Families Cheshire Issue 15 Jan-Feb 2012

Edition 15 • January/February 2012

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The local magazine for families with children 0-12 years www.familiescheshire.co.uk

® In this issue >What’s in a nursery? >Pre-preps and education >Are we there yet?

Travelling with kids

Covering: Poynton, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Knutsford, Prestbury, Macclesfield, Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Sandbach, Northwich, Winsford, Crewe, Nantwich, Tarporley, Waverton, Chester and surrounding areas

Locally speaking

Inclusion in our locally speaking section is always FREE get in touch: editor@familiescheshire.co.uk

Local Nursery Gets Top Marks from Ofsted

Welcome Happy 2012! Why is it that the days drag when you’re young but fly when you’re older? Do you suppose it’s just because we’re now having to move our creaking joints more slowly that it makes everything around us seem to happen more quickly?

Last year passed in a blur of school runs, kids activities, birthdays, half terms and Christmas parties – with very little time to stop and take stock of the important stuff, like truly appreciating friends and family and being grateful for all that we actually have.

So for us, 2012 is going to be about TIME. More quality time spent with our husbands, more fun time spent with the kids and more “me” time to recharge the ageing batteries. And we hope that whatever you decide 2012 is going to be about for you and your family – that it brings you fulfilment and happiness.

Jayne Keep

In this issue 02: 05: 13: 14:

Locally speaking Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education Parenting Travel

Next issue: March/April 2012 Circulation: 25,000 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, PO Box 581, Macclesfield, SK10 9FN Tel: 01625 801 801 www.familiescheshire.co.uk Editorial: editor@familiescheshire.co.uk Advertising/artwork: advertising@familiescheshire.co.uk Events, diary dates, out & about: events@familiescheshire.co.uk Cover photograph by: teneight, Fence House, 84 Buxton Road, Macclesfield SK10 1JS. Tel: 01625 500 488 www.teneightstudios.co.uk

school club – make use of the sensory theatre, The Studio for soft play, music and movement, as well as outdoor areas accessible for every age-specific room.

As well as this award, Kids Allowed Macclesfield has received top marks from Environmental Health after an assessment of their kitchen.

For more information or to visit the nursery, call 01625 615 027. www.kidsallowed.com.

SGS pupil crowned North West Young Chef Regional Winner 2011 by celebrity chef James Martin

Bring on the year!

Caryl Hall

Kids Allowed Macclesfield has been deemed ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted following a recent “no notice” inspection.

The centre was judged on a wide range of criteria including leadership and management, quality and standards, personal development and well-being.

Almost 100 children per week use the centre, which only opened in May. Children from six weeks old to toddlers, and pre-schoolers, as well as an after-

16: Parents’ place 19: Parties 20: What’s on

Design: Through Creative, The Old School, Byron Street, Macclesfield SK11 7QA. Tel: 01625 500 939 www.throughcreative.com Print: Bishops Printers, Walton Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO6 1TR Tel: 023 9233 4900 www.bishops.co.uk Families Cheshire is part of the Families group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license.

We take every care preparing the magazine, but the publishers and distributors can’t be held responsible for the claims of advertisers, the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequences.

2 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Stockport Grammar School pupil, Jaina Mistry (14) of Stalybridge, has beaten off competition from 10 other local students to be named the Red Tractor Beef and Lamb Mmmake it with Mince Challenge Regional Winner 2011 for the North West.

Jaina was awarded the Regional Winner title by James Martin after wowing the judges with her innovative Meatball Curry with Salad and Naan.

Points were scored for originality, nutrition and presentation. She won an iPod Touch plus £200 in vouchers. Fellow students from Stockport Grammar, Ed Robinson (14) and Katy Bacon (15) were also highly commended by James Martin.

Jaina is now up against five other Regional Winners in the race to be crowned the overall National Champion.

Speaking about Jaina’s win, James Martin said, “The standard of entries this year was extremely high and Jaina has done exceptionally well to be named Regional Winner. Her recipe was innovative, nutritious and well presented – but most importantly, it tasted great! It was clear that everyone worked really hard, so choosing the National Champion is going to be a really tough choice.

“It’s now more important than ever before to inspire young people to cook properly and this Challenge is a perfect platform for them to learn about food, cooking and nutrition. I hope that Jaina’s success will encourage more young people from the local area to get cooking and to try out new and different recipes.”

Locally speaking The Cherry on the Cake!

Cherry Tree Primary School in Lymm has just launched their school cookbook.

Entitled ‘The Big Red Juicy Cookbook’ (name created by Oscar Schache aged 5 and cover designed

by Jamie Reid aged 9), the book includes almost 130 recipes written and illustrated by the pupils from the school as well as a foreword written by local celebrity chef Aiden Byrne of The Church Green.

Mrs Helen Graham, Acting Head Teacher of the school says: “At Cherry Tree School, we are always looking for ways to celebrate the children’s creativity. This was an ideal

opportunity to allow our children to be imaginative, show off their artistic flair and also consider the healthy eating messages that we promote. I am absolutely thrilled with the final result and so proud of all the children who contributed.”

The book is priced at £9.50, plus postage of £1.40 if required, and is available by calling the school on 01925 755885, or can be purchased from The Church Green, The Terrace and Rushgreen Service Station in Lymm village.

Aiden comments, “It’s great to see children getting excited about cooking and not be afraid to experiment with different flavours and textures. I would encourage people to not only buy this book for the great recipes, but to also financially support this great school.”

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bo ok no in rm gs a m l fe ad e e s fo in r Ja n/ Fe b

Puddle Ducks Mid Cheshire launches aquanatal classes Pregnancy is such a special time in a woman’s life and aquanatal is a fabulous form of safe exercise during and after pregnancy.

Puddle Ducks’ holistic approach combines the support and relaxation that comes from an aquatic environment with cardio vascular exercise to promote mental and physical wellbeing. Classes are an excellent preparation for the rigours of labour and post natal fitness as well as being a great opportunity to make new friends. The programme is suitable for all stages of pregnancy, with exercises tailored to your changing size and shape. All teachers are accredited by The Royal College of Midwives Trust.

Classes are held on Thursdays 12.45 – 1.30pm at Holiday Inn, Runcorn and Sundays 8.00 – 8.45 pm at Manor House Hotel, Alsager. For further information or to

book a place please ring the Mid Cheshire team on 01477 410080 or e-mail midcheshire@puddleducks.com.

Puddle Ducks now in Handforth Puddle Ducks Mid Cheshire are also delighted to be starting their wonderful pre-school classes at the Hallmark Hotel, Handforth. From January classes will be running on Fridays between 12 noon and 2pm for 0-4 year olds.

Puddle Ducks is a friendly and unique swimming programme. Classes are packed full of fun with lots of music and rhyme. Children learn lifesaving, swimming and underwater skills which can lead to a lifetime love of swimming.

For more details please visit www.puddleducks.com.

Leading Nanny agency throughout Cheshire and North West • A range of full and part-time childcare services including, nannies, live in/out, babysitting, maternity nannies, emergency care, mothers help, housekeepers & special needs nannies.

• All candidates are thoroughly vetted, interviewed and reference checked • Home visits, to enable us to fully understand your requirements

Tel: 01925 768188 or 07766 290802 Email: support@nannyplus.co.uk www.nannyplus.co.uk

discounts, it’s a great opportunity for people to save money in the New Year. I had a meal out with friends who used the Peel2Save card and our bill was reduced by £22 – and that’s just with 1 sticker! It’s great to think we can save money whilst donating to a worthy cause.

Whether it’s for a new school computer, sports equipment or coach trip for the scouts, this is a great opportunity for local groups to raise funds easily – we just need to find out who they are so that we can help, so please get in touch!”

Within Cheshire there are currently cards available for Altrincham, Crewe & Nantwich, Wilmslow, Warrington & even the Trafford Centre. Ring Angela on 01625 529900 / 07800 609457 to find out how Peel2Save could help your group. www.peel2save.co.uk.

Achieving the difference...

Tennis Tykes expands across Cheshire

Fundraising boost for local groups Are you on the committee of a local PTA, Church, Sports club or other society?

Peel2Save has just been launched in Wilmslow, Altrincham, Crewe & Nantwich and is a brilliant way for charities to raise money.

The handy credit card sized Peel2Save card folds out to reveal 64 sticker coupons containing fantastic offers & discounts worth over £300 from local businesses. The cards are given out free to local charities, sports clubs, churches, PTA groups etc who sell them for £10 each. £5 of this goes directly to their fundraising activity so it’s an easy way to boost revenue whilst giving donors something of value.

Angela Bowcock from Peel2Save Wilmslow said: “With offers on the cards ranging from free days at local gyms, up to 25% off food at lots of local restaurants and fab hairdressing

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The fun and educational Tennis Tykes programme (for children from age 2) runs busy classes across Cheshire and has recently also opened up at Fun4All in Macclesfield.

Ann Regan, a Pre School Co-ordinator who has seen the classes successfully taught within their nursery, is supportive of the classes saying: “We follow the Early Years Foundation Stage and the Tennis Tykes programme has proved very impressive in meeting a large number of these development goals. The children have fun and at the same time the

programme increases their confidence, significantly improves their all-round personal, social and emotional development, their language, literacy, problem solving and numeracy skills as well as achieving so much with their physical development. I would recommend the programme to anyone.”

The classes in the Spring term (week 23rd January to week ending 30th March) will run in:BramhallBramhall Lane Tennis Club Sports Hall: Monday 9.30-10.15am (Ages 2-4) Didsbury United Reformed Church Hall: Friday 9.30-10.15am (Ages 2-4) Hale Bowdon Parish Centre: Wednesday 11-11.45am (Ages 2-3) / 11.45-12.30pm (Ages 3½ & 4) Macclesfield Fun4All: time and day TBC – please see website for up to date information Wilmslow St John’s Church Centre: Mondays & Fridays 1.00-1.45pm (Ages 2-3) / 1.45-2.30pm (Ages 3½ & 4)

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 3

Locally speaking Bug Hotel now open and buzzing!

Pupils at Holmes Chapel Primary School recently put the finishing touches to its Bug Hotel in the school grounds. 19 pupils spent four weeks building the structure using pallets

and donated recycled materials, including old hardback books, walking boots, roofing felt, straw and pinecones. The idea behind it is to entice insects through the hotel doors and provide a safe and unique environment in which to thrive.

The Hotel was built during one of the school’s successful Academy sessions over the Autumn Term. Sessions are run by teachers and local people/businesses to allow children to gain additional skills and participate in different activities.

Recent academies included Card making, Christmas Art, Raptors, Recorders, Cheeky Chefs, Weaving and Press/News.

Academy themes for the spring term are currently being finalised.

Small school, big hearts Great Budworth C of E Primary School was delighted to raise over £720 for the NSPCC, their chosen charity for the first half of the Autumn term, by holding sponsored spelling and maths challenges. Mrs Helen Redman, the NSPCC Schools Organiser gave an assembly talk to all the pupils to highlight the availability of Childline. She also explained that the money raised would be used by the NSPCC/ Childline to continue funding essential children’s services and projects, whilst providing much needed help

and counselling for children who are currently in crisis and suffering from the effects of cruelty.

Mrs Sandra Finney, Headteacher at the school was particularly proud of the fundraising efforts of the children and was delighted that they took such an interest in helping children who come from different backgrounds. As a small school in a beautiful rural setting, she is keen for all the pupils to understand what other people’s lives can be like and to use this understanding in a practical way to reflect the school’s new motto “By God’s grace we learn to love and love to learn”.

House of Rompa bakes for charity House of Rompa nursery in Wilmslow raised an impressive £225 for Children In Need at their Bakeathon at the end of last year.

The activity lasted a whole week to ensure all children were able to take part – even those in the baby room!

Their final total was 1,343 Pudsey Buns and a rather large Pudsey Cake that was shared between all the staff. Each evening all the buns were sent home for the children and parents to enjoy. Yum! www.houseofrompa.co.uk.

Watch the Birdie!

Sometimes it seems that modern technology actually undermines our experience of nature. There’s the everpresent distraction of mobile phones, e-mail, surfing the internet and console games. Then we spend hours in front of the television watching spectacular wildlife documentaries, leaving precious little time to actually go and experience the natural world for ourselves.

On the other hand, no matter how young or old you are, it’s now easier than ever before to get a hands-on appreciation of our natural history. With mobile phone apps that help us identify everything from birdsong to tree leaves and fantastic online survey resources that guide us in investigations of lichens, earthworms and climate change, it is hard to imagine a time when nature was more accessible.

One of the biggest steps forward has been the inclusion of members of the public in biological recording schemes. Once the domain of scientific researchers, our id spots, observations and photographs can all now be uploaded via the internet and contribute to the body of scientific knowledge.

It’s at this time of year that we all have the opportunity to be part of the World’s largest wildlife survey. The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch has been running for over 30 years in which time Britons have clocked up more than one million hours watching the wild birds visiting their gardens. Since 2000 public participation has grown impressively and last year an incredible 609,000 people took part.

Part of the success of this survey has to be that it is quick and easy to do and the whole family can get involved. Spend just one hour watching and counting the birds in your garden (even from the comfort of your armchair) over the weekend of January 28-29, then simply post your results to the RSPB or enter them online.

With thousands of households over the whole country taking part, a detailed picture of the health of our British garden bird populations is built up, way beyond the scope of any formal scientific study. It’s that snapshot that helps conservation organisations, like The RSPB, identify population trends and plan how best to help those species that are in trouble. Results from previous birdwatches have provided much needed (and sometimes surprising) information about our garden birds. Serious declines in species like the House Sparrow have been flagged up and details of which of our wild birds fared best during recent harsh winters.

In the last few years many Cheshire school children have taken part in The Big (and Little) Schools Birdwatch - the version of the survey for groups and schools. Even the youngest have enjoyed this great introduction to birdwatching and the opportunity to feed their results into a national survey. It is wonderful just to see children inspired to start taking a closer look at the world around them.

Results from individual gardens matter.

The more results that The RSPB collects, the better the quality of information that can be gleaned from them. Why not take part yourself this year? It could be your first step in helping to make a real difference to our local and national wildlife as well as being lots of fun for all the family.

Top 10 Garden Birds - Recorded in Cheshire Gardens as part of The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch 2011 1. House Sparrow 2. Blackbird 3. Starling 4. Blue tit 5. Woodpigeon 6. Chaffinch 7. Long-tailed tit 8. Great tit 9. Robin 10. Goldfinch Find out about inspirational wildlife activities and events for children, young people and their families at www.macclesfieldrspb.org.uk. For details on how you can take part in The RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch and details of last year’s results: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.

School will officially open in March 2012, providing specifically designed areas for babies, toddlers and pre-school children.

The nursery, the first of its kind in the Sale area, has already attracted much interest from local parents looking for a purposebuilt facility offering an all-inclusive service. kidsunlimited is a nationwide children’s

daycare provider with over 25 years’ experience. They offer young children boundless opportunities to learn through imagination, creativity and play, while offering parents the peace of mind that comes from knowing their children couldn’t be better cared for. www.kidsunlimited.co.uk.

by Tina Hanak, Group Leader, Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorers

A fresh new nursery arrives in Sale kidsunlimited day nurseries are getting ready to welcome the local residents and businesses of Sale during their ‘Meet the Manager’ event on Friday 20 January 2012. The event, which is being held at its sister nursery, kidsunlimited Timperley nursery on Deansgate Lane, will allow

prospective parents to view the facilities within a kidsunlimited setting, to meet the new Nursery Manager and some of the team, and ask any childcare questions that they might have.

The purpose-built nursery situated on the Marsland Road opposite Sale Grammar

4 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education What’s in a nursery? choose from the range of activities offered.

Using sensory materials to provide intellectual, physical and psychological stimuli, Montessori schools aim to develop the child’s whole personality.

The aim of Steiner schools is to foster imagination and creativity; they don't introduce formal education before the age of six, concentrating on creative play rather than the ‘three Rs’.

Both these options can be great, but might not prepare a child who is going on to a particularly academic school (with entrance exams perhaps) but they do offer a more holistic approach to learning.

Workplace nurseries Much sought-after, workplace nurseries provide full or part-time childcare, but think

about the location. If your journey to work is an hour long your toddler may not appreciate the trip home at 6pm and a nursery around the corner from home might be a better idea.

SureStart Children’s Centres A number of Centres offer affordable, flexible childcare for up to 10 hours a day.

Worth considering!

Nursery Checklist Once you’ve found a nursery, go and have a look. Go back again if you’re still not sure. A good nursery will welcome a visit and might even let your child join in. By watching the other children you’ll get a good idea of whether it's the right environment for your child.

How to find the right nursery – a parent’s guide: So, your little one’s growing up and it’s time to start thinking about nurseries. Day nurseries, nursery schools, pre-schools – nurseries come in all shapes and sizes and navigating your way through them can be daunting. Whether you’re going back to work or just want your child to benefit from all that nursery has to offer, here is our guide to finding the best, and right, nursery for you.

Studies have shown that children who attend nurseries can be more confident and often go on to do better at school. A good nursery will prepare your child for those first few nerve-wracking weeks at school, plus most children thrive on the stimulation at nursery. Another advantage is the year-round care they offer, and you know your child is being looked after by qualified staff who won’t become ill and need time off work – at least not all at the same time!

Day nurseries Open usually 8am-6pm, day nurseries are a good option for working parents as many will take babies from 3 months.

The day follows structured activities interspersed with naps, meals and outdoor play. Day nurseries offer continuity of care and your child doesn’t have to stay all day – many day nurseries will do half days or you can collect early.

Nursery schools Nursery schools are often more formal in the way they structure sessions. They usually take children from 2½-3 years and provide a grounding for starting school, teaching letters, shapes, numbers and sometimes even earlystage reading. Nursery schools give children the opportunity to make friends of the same age as most require children

to do either 5 morning or 5 afternoon sessions, so the same children will be there everyday. They are often smaller scale with a personal touch, too, but perhaps are not so convenient for working families.

Nursery classes in schools The first step in ‘real’ school life, these can be excellent for children who are ready for school and structured, educational play. They are convenient if you already have siblings at the school, but again sessions are often only 3 hours long which may not be practical. Nursery classes in independent schools are more likely to offer full school-day sessions but nursery classes attached to state schools are free! It’s important to remember that a school nursery place does not automatically guarantee a place in reception.

Pre-schools and playgroups Playgroups usually take children from 2½yrs, offering short sessions to ‘ease’ your child out of the home and into a more sociable learning environment where they can play, learn and have fun. Playgroups have a varied mix of toys, games, singing, story-time, arts and crafts and usually an outdoor area. Parents are encouraged to be active members of the playgroup and their small-scale settings are less daunting for shy children. They are also excellent value for money as they tend to be notfor-profit and are sometimes staffed by volunteers, with parents staying to help out.

Montessori nurseries and Steiner schools Montessori teaching is based on a method which fosters and guides children’s inbuilt curiosity for learning. In a Montessori nursery it is the children themselves, who

• Start early! “It sounds ridiculous, but I put my bump down for nursery when I was pregnant,” says Camille, mother of one.

“OK, I wasted a few registration fees, but at least I got a place at the nursery I really wanted.”

• Near or far? Think about the time it takes to get to nursery. There’s a lot to be said for a nursery around the corner from home, and it helps bring down your carbon footprint.

• Does the nursery have a welcoming, happy, cheerful atmosphere? Some nurseries offer cosy, home-like environments whereas others have more room to run around in. A child-friendly outdoor space can be a real draw when choosing a nursery, especially for lively boys.

Also, check basic things like security, cleanliness and equipment.

• “Looks aren’t everything,” says Kate, mother of 3. “If a nursery is a bit shabby it could still be fantastic in terms of quality of care. And perfect, pristine equipment is not being used!”

• Watch the staff. Look at their ages – the younger staff may have energy but the older ones have experience and usually more patience. “My preference is always an owner-run nursery,” says Marianna, mum of 2. “It’s their own business and they’ll really care about it.” Are the carers interacting with the children or are they just chatting to each other? Look at staff turnover and ask if the nursery ever uses agency staff.

• Consider your child’s routine. “My little one sleeps 1-3pm,” says Alice, a firsttime mum, “so afternoon nursery is no good for me.” Many parents also want a nursery that provides all meals – but do consider what your child is being fed and where it is cooked!

• What does the nursery offer? How are the sessions structured? Look for a mix of fun along with quieter activities. Are there additional classes such as French and ballet? Do they take the older children on outings? How much is your child learning in preparation for school? Do you want them to learn letters and numbers?

• “I wish someone had told me about nurseries that feed into schools,” complains Lissy. “I wanted my daughter to go to a school where she needed to pass an assessment, but the nursery I sent her to didn’t prepare her and when she was asked to write her name at the assessment she burst into tears!” 3 to 5 year olds are taught according to a framework set out by the Government’s Early Years Foundation Stage but some nurseries will go far beyond this academically. On the other hand, some parents will run a mile from a nursery that hothouses such young children.

• “I wanted a nursery for Annabel where her key worker would chat to me every day and tell me what she had been up to.

Some nurseries I looked around seemed too busy to do that,” says Sarah.

• Read the latest OFSTED report - a great way for detailed info on everything from quality of care and education to cleanliness and opportunities for play.

Although all nurseries follow OFSTED guidelines, there’s room for interpretation!

• How flexible will the nursery be if you need to swap a day or add an afternoon? You’ll soon discover how useful this can be.

• The best way to choose a nursery is gut instinct. Look at whether the children are relaxed, happy, stimulated and engaged.

“If it clicks, it’s probably right,” says Jo.

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Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education Nursery Grants explained Nursery fees vary greatly, depending on location, demand and what is offered. They start at around £100 a week and go up to 4 times that, but there are ways to get help with the costs: • Nursery Education Grant - all 3 and 4 year olds are entitled to 15 hours of free early-education a week for 38 weeks of the year.

This applies until they reach compulsory school age (the term following their fifth birthday), and

can be applied flexibly over a minimum of three days. Free early education places are available at a range of early years settings including nursery schools and classes, children’s centres, day nurseries, play groups and preschools and childminders. Your child will be eligible for the Nursery Education Grant from the term after their third birthday. If you choose a nursery which costs more than the funding or use the nursery for more

hours the grant will be offset against your bill.

• Your employer may provide subsidised onsite childcare, or offer Childcare Vouchers as a portion of your salary. Download a guide at www.childcarevouchers.co.uk or find out more about Childcare Vouchers at www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/ccin.htm.

Check if your nursery will accept Childcare Vouchers.

• The Preschool Alliance www.pre-school.org.uk.

• SureStart has information about childcare options, tax credits and free nursery places, plus links to the Children’s Information Service www.direct.gov.uk and search for SureStart • Try your local council’s Family Information Service: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/fis www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk /familyinformationservice.

• OFSTED www.ofsted.gov.uk.

• For more articles on choosing a nursery, early learning, independent or chain of nurseries, childminder versus nursery, tree nurseries, Montessori education and more visit www.familiescheshire.co.uk.

Remember, if you don’t want to read about nurseries in Scotland then make sure you log in: this way you’ll only see results in your area!

More Information • Find out about the Early Years Foundation Stage at www.direct.gov.uk. Download a list of registered childcarers in your area.

• For local nurseries and links to Ofsted reports go to www.findmyschool.co.uk.

• The National Day Nurseries Association provides information for parents.

Search for NDNA member nurseries at www.ndna.org.uk/parents.

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• You may be able to recoup some of your childcare costs through the tax credit scheme, depending on the number of hours you work and your household income. To find out if you are eligible go to www.payingforchildcare.org.uk or www.direct.gov.uk/en/ MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ TaxCredits.

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education Ice Science – activities using ice at home Northwich Nursery is a hit The Private Day Nursery opened its investigate to expand a child’s learning (Cool Science!) doors to the babes and tots of the world

by Victoria Murray, Early Years Specialist at kidsunlimited nurseries

The best early learning activities can be found around the home, including within your freezer! Ice is a fantastic tool for encouraging children to observe changes and begin to question how and why things happen. Here a few simple and fun ideas that you can try at home with your child.

In winter, we often see roads and pavements being ‘salted’ to prevent (or melt) ice. This because adding salt to ice will lower the freezing point of the ice, effectively causing it to melt. Children are fascinated by this process and here are two fun activities you can try at home.

Melting Ice Cube Races Place 2 identical ice cubes into two separate trays/containers; explain that we are going to have a melting race! You are

going to put salt on one of the ice cubes – which one does your child think will melt first? Have your child sprinkle salt onto one of the ice cubes. The cube with the salt will begin to melt more quickly than the unsalted ice. This activity will encourage your child to talk about the changes they can see happening and why they might be happening.

Trapped!

Ask your child to choose several small toys and explain that you are going to trap them in ice and the child will have to save them!

Fill a container (this could be an ice cube tray, a margarine tub, a rubber glove, etc) with water and ask your child to put their toys inside, and place this into your freezer.

Once frozen, remove the ice from its container and put it on a tray. Challenge your child to think of different ways to free their toy from the ice – What will help the ice melt/break? What will make the ice melt/break fastest? What do we have at home that we could use? This activity will encourage your child to observe changes and explore the effects of different actions on materials.

Northwich in the Summer of 2011 and is already proving popular. Set within a lovely Victorian house it feels like a home from home for its day time residents. The qualified staff work hard to ensure every child feels happy, cared for and valued so they look forward to coming in to nursery each morning.

The Nursery is split into three cosy rooms: for the babies (0-2 years), a toddler room for the 2-3 year olds and a pre-school room. All rooms take part in daily activities to meet the EYFS educational requirements and of course to make the days fun and interesting. In addition to the rooms there is a lovely safe and secure outside space where the children are taken to explore and have fun twice daily.

Toddlers and pre-school children are introduced to letters and sounds, numbers and counting. They will learn the initial skills of reading, writing and mathematics, all in preparation for when they start school. The children are encouraged to independently

around them through their play.

They are also encouraged to be independent learners and to develop their creative thinking skills.

To keep up energy levels for all the play and learning, home cooked food is provided from a flavoursome menu packed with the nutrition and goodness that your child needs to grow and be healthy.

Nicky Scott, the nursery manager says: “We are very proud of our nursery and so we love to show it off. For this reason we have an open door policy inviting all parents and children to experience the nursery first hand before deciding to join us.” If you’d like to call in, the nursery is situated at 5 Darwin Street, Castle, Northwich CW8 1BU, or if you have any questions you can call on 01606 766 44. www.theprivatedaynursery.co.uk.

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 7

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education Celebrating 525 Years of Outstanding Education

January 2012 marks the beginning of an important anniversary for the oldest school in the North of England, as Stockport Grammar School celebrates 525 years since its foundation by Sir Edmond Shaa, Mayor of London and Prime Warden of the Goldsmiths’ Company. A year of festivities opens with a Gala Concert, in collaboration with Chorale and Cheshire Sinfonia, at the Royal Northern College of Music on the 25th February.

SGS has never rested on its laurels and the conclusion of the Independent Schools’ Inspectorate that “the pupils’ overall achievement and their learning, attitudes and skills are outstanding” was a welcome start to the 524th year. Excellent pastoral guidance and over a hundred clubs and activities make school life a happy and exciting experience for girls and boys from 3 to 18 years.

The school continues to invest in superb facilities, with the construction of a new £4 million teaching block well underway. A separate Junior School and Nursery on the same site provides younger children with a caring and stimulating environment in which to learn, whilst enjoying the benefits of strong links with the Senior School.

SGS is easy to reach with extensive school bus routes, including a new service from Sale, Altrincham and Hale, and close proximity to two railway stations. Meanstested bursaries are available at 11+ and 16+, and music scholarships at 11+.

Parents and children are warmly invited to Open Events and regular school day visits throughout the year. www.stockportgrammar.co.uk.

8 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

The Montessori Way

The Montessori method of education was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the 20th Century and remains a popular and highly effective way of educating children here in the UK and throughout the World. The approach is holistic and aims to develop the whole child by prioritising social interactions, grace and courtesy skills and sensory development, along with the more usual creative, mathematics and literacy areas of the curriculum.

Montessori observed that children learn best when they are active in a task, so pioneered hands-on learning materials which, when executed correctly, are effective in teaching children the basic

skills required to become happy and secure independent learners.

Given the opportunity, children are natural learners who want to explore the World. Harbouring this intrinsic curiosity, a Montessori setting provides an environment rich in ‘real life’ activities whilst supporting individual needs and rates of learning. At this age, it’s not about the end result, but about the journey and experiences a child encounters in getting there.

When children are self-motivated to learn, they develop positive self-images and grow in confidence; all the ingredients for a successful school career and happy life.

Montessori recognises that early childhood (from 0-6 years) is a pivotal time when children are most receptive to learning, hence attending the right nursery and pre-school is crucial. If nothing else, allow the time to visit different types of nursery environments - it may not always be the most convenient choice, however an extra few miles could make a huge difference to your child’s future.

Alderley Day Nursery Montessori, Congleton Road, Nether Alderley.

01625 860660 / www.alderleydaynursery.com.

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education All kids count at Kids Count Kids Count Pre-school and Nursery has been on site at Hartford County Primary School since 1994 and has an excellent reputation for quality childcare in the local area.

The pre-school offers flexible sessions for children aged three and up, with funding from the government for up to six free 2½ hour sessions per week during term time, whilst the nursery offers sessions for children from the age of six weeks to four years old all year round.

Kids Count offers quality childcare and education in a warm and nurturing environment, with a fully qualified and experienced staff team who put your child at the heart of all they do.

The activities on offer vary widely, from day to day and from age group to age group – no day is ever the same! The staff

team support the children in their learning, offering educational activities, although the emphasis is always on fun and learning through play.

Kids Count has its own minibus and the children are often taken on outings around the local area and to places of interest, linking into a particular theme or topic that they are exploring. This can mean a visit to a museum, the local library or to somewhere like Marbury Park or Delamere Forest.

Offering affordable quality childcare in a unique and flexible way, Kids Count leads the way forward for families.

Kids Count Pre-school and Nursery, Hartford, Northwich.

01606 74100 / www.kidscountonline.co.uk.

The King’s Learning Journey

Even the youngest children can produce stunning performance levels at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

The national expectation is for children to achieve 6 points from the Early Learning Goals across the six areas of learning. At King’s, all Reception children achieved this level with many achieving the top level of 9.

For example, 50% of children achieved an Indicator 9 in Emotional Development, 54% gained an Indicator 9 in Linking Sounds and Letters, and 29% scored an Indicator 9 in Calculating. These verified and moderated marks have been achieved even though King’s is not a selective school at this age group.

Another very important aspect was that the boys’ performance was also matching the girls’.

Mrs. Caroline Hulme McKibbin, Principal of the Infant and Junior Division said: “A

successful start to a child’s learning journey is crucial to their future not only to build a strong platform of learning and skills but to promote confidence and happiness in the classroom.”

Mrs. Catherine Bailey, Early Years Manager, added: “I feel there are three major factors behind the success of the children.

First is the effectiveness of learning through play, where activities allow children to acquire skills and knowledge without realising they are being taught. Mark making for instance is an enjoyable precursor to writing. Secondly, our outdoor classroom, which mirrors the indoor classroom, allows an active, hands-on, physical approach, which is particularly stimulating for boys.

The final factor is the staff : pupil ratio. We are fortunate at King’s to have a ratio of 1:6 which enables close personal attention and hence aids the development of the children.”

When these three factors are combined the results can clearly be stunning. As a society we should have high expectations of our children because they will generally reach, and often surpass, our expectations.

Set our sights too low and we are failing them.

The King’s School, Macclesfield.

01625 260 000 / www.kingsmac.co.uk.

Parents, Babies and Little Friends!

As you will have found out by now, babies ‘don’t come with a manual’. We can help! With our expertise and guidance you can confidently enjoy and treasure all those precious first moments as they unfold. You and your child can develop into a happy family that embraces life and all its opportunities.

Little Friends is not just childcare. It’s a well-established nursery genuinely committed

to supporting families in finding their own way through parenting, work and life helping to create a healthy balance that exceeds expectations. We also offer free Baby Signing sessions and Positive Parenting Workshops – call us to find out more!

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

Little Friends Day Nursery, Chester.

01244 346456 / www.littlefriendsnursery.com.

www.familieschehsire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 9

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education The importance of families and home learning in the Foundation Years

By Nicky Cunningham, Little Friends Day Nursery The most important influence on children in their early years is their family. Mothers and fathers play the most crucial role in raising a child, and parenting which is both warm and authoritative is instrumental to the development of children’s emotional, social and intellectual development.

Research has been carried out, and evidence found to demonstrate that the quality of the relationship between parents, the quality of care a baby receives and the attachment and bonding which takes place between a young child and its parents plays a significant part in their learning and educational attainment, social skills, self motivation, self esteem, behaviour and both physical and mental health.

The simple things that parents and carers can share with their children in the home environment such as time sharing books, talking together and playing together have huge benefits on future development and children’s readiness to begin formal education in a school setting.

This coupled with high quality early childcare and education experiences, is essential in ensuring the best outcomes for children.

Those children who achieve good levels of development in the foundation years, go on to achieve well in the later stages of their learning.

So, exactly how can parents confidently offer quality experiences within the home learning environment?

It’s unlikely that you consider time spent washing, cooking, cleaning etc. as quality time. However, such routine activities can be turned into quality time spent with your child.

Many parents may find there are not enough hours in the day to go to work, complete all necessary jobs at home and then spend quality time with their children. So, why not include your child in the daily jobs of family life? These jobs provide endless learning opportunities for children whilst also giving you time together.

When sorting the washing you can count, put items in pairs, talk about colour, size, the weather (summer clothes/winter clothes) and as children get older and progress developmentally, so the conversations you have will progress – how do you wash your clothes if you have no washing machine? The weekly grocery shopping also gives up so many valuable lessons. Why not encourage your child to help write the list before you go? Getting items from the shelf, counting them into the trolley, talking about the health implications of food choices, the list of jobs and learning opportunities really is endless.

So next time you put your child to bed and think “I really didn’t have any quality time with you today”, think whether they could have helped you prepare the evening meal, laid the table or even have helped to wash up afterwards.

10 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Little Griffins at Beech Hall School – small setting, great achievements

In The Little Griffins Nursery, our aim is to provide a safe and healthy environment where children can build a tower of sand, create a work of art in dough, feel the sensation of paint between their toes, learn songs that will make them laugh and find friends in books. The nursery is an environment in which children can flourish, grow and journey just as far as a child’s imagination can take them.

The activities in The Little Griffins Nursery are wide and varied. Indoors they can play with their favourite toys or experience ‘messy play’ as they paint with their fingers and feet or sculpt models in clay. They can begin to make sense of their world through pre-school science activities or play with sand and water.

Music and movement may capture their imagination or perhaps they will enjoy cooking!

Outside in our large private and safely fenced garden, the children can play happily on climbing apparatus, ride bikes or scooters or just run around burning off that excess energy.

If you decide to place your child in our school you will find that Beech Hall provides an exciting and alternative approach to independent education in Cheshire. Your child does not have to attend a big school to achieve academic success. In recent league tables for state and independent education in East Cheshire, Beech Hall was the best performing small school in the region ranking above many larger schools.

Beech Hall’s success is based in the

fundamental belief that the most effective teaching occurs when children are taught in small class sizes where teachers can offer individual attention and encouragement.

In classes which are not allowed to exceed 20 children our dedicated teachers are able to help your child attain their best whether they are in the nursery, junior or senior school.

We offer a broad curriculum across the school which includes sport, music, drama and art giving our pupils an opportunity to participate, ‘have a go’ and grow in confidence.

A full calendar of sporting fixtures will, invariably, lead to your child representing Beech Hall in one activity or another which is always a source of great personal pride to our pupils.

Recognising that often both parents have busy working lives ‘wrap-around care’ extends from 8.00am to 6.00pm. Once academic lessons finish at 4.00pm there is a comprehensive ‘after school’ activity programme offered to all ages. The activities feature a wide range of sports including Lacrosse, Badminton, Rugby and Hockey as well as Drama, Music and Art Clubs, all of which are available to parents at no extra cost.

The beautiful ‘listed’ school buildings occupy a woodland setting with well equipped classrooms, ICT suites, science labs, workshops, studio, gym, astro turf and swimming pool.

Our pupils come from a wide catchment area and we operate our own return bus services from Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, and Congleton.

Annually, the school also offers a limited number of scholarships and bursaries on application.

Little Griffins and Beech Hall School, Tytherington, Macclesfield.

01625 422192 /www.beechhallschool.org.

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education Abbey Gate College and Aldford School – nurturing, stimulating and successful

Abbey Gate College is a wellestablished, coeducational school for pupils aged 4 to 18 on the outskirts of Chester, with Aldford School being home to the popular and successful Junior and Infant Departments.

The Foundation stage is a very important time in your child’s education and at Aldford School, the exciting and challenging curriculum programme gives the children every opportunity to develop a love of learning in a friendly, caring environment.

A variety of educational trips and visits are incorporated as well as daily use of the extensive grounds, wildlife garden and exciting adventure playground. The Infant Department develops and formalises the curriculum, keeping the experiential and exploratory side of learning.

English and maths are introduced in the Foundation stage through a range of fun, multi-sensory and interactive activities and all children learn to read, write, count, add

and subtract by the end of their first year at school. These skills are then developed in the Infant Department with mathematical problem solving, spelling and reading being the key focus as well as the learning of cursive handwriting and ICT skills.

Both classes also receive a weekly lesson of French, drama, music and P.E. from specialist teachers and visit the Senior School once a term for cookery in the Home Economics Department.

Each and every child is valued and their potential nurtured and encouraged.

Education is far greater than simply achieving super examination results; at Abbey Gate College the journey itself is of equal importance, providing a stimulating experience, widening opportunities and providing an education for life.

Abbey Gate College & Aldford School, Chester.

01244 620280 / www.abbeygatecollege.co.uk.

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 11

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education Learning to read can be easy and fun!

Reading Eggs is a highly interactive online program that makes learning to read a fun and enjoyable experience for all involved.

Learn to read with Reading Eggs Reading Eggs was created as a unique online world where children learn to read. It supports each child’s learning by offering individual lessons that allow children to progress at their own rate.

And it really works!

Children love the games, songs, golden eggs and other rewards which, along with feeling proud of their reading, really motivate them to keep exploring and learning. Over 1 million children across the world have already had the Reading Eggs experience and the program is already being used by many teachers who incorporated the program into their daily lesson. Children love working and playing on the computer and the Reading Eggs program is all about bringing out the best in each child.

Educationally sound The program has been developed by a highly experienced team of educational teachers, writers and developers.

The Reading Eggs program focuses on a core reading curriculum of phonics and sight words using skills and strategies essential for sustained reading success. It completely supports what children learn at school and will help to improve your child’s progress.

Children love it!

With interactive animations, fun games, great songs and lots of rewards, Reading Eggs is a great place to learn to read. Children are highly motivated to return again and again.

And it’s growing!

Reading Eggs now has 120 big lessons which have been developed for 3-7 year olds and a placement test at the start of the program will ensure children start at the correct level for them. The next stage of the program, Reading Eggspress, is also now available for 8-13 year olds and includes lessons, games and activities covering comprehension and grammar.

You too can be one of the 90% of parents who reported a noticeable improvement in their child’s reading skills after using the program.

Using promotional code UKJ23CHE you can trial the site for free for an extended period of 5 weeks to see for yourself what the program entails and why it has been so successful. Simply visit www.readingeggs.co.uk, register your email address and once your account has been set up you can enter the code on your parent dashboard.

Happy Eggsploring!

Quality Child Care & Individual Pre-School Education EST. 1995

Day Nursery

• Expert Child Care 0-7 Years • Specialist Baby Units • Free Baby Signing & Parent Workshops • Spacious Indoor And Outdoor Facilities

Learning Centre

• Pre-School Education • • OFSTED Commended • Dance/French Included

www.littlefriendschester.co.uk Egerton St. Chester - close to city centre Email: info@littlefriendschester.co.uk

12 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Tel: 01244 346 456 Quality Assurance & Healthy Eating Awards

Ladybirds, Caterpillars and Butterflies find their home in Terra Nova Nursery

Following a complete refurbishment last year, the Nursery at Terra Nova is not only alive with colour, excitement and inspiration for the year ahead, it has now become inhabited by some little ladybirds, crawling caterpillars and beautiful butterflies as we get the school year off to a flying start.

The three clusters, separated by 6 monthly age ranges are the brainchild of Head of Pre-Prep and Nursery, Rachel Cookson and have been created to bring the best out of our youngsters. So our earliest children are our ‘Little Ladybirds’ and will be guided by Emma Hargreaves, Crawling Caterpillars are our middle-aged youngsters and will be nurtured by Kate Smithers and finally our eldest children, or our ‘Beautiful Butterflies’ will be gradually prepared by Karen Potts for the forthcoming move up to ‘Big School’ or Reception as we all know it, next year.

Rachel Cookson commented, “Our Nursery children are a wonderful yet diverse mix of children, ranging from the age of 2 to 4. As they join us at different stages of their development, they require different platforms and opportunities to inspire, challenge and extend them. Whilst this was happening before, we now have a solid structure to ensure our youngsters enjoy the most exciting and inspiring start to their education.”

Our Nursery children enjoy a vast range of opportunities, from exploring a range of media, techniques and textures in the creative room. Two spacious classrooms offer a host of exciting and challenging learning areas, including a dedicated story corner, literacy and numeracy zones, imaginative roleplay areas, small world, construction challenges, computer bays and an investigation area.

Fun and learning doesn’t just happen indoors either!

Children love our special outdoor learning environment, which boasts a vast sandpit and adventure play area, two large fields and a vegetable and herb garden. They also enjoy a paved area for riding bikes, a range of playhouses, outdoor painting and water-based activities. The Nursery at Terra Nova really is a special place to be.

Terra Nova School, Jodrell Bank, Holmes Chapel.

01477 571251 / www.terranovaschool.co.uk.

Parenting Why empowering your kids makes for a happier home life

‘Go and brush your teeth! Now! Why haven’t you done it yet??’ ‘I’m going to ask you twice only, then the naughty step… OK… no bike, no TV!’. Sound familiar? And as you walk out of the room, do you wonder why it has to be such a battle? But put yourself in your children’s shoes – imagine being told to do the same simple thing every day of your life, wouldn’t you prefer just to be trusted to get on with it?

It’s so easy to get caught in a cycle where everything feels as if it becomes a power battle – asking them to do a simple everyday task such as brushing their teeth, they don’t do it when asked, followed by escalating threats and confrontation; without even meaning it, the morning’s off to a bad start. And unfortunately this can also start a cycle – you expect confrontation next time and so on; it’s exhausting and upsetting for everyone.

For recurring situations of confrontation think about what’s behind their behaviour: • Is your response stronger or more punitive than perhaps the situation deserves?

• Are they upset, confused or fearful and so unable to take on board the message or to learn?

• Are they really doing it to annoy you?

Or are they looking for respect and an opportunity to be trusted to make some of their own choices?

• Do you really need to be involved in every small detail? Might a ‘you are trusted’ message be more effective in moving towards getting things done?

Here are a few questions to ask yourself before next time • Is this important? Whose problem is it, mine or theirs?

• Does it have to be done now?

• Have I made it clear what I want them to do and why?

• With an older child, talking through the problem and what might help develops their problem-solving skills and independence.

• Can I offer limited choice instead?

‘WHEN you have done…, THEN you can have/do…’, ‘Would you like THIS ONE or THAT…?’

• Am I too wound up to notice when they are responding or behaving well, and do I remember to praise these small improvements?

Often if we step back, take a breath and calm down, we can see other options which avoid confrontation. They have an opportunity to learn to be more capable and to make better choices the next time. Time and encouragement at these moments requires astonishing levels of self-control by parents, but can make interactions so much more constructive. Children learn to be more co-operative as they feel respected.

Trusting your child involves taking a risk as a parent. I remember being allowed to sit on the counter as a child of five and paint the kitchen wall. I can still remember how much effort I put in when painting around the white light switch in a dark petrol green colour. I felt competent and trusted.

No doubt my parents had to tidy up the edges, but I didn’t see that part. I was not being over-managed, I was shown what to do and allowed to get on with it. So I did my best.

‘The hardest part of raising a child is teaching them to ride bicycles. A shaky child on a bicycle for the first time needs both support and freedom. The realisation that this is what the child will always need can hit hard.’

Sloan Wilson Of course you need to have some non-negotiables about areas such as safety, sleep, eating, family rules etc which are backed up with constructive consequences, but keep these to a minimum where possible. Then you can

move into more expansive areas; imagine your older children organizing a birthday celebration for you (give them a budget and prepare to be surprised!), or making dinner one evening, or the young ones packing their own luggage for a trip to Granny’s, or perhaps gathering nice things for an afternoon picnic. They’re likely to put heart and soul into the job and OK things can get quirky, but maybe that is part of the fun.

Giving your child choices, even limited ‘This-one-or-that-one’ choices makes them feel trusted and capable.

Feeling valued, they don’t need the power battles to say ‘Get off my back, I can do it!’ And when they make mistakes, or things don’t quite work out we can only admire them for having tried and encourage them to try another approach.

You can contact Dr Clare Bailey from Parenting Matters about individual consultations held by phone or face-to-face, by calling 01494 677575 or by going to www.parentingmatters.co.uk.

Parenting Matters also run courses you can do from home (or work) in small groups using an interactive web-based, coach-led presentation.

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 13

Travel Are we nearly there yet?

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Ben Hatch, author of Are We nearly There Yet?, his wife Dinah and their two children Phoebe (3) and Charlie (1) spent 5 months touring Britain’s family-friendly attractions. In the course of 8000 miles they reviewed 900 attractions, slept in tents, mobile homes, castles, hotels, and, once, in their car. They were attacked by bats, had confrontations with puff adders, Nazis and Billie Piper's pyjamas. Here, Ben offers up a few highlights and learnings: • Not owning a sat-nav today is like being a 14th century sailor and trying to round the Cape without a nautical chart. We bought one halfway through our trip. Put it this way, if I’d a choice – brakes or sat-nav? - I’d gladly drill a hole in the driver’s footwell and use my feet to slow down.

• It’s unwise to allow Dinah, my wife, who has a raging cheloniaphobia (fear of tortoises and any creatures that look like tortoises), to wander untended through Birdworld in Farnham. I’m also aware now, that afterwards telling her, as she hyperventilates into a bag, “I’m sorry, I thought Tortoise Hill was just a description of what the hill looked like.

Not a description of what lived on the hill,” cuts little ice.

• In Welly Boot Land at the Slimbridge Wetland Centre, after handling ducklings and feeding wild fowl (“There’s some for you swan. And you goose. No, you've had yours heron”) it isn’t a good idea to take your eyes off your children. There’s an artificial stream running through the play-park that our children attempted, fully clothed, to swim up like salmons running to their native breeding grounds.

• At the Jorvik Viking Centre in York it’s possible, through responding to a series of questions about your hair colour, and also, somewhat baffling, your sandwich filling of choice, to see how much Viking blood you possess.

• After almost being blown up a field of live ordnance inside a Military Zone, near Otterburn, we’ve learnt to be careful taking the kids for nature wees and to look out for signs saying: “Warning: This may explode and kill you.”

• It’s easy stealing lunch from hotel breakfast buffets. Secretive initially we’d pilfer odd rolls when waitresses backs were turned. A few weeks in, feral, we were snatching camembert triangles, bacon, sausages and yoghurts then asking for napkins to wrap it all up in.

• You can impersonate David Blaine on the A719 between Dunure and Croy in Scotland. Here there’s an optical illusion created by the surrounding landscape which means that if you put your car in neutral and release the brake it appears to slowly roll up hill.

Known as the Electric Brae (brae meaning slope), the spot is marked by a stone cairn inscribed with an explanation that you needn’t trouble your awe-struck family with.

• On long journeys don’t oversell destinations as we did visiting the Wensleydale Cheese Visitor Centre.

On the strength of a Yorkshire Tourist Board leaflet featuring Wallace and Gromit sticking their thumbs up, we rashly promised life-size models of the cartoon characters wandering around.

However, the only thing Wallace and Gromit related was a chalk outline of them on the café’s specials board.

We’d driven two hours to a working

14 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

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cheese factory to show the kids the processes milling and tipping and for them to learn how Wensleydale cheese did in the last Nantwich International Cheese festival.

At the The Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden, we learned that the great children’s writer kept on his writing desk a model of a hurricane plane in recognition of the one he flew in World War 2, a paperknife of his father’s and the thighbone he had removed by a surgeon who later remarked it was the biggest he’d ever seen, it all helpfully making the loose orange peel, crumpet crumbs and broken monkey nut casing on my desk at home seem mildly more excusable to my wife.

Cheap in-car dvd players are inadvisable. Ours kept disconnecting from the cigarette lighter and returning the film to the beginning every time my wife scratched her leg in the passenger seat. Consequently despite watching Finding Nemo 10 times our kids are still unaware Nemo was eventually reunited with his father.

Mother Shipton’s Cave in North Yorkshire, is where a 17th century prophetess lived, predicted both the Great Fire of London and the advent of email.

I now never to listen to my wife on health matters. In a serviced apartment in Leeds she advised me a pain in my side was trapped wind and I should “cycle in the air” to alleviate it. I was eventually rushed (after she and the kids had finished watching Nina and Neurones on cbeebies) to the A & E department of St James Hospital, Leeds where a kidney stone was diagnosed. Thanks, love.

At Shakespeare’s Birthplace Museum in Stratford-upon-Avon we learnt that when period costumed performers suddenly jump out of nowhere and start launching into performances of Shakespeare plays, these actors will

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happily pose for snaps and also pretend not to mind having their tights wiped with the luminous orange residue from your son’s Hip Organic spaghetti bolognaise.

You can have fun in the Scottish Central Highlands at Doune Castle, used in the filming of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, shouting from the ramparts on our best John Cleese voices: “I fart in your general direction.

Your mother was a hamster and you father smelled of elderberries.”

At Chester Zoo, home to 7000 animals, while the kids enjoyed the lions, we actually had more fun watching a schoolgirl from Rainhill getting wedged in the Marmot Mania tunnel because of her overlarge sandwich bag, prompting mournful shouts from the darkness to her concerned/highly amused friends, “Get Mrs Harris – I’m stook.”

Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry presents kids in its braintaxing Xperiment Gallery with the opportunity to dress up, and to lift a mini with their little finger, while in the café next door my wife and I very much enjoyed listening to a competitive father informing his bored-looking daughter that if could she spell beef bourguignon then she could have a £3.95 kids portion.

If all distractions in the car fail, turn up Classic FM to max volume and kid yourself you aren’t muffling the kids’ din with an even louder one, but that you’re educating them about Haydn.

Backed by an unlikely combination of Mumsnet, John Cleese and Sophie Kinsella, Are We Nearly There Yet? 8000 Misguided Miles Round Britain is available from all good bookshops and from Amazon for £5.

Jayne Keep says: “A very witty book that you can't help but connect with. As Ben and his wife Dinah take their two toddlers on a 8000 mile road trip around Britain in order to write a guidebook, we follow their rather amusing progress. The book is all about family relationships; love, death and mishaps along the way interwoven with comedy and family friendly attraction reviews. A slightly odd combination but it really works. Highly recommended!”

Travel All aboard for summer 2012 It’s the depths of winter, so every family’s thoughts naturally turn to where they will be this summer. Joanna Moorhead has lots of ideas.

The Alps in August

Switzerland isn’t just for skiing: in fact, the Alps can be one of the loveliest places in Europe for a summer holiday en famille. As well as beautiful weather, there’s a wealth of sporty things to do for both smaller children and teenagers.

Chilly Powder runs its Morzine chalet hotel through the summer as well as the winter, offering the same attractions (professionally-cooked food, childcare etc) and with the emphasis on comfortable living alongside a wealth of outdoor pursuits. Morzine is an eight-hour drive from Calais, or fly to Geneva and hire a car; the chalet has 17 bedrooms and there’s even a hot tub in the garden.

Perfect for: sporty families with children in different age ranges.

Midsummer prices: from around £120 per adult per night, discount for children, half-board.

Website: www.chillypowder.com Away from the crowds in Norfolk

Camping meets boutique hotel

Molly Dishwasher isn’t just an unusual name for a holiday experience – it’s an unusual experience, too. You stay in a shepherd’s hut nestled among acres of meadows and woodland in deepest Sussex. A comfy double for you, bunk beds for the children, all squeezed into a small but beautiful space with oodles of special little touches.

Young children adore staying somewhere different, and they love pulling their parents into their adventures – which is what makes Molly Dishwasher such a hit. Plus breakfast included, a BBQ and food on hand, and loads of places to explore in the area including Drusilla’s Zoo, Battle Abbey, Hever Castle and endless beaches.

Perfect for: families with small children who want a pint-sized adventure without having to travel too far.

Midsummer prices: Around £20 per person per night.

Website: www.mollydishwasher.com Affordable luxury – and abroad too

Pamper yourself in Devon The word ‘barton’ means ‘a small country estate’ in Devon, so head for Libbear Barton and what you’ll be buying is a slice of laid-back country high life, half an hour from the nearest beach. Libbear Barton is a 40-acre farm with four properties: the Georgian farmhouse (sleeping up to 14) and three cottages. Rent one if you’re holidaying with your immediate family, or rent two or even all of them if you’re bringing your extended clan or another family or families along (the maximum number of guests, if you take all the properties, is 39). The whole place is kitted out with underfives in mind, so you won’t need to worry about cramming the car with clobber – even buggies are provided. You won’t need to leave the farm every day, because there’s plenty to do there – an adventure playground, indoor swimming pool, woodland and meadows, a fishing lake, games room and loads and loads of play space. For those days when you do want to venture out, north Devon is teeming with family-friendly things to do, and the beautiful beach at Bude is only 15 miles away.

Perfect for: groups of families holidaying together.

Midsummer prices: from £36 per person per night, based on full occupancy in July/August.

More details: www.libbearbarton.co.uk Further afield...

Poppyland Cottages If you love Cornwall and Devon, but are frustrated by the prices and the crowds, why not head instead for Norfolk?

Cottage prices for midsummer are cheaper, it will take you less time to get there and it’s much easier to get to and from the beaches and other attractions because the roads are far less clogged. For a comfortable, child-friendly cottage look on the Recommended Family Holidays website under the ‘East of England’ tab. Poppyland Cottages, for example, have a range of properties dotted around a series of beautiful villages, and within easy reach of lovely Blue Flag beaches – and everything on the website has been checked for family-friendliness. Great pubs for lunches and suppers out, too – and Norfolk is also a very good option for families who love cycling.

Perfect for: Families with young children wanting to get away from the crowds.

Midsummer prices: from around £21 per person, per night.

Website: www.recommendedfamilyholidays.com

Hideaway in Robin Hood’s forest What child wouldn’t be excited to be holidaying in the centre of the wood made famous by the legendary Robin Hood?

And what parent wouldn’t be happy to join them, now Forest Holidays are extending their venues to this one? The new lodges, which open this spring, will be set in the middle of 3,300 acres of forest, and include basic cabins to de luxe ‘golden oak plus’ cabins with their own hot tub. Loads to do for all ages – Sherwood Forest has a glorious labyrinth of cycle trails, plus farm parks, arts and craft centres and play areas.

Perfect for: active families in search of a change from Center Parcs (and more of a bargain).

Midsummer prices: From around £30 per person per night.

Website: www.forestholidays.co.uk

Glamping is the way to go: much more reasonable prices than villas or hotels, and a wide range of family-friendly sites. And what’s new on the glamping block for 2012 is an ever-widening range of top-notch accommodation: for 2012, Select Camp has a new range of what it’s calling its ‘lodge suites’ featuring a canopy bed, free-standing oval bath, fully-equipped kitchen, shower and toilet – and a separate junior lodge tent next to the main suite. Select Camp also has four new sites, three in Italy and one in Spain – and coming soon, a brand new website which should make browsing and booking a lot easier too.

Perfect for: Budget-conscious, adventurous families.

Midsummer prices: from around £24 per person, per night.

Website: www.selectcamp.co.uk

Logis la Cabane, Poitou Charente, SW France If you’re looking for something more exotic, recommendedfamilyhotels.com has a choice of hotels in the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and Africa, as well as Europe – all recommended by real families who’ve stayed in them. Scottdunn.com, meanwhile, can help you craft the family holiday of a lifetime whether it’s somewhere far-flung like Thailand or Nepal that you’re after, or luxury in the Med. Markwarner.co.uk have wonderful family-friendly resorts in Corsica, Turkey, Portugal, Sardinia and Greece – ideal destinations if you don’t want a long flight.

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 15

Parents’ place Dads in business

Dan Coates Ranger Dan

Tell us a bit about yourself. Hello my name’s Dan Coates and I run my own Environmental education business called Ranger Dan. Yes, it took me ages to think of the name! I teach environmental education within schools and also run field trips to my woodland and to public sites such as Brereton Heath or Teggs Nose country parks amongst others. I teach Bush craft and survival skills, animal tracking, woodland crafts, environmental art, science based studies and loads more. I currently run the Saturday morning OWLS (outdoor woodland learning scheme) at the Wacky woods in Adlington; I also run Ranger Dan birthday parties from there. I live with my partner Claire and our two children Sammi 8 and Amy 5. They are both

wonderfully entertaining, funny and beautiful children. Claire’s pretty good too. We live in Macclesfield.

How did you get started?Until June this year I worked as a Ranger for the council, but unfortunately I was made redundant which at the time was devastating. It was a terrible shock as the environmental work we did within schools, our events and trips were mega popular, but if the money’s not there, tough decisions have to be made I suppose. With my severance pay I bought a van, tools, bug boxes, a first aid kit and very expensive insurance, bit the bullet and went for it. Starting up on my own was terrifying, I didn’t want to let my family down, but if you don’t try anything in life you will succeed at nothing. After all, I have loads of experience, I saw 15,000 school children in a 12 month period and environmental education had been my life for the past ten years, so really all I had to do was believe in myself and stop worrying. During those ten years I spent time listening to the old boys and held on to their little gems of information, asked for advice and worked hard to improve my own skills.

Sometimes doing totally new things during events, things I’d never done before, being scared makes you really concentrate on what you’re doing. Hey, if it doesn’t work it will teach you how to do it right the next time. You don’t learn from perfection!

What does the future hold for the business?I’m lucky that I had a very good reputation with the local schools and teachers when I started my business, but that came about because I always tried to do my best. I always gave extra help to schools when I could.

Things like building bird boxes and planters for school grounds or helping with community projects. You get out what you put into life, if you do a little bit extra people notice. Previously, I have worked as a gamekeeper in Scotland after completing my countryside and estate management courses at Reaseheath College. I also ran my own little gardening and stone masonry business during the holidays and held down another job at the Flower pot at the same time. If I keep going the way I have started off then I can see Ranger Dan growing really well.

What is the best bit about what you do? Money has never been a big priority, doing the job is what I love. My biggest payment is seeing the spark in a child’s eyes when they light a tinder bundle with a flint steel or hold a baby frog for the first time; I’m as happy and excited as they are.

Any bad bits? There’s only one downside to my job and that’s most days after running around a wood all day playing hide and seek, lugging fire wood around and building roman catapults, my fragile back is shot to pieces. Which sees me in bed before the kids most nights, extra beauty sleep helps me stay gorgeous!

How do you fit work around family life? My family life is great, Claire and the kids help me when I have a birthday party at the woods, and the kids like it because they get to join in playing hide and seek and then do a bit of whittling.

Oh and they eat the left over cakes!!

They are very proud of me and I like to think that I’m giving them a good start in life by passing on as much of my knowledge to them as I can. Children have a massive appetite for knowledge it’s our job to feed them! During the week my work hours are based around school hours as I deliver environmental sessions most days. This means I finish early and I’m home to cook the tea before 4pm.

What advice would you give to other dads or mums looking to work for themselves? The best piece of advice that anyone has ever given me has to be from someone you all know: Mr Ray Mears. I asked Ray what advice he had for me starting up my own business and he said, “Teach them what you love to do and make sure they enjoy what you teach them.” Now that’s a perfect way to go about any business and let’s face it Ray is very successful man and I will be forever grateful for that advice.

Ranger Dan can be contacted on 07765 890385 or 01625 265093. www.rangerdan.co.uk.

Award-winning Baby Development classes for babies from birth to 13 months.

Classes across South Cheshire in Nantwich, Shavington, Middlewich, Holmes Chapel, Crewe and Madeley.

First session free – call Sam to register!

Call Sam for more details on 07527 741530 or 01270 841361 southcheshire@babysensory.co.uk www.babysensory.com facebook: BabySensory SouthCheshire

Make it a happy new year from bananalane with free postage just enter FAM2012 at checkout.

• Independent occupational therapy for children with additional needs • Detailed assessment to determine root cause of a child's difficulty • Work with families and children, providing purposeful activities to develop functional skills www.mosaicchildrenstherapy.co.uk | mosaicctc@gmail.com 57 Church Street, Davenham, Northwich, CW9 8NF | 01606 40195

16 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Parents’ place Beating the Bollington Chill

I found myself in a real dilemma over Winter coats for 2011/12. As a family we spend a lot of time outdoors regardless of the weather so I wanted to find coats that would keep the kids warm, dry and moan free (or is that too much to ask from a

by Jayne Keep

coat??). After much research and opinion asking I placed an order with Polarn O. Pyret for their ‘Child Winter Coat’ for Lily (5) and Izzy (3).

Ordering clothing for girls without checking their opinion first is always a risky business but it appears I got it right.

The bright colours really appealed to them. These extra tough coats are wind and waterproof, yet breathable and flexible. Lily, found hers warm, comfortable and not all restrictive to play in. The cuffs feature thumb holes which both girls loved, although Izzy did find a little fiddly to put on alone. The cuffs are also adjustable, not only to keep out wind and rain but also to grip a slightly long sleeve which was great for us as I bought slightly larger sizes in the hope we could get two Winters out of them, which with

Foot Pampering with MySpa Being decidedly guilty of neglecting my feet, I was pretty excited by the opportunity to try out the the Homedics HL150MYGB MySpa Complete Pedicure Foot Spa recently.

It certainly looks good, with a splash cover and accessible touch-toe button that means you don’t have to bend down to switch it on or alternate between the 2 settings (massage or massage, bubble and heat).

It also comes with interchangeable massage attachments – a rolling ball, pumice or brush – that slot into the middle.

The problem I found with these was the positioning; unless you have pretty small

the quality I am sure we will. The hood is fully removable and is a fabulous shape that fits nicely so it stays up despite the wind. Reflectors feature on the back of the coat, on the sleeves and on the hood for 360 degree visibility. As well as keeping the girls safe on the walk to school they found it most amusing to watch each other glow!

From a mum point of view I find these coats easy to keep clean; my lot seem to get particularly dirty and I have been able to easily wipe marks away, or to throw them in the machine for a good wash without losing any colour or shape.

The Child Winter Coat is available from www.polarnopyret.com in ages 1½ years through to 12 years. In red, blue or pink. RRP £79.

Reviewed by Caryl Hall

feet (and size 5½ is certainly not gigantic), it wasn’t very easy to move your feet over them to take full advantage of the treatment.

The heat function is not meant to heat water, just to maintain the temperature of the water that you put in – but to be honest I didn’t find that this was particularly effective and the water cooled down pretty quickly.

Having said that, it was a real treat just to sit still and let my feet have a bit of pampering.

And because I only kept them in for about 5 minutes, the heat wasn’t really an issue.

I followed it up with a bit of light scrubbing with a foot file and then some rich foot cream and my feet felt

marvellous. It’s definitely something I’ll use more regularly.

Homedics HL150MYGB MySpa Complete Pedicure Foot Spa retails for around £30 and is widely available online and in large high street stores.

Logan LOVES Littlelife

by Jayne Keep I never had a need to use a set of reins or similar on the girls as they were never ‘runners’.

Logan (18 months) is another matter so I was very pleased to receive an Animal Toddler Daysack (complete with safety rein) from Littlelife to try out.

Logan really enjoys filling his bag for a trip out, usually with a mini board book, a toy car or two and some snacks. The bag is big enough to carry a few bits and bobs and still be compact and light enough for a toddler to carry. The shoulder straps are comfy and padded, plus the chest strap keeps the bag firmly in place.

The fun ladybird design is bright and colourful which appeals to Logan and his big sister Izzy (3) who would happily claim it as her own.

For me as mum the biggest appeal is the removable safety rein so I know I can hang on to him if need be. Logan is not very tolerant of restraint so this subtle strap works well for him. The only downside is that I don’t feel as secure with the strap as opposed to reins when walking by a busy road until he is a little older and more steady on his feet.

The Littlelife Animal Toddler Daysack comes in a wide range of designs.

Suitable from 6 months to 3 years.

For more information visit www.littlelife.co.uk.

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 17

Parents’ place Fun Unisex Fashion from Flamingos and Dominoes

Freelance designer and Mum Helen is behind the Flamingos and Dominos brand. When she was expecting baby number one she found the unisex clothing for newborns on the high street to be bland and boring so she

Yummy Mummy Week 2012

by Jayne Keep

set about designing unisex fashion with some fun.

I personally loved the designs as soon as I looked on her website (www.flamingosanddominoes.co.uk); the designs are quite retro and colourful without being overly bright and garish.

Helen sent me one of her Zebra print long sleeve tops to try on Isabella (3) who loved it. Older sister Lily (5) was a tad miffed that the tops are only available for ages 0-4 years. The material is lovely and soft and washes well. This top will be a keeper to hand down to little brother Logan when he is older.

Call to protect children from the health risks of mobile phones

A new report recently published by UK charity MobileWise warns that children’s health is being jeopardised

by the failure of Government and phone companies to respond to the growing body of evidence linking mobile phone use with health hazards.

The new report Mobile phone health risks: the case for action to protect children brings together, for the first time, more than 200 peer-reviewed studies from a range of research institutions that link mobiles to serious health problems. Endorsed by a number of eminent doctors and scientists, the report highlights the growing and substantial body of evidence that has been obscured in the debate over these risks. Find the report at www.familiesonline.co.uk/ EMRresourcepage and read simple tips to protect your family at www.familiesonline.co.uk/EMRsafety.

Running from Saturday 10 March to Sunday 18 March (Mother’s Day), this week is all about mums doing something yummy by hosting their own fundraising events and spending

Mummy Fever – events for mummies As mummies we often see adverts for baby fairs and expos – many of us will have attended them. Mummy Fever events are like these but with a twist... these events are all about mummies – whether that is making life easier for us or just making us feel better about ourselves.

All events are family friendly, their goal being to create Mummy-focused events which have enough to occupy the little ones. They are launching a number of Mummy Fever events during 2012 and would love for you to join them.

Date: Friday 17th February 2012 Venue: Theatre Clwyd, Mold, Flintshire Time: 10.30-13.30 (Set up 10.00 and close at 14.00)

Advertise in Families Cheshire Call Jayne on: 01625 801801 or email advertising@familiescheshire.co.uk

18 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

quality time with their children, family and friends. All the money raised will help CLIC Sargent continue to provide clinical, practical and emotional support for children and young people with cancer.

You can hold any event you can think of - no matter how much it raises, every penny counts!

The most popular events are afternoon teas and cake sales, pamper parties, nearly new sales – anything goes! It can be as simple as inviting your mum and friends to come round for a coffee morning for a small donation, or as extravagant as getting together with the girls to organise a Yummy Mummy party because you all deserve some fun! For more information, go to www.yummymummy.org.uk.

Trade stands: £30 (includes full promotional package) Entry prices: Adults £2.00 (in advance), £3.00 (on the day); Under 5’s Free; Concesssions £1.50 Date: Saturday 3rd March 2012 Venue: Woodhouse Park Lifestyle Centre, Portway (at the junction with Selstead Road), Wythenshawe, M22 1QW Time: 10.00-13.00 (Set up 09.00) Trade stands: £30 (includes full promotional package) Entry prices: Adults £2.00 (in advance), £3.00 (on the day); Under 5’s Free; Concesssions £1.50 For more information, call Charlotte on 07762 798 008 or email info@mummyfever.co.uk. Or go to www.mummyfever.co.uk.

Parties Welcome to Party Sashes Galore

Personalise and create exclusive sashes and banners to announce your exciting occasion and stunning unique ribbons to make a statement with your gift.

Party Sashes Galore are UK specialists in making your party or event a memorable one.

They’re there to help you personalise for ANY occasion and provide a stunning range of superb quality custom made satin sashes,

banners and ribbons JUST FOR YOU to create a lasting impression. Why not become a designer and create a funky, stylish, quirky, professional or corporate feel to your event?

With Party Sashes Galore you can create that perfect finishing touch for every occasion.

You can customise your ribbons using their personalisation tool and see what your ribbon will look like before buying. Change ribbon colours, text and images until you are happy with your design.

Party Sashes Galore allows you to personalise your ribbons to offer maximum impact for your announcements, celebrations and promotional events. Make your personalised announcement in style!

Contact Lorna on 0161 798 6245 or email sales@partysashesgalore.co.uk. www.partysashesgalore.co.uk.

Party fun with Kiddiewinks by Jayne Keep For Isabella’s 3rd birthday party I chose to shy away from the task of entertaining tots and called on Nuala from Kiddiewinks to do the job, and what a job she did. I had meet Nuala previously at some social events and found her so fun and full of energy that I was confident she would be a brilliant entertainer and I was right.

The party was a real whirlwind of activity to a soundtrack of lively music.

The children followed Nula’s lead with a huge variety of toys including pom-poms, hoola-hoops, bouncy dogs, musical instruments, magic wands, monkeys and more. The variety of games was amazing as she worked in the traditional stuff like pass the parcel and music bumps with

pretend play and tricks. All of the children had a wonderful time and Izzy loved every minute of her special day.

As a mum I found Kiddiewinks lovely to work with; Nuala spoke to me in depth before the party so she knew what Izzy would enjoy. We were provided with invitations and personalised thank you cards which took a job off my list. Plus Nuala even supplied presents for the party games. Highly recommended!

For more information on the full range of Kiddiewinks parties call 0161 432 3624 or visit www.kiddiewinksonline.com.

My Little Pony Parties

Dandy Farm My Little Pony Parties is home to 11 American miniature horses of all ages and range from foals no more than 24 inches high up to the full grown adults at 33/34 inches high. They have all been very carefully selected from America for their temperament and breeding. All the horses have been with us since they were small, have grown up here at Dandy Farm and introduced to children from a very young age.

The idea has been to create a centre for small children to have a hands-on experience with these little horses. It’s a great opportunity for little ones to get involved and gain confidence as well as learning how to groom, lead the horses, be creative when dressing them up with bows and ribbons and learn how to show them.

Whatever your child is interested in, we can design a day, party or activity to suit you all. It’s such great fun! Contact Sarah-Jane on 01625 820 431 or 07832 127433, or visit www.mylittleponyparties.com.

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 19

What’s on Activities Sat 14 & Sun 15 Jan Manchester Art Gallery Imagine Weekend 12 noon – 4pm. Free drop-in creative play for all ages. Experiment and play with the material of the month.

0161 235 8888 / www.manchestergalleries.org

Sat 21 Jan Nantwich Town Centre The Battle of Nantwich The 2012 event marks the 40th re-enactment of the Battle of Nantwich. www.hollyholyday.org.uk

Sun 22, Fri 27 & Sun 29 Jan Imperial War Museum What a Performance: Instruments of Song Klezmer, Greek and east European melodies performed by Manchester duo The Deli Babies to mark Holocaust Memorial Day. 12.15 and 3.15pm. Ideal for all ages www.iwm.org.uk

Sat 28 Jan

Wed 1 Feb

Sat 11 Feb

Manchester Museum Big Saturday: Bug Art 11am – 4pm. Make your own bug art inspired by the Museum’s bug collection.

Most activities are free and drop-in but some may need to be booked on the day and may cost up to £1.50. All ages.

0161 235 8888 / www.manchestergalleries.org

Stockport Air Raid Shelters Explorer Tour Evening Tour of Stockport Air Raid Shelters, including areas not seen on the public tour.

You will be given the opportunity to see the extent of Stockport’s Air Raid preparations 7.00pm Age 10+ and adults Booking essential 0161 474 1940 / www.airraidshelters.org.uk

Glo Family, Cheadle Valentines Craft Workshop 1pm 0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

Sun 29 Jan Wilmslow High School Kids Car Boot & Swap Shop 10am – 12pm, Table costs £10 Entrance 50p 07748 601248 / www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk The Lowry Free Family Sunday Discover free fun art and drama activities in the Galleries inspired by the current exhibitions. Ages 5 – 12. 11am – 3pm 0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 31 Jan People’s History Museum The Little PHM – Mr Ordinary’s Prize 11am – 12 noon £1 per child, adults free Under 5s, Booking essential 0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Sat 4 Feb Manchester Art Gallery Family Art Club Spend quality time together as a family and learn new art skills. 1pm – 3pm FREE – but arrive early as places are limited 0161 235 8888 / www.manchestergalleries.org

Fri 10 & Sat 11 Feb Manchester Art Gallery Mini Art Club 10.15 – 11.15am / 11.30am – 12.30pm Free Sensory play for you and your baby/toddler with a different theme each month. Booking essential (from one week before the event) 0161 235 8888 / www.manchestergalleries.org

The North-West's Premier Climbing Venue.

• • • •

Birthday Parties Kids Clubs Family Taster Sessions Groups welcome

Quote FAMILIES to get 10% off any booking with this advert.

0161 230 7006, www.manchesterclimbingcentre.com, info@manchesterclimbingcentre.com

Sat 11 & Sun 12 Feb Manchester Art Gallery Imagine Weekend 12 noon – 4pm Free drop-in creative play for all ages.

Experiment and play with the material of the month.

0161 235 8888 / www.manchestergalleries.org Churnet Valley Railway Day out with Thomas Pre-booking essential 01538 758491 / www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Sat 11 – Sun 19 Feb People’s History Museum Radical Craft Table 10 am – 5pm Free family friendly activity suitable for all ages. Booking not required.

0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk Tatton Park Scarecrow Festival Visit Tatton’s Scarecrow Festival in the Gardens and at the Farm this spring halfterm. Over 30 scarecrows will be resident in the Gardens. Find the farmyard scarecrows and have a go at making your own. Closed Monday. Normal opening times and prices apply.

01625 374400 / www.tattonpark.org.uk

Sun 12 Feb Bijou Club, Manchester M3 7NJ Baby Loves Disco Valentines Party 6 months to 7 years (must be accompanied by an adult) 2pm – 5pm www.babylovesdisco.co.uk

Mon 13 Feb Glo Family, Cheadle Valentines Craft Workshop 12 noon - 1pm 0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

Mon 13 – Fri 17 Feb Glo Family, Cheadle Valentines Movie Week 2pm Includes a heart shaped treat!

0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com The Lowry (The Studio) Art Zone: The Big Top 11am – 12.30 Roll up, roll up and join us to create the greatest show on earth by making a magnificent mobile inspired by the colourful sights and sounds of the circus.

Limited places available.

0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

20 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

These listings are for guidance only – please check before you go

What’s on

to include your upcoming event in our listings, email events@familiescheshire.co.uk

Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Weaving activities at the Mill Weave something wonderful at family drop in sessions in the Mill.

11am – 4pm No booking necessary. Free event but normal admission charges apply.

01625 445845 / www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Tues 14 Feb Glo Family, Cheadle Toddler Time Valentines Day Party 10am Valentines Make & Bake Workshop 1pm 0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com People’s History Museum Living History – Pauly’s War Learn more about life during The Blitz 1.15 – 2pm, Free Family friendly activity for 7+, No booking required.

0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Tues 14 & Wed 15 Feb Tatton Park Deer Feed and Trailer Ride Take a trailer ride with the rangers to watch the daily deer feed. Get a close look at hundreds of deer feeding in their beautiful natural setting. 9.30am to 10.30am. £5 adult, £3 child 01625 374400 / www.tattonpark.org.uk

Tues 14 & Thurs 16 Feb Quarry Bank Mill, Styal Wonderful Weaving Workshop Experiment on a loom to create your own woven bookmark. 12 noon – 2pm £3 per child (normal admission charges apply) Booking essential 01625 445845 / www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Tues 14 – Thurs 16 Feb The Lowry (The Studio) Drama Zone: Billy Goats, Wolves & Bears Create a story using some classic animal characters from children’s stories in this fun session for the whole family. Packed full of drama games and role play, see if you can create a brand new story. Limited places available. 11am – 12.30pm 0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com Hatworks, Stockport Fun with Feathers Have fun with feathers and see if this craft session tickles your fancy!

10.30am – 12.00 and 1.00pm – 2.30pm Ages 5 – 11 Limited places – booking essential 0161 355 7770 / www.hatworks.org.uk

Tues 14 – Fri 17 Feb Manchester Art Gallery Surprise! Surprise!

1.00pm – 3.00pm Explore surfaces and textures around the gallery with magic rubbings and transform patterns into beautiful pictures to take home. Free, drop in for all ages.

Sign in from 12.30pm.

0161 235 8888 / www.manchestergalleries.org

Wed 15 Feb Glo Family, Cheadle Mum & Baby Yoga - FREE TASTER 9.30 – 10.15am 0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com George H Carnall Leisure Centre, Kingsway Park M41 7FJ Go Kiddy Karts Multi Activity Fun Day 10am – 4pm £6.00 entry per child covers all activities (under 3 free) Adults pay per ride, no entry fee No need to book, Ages 3 – 14 Go Karts, BodyZorbs, Dance Mats, Inflatables, Trampolines, Giant Games, Whizz Wheels, Holistic therapies for adults 07956 557653 / www.go-kiddy-karts.co.uk

Churnet Valley Railway Day out with Thomas Pre-booking essential 01538 758491 / www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk Stockport Air Raid Shelters Children’s Explorer Tour Exciting children’s version of the ever popular Explorer Tours. Brave the darkened tunnels as you go back in time and experience the life of a child during the war. 6.45pm – 8.00pm Age 7+ (must be accompanied by an adult) Booking essential 0161 474 1940 / www.airraidshelters.org.uk

Thurs 16 Feb Glo Family, Cheadle Valentines Craft Workshop - hosted by The Creation Station 10 – 11am 0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

Thurs 16 & Fri 17 Feb Silk Museum, Macclesfield Children’s Craft Club : Deft Deception Camouflage and disguise, art work and masks. Ages 6 – 12. Booking essential.

01625 612045/613210 www.silkmacclesfield.org.uk

Sat 18 & Sun 19 Feb Churnet Valley Railway Day out with Thomas Pre-booking essential 01538 758491 / www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Mon 20 – Fri 24 Feb The Lowry (The Studio) Art Zone: The Big Top 11am – 12.30 Roll up, roll up and join us to create the greatest show on earth by making a magnificent mobile inspired by the colourful sights and sounds of the circus. Limited places available.

0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 21 – Thurs 23 Feb The Lowry (The Studio) Drama Zone: Billy Goats, Wolves & Bears Create a story using some classic animal characters from children’s stories in this fun session for the whole family. Packed full of drama games and role play, see if you can create a brand new story. Limited places available. 11am – 12.30pm 0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

From Sat 25 Feb throughout the year Lyme Park Lyme, the End of a Golden Era Ever visited a country house and wanted the freedom to explore, play the piano, take part in a theatrical, dress up or have tea on the lawn? During 2012 you can.

Look out for Edwardian Apprentice activities throughout the year. 11am - 5pm 01663 762023 / www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Sun 26 Feb Wilmslow High School Kids Car Boot & Swap Shop 10am – 12pm, Table costs £10 Entrance 50p 07748 601248 / www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk The Lowry Free Family Sunday Discover free fun art and drama activities in the Galleries inspired by the current exhibitions. Ages 5 – 12.

11am – 3pm 0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 28 Feb People’s History Museum The Little PHM – Beeing Special Especially for little ones 11am – 12 noon £1 per child, adults free Fun interactive story session with puppets, song, dance and a craft activity for under 5s. Booking essential.

0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 21

What’s on Advertise in Families Cheshire Call Jayne on: 01625 801801 or email advertising@familiescheshire.co.uk

Family Shows 16 Jan – 21 Jan MADS Theatre, Macclesfield Jack & The Beanstalk A classic panto presented by the award winning “Macclesfield Majestic Theatre Group”.

07875 149943 / www.mmtg.co.uk

Fri 13 – Sun 15 Jan & Wed 18 – Sun 22 Jan Waterside Arts Centre, Sale Cinderella A traditional pantomime with a modern twist for all the family.

0161 912 5616 / www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Joseph at the Lowry

22 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Tues 10 – Sun 15 Jan The Lowry Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Keith Jack, the hugely popular runner-up who finished just a hair’s breadth behind winner Lee Mead in hit BBC series Any Dream Will Do, takes on the title role, having won the hearts of the nation with his sparkling charisma and sensational singing voice.

0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 17 Jan Buxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre) Beanbag Stories - Science Explosion A chance for your cheeky monkeys aged 6 months to 4 to get lost in their imaginations.

So come and experience stories, sounds and songs with Beanbag Stories – effective, creative play for shuffle bottoms and babies!

For ages 2-4 (plus older & younger family members!)

0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

These listings are for guidance only – please check before you go

What’s on

to include your upcoming event in our listings, email events@familiescheshire.co.uk

Fri 20 – Sun 22 Jan

Wed 25 Jan

Tue 31 Jan

The Lowry Beauty and the Beast ballet repertoire workshop A chance to improve your ballet technique and learn extracts from David Bintley’s magical production of Beauty and the Beast.

There will be a small sharing at the end of each class to parents. An opportunity not to be missed!

4.15-6.00pm Intermediate / Advanced (14+)*£18.00 *or equivalent level Application forms at www.thelowry.com or contact Jenny Murphy at jennymurphy@brb.org.uk

Sat 11 & Sun 12 Feb

Buxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre) One Snowy Night One Snowy Night is from the ever-popular Tales from Percy’s Park series by Nick Butterworh which celebrated its 21st birthday in 2010, when this stage version premiered in a sell-out Christmas season.

Suitable for ages 3+ 0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

The Lowry Beauty and the Beast ballet repertoire workshop A chance to improve your ballet technique and learn extracts from David Bintley’s magical production of Beauty and the Beast.

There will be a small sharing at the end of each class to parents. An opportunity not to be missed!

4.00-5.00pm Grade 2-3 (Approx age 8-10)* £12.00, 5.15-6.30pm Grade 4-5/ Inter foundation (Approx age 11-13)* £15.00 *or equivalent level Application forms at www.thelowry.com or contact Jenny Murphy at jennymurphy@brb.org.uk

Buxton Opera House The Wheels On The Bus This is classic sing-a-long fun at its very best for children of all ages. You’ll find Buster the Bus Coming Round The Mountain, he’ll stop to count Ten Green Bottles. They’ll find Five Little Ducks and then all go Apples & Bananas. So climb on board, and buckle up for the ride of your life!

0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Sat 21 Jan Stockport Plaza Chinese New Year Extravaganza Featuring internationally acclaimed acrobat troupes from Chengdu, China – the home of the panda. The ‘costumed’ acrobatic pandas and the mighty dragon dance add charm and dynamics to the show, a colourful show packed full of fun and excitement which is perfect for all ages!

0161 477 7779 / www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Tues 24 Jan Buxton Opera House Hansel & Gretel Although it’s as old as the hills the story of Hansel & Gretel comes up shiny and new for our consumerist times. Gothic, funny, scary and exciting!

0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Wed 25 Jan – Sat 10 Mar Palace Theatre, Manchester Oliver!

Starring Neil Morrissey as Fagin. Bringing vividly to life Dicken’s timeless characters with its ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more.

0844 871 3019 / www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

Sun 29 Jan

Sat 4 Feb Waterside Arts Centre, Sale The Emperor’s New Clothes Hilarious happenings, fantastic fooling, giggle until your tummy hurts! The Emperor’s New Clothes is performed with puppets, masks and original music. Age 3+ 0161 912 5616 / www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

The Lowry Red Riding Hood’s Magic Purse A classic story told with a difference. Find out how Red Riding Hood’s Magic Purse saves the day in this delightful show told using rod-glove puppets, shadow theatre, original music and songs. Ages 3 – 7

Tue 24 Jan - Sat 28 Jan The Lowry Beauty and the Beast A towering gothic fairytale performed by the Birmingham Royal Ballet.

0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com

Sat 4 & Sun 5 Feb

Beowulf at The Lowry Beowulf – The Dragon Slayer Told with beautifully carved wooden puppets, this is the classic story of Beowulf, who crosses land and sea to find adventure and fame, meets monsters and a dragon. Age 7+ 0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com

Stockport Plaza Chinese New Year Extravaganza Featuring internationally acclaimed acrobat troupes from Chengdu, China – the home of the panda. The ‘costumed’ acrobatic pandas and the mighty dragon dance add charm and dynamics to the show, a colourful show packed full of fun and excitement which is perfect for all ages!

0161 477 7779 / www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Sun 12 Feb Stockport Plaza Sesame Street Live - Elmo Makes Music Your family’s favourite Sesame Street friends are taking to the stage to share their love of music. “Big Bird “tweets”, Oscar the Grouch’s stomping trash can lids, Cookie Monster’s crumbling cookie jars and more become instruments of beautiful music and noisy fun!

0161 477 7779 / www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Tues 14 Feb Waterside Arts Centre, Sale The Owl and the Pussycat Enjoy this absurd hogwash of nonsense featuring silly songs, babbling puppets and smaller than life characters. Puppetry, live music and beautiful storytelling for 37 year olds and their families.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a special Family Club session before the performance from 12.30pm – 2.30pm.

0161 912 5616 / www.watersideartscentre.co.uk Buxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre) Beanbag Stories - Roses are Red Come and experience stories, sounds and songs with Beanbag Stories – effective, creative play for shuffle bottoms and babies! Ages 2-4 (plus older & younger family members!)

0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire 23

What’s on Wed 15 & Thurs 16 Feb

Fri 17 – Sun 19 Feb

Sat 3 Mar

Manchester Opera House Peppa Pig Peppa and George are up to fun and games on a day out on Grandad Dog’s boat. Help them, with Pedro Pony, Polly Parrot and Zoe Zebra to follow the clues and find their treasure as they all enjoy a day of adventure.

0844 871 3018 / www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

The Lowry Chinese State Circus Marvel as the world’s greatest acrobats join forces with the undisputed masters of martial arts, stretching the limits of human achievement.

0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com

The King and I at The Lowry

Mon 20 – Wed 22 Feb

Sat 25 Feb

Waterside Arts Centre, Sale The Enormous Turnip Stuff and Nonsense Theatre Company come to Waterside Arts Centre with their unswerving energy, eccentric puppetry and live music in a re-potted version of the world-famous children’s story. Age 2+ 0161 912 5616 / www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Manchester Opera House George’s Marvellous Medicine Roald Dahl’s amazing story about a young boy who makes a marvellous new medicine to cure his Grandmother of her terrifying temper. When she drinks his special new potion incredible things start to happen.

0844 871 3018 / www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

Waterside Arts Centre, Sale Muttnik – the first dog in space You can teach an old dog new tricks! A refreshing slant on what happened to Laika, the dog sent into space aboard the Russian Sputnik 2 rocket in 1957. Told with dance, music and puppetry, this enchanting tale feeds the imagination and is suitable for age 3+.

0161 912 5616 / www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Thurs 16 Feb Waterside Arts Centre, Sale Vampirates Based on the award-winning novels by Justin Somper. Age 9+ 0161 912 5616 / www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Tues 21 – Sat 25 Feb The Lowry The King and I One of the greatest musicals of all time and this production is a lavish, grand scale spectacle.

With giant gold Buddhas, sumptuous costumes, a chorus of adorable children, acrobatic dancers and live music this beautiful production guarantees standing ovations.

0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

24 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Sun 26 Feb Buxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre) Red Riding Hood Presented by Horse + Bamboo Horse + Bamboo present a gorgeously rendered re-telling of the classic girl-andthe-wolf tale. Exquisite visuals blend with pantomime-style silliness andspooky moments to create an enchanting piece of theatre. Ideal for all ages over 4.

0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Buxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre) There Was an Old Woman Who Swallowed A Fly Presented by the team behind How The Koala Learnt To Hug, this magical new show has been written especially for parents to enjoy with their children, so come and relive the delights of this most charming of tales with a feast of first class games, colourful animal characters and heart warming family fun.

It’s the perfect treat for anyone aged 4 to 104!

0845 127 2190 / www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk