36 Woodford Road, Bramhall SK7 1PA Call 0161 637 6050 eMail bramhall@mathnasium.co.uk Mathnasium of Chiswick 261 Chiswick High Rd, Chiswick W4 4PU Call 0207 993 2234 eMail chiswick@mathnasium.co.uk Mathnasium of Clapham 122 Northcote Rd, Clapham SW11 6QU Call 0207 078 7000 eMail clapham@mathnasium.co.uk Mathnasium of Crouch End 29 Broadway Parade, Crouch End N8 9DB Call 0203 004 9404 eMail crouchend@mathnasium.co.uk Mathnasium of Radlett 289 Watling St, Radlett WD7 7LA Call 01923 388 641 eMail radlett@mathnasium.co.uk

www.mathnasium.co.uk

STOCKPORT GRAMMAR SCHOOL An independent school for girls and boys from 3-18 years

FOUNDED IN 1487

Assistance with fees available at 11+ and 16+ (means tested), academic and music scholarships

Junior School and Pre-Reception Open Morning Saturday 11th May 2019, 10am - 12pm Come and spend a day in the Senior School Year 5 Taster Days 15th May, 22nd May and 11th June To book call 0161 419 2408 School Day Tours Available Extensive school bus routes including Sale, Altrincham and Hale

Inspiring your child Tel: 0161 456 9000 familiesonline.co.uk

www.stockportgrammar.co.uk Families Cheshire 7

Parents’ place Sharenting – what’s the best approach?

By Dr Bex Lewis

Sharenting is the term used to define the sharing by parents of posts about their children on social media, whether the everyday, or special milestones such as birthdays, travels, first steps or achievements. Often known as ‘over-sharenting,’ it can be seen as negative, attracting criticism for being repetitive, boring, a form of digital narcissism, humblebragging (“isn’t it terrible that my child is struggling with Grade 7 piano?”), or insensitive of those who are unable to have children.

The benefits of sharenting For many, sharing posts about their children validates the value of the parenting role, and is seen as the modern equivalent of sending round-robin letters: part of the duty of communicating with the wider family. Geographical distance can limit the ability to meet up physically and being able to

engage online with the lives of nieces, nephews, and grandchildren online has been joyfully embraced as a substitute.

For parents themselves, social media can create a sense of community and connection and can be helpful when managing the challenging aspects of parenting. For those who have grown up sharing their lives online, sharing parenthood is simply the next stage of their life journey.

The risks of sharenting Every interaction that we make online leaves a trail, commonly known as a ‘digital footprint,’ which others, such as future employers, may find by searching for your child’s name. Many children’s first appearance on social media is their birth scan announcement.

Once information is out there, it is hard, if not impossible, to recall it. Barclays are saying because of how much we share online, identity fraud has never been easier, so

beware of revealing full names, dates of birth, home addresses, places of birth, mother’s maiden name, schools, names of pets, sport teams supported and/or beware of using the same information in passwords.

Practical steps to take Many of the practical steps that you can take to protect yourself or your child whilst sharenting are largely common sense, and involve thinking before you post: • What platform are you sharing the content on?

• Facebook is restricted to friends but other platforms are more public.

• Check your privacy settings.

• Within Facebook, use lists to share content with specific groups of family and friends.

• Take care with photos. Especially the ‘traditional’ back to school photos, cropping to remove the school logo and backgrounds that identify where you live.

• Consider turning off geotagging on your photos.

• Check the re-share rights of images that you’re uploading.

• Get permission to feature other children.

• Try not to show that you have a regular routine every day.

• Don’t post pictures of your children naked.

Develop your own and your child’s digital literacy Don’t believe that others have ‘perfect lives’ with their children any

more than you do, and consider whether you need to capture every moment.

Having conversations about sharenting Conversations about digital and social media should be an everyday conversation in most households.

Before you post about your children, think whether this will cause them embarrassment or give rise to bullying. As they get older, ask permission before you post content.

Be prepared to take content down.

At the same time, be mindful that we tend to over-curate our lives, and, as Aimee Horton from www.passthegin.co.uk says, at some point children need to learn to laugh at themselves, and recognise that there’s a difference between amusing posts (shared with love) and harmful content.

There are no fixed rules when sharing, but thinking about what and where you are posting is critical.

Dr Bex Lewis is Senior Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University and author of Raising Children in a Digital Age: Enjoying the Best, Avoiding the Worst. She is passionate about helping people engage with the digital world in a positive way.

More info at www.drbexl.co.uk You can also view this article online at www.cityparents.co.uk Cityparents is a network of 14,000 working parents in City professions.

At what age can children be home alone?

Parents often wonder when it is safe to leave a child unsupervised at home. The law does not specify an age at which a child can legally be “home alone.”

However, parents commit an offence if leaving the child unsupervised at home puts him or her at risk.

Given that maturity and understanding at specific ages differs from child to child, there is no set age at which leaving a child home alone would be risk free.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has published a guide “Is My Child Ready to Be Left Alone?” This states that: l children under 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for a long period of time l children under 16 shouldn’t be left alone overnight l babies, toddlers and young children should never be left alone More info at www.nspcc.org.uk

8 Families Cheshire

familiesonline.co.uk

Parents’ place Helping your children spot ‘fake news’

By Katie Harrison

The term ‘fake news’ first came to the fore during the course of the last American Presidential election, when Donald Trump used it to describe some of the news reporting around the campaigns. Since then, debate about ‘fake news’ has hit the headlines amidst concerns that its proliferation is disrupting elections around the world: it’s one of the most talked about subjects of the year.

But what is it? What does it mean to you and your family? Being news-savvy empowers children and keeps them engaged and motivated to find out about the world around them. But what should we be teaching them about ‘fake news?’

A recent BBC survey of 18 countries worldwide found that nearly 8 in 10 people said they worried about what was fake and what was real on the internet. Fake news can easily go viral via social media so it’s vital that children learn to question what they see and read and have the opportunity to discuss it and share their views.

Most school children know what fake news is, but teachers report

familiesonline.co.uk

that many of them aren’t always able to correctly identify it. They don’t always knowwhat they are looking for.

Here are our top 5 tips for helping children spot fake news: Question, Question, Question!

Who made this? Who is the target audience? Who paid for this? Or, who gets paid if you click on this?

Who might benefit or be harmed by this message?

Is the article angry or emotional?

If it makes you feel very strongly, it could be ‘clickbait’ - a grabbing headline to get you to follow a link.

Check what other media are saying Don’t rely on a single source. Are other well-known news providers sharing this news story? If not, it may not have been verified.

Spell check!

Obvious grammatical errors or spelling mistakes can be a sign that an article hasn’t been professionally produced or proofread and can be a giveaway.

Facts, Facts, Facts!

What proof or evidence does the article give? Does it cite credible research or expert opinions? Ifyou can help familiarise your children with what is real and ‘fake’ news, they will soon be able to critically assess what they are reading and seeing.

Katie Harrison is an early-years educational expert and founder of Picture News, a new service for schools helping them teach children about the news. More info at www.picture-news.co.uk

Children targeted by adults Research released by the NSPCC has revealed that one in fouryoung people have been contacted via social media by an adult they didn’t know, and a third of these were children under 13.

2,059 children and 2,049 parents were surveyed for Net Aware, the essential guide to 40 of the most popular social media sites, apps and games that young people use.

Children and parents were asked if they’d seen violent, bullying or adult content on the social networking sites and games they use – with Facebook and

YouTube receiving high risk ratings across the board.

Other sites found to be risky included Twitter and Reddit, with both rated high for inappropriate content, as well as lesser known names such as Sarahah, Episode: Choose Your Story, Omegle, ROBLOX and Yubo (formerly called Yellow).

The NSPCC encourages parents to use Net Aware to learn about the various platforms their child may be using, together with the risk rating of each.

More info at www.net-aware.org.uk

Fun starts at Freedome

Freedome Cheshire Oaks has many attractions for guests to enjoy and provides local families with an unmatched active environment in which people come alive and live joyously in the moment.

The Cheshire Oaks park includes a multitude of gravity-defying, wall-to-wall aerial attractions that include FreeStyle Trampolines, a Warrior Course, FreeForm Airbags and the exclusive Seamless Trampoline Dodgeball Court, the only of its kind in Europe! This park is truly an entertainment destination for guests of all ages – combining unconventional fitness and tons of fun, safely! It’s more than just your standard trampoline park! www.FreedomeParks.com

Families Cheshire 9

Parents’ place Finding more family friendly work

By Mandy Garner

Flexible working is one of the top three benefits that today’s jobseekers look for – particularly if they are parents. Meanwhile, employers are being encouraged to publish their parental leave policies and increasing numbers of employers are offering family friendly parental leave policies, from carer’s leave to the ability to buy extra holiday.

It’s not just women who want family friendly working.

Workingmums.co.uk’s recent survey of dads shows 73% say they are considering seeking flexible working. The truth is that modern family life requires flexibility and employers who don’t offer it will lose out.

Employers also need to do more than offer flexible working policies; they need to back this up with a culture that normalises different ways of working.

Otherwise employees often feel side-lined or end up working overtime because expectations are not reduced in line with hours.

When flexible working policies and the right culture work together, great opportunities arise.

Samantha Hamilton-Davies is a Senior Associate [Due Diligence] in the homeworking legal team of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, based in Manchester. Samantha works four days a week from home and has been promoted since joining the homeworking team. In her previous role Samantha had faced a long commute. She says that without her homeworking role she might have eventually left the legal profession.

Claire Brown left a ‘million miles an hour’ job in the City and is now working part time as Internal Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] Manager at Carpetright.

The post means she can use her skills and experience in a senior role AND still has enough time for her family and voluntary job running her village’s residents association.

Such cases are not confined to the big corporates. SMEs like IT firm, Hireserve, has grown by employing experienced professionals on flexible hours. Their hours have increased as their families and the firm has grown.

So how do you land this kind of job? The answer is research and being clear about what you want and why it is good for your employer.

Research the best family-friendly employers. Don’t just look at their policies - everyone can look good on paper, but read what others say about them; talk, if possible, to people who work there; find out what the companies offer beyond the statutory requirements; and look at whether they are shouting out about it on their careers page or LinkedIn. Does it matter to them? Do they really get it?

It’s not just the provision of a flexible role that matters. It is about the employers’ overall attitude to flexible workers. Line managers’ attitudes, in particular, are crucial to ensuring flexible working doesn’t mean career stagnation.

With regard to clarity, it is best to be upfront about what you need and to put a business case for why it is in both your interests and that of your potential employer.

What do they get by allowing

Raising a supported child

By Pam Rowe

It can be hard to know what to do to ensure your child feels well-loved and supported. Here are my thoughts on helping your child to become the adult you know they can be:

10 Families Cheshire

Always show love When I first had my son, I remember feeling overwhelmed by his total dependency on me.

This innocent baby was reliant on me for his survival. Our children rely on our love too and we need to show them we love them. Throughout my son’s life I told him I loved him all the time. Now he regularly says this to me and I think it is likely that he will be comfortable telling his wife or partner and children the same.

Lead by example – be the person you want your child to be If you want your child to be honest, show him how, by being honest yourself. If you lose your temper and lose control, think about what this teaches your child. Talk and read to your child about the importance of morals and values, being kind and caring, sharing, handling dilemmas and expressing their feelings but make sure you positively demonstrate these in your own behaviour.

Reinforce positive behaviour Whatever you reward will be reinforced as important and will

you flexi hours? What do you bring to the organisation that they need? Remember not to downplay or apologise for skills gained outside the workplace.

When Visa in Europe was advertising the post of Director of Talent, mum-of-four Pippa Edwards, who was a Talent Manager, expressed her interest but told her manager that she didn’t want to work full time. He said: “Have you considered a job share?” “In that one sentence everything changed for me,” says Pippa. “I started to believe I could have my cake and eat it.”

Pippa now job shares with mum-of-three Vicki Mawson, former Talent Acquisition Director at L’Oréal. Both women think the company has benefited from the job share, getting a depth of expertise that one person alone would not provide.

“Before I thought that I would have to make a choice between working part time and having a career” states Pippa. I had come to accept that that was the reality, but my boss showed me that I could have both and that was so powerful. So many women should have that opportunity and not have to make that choice.”

Mandy Garner is Editor of www.workingmums.co.uk, which links top family-friendly employers with female professionals and highlights examples of best practice to encourage greater innovation across sectors. They have just launched a partner website for dads at www.workingdads.co.uk

stick. Decide what is important and reward it with words that make your children feel your praise.

Take care of yourself Parents who are physically and emotionally healthy are more likely to raise happy children.

Take care to eat and rest well, find time for relaxation and share your feelings with an appropriate adult in a place where you feel supported and loved.

Pam Rowe has 30 years’ experience working as a social worker and in Children’s Services. Her memoir, Clear Water, is out now and is available from Amazon.

familiesonline.co.uk

Parents’ place Lack of sleep damaging for children

More than a third of primary school children are failing to get sufficient sleep, according to research by the University of Leeds.

The study has linked poor sleep with difficulties in paying attention in class, keeping up with school

work, forgetfulness and absenteeism.

The NHS recommendation is that children of that age should get 10 hours sleep per night but the study discovered that out of 1,100 children ages 6 to 11, 36% were getting only eight hours sleep or less on a weekday night.

Just under a third of children reported that worrying about school work was keeping them awake, whilst around one in six children reported that they found it difficult to sleep because of concerns about bullying or friendship.

The researchers identified that children who had access to technology in their bedroom were more likely to experience a shorter night’s sleep and recommended that parents consider removing technology from their children’s bedrooms.

More info: www.leeds.ac.uk

Mums working close to home fuels gender pay gap

Women in every part of the UK are more likely than men to live within a 15 minute commute to their place of work, according to statistics released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

43% of women get to work in no more than 15 minutes, whereas 61% of commuters who travel for more than an hour are men.

This ‘gender commuting gap’ starts to widen after the birth of the first child in the family and continues to grow for around 10 years after that, according to analysis of the statistics by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS).

Economists think this constraint on commuting longer distances may be one of the factors contributing to the ‘gender pay gap,’ as mothers, in particular, are limited by distance in their choice of work, needing

Take 5 activities at Brio!

Get active with Brio’s brand NEW pay as you go offer; choose 5 activities and get them for £5 each when you pay upfront – you can save up to £20!

Choose from their range of classes for all fitness levels; dance

like Queen B in Zumba, party it up in Clubbercise, pump some iron in Les Mills BODYPUMP or splash like a mermaid in Aqua Fit. You could use an activity in the gym getting in that cardio workout, lifting weights or toning up! Or why not go for a relaxing casual swim in one of their pools?

You can get started online or in centre, take 5 and get yourself active! All you need to do is use them within 5 weeks, you can even use one to pay for your Welcome Workout! Terms and conditions apply. www.brioleisure.org/take5

to work closer to home and childcare facilities.

More info: www.ifs.org.uk

SAVE UP TO

£20

TAKE

5

Choose 5 activities for £5 each when you pay upfront* *Terms and Conditions apply

brioleisure.org/take5

11 familiesonline.co.uk Families Cheshire

Families Cheshire 11 87x130mm Take 5 Families v1.indd 1

20/02/2019 15:26

Parents’ place How to celebrate Mother’s Day after losing a baby

By Petra Boynton

Mother’s Day is supposed to be a time for happy families and honouring all that mums do.

But it can be a bittersweet time if you’ve lost a baby recently or in the past.

Grief can leave you feeling isolated and lonely, and you may feel you have to hide this from others, particularly if your friends or relatives have been awkward or unsympathetic about your loss(es).

Perhaps you’re under pressure to keep up a ‘perfect mum’ persona that leaves no room for feelings of anger or frustration about your loss. Or you may simply be unsure how to mark the day.

At a time of year where you’re expected to be around children

and celebrate motherhood you may struggle if you are missing a baby you lost, or are navigating family gatherings where you might feel envious of those who have children. You may want to take pride in being a mum while still find it difficult to adjust to not having a particular baby (or babies) with you.

While it’s not often talked about, it isn’t unusual for mums or their wider families to find Mother’s Day a tricky time – particularly if it’s your first anniversary following bereavement. Your partner may feel the same way, but say nothing – particularly on a day that’s supposed to be about the person who carried their babies.

Similarly, young children may not be so aware of your losses but can still can be affected by grief; while older children may be struggling but unsure how to ask for help. Everyone in the family may have different ways of coping and managing their emotions and reactions and this can be tricky especially if what one family member wants to do conflicts with someone else’s needs.

There is no straightforward journey through the grieving process and there’s no set time by which you’ll feel better.

Instead there will always be good and bad days. This can mean Mother’s Day can either become a powerful time for remembrance, or a trigger for distress. You have permission to mark the day in whatever way you wish – it’s worth noting that you may not end up managing Mother’s Day in the way you anticipated.

It’s absolutely fine to tell others how you are doing, how you wish to treat Mother’s Day and how you’d like them to support you. This may include asking them not to make a big deal of the day or to join in celebrations that honour the memory of the baby (or babies) that aren’t with you. It’s your day, so you get to define, change and mark it in whatever way works best for you.

Support groups are a good place to connect with other people who have experienced losses. In the run up to Mother’s Day and during the day itself, making use of online forums, groups on Facebook, charity helplines or email advice services can be very reassuring if you need support.

Petra Boynton is the author of Coping With Pregnancy Loss, published by Routledge, RRP £11.99. Get 20% off the book with the code CWL20. Other sources of support can be found at www.copingwithpregnancyloss .com/support

12 Families Cheshire

Establishing new traditions after loss

You may want to pick a meaningful place to visit like a walk in peaceful surroundings, a beautiful beach, or somewhere you feel happy.

Not everyone wants to celebrate after loss. That might mean doing very little to mark Mother’s Day; you may want to spend the time quietly or on a retreat with other parents who’ve experienced similar loss.

Alternatively, your preferred Mother’s Day treat might be something that’s focussed on your living children or those of other relatives or friends, whilst still remembering any babies not with you.

Meaningful dates can be good times to make memorials – these could include planting a tree, creating a memory box or scrap book, or joining an online memorial page.

If your baby has a grave to visit, spending some time there on Mother’s Day either alone or with family members can feel important and meaningful.

You may want to take flowers or other mementoes.

You might ask for donations to a baby loss charity, made in the name of all your children or that of the baby (or babies) you’ve lost.

familiesonline.co.uk

Clubs & classes

Childcare Cooking classes for your child?

By Andrew Campbell

For many adults, cooking can feel like a mundane chore, but for children cooking is anything but. Most children love to be let loose in the kitchen and enrolling your child in cookery classes or a cooking club will not only be great fun for them but also help them acquire important developmental skills.

Most importantly, either now or at some point in the future, you may get a break from cooking as your children take to the kitchen themselves!

familiesonline.co.uk

If you need any further persuading, check out the important skills cooking classes will teach your child: Fine motor skills Mixing the ingredients, rolling the dough and using cooking implements are great ways to enhance fine motor strength and control.

Maths skills Cooking involves measurement such as cups, teaspoons and tablespoons and the need to

understand fractions, addition and subtraction.

Comprehension Reading and understanding step-by-step directions, adding ingredients in sequence, and techniques like folding and blending, all test your child’s comprehension skills.

Scientific concepts Cooking involves plenty of science. Children learn what happens when certain ingredients are mixed together as well as what happens when the measurements are incorrect.

Focus and attention When cooking, children need to stay focused and pay attention to detail or the recipe will not be completed correctly.

Children learn quickly that they have to pay attention if they want to eat that brownie or biscuit at the end!

Adventurous healthy eaters Learning to cook introduces

children to new tastes and textures that they haven’t tried before which means they will be more likely to experiment with eating new foods. They also learn which foods are healthy and which are not.

Self esteem When a child is able to successfully complete a recipe and make something edible, they feel a sense of pride and confidence. As they become more experienced cooks, they become more independent, which boosts their selfconfidence even further.

Life skills Cooking is a skill that is essential for adulthood. Children can learn from an early age how to make their own sandwiches, pour milk or heat something in the microwave. As they do this, they learn not to touch a hot stove and how to use a knife correctly. Older children can learn to cook meals for themselves and the family. This sets them on the road to being responsible, independent individuals.

Families Cheshire 13

Clubs & classes Join All Stars Cricket today!

All Stars Cricket is a programme aimed at children aged 5-8 years old to give them a great first experience in cricket. Sessions are accredited by the England & Wales Cricket Board and delivered nationwide at over 2,000 centres. All Stars Cricket will help your child develop key skills in a fun and safe environment where parents can join in too and help create #BigMoments you’ll both treasure!

Following successful registration, All Stars Cricketers will receive a brand-new kit bag full of goodies to help

them get their summer of cricket started and fully look the part when they attend their 8 weekly sessions. This year, there’s a brand-new Cricket World Cup themed activity book that is full of top tips, games and, it’s a great place to keep those weekly stickers to celebrate your All Star’s achievements. Plus, it’s all delivered straight to your door.

Razzamataz Theatre School Chester

Looking for new classes that your little ones can get involved in this year? Look no further!

As one of the top Theatre Schools in Chester, Razzamataz offer exceptional training in dance, drama and singing with exciting opportunities to perform. They believe that every student should have the opportunity to be energetic, gain confidence, make friends and have fun!

If your child is aged 4-18 and

Football boosts girls’ confidence

To find out more about how to get involved this summer, simply visit www.allstarscricket.co.uk and get your place booked as sessions begin May 2019.

New research suggests that playing football can have a greater positive impact on the self-confidence of teenage girls than other popular sports.

The study by the University of Birmingham for the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is the largest of its kind and features data collected from 4128 girls and young women

14 Families Cheshire

wants to get involved in performing arts in a funky, fresh and vibrant atmosphere, then contact Chloe to book on to a FREE taster session! Razz offer amazing performance and workshop opportunities; recently they have had workshops with West End star Kerry Ellis and Ashley Banjo from Diversity, and right now they’re getting ready to perform on the West End next year!

Razzamataz pride themselves on the quality and affordability of their tuition, and offer an amazing 50% sibling discount on your second child or third child!

Contact Chloe: 07514 624222 / chester@razzamataz.co.uk / www.chester.razzamataz.co.uk Instagram: @ razzamatazchester

aged 13 and over in Denmark, England, Germany, Spain, Poland and Turkey.

80% of teenage girls surveyed said they felt more confident as a result of being part of their football team compared to 74% who played other sports. 58% of the female footballers questioned said they had overcome a lack of self-confidence as a result of playing football, compared with 51% of girls who play other sports.

UEFA have launched the Together #WePlayStrong campaign, which aims to make football the number one participation sport for girls and women in Europe by 2022.

More info: www.birmingham. ac.uk/news

familiesonline.co.uk

What’s on Every day in Mar & Apr

Lyme Park, Disley The Lost Words 10.30am-5pm / Suitable for children / Assistance dogs welcome.

Explore Lyme to seek out words like these that are disappearing from children’s vocabulary. Pick up your Lyme dictionary and investigate the garden to discover words from Robert McFarlane and Jackie Morris’ spell book brought to life. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lyme

Every Sat in Mar & Apr

Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Outdoor Art Club 10.30am-12pm / Free, drop in Play based sessions designed especially for little explorers set in the beautiful park. Try mud painting, water play, den building, bug hunting and lots more led by artists and forest school practitioners. www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Every Sun in Mar & Apr

Whitworth Art Gallery, Manchester Art Sundays 11am-3pm / Free, drop in. Explore our exhibitions then join us in the Learning Studio and make your own art piece in response to your favourite works.

Use a range of playful materials as well as our Art Challenge Cards and get creating. Suitable for the whole family. www.whitworth.manchester.ac.uk

Fri 1 - Fri 29 Mar Tues 23 - Tues 30 Apr

Dunham Massey Percy The Park Keeper – One Springy Day 10.30am-4pm / All ages / Free, normal admission applies Join Percy the Park Keeper and his woodland friends on the first of four seasonal activity trails across the year. Based on the new book ‘One Springy Day’ by Nick Butterworth. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ dunham-massey

Sat 2 Mar

Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Make and Take 1-3pm / All ages / Free, usual admission applies. Give us a helping hand at making sessions where you can make one for Quarry Bank and one for you to take home. Something different every month, from creative crafts to seasonal decorations to fat cakes for garden birds. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ quarrybank

Sat 2 & Sun 3 Mar

Tatton Park, Knutsford Flipping Good Pancakes 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm / Children £10, Adults £7 / Age 5+ / Booking Essential.Find the ingredients for a perfect pancake, hidden around the farm. Learn how to make your own in time for pancake day, decorate and enjoy it in our Clydesdale Barn. www.tattonpark.org.uk

Sat 2 & Sun 3 Mar, Sat 9 & Sun 10 Mar

Reaseheath College, Nantwich Live Lambing Weekend 10am-4pm / Adults £8 Children £6 , Under 3 Free. A unique springtime experience for all the family. Children will always remember seeing lambs

familiesonline.co.uk

being born! Lots of fun children’s activities including farm competitions and colouring. Tickets include entry to Lambing event and Reaseheath Zoo. www.reaseheath.ac.uk

Sun 2 - Wed 20 Mar

Dunham Massey Servants in Springtime 11am-4pm / All ages / Free, normal admission applies. Discover the springtime rituals of Dunham’s servants as you journey through the servants quarters. Find out about spring cleaning then and now and have a go yourself. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ dunham-massey

Thurs 7 & 21 Mar

Bramall Hall, Bramhall Sensory Stories 11-11.45am / Suitable for babies not walking / £6 per child. Storytelling designed to engage all your baby’s senses followed by a play session in our Tudor themed discovery stations. www.stockport.gov.uk

Fri 8 Mar

Hat Works Museum, Stockport Messy Milliners 11-11.45am / Babies & early walkers / £4 per baby, booking essential An exciting messy play session with a different theme each time and lots of sensory development for baby. www.stockport.gov.uk

Sat 9 & Sun 10 Mar

Thurs 21 Mar

Sun 31 Mar

Sat 23 Mar & Sat 27 Apr

Tues 2 Apr

The Stockport Plaza, Stockport The Greatest Showman, Singalong 7pm / Cert PG / Fancy Dress Encouraged. Our live host will teach you a unique set of dance moves that will truly make you come alive. As they show how to use our interactive fun bags, you also get to practice your cheers, your boos and even a few wolf whistles Then you can sit back and relax and sing and dance along to the lyrics on screen. YOU the audience will rewrite the stars! www.stockportplaza.co.uk Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Have A Go Nature Explorers 1-3pm / All ages / Free, usual admission.

Every month in Spring you can have a go at a wild outdoor activity at Quarry Bank. From pond-dipping to wild art, there’s always a new adventure to enjoy. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarrybank

Sun 24 Mar

Brookside Garden Centre, Poynton Miniature Railway Grand Reopening 11am-4pm / FREE, bring a friend / Donations welcome on the day to The Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. Train rides, live jazz band performances, vintage fun fair rides, and lots of train fun will all be available for one day FREE of charge! Look out for the newest addition to our railway and it’s first journey on the tracks!! www.klondyke.co.uk

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Cheshire British Science Week - Under 7s - Get Set, Blast Off! 1pm / 7 and under / free with general admission. Join in a fun-filled rocket trip into space, exploring the Solar System and playing lots of games along the way. www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

Fri 29 Mar

Fri 15 - Sun 17 Mar

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Cheshire Family Stargazing night 6-9pm / Families with children aged 7-11 / £9.50pp. During our fun-packed evening you will enjoy a journey around space in our inflatable Planetarium, be surprised by the exciting experiments in our science show and get hands-on with telescopes and binoculars as you learn to navigate the night sky (and observing once it gets dark, weather permitting). www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

Event City, Manchester The Baby and Toddler Show Over 150 top brands and unique products at the best prices alongside expert advice to give new and expectant parents in the North West everything you need to give your baby the best start. www.eventcity.co.uk

Sat 16 & Sun 17 Mar

Tatton Park, Knutsford Secret Science Lab Week at the Farm Free, normal admission & opening times apply. Can you find the Secret Science Lab? Help us carry out experiments and solve puzzles that will help you discover more about the journey from field to fork. In honour of British Science Week. www.tattonpark.org.uk

Sun 17 Mar

Tatton Park, Knutsford Adopt a Farm Animal Day Free, normal admission & opening times apply. Come along to the farm and meet our special, rare breed animals which are up for adoption.

Choose from Prancer the Reindeer, Blossom the Clydesdale Horse, Tamzin the Tamworth Pig and Frosty the Donkey. www.tattonpark.org.uk

Hat Works Museum, Stockport Mad Hatters Arts and Crafts 10am-12pm / Age 2-5 / £5, booking essential. An arts and crafts session with the emphasis on fun, age ability appropriate skills development. Dress to get messy! www.stockport.gov.uk

Sat 30 Mar

Hat Works Museum, Stockport Early Bird Session 10-11.30am / All ages / £2 for craft activity, booking advisable.

For families who would benefit from visiting the museum at a quiet time.

Explore the gallery and factory floor or spend some time creating something in our craft workshop. www.stockport.gov.uk

Sat 30 Mar – Mon 22 Apr Dunham Massey Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt - One Springy Day 10.30am - 4pm / All ages / £2.50 per child . Complete the trail around the park, garden and house (open days only) to receive a scrummy chocolate prize! www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ dunham-massey

Speke Hall, Liverpool Mothering Sunday at Speke Hall £25 / Various times, booking essential.

Celebrate Mothering Sunday with a delicious feast in our Stable Tea Room, followed by an optional walk around the spring gardens with our Head Gardener. Choose from late morning brunch or traditional afternoon tea - menus vary depending on which timeslot you choose but you’re guaranteed that it’ll be homemade, delicious and include a glass of fizz! www.nationaltrust.org.uk/speke Grosvenor Museum, Chester Fantastic Fossils 12.30-2.30pm / £2 / drop in. Learn about uncovering fossils and then make your very own fossil to take home. www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Wed 3 & Thurs 4 Apr

Weaver Hall Museum, Northwich Paint, Hide and Find a Rock 10am-4pm / £2 / drop in. Decorate a stone and hide it in the museum grounds for someone else to find. www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Sat 6 Apr

Dunham Massey Special Guided Walk - Family Wildlife 11am-1pm / All ages / Free, normal admission applies. Discover Dunham’s deer and other wildlife on an accessible walk around the park.

Meet at the Clock Tower at 11am.

The walk lasts approximately two hours at a gentle pace. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ dunham-massey

Sat 6 - Mon 22 Apr

Blakemere Village, Northwich Easter Bunny Trail 10am-4pm / Age 3-11 / £3 per child A fun adventure trail to help the Easter Bunny find his friends who are hiding around the village. Collect a prize for each completed trail map purchased from the visitor information centre. www.blakemerevillage.com

Sun 7 Apr

Tabley House, Knutsford Tabley Races First Race 1pm. A great day out for all the family in the grounds of Cheshire’s only 18th Century Palladian Country House. www.tableyraces.co.uk

Sat 6 - Sun 14 Apr

Tatton Park, Knutsford Lambing Week at the Farm 12-5pm / Child £5, Adult £7, normal admission also applies. Will you be lucky enough to see our lambs being born? Informative talks on the imminent signs of lambing by the farm staff. www.tattonpark.org.uk

Sat 6 - Thurs 18 Apr

Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Spring Holidays - Right to Play 11am-4pm / All ages / Free, usual admission applies. In the past, children at Quarry Bank didn’t always have the right to play. This spring holiday, we’re playing in the great outdoors and finding out why play matters. Join in with nature-themed adventures in the garden and woods. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/quarrybank Families Cheshire 15

What’s on Sat 6 - Mon 22 Apr

Hare Hill, Alderley Edge Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt 10.30am-4pm / All ages / £2.50 per child. Follow the nature themed clues to solve the puzzle and win your chocolate prize. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/harehill

Sat 6 - Sun 28 Apr

Lyme Park, Disley Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt 10.30am 5pm / All ages / £2.50 per child. Explore the garden at Lyme and take the whole family on a nature adventure.

Complete the trail to receive a chocolate prize. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lyme Tegg’s Nose Country Park Easter Hunt 9am-5pm. Ranger Martin’s Easter Eggs have been stolen! Can you help him find the wildlife that has taken them and collect their names? Buy a map from the Tegg’s Nose Tea Room for 50p and get searching around the top of the park.

Each map purchased entitles you to a 50p discount off one hot drink from Tegg’s Nose Tea Room following completion of the trail. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve Easter Hunt 9am-4pm. Ranger Mark’s Easter Eggs have been stolen!

Can you help him find the wildlife that has taken them and collect their names? Pick up a map from the visitor centre and get searching around the park. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers

Sat 6 - Tues 30 Apr

Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Rights of the Child 10.30am-5pm / All ages / Free, usual admission applies. In this new exhibition, explore the experiences of the hundreds of children who worked at Quarry Bank and discover how children’s rights have changed over time. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ quarrybank

Mon 8 Apr

Ellesmere Port Civic Hall Twirlywoos Live!

2pm / £13 (concessions/children £11), Family of 4 £44. Mischief, music and plenty of surprises as the Twirlywoos share the delight of discovery. With beautifully inventive puppetry the show promises a cast full of all your favourite characters from the hit TV show. www.brioentertainment.org

Mon 8 & Tues 9 Apr

Norton Priory Museum, Runcorn Hansel and Gretel 10am - 4pm / Normal Admission / Drop in. Follow the bread crumbs to the witch’s house to save Hansel & Gretel. Family fun activities, crafts and trails including a story walk. www.nortonpriory.org

Mon 8 - Fri 12 Apr

Crewe Lyceum Theatre, Crewe Easter Holiday Club - Urban Culture Week 9am- 3.30pm / Ages 7 - 15 / £100 per child. Lyceum Theatre’s resident performing company brings you a jam-packed week of creative activity!

Join us for the chance to work with 16 Families Cheshire

These listings are for guidance only – please check before you go To include your upcoming event in our listings, email events@familiescheshire.co.uk or upload your event listing to our website - www.familiesonline.co.uk

members of Crewe’s premier hip hop Theatre Company and create your own performance by the end of the week. www.crewelyceum.co.uk

Mon 8 - Fri 18 Apr

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Cheshire Easter Holidays - Meet The Expert 1pm, weekdays / Age 10+ / free with general admission. Here’s your chance to meet one of our resident science and astronomy experts. You’ll learn all about their work, plus have the chance to ask the space questions you’ve always wanted to ask! www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

Mon 8 - Tue 22 Apr

Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre, Cheshire Easter Holidays - Get Set, Blast Off! Join in a fun-filled rocket trip into space, exploring the Solar System and playing lots of games along the way.

For under 7s. Free with general admission.

Easter Holidays - Science Show: It’s elemental!

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table. Be surprised and excited by the elements you encounter every day in our Science Show, which takes you from the Big Bang to life on Earth via an exploding star or two!

For ages 7+. Free with general admission www.museum.manchester.ac.uk

Mon 8 - Sun 28 Apr

Little Moreton Hall, Congleton Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt 11am-4pm / £2.50. Search the garden for ingredients for a Tudor remedy and enjoy a chocolate treat as a reward. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ littlemoretonhall

Tues 9 Apr

Tatton Park, Knutsford Happy Kids Yoga 10.30-11.30am / £10 per child, Booking essential.

A fantastic introduction to yoga for pre-school aged children, in the beautiful surroundings of Tatton Park.

Happy Kids Yoga classes are exciting, creative, calming, fun and relaxing, to encourage kids to grow in confidence and to the best of their ability. www.tattonpark.org.uk

Tues 9 & Wed 10 Apr

Lion Salt Works, Northwich Run away to the circus 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm / drop in.

Take part in some crafts all about circus fun! www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Wed 10 Apr

Grosvenor Museum, Chester Butterfly Planters 12.30-2.30pm / £2 / drop in.

Discover how to make your garden or school playground a flutterbybutterfly friendly zone! Sow your seedlings in pots made of recycled material and make sun-catcher butterfly labels to help you remember the names of your plants. www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Wed 10 & Thurs 11 Apr

Weaver Hall Museum, Northwich Wind Chimes 10am-4pm / £2 / drop in.

Make a wind chime from recycled and found materials. www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Thurs 11 Apr

Grosvenor Museum, Chester Paper Nests 12.30-2.30pm / £2 / drop in.

Make a paper nest complete with your very own bird to sit in it. www.westcheshiremuseums.co.uk

Fri 12 Apr

Astbury Mere Country Park Outdoor Experience Disability Day 11am-2pm (registration 10.45-11am) An opportunity for families of children with disabilities to try some new activities out in the fresh air. Children and parents/carers can cycle using adapted bikes and try out other activities such as orienteering, archery, pond dipping and much more. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers

Sat 13 & Sun 14 Apr

Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve Oakhanger Project Easter Taster Day 11am – 3pm / £5pp (reductions for 2 or more children in a family), booking essential. Have a go at canoeing and kayaking; join the Nature trail or try Orienteering. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers Riverside Park Ranger Centre Easter Eggstravaganza!

2 – 4pm / under 10s / £4 (booking essential). An afternoon of Eastery fun for the under 10’s. Making crafts with natural materials that we will find whilst on a wander down into the valley. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers

Thurs 18 Apr

Walton Gardens, Warrington Cheshire Food Festival 10am-5pm / All ages. A family friendly atmosphere with lots to see and do including live music on the band stand and the fantastic petting zoo, kids’ corner and crazy golf all being open. Also, plenty of stalls selling all types of food, from Thai, to Traditional hog roast! www.cheshireeast.gov.uk

Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve Easter Eggsplorer 10am – 12pm / Ages 5 – 10 / £7.50 per child (booking essential) Solve the eggs-quiz-ite scrambled eggs challenge, make your very own bird’s nest and collect Easter eggs, to take home, on the ‘Signs of Spring Treasure Trail’. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers

Mon 15 Apr

Thurs 18 - Mon 22 Apr

Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve Wellies in the Wild - Spring Pond Safari 10am – 12pm / Ages 5-10 / £7.50 per child (booking essential). Join Nature Stuff on a special springtime Pond Safari. We’ll be hunting out signs of spring and learning all about life in the pond. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers

Mon 15 - Mon 22 Apr

Reddish Vale Farm, Stockport The Easter Egg Hunt Will you be lucky enough to find a golden egg? Plenty of Easter and animal related events happening throughout the week, on various days, including, pony grooming, arts and crafts, small animal handling, face painting, tractor train rides, Easter bunny meetings and of course the Easter egg hunt! www.reddishvalefarm.co.uk

Tues 16 Apr

Tegg’s Nose Country Park Wellies in the Wild – Spring Stream Safari 10am – 12pm / Ages 5-10 / £7.50 per child (booking essential). Join Nature Stuff on a special springtime Stream Safari. We’ll be hunting out signs of spring and learning all about life in the stream.

Orienteering for All 6 – 7pm start times / Adult £5, Child £2 Courses suitable for everyone, beginners and experienced orienteers. Families and groups welcome. Instruction available. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers

Wed 17 Apr

Tegg’s Nose Country Park Easter Eggsplorer 10am – 12pm / Ages 5 – 10 / £7.50 per child (booking essential). Solve the eggs-quiz-ite scrambled eggs challenge, make your very own bird’s nest and collect Easter eggs, to take home, on the ‘Signs of Spring Treasure Trail’. www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/rangers

The Stockport Plaza, Stockport Beauty and The Beast With an all-star cast including Channel 5 Milkshake’s Kiera-Nicole Brennan as the beautiful Belle. Get ready to go on an adventure and follow Belle as she falls in love with the most unexpected of Princes with Andrew Geater as the Beast. www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Fri 19 & Sat 20 Apr

Waterside Arts Centre, Sale Dear Zoo Various Times / Ages 3+ / £14 This production will delight all those who have read the book (both young and old) as it unfolds with childengaging puppets, music and lots of audience interaction. www.watersidearts.org

Fri 19 - Mon 22 Apr

Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt 10.30am-4pm / All ages / £2.50 per child. Follow the springtime nature trail around the gardens at Quarry Bank to get your Easter chocolate treat. www. nationaltrust.org.uk/quarrybank Speke Hall, Liverpool Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt 10.30am-4pm / All ages / £2 per child. Search for clues in the grounds and gardens and receive your delicious Cadbury reward at the end. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/speke

Mon 22 Apr & Mon 6 May Parrs Wood High School, Didsbury M20 5PG Multi-Activity Children’s Fun Days 10am – 5pm / £9.50 per child, Adults & Under 3s free. Go karts, Body Zorbing, Battlefield Live, Disc Golf, Indoor & Outdoor Sporting Activities, Magic Shows, Giant Obstacle course, Arts & Crafts stalls, Inflatables, Food and Drink stalls and more! Stay as long as you want - entrance fee covers all activities. www.manchesterfundays.com

familiesonline.co.uk