Families Glasgow May June 2014

Glasgow’s really useful magazine for families with children aged 0-12

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Ple ase tak ea

cop y

Issue 45 May/June 2014

Spring into Summer Family Breaks

Places available from Birth-5 years

www.somersetnursery.com

6 Fitzroy Place Glasgow G3 7RH

drama for the early years

07736298013 www.monkeydrama.co.uk ALANA@MONKEYDRAMA.CO.UK

SAT 12 & SUN 13 JUL PHONE SALES 0844 8717648

atgtickets.com/glasgow BKG FEES APPLY

independent News schools & Views 2013

News & Views

Encourage your Child to Explore the Outdoors with Green Aspirations Scotland

In this issue…

2-3

4-5

6-9

News & Views

Get Active

Get Set for Summer

10-11 Family Breaks 12

Online Safety

13-16 What’s on?

The official launch of Little Stars Nursery at Hillington Last month Little Stars Nursery at Hillington held its official launch after a £70,000 makeover. The launch was attended by local MSP Derek McKay who had the honour of officially reopening the nursery along with Roddy Proudfoot of MEPC. The nursery is looking fantastic following a series of improvements including painting all the rooms, installing new energy efficient lighting and lowering ceiliings. A wall was removed to create an open plan area, new flooring has been laid, and new kitchens installed. And to ensure all the little stars under their care are kept safe and well, the new managment also upgraded the security entry system and fire and alarm systems.

The Hillington Park nursery is an ideal location, only 200 metres from junction 26 of the M8. It’s open from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 51 weeks a year and has ample free parking for drop-off and collection.

To arrange a visit, contact the nursery on 0141 570 4080 or visit www.littlestarsnurseries.co.uk

Why not encourage your child to explore the outdoors this summer with Green Aspirations Scotland?

Green Aspirations Scotland was set up last year to inspire and train people to care for themselves and their environment. Located at a woodland base in Killearn, the organisation provides educational services for children (and adults too!) as well as exploration adventures for all the family with its family bushcraft experiences and children’s bushcraft birthday parties.

Book a family bushcraft experience and spend time as a family learning bushcraft skills such as making fire, bows and arrows as well as cooking interesting and unexpected food over a campfire!

And if your child loves the outdoors, find out about the amazing Bushcraft birthday parties where activities can range from campfire cooking, treasure hunts and den building plus enjoy your birthday cake around a campfire.

Green Aspirations Scotland also offers links with schools to develop educational opportunities with classes and workshops focusing on learning about the environment under the Curriculum for Excellence plus events and fairs.

To find out more visit www.greenaspirationsscotland.co.uk or call 0141 342 4188

Get in touch Editor: Anna Wignall

Fantastic Family Portraits at Beau & Belle Beau & Belle Portraits is a family-run photography business based in the Southside of Glasgow. With a beautiful little ‘Beau’ of their own, they understand how important every stage of your little one’s life is. All photographs are taken with a loving parent’s eye and a desire to capture the true personality of your child. It’s all about preserving those ‘special moments’ and presenting you with a collection of photographs that represent your little one’s individuality. Their style is natural and relaxed and all sessions are aimed to be as stress free as possible for parents and kids. You can also choose home sessions, so you can have professional photographs taken in the comfort of your own home or outdoor and location shoots for older babies and children. Sessions last between 60 – 90 minutes and are tailored to suit children aged 0-4 years. Family portrait sessions are also available upon request. After the session, all photographs are displayed in your own password protected online gallery, which you are welcome to share with your family and friends. Print products are of the highest quality, and print and disc packages are also available. There is absolutely no obligation to buy, and never any hard sell. Just affordable quality prints to treasure.

To book a session, or for more information visit the website at www.beauandbelleportraits.co.uk or email info@ beauandbelleportraits.co.uk.

10.30 - The very hungry caterpillar in Spanish 11.00 - The Gruffalo in Italian 11.30 - Elmer the elephant in German 12.00 - The rainbow fish in French It’s a free event, all ages welcome although it is aimed at children between 3-6.

For more information see www.thelanguagehub.co.uk or contact Michèle Gordon, 07505 144 476, info@thelanguagehub.co.uk

FREE

Registr ation

90 Minute Portrait Session

Bright Horizons

1x (8x10”) Print

Keep up to date at www.familiesglasgow.co.uk or find us on facebook Next issue - July/Aug. Special features: Summer Camps and Activities, Days Out and Holidays. Copy deadline: 30 May. Special ad rates and offers available, call or email to find out more.

We take every care in preparing this magazine but the publishers cannot be held responsible for the claims made by advertisers.

2x Print Wallets

Families Glasgow copies are FREE and available through a selected network of distribution outlets through Glasgow.

Pop along to Hillhead Library at 348 Byres Road on the 14th June at 10.30am to 12.30pm for an interactive children’s book reading of 4 books in 4 different languages. Details below.

£149

editor@familiesglasgow.co.uk 07796 946 661

Designed by kris@grafikfabrik.co.uk. Printed By Warners (Midlands) plc.

Front page photo: Beau & Belle Portraits www.beauandbelleportraits.co.uk

Free event in June designed to expose youngsters to different languages

All-inclusive Spring Offer only

4x (6x4”) Prints

DON’T MISS OUT - if you run a Glasgow business whether it’s a playgroup, cafe, nursery, hotel, soft play, activity class, shop, leisure centre etc and you would like copies of Families Glasgow, let us know how many you require by emailing editor@familiesglasgow.co.uk

Read it in a different language!

Nurseries and Preschools

4x (7x5”) Prints All images supplied on disc t 07767 313910

e info@beauandbelleportraits.co.uk

www.beauandbelleportraits.co.uk

We have been giving 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, in an environment in which they can learn, enjoy themselves and flourish.

Find out more about our naturally inspiring and exceptional care and education.

Call us now to arrange you visit.

3 nurseries located in the city, East Kilbride, Uddingston area Web: www.brighthorizons.co.uk Tel: 0800 085 4074 Email: parentenquiry@brighthorizons.com *At participating nurseries - please quote Families Glasgow

Copyright: Families Glasgow Magazine January 2013.

Disclaimer: Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at owners risk and, whilst every care is taken, neither Families Glasgow nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage.

Families Glasgow 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 licence. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

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Families Glasgow

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Get Active

Get Active

And don’t forget children’s brains need a work out too. It’s great to learn together and there’s no better place than the Glasgow Science Centre to find out fun facts and answer important questions like...

Daddy or Chips?

New swimming classes in Glasgow with Swimtime Swimtime provides swimming lessons for all ages and ability levels across Scotland. Swimtime Swimtots gain confidence whilst having fun. Water safety is the foundation for our Learn to Swim programme, where children from the age of four learn the fundamentals of the four swimming strokes and, essentially, life-saving skills but more importantly that they develop a love for being in the water that lasts a lifetime.

For more information call 0131 278 0444 or visit www.swimtime.org

There’s a baffling array of decisions that children (and their parents) need to make, ranging from “Daddy or chips?” to things like school course choices. And although early in their lives, these are important - they often lead to a fascination with a subject and end up 10 or 15 years down the line in career choices.

You can learn about the skills used by people in science, engineering, maths and technology careers and understand the scale of these industries by exploring “My WoW”, located on Floor two of the Science Centre. Brought to you by Skills Development Scotland, “My WoW” is home to enormous touchscreens that let you explore a virtual World of Work, a magic mirror lets you check out how good you look in an F1 mechanic’s overalls or diver’s suit, and comfy pods equipped with iPads provide some peace and privacy to explore the options in more detail.

“My WoW” is available free as part of standard Science Mall entry. It aims to interest young people and their parents, teachers or other mentors, helping to inform choices and understand the wealth of exciting careers available in science, engineering, maths and technology. Make sure you take a look when you are next in the Centre.

ing Lessons Swimm

Swimtime have arrived in your area!

• Group lessons • Improve technique • All abilities • Learn to swim • Adult lessons No waiting list: CALL NOW!

For further details or to book, call Swimtime on:

0131 278 0444

Email: scotland@swimtime.org Swimtime Group 4

May/June 2014

@Swimtime Group

Families Glasgow

Families Glasgow

May/June 2014

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Get Set for Summer

Get Set for Summer

Get Set for Summer

How to burn Why not try a summer club, class or activity? kid’s energy

T

he long summer holidays are approaching and, if your kids are anything like mine, after just an hour indoors they’ll be climbing the walls. But don’t despair! There are so many things to do over the holidays, from play centres to sports clubs to creating your own fun, and many of them are free! Check out our guide to burning off some of your kids’ energy.

Visit a museum Glasgow has so many museums that are great for kids that it can sometimes be hard to choose. Maybe you’ve been to all the others but haven’t visited the Scotland Street Museum. Whatever your choice,museums offer a huge range of activities during the summer holidays, almost all of which are free. Museums don’t have to be quiet or sedentary activities – most of them run children’s workshops throughout the holidays, some of which can be very energetic!

Don’t forget the park Acres of room to run around in, trees to climb and most with children’s playgrounds. Best of all, they are free!

If the weather is not so great why not try an indoor swimming pool or go-karting or even ice skating? Indoor play centres can seem pricey, but if you get there early before they get busy and stay for most of the day, they can be great value for money

07505 144 476 info@thelanguagehub.co.uk

Glasgow based language school offering modern language classes and bilingual support classes for children between the ages of 6 months and 11 years.

From cricket to tennis, football to drama, athletics to trampolining or even dry slope skiing, there are hundreds around. Many clubs and classes offer free trials over the summer break – why not try one, and then book an ongoing class for September?

Make up your own games!

It’s creative, you’ll have great fun with your kids, and it’s completely free. Organise a treasure hunt in the park, have a trampolining competition in the garden or set up an obstacle course, invite some friends over and give them a scavenger hunt to get stuck into. Go geocaching (similar to a treasure hunt, where you use a GPS to find a hidden treasure), divide your brood into two teams and start a water fight, fly a kite, pitch a tent and fill the paddling pool, or run your own Sports Day. If it’s bucketing down there’s still plenty of fun to be had (and energy to be expended) indoors. Have a Games Day and challenge your kids to get through a number of board games or table tennis sessions in a day. Make dens or castles out of cardboard boxes, then decorate them.

Have a disco – all you need is your best dancing queen outfit and an iPod. Treasure hunts can be just as fun indoors as out, or you can even get the kids running up and down the stairs if you’re really stuck! Make a movie or build a den or just put on the wellies and waterproofs and go splashing about in the rain.

The real trick to have peace, bizarrely, is to have MORE children at your place. They are more likely to engage in games and run around than if they are with you only!

May/June 2014

Families Glasgow

Peppa Pig is coming to Glasgow this July Don’t miss the show at The Kings Theatre If your child like mine is a big Peppa Pig fan - don’t miss Peppa Pig’s Big Splash at the Kings Theatre this summer. Taking place Sat 12 & Sun 13 July at 10am, 1pm and 4pm.

Tickets cost £14.50 - £16.50 or you can choose Premium tickets at £21 (includes free Souvenir Brochure) or a Family Ticket at £58 (4 tickets, max 2 adults).

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We have one Family Ticket available for Saturday 12 July at 4pm. For a chance to win simply send your name and contact details to competitions@ familiesglasgow.co.uk. The first name picked at random will win the family ticket.

Good luck.

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• Light shows

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Baby Sensory Classes

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This year is going to be busier than ever in Glasgow with the 2014 Commonwealth Games coming to the city so here’s some ideas for things to do to keep the kids busy.

Our advice would be to get tickets and dates organised early . Also look our for our bumper summer issue out in June which will have our upto-date Super Summer Guide to what’s on across Glasgow and Scotland during the holidays...

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

• Bonding/Massage

Classes Running Weekly in Cumbernauld & North Glasgow To find out more details about classes visit our website www.babysensory.com

Contact: Gail Macdonald Tel: 07702806640 E-mail:glasgownorth@babysensory.co.uk

Tron Theatre Celebrates the Commonwealth Games with Grimm Tales this Summer An official Festival 2014 event - Sunday 27th July to Friday 1st August 2014

T

he Commonwealth Games this year has presented the Tron Theatre with the perfect opportunity to celebrate great artists from the UK and Northern Ireland under the banner of the Home Nations Festival. For three weeks during the Games, the theatre will become a cultural hub, presenting high quality drama alongside a host of other performances, workshops and building tours.

...a magical show with a healthy sprinkle of fear and gory squelch, and plenty to spark the imaginations of young and old...” - The Stage For young audiences, a fabulous company from Wales, Theatr Iolo, will present Carol Ann Duffy’s version of Grimm Tales.

Playful, mischievous and deliciously scary, Carol Ann has gone back to the original stories, Ashputtel (Cinderella) and Hansel and Gretel, reimagining the dark and ghastly tales in a precise and beautiful language that sets young imaginations alight just as the fire that Hansel and Gretel’s father lights for them illuminates the dark and dangerous forest.

Tickets: £8; Family of 3 £21/Family of 4 £28 Booking: 0141 552 4267 or online at tron.co.uk Recommended for children aged 6 years + The Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme is a partnership between the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, Glasgow Life and Creative Scotland.

The world’s largest equine sculptures are ready to be met by the world!

The long awaited public opening of The Kelpies took place on Monday 21st April where visitors are welcome to come and experience The Kelpies up close.

Standing majestically at 30 metres tall and weighing 300 tonnes, they tower over the Forth & Clyde canal in the Falkirk and Grangemouth area of Central Scotland and are situated in the new Helix project - 350 hectares of recreational green space. Designed by renowned artist Andy Scott, The Kelpies symbolise the rich horse powered heritage of the local area and have become an icon for the local area across the world’s media.

Visitors can also experience The Kelpies as part of a guided tour taking you through their story, from their origin, what they symbolise and the engineering work involved in these stunning works of art. The pinnacle of the tour is that visitors will be able to step inside a Kelpie and gain a unique viewpoint.

Tour guests will be able to hear all about the history, art and engineering behind Andy Scott’s icons as well as being able to get the most exclusive shots of The Kelpies - from the inside out!

Pre booked guided tour tickets are available to purchase now at www.thehelix.co.uk.

Families Glasgow

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Get Set for Summer

Get Set for Summer

Summer Fun at the Theatre Royal!

Want to perform on the Theatre Royal stage? Or get behind the scenes? Book now for a five day musical theatre course led by industry professionals and supported by our resident technical crew. Whether you want to improve performance skills, or try performing for the first time, then this is the course for you!

Cheer on the Baton in the Host City!

Summer School Monday 4th to Friday 8th August 10am – 4pm (doors open 9.30am) Ages 8 – 16, £130

The Queen’s Baton Relay arrives in Glasgow on 20 July for the last three days of its journey. It has come 190,000 kilometres around the world to be here, visiting hundreds of schools and being carried by legendary athletes.

On its way around Glasgow, the Baton will visit famous landmarks around the North, the West and the South of the City.

This is your chance to see the Baton right on your own doorstep.

You too can be part of those exciting final days leading up to the Games by applying for FREE tickets to one of the finish line events at the end of each day. The Baton will be at Springburn Park on 20 July, Victoria Park on 21 July and the Queen’s Park Recreation Ground on 22 July. Celebrate the Baton’s arrival in your community with plenty of entertainment and activities to keep all the family entertained.

Keep an eye on the website for full details on the routes and how to bag yourself FREE tickets to one of the finish line events. www.glasgow2014.com/baton-relay

Performance Friday 8th August, 6pm Adults £6, Kids £4

Love the Summer School?

Rangers Summer Holiday Courses & 2-Day Roadshows

W

ith the Summer school holidays just around the corner - now is the time to get the kids organised and booked on one of the Rangers Soccer School Courses.

Rangers 2-day Roadshows are back this year with exciting Summer dates on offer. Providing a challenging and exciting soccer environment for all young football fans, Roadshows are open to boys and girls aged 7-16 years of all abilities.

Participants will experience expert tuition and learn the fundamental techniques of the game and how to transform these into skills that are crucial for top level football including:

Perform academies are coming soon to the Theatre Royal!

Learn, develop, excel in an exciting new programme of musical theatre weekly workshops starting in autumn 14.

For info on all our activities go to www.atgcreativelearning.co.uk/glasgow or call 0141 240 1309/10.

Rangers Summer Soccer Schools

The Queen’s Baton Relay is on its way. Cheer on the baton on its final journey around Glasgow and enter the online FREE ballot to be in with a chance of attending one of the finish line events.

• Dribble chase • Target shot • Free kicks • Target pass Roadshows run across a 2-day period and cost just £50 per child, book now and train with Rangers in your own town!

If two-days aren’t enough for die-hard football fans, Rangers Summer Holiday Courses are the ideal way for kids to get outside and enjoy their school break. Running Monday – Friday with morning, afternoon and full day sessions available, there’s a range of courses on offer to suit everyone.

Participants will receive expert coaching, take part in warm ups, training drills, games and exciting tournaments to showcase their new skills.

With places filling up – it’s time to book now to avoid disappointment! Summer Holiday Courses start from £45 per person and are open to kids aged between 5-16 years old of all abilities.

To book or for more information on Rangers Soccer Schools, please call 0871 702 1972 (option 5) or email soccerschools@rangers.co.uk, calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras.

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Families Glasgow

QUEEN’S BATON RELAY COMES TO GLASGOW 20 - 22 JULY 2014 SPRINGBURN PARK 20 JULY VICTORIA PARK 21 JULY QUEENS PARK RECREATIONAL GROUNDS 22 JULY Keep an eye on the website for full details on the routes and how to get your tickets for the finish line events.

• Summer Holiday Courses • 2-Day Roadshows • International Tournaments

glasgow2014.com/baton-relay

For more information, please call 0871 702 1972 or visit rangers.co.uk

Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras.

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Families Glasgow

11/04/2014 11:57

May/June 2014

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Family Breaks

Family Breaks

A Weekend in Aviemore at the Hilton Coylumbridge Hotel

By Families Glasgow Editor & Family

A

viemore has a long held reputation as a family friendly destination. My own family visited regularly but it has been nearly thirty years since I last stayed at Coylumbridge Hotel, now part of the Hilton group.

Returning with our own young kids brought back a flood of happy memories. (Though I was a little disappointed to discover that they no longer had one of those original table-top space invader games in the bar).There’s just something special about Aviemore surrounded by snow-capped mountains that combines a wonderful feeling of getting away from it all while also providing ample facilities to keep the kids amused.

Coylumbridge Hotel lies just a mile or so outside Aviemore and is absolutely ideal for families with young children. It has two pools, including a toddler pool, a huge soft play (plus games arcade), two mini golf courses, an outdoor play park and an adventure centre where they can provide you with skis and bikes plus mini-quads, trampolining, skating, all weather sledging and a climbing wall.

The hotel also offers a range of supervised evening activities for kids and there are four bar and dining areas where the staff are all incredibly relaxed about toddlers and young ones haring madly about. There is also a spa and a gym if mum or dad subsequently require some quiet time.

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As the evening activity session didn’t accept under-fives, we sat in the main foyer lounge bar with a pint and all the other parents, while the little kids ganged together, which was really nice. Once the over-fives returned everyone migrated over to the conference room where there was a kids disco one night and a DJ the following night.

Things to do Locally Obviously, in winter there is skiing and snowboarding (with a range of available lessons) but the nearby Cairngorm chairlift is well worth a visit in summer time too. The views are breath taking, the kids enjoy the ride and there’s a decent hot choc or Latte waiting at the top.

We also visited the Landmark centre which is a giant woodland playground. There’s a pleasant treetop walk plus rides such as mini-roller coasters and plenty of slides and climbing frames etc.

(It’s probably not a wet-weather day out however).

The nearby Rothiemurchus estate has plenty of action-packed outdoor activities available, including archery, canoeing, fishing, mountain biking and pony trekking. Loch Morlich and Loch Insh have lots of watersports such as sailing and kayaking. Loch Morlich especially, with its long sandy beach is a delightful place just to hang out, picnic and splash about – particularly if you have dogs.

In previous visits to Aviemore we’ve also enjoyed the Strathspey Steam Railway and the Cairngorm Deer Centre, both of which we’d recommend. The Highland Wildlife Park, an offshoot of Edinburgh Zoo and new home of Edinburgh’s famous Polar Bear is less than 10 minutes away. There be wolves here too…

In Conclusion Aviemore makes a great weekend away as there really is just so much to see and do in the area. Even Coylumbridge Hotel itself has enough activities on site to keep the kids entertained for at least a couple of days, particularly if it’s wet out. It has a relaxed and chilled atmosphere, the staff are friendly so it really has to be one of Scotland’s top family destinations. We had a fantastic weekend and can’t recommend it enough.

Do check out their 5 Night Toddler Break Special Offers on selected dates throughout the year , which seem to offer fantastic value. For families with up to two under 5s, they offer Family Rooms with family dinners and breakfasts included plus several free family tickets to local attractions from £495-£650 (August).

Accommodation The Family Rooms (2+2) are ideal and are probably the best designed rooms for families we have seen in a hotel. There is a diagonal wall in your room creating a little enclosed bunk bed area for the kids with their own TV on the wall. The kids absolutely loved having their own ‘room’, while mum and dad appreciated it even more.

Food & Drink The main dining room, the Inverdruirie Restaurant, offers a familyfriendly menu of local produce or a self-serve all-you-can-eat buffet with a selection of classic Italian dishes in the evenings and in the mornings, a Full Scottish breakfast. The evening buffet was actually pretty tasty and the famous Hilton breakfast is excellent.

The kids particularly adored the DIY Mr Whippy-style ice cream maker and the waffle maker too.

If you are paying full board (DB&B) you can put your dining allowance towards a meal in the Bistro and pay the difference, if you fancy a sirloin steak and chips, say. Our burgers and chips in the Bistro were superb so we’d probably recommend eating here. Do book ahead though as it’s much smaller than the main dining room.

The Soft Play centre has an American Diner for hot dogs etc. but this closes before six. There is also a sports bar over at the activity centre, the Woodshed Bar, where children aren’t allowed after 8pm.

BUSHCRAFT BIRTHDAY PARTIES

Come and have some fun in the woods for a different Birthday Party! Choose from a range of activities: Make a Bow & Arrow; Campfire Cooking; Treasure Hunt & Den Building.

Have the Birthday Cake around a campfire!

Near Loch Lomond & the Trossachs’s National Park FAMILY BUSHCRAFT EXPERIENCES Spend time together as a family learning bushcraft skillzzz!

WIDE RANGE OF WOODLAND CRAFTS AVAILABLE TO ALL! GROUP BOOKINGS WELCOME! www.greenaspirationscotland.co.uk Company No. 442821 info@greenaspirationsscotland.co.uk 0141 342 4188

Please mention Families Glasgow magazine if you enquire.

Thank you.

Visit the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway Travel on our steam railway and enjoy Scotland’s largest railway museum.

Open April-October www.bkrailway.co.uk Union Street, Bo’ness. EH510AQ *one child free with each full paying adult with this ad not valid with any other offer. Valid 5 May to 30 June 2014. Ref GlasFam Families Glasgow

May/June 2014 11

What’s On

Online Safety 3 May

5 May

8am – 4pm

11am-4pm

10am

Neilston See the many different breeds of cattle and sheep on show and the dog agility ring which is always a popular attraction. Take some time to look at all the different stalls, there could be a bargain there for you!

Adults - £5 Children and OAPs - £2 Car Park - £2. www.neilstonshow.co.uk

New Lanark Visit New Lanark on May 5th for our annual Spring Food & Gift Fair. This fabulous event is jam-packed with the latest craft innovations, special gifts and delicious food & drink. www.newlanark.org

Eastwood Park Theatre 01415774956

Neilston Agricultural Show

2pm - 3pm

Mr Boom

From toddlers to teenagers: keeping your children safe online Tips & Advice for Parents from Security Experts F-Secure

M

any people in the UK are relying on built-in, traditional or free software which don't always have social networking and parental controls. Without these additional features, parents are leaving their children open to all that is bad about the Internet. Online security experts F-Secure have put together some tips and advice to give parents more guidance when it comes to online protection:

Set up user accounts for each member of the family This will allow you to tweak the parental controls for each of your children. For example, blocking chat rooms and forums for young children, but allowing them for your teenagers. You can also use these controls to set ‘homework time’ for older children, which will block them from visiting any sites which are not deemed educational during your specified hours.

You need to set rules before letting your children enjoy social networking sites, like Facebook and Instagram. Every child is different, so this must come from you. Some parents want access to their child’s account, so they can check up on them at any time.

Be warned, this can lead to your child setting up a second account in a different name. It is a good idea to only allow them to be ‘friends’ with people they know in real life though.

Whatever your approach, help them set their account up with privacy restrictions, so their profile is not public. You can use this free tool to test their Facebook profile. It will show what is public and explain how to change the settings accordingly.

Don’t forget their smartphones and tablets Most children have access to these devices now and the way they use them is no different to a computer, so they need to be protected too. Mobile security software is downloaded as an app or will come as part of the security software package you buy for your computer. Set up parental controls on these devices, just as you would for your computer.

It is wise to set up a password for your children’s devices, so that they must come to you before downloading any app or in-app purchase. This will also mean you’ll avoid a nasty shock when the bill arrives.

Remember, the Internet is amazing!

Children just need a guiding hand to ensure they enjoy it safely.

Whitelist sites for young children Many young children enjoy using the Internet, but they only want to view the same few sites over and over, such as CBeebies. Using the whitelist function, add in all the websites you are happy for them to view and block the rest. This way, they won’t stumble upon something which is not appropriate for their age.

More information: For more advice on family protection, please visit

safeandsavvy.f-secure.com

F as ina s av is nci ai tan al la c bl e e

At Belmont House School, we value every child for the individual that they are. Discover how your son or daughter could benefit from small class sizes, personal attention and a seamless transition from Nursery to Junior School and Junior through to Senior School.

Arrange a visit today to find out more 12 May/June 2014

Families Glasgow

Mugdock Country Park Mr Boom will be landing his spaceship again for our younger audience to enjoy!

Cost £5/£7. Booking essential 0141 956 6100 or book online here www.mugdock-country-park.org. uk/makeabooking.html (No unaccompanied children).

3-4 May

May the Forth

Riverside Museum Create your own intergalactic comic strip using our amazing collections as inspiration. 0141 287 2720 4 May 1pm-3pm

Pirate Day

Finlaystone Country Park Dress as a scurvy buccaneer and practise your best Arrg! Drama & shouting a plenty. www.finlaystone.co.uk 4 May 12pm – 4.30pm

Flavour Fest Sunday

Eddlewood Public Hall, Hamilton Ticket holders will be greeted at the door and provided with a goodie bag. There will be food demonstrations throughout the day as well as live music, arts&crafts table and face painting for children.

Children under 14’s must be accompanied by an adult.

Adult: £2, Child: £1 Tickets can be purchased on www. flavourfestlanarkshire. ticketsource.co.uk or at the door

Great News

Small is beautiful

Spring Food & Gift Fair

5 May 6pm – 8pm

Cosgrove Care & Sporty Kids Family Night

3 May

Have ‘The Talk’ before letting your teenagers join social networking sites

10 May

Sportykids, Thornliebank Come along to our new free monthly family night on the first Monday of the month.

Contact: lgrant@cosgrovecare.org.uk

11 May 1pm & 3.30pm

Family Films: Toy Story 3

The Singing Kettles Fantastic Funfair

Paisley Town Hall Price £12 / Family saver £44 / Groups of 10+ £9 / Under 12mths + adult £14.

Call 03003001210

10 May 9.30am-5.30pm

Wallace Day 2014

Lanark In Delves Park, come and try archery; living history; falconry, medieval musicians; weapons displays; fights; battles, costume workshops; “Live” Executions by the Town Executioner! (please bring your own victim)! In Lanark Old Town. www.visitlanarkshire.com 10 May

11.30am

Too Many Penguins

Eastwood Park Theatre How many penguins are too many penguins? ... How many penguins can we get in one space? Squeeze into this fun theatrical experience, to find out. Winner of the Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland for Best Production for Children and Young People 2012. Created especially for 1-4 year olds.

Standard £5. Call 01415774956 10 May & 7 June Wild Night

Finlaystone Country Park

Stay a Night in the Woods, bring food, sleeping bags, camper mats, outdoor clothing, waterproofs and a tent.

Adult £7.50 child £5 Pre-booking essential www.finlaystone.co.uk

1pm

Scottish Mask & Puppet Centre A duo of fun, family friendly puppet shows: Big Bear tries to persuade Little Bear not to be afraid of the dark in Can’t You Sleep Little Bear?

Followed by Three Wishes, where the Magic Green Man grants the woodcutter and his wife three wishes . . . what will they be?

Ages 3+.

Ticket prices: £5.95 www.maskandpuppet.co.uk 10-11 May 1.30pm-4pm

Discover Glasgow’s \ Gory History

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Find us in the ‘How Glasgow Flourished’ exhibition. How did people live before modern plumbing and hygiene?

0141 276 9599

10 May

11 May

9am – 12pm

1pm-3pm

Coffee Morning to raise money for Blizzard Dance Company

South Shawlands Church Come along to our Coffee morning on Sat 10th May between 9am 12pm. Blizzard Dance Company Call 07813628832

You now have two great choices for safe, exciting and nurturing childcare in Glasgow.

Oliver!

Eastwood Park Theatre EROS Musical Society proudly presents the classic tale, Oliver!

Tickets: £12 - £15.

Call 0141 577 4956 16 -18 May

Can’t You Sleep Little Bear & Three Wishes

6 May

12 - 17 May 7.30pm, 2.30pm Saturday

Bannockburn for Beginners

Glasgow Museums Resource Centre Hear about some brave deeds in our story tour battle of Bannockburn, inspired by Sir Walter Scott’s ‘Tales of a Grandfather’. Make your own arms and armour!

0141 2769300

The Gruffalo Live on Stage

The Townhouse, Hamilton Price: Adult: £11.00 Concession: £8.50 Telephone: 01698 452299 Email: thetownhouse@ southlanarkshire.gov.uk 16-18 May

Festival of Museums

Glasgow Museums Where: Festival of Museums events will take place in museums across Greater Glasgow as well as in: Edinburgh, Falkirk, Stirling, Inverness, Aberdeen, Perth & Kinross, Fife, Angus & Dundee, Highlands, Dumfries & Galloway and Argyll & Bute, with more events still to be announced. What: There’s something for everyone at this year’s Festival of Museums, with over 80 events taking place across Scotland from 16-18 May. Whether you’re a family looking for an educational fun day out to entertain the kids; a couple looking to do something a bit out of the ordinary; or keen to fly solo and enjoy some culture on your doorstep, the Festival of Museums has it all on offer! www.festivalofmuseums.com

IS YOUR FAMILY REALLY PROTECTED ONLINE?

Simply arrange a visit to one of our local nurseries and see what all the smiles are about.

Belmont House School Sandringham Avenue Newton Mearns Glasgow Tel: 0141 639 2922 www.belmontschool.co.uk

Pre School

Fund Availaing ble

Babies to 5 years

70 Kelvin Avenue, Hillington, G52 4LY. Call: 0141 570 4080

Melisa House, Suite 0/1, 3 Brand Place, Govan, G51 1DR. Call: 0141 427 0020

Try award-winning F-Secure SAFE free for 6 months and then just £59.99 a year. To cover three of your devices – PCs, Macs, Android Smartphones and Tablets. Just go to www.f-secure.com/SAFEFAMILIES and enter this coupon code KOGMO-JSWKF-PUXVB-PYYVR

www.littlestarsnurseries.net

Families Glasgow

May/June 2014 13

What’s On

What’s On 17 May

17 May

11am & 2.30pm

2pm

The Sooty Show

Airdrie Town Hall Izzy Wizzy, let’s get busy – it’s The Sooty Show at Airdrie Town Hall!

Direct from CITV, Sooty’s new show will delight the whole family. There’s also a chance to meet Richard and Sooty after the show. A mix of magic, music and mess - guaranteed giggles for Sooty fans of all ages!

Price £12, £10 conc, £38 Family of Four. Call 01698403120 17 May 1pm

The Wonderful World of Magic

Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre Magical interactive show for little ones, with a special appearance form Snowball the rabbit!

Tickets: £5.95, Children £5.75. www.maskandpuppet.co.uk

Children’s Classic Concerts – Going for Gold

Glasgow Royal Concert Hall A musical celebration of inspiration, ambition and talent for the Commonwealth Games. Come and enjoy the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Christopher Bell with world-class family fun provided by CCC presenters Owen and Olly. The National Youth Choir of Scotland Area Choirs, The RSNO Junior Chorus All Drummed Up Members of the National Youth Pipe Band Students from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Tickets: £10 (concessions available) 0141 353 8000 17-18 May

Good Parenting Show Scotland

Hampden Park Good Parenting Show Scotland, the only exhibition in Scotland for parents of children aged bump to twelve years old. Now in to its second year, the Good Parenting Show Scotland exhibition aims to provide the modern family with nearly everything it needs to all under one roof. £10 per adult – children go free. www.goodparentingshow.co.uk

18 May

8 June 11am-4pm

11.30am – 1pm

1pm-4pm

Finlaystone Country Park Madcap fun in the 5-a-side space hopper football tournament. www.finlaystone.co.uk

Pollok Country Park It’s National Walk in the Woods throughout May, bring your preschoolers for a teddy bears’ picnic with stories and games in the Bluebell woods. Bring your teddy & your picnic and have fun in our wild woods. Suitable for children who are capable walkers.

Booking essential phone 0141 276 0927.

Finlaystone Country Park Bring teddy or dolly for a tea party with the mad hatter; Prizes for the best fancy dress. Fun & games and a display of tame owls. www.finlaystone.co.uk

Space Hopper Football

22 May

Grandad and Me

Platform Using original music, choreography and animation inspired by the illustrations of Jon Bishop this living storybook explores loss and the treasures of memory and imagination.

Ages 5+. Ticket prices: £8, Concession £3.50-4.50 www.theletterj.org 22, 23, 26 May 1.30-3.30pm

Amazing Air!

Riverside Museum How does a glider stay up in the sky, how do you catch the wind in your sails? See what can happen when you experiment with air!

0141 287 2720 23-24 May

Saltbush Childrens Cheering Carpet Tron Theatre Saltbush is an interactive journey through the culture and landscape of Aboriginal Australia, celebrated through live dance, music, song and stories. Children are invited to explore, play and dance with the performers as the landscape unfolds around them, providing a unique immersive.

Suitable for ages 4-8yrs.

Tickets £8, Family of 3 - £21, Family of 4 - £28, Babes In Arms: Under 2 Go Free. www.tron.co.uk

10am

Maskit

Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre An exhibition of traditional Commedia dell’Arte characters by David Griffiths. www.maskandpuppet.co.uk 24-25 May

Giffnock Soccer Centre International Football Festival Pollok Country Park Giffnock SC’s Third International Youth Football Festival This event is for all the family and is sure to provide a friendly atmosphere, hospitality and superb organisation.

The festival promises to have a packed programme, with nonstop football on excellent pitches, together with plenty of additional activities that we hope will create a special family atmosphere. See website for full details: www.gscfootballfestival.co.uk

Families Glasgow

1 June

1pm-3pm

23-26 May

14 May/June 2014

25 May

Teddy Bears Picnic

25 May 11.30am

Carmunnock International Highland Games 2014

Carmunnock The Carmunnock International Highland Games 2014 are sure to be a fabulous day for all the family!

Events taking place include: 28lb Weight for distance, 56lb Weight for height, Caber toss, Stone Putt, Sheaf Toss, Farmer’s Walk, Atlas Stones, Pole Push (Local Heroes) Plus other entertainment, stalls, food & drink and more, www.carmunnockgames.org 30 May 6.30pm-8.30pm

Disney Frozen Kids Party

Bargarran Community Centre, Erskine “Frozen” themed disco! Meet Elsa and dance to Frozen Tunes with her!!

Have your picture taken with Elsa!

Crisps and Juice included in ticket price. £7 per child.

Call 01418125393 31 May

Braehead Village Day

Braehead This year’s Braehead Village Day will be held in and around the village hall on Saturday the 31st of May! www.whatsonlanarkshire.co.uk 31 May 1pm

Fischy Music

Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church The music project for kids presents a concert of singalong music for 5--11 year-olds.

Ticket prices: £3, Concession £1, Children £1 www.kelvinside-hillhead.org.uk 31 May 1pm-3pm

Scavenger Hunt

Finlaystone Country Park Aimed at children aged 5 to 10, follow the signs to find the answers.

Prizes for completing the course. www.finlaystone.co.uk

Teddy Bear Picnic

5-15 June

Glasgow Science Festival

Various Venues A packed programme of workshops, shows, films, discussion, exhibitions and art collaborations allows budding scientists to sit back and learn something new or don safety goggles and take part in an experiment. www.glasgowsciencefestival. org.uk 7 June 10am-4pm

ACCORD Hospice Summer Fayre

Paisley Town Hall ACCORD Hospice Summer fayre is full of a fantastic variety of stalls from books to toys, Bric-a-brac, home baking, toiletries and much more. A craft fayre will take place upstairs in the Town Hall and outside there will be food marquees with some funfair rides and a bouncy castle. A fun filled day for all the family so come along and support the Hospice.

Call 0141 5812000 or 0141 5812002

Glenbrae Dog Show and Fun Day

Mugdock Country Park Come along and join the fun!

Register your dog to take part in the show, or just come along to watch. Lots to see and do including a bouncy castle and face painting for the children.

Please phone 0141 942 7070 or see www.glenbrae-vet.co.uk for further details and to register for the dog show.

8 June 1pm

Albert’s Amazing Acrobatic Flea Circus

Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre Grab your magnifying glass for the incredible flea circus! What will happen, however, when two of the stars go missing? Puppetry, music and sleight of hand from Sokobauno.

Ticket prices: £5.95, Children £5.75. www.sokobauno.com 8 June 1pm-3pm

Let’s Explore the Commonwealth!

Glasgow Museums Resource Centre The Commonwealth Games are coming to Glasgow this summer!

Explore some of the countries taking part and try out some typical Indian and Australian crafts.

Ages 5+. 0141 276 9300

7 June

14 June

12pm-5pm

12pm-3pm

Barrhead Gala Day 2014

Cowan Park, Barrhead Barrhead gala is the much loved local Gala day of the community of Barrhead in East Renfrewshire.

The event runs every year in the summer, hosting a fantastic day out for the family. Throughout the day, you will see many exciting things, from the kids football tournament, to the funfair rides, to the live performances on the stage and the live float parade through barrhead centre and main street.

Call 07902 496 169 7-8 June 1.30pm-4pm

Glasgow Science Festival 2014 at Kelvingrove

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum Fun-filled science activities, where you can meet the experts and get hands-on with experiments and interactive shows.

0141 276 9599

20 June

22-23 June

Glasgow 2014 Queens Baton Relay

12pm

Armed Forces Day

Rouken Glen Park A family day to celebrate the contributions made by those in the armed forces. www.whatsoneastrenfrewshire.co.uk

Lanarkshire On Saturday 14 June 2014, the baton enters the final straight.

It comes home to Scotland and will spend a further 40 days visiting communities including Lanarkshire! So come out and line the streets and show your support for Team Scotland and the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games!

Sunday 22nd June: Lanark, Carluke, Law, East Kilbride, Rutherglen, Uddingston, Bothwell, Hamilton. Monday 23rd June: Stepps, Muirhead, Chryston, Cumbernauld, Airdrie, Chapelhall, Newmains, Cambusnethan, Wishaw, Motherwell, Coatbridge, Tannochside, Viewpark, More details will follow on the route, times and special events taking place! www.glasgow2014.com

21 June 11am-3pm

Blantyre Village Gala Day

David Livingstone Centre Blantyre Village Gala Day returns with rides, stalls, bouncy castles and more. Along with all the fun for kids there will be displays from local family history and archaeology societies.

If you’d like to get involved please e-mail amritchie@nts.org.uk or phone 08444932207 21 June 2pm

Looking For Nessie

By Talking Heads Puppets

Scottish Mask and Puppet Centre Do you believe in the Loch Ness Monster? What about Jack, can Angus convince him that Nessie exists? Laughter and fun from Talking Heads Puppets including Cheeky Robert and Ben in a Basket, Robert’s ever-faithful and very funny dog! £5.95/£5.75 www.maskandpuppet.co.uk

28 June

Summer Fair and Classic Car Fest

St Vincents Hospice Summer Fair & Car Fest – vintage, classic & specialist cars. Live music and much more.

Contact info@svh.co.uk for details. Call 01505705635

SUMMER SCHOOL AT THE THEATRE ROYAL

40th Birthday Party

RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve We are 40 years old so come and join us at our Birthday Party. There will be cake and games and even a magician to entertain you. You will also be able to try out various activities we have arranged for the day absolutely free. You could be one of the first to own one of our brand new 40th Birthday new Pin Badges.

Call 01505842663 14, 15, 21, 22 June 1pm-3.30pm

Whizzing Wheels (part of National Bike Week) Riverside Museum See our bikes for racing, bikes for freedom and bikes for adventure!

0141 287 2720

See www.familiesglasgow.co.uk for lots more things to see and do

WRITER/DIRECTOR REBECCA ATACK MUSICAL DIRECTOR RYAN MOIR

SUMMER SCHOOL MON 4 - FRI 8 AUG 10 AM - 4 PM (DOORS OPEN 9.30 AM ) AGES 8 - 16 £130 PERFORMANCE FRI 8 AUG 6 PM ADULTS £6 KIDS £4

BOOK NOW 0844 871 7647*

atgcreativelearning.co.uk/glasgow *BKG FEE

Families Glasgow

May/June 2014 15

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www.glasgowsciencecentre.org

16 May/June 2014

Families Glasgow

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