Families Chiltern - March/April 2024

Welcome to The Midwife House

Experienced midwives

Emma and Louisa use their 35 years of combined experience as registered midwives to welcome both expectant and new parents to ‘The Midwife House’ (TMH), an independent business recognising the differences in expectation vs reality with pregnancy, birth and beyond.

TMH offers weekly workshops and drop-in groups in Beaconsfield and Amersham for any pregnancy and postnatal stage, focusing on skills, need to know information and myth busting.

Their ‘Feeding Café’ and ‘Ask The Midwife’ dropin sessions are friendly and informative, providing support and opportunities to build friendships. All services are pay as you go, supporting affordability. TMH covers all aspects of having a baby – the funny, scary, loving, difficult and exciting. Emma and Louisa believe that: ‘Feeling prepared, understood and ready for the realities, makes a huge difference when experiencing it.’

Find out more at: �� themidwifehouse.co.uk

Great British Spring Clean is back

Wherever you live, you and your family can make a difference to your local environment by sparing just a few hours to take part in the Great British Spring Clean from 15 to 31 March.

The event aims to encourage people across the country, from individual volunteers – dubbed #LitterHeroes by the charity – to families, schools, groups of friends, businesses, community groups and local authorities to come together to clean up streets, parks, beaches and other public spaces.

It’s easy to get involved. Simply pledge to take part and either organise a litter-pick in your community or join an organised event.

To find out more, join a local event, register to take part and access resources including a how-to guide, visit �� bit.ly/KBTspringclean

‘Urgent action required’ as reading enjoyment falls

Children’s enjoyment of reading has fallen to a twenty year low, a national survey has revealed.

More than half of children and young people do not enjoy reading in their free time, according to a survey from the National Literacy Trust (NLT). The charity said reading enjoyment was lowest among disadvantaged children and warned that the research should serve as a ‘wake-up call.’

The charity warned: ‘Declining reading enjoyment across a growing number of children and young people must act as a wake-up call for all who support children and young people’s reading for pleasure and the many benefits it can bring.’ Researchers say that over half of children ages 8 to 18 (56.6 percent) surveyed this year do not enjoy reading in their spare time.

More info: �� bit.ly/LiteracyTrust

Win a family ticket to Go Ape!

We have a family ticket to give away for a reader to experience a new level of excitement on Go Ape’s New Treetop Adventure Plus course in Wendover Woods. It’s designed for children aged 6 and above and 1.2m or taller. Featuring 20 thrilling high ropes crossings, including an exhilarating tree-to-tree zip wire. Elevate your adventure with Treetop Adventure Plus for an immersive and heightened treetop experience. The family ticket is for two adults and two kids to enjoy the experience on a date of their choice. To enter, simply answer the following question: How many high ropes crossings are there at the new Treetop Adventure Plus course in Wendover Woods? A) 10 B) 20 C) 30. Email your answer, name and town by Wednesday 3 April to: competitions@familieschiltern.co.uk For terms & conditions, see: https://bit.ly/FamiliesChilternTCs

Free mental health support for young people

Buckinghamshire Mind now runs a free counselling service for young people (aged 13 to 21 yrs) facing emotional and mental health challenges. Professional counsellors offer faceto-face and online appointments, providing a safe, supportive and non-judgemental space to explore feelings, build coping strategies and foster personal growth.

During Children’s Mental Health Week last month, Buckinghamshire Mind provided assemblies on mental health for Year 4, workshops on stress for Years 6, 10 and 11 and workshops on worries for EYFS and KS1. The charity also offers support through its Children and Young People Services. Working in settings across Bucks, including infant, primary and secondary schools, youth and sports clubs, the team delivers mental health assemblies, workshops and training days. To find out more and to apply, visit: �� bucksmind.org.uk

‘Time’ for British Science Week

British Science Week is a ten day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths which takes place from 8 to 17 March and will mark its 30th anniversary.

This year’s theme is ‘Time.’ Time is key to so many discoveries in science, technology, engineering and maths. From evolution, to lifecycles and computer chips, the understanding and measurement of time is important for the development of scientific learning and innovation.

During British Science week, fantastic events and activities take place across the UK on a huge range of topics at a wide range of venues, including community groups, cultural centres and museums. In addition, a range of FREE activity packs (including Early Years and Primary) can be downloaded for fun activities at home. To find a local event and download an activity pack, visit �� britishscienceweek.org

Egg-citing Easter Entertainment

By Claire Lockie-Williams

With so many exciting events happening over the Easter holidays, we had to capture our top picks. Whether you love crafting, getting out into nature, Easter celebrations or keeping cosy, there’s something for everyone.

EGG-CELLENT EASTER TRAILS

There are many splendid Easter Egg trails popping up over Buckinghamshire and the National Trust is leading the way with amazing activities across some of their unique sites.

Life-sized mythical creatures and astounding riddles are afoot at Hughenden Manor with a ‘dragon egg’ prize for all those who dare complete the quest. While at Waddesdon Manor there’s an array of activities to choose from as the Easter trail leads down winding paths throughout the grounds to a chocolate treat.

Look for signs of spring at Cliveden and wander through its beautiful gardens. Little ones can play in the Storybook Play Den and a visit is never complete without challenging yourself to the amazing maze. In the woodlands, children can enjoy den-building, log balance beams, rope swings and more. Claydon is sporting a trail inside to enthral the kids while adults explore the lush interiors, then there’s traditional children’s party games including ‘pin the tail on the bunny’ outside on the lawn.

Crack the hidden codes and solve puzzles at Bletchley Park this Easter! Go on the bunny hunt and find the hidden word. There’s also family tours and activities on various dates throughout

the holidays. While at Wycombe Museum, the mischievous Easter Bunny has hidden all their eggs and children are needed to hunt them out.

EGG-CITING EASTER ENTERTAINMENT

There’s lots of fabulous family fun events this Easter. Bekonscot Model Village is open again after a winter break, for visitors to explore the model village. Over the holidays, it’s hosting make and take crafts on several dates and they are welcoming back the entertaining Professor Crump over the Easter weekend. With a new play area to boast, the fun just keeps going!

Hop around Eden this Easter as their popular pitch & putt course returns to the High Wycombe shopping centre. The bespoke 10 hole course that pays homage to Eden’s retailers will be open daily from Friday 29 March to Sunday 14 April. Tickets cost just £1 per person and can be pre-booked at: edenpitchandputt.co.uk

Stowe is hosting the Spring festival ‘Feaster’ this year. An exciting explosion of colour, games, activities and storytelling for families. There’s an Easter Wonderland promised at Cheddington Village Hall with an egg hunt, crazy golf, crafting, slime making and other family activities. Haddenham Village Hall has an Easter themed family fun day with crafts, games and a local seller’s market.

Chiltern Open Air Museum is celebrating Easter with a fun-filled weekend of crafts and creativity. There’s 45-acres of exploration to be had including new willow sculptures, an exciting adventure playground and relaxing woodlands. With more than

30 buildings to investigate across the grounds, from barns to stores to hidden meadows, there’s plenty to keep the kids busy all day! No Easter weekend is complete without a trail of its own and the Museum doesn’t disappoint on Easter weekend. Bringing back it’s ‘Terrific Tuesdays’ these Easter holidays, there’s one Easter themed event but on the other aptly named ‘Earth day’ theme, there’s crafts, games, story-telling and clay making all centred around nature, conservation and our beautiful planet.

Blenheim Palace is pulling out all the stops too, with the chance to see circus skills, balloon modelling and a travelling vintage variety show. Keep your eye out for the Easter bunny on Easter weekend too.

ENJOY NATURE THIS EASTER

For all our nature lovers, Amersham Field Centre are running an Easter Family Nature Day on 4 April with a nature trail through their grounds with mini-beast hunting, wildlife spotting and crafts.

Iver Environment Centre is championing environmentally friendly events with a spring Family Fun Day on 11 April, packed full of seasonal activities, games and crafts. Also, if you have any budding Eco warriors aged 7-11 years, they’re hosting a drop off day on 10 April.

College Lake Nature Reserve in Tring is one to keep an eye on for nature events and over Easter, they don’t disappoint. With gorgeous walks around the lake itself, there’s also a hands-on pond dipping workshop and a lovely workshop for all the family to explore the Signs of Spring and the changes it

The National Trust- Photo by James Dobson

brings to the lake.

Take in the magic of a fairy tale walking trail around Chorleywood Common There’s also a special Easter Piggy Pet and Play session at Kew Little Pigs in Amersham where families can spend 2-hours getting hands-on with the pigs, plus an Easter Egg hunt and games. Book early as they’re currently discounting their family tickets over the Easter holidays.

Black Park, Langley Park and Wendover Woods bring their own delights for the young and older alike. From woodland trails with activities along the way and play and picnic areas, there really is something for everyone. Swing into action this Easter at Go Ape Wendover, where thrills await all ages! Unveiling their latest offering, Adventure Plus caters to children over 6 years old and 1.2m, delivering a heightened experience with 20 brand new high ropes crossings, including a tree-to-tree zip wire.

For the younger ones under 6 years old or those seeking confidence-building, Treetop Adventure provides a perfect introduction, commencing on a low loop before progressing to the treetops.

Adults and secondary-aged daredevils can take on the Treetop Challenge, featuring canopy crossings, Tarzan swings and exhilarating zip wire descent. Join an Easter filled with excitement at Go Ape Wendover.

TAKE A STEP BACK IN TIME WITH OUR MAGICAL MUSEUMS

If the Easter holidays seem to pass in a flash then take the opportunity to slow everything down. Step back in time at Pitstone Green Museum’s Heritage Open Day, to an era when things were far harder yet simpler. View not only a fascinating rural life museum set in the buildings and grounds of a historic farm, but also the attractions of the heritage open day itself. With tractor rides, working model railways, crafting stalls

Amidst the Tring Natural History Museum’s amazing exhibits, 12 animal

eggs have been hidden in a trail for explorers to seek out. There’s also multiple crafting sessions over several days focussed on amazing amphibians with the chance to get up close to these sleek tiny creatures.

Join in with making some hands on magic using clay and junk modelling at the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden. Kids can celebrate the Great Outdoors with storytelling and crafts from ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ and ‘Danny the Champion of the World’ and enjoy some Spring walks as well. There’s also all the other delights of the museum itself; from the beginnings of Roald Dahl’s journey into boyhood, his career and life and how his imagination was stoked and lit giving us the classic novels we enjoy today. Children can truly get hand on with the exhibits while adults step back into their childhoods.

Easter

Discover Bucks Museum in Aylesbury has a wealth of fun-filled events planned, with an activity on most days of the Easter holidays. Enjoy a variety of crafts, from hatching a (pom-pom) Easter chick, making a fossil and eggcellent science experiments! There’s also the opportunity to use crafts to celebrate Eid and make your own pets. The Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery (next to Discover Bucks Museum) is open throughout the Easter holidays with many hands-on exhibits to delight children and adults alike. With Fantastic Mr Fox’s tunnel to crawl through, mini-beasts of the giant peach, freezing your own shadow and the art of optical illusion. On Easter Saturday, visitors can take a journey with Terrie Howey, the Red Phoenix, to explore the Buckinghamshire folk tales of the past, present and future as well take part in a giant egg and spoon challenge and play egg croquet!

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre is running a celebration of heritage transport on 20-21 April, with vintage vehicles, models trains and traction engines. There’s an array of information in the railway museum itself, all the while steam train rides are on offer to visitors. Embrace a love of all things literary this Easter, at the Story Museum. Enter the whispering wood and listen carefully to what the trees have to share before stepping into a world of stories in the enchanted library. Explore the amazing collections that are on offer and let your imagination run wild. With Easter events available of a variety of dates, there’s many a children’s activity to

enjoy. There’s Lego club for the creative bricklayers, a holiday story telling club for older children and a puppeteer rendition of the three little pigs for young children.

STEP INTO A DIFFERENT WORLD

There’s an astounding array of different theatrical events this Easter, with something for everyone.

The Elgiva has a packed programme of family events. Join Alice on her topsyturvy adventure through Wonderland in a funny, family musical on Saturday 30 March. Back by popular demand, the Superstars of Wrestling bring their riproaring show to The Elgiva on Sunday 7 April – get your foam fingers ready! Award-winning magician James Phelan will dazzle you on Sunday 14 April; you’ll laugh and be amazed at his mindbending tricks and magic. And there is more magic to be had in their Easter performing arts workshop – The Magic of Matilda will get kids off the sofa and onto the stage. 2-3 April, includes a performance for families.

Peter and Wendy are abound in Neverland, or rather Lacey Green, as Equus Productions puts on an Easter weekend show including a signed performance on Good Friday at 2pm.

Sophie’s Tiger is coming to tea on the Easter weekend at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre so get an army of snacks at the ready. While the audience is encouraged to sing-a-long with Matilda, over the holiday, as she challenges the dastardly Miss Trunchbull.

It’s a pop concert with a difference these Easter holidays as the Pop Princesses musical spectacular hits The Stables. Shortly followed by a dive into facts about the toothiest tiniest of dinosaurs, Velociraptors, in Teach-Rex Live.

The Sooty Show is celebrating it’s 75th anniversary at the Wycombe Swan so join Sooty, Sweep and Sue as they raise the roof, or perhaps Zog and the flying Doctors who are also dropping in for a roarsome adventure are who you’d prefer to watch out for.

NOW FOR SOMETHING A BIT DIFFERENT…

If you’re looking for something a bit different, the Hellfire Caves are running an Easter Bunny hunt that snakes through their awe-inspiring underground caverns- just don’t get lost!

All aboard! Thomas the tank Engine is coming to Buckinghamshire Railway Centre this Easter. There’s unlimited steam train rides behind both Thomas and Percy for all rail enthusiasts with the possibility for a sneaky selfie in front of the engines themselves. Visitors can meet Sir Topham Hatt and explore the railway museum before taking a trip to the tea rooms. There’s also plenty more family fun with rides on the miniature railway, tea cups and joining the Thomas-related garden games and scavenger hunt.

Where can you see amazing animals, enjoy an Easter Egg trail with a difference and support conservation? Whipsnade Zoo, a fantastic visit for all animal lovers, is running a Zoonormous egg hunt throughout their zoo! From the tiniest butterfly to the biggest Ostrich, the egg hunt is focused on discovering amazing egg laying animals. Solve riddles and crack codes all the while visiting an array of different animal species, from farmyard creatures, magnificent mini-beasts and butterflies to endangered animal species. If you manage to find the golden egg, lucky visitors will enjoy a tasty treat!

Easter has come early this year and given its date we must always prepare a day for inclement weather as well. Given March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, we’ve included Whizz Kidz in Thame for all those rainy days! A fantastic place for kids to have fun and burn off some energy with its slides, cannons and bouncy castle alongside soft play for little ones.

Click here to go to our What’s On Guide for more Easter Fun!

The Story Museum- Photo by John Cairns

Days Out J u n i o r R e p o r t e r s

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre

By Lilly Grice.

First we explored the Visitor Centre which used to be a station in Oxford and was relocated to Quainton in 2002. There were old carriages on display. We looked inside the royal carriage. Queen Victoria went in trains that were like this. They were very posh because they had chairs with pretty patterns. We also saw a train that Winston Churchill sat in.

Afterwards, we went on a steam train ride. We sat in first class and the seats were so bouncy that if you sat on them you would go up and down again. One hoot of the train and we were off! The train sent smoke flying through the air.

Later, we went on a TPO which stands for ‘travelling post office’ because it was a post office that travelled on a train in the old days. Postmen had to sort letters in the night and in the morning they delivered them. They had to sort a letter every two seconds! I sorted some pretend letters into pigeon holes. It was a lot of fun!

We then went on a miniature train ride. We saw Barbie and Ken models beside the track. We also went to a huge museum in an old train shed. In the museum, we saw the ticket price when Grandma was a child. The price was 15p for an adult and 8p for a child. It was so cheap!

We stayed at the Centre all day and went on the last steam train ride of the day. The journey was not very long but it was so much fun!

Shakespeare Globe Theatre

By Lily Kirsch.

If you like history and drama, and love going into London then visiting Shakespeare Globe Theatre is for you!

I went with one of my best friends. When I first saw it, I thought it looked incredible. I couldn’t wait to go inside and take a look. Our Mum’s had booked a backstage tour, we were the only kids there but the guide still made sure he gave us lots of facts.

When looking around, everyone wears earphones so that you can hear everything the guide says. He told us a lot about Elizabethan London, theatres and lots and lots of Shakespeare.

We were lucky enough to see some of the rehearsals for the show that night - Macbeth.

After the tour, we explored the gift shop - I love shopping for souvenirs. Then we headed back to the exhibition. It was really cool to see more about the history of London during Shakespeare’s time. My favourite part was dressing up, we tried on lots of funny costumes.  I’d definitely recommend it and would love to go back. My Mum says that there are workshops for kids that I’d like to try and one day, it would be amazing to see a performance!

Nathan’s Farm

By Minnie Cotterell.

It was a bright crisp day when we drove up the country lanes to Nathan’s Farm near Chalfont St Giles. We bumped up the track and found ourselves outside a barn, set amongst acres of peaceful fields. As we got out the car, a trio of animals approached us: a beautiful white cat, a contented looking fat duck and finally a very playful small black pig.

After we had paid (£10 per car) and selected some animal feed, we started our tour. We started with the chicken enclosure. As expected, the chickens were very happy to see us, gobbling up their grain. What wasn’t expected however, was the seriously cute alpaca they shared their pen with. He trotted over and we were given a bottle of milk to feed him. Bottle feeding an alpaca isn’t something you do everyday that’s for sure!

Another highlight was the petting area in the barn. After we had looked at some chattering birds, we were offered the chance to hold a collection of rabbits - some were tiny, some were surprisingly huge! Finally, after a quick trip to the play area and to collect some fresh eggs from the chickens themselves, we headed home.

Although we didn’t try it this time, they have a cafe and do children’s parties, which sounded epic. I would thoroughly recommend a visit to Nathan’s Farm.

A year of nature activities

By Catherine Hughes and Becky Goddard-Hill

The impact of nature on wellbeing is well documented and getting children outside is proven to boost both their physical and mental health.

Here are just few nature activities you may want to take with you to liven up your next outdoor adventures as a family.

WHAT’S IN THE BAG?

Pop an object or two in your backpack as you walk and have the rest of your group ask questions to try and guess what it is. You can tell them the first letter of the object and they get ten questions to ask about it – to which you can only answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Will they work it out or will you have to tell them? Best not to take anything too heavy or it will feel like a long walk!

MAKE A LEAF WAND

At the start of your walk find a long, slim but strong stick. As you walk, thread on the best leaves that you find. You might want to go for all large leaves or all orange leaves or maybe a mix. Encourage every member of your family to do the same – you’ll be surprised how different all your wands look. On your return, arrange your leaf wands into a vase for a beautiful display.

If you have a neighbour or older relative who doesn’t get out much, consider gifting them a leaf wand to bring a bit of nature’s treasure into their home.

LETTER OBSERVATION GAME

Each person chooses a letter from the alphabet and tries to spot things beginning with that letter, as they walk. Tally up how many you things you find and see who spots the most.

Because this can be tricky for younger children, it is fine to use descriptive words too so if you have chosen B for example, you could say ‘blue sky’ or ‘big tree.’ Or just ‘bench’ if everyone’s ready for a sit-down rest!

You may want to specify that each descriptive word can only be used once, as well as taking a notebook to keep track of your spots.

THREE FUN NATURE CHALLENGES

For each challenge, make sure you agree on a ‘base’ before you start.

Find five stones, then bring them back to base and see if you can use them to build a tower that doesn’t fall over.

Choose a marker such as a particular tree. Balance your paper cup on your head and walk to the marker, then try walking back to base without the cup falling off your head.

Find some twigs, bring them back to base and use them to form the first letter of your name (or your whole name if you want a bigger challenge).

Catherine Hughes and Becky Goddard-Hill are coauthors of A Year of Nature Walks and Games, a book packed full of ideas to keep kids entertained in the great outdoors all year long. It features crafts, science experiments, scavenger hunts, beach and camping games plus lots and lots of ideas on how to make the great outdoors inspiring. Available from good book stores and online retailers.

Early Years

What makes a good pre-school or nursery?

By Justina Gapper

When choosing a nursery or pre-school, most parents base their decision on a combination of personal recommendation, the vibe of the setting, how much they like the staff and the setting’s Ofsted report and rating. But what are the other features that contribute to the success of a nursery or pre-school setting?

What really makes the difference between your child having a great experience, rather than just an acceptable one?

Here are some things to take note of when you are visiting potential nurseries for your child.

Staff

Recruiting the right staff and ensuring they work closely as a team is crucial to the success of a nursery setting. Look out for the way staff interact with each other. Are they supporting each other, anticipating issues and problems and each other’s needs, as well as those of the children? Look out for nursery managers who are present in the main part of the nursery, as opposed to spending all their time sitting in an office. When they are working alongside their staff, they can steer the ship and also offer support at particularly busy times of the day.

Communication

Communication between nursery key workers and parents is a number one priority. Can you see evidence of nursery staff working closely with parents to help new children

settle? Settling a child into nursery or pre-school can be a stressful and anxious experience for both parent and child. Not all children are the same, so settings should, where possible, be flexible enough to adjust their procedures to suit each child.

Good nurseries provide daily feedback to parents, send weekly emails and use social media to show the nursery in action. Parents should expect to receive regular updates from their child’s key worker and be kept informed of their child’s progress and what is happening more generally at the nursery.

Look out for nurseries and pre-schools that help parents understand and support at home what their children have been learning at the setting. For instance, use of Home-Link Books which suggest small, achievable, fun activities that parents can do with their children at home.

Structure, routine and safety

To feel safe, children need routine, so it is important that staff are able to maintain this. Parents also need complete peace of mind that their child is safe at the setting and may want to check whether the nursery has installed CCTV and telecoms on its entrances to ensure secure access.

Contact: 01442 256143

Nobody wants to rush children or parents towards school and nursery should be viewed as an experience that is important in its own right and not simply about preparing little ones for school transition. Having said this, it is useful to understand what kind of process and support system a nursery has in place for transitioning children to school.

For instance, does the setting provide transition reports for schools? These are generally, based on several areas of learning and give teachers a detailed account of the child that will be joining them.

Is a child’s Reception teacher invited to visit them at the setting before they start school? It’s clearly very valuable for little ones to meet their school teacher for the first time in a relaxed and familiar environment.

Primary teachers say it is social, emotional and selfcare skills and a desire to learn that are important when children start school. Ask the nurseries you are visiting to explain how they go about nurturing these skills.

Education

Developing a positive attitude towards learning

By Gail Hugman

No matter how skilled or knowledgeable a person might be, their attitude may well be the deciding factor in their future success, both personal and professional. Recent neuroscience has discovered the crucial role a positive attitude plays in the learning process, particularly during the primary years.

The second a child is born, their brain, with roughly eighty six billion neurons or nerve cells, ‘hits the ground running’ making connections through senses and experience. Everything a young child does, feels, hears and sees creates pathways between these nerve cells, building a reference bank of experience.

In the first three years, the connections the brain makes have risen to one thousand trillion. This is an automatic process. Ninety percent of brain development is complete by the time a child is 5 years old.

Although there is a default setting for the brain to function whether we engage or not, when it comes to learning, children who are actively engaged in the learning process are going to be far more effective and therefore, higher achieving than their peers who are simply ‘going through the motions’ of learning. The child who loves practising the guitar is going to progress more quickly than the child who battles with you or resents practising.

The reason for this is that as we grow, the brain takes its lead from what we do repeatedly. Where we make a

Independent School Open Days

Chesham Prep

Friday 10 May.

Book online: �� cheshamprep.co.uk

Private tours available. Chesham, Co-Ed, 3-11yrs.

Extra year 3 class added.

Gateway School

Saturday 9 March.

Private tours also available.

gatewayschool-bucks. co.uk

Great Missenden, co-ed, Ages 2-11yrs.

Godstowe

Stay and Play (ages 2-4):

14 March, 1.45-3.00pm. Girls, High Wycombe.

Book online: �� godstowe.org

Lockers Park

Open Day: Friday 8 March.

Reception Stay & Play:

Friday 15 March: �� lockerspark.co.uk

conscious decision to put effort is where the brain will focus connections.

Children who enjoy what they’re doing, who love learning and who have a positive attitude, actively engage. Active engagement creates the signal for the connections the brain makes to be ‘cemented’ in myelin, a coating of fat and protein which make them ‘automatic.’ This is how learning is assimilated and habits are created.

The brain doesn’t know whether what a child is doing is good or not, it just takes its lead from repetitious behaviour and feedback from their surroundings, in this case, parents and teachers. The more positive a child’s attitude, the more positive the connections and growth they make, which can lead to excellence in performance.

Gail Hugman is a teaching and learning expert at Lessons Alive (lessonsalive.com) and author of 100 Things to Learn Before You’re 10, plus the soon to be published Making the Pennies Drop – Helping your Child Build Skills. Available from Amazon.

Pipers Corner

Open Morning:

Friday 26 April.

Book your place online: �� pipers.sc/visitpipers

Great Kingshill near High Wycombe, Girls 4-18 yrs.

The Beacon

Open Morning:

Friday 10 May, 9.00-11.00am.

Amersham, Boys 3-13 yrs. To book, visit: �� beaconschool.co.uk

Thorpe House

Wednesday 13 March, 9.00-11.00am.

Book your place at: �� thorpehouse.co.uk

Boys, Gerrards Cross. Co-Ed Sixth Form launching Sept 2024.

Westbrook Hay

Friday 10 May: 10.00am-12.30pm.

Hemel Hempstead, Co-Ed 3-16yrs.

�� westbrookhay.co.uk

Harnessing your child’s positivity

Encourage your child to be independent by teaching them skills. Start with self-control and move on to organisation, planning and taking responsibility. Children love to have a positive, personal development reason for what they do that both has meaning for them and brings results. Children don’t assume. Choose a regular date for a hot chocolate or breakfast alone together. We suggest once a month. Clear everything to listen to how your child is getting on. This validates them and tells them they matter enough for you to make space to talk to them.

If you can’t listen ‘right now,’ tell them when you will. Children are quite happy to wait until they have your attention if you let them know when that will be. Recognise effort. A child once told me I could photocopy a blank sheet of paper to help the school budget. I loved his creative thinking, took him to the photocopier and explained in a warm and friendly way the reason why that idea wouldn’t work!

School wobblies –keeping reluctant children in school

By Lisa Wander and Catherine Noble

Anxiety about going to school affects about five percent of children in the UK. Part of normal development in young children, it becomes more concerning if it doesn’t pass over time. If your child is refusing school due to anxiety, the longer this continues, the harder it becomes for them to return.

Missing school not only means your child loses out on education but also other essential skills, such as mixing with their peers and becoming more independent from their parents. School attendance is, in fact, mandatory: under UK law parents are responsible for ensuring their child attends school. However, in 2022, more than sixteen thousand parents were fined for unauthorised school absences.

A variety of factors can be behind a reluctance to attend school. Young children often experience separation anxiety or may be anxious by temperament. Some children may experience difficulties at school with friendship group dynamics. Others may find the work challenging and the pressure to perform well overwhelming. Difficulties at home or illness may keep them away from school. Commonly it is a combination of some or all of these things that creates anxiety and may lead to the arrival of the ‘school wobblies.’

How to identify ‘school wobblies’

The feelings your child may experience are real and this anxiety can lead to physical symptoms such as sweating, headaches, feeling sick or an increased heart rate which can make them feel dizzy. Children may be reluctant to get up and ready in the morning. They may be angry and upset or acting out at home or they may withdraw and seem quiet and low, often fixating on small issues. These are all automatic and mostly normal reactions. However, it’s important to bear in mind that for every missed school day, it becomes harder for your child to go back. So try not to give in and keep continuity.

Here are some tips for helping your child build a positive mindset and instilling the habit of going to school.

Open communication: actively listen, try to be calm, patient and show empathy.

Establish a positive routine: consistent morning and bedtime routines provide structure and reassurance.

Promote independence: involve your child in decision making to empower them and give them a sense of control.

Seek professional help. If school reluctance persists or appears rooted in deeper issues, seek help from the school’s SENCO

Once you understand the root of your child’s anxiety, work with their school to create a personalised plan of support and schedule regular progress meetings. This plan may include:

Taking your child in earlier to school to meet with a known key adult or friend to ensure a calm start to the day.

Providing a visual timetable to give a clear structure to the day, including support when moving between lessons. Where possible, ensure your child is informed about changes.

A safe space to retreat to and opportunities for brain breaks.

Activities and clubs at break-times to provide structure. A specific responsibility can help them feel involved.

Practising mindfulness and relaxation techniques to help calm an anxious mind.

Lisa and Catherine are co-founders of Emparenting (emparenting.co.uk), supporting children, parents and families with the insights, skills and tools needed to nurture the development and well-being of the next generation.

Learning Forest School skills

By Jemma Z Smith

‘How was school today?’ a parent asked their child. ‘It was amazing: we all worked together to build a den; we played hide and seek in the woods and toasted marshmallows on a real fire!’ the child enthusiastically responded.

This was a conversation I overheard in the playground after my first Forest School session with my Year 3 class. No mention of the new method of addition that we had worked so hard on using manipulatives; no rendition of the funny poem that we had been reading in English that had us all laughing as we acted out the different verses. Was I disappointed? Not one bit.

Learning outside the box

My class was the first class at the school to ‘do Forest School’ and they (and the adults) loved every minute of the afternoon. Some people might question ‘losing’ an afternoon’s learning within a packed, timetabled curriculum. I’d respond that rather than loss, the experience was in fact very beneficial to helping these children, preparing them in general for life beyond education.

Teamwork, communication skills, risk analysis, trying things outside your comfort zone, resilience and independence are just a few things that my class of 7 and 8-year-olds learned that afternoon and they continued to learn and make progress in these areas throughout their time at primary school.

New experiences

For some children, Forest School and learning outside the classroom can seem scary and unfamiliar. They may not have as much access to the outdoor environment as previous generations and this needs to be handled sensitively. Such children can still learn the skills and also enjoy everything that the environment has to offer, when led by adults who are aware of and respond to how they are feeling in a way that helps them get the most out of the opportunity.

Making it work

Not every school has access to a forest or woodland area but they can still embrace the ethos of Forest School and it can be adapted in so many ways. You don’t have to have a real fire to sing songs in the round and you can be creative in an art or music lesson and take it outside!

Your child’s school may not have Forest School opportunities on offer to all children but there are lots of private providers out there who run enriching after school and holiday clubs. Alternatively, a quick search online will usually yield a list of providers in your local area.

Even simple activities, like taking a walk in your local park, can offer outdoor learning opportunities: your kids can take note of the different leaves on the trees and research them when you get home or using an app on an adult’s phone. They can take photos of the different colours of nature at different times of year, look out for animal footprints and play ‘hide and seek’ with their friends and family - I bet the children are much better at this than the adults!

Being outdoors offers so much learning potential and like all good learning opportunities, when a child is having so much fun that they don’t realise they are learning, all the better.

Jemma Z Smith is Director of The Education Hotel. For further advice, visit �� educationhotel.co.uk

"Cannot recommend Total Tutoring enough, they've helped my children not only academically but also given them so much confidence!"

"Passionate, professional, honest and highly engaged."

Clubs, Classes & Activities

Are you looking for a new activity for your children to try? Or perhaps they have a keen interest in dance, sport or performing? Whatever their hobbies, we have a great choice of local clubs and classes to suit everyone.

When you call, please don’t forget to say you saw them in Families Chiltern magazine !

Multisports

Weekend classes and Summer Workshops held at Dr Challoner’s High school.

18 sports a year and weekly team building. Ideal for ages 4 -16.

Book your place today!

Join today at:

�� multisports.co.uk

Tiska Karate

At TISKA Karate, children and adults alike learn the essentials of etiquette, respect, self discipline, self awareness, confidence, fitness, and self-defence. Photograph of their youngest Black belt, 8 year old Tyler Yamamoto.

Contact: office@tiska.com for further details of your 1 month free trial.

Supernova Cheerleading Stagecoach

Singing, dancing and acting classes for 4–18 year olds. Ask about their 2-week trial.

Classes in:

Amersham: ☎ 07887 500788.

Aylesbury: ☎ 01525 790795.

High Wycombe, Henley & Marlow: ☎ 07539 753718.

�� stagecoach.co.uk

Total Tutoring

Quality tuition from professional teachers.

11+: English, maths, VR and NVR. Small group and bespoke 1:1 lessons.

�� totaltutoring.co.uk

E: total.tutoring.plus@gmail.com

☎ 07391 966667

TOTAL TUTORING

Cheerleading and Dance sessions for all ages (5+) and all abilities. Their aim is to teach new skills in a positive, family environment and, most importantly, have fun!

Training is on Monday and Wednesday evenings in High Wycombe.

IG: @supernovacheer

Contact: info@supernovacheer.co.uk

.

Chalfont Otters

Love swimming or want to learn?

Chalfont Otters Swimming Club offer swimming classes for 3 years onwards. Expert teaching in a fun, inclusive envirronment.

Teaching groups Saturdays, 9am-12pm at Maltman’s Green School, Chalfont St Peter.

Scan the QR Code on page 13 to book a free trial.

�� chalfontotters.org.uk

Trapdoor Performing Arts

Acting classes with West End actors and TV professionals. Musical theatre and dance classes also on Saturdays. Act, dance and sing in separate classes for pre-school, infants, juniors and teens across all disciplines. Celebrating 100% pass rate in LAMDA and IDTA examinations year-on-year.

☎ 01494 876487

�� trapdoordrama.com

Allstars Academy

Berkhamsted and Princes Risborough. Everything under one roof.

Ballet/Tap/Modern/ street/Contemporary Lyrical/Acro/ Technique/Musical Theatre/Singing/Drama.

Competition Elite team (World champions!)

☎ 01442 878577 / 07813 452737

�� allstarsacademy.biz

E: reception@allstarsacademy.biz

Kids Swimming Lessons

Seriously FUN Swimming Schools offer children's swim classes in: Amersham Aylesbury, Gerrards Cross, Wycombe, Maidenhead and Slough. Only 6 per class, £58 per month and 50% off your initial payment with code: DISCOUNT50.

Book your swim lessons online at:

�� seriouslyfun.com

Top tips to turn your family into eco-warriors

By Isabel Thomas

Saving the planet is easier than you think. And the whole family can get involved!

Go herbivore for a day

When it comes to gobbling up resources, meaty meals are the planet’s number one enemy. Each year, 7.6 billion humans chomp their way through meat from an amazing 65 billion animals. Raising these animals – and getting them from farm to fork – puts enormous pressure on the planet’s resources and is a big source of greenhouse gases. Avoid meat (and cheese) for just 1 day a week, and you could make a bigger impact than taking your family car off the road for 5 weeks!

Do less washing up

You hate it, and the planet hates it too! Happily, putting less effort into doing the dishes is a win-win situation. An average family washing up by hand uses around three sinks full of water per day - 10 % of all their daily water. It’s possible to use much less if you avoid wasteful habits, like running the hot tap to rinse dishes. If your family uses a dishwasher, you’ll be pleased to hear they can be kinder to the planet – as long as you don’t rinse the dishes first.

Reduce baths

One of the top ways to cut the volume of greenhouse gases our house produces is to reduce the amount of water we heat up. Skipping even one bath a week can make a big difference. If you already prefer showers, don’t be too smug. Fast-flowing and rainfall shower heads use up to 17 litres of water per minute, meaning that an average 8-minute shower can use almost double the energy and water of a bath! To make showers eco-friendly, get out after 5 minutes.

Lose your bottle

In the minute it took you to read this far, one million plastic bottles have been bought, beginning a journey that all-toooften ends in the stomachs of zooplankton, fish, albatross chicks, whales and seals. So, what can your family do? Invest in bottles that are easy to clean and reuse. Fill up before you go out for the day, and while you’re on the move – look out for water fountains or ask at a café or restaurant.

Party for the planet

Birthdays only come once a year, so most party goods are disposable. Wrapping paper, cards, decorations, paper plates and napkins, plastic cups and cutlery are all designed to be used for a few hours and thrown away. It doesn’t have to be this way. Send invitations and thank you notes by email and make your own decorations.

Eat ugly food

Shockingly, a THIRD of the food produced every year gets thrown away. The waste happens in many different places – on farms, where crops that don’t look perfect are left to rot; in supermarkets, where ‘ugly’ fruit and veg aren’t put out on display or are left on the shelves by shoppers; and in our homes, where food is forgotten at the back of the fridge. Play this game in the supermarket – who can track down (and take home) the strangest looking fruit and veg? No item is too blemished, big, small or gnarly – if they’re on the shelf, they’re safe to eat. Give them a home, so they don’t get thrown away – they’ll still taste delicious!

Plan a rubbish day out

Imagine if your family stopped putting the bins out and stored all your rubbish at home instead. After a year, you’d be wading through more than a tonne of packaging and food waste – the average for households in the UK. We’re lucky that our waste gets taken away every week or every fortnight – but it means we never get to see how much we really produce. So find out where your garbage goes once you’ve waved goodbye to the bin lorry.

Many landfill and recycling sites offer free tours for individuals or groups. Once your family has seen the scale of a stinking landfill site, they’ll be inspired to reduce, reuse and recycle like never before. Plus your house will look REALLY tidy in comparison!

Isabel Thomas is the author of This Book is Not Rubbish: 50 Ways to Ditch Plastic, Reduce Rubbish and Save the World, out now in paperback from Wren & Rook, price £6.99.

Thriving not surviving: the toddler years

By Heidi Skudder

While the baby months pass by in a flurry of contact naps, back-to-back feeds and trying to work out when you will ever sleep again, the toddler years are definitely something to look forward to.

Multiple naps a day are over, eating is on its way to being well established and you actually have time to get out and about between meal times. That said, the toddler stage has its own unique challenges which can be overwhelming. But don’t worry, it is possible to actually thrive during these years, not just survive.

Here are my top tips and observations:

Toddlers start to become more vocal and know their own minds, often refusing to engage in even the most basic daily chores: getting dressed, nappy changes – the list goes on. Prep in advance by talking them through everything you’ll be doing that day step by step, so that nothing takes them by surprise.

Poor behaviour is always about communication and although toddler tantrums are considered a normal rite of passage, excessive tantrums and big feelings could indicate that they are trying to tell you something. This could be something as simple as hunger, needing a little more sleep or even a tummy ache that they can’t explain to you. Toddlers simply aren’t ‘naughty’ just for the sake of it.

The toddler years often bring phases of fussy eating and food refusal. Keep on top of mealtimes by exposing little ones to a wide range of foods, not giving second choices and recognising that appetites vary day to day. You decide what is on their plate and they decide how much they want to eat.

Sleep is essential for a calmer journey throughout the toddler years. It’s often assumed that the sacred ‘lunch time nap’ can be dropped at two years of age but the reality is that most toddlers need this nap well into their third year, with some needing it until they go to school.

Dealing with tantrums. Tantrums are a normal part of your child’s development. They happen when a child is not able to control their own emotions and their feelings bubble over into meltdowns and seemingly difficult behaviour. Whilst normal, this does not make tantrums any less challenging for you as a parent. During a tantrum, try understanding and listening to how your toddler actually feels rather than telling them to stop crying or assuming that they are just being difficult. Often by identifying with the emotion and feeling, it can really help stop them in their tracks and deal with their feelings more easily

It may sometimes feel like you’re in an uphill battle with your toddler to get out of the house each day. Remember that with time and by rationalising with them, things do get easier. Soon you’ll look back and miss the fight about not wearing their wellies to the supermarket and those muddy footprints will be a distant memory!

Heidi is a parenting coach. For online toddler courses including toddler behaviour, fussy eating and sleep, see her website at: �� positivelyparenthood.com

Toddler eating challenges

The ‘division of responsibility’ is a well researched model which is proven to successfully encourage healthy eating habits.

The model is that while it is a parent or carer’s job to decide what each meal consists of, it is a toddler’s job to decide how much of it they want to eat. Just knowing that this model exists and is successful can save you from too much mealtime angst.

By forcing a toddler to take one more bite or holding off on pudding until they eat more broccoli, you are simply making them eat when they don’t want to.

Apart from unwelcome tantrums, this can also have long term knock on effects; primarily not being able to listen to what their body is actually telling them. By allowing your child to say when they have had enough and trusting in them, you are setting them up to not only have positive meal time associations but also an ability to trust in their body and the feelings associated with it. A win-win for both parent and child.

Parenting Family-Friendly Podcasts

By Andrew Campbell

Podcasts have become a huge part of many people’s lives, offering a wide range of interesting, informative and entertaining audio which can be listened to for free at a time that suits them. This applies to children too, with many high standard podcasts available that parents will also enjoy sharing.

Podcasts are a brilliant way for kids to absorb information and can be played in the car, before bed to wind down or while doing a jigsaw or colouring.

Here are our top picks...

Story Pirates Ages 5+

Stories written by children are given some polish but not too much, so they can be brought to life by adult actors, comics and musicians. Performers such as Clare Danes and Julie Andrews totally commit to the kids’ ideas which are often off the wall e.g. ‘I Don’t Think So Day’ and ‘The Squirrel Astronaut.’

�� storypirates.com

Rebel Girls Ages 5+

An offshoot of the best-selling book of the same name, this podcast is all about championing clever and tenacious women from across all areas, including the arts, civil rights and sport. Each episode is about twenty minutes long and focuses on one extraordinary woman, with the episode delivered by another extraordinary woman. Despite the gendered title, these are stories for everyone.

�� rebelgirls.com/podcast

Once Upon a Time in Zombieville Ages 9-12

An award-winning, BBC sci-fi adventure podcast with funny bits! Featuring lead characters with visual impairment and dyslexia, Zombieville is for those who might struggle to read but still love a great story. With lots of action, expressive voice actors and real-life soundtracks, it’s like ‘a comic book for the ears.’

�� bit.ly/BBCZombieville

Wow in the World Ages 5-12

A goofball, award-winning science podcast that tackles serious scientific enquiries and makes learning fun, even for parents. Hosted by Mindy, a klutz with a time machine, Guy and an ever-expanding cast of wacky characters – the podcast shares stories about the latest news in science, technology and innovation. Stories that give kids hope, agency and will make them say ‘WOW!’

�� bit.ly/WowInTheWorld

History Storytime for Kids Ages 5-11

Sophie (age 7) and Ellie (age 5) and their daddy tell the stories and use lots of funny sound effects. Hear amazing stories of animals in history, stirring historical stories of love and betrayal and stories of strong women and how they changed the course of events. Uniquely, it stars the charming children themselves who recount the stories with surprising fluidity and humour. �� historystorytime.com

What if World Ages 5-12

Hosted by Mr Eric who uses silly voices and crazy characters to answer a new ‘What if’ question sent in by an inquisitive child every episode. The scenarios are typically fanciful: think ‘what if everyone wore the same colour?’ or ‘what if snow got on the moon?’ These are the kind of questions that inspire the quirky stories for this imaginative podcast. �� whatifworldpodcast.com

Activity Quest Ages 5-12

A weekly podcast packed with stuff to do. Join presenters from children’s radio station, Fun Kids, as they visit locations nationwide to find out what they offer. They’ve tried everything from archery to heritage railway rides, rock-climbing to museum visits - even feeding tigers! The podcast is filled with fun ways to spend your weekend.

�� bit.ly/ActivityQuest

The Week Junior Show Ages 8-14

Each week, Bex from Fun Kids is joined by members of The Week Junior team to discuss their favourite stories, debate the week’s hot topic and discover whether the ‘Real or Rubbish’ report is fake news or the real deal. Recent news topics include: Do animals have imagination? Should fireworks be banned? How are head lice helping historians? �� bit.ly/WeekJunior

The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian Ages 5-8

This serialised, science-fiction story, told in fifteen to twenty minute episodes, is perfect for driving around, road trips or even at bedtime. The story centres on an 8-yearold boy living on an interplanetary space station with his friends, Abigail, Elias and Vale, who explore the galaxy, help the occasional alien and solve mysteries.

�� bit.ly/FinnCaspian

The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel Ages 8-12

Award-winning, serialised mystery series, with a voice cast of actual kids and a suspenseful plot, this will keep your tween hooked for hours. Start with episode one and listen along as 11-year-old Mars Patel and his pals, JP, Toothpick and Caddie, set out on an audacious adventure in search of two missing friends.

�� bit.ly/MarsPodcast

What’s On

March

SUNDAY 3 MARCH

PEPPA PIG

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton. Meet cheeky Peppa Pig at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, enjoy steam train rides and explore the site. 10.30am-5pm. See website for details and pre-booking, bucksrailcentre.org

MONDAY 4- SATURDAY 16 MARCH

I GREW UP 80s

Discover Bucks Museum, Aylesbury. Last chance to take a nostalgic trip back to the 80s. See website, discoverbucksmuseum.org

THURSDAY 7 MARCH

I AM HAPPY

Amersham Family Centre, Mop End. FREE Workshop for parents and carers of children 2-4yrs, exploring big emotions through craft and storytelling. 10-11.30am. adultlearningbc.ac.uk

FRIDAY 8 MARCH

TINY TALK

Wycombe Museum, High Wycombe. Stories, crafts and museum fun. 1010.45am. Children £3.50, Adults FREE. Also 22 March, 19 April and 3 May. To book tickets, wycombemuseum.org.uk

TOTS GO WILD

Black Park, Slough.

Forest schools for tots. Get close to nature and enjoy themed activities designed to enhance confidence and independence. See website for full details and pre-booking, countryparks.buckinghamshire.gov.uk

SATURDAY 9 MARCH

YOUNG RANGERS AND TEEN RANGERS

College Lake Nature Reserve, nr Tring. Wildlife clubs for ages 8-11 (Young Rangers) and 11-17 (Teen Rangers) who love nature. 10.30am-12.30pm: Young Rangers. 1.30-3.30pm: Teen Rangers.

Tickets close 48-hours prior to session. £7 per child. Repeated on 13 April. bbowt.org.uk

MOTHERING SUNDAY 10 MARCH

MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL FARE

Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway. Enjoy steam training in Chinnor. Some special discounted fares for mums plus kids-for-aquid. Mini cream teas in a box available at additional cost. Book online, chinnorrailway.co.uk

MONDAY 11 MARCH

FOREST SCHOOL SESSIONS

Amersham Field Centre, Mop End. Forest school sessions exploring the exciting outdoors. 9.30-11am for 18mths-5yrs. 1-3pm 7+yrs for Home Educators. Pre-booking required. Weekly in term time. field-studies-council.org

YOUTH NITE

Amersham Youth, Amersham. New Youth Club for 11-14yrs. 5-7pm, free. communityyouthventures.com

TUESDAY 12 MARCH

MUD CLUB

Coleshill Church, Amersham. Fun nature-based stay and play sessions. 18 mths to 5yrs. 9.15-10.30am. Multiple sessions available in March and April. Family Mud Club also available. discoverysprouts.co.uk

WEDNESDAY 13 MARCH

CHESHAM MUSEUM FAMILY TRAIL

Chesham Museum, Chesham Town Hall. Explore Chesham on its Eye Spy trail, take a quiz and investigate the history of its teddy bear factory. Finish at the Museum’s new home. 10am-4pm. FREE. Also open Saturdays. cheshammuseum.org.uk

THURSDAY 14 MARCH

TMH SKILLS DRILLS: THE KNOW HOWS

The Beechhouse, Amersham Helpful and interactive weekly workshops run by experienced midwives, TMH.

Postnatal kit lists, nappy changing, baby bathing to name a few!

Noon-2pm, weekly term-time. Amersham on Thursdays, Beaconsfield on Wednesdays and Fridays. themidwifehouse.co.uk

FRIDAY 15 MARCH

WIDMER FARM PARK

Lacey Green, Princes Risborough. Spring lambs at the farm. Tickets £3.50 online £3.95 on door, under 2yrs FREE. widmerfarmpark.co.uk

EASTER SPECIAL LITTLE MOVERS

Hyde Heath, Buckinghamshire

Two Easter parties for little movers. Birth to crawling 11am. Walking to 5yrs, 1pm. £9 per child, £4 per sibling. littlemovers.net

SUNDAY 17 MARCH

PUSH AND PULL RAILWAY

Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway.

Hands on children’s railway for children 3-7yrs to play with as they await their steam train journeys. Also available 24th, 29th and 31st March. For tickets and availability, chinnorrailway.co.uk

SUNDAY 17 MARCH- SUNDAY 14 APRIL

EXPLORE

Wycombe Museum, High Wycombe. Help find the Easter Eggs. 11am-4pm. 4-11yrs recommended. £3 with chocolate prize. wycombemuseum.org.uk

MONDAY 18 MARCH

MINI MONDAYS

Iver Environment Centre, Iver. Special session for toddlers and their grown-ups to explore the site, with the theme ‘Wind’.

12.30-2.30pm. Tickets £6.50 per session. ‘April shower’ themed session on 29th April. iverenvironmentcentre.org

FRIDAY 22 - SATURDAY 23 MARCH

2 KOOL 4 SKOOL

Court Theatre, Tring.

A family friendly theatrical debut put on by students at Pitstone and Ivinghoe School, featured around students and teachers who attempt to host a talent show. Multiple performances. Tickets from £9. courttheatre.co.uk

SATURDAY 23 MARCH

ALL HANDS ON DECK

Iver Environment Centre, Iver. Volunteering day at the Centre for 14+yrs. 10am-2.pm. FREE. Also 27th April. iverenvironmentcentre.org

SATURDAY 23 AND SUNDAY 24 MARCH

EASTER BUNNY TRAIL

Hellfire Caves, West Wycombe. An Easter bunny hunt with a diff erence, in the deep caverns below Adult £8.50, child £7. Family bundles available. Also on Easter Weekend: 29th, 30th, 31st March and 1st April. Not accessible, see website to book, hellfirecaves.co.uk

SATURDAY 23 MARCH - SUNDAY 7 APRIL

EASTER TRAIL AT HUGHENDEN

Hughenden, High Wycombe. Challenge yourself with mythical games while hunting on an Easter Egg trail. 10am-5pm. See website for admission pricing, additional £3 per child for the Easter egg trail. nationaltrust.org.uk/hughenden

SUNDAY 24 MARCH

HERITAGE STORIES

Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St Giles. Live story-telling event for all the family to learn more about the community and those who live and lived in it. Full details and booking, coam.org.uk/events

MY YEAR WALKS

Roald Dahl Museum, Great Missenden. Explore the places that Inspired Roald Dahl. Walk through the woods enjoying readings of ‘My Year’. £4pp in addition to Museum entry. Also on 28 th April. See website, roalddahlmuseum.org

MONDAY 25 MARCH

EVERYDAY FIRST AID

Hithercroft Family Centre, Wycombe. FREE Workshop for parents and carers of children at Buckinghamshire schools who would like to know basic First Aid. Other parenting courses available at multiple locations for a variety of subjects. See website, adultlearningbc.ac.uk

Easter Holidays

WEDNESDAY 27 MARCH - SUNDAY 7 APRIL

EASTER TRAIL AT WADDESDON

Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury. This Easter, Waddesdon is jam-packed with lots of fun games and creative activities. The trail starts on the North Front of the manor and makes its way around the grounds before ending at the Coach House down at the Stables where a chocolate egg is waiting. 10am-5pm. Generally not open Mondays and Tuesdays. See website,waddesdon.org.uk

FRIDAY 29 MARCH

BUCKS GOAT CENTRE

Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Open farm allowing animal interaction and feeding. Includes SEN club on select dates & Fox Cubs (term time). thebucksgoatcentre.website

What’s On

FRIDAY 29 - SUNDAY 31 MARCH

PETER AND WENDY

Lacey Green Village Hall. Traditional family entertainment with the Neverland crew. 2pm (signed performance) and 6pm. Also on 14th April. Tickets and more information, equusproductions.org

FRIDAY 29 - SUNDAY 31 MARCH

DAY OUT WITH THOMAS

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton. ‘Pop on Board’ is coming for Easter. Meet Thomas, Percy, Rusty, Dusty and Sir Topham Hatt. Enjoy unlimited steam train rides and entry to the Railway museum, visitor centre and cafe. 10.30am-5pm. See website for details and pre-booking, bucksrailcentre.org

Easter Weekend

FRIDAY 29 MARCH - MONDAY 1 APRIL

EASTER AT BEKONSCOT

Bekonscot Model Village, Beaconsfield. The popular Professor Crump returns to entertain at the model Village. See website for details and booking, bekonscot.co.uk

EASTER TRAIL AT CLAYDON

Claydon, Winslow.

Traditional kids party games and an egg hunt. 10am-4pm. See website for admission pricing, additional £3 per child for the Easter egg trail. nationaltrust.org.uk/claydon

EASTER EGG HUNT

Milton Keynes Museum, Milton Keynes.

Tour the history hub and explore how diff erent life was back then while hunting out Easter eggs and crafting. miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk

EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA

Blenheim Palace, Oxford. Circus skills, a travelling variety show and bungee trampolining are just a few of the weekends Easter treats. 10am-5pm. Book online: blenheimpalace.com

EASTER WEEKEND

Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St Giles. Discover historic buildings, enjoy an Easter trail and get crafting. Amazing woodlands and an exciting adventure playground also await. For full details and booking, coam.org.uk/events

Daily Holiday Fun

FRIDAY 29 MARCH - FRIDAY 12 APRIL

CRACKING EASTER FAMILY FUN

Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes.

Family fun filled activities with code breaking and puzzles. Family tours available on select dates. For tickets see website (under 12yrs FREE). bletchleypark.org.uk

FRIDAY 29 MARCH - SUNDAY 14 APRIL

PITCH & PUTT

Eden Shopping Centre, High Wycombe. The bespoke 10 hole course will be open daily. Tickets cost just £1 per person and can be prebooked at: edenpitchandputt.co.uk

A DANNY AND FOX EASTER

Roald Dahl Museum, Great Missenden.

A chance to celebrate the great outdoors with stories, crafts, walks, clay and junk modeling. Based on the books ‘Danny the Champion of the World and Fantastic Mr Fox. Workshop £4pp in addition to Museum entry. See Website for admission and timings, closed on Monday 8th April. roalddahlmuseum.org

EGG HUNT

Tring Natural History Museum, Tring. An opportunity to learn more about egg laying animals and hunt down 12 hidden eggs. 5+yrs recommended. £1 per trail. nhm.ac.uk/tring

FEASTER

Stowe, Buckingham. Amazing spring festival with a colour run, book fair, crafting and much more! 10am-5pm. See website, nationaltrust.org.uk/stowe

PIGGY PET AND PLAY

Kew Little Pigs, Amersham.

Special Easter Piggy pet and play session, with egg hunt games and competitions. £25 pp. Pre-booking essential. kewlittlepigs.com

ROALD DAHL CHILDREN’S GALLERY

Discover Bucks Museum, Aylesbury.

Crawl along Fantastic Mr Fox’s tunnel, explore sounds with the BFG, discover Willy Wonka’s inventions and more. Visit website for pricing and to book discoverbucksmuseum.org

SPRING ON THE FARM

Odds Farm Park, Wooburn Common. Enjoy spring-time at the farm park. See website, oddsfarm.co.uk

TREETOP ADVENTURES

Go Ape Wendover Woods.

Experience a new level of excitement. With zip wires, high rope crossings and treetop thrills. See website for full details, available dates and booking, goape.co.uk

ZOONORMOUS EGG HUNT

Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable. Learn about enthralling egg-ceptional species of animals from the tiny egg laying butterfly to the giant ostrich on this eggstraspecial trail this Easter. Solve riddles and clues to find the golden egg and earn a tasty treat. Free trail with zoo admission. whipsnadezoo.org

FRIDAY 29 MARCH - TUESDAY 16 APRIL

EASTER TRAIL AT CLIVEDEN

Cliveden, Maidenhead.

Enjoy beautiful flowers while hunting on an Easter Egg trail. 9.30am-5pm. See website for admission pricing, additional £3 per child for the Easter egg trail. nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden

SATURDAY 30 MARCH

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Elgiva Theatre, Chesham. Follow Alice and the White Rabbit, run from the Queen of hearts. 2pm. Tickets £16.50, under 16yrs £13.50. elgiva.com

EASTER EGGSTAVAGANZA

Discover Bucks Museum, Aylesbury. Easter fun with Terrie Howey taking a trip through Buckinghamshire’s past folklores with tales of the past, present and future. See website for tickets and booking, discoverbucksmuseum.org

SATURDAY 30 - SUNDAY 31 MARCH

THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street. Join our favourite tea guzzling tiger as he meets his new friend Sophie. 3+yrs. Multiple showings. See website, atgtickets.com

SUNDAY 31 MARCH - MONDAY 1 APRIL

EASTER WONDERLAND

Cheddington Village Hall, Leighton Buzzard.

Easter family fun with an egg hunt, crazy golf, crafting and much more. 12-4pm. FREE Entry. cheddington.org.uk

MONDAY 1 APRIL

HERITAGE PARK OPEN DAY

Pitstone Green Museum, Leighton Buzzard Step back and explore a time before the digital age, where hard graft mixed with a slower pace of life. Entertainment and attractions for all the family. 10.30am-4.30pm. Adult tickets £10, 4-16yrs £4, family tickets available. Buy on the door. pitstonemuseum.co.uk

MONDAY 1 - TUESDAY 2 APRIL

KIDS EASTER EGG HUNT

Danesfield House, Marlow. Join the Easter bunny on a hunt throughout the Gardens. 2-12yrs. Tickets £10 per child. See website for times and booking, elgiva.com

MONDAY 1 - FRIDAY 5 APRIL

EASTER FUN AT DISCOVER BUCKS MUSEUM

Discover Bucks Museum, Aylesbury. An amazing array of crafts and activities for all the family. Hatch an Easter chick, make a fossil and gets hands on with egg themed science experiments. A different activity per day. See website for tickets and booking. Continues 8th- 12th April. discoverbucksmuseum.org

What’s On

TUESDAY 2 APRIL

TERRIFIC TUESDAYS

Chiltern Open Air Museum, Chalfont St Giles.

ALSO 9 APR

Fun-fi lled Easter events! Get creative with crafts and clay, storytelling. Also on 9th April. For full details and booking, coam.org.uk/events

TUESDAY 2 - WEDNESDAY 3 APRIL

THE MAGIC OF MATILDA

Elgiva Theatre, Chesham.

Performing arts children’s workshop with a performance for parents at the end. To book your child’s place, visit their website, elgiva.com

TUESDAY 2 - THURSDAY 4 APRIL

EASTER EGGSPLORERS

Windsor Great Park, nr Windsor. Learn about egg laying animals, enjoy an egg trail and getting out into nature. Recommended for 4-12yrs. 10am-2pm. £8 per child plus booking fee. bbowt.org.uk

EASTER CRAFTS AT BEKONSCOT

Bekonscot Model Village, Beaconsfield.

MORE DATES

Get crafting at the model village this Easter. Also on 10th, 11th, 12th of March. See website for details and booking, bekonscot.co.uk

TUESDAY 2 - FRIDAY 5 APRIL

HONEYCOMB FESTIVAL

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street. Musical theatre dance and drama. Multiple showings. See website, atgtickets.com

WEDNESDAY 3 APRIL

EASTER FAMILY DAY

Amersham Field Centre, Buckinghamshire. Enjoy the outdoors this Easter. Follow a trail, fi nd minibeasts and craft. 10.30-3pm. Tickets £5, babies FREE. Prebooking required. field-studies-council.org

POND EXPLORERS

Pond dipping at the nature reserve. 2-3pm. 7Yrs+, no younger children. Tickets £8, supervising adults. FREE. Booking essential. Also on 10th April. bbowt.org.uk

SIGNS OF SPRING

College Lake Nature Reserve, nr Tring. Lovely family workshop exploring the signs of spring and the changes in nature around us. 10.30am-12pm. Recommended for 2yrs+. Tickets £8, adults and under 2yrs FREE. Booking essential. bbowt.org.uk

THURSDAY 4 APRIL - FRIDAY 5 APRIL

WOODLAND FAIRYTALE

Chorleywood common, Chorleywood Fairytale themed fun combined with a lovely walk. 10am-2pm. Tickets £4, adults FREE. Booking required. chorleywood-pc.gov.uk

THURSDAY 4 - SATURDAY 6 APRIL

AMAZING AMPHIBIANS

Tring Natural History Museum, Tring. Dive into the amazing world of amphibians, get hands on and craft too. 5+yrs recommended. £2 per child. Multiple timings. Also on 11th, 12 and 13th April. nhm.ac.uk/tring

SATURDAY 6 APRIL

SING-A-LONG MATILDA

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street. Full audience participation sought, dress up and sing along. 4+yrs recommended. 2pm showing. See website, atgtickets.com

SUNDAY 7 APRIL

EASTER BUNNY HOP

Haddenham Village Hall. Easter themed family fun day with crafts, games and a market. 12-4pm, drop-in, FREE entry. haddenhamvh.uk

LDN WRESTLING

Elgiva Theatre, Chesham. Wrestlemania for all the family. 1.30pm. Tickets £16.50. Book online, elgiva.com

TUESDAY 9 APRIL

CAPTAIN CALAMITY

SUNDAY 14 APRIL

THE GREATEST MAGICIAN

Elgiva Theatre, Chesham. A dazzling magic show for all the family. 7pm. Tickets £19, under 16yrs £17. elgiva.com

WEDNESDAY 17 APRIL

TMH FEEDING CAFE

The Beech House, Beaconsfield. 10-11.30 a.m. Drop-in, every Wednesday, term time. A Midwife Run postnatal group, supporting all feeding choices. Book via themidwifehouse.co.uk

MORE DATES WEEKLY

FRIDAY 19 APRIL

TMH BIRTH – MUST KNOW THIS!

The Beechhouse, Beaconsfield. Let’s talk about birth, what’s it really like Noon-2pm, term-time.

All TMH Workshops run in Beaconsfield Wed & Fri, Amersham Thurs. Book online, themidwifehouse.co.uk

EXPLORE

Wycombe Museum, High Wycombe. Interactive learning workshop for Home Educators and their children. Crafts, activities and play. 11am-12pm (4-6yrs) and 12.301.30pm (7-11yrs). Children £7, Adults FREE. wycombemuseum.org.uk

SATURDAY 20 - SUNDAY 21 APRIL

Elgiva Theatre, Chesham. Join Captain Calamity’s Easter extravaganza. 2.30pm, tickets £11.50.Book online, elgiva.com

WEDNESDAY 10 APRIL

DROP OFF DAY

Iver Environment Centre, Iver. 10am-4pm. 7-11yrs. £40 per child (£35 additional siblings).Book online, iverenvironmentcentre.org

UNDER THE SURFACE

College Lake Nature Reserve, nr Tring. Take a look at the lake and ponds in the nature reserve. 10.30am-12pm. Recommended for 2yrs+. Tickets £8, adults and under 2yrs FREE. Booking essential. bbowt.org.uk

THURSDAY 11 APRIL

FAMILY FUN DAY

Iver Environment Centre, Iver. Seasonal and environmentally themed activities. 10am-12:30pm or 1:30pm-4pm. Primarily 3-11yrs. Under 3yrs FREE iverenvironmentcentre.org

THE SOOTY SHOW

Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe. Join Sooty and his friends in celebrating 75 years of the show. 11am and 2.30pm. Tickets from £20.50. wycombeswan.co.uk

FRIDAY 12 APRIL

TEACH REX LIVE

FREE 30

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street. Teach Rex and amazing Velociraptors. 3+yrs Multiple showings. atgtickets.com

SPRING TRANSPORT FESTIVAL

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton. Heritage transport at its best, see both models and vintage vehicles. Enjoy steam train rides and entry to the Railway museum, visitor centre and cafe. 10.30am-5pm. See website, bucksrailcentre.org

MONDAY 22 APRIL

COMMUNITY EXPLORERS

Iver Environment Centre, Iver. 10am-12pm. Entry by donation. iverenvironmentcentre.org

TUESDAY 23 - THURSDAY 25 APRIL

ZOG AND THE FLYING DOCTORS

Wycombe Swan, St Mary’s Street. Another roarsome adventure awaits. 10.30am and 4.30pm. Tickets from £16. wycombeswan.co.uk

THURSDAY 25 APRIL

DISCOVER DUCKS

Discover Bucks Museum, Aylesbury. Special monthly themed preschool session for under 5s, includes story, crafts and activities. 10am-12pm. Visit website for pricing, ticket includes drink and a snack for children. discoverbucksmuseum.org

SUNDAY 28 APRIL

BUCKINGHAM’S SPRING FAIR

The Cattle pens, Buckingham. Fabulous green fair focused on family fun, eco-friendliness and sustainability. FREE, 10am-2pm. buckingham-tc.gov.uk

What’s On Things to do, -Drama, music & sport, something for everyone Easter Camps

THEY WON’T BE BORED WITH BUSY LIVING

There’s plenty of fun in store at the Busy Living Playschemes. Build dens, learn new skills such as martial arts, off-site trips to the woods and make new friends.

Where: St Joseph’s in Chalfont St Peter and Green Ridge Academy in Aylesbury.

When: Every day of the holidays from 8am-6pm.

Ages: 4-11yrs, (sibling discount is available).

To book: call 01494 702702 or email: info@busy-living.co.uk busy-living.co.uk

ULTIMATE ACTIVITY CAMPS

Kids can enjoy a range of over 40 sports, games and craft activities each week of the Easter holidays, led by inspiring staff in superb facilities. Take the stress out of childcare and join this outstanding school

holiday club!

Where: Davenies School, Godstowe School, Maltmans Green School and Thorton College.

Ages: 4-14 yrs. ultimateactivity.co.uk

INSPIRE YOUNG TECHIES WITH CODE NINJAS Roblox Development

Where: Bucks New Uni Campus, High Wycombe.

Ages: 7+ (beginner and more advanced levels of experience available on the camp).

When: 3rd to 5th April; 9.30am-4pm.

Become a YouTuber!

Where: Bucks New Uni Campus, Aylesbury

Ages: 7+

When: 8th to 10th April; 9.30am-4pm

Cost: £180 for three days (10% discount with Coupon Code FAMILIES24).

All equipment included. Ofsted registered – Code Ninjas accepts payments via Tax Free Childcare or Childcare Vouchers.

To book: Call 01494 623125 or visit: codeninjas.co.uk

TRING PARK EASTER COURSES

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts host a dance and musical courses for young people aged from 8-17 years. The Easter courses include a trip to see

Easter Camps

Mrs Doubtfire at London’s Shaftesbury

Theatre! Participants will also enjoy full catering and evening activities including a quiz night and a talent contest in their Markova Theatre. Book online, tringpark.com

EASTER MUSICAL THEATRE COURSE

Students will work on material from Disney’s hottest musicals including Frozen, Aladdin, High School Musical and much more!

When: 7th April 2024 - 11th April 2024.

Who: Ages 9-13 yrs old.

Cost: from £395. tringpark.com

EASTER DANCE COURSE

Dancers will have a fantastic opportunity to meet new like-minded friends and try out new dance genres including ballet, musical theatre dance and jazz.

When: 7th April 2024 - 11th April 2024.

Who: Ages 8 – 16 yrs old.

Cost: from £395. tringpark.com

11+ EASTER COURSES

Prepare for the 11+ Exams with Head Start Education’s highly acclaimed Easter Courses. Support your child to boost their confidence with the two-day Learning Assessments on the 3rd and 4th April with Mock Tests on the 10th and 11th April running in Loudwater. They also offer 5-day summer school courses. To book, call: 01494 452025 or visit, headstarteducation.org

THORPE HOUSE SCHOOL

Creating the Future

Our Thorpians have gone on to be leaders, entrepreneurs, scholars, athletes and artists, to name but a few. Whatever the future holds for our students aged 4 to 16, we support, challenge and empower each unique individual to explore their passions, develop their talents and fulfil their ambitions.

Your future awaits at Thorpe House School…

Whole School Open Morning:

Wednesday 13th March 2024, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Scan the QR code to find out more and book your place.

Thorpe House Sixth Form

CO-EDUCATIONAL

Launching September 2024

In the heart of Gerrards Cross, our brand new Sixth Form offers first class teaching, with an emphasis on academic achievement, the development of key life skills, leadership and exploration, extended pastoral care, and bespoke university and careers guidance.

Visit thorpehouse.co.uk/ sixth to discover more and apply.

Thorpe House School

Oval Way, Gerrards Cross, Bucks SL9 8QA 01753 882474

www.thorpehouse.co.uk

office@thorpehouse.co.uk

@thorpehousesch