Families SE March 2013 issue 147

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MARCH 2013 ISSUE NO. 147

EE

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AS I WRITE THIS, the sun’s beaming on a jolly bunch of daffodils on the kitchen table, cheering me up no end. Not that we particularly needed it - it’s all happening this month. Mother’s Day is always charming (put the 10th in your diary and be prepared to be extra loved), and at the end of the month, the clocks go back in the early hours of Easter Sunday, so we can start eating those chocolate eggs an hour earlier - hurrah! Meanwhile, and provided the harsh winter didn't see them off, we should soon have our very own daffodils in the garden, nodding their jolly yellow heads in a gentle breeze. .

Robina Cowan, editor

IN THIS ISSUE 2-3 Local News and Views

Rugby, dancing and music making for little ones, a diabetes support group, and a festival of literary treats in the heart of Dulwich

4 Book Review Page Picture books, parenting guides and plenty to say Justine Crow’s newest peruse of the book shelf

5 Education News League-topping Sydenham High, Victorian manners and open day dates

6-7 Childcare Choices Government proposals, the rise of the nanny, and helpful local resources

8 Stars of Stage and Screen Putting the spotlight on Stagecoach

9 Easter Holiday Workshops Sports, arts, crafts, drama and cooking fun for children, now booking for the Easter holidays

LocalNews email your news to editor@familiesse.co.uk

ildren h C r o f s ie it iv Act Rugbytots in SE London After starting the successful Rugbytots franchise in South Africa, head coach JP is now bringing classes to southeast London.

He explained: “Rugbytots is a non-contact rugby play programme for 2-8 year-old girls and boys. We aim to improve motor, developmental and social skills through a great team sport like rugby. Children play loads of games in a safe environment that encourages team work while building self confidence.”

All coaches are fully trained, CRB checked and knowledgeable in children’s first aid. Classes are running in Beckenham, Eltham and West Wickham. To find out more or organise a free demo in your area, nursery or school, email jp@rugbytots.co.uk or call 0758 299 7752.

10 Family Health How diet affects allergies, healthy packed lunches, kneading away problems, and deodorants for children

11 Ask an Expert Pre-nuptial agreements - unromantic or common sense?

12-17 What’s On Our pick of this month’s exhibitions, theatre productions and days out, plus listings for grown ups

18 What’s New Brilliant products we think you should know about

19 Mother Knows Best Ten top tips from mothers for mothers (and fathers)

20 The Back Page Local business contacts to make your life easier Front cover: Girl wears Leopard Print Dress, £25, Baby K by Myleene Klass at Mothercare, 0844 875 5222, mothercare.com

Easter Issue out 22 March, copy deadline 4 March Families South East - 020 8699 7240 www.familiesse.co.uk editor@familiesse.co.uk

Funky Monkey swings into Crystal Palace Even more children will be able to have fun getting started with keyboard music thanks to Funky Monkey, who are opening new classes after Easter in Crystal Palace.

The fun classes teach 4-8 year-old beginners to read and write music, and play the electronic keyboard in small groups. Action packed and wonderfully educational it’s teaching the fun way! The new classes are expected to fill quickly, so to nab a place now, call Ali on 0800 107 7949 or see funkymonkey.info. There will also be Easter keyboard classes, with special offers for Families readers - see page 9 for details.

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All in one Fridays Tea Dance for Little People have joined forces with Tippee Toes to offer soft play, stories, movement and art for under fives, led by qualified actors and musicians. In the baby corner, a qualified massage instructor will lead movement, play and songs.

The sessions are from 10am-12noon on Fridays (except Good Friday 29 March), £7 per child and £3 per sibling, at East Dulwich Community Centre on a drop-in, first served basis. Read more at tippeetoes.co.uk and tdlp.co.uk.

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n Ups w o r G r o f s New Spring books festival Dulwich Books is running a jam-packed week of literary events in Dulwich from 4-9 March.

The Spring Voices Festival has events for all ages, with readings from a stellar line up of authors and poets, a culture quiz, a day long celebration of World Book Day and games, competitions and activities for children. For details, see pages 13 and 14, call into the shop at 6 Croxted Road, or log onto dulwichbooks.co.uk.

Capezio in Covent Garden If your children love to dance, they’ll love Capezio and so will you!

London’s largest dancewear store has opened in Covent Garden.

Spread over two floors, the store boasts an extensive range of dancewear for men, women and children.

Store manager Samantha Pettit said “We’re very excited to be able to provide children in and around London with all of their dancewear needs. Our aim is to become their ideal dance partner.”

The store stocks all products from the Capezio Ballet Makers Europe catalogue as well as Intermezzo knitwear and legwarmers, Tyrrell Katz bags, lunch boxes, drinking bottles and cups, Inca hair accessories and Amelia fairy wings and wands.

There’s also Capezio’s revolutionary brand new children’s dance shoe. Called Love Ballet, it functions as a full and split sole, and has been cleverly engineered to grow with the child - see the ad on our back page.

The store is open from 10.30am-6.30pm weekdays, 10am-6pm Saturdays and noon-5pm Sundays, at 33 Endell Street, Covent Garden WC2H 9BA, 020 7379 6042, capeziolondon@capezio.com.

High Vibe!

For simple ways to brighten your days, try High Vibe! Newly published by East Dulwich author Anyika Barr, the little book is filled with uplifting thoughts, witty snippets and expressions that can be dipped into or read in cloud-busting chunks.

It’s not just good for you proceeds from book sales raise money for the charity RP Fighting Blindness.

High Vibe! is available on Amazon, priced £5.39.

familiesse.co.uk

Children with diabetes Children and teens with Type 1 diabetes were clowning around at the Diabetes UK Lewisham Lambeth and Southwark family support group launch on Saturday 9 February.

Originally set up in 2012 by local families and the Diabetes Modernisation Initiative, the group gives local Type 1 children and their families the chance to connect with others who are living with the condition.

The group joined Diabetes UK and celebrated their official launch with a circus skills event.

Gina, a local mother whose 14 year-old son Michael (pictured) has the condition, told us: “It has been a real struggle to come to terms with this illness and in the process of trying to work through it we have linked up with other families in the same situation.”

Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulinproducing cells in the pancreas are destroyed. It can develop at any age but typically appears in childhood. There is nothing you can do to prevent it and it is treated by injecting insulin. To get involved and meet other people living with diabetes, email dukllands@gmail.com.

Dulwich Piano Festival Entries are invited for the Dulwich Piano Festival, to be held at Alleyn’s School in East Dulwich in June.

The Festival is a piano competition for amateurs of all ages including adults. All pianists perform for the adjudicator and an audience. Written, verbal feedback and certificates are given to all competitors and medals are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

The Festival will take place on 22 and 23 June in the Lanchbery Rehearsal Room, Alleyn’s School in East Dulwich. For entry details, go to dulwichpianofestival.co.uk, or email DPF@se22piano.c.uk for more information.

Switch off for Earth Hour At 8.30pm on 23 March, hundreds of millions of people will turn off their lights for one hour, on the same night, all across the world in a huge, symbolic show of support. It’s always a memorable and spectacular event with places from New York to New Delhi (and New Cross to Dulwich!) going dark for the hour.

WWF’s Earth Hour is a unique annual event that focuses the world’s attention on our amazing planet, and how we need to protect it. To create a better future for our planet we need to move away from dirty fossil fuels and onto clean green renewable energy which works with the awesome power of nature, not against it. Read more and sign up at earthhour.wwf.org.uk/

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march 2013 - families south east

3

The Bookseller Crow

is a fantastic, volume stuffed shop run by some of the most knowledgeable bookworms in the business.

Call in for the feel of a real bookshop, or if you’re too busy, pick up the phone or point your mouse at their website for a fast mailorder service. Justine Crow recommends this month’s best titles.

IT IS ABOUT this time of year that I tug open a bedroom drawer and shudder at the contents, horrified and bored by the prospect of yanking on woolly tights yet again, selecting a dull coloured long sleeved top for the gazillionth time and covering it all up with the requisite cardigan or jumper. Whatever happened to global warming? I distinctly remember cradling Trasha as a newborn (yes, she actually did come out the usual way and did not just appear in a puff of green smoke) before spring cracked and it being the warmest Thursday before the clocks went forward since records began. Or something like that. Mum and I celebrated by getting our arms out of their sleeves and sitting in a pub garden with Trasha strapped to my chest in a Wilkinet and me slopping beer and dropping crisps on her still soft scalp. Happy days. Heaven knows how she turned out like she did.

FRENCH PARENTS DON’T GIVE IN by Pamela Druckerman Doubleday rrp £12.99. I also recall that my mum, a Croydon girl who believed that there wasn’t a single problem in life that couldn’t be solved with a pint of Guinness and a new lipstick, looked a picture of glamorous poise in that pub garden.

Whereas I still can’t seem to dress like a grown-up. Let alone behave like one. And that is the key, je pense, to the French theory of parenting too - you are the adult and the bebe is the, um, child. Thus, armed with this intractable rule, and as it says here, bearing in mind the Gallic determination to emerge from pregnancy with your figure and allure intact, you have permission both to look smart and to be everso slightly patronising towards your newborn - this is your new house and this is your cot where you WILL be sleeping. Yes, cherie, you are hungry but you must wait a little longer. Don’t over-stimulate the child, don’t let he or she interrupt and however bad you feel, don’t EVER wear one of your husband’s old shirts.

SOLVE YOUR CHILD’S SLEEP PROBLEMS by Dr Richard Ferber - Vermilion rrp £12.99. Whereas the French apparently address the issue of “doh-doh” with the simple concept of “le pause”, ie give it a mo’ before going to a crying baby and whatever you do, don’t run, here the solution runs to 425 pages. Covering in depth everything from sleep phases to feeding times to night frights, if nothing else it’s hefty enough to wedge the little beggar’s bedroom shut with if you get really desperate.

MOTHERS RAISING SONS by Nigel Latta - Vermilion rrp £12.99. Now I flagged this up in the last issue as being something to look out for and now I have the book in my hands, my throwaway comment - alright, snidey aside - about the author being male (the implication being I wasn’t entirely convinced he should be telling us how to do it) has left me slightly choking on my lager (can one slightly choke?).

Afterall, he is on the inside and on inspection I find his innate nerdiness quite thought provoking. Taking suppositions such as ‘women use 20,000 words a day, where as men only 7000’ (to which any owner of a teenage boy will retort: there ain’t no supposing) or that boys’ brain development is months behind girls’ when beginning school, he examines the notion that male grey matter is wired differently and shows us how to use it to ours and to their advantage. Have fun with them, he says, and stop worrying.

LONDON FOR LOVERS by Sam Hodges & Sophie Vickers Square Peg rrp £12.99. Hey, just because you’ve got kids and therefore a perennial desire for red hot sleep, doesn’t mean this book isn’t for you. Besides, the really excellent selection of walks, eclectic shops, lost bits and off-the-wall places, from the little known and mysterious Dennis Severs house at Spitalfields, a Huguenot home that looks as if its imagined eighteenth century incumbents just popped out or, the secret crumbling beauty of St Dunstans Hill church garden, to the famous Crystal Palace dinosaurs and the bohemian Eel Pie Island, all are worthy of a revitalising visit with the other half. Who knows, you might even have a conversation.

STITCH NEW YORK by Lauren O’Farrell - David & Charles rrp £14.99. Grandma says, if in doubt, knit. And she has a point you never see a stressed out knitter. I think this is a thrill merely to leaf through, though granted I am incredibly impressed by

anything involving wool and pointy sticks. Squint and you really could be on Lexington, give or take a dropped stitch. The author’s alter ego, Deadly Knitshade, calls herself a graffiti knitter and squid wrestler so I’m sure Grandma would approve too. Given that my total craft skills amount to pressing-out paper dolls and turning down the tabs on their dresses, Donna Wilson’s CREATIVE CREATURES, Kingfisher rrp £12.99 is probably a safer bet, with a story accompanying each easily knitted pattern. I especially like Ralf and Rill’s sock monster every home should have one.

EXTRA YARN by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen Walker rrp £11.99. It’s a cold and tedious and boring old black and white winter but Annabelle finds a box of colourful yarn and gets knitting and soon the whole town, including shouty Mr Norman the teacher, has been ‘bombed’ by technicolour wool.

Meanwhile, somebody is jealous of that bottomless supply of jolly pullovers and I don’t blame him one bit (if you recognise the drawings that’s because the illustrator is the flavour du jour, creator of the seminal I WANT MY HAT BACK).

I am absolutely loving the artwork in PENGUIN IN PERIL by Helen Hancocks, Templar rrp £6.99, and the naughty pussycats look they’ve been lifted right out of a page from Creative Creatures above, complete with burglar masks.

THE HUEYS IN IT WASN’T ME by Oliver Jeffers - HarperCollins rrp £12.99. The last Huey picture book was all about jumpers as it happens. This one is all about bickering between siblings and how to settle things. First find yourself a dead fly. No, really..

CHARLOTTE MIDDLETON PRESENTS CHRISTOPHER’S BICYCLE - OUP rrp £11.99. The concept of recycling neatly explained for pre-schoolers with a handy recipe for any-easy to make bird feeder. Cute doesn’t do it justice.

CHU’S DAY by Neil Gaiman & Adam Rex - Bloomsbury rrp £10.99. You may be dazzled by the name above the door (author of CORALINE to say the very least) but no offence, he is completely out-dazzled here by the illustrator - this is easily the most beautiful children’s picture I’ve seen this year and, I have to say, it’s a far more interesting take on the rarest of bears than watching hours of the cuddly endangered species fast asleep on the Edinburgh Zoo panda cam.

HOORAY FOR BREAD by Allan Ahlberg & Bruce Ingman Walker Books rrp £11.99. An exuberant celebration of another of life’s humble pleasures with a style and simplicity as simple as a buttered slice itself.

THE MOOMIN ADVENTURE BOOK - Self Made Hero rrp £12.99. There are pinwheel sandwiches in this ‘guide to the great outdoors for little adventurers’ and all you need is a spongy loaf, a rolling pin, some spread and somewhere picturesque to eat them. I am looking forward to trying out some of these Moominesque activities with my nephew, Dinky Bill, who has recently moved to the countryside. A picnic, bug safari with a jam jar, pond-dipping and a nature treasure hunt featuring pine cones and seaweed should all keep this little townie occupied for hours. Not to mention the nephew. The last time I saw dear little Dinky he was in distinctly urban mode throwing the mother of all tantrums in Jamie Oliver’s Italian themed chain bistro amidst the sky-scrapers of Canary Wharf, bless. I’d like to see him try that malarkey when he’s miles from nowhere with Aunty Jussy and nowt but a clump of nettles.

Good job that particular evening his mum and I’d been anaesthetised by a decent Gavi or he’d have been in the Thames in seconds flat. I favour the singularly un-French approach you see, and to hell with “le pause”. A la prochaine!

The Bookseller Crow, 50 Westow St. Crystal Palace, London SE19 3AF Telephone: 020 8771 8831 email: info@booksellercrow.co.uk www.booksellercrow.co.uk 4

families south east - march 2013

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education news Sydenham High tops Lewisham league tables Performance tables published on 24 January confirmed Sydenham High’s strong academic standing, becoming the top performing girls’ school in Lewisham and continuing a five-year trend of high GCSE and A level results. In addition, the percentage of GCSE pupils meeting the government’s new English Baccalaureate performance standard - in the core subjects of English, Maths, Science, a Modern Foreign Language and a Humanity subject (History or Geography) - was 74%, rising to 98% per cent when taking into account those who took Religious Studies as their Humanity subject.

“Sydenham High has always delivered academic excellence but it is great to have achieved some of our best results to date in our 125th anniversary year”, said Head Teacher Kathryn Pullen. “Academic success is vital in today’s competitive university and work environment and we work hard to ensure that all our girls can achieve the qualifications they need and deserve. However, we also believe that education is about much more than just exams so we work equally hard to ensure that every girl can discover her spark and is equipped with the confidence and resilience to thrive in a challenging world and reach her fullest potential.”

To read more about Sydenham High School GDST or to register for 2013 assessments, go to www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net.

We are looking for an After School Care Supervisor to work from 3.00 to 6.00pm Monday to Friday.

This is term time only (approx. 35 weeks per year).

An NVQ 3 in Child Care or appropriate qualification is needed.

We are looking for someone who likes children and is an enthusiastic worker and team member. The successful applicant will have to complete a full CRB check and medical.

For an application pack please email juniorschool@alleyns.org.uk or telephone 020 8557 1519.

Closing date 15 March 2013 Alleyn’s Junior School, Townley Road, Dulwich. SE22 8SU www.alleyns.org.uk

Manners maketh the woman

By Louise Simpson, Head Bromley High School “Manners were an important part of a Victorian upbringing. Pleases and thank-yous, how do you dos and civility were a normal part of communication for everyone, regardless of wealth or position.

Valuing each other as individuals, and considering the feelings and needs of others lies at the root of good manners and is what leads to pleasant interaction and positivity within a community. The home is, of course, where this should start, but schools must play their part.

Schools need well established and embedded golden rules of being caring, kind and considerate and with shared values of support, positivity and encouragement.

To celebrate our 130th year we aim to give something back to the community.

We have challenged every member of the Bromley High community (whatever their age) to give 130 minutes (or hours if they can) to help the local community.

We hope that this year we can make a real difference, with our amassed individual 130 minutes of time, we have the capacity to rekindle the philanthropic attitudes of those who established our school in 1883 and we hope that we will do so politely, with a smile!

If we can help your organisation in any way, please email us on bhs@bro.gdst.net and see how you can help us celebrate our 130th birthday.”

To read more about Bromley High School GDST or to register for 2013 assessments, go to www.bromleyhigh.gdst.net.

SOUTH LONDON DANCE STUDIOS

SOUTH LONDON DANCE STUDIOS Summer term dance classes for children from 18 months and adults, starting 15th April

Contact us in advance for more information and to enrol for dance classes 130 Herne Hill, SE24 9QL 020 7978 8624 info@southlondondancestudios.co.uk

Open day dates For more dates and listings, see our What’s On open days guide at www.familiesse.co.uk Thames Christian College Oakfield Preparatory School 7 March, 2 May, Wye Street SW11 2HB, 5 March, 23 April, 18 June, 020 7228 3933, 125-128 Thurlow Park Road SE21 8HP, www.thameschristiancollege.org.uk 020 8670 4206, www.oakfield.dulwich.sch.uk Bromley High School GDST 9 May, Blackbrook Lane BR1, 020 8781 Sydenham High School GDST 7000, www.bromleyhigh.gdst.net 14 March, Junior school 15 Westow Hill SE26, Bishop Challoner School 020 8557 7000, 9 March, 228 Bromley Road BR2 0BS, www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net 020 8460 3546, www.bishopchallonerschool.com Rosemead Preparatory School 19 March, Blackheath High School GDST Pre prep Elmcourt Road SE27, 6 March, Juniors Wemyss Road SE3, Prep department 020 8852 1537, 70 Thurlow Park Road SE21, 7 March, Seniors Vanbrugh Park SE3, 020 8670 5865, 020 8853 2929, www.rosemeadprepschool.org.uk www.blackheathhighschool.gdst.net Herne Hill School 9 March, The Old Vicarage, 127 Herne Hill SE24 9LY, 020 7274 6336, www.hernehillschool.co.uk

familiesse.co.uk

www.thameschristiancollege.org.uk

Thamesbecause small schools build big futures our exceptional independent school for boys and girls

OPEN MORNING TH U RSDAY 2nd MAY 11 .0 0 -1 .0 0 For full list of open mornings, enrolment and fee details contact 020 7228 3933 Thames Christian College, Wye Street, London SW11 2HB

march 2013 - families south east

5

family life

Childcare Choices

By Joanna Moorhead and Robina Cowan

Childcare in Britain costs more than almost anywhere else in the world.

According to recent figures, 27% of the income of families with young children is spent on the costs of a nursery, nanny or childminder.

How can our childcare be made more affordable without compromising on quality? That’s the question everyone, from government ministers to childcare providers, is grappling with at the moment.

In late January, Early Years minister Elizabeth Truss announced proposals aimed at cutting childcare costs for parents while raising pre-school standards. Under the scheme, nurseries and childminders would look after more children than current rules allow. New nursery staff would be required to have a GCSE grade C or above in English and Maths; and the government would introduce a new graduate-level early years teaching qualification.

While no one disputes the need for affordable, good quality childcare for parents who want it, not everyone agrees with the proposals as they stand.

Amanda Coxen, director of Tinies Childcare, told Families: “Tinies has always campaigned for higher

standards of quality in childcare and therefore would welcome more qualified staff to be caring for children. However, we don’t believe that the government’s suggestions that staff should have Maths/ English GCSE, for example, would lead to better quality of care. A baby in a nursery needs love and care, not a lesson in maths. In addition, the premise that these changes will lead to cheaper childcare is unsupported by any real evidence. Most nurseries won’t change their ratios as they believe more carers per child is better than fewer, and those that say they will change their ratios are unlikely to be able to cut fees as they are already working to tight margins, and would have to pay higher salaries to higher qualified staff.

We think the government has approached this in the wrong way. They should be looking at better tax breaks for parents, and how to improve the standards of training in the industry.”

Tinies is the UK’s leading and largest childcare agency. For a local branch, see tinies.com.

How to cut your childcare costs in the short term •

• • •

•

Change your working hours. As a parent with a child under 16, you’re entitled to request flexible working hours from your employer, provided you’ve worked there for more than six months. You could ask to fit your work into fewer days that are longer - then your partner could collect your child or children from your carer on the days you’re working, and you can cut childcare bills.

If you work part-time and use a nursery, check out whether the fees are lower on certain days of the week (they sometimes are) and see if you can switch the days you work Team up with a friend who’s also working part-time and has a child of a similar age. You look after her child with yours while she’s working, and vice versa When you’re choosing a childminder, check whether she can access the free 15 hours’ childcare a week that all three and four-year-olds are entitled to - not all childminders can do this, yet it can be worth up to £180 for 38 weeks of the year Childcare Vouchers can be given by employers to their workers as a perk in addition to salary, or you can opt to sign up for a ‘salary sacrifice’ scheme in which part of your pay is turned into vouchers. A basic rate taxpayer can pay for up to £243 of childcare with vouchers each month. Employers don’t pay National Insurance on the vouchers so it saves them money, you benefit because your salary will go further, and you can use the vouchers for registered and regulated nurseries, childminders, nannies, playgroups and holiday playschemes.

Affordable nannies on the rise Childrenswear from Boys&Girls SS collection, boysandgirlsshop.com

The live-in nanny is now more affordable than in pre-recession times when demand outstripped supply.

The latest annual nanny salary survey from Nannytax, the UK’s leading payroll service for nanny employers, has found that nanny salaries went down as much as 5% over the last year, against a national average salary rise of 1.4%.

The survey of 1,145 nanny employers and 702 nannies also reveals that female British nannies dominate (74% from the UK) in UK homes. 13% originate from Eastern Europe (a small rise of 2% year on year), 4% from Australasia and less than 1% from a perceived previously dominating Scandinavia.

Helen Harvey, payroll services director at Nannytax says: “If you have the space, a live in nanny might well be worth considering if you’re a working family. It’s certainly more realistic than previous years with nanny salaries down against a general national wage rise, whilst other childcare costs are on the rise. The appeal is particularly strong if you’re based in Greater London or the Home Counties where live in nanny salaries are down 5%.”

Nannies have always needed extra skills alongside childcare. However, it appears that demand for these additional skills is lessening. Top additional skills requested by families looking for a nanny in 2012 were cooking skills (wanted by 48% of families, down 10.5% from 2011), driving (47%, down 7.5%), teaching creative skills (19%, down 1.5%) and academic tuition (6%, down 1.7%).

Nannytax provides unlimited support and advice on all pay and employment related issues, as well as employment law support and Nannyinsure, public liability insurance specifically for professional nannies.

Read more at nannytax.co.uk.

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families south east - march 2013

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Finding Childcare

EVENING BABYSITTERS at £7-8 per hour Before a first minimum 3 hour booking, children can meet our teacher, midwife, nanny or nursery nurse.

Plus we do school holiday daytime 6-month Agency fee £30

Abbeville Nannies

020 8650 3232

www.littlemastersandmisses.com Childrenswear from Boys&Girls SS collection, boysandgirlsshop.com

Live in nannies continue to be a popular option as they are significantly more affordable, if you have the space to accommodate them. Daily nannies will also work long hours and their hourly rate does not increase per child. So once you have your second or third child, a nanny can be more cost effective and more flexible than a day nursery.

Abbeville Nannies have been placing live in and daily nannies across south east and south west London for the past 11 years. The agency has noticed a sharp increase over recent years in searches for part time nannies, as more employers are allowing part time and flexible working hours that will suit working parents.

Nanny shares are ever popular for first time mothers with one baby, and splitting the cost between two families really does make it a much more affordable venture. Contact Kate or Katherine on 020 7627 3352 to discuss your childcare options, and see abbevillenannies.co.uk.

Little Masters and Misses Debbie Eliff founded Little Masters and Misses 28 years ago, and she still heads the team, bringing a wealth of experience to local parents seeking reliable childcare.

In 2012 the Beckenham-based agency was a finalists in the Bromley Business of the Year awards.

LM&M aims to persuade families (and nannies) not to risk the happiness and safety of vulnerable children by meeting through ad-only websites: “We support child carers to be honest and not delete jobs or exaggerate baby experience on their CV - which is easily done if they represent themselves unchecked. We introduce 2-hour interviewed and 4 reference checked nannies and childminders.”

The agency can also save parents money, firstly as many who find childcare online can end up overpaying up to £20 per day, and secondly by capping agency fees at £500.

For information and advice, and to find a verified nanny, childminder or evening babysitter, call 020 8650 3232 or see littlemastersandmisses.com.

Nanny shares and more Simply Childcare lives up to its name by bringing together parents looking for childcare, and available nannies, childminders, mother’s helps, doulas, au pairs etc.

The website also offers friendly advice and information about childcare, including a comprehensive Childcare Information Pack, nanny contracts and advice on nanny salaries. Call 020 7701 6111 between 9am and 3pm, or go to simplychildcare.com.

Emergency Childcare If you need childcare in a hurry, as a one-off, or for last minute help, check out the specialists Emergency Childcare. The national web-based service can help you source a local nanny to your door with only two hours’ notice; a mother’s help; or a place at a local nursery in as little as an hour’s notice. All nannies are over 21, qualified, CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked, have a first aid certificate and are fully referenced and interviewed, providing an invaluable resource for parents, at emergencychildcare.co.uk.

Read more Families’ website has archived articles about childcare, online, all the time at familiesonline.co.uk • OFSTED regulates the registration and inspection of daycare settings including childminders’ premises. Reports are online at ofsted.gov.uk • Good Care Guide lists all registered group childcare settings in England, with maps, contact details, links to the most recent Ofsted inspection report, and the option to read or add user comments, goodcareguide.co.uk.

• NCMA is the National Childminding Association. It has a wealth of information for parents on choosing and working with childminders and nannies, and on setting up a childminding business. 0845 880 0044, ncma.org.uk • BAPAA is the British Au Pair Agencies Association. The only recognised trade association for the au pair industry in Britain, BAPAA sets standards for the au pair industry and protects the au pair experience as a rewarding cultural exchange programme. To find a registered member agency, go to bapaa.org.uk.

familiesse.co.uk

Montessori Twelve Safe, caring, qualified childcare

A brand new Montessori for 0-5 year-olds, opening new year 2013 in Lewisham • Day nursery and pre-prep • Baby room and activity rooms for preschoolers • Montessori approach to Early Years Foundation stages • Music, dance, arts and crafts, trips out • Potty training • Nutritious home cooked meals and snacks • Set in a four storey house with a large garden • Open 8am to 6pm

Now enrolling!

Call Cynthia on 07899 7211 65 w w w . m o n t e s s o r i t w e l v e . c o m march 2013 - families south east

7

- and stars of stage and screen Stuart Piper is Principal of Stagecoach Blackheath.

In his other role, Stuart is kept busy as an agent to many stars of stage and screen at his agency, Cole Kitchenn, which is part of the ROAR Group.

Appointed agent to the finalists of Britain’s Got Talent 2012, Stuart represents winners Ashleigh & Pudsey - which he admits is the first time he has represented a dog! Ashleigh & Pudsey starred this Christmas alongside Stephen Mulhern in the biggest pantomime in Britain: Dick Whittington at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking.

Les Miserables

New year treat The lucky students of Stagecoach Blackheath were very excited when Stuart arranged a trip for 83 students and their families to see Dick Whittington in January. The students had a great time and are now using their experience of live theatre to work towards their own production at the end of this term.

Meeting Ashleigh & Pudsey

Stagecoach was the start Stuart began his career as a child actor himself, attending Stagecoach as a student at the age of eight at the very first Stagecoach school, run by founder Stephanie Manuel. He now runs Stagecoach Blackheath with his wife, Deputy Principal Robyn North, who herself is a West End star. Having played Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, Robyn can now be seen in the Les Miserables movie at cinemas for Working Title Films.

Stuart’s position as a leading London actors’ agent means that students at Stagecoach Blackheath have the privilege of working with some of the biggest current West End and television stars each Saturday. He explained: “We are here to help support and nurture performing talent and to help young people improve their confidence, team work and social development. We are pleased and proud to introduce new singing teacher, Niamh Perry to our teaching faculty. She was a finalist on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s search for Nancy on ITV’s I’d Do Anything, and is now sharing her skills and experience with our students.”

Niamh Perry

Join in Stagecoach is a part time theatre school with over 40,000 students and 700 schools worldwide, teaching valuable skills for life through the three basic performing arts disciplines - singing, dancing and drama. Classes are run after school, on Saturdays and during school holidays.

er s t s a E shop WoSrukmmerkTienrgm &

8

families south east - march 2013

boo now

familiesse.co.uk

Artastic Holiday Art Club Easter Summer Christmas Half Term

STAGECOACH EASTER WORKSHOP

FREEDOM ACADEMY WORKSHOPS

Easter Holiday Clubs & Workshops

Dulwich & Beckenham JAPS & St Mary's

07792549874 info@club-tastic.co.uk www.club-tastic.co.uk

FUNKY MONKEY KEYBOARD WORKSHOPS

CLUBTASTIC ART CLASSES 27 March, 3, 8 + 10 April, 27 + 29 May in DULWICH, 2 + 9 April and 28 May in BECKENHAM, 0779 254 9874, club-tastic.co.uk Daylong art days, jam packed with different art activities and fun games.

9am-4pm, £32.50 per child per day.

FREEDOM ACADEMY WORKSHOPS 3-5 and 10-12 April in DULWICH and FOREST HILL, 020 8244 4873, www.freedomacademy.co.uk THE GINGERBREAD MAN, 3-5 April in Forest Hill and 10-12 April in Dulwich. Follow the Gingerbread Man on an all singing, all dancing journey!

Ages 3-6 years, £60 per child, £50 sibling/ benefit rate MUSICAL MADNESS, 10-12 April in Dulwich. Children can learn the songs and routines from their favourite West End Musicals. 9am-3.30pm, ages 714 years, £90 per child, £80 sibling/ benefit rate.

HANSEL AND GRETEL WITH PERFORM 3-5 April, St STEPHEN’S MILLENNIUM HALL, College Road, Dulwich SE21 7HW, 0845 400 1277, perform.org.uk Take a magical adventure meeting many wonderful characters including the Poor Woodcutter and the Gingerbread Witch who tricks the children into her home. Perform’s three-day Experience has all the excitement of the original fairytale, with a hazardous journey, and eventual triumph taking in the dark and distant forest and the wicked cottage of cakes.

With unique games, specially written music, energetic dance and colourful improvisation, a team of enthusiastic and experienced actors, musicians and dancers bring this classic tale to life, inspiring and encouraging the children every step of the way so that they’ll have an experience to remember forever. Ages 4-8 years, 10am-12pm each day, £93 per child includes refreshments, 25% reduction for siblings.

INKHEAD CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOPS 3-5 and 10+11 April in HERNE HILL and LEE, 07943 514408, inkhead.co.uk Inkhead’s story writing workshops cover creative writing and the use of English. Writers who love words show the difference between writing to persuade, argue or advise and writing creatively. The course shows how to plot a story and write within a time constraint. Ages 7-14 years, 10am1pm each day.

THE CATERPILLAR’S VOICE 3-5 April in HERNE HILL and 8-10 April in CLAPHAM 0800 975 5290, 2-4 April in BLACKHEATH and ELTHAM, 8-10 April in GREENWICH and LEE 020 8244 2036, theatrebugs.co.uk; email enquiries@theatrebugs.co.uk A little caterpillar wanders into a cave one day and discovers how big and loud his voice becomes. He sounds like a big, huge, enormous animal!

He decides to play a trick on his friends the hare, the elephant, and the lion.

Flutterby Butterfly joins in the fun too!

Join Theatrebugs’ three fun-filled days of acting, dancing, singing, arts and crafts and dressing up. On day three it’s showtime! 9.30am-12.30pm each day, ages 31⁄2 - 6 yrs, £78 per child includes a snack and drink; 10% discount for the youngest sibling.

STAGECOACH EASTER WORKSHOP 8-11 April in DULWICH, 020 8949 4116, stagecoach.co.uk/dulwich ‘Lights, Camera, Action’ is a fun-filled, four day compilation show that looks at musicals on the silver screen including Les Miserables, The Muppet Movie, Tangled, Charlie And The Chocolate Factory and many, many more.

The children meet for the first time on Monday morning and make lots of new friends. They have a full schedule of rehearsals so that no one can get bored; and by Thursday it’s show time for family and friends in the Great Hall at Alleyn’s School. Ages 4-7 and 8-16 years, book first.

TENNIS-4-KIDS 8-11 April in EAST DULWICH, 0787 739 1005, tennis-4-kids.com Fun filled indoor tennis games and activities designed for the younger player, in which all the skills and tactics of the real game can be learned and used. Ages 21⁄2 to eight years.

FUNKY MONKEY KEYBOARD WORKSHOPS 8-12 April in EAST DULWICH/ HERNE HILL, 0800 107 7949, funkymonkey.info KEYBOARD SUPERSTAR workshops offer a brilliant introduction to music. 5-8 year-old beginners read, play and write notes C-A alongside

familiesse.co.uk

HANSEL AND GRETEL WITH PERFORM

learning keyboard technique and countless music-based activities including composition, artwork, singing and performance skills. Your child can try making music for a week, and if they enjoy it, move on to term classes.

8-12 April, £119 per child includes all equipment and a snack.

ONE HIT WONDER is a one-off, four hour holiday workshop where 5-8 year-olds learn how to play and write notes C-G, have a basic introduction to music theory, learn famous tunes and enjoy quizzes and activities. £30 includes a workbook to take home.

READER OFFER: Families readers can book the Keyboard Superstar workshop for just £109 per child - quote ‘FSE’ when booking.

INTENSIVE TOUCH TYPING School holidays and termtime classes in SYDENHAM, 020 7515 1707, yes-tuitionandtraining.co.uk Learn a new skill with a touch typing courses run by YES. Children find them fun, and they work - most children are tapping away proficiently in just ten hours. Sessions can be booked to fit around other holiday commitments so children can progress at their own pace.

SOUTH LONDON YOUTH ORCHESTRA 8-11 April in DULWICH, 020 8613 6444, jasspa.org.uk Four orchestras encompassing beginner to Grade 8+ musicians. Each orchestra is led by an inspirational conductor who brings a wealth of experience from the fields of music and education, performance and conducting, working with the young musicians to prepare for a final day performance.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER 10+11 April, DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, 020 8299 8732, dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Create colourful printed bird sculptures for display in your garden. Artist Erica Parrett’s workshop will explore pattern and mark making through polyblock printmaking, painting and 3D construction skills, using materials like wire and recycled materials. Ages 6-8 years 10.30am-12.30pm, ages 9-11 years 2-4pm, £18 per child.

SE LONDON TENNIS CAMPS 2-5 April week one; 8-11 April week two, SYDENHAM LAWN TENNIS CLUB, Lawrie Park Road SE26 6ET, southeastlondontennis.com, email chris@southeastlondontennis.com Four day group activities with professional coaches. Each session includes tennis coaching, games and other team events, with a mini tournament at the end of each week. Facilities are available for wet-weather activities if necessary. Beginners and improvers welcome. 9am-12noon for 7-10 yearolds, 1-4pm for 11-15 year-olds, £48 for all four days, one day £14. Book and pay online; or call Chris on 0773 993 6999 or Michael on 07956 995820.

MUNCHKINS HOLIDAY COOKING 2, 4, 5, 8-12 April in BLACKHEATH, 020 8269 1331, blackheathcooks.com At Munchkins’ popular holiday workshops, children are kept busy making their own lunch or tea and a snack to eat at breaktime, plus lots of tasty goodies to take home and share, These action-packed workshops give 4-11 year olds a great opportunity to get messy, be creative and develop their cookery skills within a range of different themes. Courses can be booked by the half day or as a longer course.

LEARN

YOUNG

have fun!

A fun filled introduction to tennis for 2½-8 yr olds. Played indoors with small rackets, sponge balls and scaled-down court.

Aids agility, co-ordination and balance.

A positive introduction to tennis with lots of fun.

For further details, ring Gordon on

07877 391005 gordon@tennis-4-kids.com www.tennis-4-kids.com

STORY WRITING WORKSHOPS at the Carnegie Library in Herne Hill and Manor Park Library in Lee

Book Now www.inkhead.co.uk 07943 514408

April 3rd, 4th & 5th April 10th & 11th Time: 10 am to 1pm

Our courses are extremely popular with children who enjoy writing as well as those who don’t. We show how to construct believable characters and breathe life into them before sending them on sometimes adventurous, often dangerous, journeys, which become riveting plots.

By the end of our course your child will have written at least one story they could be proud of. march 2013 - families south east

9

family life

Family health You are what you eat A new study shows that children who eat fast food three or more times a week are likely to have more severe allergic reactions.

An online issue of Thorax, published on 14 January, reported on a survey of nearly 500,000 children aged from 6-14 years in 31 countries, which looked into the diets of children with allergies such as asthma, runny or blocked noses, itchy and watery eyes and eczema.

Eating fast food was linked to the conditions in both teenager and children groups. Teenagers consuming three or more weekly fast food meals had a 39% increased risk of severe asthma, whilst among the younger children, there was a 27% increased risk of severe asthma. There were also higher risks of rhinitis (hay fever) and eczema.

Meanwhile, fruit appeared to reduce the incidence and severity of the conditions, with three or more servings of fruit reducing symptoms (11% among teenagers and 14% in the younger age group of children).

Apples contain high amounts of the natural antihistamine quercetin, which can help reduce hayfever symptoms, while pineapple contains bromelain, which helps the body absorb quercetin. The attractive, bright orange and red colours of fruits signal that they are rich in beta carotene, vitamin C and a substance called bioflavonoids. These nutrients are said to be good for preparing the body for fighting off hayfever symptoms.

So why not try giving your child oranges, grapefruit or some watermelon and see if they notice a difference?

Another helper could be pollen barrier balm HayMax, which prevents allergens from entering the body and helps keep sufferers syptom-free for longer. The balms are drug-free and made from completely natural and organic ingredients (certified by the Soil Association), so are ideal for children who suffer from hayfever or dust and pet allergies. In addition, there are no drowsy side-effects, so they are ideal for use when taking exams.

Find out more at haymax.biz.

Lunchbox Doctor The number of packed lunchboxes that meet the nutritional standards set for school meals is just 1%.

Nutrition expert Jenny Tschiesche has launched a new website to inspire parents. Using her years of expertise in children’s health and gut health, Lunchbox Doctor provides menu plans, recipes and nutrition advice to put together tasty and wholesome lunchboxes for children to take to school.

There is also a book Not Just Sandwiches, packed with great ways to feed children more wholesome food. The book is £9.99, and the menu plans are available on subscription, at lunchboxdoctor.com.

®

Most popular on FamiliesOnline Excellent nutrition tips

for boosting the immune system www.familiesonline.co.uk/ immunitynutrition Do's and don'ts of new

year exercise www.familiesonline.co.uk/ newyearexercise Tackling your toddler's

tantrum www.familiesonline.co.uk/ tantrums Signs of meningitis

(a really helpful video) www.familiesonline.co.uk/ meningitissigns 10

families south east - march 2013

Just what you knead Squidging my children’s play dough is one of life’s little pleasures.

Or maybe that’s just me...

Created in a kitchen by a single father to help his two young sons with everyday childhood ailments, Mohdoh has become a firm favourite with children, parents and childcare providers the world over.

A little like play dough, Mohdoh cleverly combines aromatherapy, colour and play therapy. As it is kneaded, aromatherapy oils are vaporised and inhaled, while specifically chosen colours help to relax and soothe or invigorate. Users say Mohdoh helps tackle an array of childhood ailments from colds and flu, travel sickness, insomnia, to stress and anxiety, hyperactivity, lack of focus and more.

100% natural and 100% kind, there are seven products in the children’s range, available from selected Boots and Holland & Barrett branches, rrp £4.99. To find a stockist or buy direct, go to mohdoh.co.uk or call 0870 350 1841.

Fresh and fruity Antiperspirants and deodorants are used by almost everyone on a daily basis. In a strive to stay free from body odour many are unaware that hidden nasties in some personal care products have been linked to problems ranging from skin irritation to Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. Despite this they are introduced to children as young as eight.

Most young people don’t really experience unpleasant body odour (BO) until puberty, although they can develop BO at any age. At the onset of puberty raging hormones affect all glands in the body, not least the sweat glands, making teens sweat more. An essential function, sweating helps to regulate body temperature and release toxins - BO is simply a result of sweat reacting with the bacteria on our skin.

Green People offers a safe solution with Oy! Organic Young Roll-On Deodorant, the first ever certified organic deodorant roll-on especially for young skin. It uses alum, a natural rock crystal and zinc ricinoleate salt from the castor oil plant to prevent bacteria from growing and to trap and stop BO in its tracks, while still allowing skin to breathe. The soothing aloe vera-based deodorant is pH balanced to be gentle on underarm skin and contains prebiotics to supports the skin’s own good natural bacterial flora, keeping the ‘bad’ odour-creating bacteria in check. Its wonderfully zesty blend of certified organic Orange, Lemon & Mandarin will leave your child smelling fresh. Truly organic with 89% certified organic ingredients, Oy! is £7.95 from greenpeople.co.uk/deodorantforchildren.

familiesse.co.uk

ask the expert

To Have and to Hold

By Mandeep Clair

“We are getting married. Should we have a pre-nuptial agreement?”

A pre-nuptial or pre-marital agreement is a contract entered into between a couple before they marry dealing usually with how money and other assets should be divided between them in the event that their marriage irretrievably breaks down.

Pre-nuptial agreements are becoming increasingly popular. A common reason for not having one is that it is unromantic, demonstrating a lack of trust between the couple and a lack of faith that their marriage will endure. Pre-nuptial agreements are not automatically legally binding under English Law, but can certainly be taken into consideration when deciding on how matrimonial assets and liabilities should be divided between the spouses in the event of a divorce. There has been a shift in recent times in the longstanding principle in English Law that pre-nuptial agreements are against public policy and therefore not legally binding here.

In order to maximise the prospect of a pre-nuptial agreement being influential, the considerations/ steps set out below are relevant.

1. Full and frank disclosure - both parties should provide full details of their financial circumstances and these should be attached by way of a schedule to the pre-nuptial agreement.

2. Neither party should feel forced into entering the agreement. Therefore, it is recommended that there should be a minimum period of 21 days between the marriage and the date on which the pre-nuptial agreement is entered into.

3. Both sides should take independent legal advice on the contents of the pre-nuptial agreement and the solicitors advising on both sides should

ideally confirm that this has happened by signing a certificate to that effect which should be attached to the pre-nuptial agreement.

4. The prospects of a pre-nuptial agreement being valid may be improved by the provision of periodic reviews (eg on the fifth anniversary) whereby the level of provision increases with the duration of the marriage.

5. There might be a better chance of a pre-nuptial agreement being enforceable if it ring fences assets acquired before the marriage, but takes into account the fact that any increase in value of those assets during the marriage should be considered as a matrimonial asset and open to division between the spouses.

If a Court has to decide on the validity of a pre-nuptial agreement in the future upon the breakdown of a marriage, it would consider a number of factors when deciding on what a reasonable financial settlement should be. Under the present law, only one of these factors is the terms of the pre-nuptial agreement. The welfare of any children of the family under the age of 18 years would be the paramount consideration and other factors which would be taken into account are, for example, each spouse’s needs, contributions towards the marriage, standard of living enjoyed during the marriage and the duration of the marriage. A pre-nuptial agreement which would leave a former spouse in a predicament of real need has been stated to be a factor in caselaw which would make it likely to be unfair to hold the parties to their pre-nuptial agreement.

It is not automatically the case that assets/ money

which have been brought into a marriage by one party should always remain that party’s sole property upon the dissolution of a marriage. If a Court were involved in resolving the terms of any financial settlement upon the breakdown of a marriage, it would look at all of the circumstances to decide what is fair and reasonable of which only one factor is any pre-nuptial agreement.

About the author Mandeep Clair is a mediator, collaborative lawyer and experienced family solicitor at South East London solicitors Grant Saw. The practice offers friendly, professional family mediation and legal services including a free one hour consultation for legal advice. Please call 020 8858 6971 or email mclair@grantsaw.co.uk.

Tel: 6971 Tel:020 020 8858 88586971 ;OL SLNHS HK]PJL ZLY]PJLZ [OH[ .YHU[ :H^ VɈ LYZ HYL! FOR YOUR BUSINESS COMPANY & COMMERCIAL LAW LITIGATION & DEBT COLLECTION EMPLOYMENT LAW COMMERCIAL PROPERTY

Greenwich Office .YLLU^PJO Vɉ JL NormanHouse House Norman 110-114 Norman Road 110-114 London Norman Road SE10 9EH London SE10 9EH Fax: 020 8858 5796 Fax: 020 8858 5796

Blackheath Office

)SHJROLH[O 6ɉ JL 9 Hare & Billet 9 Hare &Road Billet Road Blackheath Blackheath London SE3 London 0RB SE3 0RB Fax: 020 8318 6727

FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FAMILY LAW PROPERTY MATTERS & CONVEYANCING WILLS, PROBATE & ELDERLY CLIENT SERVICES PERSONAL INJURY & COURT CLAIMS

E-mail: enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk

E-mail: enquiries@grantsaw.co.uk

www.grantsaw.com www.grantsaw.com

Fax: 020 8318 6727

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march 2013 - families south east

11

ALBANY – DOGS DON’T DO BALLET

What’sOn

An informal and friendly monthly networking meeting, offering practical business support from other like minded business mums over coffee and pastries. Brainstorm your business ideas and make new connections. 10am-12noon, £15 to trial the group; book first.

Find even more activities: www.familiesse.co.uk then click What's On

Diary Dates for Grown Ups CHILDREN’S TABLE TOP SALE 9 March, LOCHABER HALL, Manor Lane Terrace, Lee SE13 5QL Parents will be selling children’s toys, books, clothes, baby stuff and maternity equipment that they no longer use but that are still of good quality. 3-5pm.

MOTHERING SUNDAY 10 March, YOUR HOUSE Breakfast in bed? Home made cards? You are loved all year round, but it’s nice to feel extra special today as your snuggly, tousle-headed cherubs make a fuss.

GREAT MUMS GET TOGETHER 10-17 March, NATIONWIDE, clicsargent.org.uk/gettogether Mothers across the country are getting together over a cuppa and cake to raise money for Clic Sargent, which supports young people with cancer, and their families. To register an event or find out more about the charity, head to the website or call 08451 206658.

KICKSTART YOUR CAREER 13 March, PLEASAUNCE CAFE, Greenwich SE10 0LB, imaginecareers.co.uk Kickstart 2013 by joining a free careers workshop run by Imagine Careers. 2-3pm. Find out more and book your place by calling Veronica on 07757 939 940.

NCT LEWISHAM NEARLY NEW SALE 16 March, St LAURENCE CHURCH HALL, 37 Bromley Road, Catford SE6 Good quality baby and children’s clothes, nursery equipment, toys, books and maternity wear. 11am-1pm.

NCT BECKENHAM BORDERS NEARLY NEW SALE 16 March, St JOHN’S CHURCH, 251 Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham BR3 3JN Good quality baby and children’s clothes, nursery equipment, toys, books and maternity wear. 10.30am-1pm.

PEACOCK – MY FIRST CINDERELLA

NCT DULWICH & DISTRICT NEARLY NEW SALE 16 March, St FAITH’S CENTRE, bottom of Red Post Hill, Herne Hill SE24 Good quality baby equipment, children’s clothes, toys and books.

10am-12pm, admission £1 with profits to King’s SCBU.

TWINS CLUB PLUS NEARLY NEW SALE 16 March, St MICHAEL’S AND ALL ANGELS, Pond Road, Blackheath SE3 9JL Bargain baby equipment, toys, prams, cots, sterilisers, clothing, towels, swimwear, shoes, gifts and home-made silver items, plus home made cakes and drinks, and entertainment for children with Caterpillar Music.

3-5pm.

NATIONAL HOMEBUILDING AND RENOVATING SHOW 21-24 March, NEC, Birmingham, 0844 581 1377, homebuildingshow.co.uk Whether you’re about to embark on building your own house, remodel your existing property, implement eco savvy technologies or undertake a major extension, the show offers a wealth of design and expertise, no matter the size, scale or stage of your project. Visitors will be able to see and touch the latest products, learn firsthand about the hottest innovations and trends for 2013 as well as soak up advice from specialist key influencers including Michael Holmes, editor-in-chief of Homebuilding and Renovating magazine and one of the country’s leading property experts.

Open 10am-5pm daily, tickets £17 on the door or less when booked online in advance. Under 16s free.

VILLAGE COMMERCE POP UP INDOOR MARKET 30 March, St BARNABAS PARISH HALL, 23 Dulwich Village SE21 7DG, 07824 957 634, villagecommerce.co.uk A pop up monthly indoor market, featuring quality traders from gourmet food to vintage fashion, to Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee and rum cake.

10am-5pm, admission free.

SEE3 ROAMING MARKET 16 March, outside FOREST HILL POOLS, Dartmouth Road SE23, see3.co.uk After a successful array of Christmas launch events, Portas Pilot Town project SEE3 is bringing The Makers Market to Forest Hill Pools. Local and independent traders will offer handmade food, craft and vintage treats by local and independent traders. At the end of March, the market will stop off in Sydenham, showcasing some of London’s best street food sellers, then on to Kirkdale for a retro fair in April. Full dates and information are available on the SEE3 website.

LIFE COACHING GROUP Tuesdays in DULWICH VILLAGE and HERNE HILL, Thursdays in BECKENHAM, Fridays in WEST and EAST DULWICH, 0775 369 9232, email coaching@themindbodyandsoulcoach.co.uk Refresh and support your life, loves, work and goals in a friendly, informal coaching get-together. £8 per person.

SE LONDON MUMPRENEURS NETWORK 21 March, COTE Restaurant, Blackheath SE3 0TL, email motherslife@hotmail.co.uk, selondonmumpreneursnetwork.co.uk

Theatre, Shows and Music THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME 1 March - 25 May, APOLLO THEATRE, 31 Shaftesbury Avenue W1 7EZ, 020 7452 3000, nationaltheatre.org.uk, curiousincidentlondon.com Christopher, fifteen years old, stands beside Mrs Shears’ dead dog. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in a book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain, exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.

Mark Haddon’s touching and bleakly humorous novel is portrayed in Marianne Elliot’s much-acclaimed production. Ages 13+, tickets from £12.

Established

1979

What will we discover Inside the story sock?

What do you think is hiding?

Come here and take a look...

Story Sock is an original and exciting class where stories are explored and brought to life with characters, props and activities that educate, enrich and entertain.

Dotty Socks - 2-3 years Stripy Socks - 3-4 years

Call Katy today to book your FREE introduction class in Blackheath or Greenwich We also offer children’s parties and workshops katy@storysock.co.uk | www.storysock.co.uk 07957 136270

12

families south east - march 2013

The springboard to confidence for your child • Exciting physical play programme • Specially designed equipment • Supervised by trained staff • Develops a child’s confidence, balance and co-ordination • First steps to an active life • Great fun! • Parties available For more information please call Julia on: 020 8464 4433 julia.forrest@tumbletots.com Classes in: Battersea, Clapham, Dulwich, Blackheath www.tumbletots.com/dulwich

familiesse.co.uk

CHILDREN’S STORYTIME FREE EVENTS AT DULWICH BOOKS space limited - booking essential - www.dulwichbooksevents.com

THURSDAY 7TH MARCH 11am

BRIDGET STREVENS-MARZO reading Mini Racer (ages up to 7)

SATURDAY 9TH MARCH

Competitions and activities all day. Come and celebrate children’s books with us!

11am – 11.40am NICHOLAS ALLAN reading The Queen’s Knickers and more! (ages up to 7) 11.40am – 12.20pm SARA GRANT reading from her new Magic Trix series (ages 6 to 9) 12.20pm – 1pm MARGARET BATESON-HILL reading This Little Piggy (ages up to 6) PLUS a free goody bag for the first 20 children through the door.

AMAZON ADVENTURE AT THE HORNIMAN

FAMILY SHOWS AT THE ALBANY THE ALBANY, Douglas Way, Depford SE8 4AG, 020 8692 4446, thealbany.org.uk All tickets £7 or £24 for a family. Two performances per date.

DOGS DON’T DO BALLET, 10 March. Biff is not like ordinary dogs. He likes moonlight. And music. And walking on his tiptoes. Based on the book by Anna Kemp, this is a story of a small dog with a big personality and even bigger dreams, brought to life with beautiful puppets, well-loved ballet music and dazzling comedy. Ages 2+.

TOM THUMB, 17 March. “Here I am!” says Tom as he stays one tiny step ahead of his brothers to protect them from mum, dad and the monster. An inventive take on the classic fairy tale, Tom Thumb is a story about being afraid, being curious and about playing and having fun. Performed entirely on a kitchen table with a scary ogre, flying houses and a deep dark forest, it is an exciting treat for brave children and their grown ups.

Ages 3+.

MY BROTHER THE ROBOT, 24 March. Once upon a time in the future, there will be a little girl called Bobbie who lives with her inventor dad. One day, Bobbie feels lonely so her dad works day and night to invent a very special present - a robot little brother. Bobbie loves her new brother, but when she gets into danger, can he save her? Ages 4+.

ARTHUR’S DREAM BOAT, 3-7 April. One night, Arthur has an amazing dream about a beautiful pink and green boat with a stripy mast. He can’t wait to tell everyone about it but no one (not even his dog!) is interested.

They don’t even notice that this very same boat is growing on his head, getting larger and larger by the minute. Soon, Arthur is bouncing along the waves in his very own dream boat. Maybe now his family will listen! Ages 2+.

FAIRFIELD HALLS THE FAIRFIELD, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG, 020 8688 9291, fairfield.co.uk THE ADVENTURES OF RED RIDING HOOD, 10 March. Follow Red Riding Hood on her adventures in the forest in this lively, captivating production for all the family, with colourful costumes, sing-along songs, comedy, fun and lots of joining in. 4.30pm, children £10, adults £12.

ARTHUR DAVISON FAMILY CONCERT, 23 March.

Music for the whole family, with a Space Adventures theme, and excerpts from pieces by Strauss, Williams and Holst. 11am, tickets £7.50.

TALES FROM THE JUNGLE BOOK, 30 March. Follow Baloo, Bagheera and Mowgli as they journey through the jungle towards the main village. 1pm and 4pm, tickets £10.

POLKA THEATRE POLKA THEATRE, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB, 020 8543 4888, polkatheatre.com GRIMM TALES, 5-23 March. In the dead of the night the moon is hiding behind a cloud, and in the dark forest two children are lost, scared and hungry... Playful, mischievous and deliciously scary fairy tales. Age 6-11, tickets £8 children, £12 adults.

MAVIS SPARKLE, 8-9 March. With a magician for a Dad and a stargazer for a Mum, no wonder there’s more to Mavis than meets the eye! Tickets £8 children, £12 adults WASH! 12-14 March. Follow the adventure of a favourite toy needing its very first wash. With song, rhythm, puppetry and movement.Tickets £8.

SALLY AND THE SUNFLOWER, 15+16 March.

A delightful story of a very small girl and a very tall sunflower. Tickets £8 children, £12 adults.

THE TINDERBOX, 22+23 March. A roguish soldier

6 Croxted Rd. SE21 8SW • dulwichbooks@yahoo.co.uk • www.dulwichbooks.co.uk

STORYTIME AT DULWICH BOOKS EVERY THURSDAY AND SATURDAY AT 11AM

acquires a tinderbox, which gives him the power to magically summon three extraordinary dogs. Tickets £8 children, £10 adults.

KID CARPET AND THE NOISY ANIMALS, 29 March.

Follow the adventures of a charismatic singer and his animal band as they make friends, play games and rock out at a grand dance contest. Age 4-8, Tickets £8 children, £12 adults.

COMEDY 4 KIDS, 30 March. James Campbell is a stand up comedian for anyone who likes comedy without the rude words. Tickets £8 children, £12 adults

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THE LYRIC, King Street, Hammersmith W6 0QL, 020 8741 6850, lyric.co.uk NOBODY RIDES THE UNICORN, 9 March. Zoe knows she must set the Unicorn free but will she be putting herself in terrible danger if she does? Puppets, music and moments of magic bring this original tale to life. 11am & 1pm, age 4-7.

WOLF TALES, 15+16 March. The big bad wolf from your favourite fairy tales reveals the secrets behind stories such as Little Red Riding Hood and Three Little Pigs. Times vary, age 5-10.

LANDSCAPES, 23+24 March. Explore the four corners of the world: the desert, ocean, rainforest and South Pole. Times vary, age 4-9.

or call 0845 313 6711 jp@rugbytots.co.uk

UNICORN THEATRE UNICORN THEATRE, 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7645 0560, unicorntheatre.com BOOK SWAP, 10 March. A book and story swap, with creative bookmark-making and more, as part of the London Children’s Bookswap. Bring a book and swap it for a new one. No booking required.

MOUTH OPEN, STORY JUMP OUT, 5-15 March.

When is a story a story and when is it a lie? Everyone who has ever been at school knows you need to know the difference. One of the UK’s leading spoken word artists, Polarbear (aka Steven Camden), performs a vivid and absorbing show about the craft of storytelling.

Ages 9-11, tickets £13 children, £16 adults.

1001 NIGHTS, until 17 March. What do the old stories mean to us today? Using everyday objects that you might find in your bedroom, the bookish Shahrazad transports her friend and father night after night to an imagined world of kings, viziers, and jinns. After three years of fantastical flights, her stories help them to make sense of the world they live, here in London. Douglas Rintoul directs this modern adaptation of the classic Persian and Arabian stories for younger audiences aged 6+. Tickets £13 children, £16 adults.

MISTER HOLGADO, 24 March - 28 April. In a dark house in the dark city of Schwartzgarten there’s something lurking in the shadows. Conrad tells his parents that there’s a tiger living on top of his wardrobe, but they don’t believe him. When Conrad’s parents suddenly welcome a mysterious stranger, Mister Holgado, into their home, Conrad suspects he’s more of a threat than any tiger ever could be. Ages 8+.

BACKSTAGE TOUR, 30 March. Have you ever wondered what happens in the parts of the theatre you don’t see onstage? Join the Unicorn’s technical team on a backstage tour and find out what really goes into making a play. 12pm, £3.

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS 4-6 April, GREENWICH THEATRE, Crooms Hill SE10 8ES, 020 8858 7755, greenwichtheatre.org.uk Embark on an adventure with the three little pigs as they battle the big bad wolf with their charming and witty ways! Filled with humour, this endearing musical will leave you squealing with glee and howling with laughter.

11am + 3pm, tickets £7.50 children, £12.50 adults.

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LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUMN

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUMN

FOSSIL FORAGE AT THE GRANT MUSEUM

MoreWhat’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesse.co.uk then click What's On

MY FIRST CINDERELLA 28 March - 7 April, PEACOCK THEATRE, Portugal Street EC2A 2HY, 0844 412 4300, and 27+28 April, CHURCHILL THEATRE, Bromley 0844 871 7620, ballet.org.uk Everyone’s favourite rags-to-riches story in a beautifully adapted version for young audiences. The ‘My First’ series brings young audiences their first taste of ballet through the magic of fairy tales, captivating music and beautiful dance. ENB2 returns with its graduating dancers of outstanding potential from English National Ballet School. Prokofiev’s ravishing score is accompanied with narration to ensure that everyone enjoys this classic fairytale. Tickets £10-£25.

EGGNOG’S EGGSTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE 12 + 13 April, St JOSEPH’S SCHOOL, Commerell Street, Greenwich SE10 9AN, 07801 072 776, theatretots.com An Easter interactive story and workshop for little ones, with diddi dance, Boppin Bunnies and Theatre Tots. Join in a silly musical adventure with live music, dancing, arts, crafts and chocolate! 10am-12noon, £8 per child, siblings £14, adults free. Donations on the day will go to Demelza Children’s charity.

Events and Attractions SPRING VOICES: DULWICH BOOKS FESTIVAL 4-9 March, DULWICH BOOKS, 6 Croxted Road SE21 8SW, 020 8670 1920, dulwichbooks.co.uk Dulwich Books celebrates the arrival of Spring with a week of literary events and activities for all ages.

CULTURE QUIZ, 4 March. Hosted by Private Eye columnist Marcus Berkmann at the Crown and Greyhound, in aid of Dulwich Helpline.

CANCEL THE APOCALYPSE, 5 March. A conversation between Andrew Simms and Huw Edwards in the bookshop, in which Andrew discusses his belief that the relentless race for economic growth is not always one worth winning.

CARCANET PRESS POETS, 6 March. London poets Oli Hazzard, Caroline Bird and Jane Yey will read from their new collections of poetry.

WORLD BOOK DAY, 7 March. A daylong celebration starting with free children’s storytelling at 11am. In the evening, music journalist Nick Coleman will present his autobiography The Train in the Night, which describes the impact of losing his hearing on his work and life.

IS MODERN ART CHILD’S PLAY? 8 March. Contemporary and modern art experts Louisa Buck and Susie Jodge demistify the abstractions of modern art in a talk at Dulwich Picture Gallery.

GRAND FINALE, 9 March. The bookshop celebrates children’s writing with Nicholas Allen, Sara Grant and Margaret Bateson-Hill, followed by an afternoon of games, competitions and activities for children.

FAMILY EVENTS AT THE HORNIMAN HORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23, 020 8699 1872, horniman.ac.uk Museum open 10.30am-5.30pm daily, general admission free, charges apply for special exhibitions and the aquarium. The museum’s music gallery and hands-on base, regular weekend and holiday drop-ins and workshops allow family visitors to explore the collection through arts and crafts, music, stories and hands-on sessions. All this within 16 acres of beautiful green space.

AMAZON ADVENTURE, until November. The Amazon comes to life in an interactive, family friendly exhibition which mixes hands-on experiences, magical aquariums, colourful artwork and scientific research. Experience the world’s largest and most biologically diverse river with its extraordinary animals, exotic plants and fascinating cultures, with unusual creatures including mysterious pink dolphins, piranhas and anacondas, live rays and tetra fish; and discover the environmental dangers facing the Amazon and its inhabitants such as overfishing, poaching and logging. Fittingly, the displays and audio are bilingual English/ Spanish. Admission free for accompanied under 3s, £3 children, £6 adults, £15 families.

INVENTION AND DISCOVERY, 16+17 March. Join in National Science Week with lots of activities over the weekend with the museum’s conservation team, and explore the science of sound in a hands on music session for families. 11am-3.30pm, tickets £3.

NATURE TRAIL WELLY WALK, 23 March. Hunt for bugs and spot the early signs of Spring during a walk on the museum nature trail. 11.30am and 2pm, children £2, adults free.

TRANSPORT MUSEUM EVENTS LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM, 39 Wellington Street, Covent Garden WC2E 7BB, 020 7379 6433, ltmuseum.co.uk Museum open 10am-6pm Saturdays to Thursdays and weekends, from

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11am Fridays. Admission free for under 16s, £15 adults. Tickets are valid for 12 months’ unlimited admission.

ALL ABOARD! Let your under 6 ‘drive’ a scaled-down bus, train, tube or taxi , complete with passengers. They can also take control of the transport system, moving buses and trains around the museum’s miniature London.

STORYTIME, 1-12 April. Find out about London’s Underground stations and meet the imaginary characters who live there.Listen to tales of adventures as they reveal the secrets of what life is like on the Underground. 11am and 2pm starts, best for 3-7 year-olds.

MAKE AND TAKE, 1-12 April. Join the craft workshop and add your contribution to a model tube station, before becoming a junior architect and designing your own fantastical station. 11.30am and 2.30pm starts, best for 4-12 year-olds.

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R, 020 7601 5545, bankofengland.co.uk/museum The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Examine intricately-designed banknotes, feel the weight of a genuine gold bar and see the pikes and muskets that were once used to defend the Bank.

Children’s activity sheets provide fun for younger visitors. Open 10am5pm Mondays to Fridays, admission free.

EASTER EGGCITEMENT, 2-5 and 8-12 April. Follow the treasure trail to find the chicks and eggs hidden in the Museum, then create and decorate your own Easter basket to take home. A chocolate egg for every child and prizes to be won. 10amñ4.30pm.

THE HUGEONOT LEGACY, until 10 May. The Huguenots were the French Protestant religious refugees who came to Britain during the 16th and 17th centuries. They made an immense contribution to every aspect of life in Britain, including banking. The first Governor of the Bank of England, Sir John Houblon, was the grandson of a Huguenot refugee.

This exhibition celebrates the achievements of the Huguenots and their early connection with the Bank.

FOSSIL FORAGE 16 and 23 March, GRANT MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY, Rockefeller Building, University College London, University Street, WC1E 6DE, 020 3108 2052, ucl.ac.uk/museums As part of National Science and Engineering Week you will have the amazing opportunity to take home your very own bit of pre-history. But be warned you will have to work for it. Get stuck in at this free hands-on activity by sieving through sediment that dates from a time over 50 million years ago, when London was underwater and patrolled by sharks and rays. Any fossils you find whilst sieving you get to keep. Join in with the hands-on activity. 1-5pm, free drop in.

VIEW FROM THE SHARD THE SHARD, London Bridge SE1 9RN, , 08444 997111, theviewfromtheshard.com Renzo Piano’s iconic London landmark offers viewing galleries, restaurants, a hotel and residential apartments. The View from the Shard is the highest viewing point in Western Europe and nearly twice as high as any other view in London, providing visitors with a multi-sensory experience and exhilarating views for 40 miles across London from floors 68, 69 and 72. Open from 9am to 10pm daily. Tickets from £29.95, book first.

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUMN

THE LONDON DUNGEON From 1 March, RIVERSIDE BUILDING, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road SE1 7PB, 0871 423 2240, thedungeons.com/london The London Dungeon has moved to a massive new site right next to the EDF Energy London Eye. The attraction has great new shows, actors, costumes, special effects and characters. For the first time you can visit with gunpowder plotter Guy Fawkes and murderous monarch Henry VIII. The Dungeon turns 1,000 years of history into 90 minutes of laughs, scares, theatre, shocks, rides, special effects, characters, mazes, jokes and storytelling. It’s a scary fun feast the senses, suitable for ages 10+. Open 10am-4.30pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 11am Thursdays, 10am-5.30pm weekends. Admission £19.20 on the door for children, £24.60 adults, discounts for online prebookings.

GEFFRYE MUSEUM EVENTS GEFFRYE MUSEUM, Kingsland Road E2 8EA, 020 7739 9893, geffrye-museum.org.uk Special workshops and quizzes inspire creativity and provide amusement for accompanied 5-11 year-olds on the first Saturday of each month and during school holidays. Places allocated 30 minutes in advance of each workshop. Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, from noon Sundays.

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS, Clive Steps, King Charles Street SW1A, iwm.org.uk The Churchill War Rooms were originally the Cabinet War Rooms, created in 1938 as underground storage areas for the Office of Works Building in Whitehall. They were soon converted to house the central core of government and to become a temporary military information centre serving the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of Staff of the air, naval and land forces. 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 and experiencing the authenticity and emotional resonance of walking through the corridors where Churchill made history. Open 9.30am-6pm, admission free for under 16s, £15.95 adults.

SCIENCE MUSEUM SCIENCE MUSEUM, Exhibition Road SW7 2DD, 0870 870 4868, sciencemuseum.org.uk Aiming to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science, the Science Museum makes sense of the science that shapes our lives, sparking curiosity, releasing creativity and changing the future by engaging people of all generations and backgrounds in science, engineering, medicine, technology, design and enterprise. Open daily 10am-6pm except 24-26 December.

LAUNCHPAD SCIENCE SHOWS. The largest free interactive science gallery in the UK is packed with exhibits which allow visitors to launch

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Little Movers Movement & Dance for Under 5’s

FREE LONDON DUNGEON

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS

Mondays. Admission free for under 5s, children £10.45, adults £19.80; book for less online.

FIT FOR A KING. Discover 500 years of spectacular arms and armour worn by kings and royal princes in this stunning exhibition on the first floor of the White Tower. Learn about the personalities, power and physical size of our nation’s kings, from the Tudors, and the notorious Henry VIII, to today’s royal family through the historic collection.

POWER HOUSE. Discover the stories and personalities behind the major organisations of state, who took care of royal business behind the mighty Tower walls, from 1100 to the present day. The exhibition showcases the roles of the major organisations that provided the bedrock of England’s power throughout the centuries.

ROYAL BEASTS. Find out about the Tower’s imperial Royal Menagerie.

Founded during the reign of King John in the early 1200s, it became a regular feature of the Tower for over 600 years. Visitors can encounter a diverse cast of former Tower residents through arresting modern animal sculpture by artist Kendra Haste and new interactive sensory displays. The recently restored north wall walk and the never before opened Brick Tower will host some of the displays, including sights, sounds and smells of some of the animals.

NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM, Royal Hospital Road SW3 4HT, 020 7881 6606, nam.ac.uk The history of British land forces from 1485 to the present day, with costumes, paintings, artefacts and special displays telling the stories of men and women who served in British armies across the globe. Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free.

DRAW YOUR WEAPONS. A colourful and dynamic exhibition exploring the history of the war comic, in partnership with leading publisher DC Thomson.

CUMING MUSEUM a rocket, turn their head into a sound box and control a magnetic cloud.

Ages 8-14, free.

WHO AM I? Find out what makes you special through interactive activities which use the latest in brain science and genetics. Free.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 5BD, 020 7942 5000, nhm.ac.uk Dinosaurs, volcanoes, precious gems and creepy crawlies - discover the diversity of the natural world through the nation’s finest collection of natural history specimens. Fascinating exhibitions display up to 70 million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals, with a hands-on education centre where you can meet real scientists at work. Museum open 10am-5.50pm, admission free.

EXTINCTION: NOT THE END OF THE WORLD? Until 8 September.

Go beyond dodos and dinosaurs to explore the crucial role extinction plays in the evolution of life. The exhibition combines astonishing images, real specimens and interactive installations to bring to life species that disappeared long ago. Exploring the latest scientific findings, it also looks at today’s endangered species and asks whether conservation can save them. Admission £4.50 children, £9 adults, £24 families.

SENSATIONAL BUTTERFLIES, 29 March - 15 September. From chomping caterpillars to beautiful butterflies, the Natural History Museum comes alive for summer. Dive into a tropical butterfly house to take on butterfly challenges, try out fun games and exciting activities as you discover one of the planet’s most amazing life cycles. Experience the magic of walking among hundreds of free-flying tropical butterflies and come face to face with a huge variety of these incredible and beautiful creatures. Admission £4.

BRITISH MUSEUM BRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8299, britishmuseum.org Museum open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free. Free tours, guides and activity trails are available, plus digital workshops for children every weekend in the Samsung Digital Discovery Centre.

LIFE AND DEATH IN POMPEII AND HERCULANEUM, 28 March 29 September. Discover the life and times of the people of Pompeii and Herculaneum, from bustling streets to the intimate spaces of a Roman home. The exhibition will look at daily life prior to the devastating volcanic eruption nearly 2000 years ago, and includes material from both Pompeii and Herculaneum.

ICE AGE ART: ARRIVAL OF THE MODERN MIND, until 26 May. Masterpieces of Ice Age sculpture, ceramics, drawing and personal ornament from across Europe.

TOWER OF LONDON TOWER OF LONDON, EC3N 4AB, 0844 482 7777, hrp.org.uk/toweroflondon Tower open 9am-5.30pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, from 10am Sundays and

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CUMING MUSEUM, 151 Walworth Road SE17 1RY, 020 7525 2096, southwark.gov.uk/cumingmuseum The museum is the home of the worldwide collection of the Cuming Family and the museum of Southwark’s history. It houses a diverse collection that includes archaeology, ethnography, social history and natural history. A mix of permanent and changing exhibitions tells the story of the Cuming family and the history of Southwark, from Roman times to the diverse communities of today.

FAMILY CLUB, Thursdays. Explore and play with the Cuming explorers.

10am-11.15am for under 5s and their parents/ carers.

BIRDS, BEASTS AND BEYOND, until 31 August. An exhibition showcasing a rarely seen group of unique ceramics by the renowned Martin brothers. From the establishment of their Fulham workshop in 1873, the Martin brothers’ experiments with their kilns, designs, techniques, glazes and forms produced humorous, curious and intriguing creations.

dance sessions

where children are encouraged to dance, sing and use their imaginations!

The Salvation Army Centre 105 Lomond Grove,Camberwell, London SE5 7HN Every Friday 10:15am & 11am (including school holidays)

There’s no need to book, just come along. supported by

For more information call Home-Start Southwark

020 7737 7720 www.homestartsouthwark.org.uk

Weekly archery sessions open to everyone from only £10 E:youngarchers@live.co.uk T:0754 8460 956

W:www.youngarchers.co.uk

Spanish PROGRESSIVE, MULTI-SENSORY, FUN CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AGED 2-12

School S h l Child Children A Age 5-12 2 Lunchtime and after school clubs for primary schools

Nurseries We can contact your child’s nursery to open a club

Mama, Papa and Toddler Enjoy learning Spanish with your toddler

HMS BELFAST On the THAMES by Morgans Lane, Tooley Street SE1 2JH, iwm.org.uk Discover the exciting stories of those who served HMS Belfast; exploring the nine decks where sailors once hurried up and down its ladders, or take a look at the mess desk where her 950-strong crew ate and slept. Open 10am-6pm, admission free for under 16s, £14.50 adults.

GUN TURRET EXPERIENCE. Immerse yourself in the new Gun Turret Experience, a chance to see what fighting at sea would have really been like. Overlooking the front of the ship, or Fo’c’sle, is the forward most of HMS Belfast’s Triple Gun Turrets. Lights, audio, videos and projections will recreate the experience, highlighting the hectic and cramped conditions that would have seen twenty-six men in this confined space at any one time. The guns are trained and elevated onto a target some 12.5 miles (20 kilometres) away in north-west London - the London Gateway Motorway Services Area on the M1 - a reminder of the awesome power of naval gunnery in the Second World War. Entry included in general admission price.

HISTORY IN YOUR HANDS, 9+10 March. Discover hidden stories about HMS Belfast and explore the fascinating lives of the men who lived and worked on board. Incredible stories of survival and the chance to examine authentic naval objects from IWM’s collections. 11am-12.30pm and 2-4pm, drop-in.

75TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS, 16+17 March. A weekend of activities including the chance to meet some of the shop’s veterans, simulated gun firing and live radio demos.

SIGNALS AT SEA, 23+24 March. Send and decode secret messages and find out how the navy used secret signals to communicate amongst themselves and with other ships. 11am-12.30pm and 2-4pm.

DARNING AND YARNING, 29-31 March. Get crafty and learn how sailors repaired their clothes at sea. Find out about sailors’ silks, the types of clothes sailors repaired and see your work form part of an impressive textile collage. 11am-12.30pm and 2-4pm.

Areas covered: Greenwich - Dartford Tel: 0208 123 3028 michelle@spanishamigos.co.uk www.spanishamigos.co.uk

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM, 2 Lambeth Palace Road, South

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V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD

RESURRECTION MAN, 10 March. 19th century body snatchers stole bodies from graveyards and sold them for research. Why did they do it and who were these men? Put your questions to the museum’s resurrection man and see if you agree with his answers. Ages 5+, from 11.30am and 2pm, free.

GET STUFFED, 24 March. Dress up in period costume and turn yourself into a historical character in a digital workshop. Ages 5+, free afternoon sessions.

PEARLY KING AND QUEEN, 29+30 March. Meet true London characters and marvel at their costumes. Noon to 4pm both days, free.

HENRY CROFT, PEARLY KING, 29+30 March. While raising money for charity, this inventive young man created an eye-catching suit. Follow his story in this lively storytelling session and learn the history behind this London icon. Free afternoon sessions.

ROMAN WEAVING, 31 March. Before you could buy cloth or clothes from the shops, what did you do? Roman women were expert weavers and made beautiful cloth; find out more. Ages 5+, 11am-3.30pm.

Find even more activities: www.familiesse.co.uk then click What's On Bank, London SE1, 020 7620 0347, florence-nightingale.co.uk Uncover the lady behind the legend at the brand new Florence Nightingale Museum on London’s South Bank. The museum presents a vivid retelling of her story and how modern nursing began. The museum’s unparalleled collection features highlights such as Florence’s pet little owl Athena as well as her lamp and medicine chest from the Crimean War. Engaging interactive exhibits as well as regular contemporary art exhibitions enhance the experience, visitors even use stethoscopes to hear the audio tour. Admission £4.80 child, £5.80 adults, £16 families.

GHOST STORIES, 7 March. Lower the lights and gather together to hear a winter ghost story, guaranteed to chill your blood. What is the mysterious music echoing around the deserted house? Who is the spectral child that leaves no footprints in the snow? Find out if you dare.

6.30pm, £10.

MISS NIGHTINGALE SAID, 6, 13, 20 + 27 March. An illustrated talk examining the incredible life and achievements of Florence Nightingale. 3pm.

KENSINGTON PALACE KENSINGTON PALACE STATE APARTMENTS, Kensington Gardens W8 4PX, 0844 482 7777, hrp.org.uk/kensingtonpalace MOTHERING SUNDAY WEEKEND, 9-10 March. Exciting craft activities and special History Bite talks about the royal families who have lived at Kensington Palace.

FAMILY FUN, 29 March - 1 April. Enjoy live performance and storytelling and explore the beautiful gardens with Peter the Wild Boy’s Easter Egg Hunt.

EASTER BONNET MAKING COMPETITION, 29 March - 1 April.

Make your own Easter bonnet or hat inspired by costumes at the Palace.

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM - CLOSED IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, Lambeth Road, London SE1, 020 7416 5000, iwm.org.uk IWM London is temporarily closed temporarily until June for a complete transformation of the museum which will allow for more significant and rich collections to improve the visitor experience. Leading up to the 100 year anniversary of the start of the First World War, the museum will create ground-breaking new First World War galleries.

CHILDREN AT THE V&A V&A MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 2RL, 020 7942 2000, vam.ac.uk/families Pick up a trail from the Information Desk and explore the museum through puzzles, drawing and observation. Suitable for 7-12 year-olds.

There are also hundreds of exciting hands-on exhibits containing plenty to touch and try out. Museum open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free SATURDAY BACK-PACKS. Pick up a back pack and explore the museum with fantastic jigsaws, stories, puzzles and games.

10.30am-5pm.

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, museumofchildhood.org.uk This gem of a museum is fascinating for families with young children.

The collection includes dolls, dolls’ houses, puppets, teddy bears, games, childcare, clothing, furniture and art and photography.

Everyday drop-in activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, and trails. There’s dressing-up, role play and an under 3’s area, an indoor sandpit, and regular special events. If it’s sunny there’s an outdoor space to enjoy a picnic. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.

MODERN BRITISH CHILDHOOD, until 14 April 2013. Charting 64 tumultuous years in history, this exhibition explores issues surrounding education, health, family, entertainment, fashion and play. Exhibits include NHS prescription glasses, clothing, toys, books and childcare items, TV and film footage and photography.

THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM 40 Brunswick Square, Camden Town WC1N 1AZ, 020 7841 3600, foundlingmuseum.org.uk Britain’s first home for abandoned children and London’s first public art gallery, The Foundling Museum reveals the stories of the Foundling Hospital’s founder Thomas Coram, the artist William Hogarth and

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composer George Frideric Handel. It houses significant collections of eighteenth-century art, interiors, social history and music. Open 10am5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and from 11am Sundays. Admission free for under 16s, £8.25 adults.

FATE, HOPE AND CHARITY, until 19 May. Bringing to light the untold stories of the Foundling Hospital tokens, small everyday objects, left by mothers with their babies at the Hospital in the mid 1700s.

BADGES & BUTTONS, 9 March. Explore the fascinating stories revealed in Fate, Hope & Charity, through fun practical drop-in activities.

Transform special memories into wearable mementos – perfect for Mother’s Day! 10.30am-12.30pm and 2.30-4.30pm, free for children and up to two accompanying adults. For children aged 5+.

MOTHER’S DAY, 10 March. Take your mother to the museum and receive two for one entry.

TEXTILE WORKSHOP: TOKENS, 16 March. Drawing inspiration from Fate, Hope and Charity, the East Anglian Stitch Textile group is running family workshops helping visitors create their own tokens.

POCKET PIECES STORYTELLING, 6 April. Weave tall tales from small beginnings. This drop-in storytelling workshop is inspired and shaped by objects found in your pocket. 10.30am- 12.30pm and 2.304.30pm, free for children and up to two accompanying adults. Ages 5+.

MUSEUM OF LONDON EVENTS MUSEUM OF LONDON, London Wall EC2Y 5HN, 020 7001 9844, www.museumoflondon.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, admission free. Regular programmes of weekend and holiday events and workshops help visitors find out more about London’s history, covering events such as the Great Plague, Londoners’ jobs and occupations, and Roman life.

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS

National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, Greenwich SE10, 020 8858 4422, rmg.co.uk Royal Museums Greenwich holds the world’s largest maritime collection. It is housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House, and Cutty Sark. The Museums works to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people, and is also a major centre of education and research. Open 10am-5pm daily.

General admission is free; some buildings, special exhibitions and events have an admission fee.

EXPLORE SATURDAYS. Meet a character from the past and take part in an exciting performance that brings maritime history to life. Suitable

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, West India Quay E14, 020 7001 9844, museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands Open daily 10am-6pm, admission free. Regular programmes of weekend and holiday events and workshops help visitors find out more about London’s history, covering events such as the Great Plague, Londoners’ jobs and occupations, and Roman life.

MESSY MOLES, every Wednesday during term time. Messy exploratory play session for babies aged 6 months to walking, and toddlers up to age 5 and their carers. Free but book first.

MUSEUM EXPLORED, 3, 17 and 31 March. Join of the museum’s hosts and explore the galleries through fun, hands-on family activities.

Morning and afternoon sessions available each day.

The Great Outdoors WWT WETLAND CENTRE WETLAND CENTRE, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes SW13 9WT, 020 8409 4400, wwt.org.uk Open 9.30am - 6pm daily. Admission free for under 4s, £6.10 children, £10.99 adults, £30.60 families.

Take a fresh air walk around the centre, listen out for singing birds and see how many spring flowers you can spot. As warm sunny days become more frequent primroses poke their noses above ground, willow branches are decked in their soft, shiny catkin baubles and the first newts will be making their way to the ponds to spawn. Nature crafts focus on animal lifecycles, or you can go pond dipping to see what’s swimming underwater.

THE HISTORY OF CHOCOLATE 29 March - 14 April, KEW ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB, 020 8332 5655, kew.org/events Open 9.30am-5.30pm until 23 March; until 6.30pm from 24 March to 27 August. Admission free for children aged under 17, adults £16.

Take a journey through time and discover the history of chocolate at Kew Gardens. Learn where our passion for chocolate originated; from the ritualistic use of cacao in Ancient Maya and Aztec culture; to sailing across the seas to Europe with the Spanish Conquistadors; and finally arriving in 17th century London, where only high society could afford to indulge their sweet tooth in newly fashionable Chocolate Houses.

There will be chocolate workshops with arts and crafts activities, and a traditional Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday 31 March - collect tokens from around the Gardens to pick up a delicious chocolate treat from the Easter Bunny.

DUKE OF YORK SQUARE EASTER EGG HUNT 30 March, Duke of York Square, Kings Road, Chelsea SW3, dukeofyorksquare.com

Try and unscramble all the clues and find the hidden riddles dotted around the Square in the race to reach Golden Ticket and win an amazing prize. Each clue leads to the next and will be displayed in shop windows and on features in the Square. Once all the clues are solved, families will discover a unique Duke of York Square web page which they will need to visit to get a key word. Whisper this word in Mr Bunny’s ear and pluck an egg from his lucky basket. One lucky egg will contain the Golden Ticket which will win an iPad Mini, as well as a £200 shopping spree in Duke of York Square for Mum and Dad!

LEE VALLEY REGIONAL PARK 08456 770 600, visitleevalley.org.uk Lee Valley Regional Park is a 10,000 acre award-winning park which winds its way 26 miles from East India Dock Basin on the River Thames and along the banks of the River Lee through north London and Essex to Hertfordshire.

From country walks to star gazing, wildlife exploration and historical sight-seeing to family cycling and traditional country crafts, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

FAMILY TREASURE HUNTS VARIOUS VENUES, huntfun.co.uk For a fun day out, follow a treasure hunt and explore a local area, unearthing hidden historical gems you might ordinarily walk right past.

Hunt Fun has pre-prepared DIY treasure hunts in over 240 locations across the country in kit form including everything you need - directions, clues and a map. Local hunt maps cover Greenwich, Croydon, Southbank and the West End, in categories including families and friends, school outings, fundraising, group outings and more. Kits are ordered online, cost from £4.99 each and can include personalised hunt fun certificates for participants.

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Imagination for the Everyday Early years Drama www.theatretots.com

+ Weekly classes in Lee, Blackheath and Hither Green

+ Schools, nurseries and parties too! info@theatretots.com - 07801072776 WALLACE COLLECTION

SOMERSET HOUSE

for ages 6+. Noon, 1, 2 and 3pm start, free.

DISCOVER SUNDAYS. Be inspired by the museum’s galleries and take part in free design, craft, illustration and music workshops designed for families. Suitable for all ages. 11.30am-1.30pm and 2-5pm, free.

PLAY TUESDAYS. Young children can have fun with their families as they explore the museum through making, music, dance and drama. 10.30 and 11.30am, 1 and 2pm, suitable for under 5s; collect a ticket from the admissions desk.

THE SECRET LIFE OF STARS. A spectacular show, narrated by Patrick Stewart, explores the fascinating life history of the stars, from the smallest red dwarf to the largest blue giant. Using state-of-the-art digital simulation, it charts the life of a star from birth to death and beyond, and looks at what impact this has on the universe around us. Ages 5+, tickets £4.50 chidren, £6.50 adults, £17.50 families.

SPACE SAFARI, weekends and holiday weekdays. Join teddy bear Ted for live music and rhyme as he journeys throughout the solar system looking for the Great Bear in the sky in a show designed especially for younger children and presented by a Royal Observatory Greenwich astronomer.

Tickets £4.50 children, £6.50 adults, £17.50 families.

CUTTY SARK CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698, rmg.co.uk/cuttysark The world famous 19th century tea clipper offers visitors four levels to

explore. Take in the views from the main deck and steer at the ship’s wheel, meet the crew who worked on board, explore the various cargoes from wool to whiskey, and see how tea was loaded on board through interactive displays, props, information boards and animations. Family friendly events run at weekends and during school holidays. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £6.50 children, £12 adults, from £20 families. Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal Museum Greenwich attractions.

EXPLORE SATURDAYS. Meet a character from the past and take part in an exciting performance that brings maritime history to life. Suitable for ages 6+. Noon, 1, 2 and 3pm start, free with admission ticket.

DISCOVER GREENWICH OLD ROYAL NAVAL COLLEGE (next to the Cutty Sark), Greenwich SE10, greenwichwhs.org.uk Unlock the history of Maritime Greenwich, through artefacts, artwork, film and stories of former lives to bring the past to life. A permanent exhibition takes visitors on a journey from the College’s Tudor beginnings, through its naval past, as the Royal Hospital for Seamen and Royal Navy Staff College, right up to the present day. Special objects, including personal items from Henry VIII’s palace, as well as fascinating stories from monarchs, admirals and architects help chart the historic town’s development.

Activities for children and families play a significant part in the new destination, enabling families to maximise their visit to Maritime Greenwich and for children to explore and understand the history of the magnificent site.

HAVE IT ALL!

Art Activities FAMILY ARTS IN DULWICH DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, 020 8693 5254, dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends and bank holidays. Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child.

ARTPLAY, first and last Sunday of each month. Creative drop-in workshops for adults and children, with a different activity each session. Make anything and everything from bunting to block printing and all things in between.

2-3.45pm.

SHIPS OF STONE: THE ISLANDS OF MERVYN PEAKE 16 March - 19 May, Gerald Moore Gallery at ELTHAM COLLEGE, Mottingham Lane, Mottingham SE9 4RW, 020 8857 0448, geraldmooregallery.org Take a new look at the work of the visionary artist, writer and illustrator through one of Peake’s lifelong obsessions: islands. The exhibition uses audio recordings to bring his writings alive alongside objects and artworks that span his career, many of which are on public display for the first time.

Gerald Moore Gallery opened in April 2012 as a centre for modern and contemporary art with learning at its heart. Set within the grounds of Eltham College, this unique gallery was made possible by the generous donation of Old Elthamian Dr Gerald Moore and brings together a rich mix of people to create a new learning community, offering innovative learning opportunities and fostering meaningful experiences with art.

8UH, 020 7703 6120, southlondongallery.org Hands-on family workshops every week linked to the gallery’s collection, using stories, art materials and film. Ages 3-12, 2-4pm, free.

JEWISH MUSEUM EVENTS JEWISH MUSEUM, Raymond Burton House, 129-131 Albert Street, Camden Town NW1 7NB, 020 7284 7324, jewishmuseum.org.uk The museum houses internationally acclaimed collections where visitors can explore Jewish culture, heritage and identity within the wider context of British history. Open 10am-5pm daily, Fridays to 2pm. Admission £3.50 children, £7.50 adults, £18 families.

ART AT SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSE SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3PB, 020 7440 4263, soane.org Tucked away in Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the heart of London, this magical, mysterious museum encourages young visitors to explore Soane’s treasures and develop new skills with specialist guidance. Sir John Soane (1753- 1737) was an inveterate collector, filling every nook and cranny of his beautiful home with items that fascinated him. From fossils to classical fragments from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and from contemporary paintings to architectural models, drawings and literature, he intended that after his death both his house and its extraordinary contents should be used to educate and inspire. Free drop-in activities run on the third Saturday of every month, with activities for all ages and families can take part together from 1.30-4.40pm.

THE WALLACE COLLECTION

SOMERSET HOUSE FAMILY EVENTS

THE WALLACE COLLECTION, Hertford House, Manchester Square W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500, wallacecollection.org The Wallace Collection displays wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, in their main London townhouse. Family multi-media tours and trails bring the exhibits to life for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission free.

THE LITTLE DRAW, 3 March. A free drop-in workshop for all ages with artist Zoe Scammell, who creates detailed drawings of the grotesque beasts and monsters of the natural world. 1.30-4.30pm.

FAMILY PUBLIC TOUR, 16 March. Young curators from St Vincent’s Primary School will lead visitors on an exciting, interactive journey through the collection. 2.30pm start.

DESIGN A PLATE, 24 March. Hear the Passover story of Moses, munch some matza (special festival crackers) and decorate your own miniature Passover plates, inspired by the traditional Jewish Seder plate and the beautiful SËvres porcelain plates in the Wallace Collection, with artist Miranda Lopatkin. 2-4pm, ages 6+, £7, book first.

EASTER EGG TREASURES, 5 April. Join artist Laura Archer in exploring the galleries for spring imagery, elaborate patterns and bejeweled trinkets, then return to the studio to paint a stunning Easter design onto a wooden egg that opens up. 10.30am-12.30pm or 2-4pm, ages 7+, £7 per child, book first.

SOMERSET HOUSE, Strand WC2, 020 7845 4600, somersethouse.org.uk Free family workshops run on Saturdays from 2-3.30pm. Tickets available from 1pm from the information desk. Children aged 6-12 years must be accompanied by an adult.

THE SUNDAY SPOT Sundays, SOUTH LONDON GALLERY, 65-67 Peckham Road, London SE5

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YES, YOU CAN

THE NATIONAL GALLERY TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2N 5DN, 020 7747 2885, nationalgallery.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, Fridays to 9pm, admission free.

With over 2,300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the gallery, along with free hands-on art workshops for families at weekends and during school holidays. No need to book, but places are limited and allocated on arrival up to one hour before the start.

FAMILIES AT THE TATE TATE BRITAIN, Millbank SW1, 020 7887 8888, tate.org.uk/britain Open daily 10am-5.50pm, and until 10pm the first Friday of the month.

Family trails are available daily from the Information Desks and are free for 5yrs and under. Go on a journey around Tate Britain and post your discoveries into your ‘Post it’ box as you go. When you get home, open up the box and show your friends what you found. Or you could follow the ‘Join up’ trail: play the listening game, search for shapes, patterns and talking hands, and make your own sculptures.

Every weekend the free Art Trolley encourages children to imagine and create, make colourful collages, style a wonderful sculpture or perhaps make a sketchbook and fill it with great ideas.

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www.lancasters.co.uk march 2013 - families south east

17

Beep beep!

What’sNew Labels4Kids Labels4Kids is launching their new look website for March 2013.

The new website makes ordering so much easier and you can even try designing your labels on the site prior to ordering. The fun site covers labelling for your children, your sport requirements, camping, corporate and even care home items for grandparents. In addition there is a full personalised clothing site with a separate checkout to produce high quality clothing in both climacool and normal ranges. These are not thin cotton material garments but thick, high quality items that will last.

Labels4Kids’ MD and founder Anne-Maree commented “The new site will make ordering so

much more pleasurable, with faster load times and better images, along with easier access to our social media hints and advice. We have, I believe, the best quality labels for a reasonable price. Labels4Kids has very high levels of customer service with a money back guarantee, a free returns policy and a free 1st class delivery option.”

A set of labels for all of your child’s clothes costs about the same as a pair of new socks - and greatly increases the likelihood of garments being returned!

There are vinyl labels, iron on and stick on labels, ID tags, stickers, bag tabs and even personalised clothing. See the full range at labels4kids.com/fam.

Bean bags for bookworms

RSPCA pocket pets WOW Toys have been awarded a licence from the RSPCA to produce a range of animal toys.

My Pocket Pets is a set of six collectable animal figures. Each pack contains one animal figure plus an RSPCA fun activity sheet which teaches young children about animal welfare through dot-to-dots and cartoons.

The figures are suitable for children from 18 months upwards, available now from independent toy shops, Tesco, WH Smiths, Amazon and participating RSPCA outlets, wowtoys.com.

Encourage hunkering down with a good book habits.

BeanBagBazaar has joined forces with children’s author Jacqueline Wilson to produce a colourful range of bean bags featuring designs from her hugely popular books.

The four designs are priced from £49.99 on Amazon and direct from BeanBagBazaar.co.uk, 0800 988 1286.

No more tears A new rinse cup helps to keep water and shampoo away from little eyes and faces at bathtime and also helps to stop parents getting soaked!

The cup’s flexible edge sits gently against the forehead forming a water tight seal, while the easy to hold handle helps to encourage dexterity and bathtime independence in older children. And when its not being used for rinsing bubbles it’s great for storing bath toys and soaps.

The TrendyKid Shampoo Rinse Cup is £6.99 from Boots and Mothercare, and direct from trendykid.co.uk.

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families south east - march 2013

Little Punks stick and play We love these ‘stick and play’ t-shirts for children. Great fun for children when getting dressed, they are beautifully designed, sustainably sourced and ethically produced so they are great for the environment too.

The range comes from new children’s fashion brand Little Punk London, with fabric characters including alphabet and zoo animal designs in sizes to fit 2-7 year-olds, available as sets or mix and match separates at littlepunklondon.com.

Little green fingers Blue Peter Gardener Chris Collins is ramping up his mission to get children excited about getting their hands dirty with a new gardening kit range for children.

The Seedlets range is tailored to three ability levels: beginner, intermediate and expert, available from garden centres across the country, priced from £1.29 to £10.99.

Chris Collins commented, “I’m totally committed to showing kids exactly how fun it can be to grow plants, especially plants they can then eat! Many children don’t have a real understanding of where their food comes from, so this is about getting back to basics, tempting them away from computers and TVs and into the fresh air to grow their own dinner. These brilliant bits of kit are colourful, appealing and easy for small hands to use effectively.”

“Children should be seen and not heard”, the saying goes. Not anymore with the latest accessory from Scootrix. They can now announce their arrival with a horn, laser zap, turbo boost and police siren attached to their scooter handlebars. (Thankfully, each button has an on/ off function too).

The Scootrix Noise Maker, rrp £9.99, is available from stockists including Halfords and Tesco. For more, see scootrix.com, 020 3384 7137.

r You and you

baby

Tights for boys Thanks to Slugs & Snails, little boys can enjoy the same comfort and freedom as girls in tights. The funky designs are made in soft combed cotton with non-slip soles so they’re ready for adventures, declaring their individuality in colourful designs ranging from rockets to ships and cars, pirate skulls to spiders, mushrooms to owls.

Kathleen Redmond explains: “Our tights were designed initially for our own little boy but now we sell tights to little guys all over the world (little girls jumping off the pink bandwagon adore them too!), with celebrities such as Autumn Reeser, Angellica Bell, Amanda Lamb, Cerys Matthews and Donal MacIntyre being just a handful of our fans. Our tights are eco friendly, deliciously soft, luxurious and uniquely bold and playful. They make the perfect potty training accessory as we have designed them not only for layering but also as an alternative to socks and trousers.”

If they’re good enough for Spiderman... For local stockists or online orders, see slugsandsnails.ie.

Easy weaning mealtime Here’s an easy way to feed your baby home made or branded pureed meals. Koko food pouches are easy to fill, label and use straight away or freeze for later. At mealtime, simply heat the pouch in a microwave and attach a spoon for mess-free feeding.

There are two spoons, suitable for 4 and 6+ months, which can be cleaned in the dishwasher. Pouches are £4.99 for a pack or ten; spoons are around £4 for a pack of two in a travel case from Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and direct from koko-innovates.com, 01280 878 268.

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Children model the Villervalla SS collection from Impkids, 020 8672 2391, impkids.co.uk

and finally...

The 10 best ever pieces of advice for mothers (and fathers) Aah, our children. Challenging and unpredictable, but we love them all the same, eh? To celebrate Mothering Sunday, we’ve asked Families friends near and far to tell us the best pieces of parenting advice they’ve been given. Take one a day as needed.

Think of it as our gift to you for Mothers’ Day...

1 1

4

Make the most of every opportunity to play with and listen to your children. Give them your full attention and show genuine interest. The time when they want to tell you everything is so short - before you know it they are teenagers and everything is a secret. You become the most embarrassing person on the planet!

- Helli Roberts, Families’ Head Office

2 3

My mum passed away last year. She gave me a wonderful journal full of photographs, memories, letters and advice. Under the section ‘important extras’ she wrote this: “Make the most of now. It passes so quickly. Now when you are still your children’s world, now when

3

Pick your battles. I think this piece of advice gets more valuable the older my children get, although it was given to me when my first was reaching the terrible twos. Then it was about nap times and refusing meals. Now it’s about what to wear to a party and homework. By picking your battles you let your children know that there are some things that aren’t up for debate. If you nag about everything, the important things get lost among the things that really don’t matter.

- Sarah Butters, Editor Families Leeds

8

Have a bedtime that you stick to each night.

Start winding down an hour before with TV, bath, story and milk so the children start to calm down and prepare for sleep. It works not only for children, but for parents too. It means that on those long days, you can see light at the end of the tunnel and count down the minutes to bedtime when you can put your feet up and have a minute to yourself.

- Katie Fraser-Smith, Richmond House

6 7

7

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Take help when it is offered - even if you might not be able to repay the favour. You will get the chance later to help someone else and a beautiful chain of helping hands is created. I was given this advice when my son was born

Slow down. Don’t rush everywhere. Stop and appreciate the precious time that can be spent with your children. It might be walking at their pace and chatting, or allowing them to tie their own shoes without diving in first. Time is precious, but time with your children is even more precious.

- Vicki Hoarty, Editor Families Sussex Coast

8

5 6

2

Nothing lasts forever. When you are in the middle of ‘that time’ it seems never ending.

Maybe it’s sleepless night, teething, weaning, potty training, tantrums, sulks, illness whatever. Just remember that the time will pass. But beware. The ‘thing’ waiting around the corner could be better or worse!

- Elizabeth Hawkhead, Rhythm Time Leeds

4 5

“Do what you say and say what you mean.”

The amount of times I’ve heard “you’re not going to Alfie’s party if you don’t behave”, or “If you don’t do your homework there’s no television for the rest of the week and I mean it”, when the parent has no intention of following it through. At the same time, don’t promise to do something nice with them and then forget. If you are busy, write in your diary, like you would any other appointment.

- Claire Winter, editor Families Thames Valley East

and both he and I had fairly bad time.I stoically carried on because I thought if someone did me a favour I would be expected to repay it and I didn’t have the energy. Another mum sat me down and told me to take her help. From that was born a friendship of 10 years.

- Rachel Bentley, Editor Families Pennines

they put that trusting small hand in yours, when they know you will keep them safe.”

- Vicki Gilbert, Babies Can Sign Yorkshire

9 9

My eldest son was born without a left hand.

After the initial shock had worn off, all I could think about was, how will he crawl, how will he develop, how will he cope? After meeting with a specialist surgeon he gave us the best advice ever - don’t mollycoddle him.So from the earliest age, we encouraged him to get out there and have a ‘can do’ attitude. It paid off - he was (and still is) a lot more capable physically than a lot of his peers, much to everyone’s amazement.So instead of being pitied, he found he was admired instead.

- Caryl Hall, Editor Families Cheshire

10

10 I wish mummy and daddy would send me to childcare and work longer hours so we could buy more things. I’d like mummy to catch up with her friends on her mobile phone rather than talk to me when we’re out, and let me have TV in my room at bedtime instead of reading a storybook together.

- No child. Ever.

march 2013 - families south east

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Families South East PO Box 11591 London SE26 6WB Tel: 020 8699 7240 Email: info@familiesse.co.uk Contact: Robina Cowan

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Easter issue out 22nd March 20

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