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JULY - AUGUST 2015 ISSUE 28

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Birmingham, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield

When baby makes 3...

What’s On Summer Special A-Z of places to go

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Contents In this Issue...

W

elcome to the summer issue of Families Birmingham, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield magazine.

While children (and teachers too) count down to those gloriously long days of freedom during the school holidays, parents are no doubt gearing up for some madly energetic days at home and away with a brood who are intent on letting off steam outside the confines of the classroom and daily routine.

So in this issue we focus on summer time – what’s on, places to go and things to do. We guarantee you will get ideas for some fantastic family days out.

Find out about summer camps and fun workshops for children; read our comprehensive A-Z guide of places to go for days out; find out what’s on in the theatre or the best places to go for free or almost free fun (tip – family-friendly museums at Birmingham’s heritage sites and at the Herbert in Coventry are great places to start).

If sometimes over the summer you feel as if you are muddling through as a parent amid the chaos of summer and sibling squabbles, fear not. Just read If You Forget Everything Else, Remember This - a humorous and down to earth look at parenting through the primary school years by Katharine Hill, author of a new parenting book.

But it’s not all about the kids. You should also read our interview with Relate Counsellor Denise Knowles who tells parents they must not feel guilty about postponing housework to find the time to spend with their other half, and to find some precious me time.

So, whatever you and your family do for the summer holidays this year, we hope you relax and enjoy it.

, Editor Families Birmingham, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield

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4 News 10 Clubs and classes 11 Summer camps 14 When baby makes

three ...

16 If you forget everthing else, remember this 18 Record-Breakers 19 Education Health and Care Plans 20 Pocket money woes!

21 Sorting school essentials 22 Win a family ticket to The Three Little Pigs 23 A-Z guide of places to go this summer 28 What’s On

11 19 28

11+ Tuition For children in Years 4 & 5

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Front page picture by Abi Campbell Photography www.abicampbellphotography.com

Next Issue:

Advertisers: Book now for our September/October Back to School issue.

Call 0758 352 6056 or e-mail editor@familiesbirmingham.co.uk before Monday, August 3, 2015 Design: MattWaltonDesign@icloud.com (email) Print: Warners Midlands PLC, Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincs. PE10 9PH Copyright Families Birmingham, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield, July 2015.

We take care preparing this magazine but the publisher and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers, nor for the accuracy of the contents nor its consequence.

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Issue 28

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Junk the junk!

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ight out of ten families hang on to items they consider junk and households with children are the worst offenders, storing enough junk to cover almost five square metres of floor space on average.

If you store junk, you lose space. Five square metres accounts for six per cent of the floor space in a modern three bedroom house and is equivalent to the space taken up by a king sized bed.

Worse still, more than one third of families admit to having enough junk to fill a small bedroom!

Put like that is sounds daft, but it is easy to see why a family can accumulate unwanted ‘stuff’.

Old clothes, books, media and toys and games are the most frequently cited examples of junk stashed by families.

More than half of families (56 per cent) hang on to old clothes, 54 per cent keep old books, video tapes and magazines, while 48 per cent hang on to old toys and games. Families struggling for space are less likely to hang on to larger items, with only a quarter admitting to retaining old

furniture.

Rob Linton, operations director at Clearabee who conducted the survey, said: “In a nation where space is at a premium, it is staggering that almost one in three families are storing enough useless junk to fill an entire room. The cost of it in terms of lost property space is not far off £10,000 per family.”

The survey revealed that families store discarded items in a range of nooks and crannies, with barely a place in the house where unwanted items were not stored.

Attics, lofts, under the wardrobe or the bed, sheds, garages and under the stairs cupboards are all utilised.

One person’s junk is potentially another’s treasure, so it is always worth re-homing it. You can sell items on e-bay; take it to a charity shop, or call a freecycling service.

Or firms like Clearabee can help families

get rid of their junk in a matter of hours and ensure it’s recycled and disposed of properly.

If it all feels just like too much hassle, just think of the clear space ...

Meet Igglepiggle at Night Garden Live It is fantastic to watch your child’s face when a live show starts and you see they are instantly and totally entranced. I can still remember that moment when I took my child to her first theatre show.

More than half a million parents have taken their children to the Night Garden Live show and 9 out of 10 have given it a five star review. So don’t miss taking your little one along this summer to see the show at Cannon Hill Park in Edgbaston.

Whether your tiny tot is already a seasoned theatre-goer or a first-timer this show will work it’s magic, even for babes in arms.

The show is staged in a special all-weather Showdome and makes use of panoramic

projections to make it feel like you’re actually inside the Night Garden. Your children will see Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka brought to life with beautiful costumes and puppetry.

The show’s producer Andrew Collier says: “Children as young as a few months old engage with the live show, and the looks on the faces of the children and parents are absolutely amazing.”

The show runs from July 11 to July 25 at Cannon Hill Park. Book online now at www.

NightGardenLive.com or call 0333 300 0015.

Use discount code MEET65R for a Families discount.

Party with Peppa Pig Peppa Pig and younger brother George will be dropping in to the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham to greet some young fans.

The costumed pair will be making personal appearances and meeting young guests on Wednedsay, August 19.

Tickets for the family event are £25 for a family of 5 (or one adult and 4 children), and the cost includes a bonus six months free membership of the Gardens from August through to 2016.

Get the tickets early and you can make several visits to the Gardens for their fun-themed family activity days in summer.

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For example on Monday, August 10, the Gardens host a family circus day with platespinning, juggling and fun in the Big Top. (Circus ticket £4). On Thursday, August 26, there will be a special Teddy Bears’ picnic and pirate fete. Children are invited to bring their teddy for a treasure hunt around the garden; have fun on the bouncy castle; get their faces painted and get stuck in with arts and crafts activities.

News

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Tamworth Castle

– a great family day out

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ook back over 900 years of history and enjoy a great family day out at awardwinning Tamworth Castle – one of the most stunning examples in the UK of a complete castle.

You can get a real feel for how life was lived in its draughty, old chambers and corridors, especially during the living history days which are ideal for families.

Meet characters as you wander round the castle and let your children see for themselves how the occupants lived out their daily lives, from the nobility and grand families to the hard working servants. Saxons, Normans, Tudors and Victorians all helped shape the building’s history.

Visit the grand dining room set for a Tudor banquet and the day parlour where nobles would gather before feasting. Look out from the Tower, before descending into the reputedly haunted, wood panelled lady’s chamber (Well, every self-respecting, ancient castle should have a ghost!). Cross the parapet into the Elizabethan wing before leaping forward into Victorian times with rooms depicting life for the last inhabitants of Tamworth Castle.

Whenever you visit there is something for everyone with interactive displays and areas where children can try on armour and get hands-on with activities. There’s also the chance to see items from the world famous Staffordshire Hoard - pieces of the gold, found on Tamworth’s doorstep, are on permanent display alongside elaborate replicas commissioned by the castle.

There’s just as much to see and do outside in the wonderful, landscaped castle grounds. Take a riverside stroll along the River Thame, have a picnic, hire bicycles or play crazy golf.

Relax while the children play in the enclosed outdoor play park equipped with a huge castle and pirate ship. You’ll have trouble dragging them away from the fun they’re having!

Log on to www.tamworthcastle.co.uk for an up-to-date list of summer events, or call 01827 709 626.

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The largest network of part-time performing arts schools in the UK.

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Stagecoach Edgbaston Call 01926 651159 edgbaston@stagecoach.co.uk www.stagecoach.co.uk/edgbaston

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News

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Thinktank - A Spitfire Summer

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f you visit Thinktank this summer head to the new Spitfire Gallery where you will see a plane suspended in space.

This is a real example of one of the 10,000 Spitfire planes made at Birmingham’s Castle Bromwich factory. The new gallery at Thinktank tells the story of the men and women who worked on the machines in the war years. You can borrow a Spitfire family pack to help explore the gallery and there is even a Spitfire story book especially created for 3-8 year olds.

As always, there will be plenty to see and do at Thinktank for all the family. The awardwinning attraction is home to Birmingham’s only Planetarium; the interactive Science Garden with its giant-sized interactive exhibits; and the Kid’s City Gallery designed for children under 7 where families can learn and play together. You can also visit the Animate It studio and star in your own Shaun the Sheep Adventure using stopmotion technology.

At the We Made It Gallery find out what links a car and a cow, what makes treasure like jewellery valuable, why we use certain types of packaging, and how products are held together.

As always throughout the school holidays, there will be a special programme of family-friendly activities including ‘Spitfire Storytelling’, ‘Science Busking’, and ‘Meet the Experts’ (where you can meet real scientists from innovative engineers to doctors working at the forefront of the physical sciences’.)

For full details see www.thinktank.ac

Win a family sight-seeing trip on the Big Brum Buz From chocolate, custard, cars, whistles and bangles to the best in the world for science, medicine, education, culture, sport and art – Birmingham has it all! But how well do you know your second city? Why is it called the city of a thousand trades?

Who are the Golden Boys? What connection does Birmingham have to Lord of the Rings?

Find out all this and more with a sight-seeing trip on the open-topped Big Brum Buz this summer. It runs

every Saturday and Sunday from Colmore Row, by the Council House, with trips at 10.30am; 12.30pm, and 2.30pm. Tickets cost £12 for adults; £5 for children and £20 for a family of four.

We have one family ticket to give away.

Just log on to www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk and answer this simple question before July 20, 2015 : What is the bronze sculpture near the main Bullring shopping centre known as? A) The Bull; B) The Bear C) The Horse.

Seven secret doors at Shugborough What will you find this school holiday behind Shugborough’s seven secret doors?

There are seven secret doors in the Shugborough estate’s beautiful gardens which make for an adventurous exploration for children on a summer mission. Each door (all of them in plain sight but off the main visitor paths) leads to a magical place in the gardens with ‘something different and spell-binding’ behind each door.

Shugborough, the UK’s only working historic estate, is in Staffordshire, within easy striking distance of Birmingham for a family day out. Send the children on a quest to find the secret doors; marvel at the follies; wander through the arboretum and explore the magnificent Georgian

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mansion and servant’s quarters. There’s plenty more for children to see and do including take a train ride; feed the animals on the working farm – and play pooh sticks.

Find maps at the reception to help you find the seven secret doors and post those you find on Facebook or Twitter and decide which door hides the most magical of places. www.shugborough.org.uk

News

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The story of children’s TV D

o you remember the Wombles of Wimbledon? Gordon Gopher? Rastamouse? Or the singing veggies from Mr Bloom’s nursery? And what are your children watching now?

The chances are at least one of the characters mentioned above will have been a familiar part of your childhood – just as Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy or the Octonauts are to young people today.

Generations of children have fallen in love with characters and stories brought to life on the small screen, and this summer you can take a nostalgic trip down memory lane with the Story of Children’s Television exhibition at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry.

The family-friendly, interactive exhibition traces the history of children’s TV across seven decades from the earliest days of Watch with Mother and Muffin the Mule through to today’s favourite programmes.

Enjoy the memorabilia and original props, and learn how programmes from puppets to live shows, to dramas and fantasy were created.

The Story of Children’s Television is the story of all of our childhoods, and how television

helped to shape the way we view the world around us. It will appeal to both adults and children.

Watch out too for the many themed workshops for children and families which will be run at the Gallery over the summer holidays in conjunction with the show. The exhibition is free with a small charge for some activities. Check online to see which activities are free drop-in events which do need to be pre-booked. www.theherbert.org.uk

Saxons at the Castle

Tamworth Castle

21st, 22nd & 23rd July

Medieval Living History 28th, 29th & 30th July

Tudor Living History 4th, 5th & 6th August

Georgian Living History 11th, 12th & 13th August

Victorian Living History 18th, 19th & 20th August

A LI V E W IT H HISTORY T HIS SUMMER

For more information please call 01827 709 626/581

www.tamworthcastle.co.uk

Tamworth Castle, The Holloway, Tamworth, Staffordshire B79 7NA TC L6061.2 Familes 1/2 Page Advert 130mm x 180mm v2_opt1_AW.indd 1

Issue 28 22/05/2015 13:01

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Could you offer a young person in need a caring foster home?

A

cross Birmingham many young people whose lives are disrupted by family breakdown face further challenges in finding a place to stay where they will be cared for.

Bromsgrove-based Foster Care Associates (FCA) is appealing for potential new carers to consider taking on these young people in their step-down fostering scheme – an alternative to being placed in residential care.

The leading UK’s independent fostering agency believes that every child and young person deserves to live as part of a family. Step-down fostering offers young people in or at risk of entering residential care the chance to live in a stable, nurturing foster family placement.

Working closely with local authorities the scheme gives children and young people with a history of placement breakdowns a second chance at family life.

Norma Etherington, from Droitwich, Worcestershire, has been a foster carer for 34 years and was among the first to be trained in Foster Care Associates’ (FCA) specialist step-down placement scheme. She said: “Like any placement

it is about making the right match, and when I met my first young person on the programme I knew it would work. Very quickly they became part of the family. Having spent a long time in residential units, these children are looking at families from the outside, like looking through a window, and they so deserve to be part of one.”

Roy Murray, registered manager for FCA Midlands, said: “We’ve been working with vulnerable children for 21 years and our experience shows that one-to-one support in a family setting is the best way to help these children overcome their issues and deal with their past. Our team of social care professionals work closely with our foster carers to deliver intensive, holistic support tailored to the individual needs of each young person and carer.”

For more information on becoming a foster carer with FCA call 0800 023 4561 or visit www.thefca.co.uk. FCA will also be holding an information event at Star City on Friday, August 21, between 10am and 4pm – just turn up on the day to find out more about fostering.

Family day for young people with arthritis Mention arthritis and the chances are you think of a grandparent or an elderly person. But every year 2,500 children in the UK are diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Although arthritis is a lifelong condition if diagnosed and treated effectively, children can be helped to manage the condition and it does not have to limit their lifestyle. Young people with arthritis have gone on to university, become singers and even taken part in top level sport.

Last year the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society launched a support service for children and young people with juvenile arthritis.

This summer it is holding an annual Family Day on Saturday July 18, at The Heart of England

Conference Centre, Fillongley, Coventry. It is a chance for children and young people with arthritis and their families to meet others who understand the issues they face, as well as being a chance to have fun and talk to paediatric rheumatology experts. There will be quod pods, swan pedalos, pirate ship rides and kids activities and families can enjoy all the fun of the seaside, take a dip in the lake, relax and soak up the sun and enjoy an afternoon tea.

You can book your free place now or call Nicky Freemantle on 01628 823524 for more information. Find out more about JIA-at-NRAS at www.jia.org.uk

Gold Award for Ironbridge Ironbridge Gorge in Shropshire – a world heritage site with 10 museums within a six square mile radius – has scooped a coveted VisitEngland Gold Award for the best large visitor attractions.

Blists Hill, the re-created Victorian Town, one of the main attractions at Ironbridge, is geared up for families. Children can exchange money at the bank at Blists Hill for the old pounds, shillings and pence, and visit the grocers, the bakers, the drapers and the pharmacy – and the old sweet shop. They can take a look inside the Victorian cottages and see costumed characters go about their daily lives; take a trip around the town on a horse and cart; dress up in Victorian costume and have their photograph taken at the

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photographers; and have fun on the traditional merry-go-round and fairground rides.

The family-friendly museum also runs workshops for children (for example, candle dipping) and they have special themed events throughout the year, including this year a summer barbecue, a county fair, a new fashion week; a Meccano event and an Oliver Twist weekend.

See www.ironbridge.org.uk for more information on a great day out.

News

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Fancy driving a train, or piloting a plane?

F

ancy piloting a Cessna over Las Vegas, landing a sea plane on the ocean, or getting behind the controls of a speeding train?

The place to go is Birmingham’s newest family attraction – the Wonderful World of Trains and Planes – where you can travel the world without even needing your passport.

There is an array of model railway displays from a sleepy village in 1930s England to a town in post-war Germany, then on to Canada and Japan. See the great trains of the past – the Orient Express, Flying Scotsman, Mallard, Golden Arrow, the Royal Train, the Rheingold Express – and then the modern turbo charged TGV, the Eurostar, and the Japanese Shinkansen.

Children can get behind the controls of their own model train (driver’s cap too) at Little Train Drivers’ world with four controls operating different trains along the tracks of a Hornby Exhibition model (expect to wait your turn at busy times).

Then you can try your hand on a four-lane car race circuit, testing your racing skills against your friends as you hurtle along the track.

Older children can head for the realistic flight simulators to fly planes from a single engined Cessna to a Boeing 747 over a number of famous cities, airports and runways. Can you hold your nerve in the cockpit whilst landing in JFK? Or you can even come in to land at Birmingham International Airport. Just don’t crash!

Take time out in child the have cafe arthritis? and spend a and while in the Does your Come joinbrowsing us at our annual modelling shop which stocks tracks, locos, kits and model

FAMILY DAY FAMILY DAY

Does your child have arthritis? Come and join us at our annual

Saturday July 18th 12.00 - 5.00pm

The Heart of England Conference Centre, Fillongley, Coventry CV7 8DX

Enjoy all the fun of the seaside, take a dip in the lake, or just relax and soak up the sun, plus have the opportunity to listen to paediatric rheumatology Saturday July 18th 12.00 - 5.00pm experts and join us for afternoon tea. (see schedule for day on reverse).

The Heart of England Conference Centre, Fillongley, Coventry CV7 8DX

Enjoy all the fun of| the seaside, take a dip in the |lake, or just relax and soak Plus kidshave activities byto NRAS Staff).

Creche available. up the sun, plus the (supervised opportunity listen to paediatric rheumatology experts and join us for afternoon tea. (see schedule for day on reverse). www.jia.org.uk For more information and to registerRegister your FREE at place contact:

QUOD PODS SWAN PEDALO RIDES PIRATE SHIP RIDES

scenes. It also has the largest selection of scaletrix cars in Birmingham, and a wide range of airfix models with starter kits for kids through to kits for experienced modellers.

The venue organises children’s parties too – so don’t be surprised if you find yourself making a return visit with a throng of kids at a later date! www.wonderfulworldtrainsplanes.co.uk.

careis...

helping a young person and having your life enriched.

Foster a young person.

Seeing someone flourish before your eyes – thanks to the support you’ve given them – is one of the most exciting and fulfilling things life can offer.

If you would like to do something truly unique and rewarding, call us on 0800 022 4012 to find out how.

Nicky Freemantle at jia@nras.org.uk or 4583969.

0845 4583969 | SWAN PEDALO RIDES or| 0845 QUOD PODS PIRATE SHIP RIDES Plus kids activities (supervised by NRAS Staff). Creche available.

For more information and to register your FREE place contact:

Nicky Freemantle atusjia@nras.org.uk Does your child have arthritis?

Come and join at our annual

or 0845 4583969.

FAMILY DAY

0800 022 4012 fosterwithfca.co.uk

JIA@NRAS is part of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) A private company limited by guarantee.

RegisteredJuly in England and- Wales No. 7127101. Charity Nos 1134859 and SC039721 Saturday 18th 12.00 5.00pm The Heart of England Conference Centre, Fillongley, Coventry CV7 8DX

Enjoy all the fun of the seaside, take a dip in the lake, or just relax and soak up the sun, plus have the opportunity to listen to paediatric rheumatology experts and join us for afternoon tea. (see schedule for day on reverse).

www.jia.org.uk |

@JIA_NRAS | jia@nras.org.uk

QUOD PODS | SWAN PEDALO RIDES | PIRATE SHIP RIDES JIA@NRAS is part of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS)

Issue 28

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Clubs and Classes

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Can’t swim, won’t swim ...

According to the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) one in five adults in England can’t swim! That’s more than 9 million people, a startling number considering swimming is one of the nation’s favourite pastimes. Of these 9 million, a whopping 2.3 million adults want to learn to swim, according to ASA.

CLUBS & CLASSES

DIRECTORY

ART Solihull The world’s largest art programme, here, in Solihull.

Fine Art classes for children, teens and adults Call 07414 630 681 | www.artscool-knowle.com

DANCE & DRAMA

DUBARRIE SCHOOL OF DANCE Ballet, Tap and Jazz age 2 ½ + Branches in Yardley and Solihull Telephone: 0121 744 1422 www.dubarrieschoolofdance.co.uk

Irish dancing classes for boys and girls aged 4 to adult Classes held in Selly Oak, Kings Norton and Redditch Call Louise on 07790 876 345 for information

www.granarince.co.uk

XCEL SHOWBIZ

A fun school teaching the stars of the future Dance, Singing & Acting, held on Sundays in Solihull for boys/girls 6+ Call Kim on 07930 300330 www.xcelshowbiz.co.uk

MASQUERADE MUSICAL THEATRE Youth Theatre Group, Age 4+

Garretts Green Lane, Sheldon, B26 2SA

Telephone: 0121 722 3761

For safety reasons, every child should be able to swim so it is important that parents who can’t swim or are reluctant swimmers don’t instil children with their own fears.

Summer is a great time for encouraging children to swim – especially with the prospect of being able to show off their new-found skills in a holiday pool.

Before you go, sign them up for an intensive swim course with a daily swim lesson for a week. It’s a surefire way of sending confidence levels soaring.

SwimSeal’s vox pop also found adults who won’t swim because they hate the sensation of water being stuck in their ears or they are prone to ear infections, or they are worried about their hair. But there are practical solutions with earplugs or natural eardrops and good haircare products which can overcome these issues.

Have you got what it takes to be a secret agent?

Your mission if you choose to accept it is to spend a week this summer taking part in a dramatic story of espionage.

The Birmingham Rep is recruiting 7-12 year olds for a week working with professional theatre directors and taking part in games, improvisations and drama workshops.

The theme of the week is espionage.

Expect to follow suspects, bug telephones, create secret identities and learn how to spy unobtrusively. But SSSSHHHHH don’t tell anyone‌unless they can be trusted!

15.00 every day at The REP and costs ÂŁ70 for the week. To book a place call 0121 236 4455, drop in to the Birmingham Rep box office or e-mail lauren.fallon@ birmingham-rep.co.uk. Places are limited.

The mission takes place Monday 3rd August to Friday 7th August 10.00 –

This message will self destruct in five, four, three, two ...

www.masquerademusicaltheatre.co.uk

Solihull Young Dancers

Ballet, Tap & Modern Dancing Classes from age 2 ½ + Tel: Kate on 07722 732678

www.solihullyoungdancers.co.uk

MUSIC BIR

1-to-1 drum tuition, City Centre location M I N G H A M Rock School grades 1-8.

Ages 4 upwards.

Tel: 0121 503 5849 www.birminghamdrumschool.co.uk

TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL 0758 352 6056 10 

Issue 28

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Club Futsal UK 5-a-side football training for children, teens and adults Fun, fast-paced & for all abilities Solihull - Thurday Birmingham - Weds & Fridays Make friends, learn new skills & get fit - Join us now For details: call 07745 565 745 www.clubfutsaluk.co.uk

Summer camps 2015

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

The Hunger Games theatre school

M

any fans of the Hunger Games are eagerly awaiting the final movie - Mockingjay Part Two which will be released in November - but this summer young fans can get a real taste of what it is like to be one of the Hunger Games characters at a summer theatre school in Solihull.

Mention Katniss Everdene, Peeta and Gale to your son or daughter and they will readily tell you who they are so Playbox Theatre’s weeklong theatre course at Solihull Arts Complex is sure to be a big hit. It will grip the imagination of children and teens who loved the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and add a spark to the summer for those who have not yet encountered the books or the movies.

It is the second year that Playbox has chosen the Hunger Games theme – an ideal vehicle for allowing children to act in an exciting drama and also to teach physical stage skills. Anyone who

has read the books or seen the movies knows it is an action drama!

All you need to take part in the summer school is an interest in live theatre and to be aged between 9 and 18. Don’t wait to book your place.

The Hunger Games theatre summer school runs between Monday, July 27, and Friday, July 31, between 10am and 4.30pm. There is a performance for parents and guests at 3.30pm on July 31.

To find out more or to book call 0121 704 6962 or log on to www.solihullartscomplex. co.uk

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Sing-A Long-A-Frozen

Three live shows of dress up, singing, film and Sing-a Long-a silliness with a live host. Age 5+ Sat 25 July at 11am/3pm/6.30pm Tickets £15 (£10 ch.) (runs 2hrs 40 mins)

MONDAY - FRIDAY 8�M TO 6PM

WITH AC�IV�TIES FOR AGES 4 - 1�

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Theatre Summer School The Hunger Games trilogy continues...

Playbox Theatre’s week long course includes; acting & physical theatre, devising, directing and is great fun. Suitable all ability levels.

For young people aged 9-18 with a small show for friends/family at 3.30pm on Friday.

Mon 27-Fri 31 July Course fee £130 per week.

Summer Holiday Workshops

GREAT FUN!

Thurs 6 & 13 August for ages 4-11 10-30am-12.30pm Art & Craft workshop £5 12-30-1.30pm lunch supervision (optional) £2 1.30-2.30pm Cool Moves Dance workshop £4

www.solihullartscomplex.co.uk Box Office: 0121 704 6962

10.30am-4pm, Monday - Saturday.

Issue 28

11

Summer camps 2015

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

No strings attached – just summer fun

J

oin an award-winning playscheme for children aged 4-12 that brings together the very best of music provision and school holidays!

The Ofsted-registered Strings Club summer camp in Harborne caters for all children from budding string players to first timers, and there is free hire of an instrument to take home too!

Each day is wonderfully different and includes a “Learn Together, Play Together” session in the morning, followed by a range of memorable and inspiring music workshops. These include “The Big Jam Session”, “Meet The Composer”, and “Sounds and Colours”, all of which combine art and music in an interactive, fun-filled way!

Children can go along for half a day (mornings/afternoons available from only £15) or take part in the whole experience - ending with a grand Strings Club concert.

Venue: Bluecoat School, Somerset Road, Harborne. Dates: Weeks commencing July 13, 20, 27 and August 24. Time: 10am3.30pm with early bird and late club for working parents. Childcare vouchers accepted. Sibling discount.

To book call 0121 369 1950 or log on to www.thestringsclub.org

Farm based holiday camp Hatton Adventure World offers a fab summer camp for children and young people right throughout the summer holidays - and it fits with working parents.

It’s an ideal venue with Hatton Adventure and the Children’s Farm and a whole range of indoor and outdoor play areas which means there is never a shortage of fun activities.

The camps run from 8am to 6pm and can be booked for full days, half days or full weeks, and run from Monday, July 27, through to Friday, August 28. Full meals are provided too.

The programme of activities includes farmyard favourites like learning to feed pigs, goats and sheep or cuddling guinea pigs down at the guinea pig village, or visiting the more exotic animals in scales and tails.

There is outdoor fun with trampolines, bouncy castles, assault courses and tractor safaris, with funfair rides, a

www.ackers-adventure.co.uk 0121 772 5111 Summer Holiday Activities Daily, every school holiday for 8-16yrs, 10am-4pm, £ 30 per day. Ski, Climb, Canoe, Archery, Bushcraft and more. Each day is different!

ThrillSeeker Family Taster Day Sat 12 September ∙ One day, One price, 8 Activities to try!

Birthday Parties!

Includes activity, invites, party room, Thank You cards and lots of fun.

Pre booking essential on

0121 772 5111

G o l d e n H i l l o c k R o a d, S p a r k b r o o k,

Birmingham B112PY

info@ackers-adventure.co.uk 12

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jcb young drivers’ zone, pond dipping and mini beast hunting for younger children; and outdoor trekking; animal habitat identification; and learning how to handle birds of prey for older children.

There is also entertainment with a children’s show; Hatton’s Grand National (sheep races); craft activities such as scarecrow building; and gardening activities with planting, seeding and weeding.

Weekend camp out At weekends Hatton are organising family camp outs on the last weekend of July, starting Friday, July 31 and mid August, starting Friday, August 14, which are great for a mini holiday or short break not far from home.

Campers get access to Hatton Adventure World and evening entertainment is laid on. Contact Hatton Adventure on 01926 843411 or www.hattonworld.com

Daredevil adventures Has your child got buckets of energy?

Do they have a daredevil streak and love to try new challenges. If that sounds like your junior-age child or teenager, sign them up for a holiday session at Ackers Adventure where they will get to try lots of adventure activities in one day and burn up their excess energy.

The holiday programme with fully qualified instructors is designed for 8-16 year olds and young people get the chance to try a selection of activities from canoeing to kayaking, rock climbing, zip wire, skiing and orienteering. The holiday sessions can be a great way of building confidence and every young person taking part should get a great sense of achievement.

To find out more or to book call 0121 772 5111.

R

Summer camps 2015

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Superheroes go for gold with Just Camps

B

e a Superhero and go for gold this summer with Just Camps in Solihull who are running a themed holiday camp for ages 4-12.

INSPIRE YOUR CHILD THIS SUMMER

The fun camps will be run for the six weeks of the summer holiday at St Peter’s School on Whitefields Road in Solihull.

Every year the camp has a theme and this year it’s a cracker.

Children get to design their very own Superhero costume; they also have a Superhero fancy dress day when children can come dressed as their own favourite Superhero. And there’s a Superheros Ninja Warriors course, and a challenge-the-coach event where Superheroes take on the adults ...

The programme of activities includes favourite games like dodge ball, capture the flag, wink murder and traffic cops.

There’s also cricket, zumba, athletics, hockey, street dance and more, so there is never a dull moment. In the ‘Going for Gold’ Challenge, children will have a chance to work towards a bronze, silver and finally a gold medal during their week at camp. Personality, team spirit and behaviour will count towards the gold, just as much as their superhero skills.

To find out more about either the summer camp (or a Rookie Trainer course for teens who want to learn about sport coaching), contact mail@justcamps.co.uk or 0771 692 6147.

� music workshops � activities � games � learn an instrument

Award-winning, ofsted-registered music activity playscheme for children age 4-11.

R

www.thestringsclub.org | 0121 369 1950

Registered with:

Limite d Space s Availa ble!

Childcare Vouchers Accepted

SUPERHERO SUMMER CAMPS s Age rs 2Y 1 4

S SCHOOL ST PETER SOLIHULL TARTING: 6 WEEKS S 5 20 / 7 / 1 Three-day courses 11am – 12.30pm (4 – 8yrs) 1.30 – 3pm (8 – 12yrs) £25 per child SUPER SCULPTURE Heads & Faces 4, 5 & 6 August PERFECT PRINTING Landscapes 18, 19 & 20 August MULTI-SPORTS AND FUN GAMES

FROM £15 PER DAY

THEME DAYS HERO NINJAWARRIOR COURSE CHALLENGE THE COACH FUN, FUN, FUN!

For more details pick up our latest Families www.barber.org.uk

Every Sunday in August!

Join us for fab drawing and painting taster sessions! £3 per child per session Booking essential for all courses: 0121 414 2261

mail@justcamps.co.uk

0771 692 6147

www.justcamps.co.uk

Issue 28

13

Parenting

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

When baby makes three...

A

s a couple you are looking forward to the arrival of the new baby and you have never felt as close as you do now contemplating future life as a real family. But what many couples don’t realise is quite how much their lives can be turned upside down by this pint-sized new arrival...

Your mewling ‘bundle of joy’ is now calling all the shots, demanding to be fed, winded, bathed, cuddled and entertained, and your time is no longer your own. As a couple you promised yourselves that having a baby wouldn’t change your lifestyle but, however organised and efficient you have always been, you are now sailing in uncharted territory and at times you probably feel rudderless. Both you and your partner adore the baby and are keen to be the best possible parents and that is where you focus all your energies.

But, as Denise Knowles of Relate advises, in the excitement and exhaustion of life as new parents, you must also carve out time for your other half and nurture your own relationship as a couple.

Denise suggests: “Sometimes a mum or dad can feel neglected or pushed out. Generally, new dads want to be involved much more than we really appreciate, or sometimes mums feel they have to do it all.”

The pressure to be the perfect parent, combined with sleep deprivation, and possibly growing resentment by a mother who feels she is carrying most of the weight, or a dad who feels he is being pushed out, can put a strain on many relationships. Denise warns that unless couples work through any issues arising from the new family dynamic, cracks can start appearing in their relationship reaching a crisis point eighteen months or two years down the road.

According to Denise, who has counselled many couples at Relate, communication and staying in touch (literally as well as figuratively) with your other half is key to keeping the spark alive

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in your relationship and working through the inevitable teething problems of being a new family.

“One of the things I want to say is ‘don’t lose touch with one another’. Even if you don’t have a great deal of time, spend some time together. Don’t feel guilty about postponing the washing, ironing or cleaning to create time for being a couple.”

“Take time to hug or cuddle one another; and think about giving your partner a gift on a daily basis. I’m not talking about going out and 2008|2009 29008|2009 002|8002 buying a present – just something RUSSELL NURSERY SCHOOL simple like paying Children aged from 3 months to 5 years. them a compliment, Ofsted Outstanding or noticing that • Qualified friendly staff. they are tired and • Daily home cooking. offering to make • Interactive Whiteboard/Table. them a cup of tea.

• CCTV cameras in every room.

• Free Grant places available for 3+ Have a date night (even if you stay in).

Tel: 0121 777 4902 You can light some 130 Russell Rd, Hall Green, B’ham B28 8SQ Other sites candles and phone Small World Nursery, 621 Fox Hollies Road, for a takeaway so 975 Stratford Road, Hall Green, Hall Green, Birmingham. no one is stressed Birmingham B28 9DW B28 8BG with cooking and Tel: 0121 777 3778 Tel: 0121 693 3071 washing up.

Parenting

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk Trusted support

and thinking about how to improve your chances of celebrating a golden anniversary. Don’t lose sight of your relationship and stay in touch with your feelings for one another. It might seem like an eternity away, but your babies will soon fly the nest while your partner can still be there for you.

Denise adds: “It is important to be able to develop trusted support networks so that you can leave the baby even if it is only to pop out together for an hour for a walk. It doesn’t cost you money but it gives you the space and privacy to really talk to one another. Don’t always talk about the baby. Remember that you are a person in your own right and don’t forget your own dreams and aspirations.”

Denise recommends that as well as finding couples time, the most contented parents will also find ways of allowing each other some space for individual interests and time to maintain their own friendships. “To be a good parent you need to be true to yourself,” she says.

If you are having problems in a relationship you can approach Relate for counselling. They offer online counselling and support as well as seeing couples or individuals. You can get relationship support as an individual even if your partner does not want to attend counselling.

For more information see www.relate.org.uk

Kings Heath Grange Day Nursery

As a new mum, tired, busy, possibly having returned to work, short of time and money, the idea that not only do you have to look after your baby but that your adult partner also needs your attention could be like red rag to a bull. That’s certainly how I felt as a new mum when a relative dared to suggest I needed to give more time to my partner. But, before you have a rant at the unfairness of being burdened with yet another responsibility when you are feeling overwhelmed, pause for a minute.

• • • • •

For a start this cuts both ways, parents need to look after one another as well as looking after the baby – there is balance here and shared responsibility.

If you still think you have not got time to look after your partner – ‘he/she is an adult after all’ – then you should reflect a little on some sobering statistics.

Forty two per cent of marriages end in divorce; and half of divorces involve children under 16. Between a fourth and an eighth wedding anniversary, a couple’s chances of getting divorced the next year is more than 3 per cent.

So if, ideally, you would like to grow old with your other half it is worth breaking through the fog that accompanies new parenthood

Care in a homely setting From birth to 8 All staff CRB-checked Low staff turnover Exercise classes and sign language • Open door policy • Ofsted rating Good • Full and part time places

To visit call Amanda on

0121 444 0515

Jumping Jacks Day Nursery Kings Heath Grange Day Nursery

6 Balaclava Road, B14 7SG Tel: 0121 444 0808

23-25 Grange Road, B14 7RN Tel: 0121 444 0515

Come and experience for yourself how we fulfil our promise to parents to provide the highest quality Childcare and Education.

Secure and independent baby suites which are designed to care for the individual needs of each baby 3-5’s Grant funding available for a limited number of places - 15hours.

Book early to avoid disappointment.

Nursery Grant Funding 0-2’s Special offers and free weeks for places booked to start before the end of October 2015. See nursery managers for more details.

Other services we offer include a Pre and After School during term time and a Holiday Club during the holiday periods.

For more information contact our nursery manager or see our website for more details For more information ring our Nursery Manager: Katie at Seesaws 30 Walmley Ash Road, Walmley Tel 0121 351 7000

Jayne at Seesaws 1 Avenue Road, Erdington Tel 0121 350 6521

Sandra at Seesaws 635 Chester Road, Wylde Green Tel 0121 384 5494

www.seesawsdaynurseries.com Issue 28

15

Parenting

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

If you forget everythin K atharine Hill, mother of four grown up children and Director of the UK charity Family Care, debunks the myth of Supermum in her humorous and down to earth new book If You Forget Everything Else Remember This ....

Katharine says: “From that first angelic role in the nativity play to that first love, from broken hearts and best friendships to school bullies, life as a parent is an emotional roller coaster. And amidst the practical chaos of finding swimming goggles, making packed lunches, cleaning out the rabbit hutch and refereeing sibling squabbles, many of us long for help, for a little wisdom to help us do the job well.”

So, here are some bite-sized bits of wisdom from Katharine to help you navigate through the primary years.

There’s no point trying to be Supermum or Dad! Being a parent is one of the most important and challenging roles that we can have and deserves our very best efforts. But we need to dispel once and for all the myth of Supermum. And if we can acknowledge that parenting is not a spectator sport, it means that we can be free of the pressure to perform.

Let’s lay down the comparisons, be real about both the joys and the challenges, decide how we want to parent in our particular family situation – and then simply do our best. We have nothing to prove. There really is no pressure to be a superhero.

Don’t look sideways As parents, we so often give into the temptation to look sideways and make a comparison but it only results in feelings of discouragement in the belief that others are doing a better job than you.

While centile charts are useful for monitoring our children’s growth and development, and comparethemarket. com may help us land the best deal for car or travel insurance, comparison is not a good tool to keep in the toolbox of parenting.

Put your oxygen mask on first We’re all familiar with the aircraft safety announcement telling people to put their own oxygen masks on first before attending to their children. This direction may sound counter-intuitive for parents as we seem programmed to care for our children at all costs. But attending to our own needs first in an emergency on a plane means we have the air we need in order to help, support and care for our children in the most effective way.

As parents, our heartfelt desire to do the very best for our children can be all-consuming. If we are not careful, the result of pouring ourselves totally into our children can be that we neglect to look after ourselves or fail to make time to invest in important adult relationships in our lives.

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Issue 28

Parenting

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

ng else remember this!

Choose your battles

There are so many potential battles we could have with our children: ‘Tidy your bedroom’, Eat your crusts,’ ‘Keep the water in the bath’, ‘Wear your coat to school’, ‘Put your toys away’, ‘Come to the table’, ‘Keep out of the puddles’, ‘Brush your hair’, ‘Clean your teeth’, ‘Learn your spellings’, ‘Hang up your bag’, ‘Don’t pinch your sister’. Because the list is endless, if we make every issue a battle not only will we wear ourselves out, but more importantly, our children will never learn which things are really important.

Slow down, you’re moving too fast

Different families will have different pressures on their time and energies. There may be some things that are important and that we definitely want our children to do, and others that we are not so concerned about. The important thing is to find a rhythm that works for you.

An unsuitable pace of life can creep up on us unawares. Take a stock check and ask yourself if you can keep going with your rhythm of life. If necessary, take drastic action to change things.

Your children may not be at every club and activity, but you and they will have time to be.

There are so many ways to give encouragement to our children.

As well as recognising their successes and achievements, perhaps we can give a word of praise to recognise our daughter’s character and effort. Or we could write a note of encouragement on the banana in our son’s lunch box saying, ‘You’ll be great on the team today – go you!’

Values are more often caught than taught

While we need to be real and not pretend to be anything we are not, the truth is that our children are watching. They notice if we stop and buy a Big Issue and give the vendor dignity. They notice if we point out if we have been undercharged when paying for something. They notice how we treat our friends, parents, and colleagues.

The values we live by will be caught rather than taught. We sometimes worry that our children aren’t listening to us, but the sobering truth is that not a word or an action is lost.

Speak words of life

As our children move into the primary years, I have found it easy to slip into focussing on the negatives – nagging and pointing out what is wrong rather than spotting what is right and praising them for it.

If You Forget Everything Else Remember This by Katharine Hill retails at £7.50. It can be ordered online: www.careforthefamily.org.uk/shop/ parenting-books/if-you-forgeteverything-else-remember-thisparenting-in-the-primary-years

Say goodbye to sleepless nights!

A sleep deprived dad-of-two has launched a ‘virtual lullaby’ app that just might be the answer to your prayers.

Necessity was the father of invention as Rob despaired of ever getting a good night’s sleep when his toddler son kept waking in the middle of the night, only dropping off to sleep again at the sound of his dad’s voice.

SleepHero, his new app, allows parents to record their own voices onto a mobile. The recording is then automatically activated when the child begins to stir or make a noise. It comes with a selection of nursery rhymes so all parents have to do is read the text on the screen and record their voice at the same time. Once recorded, parents set how much noise their child has to be making before the app starts to play and how long their child needs before the audio ceases to loop.

back to sleep was my own dulcet tones, which got me thinking. In most cases, nothing soothes a child like the sound of their parent’s voice.

So I’ve taken this on board and over the last 12 months I have designed and tested a mobile solution to help both parents and their children get a good night’s sleep.”

Designed for newborns up to age three plus, SleepHero is available on the App Store for iPhone, iPod and iPad. iTunes Download: https://appsto.re/gb/0IHY4.i www.sleepheroapp.com

Rob Tong, SleepHero’s creator, comments: “The app’s autopilot feature effectively takes the night shift, detecting when your little one is crying and plays audio at a volume you decide to settle him or her back down, leaving you to sleep in peace.”

He adds: “My two year old son would wake during the night and the only thing that got him Issue 28

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Education

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Make this a ‘RecordBreaking’ summer Make this a record-breaking summer! No, we are not talking about the weather here but a chance take part in a world record-breaking reading challenge.

The Reading Agency and libraries across the UK will be launching their annual reading challenge, and this year they have teamed up with the Guinness Book of World Records and will be battling to make it a record-breaking year.

Between July 10 and 13 local libraries will be inviting children aged 4-11 to make their pledge to read six or more library books of their choice during the summer holidays, and pre-schoolers can take part in a mini challenge.

Each year the Summer Reading Challenge has a different theme – and the 2015 event brings together fact and fiction, challenging young readers to explore astonishing reallife achievements and world records.

As always, there will be collectable incentives and rewards plus a certificate or medal for every child who completes the challenge.

Children can sign up at their local library at the start of the summer holidays – it’s fun and absolutely free.

Collecting stickers as they go, young readers will discover the weird, wonderful and wacky records from around the world in six different categories: Cool Tech, Way to Go!, The Big Stuff, Animal Magic, People Power and Action! Adventure!

Last year, over 800,000 children took part, nearly half of them boys!

And teachers say that children who take part in the challenge return to school after the summer break as more fluent, confident and happy readers. This is fun, free and a fantastic way to support your child’s reading. Go for it.

VOCABULARY FLASH CARDS

11+ VERBAL REASONING VOCABULARY FLASH CARDS Expand your antonym and synonym knowledge and achieve a higher 11+ score Recommended by tutors for the verbal reasoning element of the Durham CEM test

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HELPFUL HINTS

Here are some ideas to help your child finish the challenge.

Visit the library as often as you can.

Read yourself! Don’t feel guilty about sitting down with a book, newspaper or magazine. It sets a good example to kids – and they will copy you!

Let children choose their own books. If they don’t like a book, just move on to the next one, or ask one of the library staff to recommend a read.

Children don’t just have to read stories or novels. Fact books, audio books, poetry – they all count!

Visit the children’s website to try the Book Sorter which helps children choose what to read next: www.recordbreakers.org.uk

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Education

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

An unsettling change for parents of special needs children Anita Chopra of Match Solicitors discusses Education Health and Care Plans: Change in the world of special needs is almost always a bad thing. In the struggle to secure any kind of extra help, whether it be for a child with mild dyslexia or a young person with a severe learning difficulty combined with complex health needs, parents face an invisible wall of resistance. It’s all about the money and it’s set to get worse with a new round of government cuts.

Up to now, parents have been guided down a path well trodden by other carers to a Statement of Special Educational Needs (SSEN) that guaranteed their child the help they needed. That has now changed since the introduction of the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and for parents just starting out on this journey, the change appears daunting.

The fear is the same for first time applicants and for those transferring from a SSEN to an EHCP. The new forms can appear insurmountable and the time scales for appeals are pretty tight, being 2 months from the date of a decision given by a Local Authority. Parents can appeal if refused an Education Health and Care assessment or indeed if they get an EHCP but are not happy with the content. Either way, it can often be an emotionally draining experience for parents.

The important thing is to get advice from an independent ‘advisor as directed by your LA’ or from an education solicitor.

MATCH SOLICITORS180X130BLEED_Layout 1 22/01/2015 14:30 Page 1

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MATCH SOLICITORS “Powerfully Passionate in everything we do” Boutique Specialist Education Law Practice

www.matchsolicitors.com Issue 28

19

Families

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Pocket money woes!

I

t is now July and the money from Christmas gifts has all but run out so my daughter is facing a lean summertime.

The bank of mum and dad has been firmly shut after we instituted a system of chores for pocket money. The tasks set were certainly not onerous – tidy her bedroom and tidy her desk once a week – in exchange for a generous weekly allowance. It seemed like a fair exchange, and one which was likely to reduce the potential for arguments to boot. However in the past six months I have paid out on only three occasions as I have been the one doing the tidying. So, unless relatives step in to rescue her, she has a choice – a cash-strapped summer or taking on the responsibility of tidying up after herself!

Indeed it seems that my daughter will not be alone in feeling the pinch this summer as the annual pocket money survey from Halifax reveals that the average pocket money given to children is down for the second year in a row. West Midlands children seem to be among the biggest losers with a 9 per cent cut year on year. The average weekly pocket money in the West Midlands is now £5.45, down from £6.03 last year.

1,500

Interestingly, the survey found that more than 70 per cent of children save at least some of their pocket money, with a thrifty one in ten saving all of it. Rather more worryingly, there appears to be a gender imbalance in money received, with boys getting more than girls.

Overall, about twenty per cent of children nationwide are expected to do chores for pocket money.

Giles Martin, Head of Halifax Savings, said: “Giving pocket money is a great tool to help children understand the value of money and why it is important to save.”

I am confident we will get to the savings stage (eventually), but this summer our newly-turned-teen will be learning that money does not grow on trees and if she wants it she needs to earn it.

In teen speak, ‘life sucks’.

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You can work part time, around your existing work or family commitments and there is no financial investment.

Find out how Carolyn’s children can always be her priority – working part-time hours to suit her family commitments – you too could change your life.

Contact Carolyn for a FREE information pack on

07789 916278 or email: carolynrose121@gmail.com 20

Issue 28

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www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Families

Sorting the school essentials

R

emember last year when you had that mad dash to buy some new school shoes before term started and were faced with long queues to be served? And the skirt you wanted was no longer available in the right size?

Get organised early this summer – it really is worth it. In buying school uniform remember that the cheapest might not always be the best quality. Some skirts or trousers can look shoddy after a few washes – so it can be a better investment to spend a little more for something that will last the year.

But whatever about school clothes, one item of uniform that you can’t afford to stint on is a properly-fitted pair of school shoes.

On average children take between 10,000 and 16,000 steps per day. They don’t just walk in their shoes; they skip, run, kick, climb, skid, slide, splash and do emergency stops. A shoddy uniform won’t harm them but ill-fitting shoes can damage their developing feet.

BACK TO SCHOOL

Toddlers under the age of three should have their feet measured every 4-6 weeks and primary age children should have their feet measured every 8-12 weeks. You certainly won’t need a new pair of shoes each time, but children’s feet have growth spurts so it is important to keep a check on it.

Trained fitters, like those at Cooshoo in Kings Heath, will tell you whether or not your children’s shoes are a good fit. You can’t be sure of that when your child tries on a pair of offthe-shelf shoes in a non specialist shop. I found this out the hard way when the casual boots I bought for my daughter that seemed perfect in the shop were abandoned as just too uncomfortable to wear because she has a broad foot. Now I only buy fitted footwear, whether they are the school shoes she spends most of her time wearing, or non school shoes or sandals.

Once school uniform is sorted, don’t forget to name everything. That way when it gets lost (as it inevitably will during the year) it will bounce back to you. Nothing is so frustrating – or hard on the pocket - than having to buy yet another jumper because it got lost in the school zone!

Traditional and Contemporary Styles from Toddlers to Teens Personal Service and Loyalty Scheme

Issue 28

21

Win

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Catch these three little piggies before they head to the West End

B

e the first to see this new show for children, The Three Little Pigs, when it opens in Birmingham this summer prior to a West End season.

The cast has a celebrity line up including Britain’s Got Talent semifinalist Alison Jiear, who will join Simon Webb from pop band Blue in Stiles and Drewe’s Three Little Pigs.

Discover how these three little porkers become world renowned celebrity superstars when forced to leave the warmth of their mother’s overcrowded sty. Will the three little piggies cope without their mother’s adoring ‘hogs and kisses’; will they be able to stand on their own four trotters; and will their DIY building skills ensure they outwit the big, bad wolf?

The show by the award-winning writers of Mary Poppins and Honk is sure to appeal to little ones and have them squealing in delight. The big bad wolf can huff and he can puff but he won’t get the better of these three little superstar piglets!

Stiles and Drew say: “Most children will know the story of The Three Little Pigs so our job has been to reinvent it in a theatrical way, with hummable, memorable song that will appeal to the whole family. Our three little pigs – Bar, who loves to exercise; Bee who is “green” to the core; and Q, the insatiable bookworm, learn to work as a team to defeat the Big Bad (but possibly misunderstood) Wolf.

A BRAND NEW FAMILY SHOW STARRING

SIMON WEBBE (BLUE, STRICTLY COME DANCING)

TUE 28 JUL– SUN 2 AUG

BOOK NOW 0121 345 0600 thsh.co.uk 22

Issue 28

We love surprising and bewitching our younger audiences, some of whom will be visiting the theatre for the first time. We will make sure it is a memorable musical experience.”

The show is ideal for children aged 3 plus. It is on at the Town Hall, Birmingham, from Tuesday, July 28, to Sunday, August 2. Don’t miss your chance to see it.

Win a family ticket to the show We have one family ticket to give away for the 1pm performance on Thursday, July 30. Just log on to www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk/ competitions before Thursday, July 23, and answer this simple question: The three little pigs outwit: A) The Big Bad Wolf B) Yogi Bear C) The Tiger

A free family day out – and see the world’s fastest car

See penny farthing bicycles, classic motorcycles, vintage cars and racing cars at Coventry Transport Museum. Fully open for summer after a £9 million refurbishment, the Transport Museum makes for a fascinating visit for all the family and it’s FREE. It houses one of the best collections in the world – with exhibits from the Daimler Wagonette of 1890’s through to a Delorean racing car from the 1970s, a mini metro once owned by Princess Diana, and the Thrust SSC, the fastest car in the world which clocked up a 763 mile an hour land speed record. Any child who loves cars and motorbikes will be in their element here.

There’s loads of exciting things for little visitors too. They can spot tractors, fire engines, and police cars, as well as having fun pressing buttons to make things ring, ding, flash and beep! And, they can have a ride with Postman Pat in his little red van or try driving Brum.

See more on www.transport-museum.com

A-Z guide

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

A-Z

An guide of family-friendly places to go and things to do ...

You won’t be stuck for ideas for days out with the children or fun activities with our special summer holiday guide to places to go.

Ackers Adventure

Birmingham.

For adventure lovers and have-a-go whizz kids. Outdoor pursuits centre where you can ski, toboggan, climb, abseil, canoe, kayak, zipwire, take part in a jungle challenge, or test your orienteering skills. www.ackers-adventure.co.uk

Adventure Island mini golf

Star City, Birmingham.

A fun indoor golf complex for all the family with two themed 18 hole courses. Built on three levels and winding round palm trees and volcanoes, through caves and behind waterfalls. www.adventureislandminigolf.co.uk

Ash End House Children’s Farm Tamworth, Staffordshire.

With giant jumping pillows, crazy golf courses and an indoor toddlers barn, kids can pet the animals, go on an egg hunt, watch a bird of prey demonstration, go on a tractor trailer ride and groom a Shire horse or Shetland pony. www.childrensfarm.co.uk

Avoncroft Museum

Bromsgrove, Worcestershire Avoncroft Museum houses a collection of 25 restored historic

buildings including a prison cell block, counting house, windmill, stables, cottages and more. Learn about life in these buildings from the team of dedicated volunteers who dress in clothes from the era and tell their stories. www.avoncroft.org.uk

Baddesley Clinton

near Solihull.

Picturesque medieval moated manor house and garden. This atmospheric house dates from the 15th century and was the home of the Ferrers family for 500 years. The house and interiors reflect its heyday in the Elizabethan era, when it was a haven for persecuted Catholics - there are three priest’s holes. There is also a delightful garden with ponds, a lake and a nature walk. See how many of the Fifty things to do before the age of 11 ¾ you can do here. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/baddesley-clinton

Barber Institute

Birmingham.

Fine arts gallery housing the Barber collection. The venue holds regular Sunday family drawing sessions – and there are some summer art courses for children. www.barber.org.uk

Birmingham Historic Houses and Sarehole Mill

Children under 16 have free entry to Birmingham’s Historic Houses including Aston Hall, Soho House and Sarehole Watermill. Try out their family-friendly heritage tours. www.birmingham.gov.uk

Big Brum Buz Tour

Black Country Living Museum,

Dudley.

A family-friendly day out. Step back in time and experience what it was like to live in the Black Country in days gone by. Old fashioned fairground rides. www.bclm.co.uk

Broomey Croft Children’s Farm

Birmingham.

Be a tourist for the day and get to know your city with an open top bus tour. Departs from corner of Colmore Row and Waterloo Street, Victoria Square. Tours run every weekend until September 28 and last for an hour and a half. www.birmingham-tours.co.uk

Kingsbury, Warwickshire Has both indoor and outdoor play areas for all-weather fun. Children can also pet and feed the animals. www.broomeycroftfarm.co.uk

Family-friendly venue with children’s trails – Marvellous Medicines, Brilliant Butterflies, Beautiful Birds, Dangerous Plants and Fabulous Food trails. Gardens set in beautiful 15 acre site in Edgbaston. The Gardens organise summer activity days for families, including this summer – a circus day, and a guest appearance by Peppa Pig and George. See website for details. www.birminghambotanicalgardens.co.uk

Cafe Ceramica

Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Cadbury World

Birmingham.

The home of chocolate. Family entertainment throughout the school holidays. www.cadburyworld.co.uk Sutton Coldfield.

Pottery painting with holiday workshops for children aged 8 and over. www.cafeceramica.com

Cannon Hill Park

Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Eighty acres of parkland with fun for the whole family. Enjoy a picnic, take a pedalo boat on the lake or fish. On weekends a mini fun fair operates.

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Avoncroft Mu

Aston Hall

seum Dudley Zoo

Great for easy, cycle rides around the park’s pathways. Don’t forget In the Night Garden Live here in July and mac birmingham run weekday summer activities for children too. www.birmingham.gov.uk/cannonhillpark www.nightgardenlive.com www.macbirmingham.co.uk

Coughton Court

Warwickshire.

Coughton Court has been the home of the Throckmorton family since 1409 and has close connections to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

Behind the Tudor gatehouse you will find the courtyard with its fine Elizabethan half-timbering, where a knot garden leads to lawns and fine vistas of the Warwickshire countryside. The house stands in 25 acres of grounds containing some of the most breathtaking gardens in the country. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/coughton-court

Coventry Transport Museum

Coventry.

The museum is home to one of the world’s most impressive collections of bicycles, motorbikes and cars.

From a Daimler wagonette of the 1890’s through to the Thrust SCC, the world’s fastest car. A family-friendly venue that is FREE to visit and has plenty for tiny tots too. www.transport-museum.com

Drayton Manor Theme Park

Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Home to the UK’s first Ben 10 themed rollercoasters, Thomas Land, some of the scariest rides around, a

Drayton M

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anor

4D cinema and a zoo. www.draytonmanor.co.uk

Dudley Canal Boat Trips

Boat trips into historic limestone caverns. www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk

Dudley Zoo

Fun for animal lovers of all ages! Visit the hundreds of animals that can be found at Dudley Zoo, uniquely set around an 11th century castle. www.dudleyzoo.org.uk

Edgbaston Watersports

Birmingham.

Have a go at any of the watersports - sailing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing on the reservoir at one of their regular taster days. School holiday activities and pay & play days. www.edgbastonwatersports.co.uk

Echills wood Railway

Kingsbury Water Park, Sutton Coldfield.

A narrow gauge railway at Kingsbury Water Park. Runs on Sunday between 11am and 4.30pm. www.ewr.org.uk

Funaticz

Birmingham.

Indoor play for children and families who love adventure. Five Tier playframe; two lane assault course; purpose built sports arena; toddler play area. www.funaticz.com

Go Ape

Cannock Chase & Wyre Forest.

Get in touch with your inner Tarzan with the UK’s number 1 forest adventure at Cannock Chase and

m Coventry Transport Museu

Wyre Forest. Spend time swinging in the treetops, dashing down zip wires and leaping off the Tarzan swing, all while enjoying the beautiful scenery.

(Use Families discount code FACAWAY for a ten per cent discount per person) www.goape.co.uk

Hatton Adventure World

Warwickshire.

Along with the zip wire, assault course, Frisbee golf and superslide mania special events include snakehandling, falconry displays, and tractor and pony rides. Fun maze, laser tag and summer spectacular with wild west and pirate events. www.hattonworld.com

Haystack’s Play Barn

Solihull.

A range of soft play activities all under one roof. www.haystacksplaybarn.co.uk

Herbert Art Gallery & Museums

Coventry.

This award winning museum celebrates the culture, history and art of Coventry; one of Britain’s most historic cities. Check out the many summer workshops for families around the Story of Children’s TV theme. Free drop-in activities too. www.theherbert.org

Hickory Dickory’s

Kings Heath, Birmingham.

Indoor soft play centre with trampolines. www.hickorydickorys.co.uk

Hoar Park Craft Centre and Children’s Farm

Nuneaton.

Set in 141 acres of beautiful North Warwickshire countryside, with a courtyard of 17th century barns converted into retail and craft shops.

The Children’s Farm has pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs, poultry, pygmy goats, ducks and geese, deer, sheep and a Kuné Kuné pig. The pygmy goat kids are a hit with the children, as are the newly hatched chickens and ducklings. Bouncy castle, donkey rides and children’s fun during summer holidays. www.hoar-park.co.uk

Ice Skating - Blue Ice

Solihull.

A cool place to be this summer.

Family ice-skating sessions. www.solihullicerink.co.uk

Ironbridge Gorge Museum

Shropshire.

This is a VisitEngland Gold Award tourist attraction which includes Blists Hill, a recreated Victorian Town.

It hosts a summer programme of family-friendly activities – candledipping workshops; fashion week, county fair, and other activities. In all there are ten Ironbridge Gorge Museums spread across six square miles of a World Heritage site which together attract over half a million visitors per year. www.ironbridge.org.uk

Jewellery Quarter

Birmingham.

Browse around Birmingham’s

Thinktank

Herbert

Go-Ape

A-Z guide

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Botanical Gardens

Cadbury W o

rld

Teamworks Karting

Hatton Park

famous Jewellery Quarter and visit the museum at Vyse Street, a perfectly preserved jewelley workshop steeped in history. The Museum hosts jewellery-making workshops for children. See their summer activities programme. www.jewelleryquarter.net

Kenilworth Castle

Warwickshire.

Explore the ruins of Kenilworth castle, built in 1575, and the beautifully recreated Elizabethan gardens. Don’t miss the audio tour! www.english-heritage.co.uk

Laser Station

Star City, Birmingham.

Battle it out in this intergalactic themed laser station. Great for

groups of all sizes and ages. www.laserstation.co.uk

Martineau gardens

Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Martineau Gardens is a beautiful community garden in Edgbaston.

An oasis for wildlife, a haven of tranquility or simply a great destination for an outdoor adventure with two and a half acres of organically managed landscape to explore. www.martineau-gardens.org.uk

National Sea Life Centre

Birmingham.

Dive into an amazing underwater world. Come nose to nose with sharks, seahorses, starfish and sting rays! There will be special Lego-

themed activities over summer including a chance to create lego sea creatures and a treasure hunt to find Lego creatures hidden among the colourful marine life. www.visitsealife.com/birmingham

Organic Farm at Kinver

Kinver Edge, Staffordshire Visit Kinver Edge organic farm and pick some fruit. Picking starts in June with a selection of strawberries, gooseberries, raspberries, rhubarb and currants. Try the amazing Maise Maze (from August, 2); visit the farm shop and have a picnic. www.kinvermaizemaze.co.uk

Packwood House

Solihull.

Visit this much restored Tudor

House, with a huge collection of 16th century textiles and furniture, and relax in its stunning gardens. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/packwood-houseÂ

PSL Bowling

Stirchley, Birmingham.

Eighteen bowling lanes, children’s soft play area; arcarde games & cafe www.pslbowling.co.uk

Quasar Elite

Acocks Green, Birmingham.

A multi-level gaming arena complete with obstacles, ramps, tunnels, smoky atmosphere, alien bases, and lighting effects. Quasar Elite laser tag is fun for all ages. www.quasarelitebirmingham.co.uk

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3 Mary Ann Street, St Paul’s Square, Birmingham B3 1BG Tel: 0121 227 4000 Issue 28

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A-Z guide

Sealife Cen tre

Redpoint Climbing Centre

Birmingham.

Whether you’re just starting out or an experienced climber, Redpoint offers a unique three-dimensional climbing experience, with an abundance of shapes, angles and their notorious stalactites. www.redpointclimbingcentre.co.uk

Scallywags

Birmingham and Dudley.

Indoor play area including slides, climbing areas and places to run and crawl at the Fort Shopping Centre, Birmingham, and at Merry Hill at Brierley Hill www.scallywagsindoorplay.com

Selly Manor

Bournville, Birmingham.

Visit one of Birmingham’s oldest buildings. Take a guided tour steeped in Tudor History. www.sellymanormuseum.org.uk

Snow Dome

Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Real snow all year round at the UK’s only dedicated children’s snowplay area. Ski-ing, snowboarding, ice rink and mini-rink. Wear warm clothing. www.snowdome.co.uk

Tamworth Castle

Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Medieval castle which hosts living history days and family activities. www.tamworthcastle.co.uk

Teamworks Karting

Birmingham and Halesowen.

Race the UK’s fastest indoor carts, reach incredible speeds on challenging circuits. Could you be

Winterbou rne

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Snow Dome

the one who wins the race and takes home the trophy? www.teamworkskarting.com Thinktank Science Museum, Birmingham.

Hands-on science museum and planetarium. Family events and activities throughout the summer including ‘Spitfire Story-telling’, ‘Science Busking’ and ‘Meet the Experts’ where you can meet real scientists, engineers and doctors working at the forefront of science.

Also explore the outdoor science garden, with giant-sized interactive exhibits. www.thinktank.ac

Tiny Terrorz

Olton, Solihull.

Play centre for 0-11yr olds.

Incorporating multi level soft play frame including a 20ft wavy slide,. www.tinyterrorz.co.uk

Treasure Island

Selly Oak, Birmingham.

For toddlers to juniors! The centre is kitted out with a pirate ship framework incorporating a two lane astra slide, tub slide, ball pools, rope bridge and a gallery of multi level climbs, passages, tunnels, boarding nets, and dizzy disk. www.treasureisland-play.co.uk

Tumble Jungle

Kings Norton, Birmingham.

Tumble Jungle is an indoor play area with a huge astra slide, climbing frame and a tumble jungle run, ball pool and more. www.tumblejungle.co.uk

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Twin Peaks

Star City, Birmingham.

Twin Peaks’ two climbing walls offer different challenges. Scaling 11.5 metres and 9.5 metres the two walls have many routes with many difficulty levels. Levels are offered for absolute beginners and those who like a bit more of a challenge. www.climbbirmingham.co.uk

Umberslade Farm Park

Solihull.

Family-run farm for all the family.

Feed lambs and calves, hold the chicks, rabbits and guinea pigs and even have the chance to ride a pony.

Indoor egg splat cannons and rideon tractors as well as two adventure play areas for different age groups. www.umberslade.com

Villa Park

Birmingham.

Take a tour around one of the oldest stadiums in the country and home to Aston Villa Football Club. See the ‘hallowed turf’ of Villa fans; take a peek at the team’s dressing rooms where all the pre-match action takes place, and see the state of the art facilities. www.avhe.co.uk/stadium-tours

Wacky Warehouse

Birmingham and Solihull.

The home of swinging and sliding, climbing and crawling. Adults can relax with a cuppa while the kids run riot! At Earlswood Common, Castle Bromwich, Wythall and Harborne www.wackywarehouse.co.uk

Warwick Castle

Warwickshire.

Be part of the adventure! Warwick

castle has abundant activities for the young and the young at heart. Full of interactive experiences, storytelling, demonstrations and activities for all ages, you won’t just see history – you’ll be part of it. www.warwick-castle.com

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

Brueton Park, Solihull.

Stroll through 5.5 acres of nature filled with butterflies, birds and wildflowers before taking a break in the Dragonfly Tea Room. The perfect place for picnics and family days out.

Really Wild Workshops for children weekdays in school holidays. www.warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk

Water World

Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.

A great family day out whatever the weather. With indoor water rides for the whole family, Water World is a lot of fun for all ages. www.waterworld.co.uk

West Midlands Safari Park

Bewdley, Worcestershire.

Drive through the safari park and come face to face with lions, elephants, zebra, white rhino tigers, cheetahs and more. Feed the giraffes to end your tour before heading to the theme park where you will find 28 fantastic rides and attractions to suit the whole family. Plummet 30m back to earth on Venom Tower Drop, get truly soaked on the Wild River Rafting or Zambezi Water Splash or take it easy aboard the galloping zebras on the Congo Carousel ride. www.wmsp.co.uk

Warwick Castle

House Villa Park

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National Trust

Tamworth Castle

Yardley’s Blakesley Hall

A-Z guide

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Wonderfu l World of Pla

Umberslade Farm Park

nes & Train

s

Twycross Zoo

Water World

Wonderful World of Planes and Trains

Birmingham city centre.

Birmingham’s new family attraction where you can journey through a model world from a sleepy village in 1930’s England to towns in post war Germany, then on to Japan and Canada. See the model trains whizz by, fly the planes, and hurtle around a racing circuit. www.birmingham.gov.uk

Winterbourne House and Gardens

Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Restored Edwardian House set within seven acres of beautiful

botanic gardens. Home to over 6,000 plant species from around the world.

Wander along the woodland walk, stroll through the hazelnut tunnel, cross the 1930’s Japanese Bridge or simply soak up the tranquillity of this perfectly English Edwardian home. www.winterbourne.org.uk

X marks the spot - Mystery trail

Birmingham city centre.

A fun treasure trail for all the family around Birmingham. Use your ingenuity to find the answers to the clues. They are in buildings and statues you will encounter along the trail. Some are trickier than others, but it is a real, fun challenge. Expect

to spend 2 hours on the mystery trail – but the answers to the clues all lie along a 1.5 miles route. Great for kids aged 7 plus. There are eight additional trails at venues across the West Midlands. www.treasuretrails.co.uk

Yardley’s Blakesley Hall

Blakesley Hall is a timber-framed house built in 1590 by Richard Smalbroke, a member of one of Birmingham’s leading merchant families. More than 400 years later, beautiful Blakesley is still a haven; secluded from the avenues of modern houses that lie beyond its gates. The house is furnished using an inventory taken in the 17th

century and reflects the lifestyle of a wealthy family of the late Tudor and Stuart period of English history.

Family-friendly heritage tours (free for children) and summer activities. www.bmag.org.uk/blakesley-hall

Zoo at Twycross

Warwickshire.

Set over 80 acres and housing over 500 animals, Twycross Zoo is renowned as the world’s primate centre. But there’s plenty more here for your little monkeys to see and do! Walk with lemurs, listen to a talk presented by the zookeepers on the Asian Elephant or simply explore the Zoo and see 150 species living here. www.twycrosszoo.org

Enjoy theatre & music throughout the summer Jazz Festival: 5th & 12th July Duran Duran Tribute: 16th August Enjoy Live Music Every Sunday until End of September Visit our website for more information

BIRMINGHAM BUS TOURS 2015

birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk

Dates: every weekend from 25th April to 27th September 2015 except for the first Sunday of the month from May to October when we operate as the MUSEUM HERITAGE BUS.

Find us on:

Meeting point: corner of Colmore Row & Waterloo Street, Victoria Square

Your support keeps the Gardens growing

Tour times: 10.30, 12.30, 2.30

THE BIG BRUM BUZ IS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE HIRE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Issue 28

27

Parenting Theatre

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk Three Little Pigs

He can huff and puff until the cows come home, but will the Big Bad Wolf get the better of the three little superstar piglets in this brand new retelling of the classic story? Prior to a West End season, from the award-winning writers of the international smash hits Mary Poppins and HONK! comes a “great big little West End show” for audiences of three years and up. Full of catchy songs, jokes and japes for little ones and parents alike, this endearing musical will leave you squealing with glee and howling with laughter. For ages 3+. May not be suitable for vegetarians.

Venue: Town Hall, Victoria Square, Birmingham Date: July 28-Aug 2 Time: Tues, July 28 at 3.30pm; Wed-Sun at 11am & 1.30pm Tickets: £12-£14 plus transaction fee.

To Book: 0121 345 0600 http://www.thsh.co.uk/ event/three-little-pigs/

Barnum

Starring Brian Conley and Linzi Hateley, this exhilarating musical follows the irrepressible imagination and dreams of Phineas T Barnum, America’s Greatest Showman. Follow the legendary showman’s life as he lights up the world with colour, warmth and the excitement of his imagination and finally teams up with J A Bailey to create Barnum and Bailey’s Circus - the Greatest Show on Earth.

Venue: Birmingham Hippodrome Date: July 7-Aug 1 Time: Eve at 7.30pm; Wed matinee at 2pm and Sat matinee at 2.30pm Tickets: £19.50-£48

In the Night Garden Live

Don’t miss your chance to see chance to see Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy In Birmingham.

The showdome is back in Birmingham for two weeks from 11 July to 25 July. See Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy and Makka Pakka brought to life with beautiful costumes, magical puppets, enchanting music and breathtaking projections. With just 13 rows of seats, you’ll be close to the action and everyone gets a great view!

Venue: The Showdome, Cannon Hill Park Date: July 11-25 Times: 10am; 12pm’ 2pm and 4pm Tickets: £14.50-£28.

Watch the trailer and book online at www.NightGardenLive.com Use discount code MEET63R

Oddsocks Twelfth Night

Oddsocks’ 2015 production of Twelfth Night is a madcap musical treat with Shakespeare’s love stories intertwined with well-known British Chart hits to keep the blood pumping and the mood merry. Suitable for ages 5 plus.

Venue: mac birmingham Outdoor Arena, Cannon Hill Park Date: Sat, July 18 Time: 7.30pm Tickets: £15; child £12 http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/ oddsocks-twelfth-night/

Frozen Sing Along in Solihull

Be cool this summer at a Frozen Sing Along: Solihull Arts Complex Sat, July 25 11am; 3pm and 6.30pm Tickets: £15 and £10.

Get your skates on to book.

Call: 0121 704 6962 or online at www.solihullartscomplex.co.uk

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Oddsocks Much Ado About Nothing

Oddsocks’ Much Ado About Nothing is a high octane musical version of Shakespeare’s witty battle of the sexes featuring well known UK hits from the best music decades.

Suitable for ages 5 plus Venue: mac birmingham, Outdoor Arena, Cannon Hill Park Date: Sun, July 19 Time: 7.30pm Tickets: £15 and child £12 http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/ oddsocks-much-ado-about-nothing/

Cyrano de Bergerac

A swashbuckling saga of wit as sharp as the swords the cavaliers flourish. A play of constancy, sacrifice and true love.

Perfect entertainment for an open air performance at Selly Manor.

Venue: Selly Manor, Bournville, Birmingham Date:Tues & Wed, July 21 and 22 Tickets: adults £12.50 and concessions £10.50. Booking is essential. To book a place, or for more information, please contact Selly Manor on 0121 472 0199 or email sellymanor@bvt.org.uk

Mr Stink

Outdoor adaptation of David Walliams heart-warming story Venue: The Pavilion, Warley Woods, 101 Lightwoods Hill,

Date: 30 July Time: 7.30pm To book: 0121 249 2440

Spider-Man 2 – Screen Juniors

In Spider-Man 2, the latest instalment in the blockbuster Spider-Man series, based on the classic Marvel Comics hero, Tobey Maguire returns as the mild-mannered Peter Parker, who is juggling the delicate balance of his dual life as college student and a superhuman crime fighter.

Venue: mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park Date: Sat, Aug 15 Time: 2pm. Free animation workshop from 11am-2.pm Tickets: £3 http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/screenjuniors-on-holiday-spider-man-2/

Frozen Sing Along

A full film screening of Disney’s Frozen with lyrics on screen to help you sing along during the film.

Introduced by a live host who will show you how to use your free prop bag and warm up your singing voices before you sit back and Let it Go. You the audience are the stars. Age recommendation 5+ Venue: New Alexandra Theatre Date: Friday, August 21 Time: 11am and 3pm Tickets: £16.90 and £4 transaction fee http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/sing-along-a-frozen-2/new-alexandra-theatrebirmingham/

Family Outdoor Theatre Around the World in 80 Days Join Boxtree Productions as they cross

Screen Juniors Frankenweenie From creative genius Tim Burton (“Alice in Wonderland”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas”) comes Frankenweenie, a heart warming tale about a boy and his dog. After unexpectedly losing his beloved dog Sparky, young Victor harnesses the power of science to bring his best friend back to life—with just a few minor adjustments.

Venue: mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park Date: Sat, Aug 8 Time: 2pm. Free animation workshop 11.30am-1.30pm Tickets: £3 http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/ screen-juniors-on-holiday-frankenweenie/

oceans and continents in this exciting take on the children’s classic, don’t forget to bring a picnic.

Venue: Packwood House, Lapworth, near Solihull, B94 6AT Date: Friday, Aug 21 Time: 7pm Tickets: Adult £15; child £8 and family £38 Booking essential 0844 249 1895 http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/ whats-on/find-an-event/

Tigers and Tattoos

Maj who lives with her uncle Sonny, a tattooist, accidentally ends up tattooing a tough guy with children’s drawings and has to leave town with her uncle. They set off on an adventurous road trip through a magical forest and meet a circus family and their cuddly tiger en route.

Venue: mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park Date: Sat, Aug 22 Time: 11am and 12pm Free Tattoo workshop 12-2pm

Frozen Sing Along

A special sing-a-long screening of the smash hit Disney film! And remember to dress up as your favourite character – be a snow queen, Sven the Reindeer or Olaf the Snowman.

Venue: Outdoor Arena, mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park Date: Sat, Aug 29 Date: 7.45pm Tickets: £7 To Book: 0121 446 3232 http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/screenjuniors-on-holiday-frozen-sing-a-long/

What’sParenting On

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Birmingham Cannon Hill Park 11 Jul - 25 Jul

ADVENTURE. ANIMALS. ACTION.

Summer Spectacular

Meet

Igglepi gg after th le show! * e Book now and save ÂŁ5 with this coupon!*

NightGardenLive.com No booking fee online or call 0333 300 0015 (bkg fee)

USE CODE

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All summer...

off orders over £60 or 5% off orders under £60 NightGardenLive.com • call 0333 300 0015 (bkg fee) *Coupon worth £5 off orders over £60, or 5% off orders under £60 and expires 25 July 2015. Subject to availability, Meeting a Character requires an additional ticket which can only be bought with tickets to the main performance. Ts & Cs apply, see www.NightGardenLive.com. Š 2015 DHX Worldwide Limited.

In the Night Garden and all related characters, titles and logos are trademarks of DHX Worldwide Limited. All rights reserved.

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10th August to 6th September 2015

Laser Combat (8+) Jungle Maze Massive Indoor Play and Ä‚ĹŻĹŻ ƚŚĞ ĆľĆ?ƾĂů ,ĂƊŽŜ Ä?Ć&#x;Ç€Ĺ?Ć&#x;ÄžĆ?

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Jungle Book

Action- packed adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale brings to life all the characters you know and love in their enchanted jungle world Venues: Fort Dunlop, B24 9FD (Sat, July 25); Moor Hall Spa Hotel, Sutton Coldfield (Wed, Aug 5) To book Fort Dunlop call 0121 749 7007 or book online www.chapterhouse.org or for Moor Hall call  0121 308 3751

Adult goes FREE* with another 2 Full Paying Visitors

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SAVE UP TO

18th July to 9th August 2015

Issue 28

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What’s On

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk

Children’s Summer Workshops at Selly Manor in Bournville

Have a go – Adventure Trek / Canoe

Ackers Adventure are holding special have a go sessions to allow you to try out new activities.

Venue: Ackers Adventure, Golden Hillock Road, B11 2PY Date: Wed, July 15 (Adventure Trek); Mon, July 27 (Canoe) Time: 3.30pm-5pm Tickets: £25 adult and £18 junior.

Must be pre-booked. Call 0121 772 5111. www.ackers-adventure.co.uk

Orienteering event

Why not book your children onto one of the popular workshops this August?

There are 4 to choose from: 18th Pirates!, 20th Space Aliens, 25th Create a Castle, 27th Face-painting.

Workshops are £4 per child, are at 10am and 1pm and last about 1 ½ hours. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Phone 0121 472 0199 to book a place. www.sellymanormuseum.org.uk Music for Youth National Festival

The Music for Youth National Festival returns to Birmingham and features performances from more than 8,000 of the UK’s most talented musicians, all aged 21 and under. FREE Festival Fringe events taking place all week. Includes performances from guest artists, live music ‘satellite’ stages dotted around the city and taster sessions in the Interactive Zone, Symphony Hall.

Venue: Symphony Hall Date: Sat, July 11 Time: 10.30am Tickets: Adults £8; children5-12 £5; under 5 free

Camping Capers

A fun family camping weekend at Hatton Adventure World. The camping weekend includes entry to the park on Saturday and Sunday, and indoor and outdoor evening entertainment laid on exclusively for campers. Bring your own barbecue or head to the onsite restaurant.

Soft play will stay open late.

Venue: Hatton Adventure World Date: Fri, July 10-Sunday, July 12; July 31-Aug 2; Aug 14-16 Book online at www.hattonworld.com or call Tel: 01926 843411

Shirley Carnival

An action packed day out for all the family, which this year features a pirate theme, with prizes for the best stall and a fancy dress competition for children.

All proceeds to charity.

Venue: Shirley Park, B90 3AL Date: Saturday, July 11 Time: 12-4.30pm

Black Country Weekend

Enjoy some bostin’ local entertainment and fittle at this years’ Black Country Day. Music, street theatre and live demonstrations. Embark on a discovery trail and uncover the proud industrial heritage of the region, or simply relax with a local real ale and a bag of traditional fish and chips. Yow cor beat that!

Venue: Black Country Living Museum, Tipton, Dudley Date: Sat and Sun, July 11 & 12

Lichfield Festival

More than 70 different events in ten days at Lichfield’s eclectic multiarts festivals. This year’s festival offers something for all ages and tastes, from orchestral music to literature, theatre to film, comedy, visual art, walks and a host of events for all the family including the not-to-be-missed baby elephant parade.

Date: July 3-12 Tickets: from www.lichfieldfestival.org

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A family-friendly orienteering event with local club, Octavian Droobers. Courses from 1Km to 6Km, easy to advanced, to suit all abilities and ages from 5 to 85!

Help is available to all newcomers. A large scale map and electronic timer are also provided - bring a compass if you have one. Venue: Tudor Grange Park, B91 3LU Date: Wed, July 15 Time: 6-7.30pm Cost: £4 per adult; juniors free. £1 for timer hire.

More information: 01926 632189

Shakespeare Express

Catch a Vintage Train steam ride to Stratford on Avon for a family day out – browsing, shopping or sight-seeing.

Venue: catch the train from Snow Hill, Moor Street, Tyseley or Henley in Arden.

See timetable and book online www.vintagetrains.co.uk

A Square Eyes Summer

The Herbert Art Gallery is running a summer of fun family activities in conjunction with the Story of Children’s television exhibition including free drop in events.

TV Shadow Sets £1; Tuesday 28 – Friday 31 July. Drop in.

Perfect Puppets £1 Tuesday 4 – Thursday 6 August. Drop in.

Muppet Sock Puppets £5 Friday 7 August.

Suitable for 7+. Booking is essential.

Super Shaun’s £1. Tuesday 11 – Thursday 13 August. Drop in.

Stop & Animate! £5 Friday 14 August.

Suitable for 7+. Booking is essential.

Deadly Specimen Sculptures £1; Tuesday 18 – Thursday 20 August. Drop in.

Deadly Adaptations £5. Friday 21 August.

Suitable for 7+. Booking is essential.

Here’s One We Made Earlier £1; Tuesday 25 - Friday 28 August. Drop in.

Venue: Herbert Art Gallery, Jordan Well, Coventry Date: Wed, July 22- September Full details online. www.theherbert.org

Pedal car racing event

Come and watch some fast and furious pedal car racing as the British Federation of Pedal Car Racing hold their annual race meeting in the park.

Venue: Tudor Grange Park, B91 3LU Date: Sunday, July 19 Tickets: £25 registration fee, £15 entry fee, £1 per driver.

Wild West Carnival and Pirate Festival

Hatton Adventure World are once again going all ‘Wild West’ and families can enjoy playing at being Cowboys with activities ranging from tin can shoot outs to hobby horse rodeo! Masses of cut outs to find and challenges to complete in the Maze and, for several weeks in the summer it will be running a BRAND NEW Pirate Festival. Dress up in your best pirate outfits and come on down for lots of swashbuckling fun for the whole family. Take part in Treasure Hunts, learn how to sword fight, but be warned anyone not on their best behaviour may find themselves ‘walking the plank’!! A full programme of outdoor and indoor

activity play will also be operating along with bouncy castles, funfair rides, tractor rides and masses of animals to feed and handle.

Venue: Hatton Adventure World Date: July 18- Sept 6

Explorer Trails

Go on an adventure around the hills on a new natural play trail. Explore the wildlife and play games as you go. Trail themes change each week. You can pick up a trail from Nimmings Wood Car Park and collect a small prize at the end. The trail theme changes each week of the summer holidays.

Venue: Clent Hills, near Romsley Dates: July 18-September 1.

Tickets: £2 per trail More Information: Visitor Experience Manager, 01562 712 822, laura.smart@nationaltrust.org.uk

Lights, Camera, Action

Explore the history of cinema this Summer. Travel all the way back to 1921 and step inside the Museum’s Lime Light cinema for some vintage films and cartoons with some classic Laurel & Hardy.

Real film fanatics can take on the Museum Movie Set trail and try to guess which parts have featured in documentaries, reality shows, primetime dramas and more!

Venue: Black Country Living Museum, Tipton, Dudley Date July 20 - Sept 2

Lace Wars

Skirmish re-enactments and living history encampments showing military and civilian life in the 18th century.

Venue: Avoncroft Museum, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, B60 4JR Date: Sat, July 25 & 26

Kids Discover Rag Rugging

Send your supervising adults on a tour and join crafty folk in making a mini rag rug. Learn the skills needed for this traditional and once again fashionable craft and make a rag rug that can become brooch, bag patch or a lovely gift for those who brought you along. Spaces are limited, booking essential.

Venue: Birmingham Back to Backs, Hurst Street/Inge Street, Birmingham Date: Sat July 25 and Sat Aug 22 Time: 11am-12.30pm and 1-2.30pm Tickets: £12.50 Booking essential: 0121 622 2442

The Joy of Jazz

George Huxley Hot Five, a group of talented local jazz musicians who perform all over the world and will be bringing their special brand of Dixieland magic to the park. Refresments available.

Venue: Knowle Park, B93 9HY Date: Sun, July 26 Time: 2-4pm

Base camp at Clent Hills

Join the National Trust Ranger team for an outdoor adventure. Navigate with a map and compass, build your own base camp, learn to light fires and cook over them.

For children aged 5 plus.

Venue: Clent Hills, near Romsely.

Meet at Nimmings Wood Car park.

Dates: Wed, July 29; Aug 5, 12 and 19 Time: 10am-3pm Tickets: £7.50 per child. Must be prebooked. Call 01562 712 822, laura.smart@nationaltrust.org.uk Children must be accompanied.

Robert Wilkinson’s Funfair

Thrills, spills and rides for all ages.

Venue: Meriden Park, Date: Thurs, July 30-Aug 2 and Thurs Aug 6-Sun, Aug 9 Time: 4-8.30pm (weekdays) 1-8.30pm (weekends) Tickets: £1 entrance and £1 per ride.

www.familiesbirmingham.co.uk Super Sports Day

A season of summer events gets off to a flying start with this Community Gamesinspired event! Come and take part in a range of school sports, try to beat your friends in fun races and cheer on the Mums and Dads when they join in! With other entertainment including Punch and Judy shows, face painting and sporting craft activities available on site, this event is a real winner!

Venue: Lavender Hall Park, CV7 7BN Date: Wed, 5 Aug Time: 11am-3pm Tickets: £1.00 per child for the treasure trail and crafts, with small charges for some of the other activities.

Damson Dog Show and Fun Day

Featuring the much-loved Dogwatch dog show, children’s rides, entertainment and stalls galore, the event is fun for all the family, including their four-legged friends!

Meet by the car park.

Date: Sat, Aug 8 Venue: Elmdon Heath Recreation Ground, B91 3PL Time: 10.30am - 3.00pm

Free animation workshop

Frankenweenie - Free Animation Workshop Frankenweenie Animator Tim Allen (Aardman Animations, Warner Bro’s Animation, Walt Disney Animation and Birmingham’s Yamination Studios) will be holding a model making workshop where he’ll give hands on expert advice on how to sculpt puppets from plasticine. Bring your character to life using stop motion software to recreate one of the many energetic and fun scenes from the film. A very special opportunity to learn from one of the best animators around!

Venue: mac birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Date: Sat, Aug 8 Time: 11.30am-1.30pm.

(Frankenweenie Screen Juniors at 2pm.)

Musical Mayhem

Dress up as your favourite pop star or character from a musical for a chance to win a fancy dress competition - there are prizes for the best-dressed boy and girl!

Bring your own percussion instrument to join an impromptu samba band, follow our treasure trail around the park, take part in a themed craft activity and enjoy the other entertainment on offer, including face painting, Punch and Judy shows and more.

Venue: Olton Jubilee Park, B92 7RQ, Date: Wed, Aug 12 Time: 11am - 3pm Tickets: £1.00 per child for the treasure trail and crafts, with small charges for some of the other activities.

Musical Picnic

The London-based saxophonist Andy Isherwood returns to Birmingham after touring with bands as varied as The Drifters and the Strictly Come Dancing band! Recently working with the RSC and brassy Young Pilgrims, Andy is also a brilliant and in-demand teacher, so expect to hear him on saxes, flute or clarinet, along with his exciting surprise band, with musical games his speciality!

Venue: Symphony Hall Cafe Bar Date: Sat, Aug 15 Time: 10.30am Recommended for ages 0-7 FREE EVENT

Roll up for the Circus

The Circus is coming to Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Plate Spinning, Juggling and loads more fun under the Big Top. Please note this show does not feature animals.

Out & About

Venue: Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Westbourne Road, Date: Monday, August 10, Time: 1pm, 2.30pm and 4pm Tickets: £4. Usual admission to gardens.

Call: 0121 454 1860

Family Night in Wonderland

Head down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass as you prepare for an evening of fantastical fun at the Black Country Living Museum. Celebrating the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, the Museum will come alive with curious characters and wondrous entertainment in a fantastic event with something for all the family! Street entertainers, puppeteers, storytellers, panto, sing-along, games and just a little bit of magic as you stroll through cobbled streets and experience a whole new world of fun for all ages.

Venue: Black Country Living Museum, Tipton, Dudley Date: Sat, Aug 15 Time: 6.30pm-10pm Tickets: Adults £10 and child £5. Advance booking only. Call 0121 520 8054

Pirate Workshop/Space Aliens/ Castles/Face painting Pirates (Tues, Aug 18): Ahoy’, matey!’

Calling all junior pirates to create your own cutthroat cutlass, eye patch and pirate hat at this swashbuckling event.

Plus have a go at a terrific treasure trail.

For ages 5-11). Space Aliens (Thurs, Aug 20): Take a voyage to a galaxy close to home at this starry event where you’ll get creative using recycled materials to make your own awesome alien and imaginative space rocket!). Create a Castle workshop (Tues, Aug 25): Budding prince and princesses will enjoy getting creative at this event where you can make your own magical castle and rule your kingdom by fashioning your own crown. Face painting (Thurs, Aug 27): Arty youngsters will love getting busy and learning fabulous face painting skills in this hands-on workshop. Ages 5-11.

Venue: Selly Manor, Bournville Time: First session 10am-11.30pm; second session at 1-3.30pm. Face-painting morning only.

Tickets: £4 per child. Adult free. Children must be accompanied.

Booking is essential. To book a place, or for more information, please contact Selly Manor on 0121 472 0199 or email: sellymanor@bvt.org.uk

Art summer schools

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts in Birmingham and Arts Cool in Knowle, Solihull, will both run summer art schools.

At the Barber children aged 4-8 and 8-12 can sign on for a 3 day workshop from August 4-6 to learn how to draw heads and faces like a pro; then make a sculpture head, and finally paint it. The theme of a second summer school running from August 18-20 is landscapes. The sessions must be pre-booked and places are limited so early booking is advised. Call 0121 0121 414 2261 or education@barber.org.uk.

At Arts Cool in Knowle children begin the day with drawing and in the afternoon work with polymer clay. To find out more call 07414 630681.

Date: Wed, Aug 19 Time: 11am - 3pm Tickets: £1.00 per child for the treasure trail and crafts, with small charges for some of the other activities.

Teddy Bear’s Picnic/Pirate Fete “Shiver me timbers” and bring a long a much loved teddy bear to a picnic at the gardens. Fancy dress optional.

Take your teddy on a Treasure Hunt around the Gardens; bring a picnic and enjoy the Gardens at their best. Face Painting,competition for the best fancy dress; bouncy castles, arts and crafts and much, much more.

Venue: Birmingham Botanical Gardens Date: Wed, 26 August, 2015 Time: 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Bring on the Brass

Leicestershire Co-operative Band, who will be playing a broad range of brass favourites, from classics to more modern

arrangements. Refreshments, including tea, coffee and a selection of homemade cakes, will be available at Elmdon Church.

Venue: Malvern Park, B91 3DL Date: Sun, Aug 30 Time: 2.00pm - 4.15pm

Echills Wood Railway

A narrow gauge train for tiny tots and their bigger parents running along the tracks at Kingsbury Water Park. Catch the train and have a picnic in the park by the railway stations and just watch the trains go by!

Venue: Harvesters Station, Far Leys, Kingsbury Water Park, Bodymoor Heath Road, Sutton Coldfield. B76 0DY Dates: Every Sunday & August bank holiday weekend 29-31 from 11am4.30pm Tickets: £2 return for all classes (ages 2 and up) from Harvesters Station www.ewr.org.uk

Peppa Pig

Peppa Pig and George Pig will be appearing at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Peppa and George will be making a personal appearance at intervals throughout the day.

Don’t forget to bring your camera!

Venue: Birmingham Botanical Gardens Date: Tuesday, 19 August 2015 Time: 11am-3pm Tickets: ( 2 Adults and 3 Children or 1 Adult and 4 Children) £25 and ticket includes free entry to Gardens for six months.

Call 0121 454 1860

Zany Zoo

Come and meet some creatures great and small in the park, at this event featuring our feathered, furry and even scaly friends! Entertainment, including face-painting, Punch and Judy shows and an animal-themed treasure trail are also available on site. Bring along some egg boxes to make a dinosaur, crocodile or insect with our fun craft activity. You can even dress as your favourite animal for a chance to win our fancy dress competition.

Venue: Knowle Park, Longdon Rd, B93 9HY

Summer Fun Activities at Hoar Park

DONKEY RIDES (CHECK AVAILABILITY ON DAY) CHILDREN‛S FARM COURTYARD GAMES BOUNCY CASTLE PICNIC & PLAY AREA From End July and throughout August!

Nuneaton Rd, Over Whitacre, Nr Coleshill & Nuneaton, CV10 0QU Tel: 024 76 394433 or 024 76 397733 Tues-Sun for more details

web:www.hoar-park.co.uk email:info@hoar-park.co.uk

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Birmingham Science Museum Discover the outdoor Science Garden, Planetarium, and brand new 6SLWƬ UH *DOOHU\

birminghammuseums.org.uk

Funded by:

T I C V A E N THIS SUMM I A R B R U O Y E P R E E K

KIP SUMMER SCHO R O F W O N OL ENROL Kip McGrath Sutton Coldfield, 78 Walsall Road Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, B74 4QY Tel: 01214 011814 www.kipmcgrathsuttoncoldfield.co.uk