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Christmas Education Family life
November/December 2021
Familiesonline.co.uk
Familiesonline.co.uk November/December 1
A Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh production in association with Catherine Wheels Theatre Company
6 December 2021 - 2 January 2022
Directed By
Written By
Gill Robertson
Robert Alan Evans
TICKETS 848
4 0131 248 rg.uk .o m lyceu #Christm
a sDinne
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Royal Lyceum Theatre Company Ltd is a Registered Company No. SC062065 Scottish Charity Registered No. SC010509
2 November/December
Design MadeBy.DO
Photography by Laurence Winram
Familiesonline.co.uk
CHRISTMAS SHOWS
Christmas Dinner
6 December - 2 January 2022 The Lyceum, Edinburgh
Scottish Ballet’s The Nutcracker Wednesday 1 – Friday 31 December 2021 Festival Theatre
Bairns in the Wood 3 - 28 December Howden Park Centre
Familiesonline.co.uk
Hansel and Gretel 7 - 31 December 2021 The Brunton, Musselburgh
King’s Panto: Sleeping Beauty
Saturday 27 November 2021 – Sunday 16 January 2022 King’s Theatre
Conifox Christmas Experience 26 November - 23 December 2021 Conifox
November/December 3
CHRISTMAS SHOWS All your Christmas wishes in one musical package!
17-30 DEC 2021 USHER HALL, EDINBURGH Sun 5 Dec 2021, 3pm
childrensclassicconcerts.co.uk
PANTO
Mind-blowing shows for ages 0-100
magicfest.co.uk
Traditional pantomime for all ages!
3-28 December
2021
TICKETS OUT NOW
A Brunton production Written & directed by John Binnie
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a trip to The Brunton panto! 7-31 Dec
www.howdenparkcentre.co.uk
West Lothian Leisure (known as Xcite) is a Scottish Charity, SC027470.
thebrunton.co.uk 0131 653 5245
2021
Don’t miss
The Elf that Saved Christmas
DECEMBER 2021 UNDER 5’s
SAT 4th, 11th & 18th 10:00, 11:15, 14.45, 16:15
SUN 5th, 12th & 19th 14:15, 15:30, 16:45
MON 20th
UNDER 1’s
SAT 4th, 11th & 18th 13:15 MON 20th 13:15 TUE 21st 13:15 THU 23rd 13:15
10:00, 11:15, 14.45, 16:15
TUE 21st
VENUE:
10:00, 11:15, 14.45, 16:15
THU 23
rd
10:00, 11:15, 14.45, 16:15
TICKETS: all entrants must have a ticket
£9 per child
/
£7 per adult
AVAILABLE FROM:
www.DragonSongProductions.co.uk Edinburgh Festival Primary Times for Kids Childrens Choice Awards
4 November/December
LIFECARE
2 CHEYNE STREET, EDINBURGH, EH4 1JB
at Craigies
Enjoy a full storytelling and toy making adventure to meet Mr & Mrs Claus and a very special elf, with a present and a play date at Little Farmers!
Book now for 4-22 December
Book here https://craigies.digitickets.co.uk/tickets Familiesonline.co.uk
CHRISTMAS SHOWS
Santa’s Postbox 5th December Usher Hall
Castle of Light: Hidden Treasures Friday 19 November - Sunday 9 January 2022 Edinburgh Castle
The Enormous Christmas Turnip Friday 17 – Friday 31 December 2021 The Studio
Familiesonline.co.uk
Edinburgh International Magic Festival 17 - 30 December 2021
The Elf that Saved Christmas 4 - 22 December Craigies
Moon Dragon
4 - 23 December 2021 LifeCare, Stockbridge November/December 5
CHRISTMAS SHOWS
CHRISTMAS at CAPITAL THEATRES
27 Nov 2021to 16 Jan 2022 KING’S THEATRE
1 to 31 December 2021 FESTIVAL THEATRE
17 to 31 December 2021 THE STUDIO
0131 529 6000 capitaltheatres.com 6 November/December
Familiesonline.co.uk
EDUCATION
Encouraging your child to become an independent learner By Bradley Busch and Edward Watson As children get older and progress within the education system, how they manage their time and how efficiently and effectively they study independently becomes an ever-increasing premium skill. So, what does academic research tell us about how parents can help facilitate this? Let’s look at three different but related techniques.
Introduce learners to effective goal setting. This must include Improving self-reflection. The more flexibility, short and long-term goals and enough challenge to maintain self-aware learners are, the more motivation. likely they are to manage potential distractions. Self-monitoring is READ MORE a skill that can be developed by encouraging children to ask themselves good questions, such as ‘how can I get better?’ and ‘where do I do my best work?’ Better time management. Left to their own devices, people tend to procrastinate. Some studies have found that seventy five per cent of students consider themselves procrastinators, with fifty per cent procrastinating regularly and to a level that is considered problematic. Research suggests that most students are poor at estimating how long a task will take to complete, as they get distracted or face unexpected obstacles along the way. This is called ‘The Planning Fallacy.’ Find out more here. Familiesonline.co.uk
November/December 7
EDUCATION
Tween sleep habits By Chris Skeat
It’s just as hard for tweens to get a good night’s sleep, as it is for their parents! Pre-teen/teen experts at wearetwixt offer tips on healthy sleep habits for this age group. Children ages 10 to 12 years should get between nine hours fifteen minutes and nine hours forty five minutes of sleep a night (NHS). But, at puberty (on average, between 10-12 for girls and 12-16 for boys), children’s natural sleep patterns may start shifting. Sleep is essential for forming and maintaining pathways in the brain that facilitate learning and create new memories but research shows we’re now having two hours less sleep a night than in the 1960s. A key reason? The blue light from digital screens suppresses the body’s sleep hormone, melatonin, which helps us drift off.
bed the first week, building to sixty or ninety minutes. How can bedtime routines and bedroom set ups also improve tween sleep? READ MORE
Banish the blue-light According to a BBC survey, fifty seven per cent of the UK’s children sleep with their mobile phones by their bed and forty two percent of children always keep their phones with them, never turning them off. But a pre-bedtime screen time cutoff and no access to technology in the bedroom is crucial for a good night’s sleep. Switch off before bedtime Fifteen to twenty minutes before 8 November/December
Familiesonline.co.uk
EDUCATION
Fun Scottish dancing for all the family!
Preschool parent-and-child sessions Family celebrations, events and fundraisers Visits to your school, nursery or youth group 0131 667 8898 ceilidhkids@ceilidhkids.com www.facebook.com/CeilidhKids
Twitter @CeilidhKids
See you soon for a dance!
make art explore outdoors protect the planet Art Buds is a groundbreaking programme of sustainable art education in nature led by experienced artist educators. To book weekly classes and holiday workshops for children aged 1-12, visit our website or email: artbudsedinburgh@gmail.com
1-3 years (family make-along)
www.artbudscollective.com
4-12 years
www.littleposhpeople.com
Holyrood Park. • Craiglockhart Woods. • Portobello Beach
The Mary Erskine School Stewart’s Melville College The Junior School
Day and Boarding School
Feel
INSPIRED ENTRY ASSESSMENTS
Primary 1 - From 10th January 2022 Primary 2 and 3 - From 15th November 2021 Senior Schools - 13th January 2022
www.esms.org.uk admissions@esms.org.uk
Edinburgh Merchant Company Education Board Registered Charity No SC009747
ESMS FAMILIES AD 180x130_3.indd Familiesonline.co.uk
1
14/10/2021 16:42 9 November/December
EARLY YEARS
Improving your little one’s speech and language post-pandemic By Joanne Jones Masks, social distancing, no parenting clubs or classes and no visitors to the house...that was the theme of the pandemic. Consequently, children have had less experience of full faces, watched fewer mouths and played fewer turn-taking games such as ‘I smile, you smile’ with strangers. Babies and toddlers acquire many of the skills involved in learning to talk from copying and reading facial expressions and copying mouth movements. So, post-pandemic, many parents report that their children are struggling to learn language or to use the words they already know in conversation.
together. • Your child is not using ‘learned phrases’ to communicate. • Your child is not chewing or only eating a limited diet and words are not being used. If any of the above signs ring true for you, firstly, talk to your Health Visitor and ask about a referral to Speech Therapy.
Here are the key signs to look out for that might mean your young child would benefit from some extra Waiting times may be lengthy but help: there are things you can do to help • Your baby/toddler is not babbling your child make progress in the meantime. and making a variety of sounds. • Your baby/toddler is not watching You are your child’s best teacher your face when you talk. and you can make up for their limited earlier experiences. • Your baby/toddler is not developing their play abilities to Implement some of the following include a variety of skills. ideas. • Your child is not using some words by 18 months old. READ MORE • Your two year old is not combining two or more words 10 November/December
Familiesonline.co.uk
One certainty in divorce. You’ll always be a family.
No matter how you’re feeling about each other as partners, all parents want to keep life as unaffected as possible for their children. You want to make sure you know all the options that are open for the new life you’re going to build. As a small firm of family law specialists we understand the issues you’re facing and we can help. For a no obligation confidential initial assessment of your situation call our Family Law Partner, Fiona Rasmusen, on 0131 226 9161, email fiona.rasmusen@gibsonkerr.co.uk or visit www.gibsonkerr.co.uk for more information.
Familiesonline.co.uk
November/December 11
CHRISTMAS
Best family Christmas recipes For the best fun cooking and eating!
Kid-friendly fruit mince pies
Gingerbread men
Strawberry Santa pancakes
Snowman marshmallow pops
White Christmas crackles
Peanut butter cookie dough reindeers
Snowman pizza
Easy family Christmas nut roast
Cheese stars
12 November/December
Familiesonline.co.uk
CHRISTMAS
Got Christmas baking ingredients on your whisk list? Get your baking ingredients (and more) with free delivery* £39 Free UK delivery for orders over
NEXT ISSUE
January / February
2022 Your one-stop online shop for
gluten-free, organic, vegan, vegetarian, free-from & Fairtrade baking ingredients
www.realfoods.co.uk natural healthy ethical shopping •
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Great Big Birthday Party Guide Book now - 0131 622 0405 editor@familiesedinburgh.co.uk
BOOK NOW! TEL: 0131 333 1444
www.ticketsource.co.uk/conifox
NEW
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Conifox Adventure Park Foxhall, Kirkliston, Edinburgh EH29 9ER
www.conifox.co.uk Familiesonline.co.uk
November/December 13
CHRISTMAS
DIY Christmas gifts for teachers Fabulously creative and low-cost presents that will excite your kids and delight their teachers.
Make Christmas brownies in a jar
Create origami bookmarks
Make a homemade candle
Make scented soap
Bake a bird feeder
Paint a Sharpie mug
Plant a succulent mini pot
Make a rice heat bag
Create a tissue paper vase
14 November/December
Familiesonline.co.uk
CHRISTMAS
Great Christmas gifts for kids Check out our Families gift guide for ideas that will inspire and excite your child - many without lots of packaging!
Brave Girls’ Book Club subscription box
Storytime magazine subscription
Baked In Junior Baking Club subscription box
Diverse stories & powerful protagonists. Ages 7-12. £17 per month.
For story-loving kids! Ages 4-11. From £38.99.
Child-friendly recipes for mini-bakers. Ages 5-11. From £7.50 per month.
Young Driver driving lessons
Scamp & Dude superpower PJs PJs with Superpower Button! Boosts and comforts when most needed. From £28.
So Slime DIY Ice Cream Factory
Create three squishy slime ice creams - fluffy, icee and scented. Ages 6+. £20.
SnapWatch
Waboba Moon Ball
Wildflower kit
Get behind the wheel for a memorable driving experience. Ages 4+.
Snaps around the wrist and stays. Interactive, easy to use. Ages 5-12. £9.99 + p&p. Familiesonline.co.uk
Pops and bounces to 100ft! Ages 5+.
Three bamboo pots ready to plant. Six hundred seeds to attract bees! £20. November/December 15
CHRISTMAS
Christmas audiobooks for the family Grab some blankets and mugs of hot chocolate and curl up to listen to these fabulous Christmas tales.
A Christmas Carol
Mog’s Christmas
A Season of Gifts
Enid Blyton’s Christmas Stories
A Boy Called Christmas
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Ages 6+ (2 hours & 44 minutes).
Ages 2+ (8 minutes).
Ages 9+ (3 hours & 50 minutes).
Ages 7+ (4 hours & 42 minutes).
Ages 9+ (4 hours & 26 minutes).
Ages 3+ (12 minutes).
Tumtum and Nutmeg’s Christmas Adventure
Mrs Claus and the Christmas Adventure
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Ages 3+ (1 hour & 26 minutes).
16 November/December
Ages 4+ (1 hour & 9 minutes).
Ages 8+ (1 hour & 26 minutes). Familiesonline.co.uk
CHRISTMAS
Make you own Christmas decorations Get the whole family in the mood for Christmas with a crafty decoration-making afternoon.
Lemon star biscuits
Button snowflake
DIY wrapping paper
Sugar charms
Christmas crackers
Glue string ball
Paper snowflake wreath
Paper Christmas tree decorations
Festive pine cone mouse
Familiesonline.co.uk
November/December 17
CHRISTMAS
Christmas song sing-along Tunes to get the whole family busting their lungs and up and dancing!
Santa Shark
Underneath the tree
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer
Last Christmas
Frosty the Snowman
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
All I Want for Christmas is You
Merry Christmas Everybody
18 November/December
Familiesonline.co.uk
CHRISTMAS
Christmas games for the family Some of the best fun at Christmas can be had playing games. Here’s our top seasonal picks.
Christmas song emoji guessing game
Christmas bingo
Outdoor Christmas scavenger hunt
Christmas charades
Christmas memory match
Christmas scent game
Candy cane fishing game
Who am I?
Pin the nose on the reindeer
Familiesonline.co.uk
November/December 19
CHRISTMAS
Christmas games for the family Some of the best fun at Christmas can be had playing games. Here’s our top seasonal picks.
Christmas song emoji guessing game
Christmas bingo
Outdoor Christmas scavenger hunt
Christmas charades
Christmas memory match
Christmas scent game
Candy cane fishing game
Who am I?
Pin the nose on the reindeer
20 November/December
Familiesonline.co.uk
CHRISTMAS
What can I recycle after Christmas? Christmas trees
Christmas cards
Cut, real Christmas trees: can be recycled and councils often have a specific collection for this. Living Christmas trees: can be replanted for use next year. Artificial Christmas trees: CANNOT be recycled. Reuse or give away.
Save to make into gift tags. Cut into pieces for kids’ projects. Or recycle BUT only AFTER cutting off any glitter, ribbons, foil, plastic and other unrecyclable elements.
MORE INFO
MORE INFO
Wrapping paper
Decorations
Plastic based or containing foil or glitter: CANNOT be recycled.
Plastic, glitter or glass: CANNOT be recycled. Reuse or donate to charity shops if in good condition. Natural wreaths: compost if they have no glitter. Fairy lights: CAN be recycled at household waste recycling centres. MORE INFO
Other paper: scrunch into a ball. If it stays scrunched it can probably be recycled. Remove all sticky tape and decorations first. AND check with your council as some won’t take it. MORE INFO Familiesonline.co.uk
November/December 21
Enter our Christmas Gift Giveaway!
CHRISTMAS
More details in the Gift Guide T&Cs apply
Young Drivers Driving Experience
Brave Girls’ Book Club 10 boxes available
2 le availab
Storytime magazine subscription
Silverstone Lap of Lights Experience
10 annual subscriptions available
SnapWatch
3 available
22 November/December
3 available
Waboba Moon Ball
5 available
APPLY HERE
So Slime DIY Ice Cream Station
3 available
Familiesonline.co.uk