Families East 71_Jan_Feb2013

www.familieseast.co.uk

Issue 71 January/February 2013

FREE

!

East

The FREE pick-me-up for busy young families in East London

Local News

Contact us: Families East Magazine P.O. Box 2358, Ilford, Essex IG1 8BD Tel: 07766 705655

www.familiesonline.co.uk Email: editor@familieseast.co.uk Printed by Warners Midlands PLC. Tel: 01778 391000 Designed by: www.sambrannangraphicdesigner.com Front Cover image: Trupti Patel

Create family memories and help raise funds for St Clare Hospice Families East is delighted to provide a unique offer to our readers that let you create beautiful family memories and support the great work of St Clare Hospice based in Hastingwood, Essex.

The Hospice gives free care for patients with life limiting illnesses along with vital support to their families but St Clare urgently needs to raise over £2 million a year to continue offering their expert care.

Kush Family Photography provides the services of a professional photographer to capture your family memories and for every new session booked with them during January they will donate all their fees to St Clare Hospice. Costs start from £150 + VAT for a session and include a package of 12 prints. Kush has additional options available that let you create a book of family memories involving several shoots throughout the year.

So why not make 2013 an extraordinary year and help families celebrate the precious time they have left together by celebrating the people you love the most with unique family portraits.

For more information contact Trupti at Trupti@kushdigital.co.uk or visit www.kushdigital.co.uk to take up this offer.

Kiddicare Superstore comes to Lakeside Kiddicare, Mother & Baby Gold Award winners of the prestigious reader voted for Best Online Retailer, have opened their largest baby superstore at Lakeside Retail Park.

The specialist baby retailer opened its doors just before Christmas for customers to enjoy a truly world-class shopping experience combining hi-tech in-store features with a massive selection of over 3,800 products to choose from.

Kiddicare Lakeside has a whole host of family-friendly features including a try before you buy “Walk in the Park” buggy test track; children’s play area; free Wi-Fi; touch-screen Browse & Order points; a Nursing Nest for quiet feeding and privacy; a healthy Kiddicafé; Baby Gift List with a complimentary gift registry service; a V.i.B. (Very Important Baby) free personal shopping service; free car seat fitting and safety checking; pushchair servicing; and mummy-and-me toilet facilities..

Kiddicare Lakeside, Unit 12 The Junction, Lakeside Retail Park, Weston Avenue, Thurrock, Essex RM20 3LP, 0845 164 7000

Wear A Hat Day for Brain Tumour Research this March Make sure you join in all the fun on Thursday 28th March 2013 and help fund the fight against brain tumours. ‘Wear a Hat Day’ is a fun way of increasing awareness and getting people raising money for what can be an often-overlooked form of cancer.

It’s a day every year where the charity, Brain Tumour Research, ask people to wear a hat in order to raise awareness and funds for vital research into brain tumours. It’s a day where people are encouraged to make donations by wearing a hat to school, at work, at social events or even at home.

From sponsored silences to charity runs and school bake sales, schools, nurseries and families around the country are being encouraged to raise money in any way they can. Sue Farrington-Smith, Director of Brain Tumour Research, informed us “Brain tumour research receives less than 1% of national cancer research spending in the UK yet this deadly disease kills more children and adults under 40 than any other cancer so please get involved on March 28th 2013”.

To register your interest today and get involved simply contact sarah@braintumourresearch.org

Copyright and Disclaimer: We take every care preparing this magazine, but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequences. Any original material submitted for publication is sent at owner’s own risk and, while every care is taken, neither Families® nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Families® is one of a group of magazines established in 1990. It is a Families® franchise independently owned and operated under licence by Lesley Bishop.

Family Matters IMMINENT CUTS TO LEGAL AID FOR DIVORCE, COHABITEES & CHILDREN MATTERS The introduction of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 comes into force on 1st April 2013. It means the end of legal aid for all Divorce and children cases relating to Residence, Contact, Prohibited Steps Orders and Specific Issues that may arise in respect of children.

Legal aid will also cease for financial cases relating to matrimonial assets and assets owned by cohabitees but will continue on these types of cases if the person is a victim of “domestic abuse” The definition for “domestic abuse” has been widened to include emotional and psychological abuse, financial abuse, coercion or control.

However for victims to fall within the exemption of the domestic violence, they will have to show a conviction or a caution or evidence either from a doctor, a health professional

www.familieseast.co.uk

or domestic violence support organisation.

However, there is a huge concern for those who do not fall within this exemption but have limited means. There will simply be no legal aid available to deal with applications in respect of children and financial applications after April 2013.

Duncan Lewis has always maintained that legal services should be available to everyone in society and are avid supporters of Legal Aid and proactively helped many clients. Their Family Department has 85 staff with most of them being accredited Panel members and spread over 7 sites across London.

They have the expertise to help those considering or who are in the process of separation. They can offer speedy advice and if required secure legal aid before the 31st March 2013. You can contact them 24 hours on 020 7275 2010.

ARE YOU AFFECTED BY THE NEW RULES ON CHILD BENEFIT? Families East talks to Karen Jones from THP Total Accounting about the affects of recent changes to Child Benefits.

New rules on Child Benefit came in to force on 7 January 2013 so if you or your Partner earn over £50,000 of adjusted income in a tax year – this is gross taxable income after certain “allowable” deductions suc h as pension contributions and some donations - then your Child Benefit is likely to be affected. A person is your partner at any time if you are married and not separated from them or if not married but living together as husband and wife.

The same rules apply to civil partnerships.

Basically those affected fall into one of three groups: 1. You or your partner earn significantly over £60k per annum - if that’s the case then you are likely to lose all your child benefit and there’s little you can do to change that.

2. You or your partner earn between £50k and £60k per annum – then you lose 1% of the full Child Benefit award for each £100 of adjusted income between £50k and £60k.

3. Neither you nor your partner earns over £49,999 – in this case you are not affected by the rule change and will continue to receive your full Child Benefit.

If you fall into group two for the tax year ending 5 April 2013 then you must notify the taxman by 6 October 2013. But you can take actions to maximise your entitlement especially where the highest earner is self-employed or receives income from a family owned business. Actions include equalising incomes, the timing of salary payments and dividends, payments to pensions and donations to charities so trying to reduce the impact of these changes.

As Child Benefit is now based on your annual tax return if you have not previously completed a return then you may have to do so in future. If you are unsure how the new arrangements affect you or want to discuss how to reduce the charge on your entitlement, please contact Karen Jones on 020 8989 5147 or email kkj@thp.co.uk

January/February 2013 Families East | 3

local designer no job too small competitive prices

Graphic Design Service

brochures catalogues

Call Sam on

cv’s leaflets posters

wedding invitations

adverts magazines logos & branding business stationery

07877 226 452 or email samantha.brannan1@gmail.com visit sambrannangraphicdesigner.com

newsletters and more

Bring the family to Rich Mix this winter 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA • www.richmix.org.uk Liverpool Street tube, Shoreditch High Street Station or Bethnal Green tube For more information & booking 020 7613 7498 Offers a broad range of arts-based activities and performances for children aged 0 to 12 years and their parents/carers. Many of the events are FREE or lowpriced supporting families who are on a low income and who may find it difficult to access arts and cultural activities – see website for details Kids’ Cine Time Every Sat & Sun 12pm £1.50 Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jan - Mr Popper’s Penguins (PG) Sat 12 & Sun 13 Jan – Horrid Henry: The Movie (U) Sat 19 & Sun 20 Jan – Mars Needs Moms (PG) Sat 26 & Sun 27 Jan – Gnomeo & Juliet (U) Sat 2 & Sun 3 Feb – Ponyo (U) Sat 9 & Sun 10 Feb – Despicable Me (U) Sat 16 & Sun 17 Feb - Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG) Journey 2: The Mysterious Island

Sat 23 & Sun 24 Feb – Rise of the Guardians (PG) Autism-friendly Screenings Every 3rd Sun 1pm £1.50 Sun 20 Jan – Mars Needs Moms (PG) Sun 17 Feb – Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG)

Parents and babies Screenings Every Monday, 12pm Film for a Fiver £5 films for Tower Hamlets’ Idea Store and Library members every Monday and Tuesday Main Releases Family tickets from £16.50 for U & PG films, 7 days a week Wiggly Jigglers Mon 14 Jan Mon 28 Jan Mon 11 Feb Mon 25 Feb 1pm-3pm 2yrs and under FREE for Tower Hamlets residents & £3 per child for non Tower Hamlets residents At these creative movement sessions, led by movement practitioner Jasmine Pasch, children will get the space, the freedom and the time to move in ways that support their development, and stimulate their imaginations

4 | Families East January/February 2013

Numbi Workshop Sun 20 Jan Sun 17 Feb 11am-3pm £10 All ages £5 student or concs, Family £10 (2 adults, 2 children) In these workshops you will consider aspects of space and introduce the use of smells, sounds, video and African heritage body fabric ornnaments. 15 places available Mwalimu Express Sun 20 Jan Sun 17 Feb 2pm-6pm FREE All ages Welcome on Sunday afternoons DJ hosts Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt bring you awesome music from around the African continent plus free film screenings by Screen Station. January Destination is Bulawayo Zimbabwe featuring Monoswezi’s album launch Storycraft Workshop with Apples and Snakes Mon 21 Jan 1.30pm Shoreditch £3 per child 2–5yrs Led by a different storyteller or poet every other month, StoryCraft encourages families to enjoy stories together in an active and fun way Jewish East End Extravaganza Fri 25–Sat 27 Jan (various times) FREE & Tickets Events All ages Presented by the Jewish Community Centre for London. From beigels on Brick Lane, to shmutter trading in Shoreditch… join us for a festival celebrating the history of the Jewish East End!

Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013: Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Sun 3 Feb 11am-5pm FREE Celebrate the Chinese New Year with exciting lion dances, delicious food, world class performances, and creative arts workshops for children Yellow Earth Theatre: Why the Lion Danced Sun 3 Feb 11am & 2pm £6/£5 for LBTH residents Celebrate Chinese New Year with Yellow Earth! Deep in the mountains of ancient China, every thirteenth moon the dreaded monster Nian pays a visit to the village.

The villagers must protect themselves but which animal can save them?

The Thing by Robin Dingemans Fri 8 Feb 4.30pm Sat 9 Feb 11am & 3pm £5 7-11yrs An immersive dance installation performance produced by Jih Wen Yeh of Step Out Arts. A dance, light and sound republic of the mind. An immersive performance installation, the audience are interactive participants within the show not just watching, able to reach out and touch the performers Bengal to Bethnal Green Sun 10 Feb 2pm–5pm FREE All ages. A monthly event directed by Grand Union’s well-known tabla player Yousuf Ali Khan.

Including family workshops, talks by famous writers and a concert featuring popular singers

www.familieseast.co.uk

www.familieseast.co.uk

January/February 2013 Families East | 5

6 | Families East January/February 2013

www.familieseast.co.uk

Addictive, unwholesome and everywhere: The toxic truth about sugar

With Christmas gone and the start of a new year we all try to get our life in better balance by getting active and staying healthy whether for ourselves or our children.

But do we really know what we are eating and whether that healthy diet really is a healthy option?

Elisabeth Dolton takes Families East readers through some of the hidden dangers of the effects of excessive sugar in our diet and the extent that it can now be found in so much of our food.

So you sent your child off to school this morning on a full bowl of cereal and some fresh orange juice. Thinking this is a good start to the day, you may have already given them over half their recommended daily allowance of sugar. This scenario is common across for many families. Over the past 10 years the use of sugar in foods has undergone a transformation, resulting in us potentially providing a diet for our children that contains more sugar than their bodies can cope with.

A silent revolution Essentially, the mass development of a cheap, highly sweet, glucose-fructose syrup, produced from surplus corn, started in the 1970’s, and was soon pumped into every conceivable food: pizza, coleslaw, meat. It provides a “just baked” sheen on bread and cakes, makes everything sweeter, and helps to keep foods moist so extending shelf life from days to years. At the same time low fat foods were being embraced by dieters, so as fat was taken out of foods, sugar replaced it to maintain taste. Unsurprisingly, sugar consumption has trebled worldwide over the last 50 years, and this purified sugar (known as ‘added’ sugar) is now an alarmingly major part of our Western diet. As a result, the amount of sugar going into our bodies has been silently revolutionised.

Unavoidable UK guidelines recommend that added sugars should not make up more than around 50g a day, equivalent to ten teaspoons of sugar for adults and nine for five to ten-year-olds.

Added sugar is now found in almost all processed foods and not just obviously sweet foods - glucose-fructose syrup is found in everyday products such as cereal, salad dressing, and sausages, making it easy to send our children over the recommended limit, sometimes with just one product.

www.familieseast.co.uk

Increasing addiction

For a start, check these numbers out!!

Moreover, recent research has been looking into a worrying trend that the more sugar we eat, the more we want, and concluding that the addictive nature of sugar for our children is much higher than previously thought.

Added sugar dulls the brain’s ability to tell you to stop eating as it reduces activity in the brain’s anorexigenic oxytocin system that gives the body its ‘full’ feeling. Without this, our appetite becomes insatiable, making it easier to overeat.

• 1.5l bottle of Volvic Touch of Fruit Lemon and Lime – 16 ½ teaspoons of sugar

The dangers

• Serving of Kellogg’s Frosties - 4 teaspoons

“Sugar is ubiquitous, and the problem with refined sugar as opposed to natural sugar,” says Tracey Harper, Nutritional Therapist, “is that this sugar is an empty food with the goodness stripped away, so when eaten it actually robs the body of vital nutrients, resulting in a depleted immune system.”

She goes on to explain that sugar feeds bad bacteria in the gut, the gut lining then becomes exposed so toxins can enter the blood stream, causing allergens to develop and other auto-immune deficiencies. Studies confirm this, showing that excess sugars cause a 50% drop in the ability of white blood cells to fight off bacteria.

The growing problem of obesity in the UK with 31% of children now classified as overweight and the rising incidence of Type 2 diabetes, once associated with old people, also points to overconsumption of sugar in children’s daily diet. Of course excess sugars rot teeth, and poor memory, low moods and depression have all been linked to overconsumption of sugar.

Other dangers include the recognisable ‘sugar high’ you get after eating sugar resulting in more energy and improved mood but it’s just temporary. After some time, the body crashes as energy levels plummet, leaving you lethargic and tired. Additional issues can include hyperactivity in children, crankiness and eczema.

So, as we scratch our heads on how to get our kids to eating less sweets and exercise more, perhaps we need to start looking more closely at what are putting on their plates at meal and snack times.

• Two McVities Jaffa Cakes - 3 teaspoons

• McDonald’s milkshake - 16 teaspoons • Orangina 500ml - 13 teaspoons • Tesco Pure Orange Juice Smooth, 250ml - 6 teaspoons • Dolmio Bolognese sauce, 500g - 6 teaspoons • Walls soft scoop vanilla ice cream, 200ml – 4 ½ teaspoons

• Muller Light Strawberry yoghurt, 175g – 2 ½ teaspoons (Source: Dailymail.co.uk)

How to spot a high sugar food?

Look for ‘Total sugars’ on the label which include natural and added sugar. A food with less than 5g ‘total sugars’ per 100g is classified as low, more than 15g per 100g is high.

Reducing added sugar in your family’s diet • Remember natural sugars are good. Soak apricots, whizz them in a blender, and use that to sweeten foods • Ensure every meal includes protein. Have meat, fish, vegetable or salad with pasta or pizza, so your child is getting everything for the body to function properly • Eat from scratch. Eat real food not processed food – porridge with a dash of honey has everything a young child needs to start off the day • Make your own pasta sauce, stuffed with lots of pureed vegetables (carrots, peppers, greens.) Make a large batch then freeze on small portions • Make smoothies using a hand blender and a jug. Add in a vegetable, e.g. avocado and strawberry. Cheaper and as good as any supermarket brand • Children eat what is there. Keep sugary snacks and junk food out of the house, instead offer oat biscuits, hummus, chopped vegetables, Whole Earth peanut butter

Further information www.traceyharpernutrition.co.uk www.nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/pages/sugars.aspx www.nhs.uk/livewell/goodfood/pages/food-labelling.aspx www.bbc.co.uk/health www.myhealthnewsdaily.com www.telegraph.co.uk/health/dietandfitness www.nhs.uk/change4life

January/February 2013 Families East | 7

Child Development Through Drama, Dance & Singing Research indicates that participating in artistic activities at a young age is just as important as learning vocabulary, literacy and numeracy. Drama, dance and singing can boost children’s confidence and has also been proven to support a child’s healthy social, emotional and intellectual development - stimulating the brain and developing valuable life and social skills.

Parents have recognised that regularly attending performing arts classes has benefited their children in more ways than just confidence. In drama classes, children learn empathy, problem solving and through roleplay and storytelling increase vocabulary while boosting creativity and listening skills. Being taught a dance routine at first feels daunting but learning a routine will encourage a child’s patience and tenacious nature. Attending a regular class requires discipline, focus and commitment.

Through these classes students can make friends and connections with other children whom they wouldn’t ordinarily meet. They have the opportunity to connect with children from different schools and locations. This encourages a child to expand their social comfort zone.

Additionally, these classes can tackle a child’s anxieties and insecurities that could otherwise

London Early Years Foundation You can support your nursery child’s learning at home in a variety of ways.

Talking with them and sharing ideas are the most natural way but also do make time to: • Read to your child • Take your child to the library • Play games with letters • Help your child learn the alphabet • Introduce your child to numbers or counting • Share songs, poems or nursery rhymes with your child • Paint and draw with your child Parents at the London Early Years Foundation nurseries are invited to evening workshops to develop their understanding of how children learn. They welcome parents asking what children have shown interest in during the day and using this information to extend learning at home. Look for more parenting tips and advice on their website: www.leyf.org.uk/parents

8 | Families East January/February 2013

persist into adulthood if not challenged.

Recently the government has started catching up with these research findings and they now support the move towards the arts in education and appreciate the importance of creativity in a child’s development. This means that we now see arts-driven literacy projects and drama-based debating competitions popping up in schools all over the country. The National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education says that “creativity is possible in all areas of human activity and all young people have creative capacities that we need to encourage by having a broad, flexible and motivating education.” We believe at the Anna Fiorentini Theatre School, we have managed just that. We have found a way of making learning fun, engaging and, most importantly, relevant to real lives of children today.

The Weenies class at the Anna Fiorentini School teaches drama, dance and singing but uses it to encourage a child’s life skills, not just performance skills. The dance classes, for example, explore body language, movement and posture – which are all valuable long-term personable skills to have. Singing favourite songs also has tremendous benefits, such as the repetition of lyrics to memorise lines. But the greatest

Unlock their potential with Kumon’s maths and English study programmes At your local Kumon study centre, children of all ages and abilities are realising their unlimited potential. Through studying the unique Kumon maths and English study programmes, each child develops the independent learning skills and confidence required to excel academically and experience on-going success.

The programmes help early learners get off to a confident start by building key study skills such as rhythm, pace and accuracy as well as developing a daily study habit and a passion for learning. Over time, Kumon empowers the children to succeed on their own, giving them a sense of accomplishment that fosters further achievement.

Established for over 50 years, Kumon’s unique method of learning focuses on your child as an individual, providing them with transferable skills and the ability to learn for themselves. As a result, children can improve their all-round academic performance and also gain the confidence to tackle new challenges both in and outside of the classroom. Before enrolling, your child will benefit from a Free Assessment. This will determine where on the programmes they will begin and will ensure that their Kumon study is individualised to their

lesson is possibly the lesson of play and imagination – and having fun of course!

Anna Fiorentini is the Founder and Principal of the award winning part-time Anna Fiorentini Theatre and Film School for 7-18 year olds and the Fiorentini Weenies for 4-6 year olds. Please visit www.annafiorentini.com for more details.

needs from the outset.

Once enrolled, your child will start on the programmes at a level they are comfortable with. This ensures that they establish a daily study habit and that there are no gaps in their understanding of the subject before moving on.

By completing easier work in the initial stages of study your child will also experience success from the start, building confidence from a solid foundation. Once they have filled in any gaps and mastered the topic, the Instructor will set new and eventually, unfamiliar work, challenging the students to learn for themselves. The essence of this support is guidance rather than explanation; helping students to apply what they have already learned to solve work they have never seen before.

Kumon focuses on long-term learning and achievement. As well as building speed and accuracy, Kumon’s maths and English programmes develop skills such as concentration and independent learning, time management and problem-solving: abilities which will prepare students for the future.

Kumon is the UK’s leading supplementary education provider, with over 67,000 students studying at more than 660 study centres across the UK and Ireland. For more information, and to take advantage of a Free Assessment, contact your local Instructor today. For details of your nearest study centre, please see the back page advert.

www.familieseast.co.uk

EARLY YEARS EDUCATION – THE NEXT STEP You’ve done the hard work of nurturing and developing your beautiful child ready for the world of nursery or pre-school. So it may be a daunting decision about where to send them and what is right for them and you.

Gone are the informal days of childcare, staff now need to be qualified and are checked rigorously.

All childcare settings are monitored and inspected by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) without notice every 2-3 years and given ratings of Outstanding, Good, Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. This has improved standards with every setting looking at soon having a staff member with Early Years Professional Status or a graduate, as the Government now see early years as an extension of the academic education system.

Day nurseries work where you are returning to work and need to accommodate children from early morning to early evening all year round. Choosing one is very personal decision specific to your circumstances – working hours, location, finances, so the choice varies enormously.

Pre-schools can be seen as a starting point for introducing toddlers (2 years up) with all settings following a structure of learning, development and care prescribed by Ofsted. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is used at all settings to ensure children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.

It promotes teaching and provides the foundation for good future progress through school and life.

The EYFS has seven areas of learning starting from 2 years and up with three prime areas: Personal, Social & Emotional Development; Physical Development; and Communication. These are complemented by Expressive Arts; Knowledge & Understanding of the World; Mathematical Development; Language & Literacy. Most are self-explanatory but when you visit a pre-school ask them to show how these are provided.

Perhaps the most important area is Personal, Social & Emotional Development, to help your child feeling valued, confident, respected and happy. This is the basis for learning as a happy child will develop well and learn.

Initially choose a handful of pre-schools locally, look at their websites and don’t forget about parking availability too if driving.

Ask for a free “taster” session if available to get a feel for how they operate. When you go look at how staff interact with children as well as checking the toilets and kitchen to make sure they are clean. If you stay for the whole session you will get a good view of a typical day and what happens. Have confidence in your parenting skills and listen to your instincts to make sure you feel comfortable leaving your child.

A key person or carer is a qualified member of staff responsible for your child’s care. Most should have a NVQ Level III in Childcare/ Education (or equivalent) and look for a ratio of at least 5-6 children per key person. Ask about staff turnover to assess if it’s a good working environment where staff are motivated and committed to their jobs. Also if they have volunteers make sure they qualified and CRB checked.

Make sure you ask how often the fees are due and whether you pay if your child is sick or on holiday. Some pre-schools take childcare vouchers, which are a tax efficient way to pay for childcare via employers. Are there any hidden costs? Make sure that the whole cost is covered so you know exactly how much you are paying.

www.familieseast.co.uk

The Early Intervention Grant and free early education places for disadvantaged two year olds Introduced in 2009 and available to economically disadvantaged families, subject to certain criteria, it gives 15 hours free childcare per week. If you think you are eligible seek advice from your Health Visitor who can refer you and look at www.education.gov.uk Early Years Nursery Education for three year olds All children are eligible to receive 15 hours free childcare per week the term after they turn three years old. So if your child turns three between 1st Sept and end of Dec they are funded in the term after Christmas and so on.

Special Educational Needs (SEN) children Ask to see if there is a policy on this.

Some pre-schools do not take children until they are toilet trained so this is important if your toddler is still in nappies. Does the preschool have a garden or outside space? It doesn’t have to be a huge but most pre-schools use this space all year round to let children get some fresh air and keep everyone sane!

Is food provided while they attend the pre-school? Some offer fruit or a biscuit and a drink, others provide more so see what’s included in the price. Ask to look at their accident book and complaints log.

Under Ofsted regulations all pre-schools must catalogue this. Finally, ask how the pre-school does its marketing and if they have a waiting list. Remember the magic words to these are of “word-of-mouth” and “yes”.

January/February 2013 Families East | 9

Out & About

Your guide to the best entertainment and local events London has to offer.

At Families East we make every effort to ensure our Out & About listings are correct at the time of going to press.

Please check ahead before you plan a journey or day out.

a grown-up with no one telling her what to do. In this playful performance, discover with Ruby whether being all grown-up is really as fun as it sounds The Selfish Crocodile Sat 26 Jan (Sun 27 Jan 12pm & 2pm) 3-7yrs When a very selfish crocodile gets a nasty toothache, all the other animals are too scared to help him. All until a brave little mouse finds a clever way to solve this snappy dilemma Arthur’s Dreamboat Sat 2 Feb 2-7yrs Sail away with Arthur and his magical dreamboat in this original tale about a little boy with a very big dream Mavis Sparkle Sat 9 Feb 5-10yrs With a mix of illusion, animation and fun, discover the magic and wonder of the universe with Mavis Jack at the Beanstalk Cafe Sat 16 Feb 4-8yrs Join in for a nourishing feast of stories told with puppets and live music How to Catch a Star Tue 19–Sat 23 Feb 3-7yrs One night a little boy who loves stargazing decides to try and catch a star

THEATRE, CONCERTS & FILMS BARBICAN

Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS 020 7638 8891 www.barbican.org.uk There’s a Rabbit in the Moon (Y’a un Lapin dans la Lune) Fri 15–Thu 21 Feb 11am 1pm 3pm Sat Feb 16 1pm 3pm (Mon Feb 18 No performance) £8.50 Over the years, Thomas Snout has collected 3,845 nights – starry nights, scary nights, silent nights and more. You are invited into his magical workshop – a funny and poetic show that will put children’s fears of the dark to bed and send their imaginations soaring

BLOOMSBURY THEATRE

15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH 020 7388 8822 www.thebloomsbury.com Tom’s Midnight Garden Until Sat 19 Jan (show times vary - see website) £19.50/£14.50 When the grandfather clock in the hallway chimes thirteen times, Tom is transported to a secret garden from the past where he meets Hatty and they enjoy fantastic adventures in a magical wonderland. But with each new journey through time, strange things begin to happen – and Tom must solve the mystery of the midnight garden!

GENESIS CINEMA

93-95 Mile End Road, Whitechapel, E1 4UJ Book on line www.genesis-cinema. co.uk or call 020 7780 2000 Baby changing facilities available, space for prams, buggies and FREE car parking – call to reserve Parent and Baby Screenings Weds 11am £5 Weekend Fun for Kids 11am The Hobbit – An unexpected Journey Until Wed 30 Jan

HALF MOON THEATRE

43 White Horse Road, E1 0ND 020 7709 8900 www.halfmoon.org.uk All tickets £6 – adult ticket includes baby under 12 months Small Worlds Sat 12 Jan 10.30am 12 noon 1.30pm & 3pm 5-11yrs Step inside the small world of Mimika’s white canvas dome and into a beautiful, intimate environment. Meet five characters: a bug, a young goose, a fox cub, a cat and a six year old girl and watch their stories unfold. Using intricately crafted miniature sets, digital animation and puppetry Curious Sat 19 Jan 11am 1pm & 3pm under 3 years Journey into a world where kitchen meets garden and where pots and

pans get mischievously mixed up with planters and pails. A story without words is a spirited play for the very, very young Rumpelstiltskin & the Wheel of Fortune Sat 26 Jan 11am & 2pm 3-7 yrs Poor Polly Buckwheat is in a bit of a pickle! If she doesn’t turn a roomful of straw into gold by morning, the greedy King could turn a bit nasty. Puppets, music and storytelling will create gold on stage Sally and the Sunflower Sat 2 Feb 11am & 2pm 3-7 yrs Sally loves flowers, but her mother only grows vegetables. On her way to market, the sight of some brightly coloured flowers proves too hard to resist and Sally sells her mother’s last cabbage for a handful of seeds Stuck Sat 9 Feb 11am & 2pm 3yrs+ It all begins when Floyd gets his kite stuck in a tree. An exciting new production with original music and plenty of joining in Dreamtime (Bangla & English) Sat 16 Feb 11am & 2pm 3-6 yrs Slither the Snake has a secret.

Although snakes should be amongst the most feared creatures in the jungle, Slither is actually the one who is afraid.

Children can make their own puppets after the show Misunderstood Monsters Sat 23 Feb 11am & 2pm 4-9 yrs Saint Georgie, a professional monster catcher and his faithful sidekick, Squeezy, are on their most dangerous mission yet. An out-of-this-world adventure, including site-specific digital game playing

KENNETH MOORE THEATRE

Oakfield Rd, Ilford IG1 1BT 0208 553 4466 www.kmtheatre.co.uk Cinderella Until Sat 19 Jan (show times and price vary, see website) Join Cinderella and friends in a show full of songs and laughter, joy and magic Hey Diddle Diddle Thu 21 Feb 1pm 3.30pm £10/£8 There’s an air of excitement in Rhyme Town – the secret place where nursery rhyme characters live when they’re not busy with bedtime stories

LYRIC THEATRE HAMMERSMITH

Lyric Square, King Street, W6 0OL 0871 22 117 20 www.lyric.co.uk Saturday shows 11am & 1pm £8 plus messy play activities £11 Family £30 Mazymeg and the Honey Bees Sat 12 Jan 4-7yrs Albert lives alone with his beloved honey bees on the wild and wonderful Dartmoor. When a stranger suddenly steals his bees, will the brave Mazymeg manage to rush to his rescue?

My Big Little Sister Sat 19 Jan 4-8yrs Tom says he can’t understand his little sister Ruby, who just wishes she was

10 | Families East January/February 2013

To list an event contact editor@familieseast.co.uk

PEACOCK THEATRE

Portugal Street, WC2A 2HT 0337 0870 737 www.sadlerswells.com The Snowman Until Sun 16 Jan £32-£12 Watch the Snowman fly, listen to the live orchestra and enjoy the enchanting story

QUEEN’S THEATRE

52 Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT 01708 443333 www.queens-theatre.co.uk Jack & the Beanstalk Until Sat 12 Jan (show times vary, see website) Join brave hero Jack on a thrilling adventure as he climbs the magic beanstalk to save the day! Jack battles the dreaded Giant Thunderskull to rescue his sweetheart and win the golden treasure Story Play: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Sat Feb 2 10am £5 Fun theatre workshop for kids aged 5-7yrs Mr Popcorn with Suzy Sparkle’s face painting Sat 2 Feb 11.30am 2–6yrs Joined by Scruffy the Dog for fun, games, balloon modelling and a guess the cartoon drawing competition with your chance to win one of Mr Popcorn’s fabulous pictures

SADLERS WELLS

Rosebury Avenue, EC1 0844 412 4300 www.sadlerswells.com Sleeping Beauty Until Sat 26 Jan £60-£12 (show times vary, see website) World premier of Matthew Bourne’s new ballet Sleeping Beauty

SOUTHBANK CENTRE

Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX 0844 875 0073 www.southbankcentre.co.uk The Labeque Sisters play Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite Sun 17 Feb 12 noon £8 Hear fairytales brought to life by sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque in this concert especially for families.

They will perform Ravel’s charming Mother Goose Suite (Ma mère l’oye) and introduce themes from Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb and Beauty and the Beast before ending with the magical grandeur of The Fairy Garden London Philharmonic Orchestra FUNharmonics : Fanfare from the Roaring Twenties Sun 10 Feb , £18 £16 £14 £12 £10 (children 50% off) You might risk having your socks blown off by ranks of the massed brass players as part of the roaring Twenties.

You can try your hand at playing an instrument in one of the Have-a-Go sessions or join the human orchestra workshops from 10.30am to 2.30pm in the foyers An Evening with Rolf Harris Fri 8 Feb £40 £32.50 £25 Premium £55 (Concessions : 50% off (limited availability) The perfect treat for all the family as the legendary Rolf Harris, artist, musician, singer, TV presenter makes a rare stage appearance in London at Royal Festival Hall Imagine Children’s Festival Mon 11–Sun 24 Feb The Southbank Centre will be transformed by children for children, as well as hosting the top names in children’s literature, dance, theatre and art. Enjoy FREE activities throughout the festival or just take in the atmosphere as children run the show!

Visit the website to find out more

ST MARTIN-IN-THE-FIELDS CHURCH

Trafalgar Square, WC2N 4JJ 020 7766 1100 lmaorchestra.com Mini Maestro Family Tales £8.50/£6.50 4-12yrs Sat 26 Jan & Sat 23 Feb 4.30pm Treat your children to this magical musical event for young children.

There’s lots of hands-on fun with live music, sitting in the orchestra, clapping and singing along

THEATRE ROYAL STRATFORD EAST Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, E15 1BN 0208 534 0310 www.stratfordeast.com Jack and the Beanstalk Until Sat 19 Jan 2pm 7pm (show times vary, see website) Join Jack on an adventure of a lifetime as he climbs his way into a world of ugly ogres, harp shaped divas, Chicken tap dancers and an enormous spider-organ

UNICORN THEATRE

147 Tooley Street, Southwark, SE1 2HZ 020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com

Out & About Little Red...You Know Who! Fri 8-Sun 10 Feb £16/£10 3-6yrs (show times vary, see website) This spell-binding play for young children follows a magical path through the woods. With its delightful use of puppetry, colour and specially composed music The Present Wed 13-Sun 17 Feb £16/£10 4-6yrs (show times vary, see website) Join in on this glorious participatory theatrical game exploring the mystery and pleasure of wrapping, receiving, giving and sharing. Opens up young audiences’ curiosity and creativity through interaction, anticipation and play Sensacional Tue 19-Sun 24 Feb £10 (includes 1 child and up to 2 FREE adults) 18 months-4yrs Take your toddler to a sound and light show performed on a white square.

Watch as your child puts on a white suit and becomes part of a digital world of ladybirds, shapes, squiggles and squarks that won’t keep still, no matter how hard you try to catch them! With a lively soundtrack and stunning visuals, this immersive theatre experience of senses and sensations

EVENTS CHINESE NEW YEAR IN LONDON 2013

Sun 10 Feb – The Year of the Snake Chinese New Year celebrations are the largest outside Asia, with parades, performances and fireworks. Starting in Trafalgar Square at 10.15am and continuing through Leicester Square and Chinatown then returning to Trafalgar Square at noon, then free entertainment until 6pm

GET INTO LONDON THEATRE

getintolondontheatre.co.uk Book online to get tickets to over 50 top shows including musicals, plays, dance, opera and entertainment

INTERNATIONAL MIME FESTIVAL

mimelondon.com Thu 10-Sun 27 Jan Start your New Year with some of the most thought provoking theatre from around the world. With puppetry, animation or circus skills, search the website for your choice of event and venue

NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK 26 Jan–3 Feb Celebrate National storytelling week at events at your local library or at other venues. For more info visit www.sfs.org. uk/national-storytelling-week

GALLERIES NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE 020 7306 0055 www.npg.org.uk Open: daily 10am-6pm, Thu & Fri 10am-9pm Family Events: Meet in the Ondaatje Wing Main Hall Family Audio Visual guide £6 for up to 5 players/£4 for two Follow four specially-recorded tours to lead you through the Gallery with

www.familieseast.co.uk

amazing facts and stories about the people in the Collection Storytelling with Art for Families Every third Sat 10.30am 1.30pm FREE 3yrs+ Sat Jan 19 A Sketchbook of Ideas No ticket required. Meet in the Ondaatje Wing Main Hall. These sessions will last about 30 minutes Family Art Workshop Every third Sat 11.30am 2.30pm FREE ticketed 90 minutes 5yrs+ Sat 19 Jan Clay Creations Sat 9 Feb Faces of Changing Fortunes 1pm Family Art Workshops explore portraits in the Collection, followed by an art activity. Please note workshop places are limited and are allocated on a firstcome, first served basis. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times Half-Term Family Activities Mon 18–Fri 21 Feb 11am-4pm FREE A week of activities exploring painting inspired by Humphrey Ocean: A handbook of modern life display. During the week there will be a series of ticketed events and drop-in sessions

SOMERSET HOUSE

Strand, WC2 1LA 020 78454600 www.somerset.org.uk Weekend Family workshops Join in these regular weekend family workshops, where families are invited to be creative and learn together, alongside artists, illustrators and designers. Explore the displays and exhibitions through an exciting range of activities, from painting and modelmaking to fashion design and animation

TATE BRITAIN

Millbank, SW1P 4RG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/britain Open: daily 10am-5.50pm until 10pm the first Friday of the month Liminal Every weekend 11am–3pm all ages A physical, material and social experience of sculpture through touch, interaction and collaboration Family Multimedia Guide £3.50 6yrs+ available anytime during gallery hours What makes a portrait? Join this tour of seven artworks in the gallery and decide for yourself, encouraging children and adults to explore together

TATE MODERN

Bankside, SE1 9TG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/modern Open Sun-Thu 10am-6pm Fri & Sat 10am-10pm Under 5s Zone Level 5 Concourse FREE This is a play space for under 5’s and their families Children Multimedia Guide Daily from the Info Desks on Levels 3 £4.50 5yrs+ Keep youngsters captivated and animate artworks through music, video clips and entertaining games – a sensory experience for all the family to enjoy

January/February 2013 Families East | 11

Out & About Weekend Sessions – Open Studio Every weekend 11-4pm Level 3 Concourse FREE 5yrs+ With the help of a friendly Start Team, stimulate your weekend with games, map-making or clue-matching

THE NATIONAL GALLERY

Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN 020 7747 2885 www.national gallery.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm Fri until 9pm FREE Magic Carpet Storytelling Sundays 10.30am 11.30am FREE Fly away on the magic carpet, which comes to land in front of a different painting every Sunday

WHITECHAPEL GALLERY

77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX 020 7522 7888 www.whitechapelgallery.org Family Day Talking Pictures Sat 16 Feb 12 noon FREE booking recommended Theatrical duo Gregg and Gary of Lone Twin stage playful interactive performances in response to the films of Gerard Byrne and the sculptures of Giuseppe Penone Crib Notes : Kirsty Ogg on Gerard Byrne Wed 13 Feb 10am £3 (including refreshments) Join Exhibitions Curator Kirsty Ogg for a tour of Gerard Byrne’s exhibition with your baby in tow. For parents and carers with infants Family Trails Devised in collaboration with artists to coincide with each major exhibition at the Gallery. Encourages children to talk about exhibitions and suggesting ways to respond creatively. Materials included. Available at the Information Desk (suggested donation £1) or downloadable on line

MUSEUMS BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM

Entrance in Bartholomew Street, off Threadneedle St, EC2R 8AH 020 7601 5545 www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum Open: Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm, FREE Toad to the Rescue 18-22 Feb,10.30am, 11,30am, 12.30am, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm The adventures of Toad, Ratty, Badger and Mole, the popular characters from “The Wind in the Willows” by Kenneth Grahame, are retold by a costumed storyteller in these interactive and fun sessions

CHURCHILL MUSEUM AND CABINET WAR ROOMS

Clive Steps, King Charles Street, SW1A 2AQ 020 7930 6961 www.iwm.org.uk/churchill Open: 9.30am-6pm. £16.50/£13.20 under 16s FREE Undercover – Life in Churchill’s Bunker Visitors can hear the first-hand personal accounts of those who worked in the Cabinet War Rooms during the

war. Learn what life and conditions were like underground

Have fun with art skills and exciting techniques to create something fabulous to take home

DESIGN MUSEUM

Pop up Wildlife Sat 13 Jan Birds in Nests Sat 19 Jan & Sat 26 Jan Chinese Dragon Puppets Sat 2 Feb & Sat 9 Feb Family Art Fun 11am FREE ticketed Take a Tour with Mr Horniman/ Miss Horniman’s Favourite Things 11.30am 1.15pm 3pm Nature Explorers: Wildlife in Winter 11.30am 1.45pm 3.15pm

Shad Thames, SE1 2YD 020 7940 8787, www.designmuseum.org Family Trails All family visitors to the Design Museum can pick up a FREE family trail from the admissions desk. With the help of The Thinkerer kids and adults, can get the most from their visit to the museum Get Creative! Workshops 5-11 yrs What are Sunday afternoons for if not to get creative? Budding designers are invited to join the team of designers.

With a rich variety of monthly themes there is something to satisfy everyone, be they aspiring architect or future fashionista Design Museum Family Day Go along as a whole family for an exciting day of activities and fun with workshops, exhibition trails, games and competitions. Sign up for Family Day 2013 updates by email

GEFFRYE MUSEUM

136 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, E2 8EA 020 7739 9893 www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Open: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm5pm FREE All workshops are allocated on a firstcome, first-served basis 30 minutes before the workshop begins. All children under 11 must be accompanied by an adult Chinese Lanterns Sat 2 Feb 10.30am 2pm 5-11yrs Construct and decorate a lantern to celebrate Chinese New Year Lively Living Rooms: Nursery Rhyme Time Tue 19-Fri 22 Feb 10.30am 12 noon 2-5yrs Explore a different period room each day from 400 years ago to the present through stories, songs and craft activities Design through the Decades Tue 19 Feb-Fri 22 Feb 10.30am 2pm 5-16yrs Explore homes from a different century every day from the Tudors and Stuarts, Georgians, Victorians and finally the 20th century. Bake historical food, create ornaments and more

HORNIMAN MUSEUM

100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ 020 8699 1872 www.horniman.ac.uk Open: daily 10.30am-5.30pm FREE A World of Stories Every Sun until Sun 24 March 11am 12.15pm 3yrs+ FREE drop in Join in on the rug for these enjoyable oral storytelling sessions to see why so many people across the world love listening to stories Hands on Family Workshops Every Sat 11.45am 1pm 3yrs+ FREE Use all your senses to explore the animal kingdom, musical instruments, costume, toys and puppets Artmakers Every Sat 1.30pm 2.45pm £3 per child 3yrs+

12 | Families East January/February 2013

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM

Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 7BB 020 7565 7299 www.ltmuseum.co.uk Open: Sat-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri 11am6pm, £6/£8/£10 Admission to the museum and family activities are FREE to accompanied children under 16 Met Loco No.1 - The Return of Steam to the London Underground Sun 13 & 20 Jan Exhibition: Poster Art 150 – London Underground’s Greatest Designs Feb – Oct 2013 Chinese Memories Family Trail There are lots of objects and exhibits in London Transport Museum that relate to Chinese people. Download the trails on line to discover mystery objects and to find out the stories and traditions of Chinese people from around the world Free Family Activity Book 5-10yrs Check out the new free family 12 page activity book. This book contains : a time travelling devise, a horse, 16 passengers from the world’s underground railway, a house, a poster, design studio and an art class!

MUSEUM OF LONDON

150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN 020 7001 9844 www.museumoflondon.org.uk Open: daily 10am-6pm, FREE Exhibitions Doctors, Dissection and Resurrection Men until April 2013 Women in Focus: Colour Photographs by Dorothy Bohm until Sun 17 Feb See website for full details of regular groups held at Museum of London for “Mini Moles” (6 months – walking) and Little Moles (walkers – 5 yrs) Characters from History : Meet a Resurrection Man Sun 13 Jan 11.30am 2pm FREE 5yrs+ These 19th century body snatchers stole bodies from graveyards and sold them for research. Why did they do it and who were these men?

Storytelling: Strolling through Kensington Park Tue 19 & Sun 24 Feb 1pm 2pm 3pm Join the storyteller and discover some of the hidden gems in one of London’s iconic parks

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS

West India Quay, Canary Wharf, E14 4AL 020 7001 9844 www.museumindocklands.org.uk

Open: daily 10am-6pm, £5 annual adult pass, kids FREE See website for full details of regular groups held at Museum of London Docklands for “Mini Mudlarks” (6 months – walking) and Little Mudlarks (walkers – 5 yrs) and a full list of family activities Optical Illusions Sat 12 & 19 Jan 12.30pm 2.30pm 5yrs+ FREE Go and see some spectacular illusions from the ancient past to the present day and learn some magic tricks of your own Under 5’s Story Time Jan & Feb every Thu 3pm Join in for a fun and interactive story, told using puppets, museum objects and music - then play in Mudlarks children’s gallery if you have energy to spare

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM and THE QUEEN’S HOUSE

Romney Road, Greenwich, SE10 9NF 020 8858 4422 www.nmm.ac.uk Open: daily 10am-5pm, FREE CultureBaby Gallery Tour Thu 21 Feb 10am £15 Beat the crowds and enjoy a tour of Ansel Adams: Photography from the Mountains to the Sea specifically designed for parents with babies Play Tuesdays 10.30am 11.30am 1pm 2pm under 5 yrs FREE Young children can have fun with their families as they explore the Museum through making, music, dance and drama Explore Saturdays 12m 1pm 2pm 3pm 6yrs+ FREE Meet a character from the past and take part in an exciting performance that will bring maritime history to life Discover Sundays 11.30am 2pm all ages FREE Be inspired by the maritime past and explore your personal connections to the sea

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD 020 7938 9123, Info 020 7942 5000 www.nhm.ac.uk Open: Mon-Sat 10am–5.50pm, Sun 11am-5.50pm FREE Events for Families - check the full listing on www.nhm.ac.uk/whats-on Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2012 Until Sun 3 Mar 2013 £10/£5 Family £27 The 2012 exhibition with 100 stunning winning images Extinction: Not the End of the World?

From Fri 8 Feb 10am £8/£4 Family £21 Giant deer, bizarre insects and supersized birds – millions of species that once roamed the planet are no longer around. Yet, while 99 per cent of them have met their demise, they have made room for the huge diversity that has bloomed in their place. This exhibition takes you beyond dodos and dinosaurs to explore the crucial role extinction plays in the evolution of life

www.familieseast.co.uk

Out & About Dinosnores Sat 12 Jan & 9 Feb Enjoy a sleepover in this amazing museum Explorer Back Pack Mon- Fri 11am-5pm Younger visitors can pick up an Explorer backpack and take a mini adventure around the Museum. Don’t miss the Dippy floor puzzle, perfect for under 8’s.

Complete the puzzle of the 26-metre long “diplodocus” and you’ll get a funky Dippy sticker!

SCIENCE MUSEUM

Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DD 0870 870 4868 www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, FREE (charges for special exhibitions, IMAX cinema and simulator rides) See the website for a fantastic on line diary of daily shows and events Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles!

Wed 23 & Thu 31 Jan Fri 8 & Wed 13 Feb FREE every hour 10.30am until 3.30pm This interactive show features bubbles of all sizes going up, down, this way, that way, and all over the place… with a little help from the audience!

The Garden 3-6 yrs Inquisitive children are free to explore floating and sinking, shadows and reflections, music, giant building blocks and much more while developing the skills of observing, predicting, testing and drawing conclusions Pattern Pod 5-8 yrs Like scientists, children explore the world by trying to make predictions about events happening around them. Using truly amazing multi-sensory exhibits this contemporary gallery looks at the many types of patterns in the world around us and encourages children to recognise and copy patterns – or create entirely new ones of their own Launchpad Science Shows Daily FREE 8 yrs + With over 50 interactive exhibits, plus electrifying shows and lively demonstrations, while there’s plenty to keep the adults occupied too!

SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM

13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3BP 020 7405 2107 www.soane.org Open: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, FREE February Half Term Holidays 2013 Prints, Patterns and Paints Wed 20 Feb (am or pm) £12 Reinterpret a Soane Museum and his room interiors as an abstract fabric collage and turn it into a wall hanging Reflective Rooms Thu 21 Feb (am or pm) £12 Design your own version of a room in the Museum, using ultra-reflective card. Adorn the walls with your own artworks and design and make miniature furniture Junior Audio Tour Introduced by Stephen Fry and read by Eleanor Bron. In this atmospheric tour, lasting 59 minutes, the actress Eleanor Bron guides the listener through Soane’s Museum, accompanied by sound effects and music. It is suitable

www.familieseast.co.uk

for children and first-time visitors to the Museum

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

Hertford House, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN 020 7563 9500/ 9551 www.wallacecollection.org Open 10am-5pm, FREE Family Activities: Children must be accompanied by an adult Drop-in Art Workshop: The Little Draw Sun 6 Jan & 3 Feb 1.30pm Family drop-in: Build a Boat Tue 19 Feb 10.30am Daily: Family Multimedia Tour with interactive games (small fee) Armour Handling Find out what a brigandine is and how heavy a bulletproof breastplate really was Family Trails Themed family trails available from the information desk at the front entrance

V&A MUSEUM

Cromwell Road, SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 www.vam.ac.uk Open daily 10am – 5.45pm, until 10pm Fri FREE Family Art Fun! Trails Family Backpacks Ages 5-12 yrs Choose from: The Emperor’s Party, Chinese Treasures, Metal Detector, The Antique Detective, Magic Glasses, Fancy Furnishings, Time Traveller, Middle East Marvels and the new Agent Animal bag for under 5s and search for creatures in the Museum using fabric cubes and animal noises Family Trails and Drop in sessions are also available in the museum and on line – including Glorious Gardens, Silver, Tudor, Picnic Party and one especially written by Jacqueline Wilson

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD

Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA 020 8983 5200 www.museumofchildhood.org.uk Open: daily 10am-5.45pm, FREE Wondertots Art, drama, storytelling and movement for under 5s, led by the team from Artburst!

Animal Safari Fri 11 18 25 Jan 1 8 Feb 10.30am 1pm Learn about a different animal each week and make something grrrrreat to take home Expedition to the Exhibition Sat 9 Feb 10am 12.45pm 2.45pm £3 5yrs+ booking required Join a pair of Victorian sisters who are setting off to visit the Great Exhibition of 1851. An interactive session - part performance, part workshop New Wave Kids Mon 18–Fri 22 Feb 10.30am-4pm FREE drop in all ages Flash back to the 1980s. Join in a creative re-telling of Shirley Hughes’s popular children’s book, “Alfie Gets in First”. Design an iconic Pac-Man Badge or a Care Bear greeting card. Have-ago at a Rubik’s Cube and complete the “Where’s Wally” trail for your chance to win a prize Wordburst: The Paper Bag Princess Mon 18–Fri 22 Feb 11am–3pm FREE

January/February 2013 Families East | 13

Out & About ages 5-11yrs booking required The Paper Bag Princess is no ordinary damsel in distress. Go along and have fun creating costumes and a set for a fiery performance at the end of the day. This 4 hr family drama, art and literacy workshop. At 2.30pm family and friends are invited to watch the group performance. Dress for mess!

Montessori Rucksacks A selection of rucksacks for under 5’s are available for families to borrow from the Information Desk. Designed

by Montessori, there are four to choose from: Baby Explorers (6-18 months); People Like Me (18 months-3 years); Animal World; and On the Move (both age 3-5) More Daily Activities: We run a variety of FREE activities every day, including storytelling, arts and crafts, tours and treasure hunts. Activities are tailored to children aged 3-12 yrs unless otherwise stated. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or carer

WILLIAM MORRIS GALLERY

Lloyd Park, Forest Road, E17 4PP 020 8496 4390 www.wmgallery.org.uk Wed to Sun 10am–5pm FREE Discover the life and works of Britain’s most inspiring designer. Explore the beautiful new exhibitions, take part in hands-on family activities, or relax in the stylish Tea Room Creative Kids: Making Beautiful Objects Thu 10 Jan 10.30am (under 5yrs FREE booking essential) Make beautiful objects for the home, inspired by our exhibition Everyday Encounters from the Society of Designer Craftsmen Family Day: Iceland Adventure Sat 26 Jan 12pm–3pm FREE drop in all ages Go on a voyage to the wilderness of Iceland as we discover some of the stories which William Morris loved and translated into English

PLACES OF INTEREST CANARY WHARF

www.canarywharf.com Ice Rink - Until Sun 13 Jan London Ice Sculpting Festival Fri 11-Sun 13 Jan To welcome 2013 make sure you attend this as it showcases world-class sculpting, chiseling and carving in stunning ice displays. Other ice activities include: Masterclasses allow visitors the chance to chisel and carve their way through mini blocks of ice to create their very own sculpture! Children must be 12yrs+ and accompanied by an adult and the classes are assigned in person on a first-come, first-served basis Snowpit – a real snowpit where people of all ages can enjoy making snowballs, snowmen or even snowcastles! Children must be supervised at all times Graffiti Wall – allows people to release their inner Banksy on a specially constructed ice wall Ice Chess – a special oversized outdoor Ice Chess!

CENTRE OF THE CELL

Blizard Building, 4 Newark St, Whitechapel, E1 2AT 020 7882 2562 www.centreofthecell.org Content suitable for 9yrs+. FREE admission – booking essential online Centre of the Cell is an exciting science education centre. It is the first science education centre in the world to be sited in biomedical research laboratories with digital interactive games; body parts; films and microscope

CUTTY SARK CLIPPER SHIP

King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT 10am-5pm £12/£6.50 Family £29 bookings@rmg.co.uk Opening a new chapter in the extraordinary life of one of the world’s most famous ships. The last surviving tea clipper and the fastest and greatest of her time, she is a living testimony to the bygone, glorious days of sail and, most importantly, a monument to those that lost their lives in the merchant service. After travelling through time and tide, take a moment to relax in the new café It’s cold outside: Cutty Sark family holiday fun Snug Sea Creatures Sat 5 Jan 11am 2pm FREE with Cutty Sark entry Create a woolly sock puppet that you can use to tell tales from the deep

DISCOVER

383-387 High Street, Stratford, E15 4QZ 020 8536 5555 www.discover.org.uk Open: daily Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Sat & Sun 11am-5pm £8/£6 The House Where Winter Lives Until Sun 13 Jan 11.30am 1pm 3pm & 4.30pm £8/£6 3-6yrs (see website for dates) Explore the magic and mystery of winter in an immersive and interactive storytelling adventure. Two forest dwellers invite you to join them in their warm and welcoming cottage, as they prepare for a winter feast. Unfortunately they’ve mislaid the key to their larder!

Wrap up warm and join them on a journey through a secret forest to find the missing key Red Riding Hood and the Sweet Little Wolf with Rachael Mortimer Sat 19 Jan 2.30pm 4yrs+ Little Wolf doesn’t want to be a big bad wolf. She dreams of being good and kind. But when she is sent out to catch dinner and meets Red Riding Hood, what will she do?

Storytelling of Rumble in the Jungle by Giles Andreae and David Wojtowycz Sat 25 & Sun 27 Jan 12.30pm 1.30pm 2.30pm & 3.30pm A noisy rhyming romp packed with favourite animals, from tigers to chimpanzees Journey to Space Launch Sat 16 Feb FREE DAY Be the first to see the fabulous new interactive exhibition for families Journey to Space.

Sat 16 Feb (all day)

14 | Families East January/February 2013

London Children’s Bookswap 0–11yrs Are you done with your old books? Is it time for a new tale? Take a book you’ve enjoyed and take away someone else’s recommended read. Last year over 2,000 children’s books were swapped at venues across London in an action-packed day of free activities and events The Loon on The Moon with Chae Strathie Sat 16 Feb 2.30pm 3yrs+ A whirlwind ride involving aliens, monsters and things that go BUMP in the night. Take a trip across the universe to meet the colourful characters from The Loon on the Moon, help create your own scary monster from The Fabulous Flapdodles, meet the adorable Ping, and the fearsome Jumblebum beast, the star of Chae’s fantastic new picture book, Jumblebum.

Monty and Milli: The Totally Amazing Trick with Tracey Corderoy Sun 17 Feb 2.30pm 3yrs+ A world of magic tricks and surprises as performed by sibling duo Monty and Milli the Mice. After make magic top hats that pop rabbits at a moment’s notice.

Journey to Space every day February Half Term Mon 18 – Sunday 24 Feb You are given a vital mission to find missing astronaut Major Tom. Take off in the giant rocket to explore red hot, icey blue and mysterious green planets, along the way meet Robert the Robot and follow the trails to complete tasks and crack codes. Dare you venture into the mysterious black hole?

HMS BELFAST

Morgan’s Lane, Tooley Street, SE1 2JH 020 7403 6246 www.iwm.org.uk Open: 10am-6pm £14 under 16s FREE Family Activities - Included in admission price. Drop-in events suitable for all ages with parental supervision History in your hands Sat 19 & Sun 20 Jan 11am-12.30pm 2pm-4pm Discover the stories hidden within HMS Belfast and find out about the men who lived and worked on board. This activity will include the opportunity to handle some of our objects from the collections Slang at Sea Sat 16–Sun 24 Feb 11am-12.30pm 2pm-4pm Take a look at navy slang and the origin of popular phrases that link to life at sea and the importance of the navy in British history and culture

KENSINGTON PALACE

Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX 0844 482 7777 www.hrp.org.uk Sat 16-Sun 24 Feb 11am-4pm all ages The theme will be the world of William III and Mary II in the late 17th century at Kensington Palace. Make blue and white china mosaic works of art, paper tulips and learn about the exotic goods such a chocolate, coffee and tea coming in from the Dutch and British empires

LEE VALLEY REGIONAL PARK

08456 770600 www.leevalleypark.org.uk See website for full list of activities, here are some highlights Opening Weekend at the Farms Sat 16 & Sun 17 Feb 10am–5pm The doors are open for 2013 – and there are daily activities for you to enjoy, including getting up close and personal with the animals. Look out for the new musical additions around the farm, check out the improved farmyard and sand pit plus the brand new children’s ride. Take part in the Dino-dig to find the Dino-chicken and T-rex and once you’ve finished exploring why not grab a bite in Orchards Café

LONDON BOROUGH OF REDBRIDGE Hainault Forest Country Park Romford Road, Chigwell Essex IG7 4QN Meet the trees of Hainault Forest Sun 20 Jan 10.30am–12.30pm FREE A series of events for children and adults to introduce them to the magic of Hainault Forest trees, covering basic tree identification using twigs, buds and bark and have some fun with some tree based games Half term Willow Weaving Workshop Sun 17 Feb 10.30am–1.30pm all ages FREE (donation/contribution very much appreciated) A chance to create some life size willow sculptures to leave in the forest and smaller items to take home. Bring a picnic and join in to sit around the fire after the event toasting marshmallows!

For further info or to book – email foresthainault@btinternet.com or phone 07985 069800 Tony Chadwick, Conservation Ranger

RICH MIX

35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA 020 7613 7498 www.richmix.org.uk Offers a broad range of arts-based activities and performances for children aged 0 to 12 years and their parents/ carers. Many of the events are FREE or low-priced supporting families who are on a low income and who may find it difficult to access arts and cultural activities – see website for details Kids’ Cine Time Every Sat & Sun 12pm £1.50 Sat 5 & Sun 6 Jan - Mr Popper’s Penguins (PG) Sat 12 & Sun 13 Jan – Horrid Henry: The Movie (U) Sat 19 & Sun 20 Jan – Mars Needs Moms (PG) Sat 26 & Sun 27 Jan – Gnomeo & Juliet (U) Sat 2 & Sun 3 Feb – Ponyo (U) Sat 9 & Sun 10 Feb – Despicable Me (U) Sat 16 & Sun 17 Feb - Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG) Sat 23 & Sun 24 Feb – Rise of the Guardians (PG) Autism-friendly Screenings Every 3rd Sun 1pm £1.50 Sun 20 Jan – Mars Needs Moms (PG) Sun 17 Feb – Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG) Parents and babies Screenings Every Monday, 12pm Film for a Fiver £5 films for Tower Hamlets’ Idea Store

www.familieseast.co.uk

Out & About and Library members every Monday and Tuesday Main Releases Family tickets from £16.50 for U & PG films, 7 days a week Wiggly Jigglers Mon 14 Jan Mon 28 Jan Mon 11 Feb Mon 25 Feb 1pm-3pm 2yrs and under FREE for Tower Hamlets residents & £3 per child for non Tower Hamlets residents At these creative movement sessions, led by movement practitioner Jasmine Pasch, children will get the space, the freedom and the time to move in ways that support their development, and stimulate their imaginations Numbi Workshop Sun 20 Jan Sun 17 Feb 11am-3pm £10 All ages £5 student or concs, Family £10 (2 adults, 2 children) In these workshops you will consider aspects of space and introduce the use of smells, sounds, video and African heritage body fabric ornnaments. 15 places available Mwalimu Express Sun 20 Jan Sun 17 Feb 2pm-6pm FREE All ages Welcome on Sunday afternoons DJ hosts Rita Ray and Max Reinhardt bring you awesome music from around the African continent plus free film screenings by Screen Station. January Destination is Bulawayo Zimbabwe featuring Monoswezi’s album launch Storycraft Workshop with Apples and Snakes Mon 21 Jan 1.30pm Shoreditch £3 per child 2–5yrs Led by a different storyteller or poet every other month, StoryCraft encourages families to enjoy stories together in an active and fun way Jewish East End Extravaganza Fri 25–Sat 27 Jan (various times) FREE & Tickets Events All ages Presented by the Jewish Community Centre for London. From beigels on Brick Lane, to shmutter trading in Shoreditch… join us for a festival celebrating the history of the Jewish East End! Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013: Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Sun 3 Feb 11am-5pm FREE Celebrate the Chinese New Year with exciting lion dances, delicious food, world class performances, and creative arts workshops for children Yellow Earth Theatre: Why the Lion Danced Sun 3 Feb 11am & 2pm £6/£5 for LBTH residents Celebrate Chinese New Year with Yellow Earth! Deep in the mountains of ancient China, every thirteenth moon the dreaded monster Nian pays a visit to the village. The villagers must protect themselves but which animal can save them?

The Thing by Robin Dingemans Fri 8 Feb 4.30pm Sat 9 Feb 11am & 3pm £5 7-11yrs An immersive dance installation performance produced by Jih Wen Yeh of Step Out Arts. A dance, light and sound republic of the mind. An immersive performance installation, the audience are interactive participants within the show not just watching, able to reach out and touch the performers

www.familieseast.co.uk

Bengal to Bethnal Green Sun 10 Feb 2pm–5pm FREE All ages A monthly event directed by Grand Union’s well-known tabla player Yousuf Ali Khan. Including family workshops, talks by famous writers and a concert featuring popular singers RSPB RAINHAM MARSHES 01708 899840 Open: daily Sun 1 Nov-Wed 31 Mar open 9.30am-4.30pm, 1 Apr-31 Oct open 9.30am-5pm Unique wetland reserve with innovative visitor centre, shop, café, wildlife garden, and children’s adventure play area - boardwalks throughout for wheelchair and pushchair access Entrance charges: FREE to RSPB members and residents of Havering & Thurrock. Non-members: £3 adult, £1.50 child, £9 family (2 adults and up to 4 children) Wildlife Explorers Club Sat 26 Jan & Sat 23 Feb (see website for times)

SUTTON HOUSE

2 & 4 Homerton High Street, Hackney E9 6JQ. 020 8986 2264 suttonhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk Adult £3 child £1 Family £6.90 open Thu to Sun (see website for times) Family Fun Thursday - Mother’s Day Thu 21 Feb 2pm-6pm Fun art activities making gifts for the important women in your family in preparation for Mother’s Day

THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH

Royal Observatory, Blackheath Avenue, Greenwich, SE10 8XJ 020 8858 4422 www.nmm.ac.uk Open: daily 10am-5pm, FREE Space Safari Tue during term time 12.45pm 1.45pm weekends & holidays 11am £6.50/£4.50 under 7yrs This delightful live planetarium show has been developed specifically for children under the age of 7. Join Ted the Teddy Bear as he journeys throughout the solar system Saturday Space Explorers Sat 26 Jan 2pm 2.30pm 3pm 3.30pm 4pm 4.30pm FREE 5yrs+ In these fun monthly workshops families can make simple cardboard instruments, including planet finders and moon dials which they can take away and use at home

TOWER OF LONDON

Tower Hill, EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk Open: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am6pm £20.90/£10.45 family £55, under 5s FREE on line cheaper Buy in advance on 0870 756 7070 Look on line to find Family Trails to do including The Crown Jewels & Medieval Palace The Tower Ice Rink - Until Sun 13 Jan

VALENTINES MANSION

Emerson Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4XA 020 8708 8100 www.valentinesmansion.com Open: Tues & Wed 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm

Love, Actually Thu 14 Feb 11am-5pm all ages £5 per person no need to book (drop in) Explore love throughout the ages, from literature to the silver screen, and from dance to arts and crafts in a packed programme of events. Music and love potions will also be on the programme, so come prepared to be swept off your feet The History of Valentines Gardens Sun 17 Feb-Sun 2 Jun (during opening hours) all ages FREE (drop in) This Redbridge Museum exhibition shows how the historic gardens at Valentines were developed over several centuries. The display will link to the ‘Great Gardens’ exhibition at Redbridge Museum which will explore 500 years of gardens and open spaces in Redbridge Amazing Animals Tue 19 Feb 11.30am-2pm all ages £2.50 per child (drop in) Drop into the family room for family trails and games to help you investigate the animals inside the mansion and discover the wildlife in the gardens. Read animal stories or become a creature by making your own beastly (or beautiful) mask Young Detectives Fun Day Wed 20 Feb 11.30-2.30pm all ages £1.50 per child Numbers limited, backpacks available to borrow on a first come first served basis.Try the brand new backpack packed with fun games and challenges for you and your family Family Sundays - Telling Tales Sun 3 Feb 11.30am-2.30pm £2 per child (drop in and pay on the day) To celebrate National Storytelling Week there will be 8 children’s books selected and read them throughout the day. Also create a giant storybook, help build a fantastic story and decorate each page as you go along Super Snake Crafts Sun 10 Feb 1pm-3pm all ages £3.50 per child (advance booking recommended) Go and make your own super snake and parade it around the Mansion and gardens in a special snake dance Family Singing Workshop Sun 17 Feb 11.30am-2.30pm followed by the performance all ages £8/£3 booking essential on 020 8708 8100.

Enjoy a fun family singing workshop ending with an informal performance to family and friends.

Explore vocal techniques and harmonies with a selection of songs led by an experienced singer accompanied by piano

Gingerbread Fun at the Mansion Sun 3 Mar 1.30pm-3pm £3.50 per child (drop in and pay on the day) Listen to the story of the little Gingerbread Man, make your own paper one to take home, and take part in our fun kitchen quiz and songs with your family Rhymes & Songs for Under 5’s Tue 5 Mar 11am-11.30am FREE (drop in) Go and sing some fun rhymes and songs. Bring your favourite toy too if you like, and a grown up!

MARKETS BROADWAY MARKET

E8 4PH www.broadwaymarket.co.uk Open: Saturdays 9am-5pm Nearest Underground Station: Hackney Central Diverse range of shops and restaurants

COLUMBIA ROAD FLOWER MARKET

Columbia Road, E2 http://columbiaroad.info Open: Sundays 8am-3pm Nearest Underground Station: Old Street, Bethnal Green Flower Market selling plants, flowers, shrubs, trees and accessories for the garden

LEADENHALL MARKET

Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1LR 020 7621 0709 www.leadenhallmarket.co.uk Open: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm Nearest Underground Station: Bank, Monument Fine food and clothing

OLD SPITALFIELDS MARKET

105a Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6BG. www.visitspitalfields.com Open: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sun 9am5pm. Nearest Underground Station: Liverpool Street, Aldgate East Fashion, clothes, antiques, art, records, books

At Families East, we are always keen to receive your feedback on how we can improve and make each issue even more useful. Please email feedback@ familieseast.co.uk with your views

January/February 2013 Families East | 15

To advertise in Families East please email familieseastmagazine@googlemail.com or call 07766 705655 for details

IMAGINE 2013 Vampires, giant dinosaurs and the Queen’s Knickers… It’s the return of Southbank Centre’s Children’s Festival Children are taking control of the Southbank Centre for two weeks this February with the Imagine Children’s Festival returning for its 12th year.

Imagine 2013 offers children a diverse arts programme covering theatre, music, film and comedy to readings from some of the UK’s top authors.

With trails to follow and games to play across the whole Centre, it makes for the perfect place to entertain families this half term.

Children are at the heart of the Festival from selling programmes to showing visitors to their seats and for 2013, the Southbank Centre is working with a panel of children to shape all aspects of the festival.

Imagine 2013 highlights include: • Readings from leading authors including Anthony Horowitz, David Walliams, Cathy Cassidy, and a rare appearance from Judith Kerr • Get close and personal so children can feed and care for the life-size dinosaur puppets at the UK premiere of Erth’s critically acclaimed show Dinosaur Petting Zoo • Theatre for children, including the London premiere of The Queens

BAC Borrowers - The Great Escape

Knickers based on the best-selling book by Nicholas Allan and a chance to rescue a Borrower in The Great Escape (A Borrower’s Tale) where children can join a secret agency to search for Borrowers in an adventure throughout the Royal Festival Hall • Animated films Magic Piano and The Chopin Shorts from the creators of the Oscar® awardwinning Peter and the Wolf with live accompaniment from young pianists • For really young visitors a special baby opera Karoll Karol, returns in a shell-shaped tent in the Royal Festival Hall foyer • And there’s a chance for young at heart adults to put on a pink shell suit and relive life as a 9 year old in Bryony Kimmings’s show Mega Mon 11 Feb - Sun 24 Feb 2013, daily 10.30am – 4pm Southbank Centre, www.southbankcentre.co.uk Ticket Office 0844 847 9910