Families Vale of York Nov / Dec 2010 Issue 37 by Families Magazine

nov/dec2010 issue

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Proudly supporting The useful magazine for families with young children in York, Harrogate, Tadcaster, Wetherby and Selby

Swimming Lessons At Yearsley Swimming Pool and Energise Quality lessons for toddlers to adults Friendly, experienced and qualified staff Amateur Swimming Association approved programme Competitive prices Call today for more information 01904 552424 www.york.gov.uk/fit

Quality Childcare at Busy Bees in York Open 7:30am - 6pm Children 0 - 5 years 3 well equipped base rooms Holistic garden area Sensory room Rabbit care Healthy eating classes Ballet & Kindermusik

A great place to play, learn and make new friends Come along to our parent and Baby Group every Monday Morning 9:30-11am For more information call Ali on 01904 674 762 Busy Bees at York, Eccles Close,York www.busybees.com

2 Families Vale of York

news Happy from the beginning

welcome

Friends have been complaining about my use of the ‘C’ word. Apparently it’s far too early. It goes against my nature to be ahead of myself but when you’re editor of a bi-monthly magazine the seasons are all wrong. I spend August searching for Halloween events and when everyone else is hunting for conkers, I’m looking for Santa. And rest assured he’s going to be very busy judging by the number of venues we’ve found him working this Christmas. I confess that I’ve already begun feeling excited for the festive season and have already made the cake, have sloes infusing two bottles of gin in the kitchen, I’ve bought a few new decorations, booked the panto tickets and have visited Stockeld Park. An old friend remarked, ‘My God what happened to you?’ Well of course, what ‘happened’ was children. Children are the reason I have to be more organised and they are the reason Christmas is without doubt the most wonderful time of the year. It’s my duty to furnish them with memories that will last a lifetime and I’ll be using our ‘What’s On’ pages to guide me - make sure you do too. You can also visit us online at www.familiesvoy.co.uk where we have even more ideas to make your Christmas go with a swing. I hope I’ve not used the forbidden word too often – but I’m rather more ‘Deck the Halls’ than ‘Bah Humbug’! Do say hello if you see me dashing up the A19 on Christmas Eve though – old habits die hard. Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas.

Imaginative Beginnings is a new Yorkbased childcare agency designed to help families who are looking for nannies, babysitters, crèches, nursery relief staff and even creative birthday party packages. Owner Natalie Bishop started her own nursery when she couldn’t find childcare that was suitable for her: ‘I then started to think about childcare beyond nurseries and this is how Imaginative Beginnings childcare was formed,’ says Natalie. ‘I wanted to provide more flexible childcare options for families.’ With two children of her own Natalie understands that family life is not always plain sailing. ‘Both my husband and I work full time so I know how tricky it can be to juggle family life. Children get sick, you have to work late, do the grocery shopping - never mind the ironing that’s piling up at home. I founded Imaginative Beginnings Childcare Agency because I believe parents shouldn’t have to fit their family around childcare. Every family is different and for this reason childcare should fit around each individual family’s needs.’ For more information call Natalie on 01904 407803

Editor

Tregelles Goes Wild Children at Tregelles School have been enjoying an autumn ‘Go Wild’ week with the older children in year 6 camping overnight in the school grounds. ‘The children take part in Forest School sessions throughout the year in their woodland,’ says registrar Julia Hampshire, ‘and the nursery children visit the woodland every week to play games, read stories, build dens and have campfires but Go Wild week is an opportunity to spend extended time outdoors.’ ‘We like to encourage independence and challenge through teamwork, and the children have enjoyed a wide range of activities from science investigations to toasting marshmallows around a camp fire in the great outdoors.’ The children have also had the opportunity to work with an artist creating willow sculptures and in one indoor classroom children watched chicks hatching, playing and sleeping. Yorkshire Wildlife also used the school’s swimming pool to teach the children marine awareness issues. You can visit Tregelles on their open morning on Saturday 27 November at 10.00am or to arrange a visit contact Julia Hampshire on 01904 667529, registrar@mountschoolyork.co.uk

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The deadline for the Jan/Feb 2011 edition is early Dec 2010

PO Box 201, DN14 9ZW Tel: 01405 860831 editor@familiesvoy.co.uk www.familiesvoy.co.uk

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Copyright Families in the Vale of York Nov/Dec 2010. Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at owners’ own risk and, while every care is taken, neither Families nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Families in the Vale of York is part of a group established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license. We take care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

New Pre-School for Poppleton A new Pre-School in Poppleton is to open in January. Run by a qualified primary school teacher and an experienced childminder the sessions will include craft, stories, songs, phonics, play and a snack. With a maximum of 12 places a session, children aged 2-5 are guaranteed quality time and a chance to join in with every activity. Pre-school is a great way to get young children used to being away from their parent or carer for a short amount of time and it gives parents chance for a bit of ‘me-time’ knowing that their child is well cared for. There’ll also be a new session for under 4s - parent and child messy play (sand, water, painting, craft etc) and an after school craft club for 4-8 year olds. Pre-school sessions are available Tues, Weds & Thurs 9.15-11.15 or 1-3pm and cost £10 for a 2 hour session. Enrolment is now taking place for the January start. Contact 01904 782047/788853 to learn more about the intended venue or email poppletonpreschool@hotmail.co.uk to guarantee a place.

Tennis Tots Local group Tennis Tots has been running in Harrogate since March 2010 and owner Matthew McTurk has been impressed with how well it’s taken off. ‘The programme is expanding rapidly with more children joining every day,’ says Matt, ‘and the Harrogate groups are proving so popular that we are planning to open more venues in the New Year. ‘Tennis Tots goes far beyond just getting kids started playing tennis,’ he adds, ‘it aims to provide an all round approach for children to develop many different skills whilst learning about the benefits of leading an active healthy lifestyle.’ Keep a look out for a Tennis Tots class near you. www.tennis-tots.co.uk

Families Vale of York

news

Help your Local Hospice this Christmas

Help for Young Carers Young carers across the Harrogate district are being given extra support thanks to the fundraising efforts of pupils, parents and staff at Belmont Grosvenor School. Teenager Christian Lunn, who has cared for his parents since he was eight years old, visited staff and pupils to say a big thank you for helping fund a mentoring service, run by the Young Carers’ Team at Harrogate-based charity Carers’ Resource. For the past four years, parents, pupils and staff have raised more than £15,000 from fund-raising events for Carers’ Resource where mentors offer educational, social and emotional support for up to 140 young carers across the Harrogate district, aged between 7 and 18, while they are at school. Charlie Brooksbank, former chairman of Belmont Grosvenor School’s PTA, said she hoped the money would enable the mentoring service to continue providing support for vulnerable young people. ‘The children at Belmont Grosvenor have also gained some insight into the lives of young carers through a visit and a talk from the charity itself. It has made everyone think how lucky they are,’ she said.

This year St Leonard’s Hospice in York is marking 25 years of caring for local people with life-threatening illnesses and for their families. Hospice care is always free of charge to patients and families, and St Leonard’s needs to meet running costs of £3.3 million each year. Over the Christmas season there are a number of ways you can help: You can Light up a Life – by sponsoring a light on a special Christmas Tree. The tree in St Helen’s Square in the centre of York is lit with hundreds of lights, each one sponsored in honour of a loved one or a friend. There is also a Light up a Life tree in the grounds of the Hospice. If you would like to sponsor a light to shine from late November until Twelfth Night, contact the Hospice on 01904 77 77 77. If your place of work would like to help, businesses can take one of the Giant Christmas Tree Cards, which have slots for small individual cards. Staff can write their messages to colleagues – and make a contribution to the Hospice of the amount they saved by not buying individual cards. There are also three special events in the lead-up to Christmas including the Hospice’s Christmas Fair on Dec 4th, the St Leonard’s first Santa Dash takes place on Saturday 12th December in Selby Park and the Hospice’s Carol Service, which takes place round the lighted tree in the Hospice grounds on Thursday 16 December. See Our ‘What’s On’ section for more details about these events. For more information on any of these events, call the Fundraising team on 01904 77 77 77 or see the website – www.stleonardshospice.org.uk

www.belmontgrosvenor.co.uk

Multi-tots celebrates first birthday On Thursday November 4th York-based twins support group Multi Tots will be holding a special party to celebrate its first birthday. ‘Since we began over 35 families with young twins have attended the group,’ says the group’s founder Janine Hebden, ‘and it has been an invaluable lifeline to many, offering peer support and a chance to share experiences.’ The party will run from 10 to11.30 a.m. with party games, party snack and a special fun singing session run by MiM Music. The group meets at Hob Moor Children’s Centre – contact Janine at hebdenjanine@yahoo. co.uk or on 01904 471454 for more information.

Jo Jingles is Here! Fun Music, Singing & Movement Classes for children aged 3 months to 5 years Develop your child’s ��Social Skills ��Conﬁdence ��Co-ordination ��Language ��Listening Skills ��Imagination Children’s Parties & Nursery Sessions also available!

For details on classes in: Wakeﬁeld (Sandal & Stanley), Pontefract, Normanton, Ackworth, Horbury/Ossett, Garforth, Sherburn in Elmet, Wetherby, Boston Spa & Harrogate Call Paula on 01977 650455 or email jojinglesleeds@yahoo.co.uk www.jojingles.com/leeds

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Charity Wine Tasting Escrick Pre-School Playgroup Committee has come up with a fabulous way to give the area a festive and fun-filled night out whilst raising funds. They’ll be holding a wine tasting evening with Howden’s Flourish and Prosper Wine Merchants and Delicatessen on Friday 26th November at Escrick Village Hall. ‘The Wine Tasting event is one Christmas event not to be missed,’ says one of the event’s organisers Gemma Daniel. ‘People can come along and sample some fine wines, champagne and port all in time to place their Christmas order. Flourish and Prosper (www.flourish-and-prosper.com) will be hosting the wine tasting and will be providing

us with their expert knowledge on a handpicked selection. There will also be food, a wine themed quiz and prize, a band and a raffle with some fabulous prizes to be won.’ Hot on the heels of their Boden fund raising evening earlier this year, this is another original idea for fundraiaing by the playgroup which is a registered charity run by a management committee made up of elected parents and staff. Individual tickets or tables of 10 are available. Prices are £15 per head which includes all the wine tasting, nibbles, food and entertainment. Contact Gemma Daniel on 01904 720400 for tickets which will not be available on the evening and so must be bought in advance.

Vital support for parents of children with eating disorders National charity Care for the Family is launching the first UK telephone befriending service for parents of children with an eating disorder. The new service will be the first to offer parents one-to-one, ongoing support from trained ‘befrienders’ who have themselves been through the experience of watching their own child struggle with an eating disorder. Care for the Family, whose aim is to strengthen family life and help those facing family difficulties, set up the service because it is frequently contacted by parents of children who have an eating disorder and are seriously ill. Katharine Hill, Director of Policy, Research and Development at Care for the Family says: ‘People can develop an eating disorder at any stage of life, but those most at risk are children and teenagers. Having a child with an eating disorder affects the whole family and can place a huge strain on relationships between parents and with siblings. We want parents to know they are not alone.’ To arrange to speak to a befriender call (029) 2081 0800 or email eatingdisorders@cff.org.uk. For further information on eating disorders visit www.careforthefamily.org.uk/supportnet.

Tatler School Awards 2010 St. Martin’s Ampleforth are celebrating as they learned that they were nominated for Best Prep School of the Year at the Tatler School Awards. The Tatler Schools Guide is an annual supplement to the October issue of this prestigious magazine and schools are chosen for entry according to their own criteria and not because entry has been paid for. This year 229 schools were chosen to be in the guide, of which 114 are prep schools. Only 13 prep schools were chosen from the whole of the North of England and Scotland. In each category there are five nominees and, this year, St. Martin’s Ampleforth were one of the five nominees for Prep School of the Year. The eventual winner was a Prep school from the south, but as the only school from the North of England to be represented in any of the nominations for any of the categories, the staff and pupils are delighted with the accolade. Headmaster, Nicholas Higham said, ‘This is an achievement to be proud of so I would like to pass on my thanks to all my staff for their continuing efforts in making us the best that we can be and giving us national recognition in this way.’

Families Vale of York

news Water Babies scoops top prize

Silly Road Signs in the Stockeld maze

A Winter Wonderland – on your doorstep Deep in a forest just outside of Wetherby is the magic of Christmas. Forget expensive trips to Lapland, this is a winter wonderland right on your doorstep. Take a walk in the Enchanted Forest to see some of the new arrivals. Take the snoring hedgehog who has shacked up with a knitting beaver and an owl who’s busy with end of year paperwork in the new tree house. But our tip to mums is to avoid the new mirror towards the end of your walk, which promises to show you a reflection to remember. Mine was less than flattering. For more active family members there’s the challenge of the ice rink and ski trail. However this year, local elves have been hard at work adding more magic to the Snowflake Maze. There’s now a Maze Tower from which you can see the whole of Stockeld, a selection of silly road signs to help you find your way out of the shrubbery and some wonderful new musical instruments. There’s loads for little hands to play with. With so much going on, you’ll want to visit again and again. So why not invest in a Stockeld Season Card so you can keep experiencing the magic of Christmas until the end of January. Open until Sunday 30th January it’s a sure-fire way to get rid of those New Year blues! www.thechristmasadventure.com 01937 586333

For the third year running, Water Babies has won top prize in the prestigious ‘What’s On 4 Little Ones 2010’ awards; this year, once again winning the main ‘Best National Baby & Toddler Development Activity’ award. Competition was fiercer than ever, with over 2,500 nominations and more than a staggering 27,000 votes cast. ‘We’re overwhelmed by the amazing response of all our clients in voting for us,’ said Arran MacDonald who runs classes in the Harrogate, York and Ripon area. ‘To have won this national award - again - totally reflects on the dedication of the whole Water Babies team.’ Water Babies’ uniquely structured programme, designed to make the most of babies’ natural affinity with water, teaches water confidence and safety techniques from birth. ‘With progressive training, babies can be taught life saving skills such as turning onto their backs or swimming to the nearest solid object following a sudden submersion,’ added Arran. ‘And it’s so important that they do. Within the last two years, seven of our children nationally saved themselves from drowning – despite three of them being only two.’ To find out more about Water Babies classes phone 01943 872556 or visit www.waterbabies.co.uk

Save every step Local Harrogate mum Helen Spencer has recently launched an exciting new website which she’s sure will be a hit with families.

Tennis Tots is a ground breaking new tennis play programme for children from 2-5 years of age Classes currently being held in Leeds, Harrogate & Bradford

��

Get in touch to book a

FREE trial session

Call 07725 339257 www.tennis-tots.co.uk

6 Families Vale of York

The site enables the user to save the memories and stories which have shaped their lives on an interactive ‘lifeline’ with the intention of ensuring that we all leave our children a real legacy. ‘It is the events which we encounter every day, big and small, joys and tragedies, which shape our lives and personalities,’ says Helen, ‘and yet our children never ask, so we never tell them who we really are. ‘Children can create and maintain their own Lifelines too – one of the most appealing ideas is to visually record your children on the first day of the school term each and every year and see how they grow,’ adds Helen. The site is totally free for anyone to register and use – find it at www.saveeverystep.com.

Wendy House Nursery wins art competition Ashville College Pre-Prep School’s inaugural Nursery Schools art competition has been won by The Wendy House Nursery. Nursery schools across the Harrogate area were invited to enter by creating collages based around the book, ‘A Fish Who Could Wish’, which is a favourite with pupils at the Yew Tree Lane school. The competition was judged by Ashville College’s head of art, Simon Brook, who was looking for child input and the use of different materials. Second place went to Woodlands Day Nursery while Kindercare on Hornbeam Park was third. The Wendy House Nursery, based just off Harrogate’s Otley Road, was presented with a shield, certificate and £300 towards art and craft materials at a ceremony during Ashville Pre-Prep School’s open day.

Parents’ hope for new York school

A group of parents in the Holgate area of York are working hard to ‘local mum set up a new secondary school under the new guidelines approved Maxine by the coalition government. This would be a ‘free school’, outside of Brown and council control, overseen by local people and run by a professional her sons’ staff of teachers. It’s planned to open in September 2012 so that children currently in Year 5 would make up the first year’s intake. ‘Ours would be a small, community school, open to everyone and comprising two classes of 20 children per year, building up year by year to a maximum of 200 pupils,’ said Maxine Brown. ‘We will not select on the basis of income, ability or faith. This would be a genuinely comprehensive school, located in Holgate but open to all children in York subject to capacity. ‘We believe that York needs a new school in this area primarily to add choice,’ she continued. ‘Statistics show that children living in the Holgate ward have the worst chance of getting into their preferred secondary school in the whole of York. This year just over one in four did not get the school place they wanted.’ The parents’ preferred site is the former railway workers’ canteen building, now boarded up and derelict, on Holgate Road close to the Fox Inn. A proposal has already been submitted to the government, and they are now considering it. You can find out more about the campaign at www.yorkfreeschool.org.uk – and we’ll keep you posted in future issues.

Nearly the Goat Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre in Knaresborough is very excited to be hosting a performance of ‘Nearly the Goat’ – a brand new Christmas play for the whole family...and other animals! The performance by Riding Lights Theatre Company promises to be a treat for the whole family with eerie singing in the sky, a starlit search for a tiny stable while the sat-nav’s on the blink and a wolf – the night seems to be heading for a flock of disasters. To find out how a relentlessly cheerful, interrupting goat fits in, take yourself along to Henshaws at 50 Bond End, Knaresborough on Friday 3rd December at 7pm. The performance lasts an hour and is suitable for ages 5 and up. Tickets £3. Call 01423 541888.

The

Pushy Mothers Buggy Workout

Effective, safe and speciﬁc exercise for new mums. No childcare concerns – baby comes in buggy! Weekly classes in Harrogate Contact Rachel 07796 142883 www.pushymothers.com

at Stockeld Park

Christmas Adventure Open daily November, December and into January

Don’t miss the magic of our…

Enchanted Forest, Maze Tower, Events, Activities & NEW Season Card

Competition Winners The winner of the Stockeld Sleigh Ride was Lindsey Clayton of Harrogate and the Stockeld Season Card winner was Melanie Kunz of Linton.

�� An inspirational day out for all ages at Stockeld Park. Near Wetherby on the A661. Open 7 days a week.

w w w. t h e c h r i s t m a s a d v e n t u r e. c o m Families Vale of York

giveaways & competitions competition

Is your child the face of zak and flo?

A competition to ﬁnd the face of York based children’s clothing store Zak and Flo has been launched. Ruth Holden Harris from the Bishopthorpe based shop wants to ﬁnd a child aged between 3 months and 2 years old to model the beautiful christening wear she has in stock. ‘I’m asking parents to come along on Saturday 4th and Wednesday 8th December to have their photo taken,’ says Ruth. ‘The winner will be chosen before Christmas for a photo shoot in the Spring.’ If you’re interested, make your appointment with Ruth on 01904 707829 or christening@zakandflo.co.uk www.zakandflo.co.uk

Treasures Treasures is Wetherby’s newest toy and book shop bringing a sprinkling of magic to toy shopping. Local mum of two Zhara Armstrong opened the shop as she felt there was an opportunity to make shopping for children’s toys and books great fun. ‘The feedback and support from the local community has been fantastic,’ she said. ‘Several customers have commented “it’s just like Hamleys”, others have commented on the quality of toys and the space in the shop.’ Books are a key part of what Treasures has to offer and Zhara says she and her book supplier have carefully selected the range covering from birth to age 12. ‘The customer response has been super,’ she added, ‘with grandparents and parents commenting that we stock books they’ve not seen for a long time and wanted for their children.’ Zhara stocks carefully selected products from leading manufactures as well as some you may not have heard of. So you will find brands such as Papo, Schleich, Playmobil, Wooden Thomas & Friends, Groovy Girls, Le Toy Van and Sylvanian Families alongside less well know brands such as Frilly Lily who supply beautiful high quality dressing up outfits.

competition

WIN A FABULOUS FRILLY LILY PIRATE COSTUME Treasures has one beautiful Frilly Lily pirate dressing up outfit to give away – perfect for Christmas parties. All you have to do to enter is visit www.familiesvoy.co.uk/treasures and follow the instructions there.

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Christmas at the NRM The festive season is upon us so why not kick off the Christmas period at the National Railway Museum for a special Arctic Express weekend on 27 – 28 November. With lots of fun-filled activities to keep the whole family entertained, visitors will be spoilt for choice with what to do first! You can start by stepping into your own Christmas wonderland inside a giant human Snow Globe - the perfect way to see a white winter! And whether you’re a beginner or professional you can also perfect your skating skills on the synthetic ice rink. The kids will also love making their own Christmas crafts to take home. ‘This Christmas we have a magnificent Chinese Locomotive which will be taking centre stage,’ says the NRM’s Emily Cates. ‘It bears a striking resemblance to the classic kid’s story Polar Express, and means vistors can get up close and personal to one of the largest steam locomotives in Britain.’ As if all this wasnt enough, there will also be exciting live science shows, new interactive storytelling sessions all about the opulent royal carriages (Quick, the Queen is coming!) and festive stress-free shopping at the onsite gift shop.

win Christmas Family Day NRM a

out at

The NRM are offering one Family the chance to win a Christmas day at the museum. The prize includes entrance into the giant Snow Globe, lunch for up to ﬁve people in the restaurant, a ride on the Simluator, Minature Railway and the NRM Road Train as well as a free guide book! For your chance to be merry and win, answer this question: What is the name of the NRM’s festive weekend? The closing date for all entries is Friday 19th November 2010. E-mail your answer to competitions@nrm.org.uk or post it to: Marketing Department, National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ. Please quote ‘Families Vale of York’ and tell them you would like to receive regular updates from the NRM by post or email. Terms and Conditions apply, please visit www.nrm.org.uk for full details.

8 Families Vale of York

Helen Sinfield runs her own children’s art business 4littleart from her home in Wetherby.

the parent business ‘When I had my sons (Oliver now aged 7 and Dominic 4), I gave up work to concentrate on being a full time mum,’ says Helen. ‘I’d worked as a graphic designer and Illustrator for over 13 years before children, so once my youngest began pre-school I decided it was time to do something that would also ﬁt in around family life. Given my design history I wanted to work in a creative environment but had no idea where or what to do.’

After searching the internet for something to brighten up her boys’ bedroom Helen realized that original and affordable art was in very short supply -so she decided to make her own! ‘I started with a few rough sketches which developed into canvas art for boys and now 2½ years on 4littleart continues to grow, selling art for boys and girls locally throughout several galleries and retail outlets along with the 4littleart website.’ ‘The best part about 4littleart is having something that I never get bored with. I’m constantly thinking of new themes and different ways to improve the website along with producing and hand finishing orders. What makes the whole thing so rewarding are the phone calls and emails I receive from customers delighted with their purchases.’ Work fits around family life well for Helen and since both children are now at school she’s had more time to devote to her business. ‘I try and arrange all orders, sales and any phone calls that need to be made throughout the day, and then generally work on promotions and the 4littleart website when the children are in bed. ‘I’d advise anyone thinking of working for themselves to go for it – but you have to be very focused, determined and be prepared to work extremely long hours for very little return in the first few months,’ says Helen. ‘Once your business starts to grow though, there are few things as rewarding as running your own successful company.’ In the future Helen will continue to extend the 4littleart range. ‘Hopefully along with business growth, our reputation and custom will continue to grow,’ she adds. ‘It would be great to know that the 4littleart range is associated with a great service, excellent quality and original design children’s art.’

Take a look at the full range www.4littleart.co.uk

Families

-going from strength to strength Families Vale of York is now six years old and is part of a thriving group of franchised magazines across the UK from the Solent to Fife. Twenty years ago it was a much smaller operation. The first issue in October 1990 was a cut and paste affair in black and white—meaning scissors and glue, not copy and paste!! The very first edition, Families® South West, had a mere 4,000 print run, and colour wasn’t to be seen until Oct 2000. How things have changed—it would be unthinkable nowadays to have a Families magazine in black & white. Even when the experts said that ‘it would never work in publishing,’ Families started franchising the magazine in 1995. There are now 30 editions of Families in the UK and well over 500,000 copies are printed across the group. But throughout it all, Families has remained true to the original thinking, a hands-on magazine for busy parents with useful information, centred around the local community. We think (well of course we would) that Families is, and always will be, the best source of local information, news, events and what’s on for parents. You are reading the right publication, well done!

Going on-line and interactive

When the World Wide Web beckoned in the late 1990s, we were there. Families has had a web presence from 1997; our own site www.familiesonline.co.uk was launched in 2000 and last December saw a massive re-launch of the website. The Families website is a powerful resource that currently reaches into nearly all areas of the UK. Local editors look after their own local section filled with local articles, listings, discussion forums and free small ads. Register as a user and find at the bottom of your chosen articles a list of relevant companies local to you. No more searching, the info comes to you. This is simply unique. It’s almost like having a really knowledgeable friend at virtually every school/nursery gate in the country. So whereas one parent may get some information on self-esteem for older children, another will find exactly where to take a pair of rambunctious toddlers on a rainy Monday.

What’s next?

Families Online of course! Our website www.familiesvoy.co.uk is getting an impressive amount of traffic and we are proud to offer a huge bank of really useful articles. How often have I Googled something to be taken to my own website! We have Forums, local Directories, listings, What’s On and loads of great competitions (see page 12, where there is £250 from Hamleys to be won) for example. Remember to log in: by logging in you allow ALL articles you read to automatically show the relevant local companies at the bottom. It also means Families Vale of York becomes your default Home Page when you visit us. Isn’t it clever?

Families Vale of York

What do You do at …

The Little Gym

In our regular series of visiting local children’s classes, Families editor Belinda Maunsell visits Harrogate’s Little Gym with her (now 3 year old) tester. My trusty tester and I set off for Harrogate’s Little Gym just after the new term started and the big kids were back at school. The Little Gym is situated at Cardale Park, Harrogate – a perfect out of town location with loads of free parking – but one that took lots of perseverance to obtain says owner Kate Henebury. ‘I knew we had the perfect spot here but it took months to gain planning permission. It’s all been worth it though and we’ve now been open 8 months and see over 330 children a week in our classes.’ My daughter was keen to get started on the class we’d been invited to – Funny Bugs for children aged 3-4 but we’d arrived a little early and so set to some of the activities on offer in the café area whilst we waited. In between colouring in some pictures and choosing some books to read, she continued to pester about wanting to ‘go and play now’. And I couldn’t blame her really – the gym is very inviting with lots of bright colours and real gym equipment including a beam, asymmetric bars, a vault and springboard. Children can be observed throughout their class as the whole wall between the gym and the café area is made of glass and although I couldn’t hear the class I could see much of the activity and just how India was getting on. ‘With the younger children, parents go into the gym and take part,’ says Kate. ‘These classes are all about fun and the exploration of basic motor and social skills.’ By the time they are 3 children usually go in on their own and classes start to introduce children to gymnastics. India was joining in enthusiastically even though she was easily the youngest and least experienced in the group – but she had plenty of supervision with three adults including Hollie – possibly the most enthusiastic teacher I’ve ever met!

Further Information The Little Gym is at 1 Cardale Park, Harrogate, HG3 1RY. Tel 01423 701560. Check out their schedule of classes at www.thelittlegym or book for a free introductory visit. Classes for children aged up to 12 years take place from Tuesday – Saturday with parties held on Saturdays & Sundays.

Balanced Living - Little Gym trainer Hollie Jones and Ashville Pre-Prep School pupil Nicola Crack

‘All our staff are highly qualified,’ says Kate, ‘most have sports degrees or professional sports backgrounds and love working with children.’ Hollie had the girls warming up with running, jumping, star jumps (beyond my daughter’s ability yet – by very amusing to see her try!) and forward rolls – not a problem for India who was straight over! Each week basic skills are built upon around a theme – which was vegetables this week. Kate explained what was happening in the class as I watched my tiny daughter be helped on the beam and bars - and while she was having a ball I was having a coffee and a chat. ‘My son loves coming to the Little Gym,’ one mum told me, ‘and what’s great is that if you miss a week, you can take the class you’ve missed at another time during the term. Because six funny bug classes run every week we can choose another - and we don’t lose our money.’ ‘This kind of flexibility is perfect for mums of little ones,’ says Kate who has three children of her own. ‘I know how difficult it is to make classes if children are ill and it can be really frustrating to have to pay for a class you can’t get to.’ The Little Gym also played host to a school trip on the afternoon of our visit - Ashville Prep School’s youngest pupils had a chance to get physical when they were given their first taste of gymnastics. The four-year-olds learned to perfect somersaults and cartwheels as well as using the specialised gym equipment during their session. Ashville’s pre-prep head Carol Berrie thinks the gym is a great place for the children to learn the importance of healthy living and exercise from an early age. ‘The gym is so well equipped,’ she told me, ‘we’re very lucky to have it on our doorstep.’ We couldn’t agree more.

Reviews

Peppa Pig- Fun and Games Peppa has now arrived on Wii consoles in time for Christmas. Designed for ages 3+ this is great introduction for little ones to the intricacies of the Wii remote and our three year old now understand the phrase ‘press the A button’ even if she can’t line up the arrows in all of the games on this disc. There’s plenty of variety and we found a Bursting Balloons and Watering Flowers particularly suited to absolute beginners with a steady increase in difficulty across the 10 re-playable games. ‘Dressing Up and ‘George’s Rocket’ were a bit trickier and would require more dexterous fingers but our 6 year old tester found most games very easy. Suitable for ages 3-5 the game is priced at £19.99.

Families Rating

5 out of 6

Tested by India Joyce & Neve Whitehead

Hugless Douglas by David Melling Published by Hodder Children’s Books RRP £5.99 Hardback ISBN 978-0-340-95063-0 This book introduces us to Douglas who is due to appear in a number of forthcoming Hodder titles and will no doubt become a hit as he is such a lovable character. Douglas is a big brown, huggable bear, who wakes up one morning in need of a hug. He sets out to find one and tries to hug just about everything in sight but some of these hugs just don’t seem right: too big; too small; too heavy; or even too busy. Finally he is led to a cave where he finds his mother and she gives him the most perfect and warmest hug that he could possibly imagine – exactly the sort of hug that he had been after all day long. This heart-warming story of Douglas’s quest for the perfect hug makes a perfect tale to share with little ones. Make sure you give them a big hug at the end...

Families Rating

5 out of 6

Reviewed by Emilie Amos

Slightly Invisible

I can cook

by Lauren Child Published by Orchard Books

Recipes by Sally Brown and Kate Morris

RRP £10.99 Hardback

Published by Hamlyn

ISBN 978-1-40830-790-8

RRP £12.99 Hardback

Charlie and his friend Marv are in search of strange and tricky creatures which they would like to do without Lola bothering and interrupting them at every opportunity. Luckily, Lola knows exactly how to catch strange and tricky creatures and enlists a bit of help from her invisible friend, Soren Lorensen, along with a few glasses of her favourite pink milk.

ISBN 078-0-600-62206-2

This is Lauren Child at her best. An amusing story teamed together with her fantastic quirky pictures of Charlie and his little sister on one of their frequent adventures. My children loved being just able to see the invisible Soren Lorensen and it really got their imaginations going – they are now requesting a whole host of things for their invisible friends. The much-anticipated return of the hugely loved brother and sister team will bring a great number of smiles to a multitude of children this Christmas.

Families Rating

5 out of 6

Reviewed by Emilie Amos

If your preschooler loves the CBeebies programme I Can Cook, then this tie-in book is a great introduction to cooking. The book features TV presenter Katy Ashworth along with pictures of children demonstrating techniques such as chopping, tearing and mashing. And just like the TV programme it actively engages them in getting involved and understanding what they are cooking. We liked the fact the book was full of ‘real’ food such as olive bread, cheesy lasagne, hot pot and our favourite – strawberry meringue cheesecake! With 52 recipes this is the perfect Christmas gift for a 2 – 5 year old budding Jamie Oliver.

Families Rating

5 out of 6

Reviewed by Belinda Maunsell

A Calf for Christmas by Astrid Lindgren. Illustrated by Marit Tornqvist Published by Floris Books RRP £9.99 Hardback ISBN 0863157858 You may remember the author’s name for her most famous book – Pippi Longstocking. This latest Christmas story is set in a traditional Swedish farming community and is about a boy called Johan. Johan and his family are distraught as their only cow, Emma, has died and they are too poor to buy another. Meanwhile, Peter Jonsson, a rich farmer, comes to town to collect his new calf. He spends too long in the tavern, gets inebriated and ends up losing the calf in the snow on the way home. That evening Johan is shovelling snow and comes across a calf stranded in the snow. Johan’s father believes he knows who the owner is and goes to return the calf with happy consequences. The story covers the old belief that something good can result from something bad. It is supported by beautiful watercolours of rural Swedish scenes in the winter.

Families Rating

4 out of 6

Put Out the Light By Terry Deary Published by A & C Black RRP £5.99 Paperback ISBN 978-1408130544 Autumn 1940: Billy and Sally live in Sheffield, where bombs have not yet reached but air raid warnings and uncertainty are increasing. Policeman’s children, they appoint themselves detectives to catch a thief taking advantage of air raids, but end up being suspected themselves. Meanwhile in Dachau, Manfred wants Germany to win but is shocked at the treatment of Polish ‘under-human’ Irena. Even though threatened with execution for disloyalty he plans to put someone’s name on a bomb to help win the war, and perhaps help Irena too. An interesting book from Terry Deary, best known for Horrible Histories, that interweaves stories of children and pilots in Sheffield and Dachau with realistic details of everyday wartime life on both sides of the war at the beginning of the 1940 blitz. My war-obsessed son really enjoyed the parallel stories.

Families Rating

5 out of 6

Reviewed by Jan Deykin

Reviewed by Louise Turner

Families Vale of York

Christmas GiftGuide by Holly Wadsworth-Hill

The nights have drawn in, there’s a magical feel to the chill in the air and there’s more than one kind of wrapping-up on everyone’s mind. It can only mean one thing... Christmas is on its way! Whether that fills you with ho, ho, ho’s or Scrooge-like groans, we hope this fun-filled guide to all things festive, will help make this year a Christmas to remember...

It’s the thought that counts... Recent economic difficulties have triggered a new dawn of consumerism. Many of us are now concentrating on quality purchases that will stand the test of time. Nostalgia has unveiled tradition as the new vogue and whilst the latest crazes and popular characters certainly have their place, children are arguably more demanding and harder to please than ever before. There’s a reason why some of the old favourites are resurfacing and proving their worth to a new generation of inquisitive minds. Children like to be entertained but they thrive on interaction, they will happily watch but they learn quicker from doing, they benefit from competition but they enjoy team work. Classic toys are all this and much more and they really do have timeless appeal. With that in mind this year, why not focus on something they will love this Christmas but will treasure for many more to come...

Baby’s first Christmas Latest additions may be slightly oblivious to the seasonal chaos but you’ll remember their first Christmas forever and will be keen to make it extra special. Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a keepsake or something they can cherish for years to come.

My First Dolly £19

My First Dolly will be loved by all. She is so squeezably soft that little arms will adore snuggling up to her. Dressed beautifully, she has wild hair that little hands will love to touch and tug.

Alphabet Blocks £17

Painted with bright colours, clear letters and imaginative illustrations these wooden blocks can help little children when learning letters, colours and much more besides.

12 Families Vale of York

Top 10 Toys s 2010u w!ant guaranteed for Christma yo out toys but if ing or two ab can’t go wrong We know a th cle status, you un / nt au ite ned though, ur smiles or favo this list. Be war m fro nta’s ng hi et som quicker than Sa tracking down m the shelves fro fly to t se e these toys ar t miss out! sleigh, so don’ anted: is year’s most-w ensive list of th Your compreh re tion Figu zz Lightyear Ac • Toy Story 3 Bu c Screwdriver • Dr Who Soni Ultimatrix ate Alien Disc Set • Ben 10 Ultim r Vortex Battle al Fusion Supe et M de la yb Be • Girl • Barbie Video ics Book Animated Phon • VTech Storio msters • Kung Zhu Ha tion Set • Armouron Ac a om Video Camer • VTech Kidizo Game d ar Bo ns volutio • Monopoly Re

T is for trouble and toddlers! Busy little hands are into all things naughty as well as nice, so classic toys should be at the top of the list. The educational benefits and development of imagination and play skills from these toys are extensive but cleverly masked behind the colour, fun and excitement that toddlers crave.

Teaching Clock £14

Hamleys colourful Fun to Learn Teaching Clock helps teach time, number and letter recognition, as well as developing motor and problem solving skills through play. (made from fsc wood)

Wooden London Bus £32.50

The wheels on the bus go round and round! The top of this traditional big red bus opens to reveal 24 little wooden passengers and one cheerful driver. Great for developing hand to eye co-ordination. (made from fsc wood)

A Hamleys tale... Stuck on the basics or searching for finishing touches? Take inspiration from the world’s most famous toy store this year. Hamleys was established by Cornishman, William Hamley, in London, in 1760. Today it remains the world’s most wonderful toy shop, synonymous with theatre, magic and entertainment; add a mince pie or two and you’ve got all the ingredients for a perfect Christmas!

For him

For her

Boys of all ages need to be kept busy and love fun and games that they can really get stuck into. If he can burn off some energy, create mess and make some noise, he’ll be in his element!

Sugar and spice and all things nice, most of the time anyway! Creativity is a girl’s best friend; indulge her imagination with everything from dressing-up costumes, role-play sets and arts and crafts.

Jet Plane Set £55

The Playmobil Jet Plane Set is great for developing thinking processes and encouraging creative play. This exciting Playmobil play set is a hit with boys and girls alike.

Wooden Garage £65

This brightly coloured garage has three levels, multi-storey graphics and realistic features throughout. There are loads of games and adventures to be had with this traditional role-play Garage.

Dolly Tea Set £10

Time for tea anyone? This enchanting Hamleys tea set comes in a cute carry case, so it’s perfect for taking to friends houses and keeps everything safe and tidy when little ones aren’t busy entertaining.

My Balleria Doll £12

My Little Ballerina Doll is so pretty, soft and cuddly, she’s perfect for hugs! From the Sweet Peas collection, this doll is great for encouraging imagination and nurturing role-play skills.

Checklist... Assuming you’ve got the obvious like the turkey and tree under control, this checklist covers the trimmings! Must-have ingredients for the perfect Christmas: R Sellotape – Yes, you probably did already buy some but no, it won’t be where you left it and it’s not likely to be enough. R Batteries of all shapes and sizes – No one wants a room full of redundant, lifeless toys on Christmas morning. R Carrot, mince pie and a tipple for Santa and his merry team of reindeer – They’ll need it after months of preparation and expense. R Breakfast – toast doesn’t cut it on Christmas morning, stock up on their favourites and don’t forget some strong coffee beans for the bleary eyed adults. R Pen and paper to hand – Father Christmas may be the hero of the hour but don’t forget to note down family and friends who’ve also treated the little ones in preparation for the writing of... R Thank-you notes – Try making your own from discarded wrapping paper – a great way to wind them down after all that excitement! R Post-party clean up ammunition – Your house will probably be broken within 10 minutes of children waking up on Christmas morning. Put it back together again for guests with a hefty supply of recycling bags etc.

COMPETITION To celebrate 250 years of The Finest Toys in the World, Hamleys have teamed up with Families Vale of York to give you the chance to win £250 of Hamleys vouchers. To enter log on to

www.familiesonline.co.uk/Competitions Vouchers can be used online at www.hamleys.com or in one of their UK stores including of course Hamley’s at the Designer Outlet, York. Closing date for the competition is 8th December. See online for full Terms and Conditions.

It’s all about quality time... ‘Tis the season to spend with your loved ones: keep things merry with fun and games for the whole family.

Games Chest £60 Enjoy a gaming adventure with this classic wooden gaming chest. Open the sliding drawers to reveal a smorgasbord of fun with 10 of the world’s greatest games! Includes chess, mancala, backgammon, solitaire, tic-tac-toe and lots more to keep the very young and most experienced young-at-heart entertained!

We hope this guide has given you some ideas and eased you into the spirit of things. We wish you a fun-filled festive season and a very happy New Year!

Buying Green for Christmas The festive season, with all its associated consumption, can be a confusing and expensive time for shoppers who want to make life just a bit more ethical and eco-friendly. However, owner of Harrogate’s Cold Bath Toy Shop Simone Wood believes that buying eco-friendly or ‘nature aware’ toys needn’t cost the earth and could even be safer for children. What’s more, people can use the experience of Christmas giving to teach children about the values of sustainability and looking after the planet – in a fun and positive way. ‘I steer away from toys that are battery operated,’ says Simone, whose toy shop on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road opened in July. ‘And I look for wooden toys that are made with wood from sustainable sources, and that are finished with non-toxic paints, varnishes and glue.’ ‘Stocking toys made by companies with extremely high standards makes me feel confident that as well as being well-designed, exciting to play with and educational, the toys I sell in Cold Bath Toy Shop are safe, sustainable where possible and made to last.’ The mountains of plastic and the endless bin bags of used wrapping paper by the back door mean that Christmas can be a wasteful time. But Simone feels that a number of her toys really help to cut down on that waste. ‘We stock a range of craft kits that include activities such as knitting or sewing a toy where the packaging becomes part of the final creation – and we also have a decorate-it-yourself Knight dressing up kit where the packaging can be re-used for storing the outfit. ‘I get very excited about toys that cut down on packaging in this way, and by toys such as our colour-in castles, cottages and rocking chairs which are all made from recycled cardboard and can also be recycled themselves.’ Just because toys are green doesn’t mean that they’re expensive. Simone is conscious that her toys offer good value for money, too – another thing we all need at this very expensive time of year.

Simone’s Top Five Green Christmas Toys A Castle, Farm or Dolls’ House Ë

Buying a toy that is well-made means that it will last longer and perhaps even become a family heirloom. Buying a major present like this for Christmas means that others: Grandparents, Godparents, Uncles and Aunts can contribute with the knights, animals, dolls or furniture. Cold Bath Toy Shop’s Dolls’ Houses are made from sustainable wood, with non-formaldehyde glue and natural paints and finishes, and the castles and farms are solid, wooden and well-made.

Á WOW Toys

These are British designed, and although they are made of plastic, they are well-made, robust and most importantly, don’t require batteries. Being well made, they offer years of imaginative play. WOW have just launched two new toys: Pippa’s Princess Carriage and Ronnie Rocket, both of which would make ideal Christmas presents.

A good craft project...Ë

…one that takes longer than ten minutes to complete but that can also be done without too much adult input. We stock a range of craft projects where the packaging becomes part of the toy, and we also have a range of cardboard toys: a rocking chair, cardboard castles and a cottage that children can decorate themselves.

Á A good Jigsaw

Something the whole family can get involved with. We have some beautiful French Jigsaws with a fullcolour poster showing the final design.

Food! Ë

Food is a big part of the Christmas experience and when mum and dad are busy in the kitchen preparing the Christmas dinner, it’s lovely for little ones to pretend to do the same. We have some beautiful kitchens and cookware from Plan Toys and Melissa and Doug, with cutting fruit, wooden vegetables and a barbecue, as well as a beautiful wooden bake and decorate cupcake set. Families Vale of York

Shop Local at Christmas Hate the fact every high street is starting to look the same? So do we. So support your local businesses this Christmas and help ensure variety and originality in our local towns. To get you started we’ve asked some of our favourite local businesses to give you a taste of what they have in store this Christmas.

Support Your Hospice

Treasures

Visiting a toy shop is such an exciting experience for children and in a world where we mail order, shop online for ease and shove presents into the supermarket trolley, it’s easy to forget this. Try taking the kids along to Treasures in Wetherby which opened in September. It’s a must-visit shop over the Christmas period not only St Leonard’s Hospice has its own because of the beautiful toys in store but to catch a book signing special range of Christmas cards, (£2.95 - and Father Christmas! per pack of 10) in both traditional and modern styles – and there’s a pack for Faye Durston North Yorkshire author and illustrator will be reading from her new book children to colour Christmas scenes too. ‘The Wychwood Fairies’ at Treasures on Saturday 6th November. She’ll be showing children Along with the Hospice’s 2011 calendar how she draws her fairies and will judge the fairy dressing-up competition – there’ll also be a of old photographs of York (£3.50), they signed copy of Faye’s book for the winner. are on sale at the Hospice’s shops in Treasures owner Zhara Armstrong stocks popular brands such as Groovy Girls, Sylvanian Acomb, Haxby, Pocklington, Scarcroft Families, Melissa & Doug, Orchard Toys and Siku who have a fabulous range of model cars, Road, Selby and Tang Hall, from construction vehicles and farm machinery suitable from age 3. There’ll also be a wide selection of John Crane toys for Hospice reception and from Barnitts Christmas - wonderful wooden toys including a beautiful tea set, my first bike, a kitchen and many more. There’s also a store in Colliergate, York, and fabulous range of dressing up clothes – to be in with a chance of winning one see P8. branches of Gills Chemists. Father Christmas will be visiting Treasures on Saturday 20th November from 11am – 3pm and Zhara will be adding more Treasures events soon - see in store and the website www.treasurestoys.co.uk for updates. And when you visit don’t forget to ask Zhara to switch on the Treasures Express train which runs around the top of the shop - it’s been a huge hit with adults as much as children! Treasures, No.8 High Street, Wetherby, LS22 6LT (just by the free Wilderness Car Park) 01937 589187, www.treasurestoys.co.uk

Phoenix Cards

Phoenix Trading is an award winning directselling company which raises money for charities by selling top quality, exclusive greeting cards and stationery, at below high street prices through local representatives. Rachel Bentley is a local Independent Phoenix Trader who, with her team, retails in our area. She sells through her brochure and web page, with free delivery in the UK, or she can bring the shop to you with coffee and cards events or simply a mixed basket of wonderful products for you to choose from. For details of products and prices, supporting a good cause, organising an event with friends or a free information pack on becoming an Independent Phoenix Trader, visit www.phoenixtrading. co.uk/web/ rachelbentley or call 07976 621 496/01937 842 732.

The Willows Studio

Local Photographer Julie Moxon is offering these great calendars again this Christmas. All you need to do is book a sitting with Julie – there’s no sitting fee. You’ll have twelve photos taken - each season is themed and different props are used – to make up your calendar. The photos are then chosen the next day at her studio or online – twelve inside and one extra for the cover – all for £25. ‘The calendars were really popular last year,’ says Julie, ‘and lots of people have booked again this year. They’re such a good idea for Christmas presents for loved ones – especially grandparents. And what’s really great about them is that once the year is over you have a lovely set of photos that can be used again.’ Visit www.thewillowsstudio.co.uk for more information or call Julie on 01937 831720

Hand, feet …and paw prints

Make an Impression’s Sarah Pepler has a fabulous new addition to her range of gifts. ‘Our range of paw prints are proving very popular,’ says Sarah, ‘and we’re finding people are really keen to have a lasting memento of their family pet. It’s also a lovely idea for a present for grandparents.’ The processes of creating the paw impressions are almost entirely the same as for humans but as Sarah has found out it can be just as difficult to work with animals as it is with children! ‘Our youngest child George has been the most difficult to keep still out of any impressions taken so far but not so for Piper our new Labrador who is a delight to work with,’ says Sarah. All you need to do is call to make an appointment – either you go to her or she’ll bring her mobile studio to you. Once the mould is taken, Sarah will create your prints, finishing and framing them to make an extraordinary and exquisite keepsake that will last forever. Sarah also creates fingerprint jewellery and hand and feet impressions. To arrange an appointment, call her on 01751 430 927 or www.makeanimpression.eu

ShopLocal at Chris

That’s a Wrapper

Tennis Tykes

Tennis Tykes, the unique tennis play and coaching programme for children from age 2-6 years old, has launched a great new set of tennis equipment and clothing to compliment its fun term time tennis sessions and holiday courses. The children on the courses love the Tessa and Tommy Tyke characters and they are featured on the t shirts and racket holdall bags. Mini rackets and low bouncing outdoor balls are also available to purchase singly or as part of the Tennis Tykes racket bag pack, enabling children to practise their tennis skills at home. Contact Caroline Buncall on 07843342662/ email her at caroline.buncall@tennistykes.co.uk or log onto www.tennistykes.co.uk for further information on Tennis Tykes term time sessions or holiday courses or to place an order for these exciting new products

Bows Galore

Carole Ogden-Pickering makes beautiful bows for children and this Christmas has added a new range of products to her extensive range. ‘We have bows with diamantes, ruffles and sequins in addition to our usual collection,’ says Carole. The Bow Company was started after Carole received so many compliments and requests for accessories from family and friends. The company has evolved and now stocks lightweight clips, barrettes, bobbles and hair bands – which all stay put. ‘Each product is researched and tried and tested on all types of hair before going on sale, says Carole, ‘and so we’re confident our products stay in place whilst looking stylish and adding the finishing touches to any outfit.’ A delightful addition to any little girl’s stocking this Christmas; you’ll find you’re spoilt for choice at www. thebowcompany.net

Local chocolate bar business That’s a Wrapper has three new products especially for Christmas this year. Owner Sarah Selby can help you take an original slant on dressing your table: ‘Instead of crackers at Christmas dinner this year, why not try a Christmas Joke Bar,’ says Sarah, it’s a 35g bar of chocolate with a Christmas joke printed on the wrapper. Or a brilliant gift for the children is a 35g bar of chocolate and a mini Christmas toy - you can choose any wrapper and personalisation, and a Rudolph, Santa or Snowman toy.’ Sarah is also offering bespoke tree decorations, with your wording or picture on a 10g bar wrapper, with thread ready to hang on your Christmas tree. Visit her website at www.thatsawrapper.co.uk for lots of Christmas stocking filler ideas.

Pinkies & Tootsies

Owner of Pinkies & Tootsies Debbie Edwards can capture your loved one’s fingerprints forever on a keepsake that suits any age. From cufflinks for dad to bracelets, necklaces and key rings, the process is quick and simple. ‘An impression is taken of each child’s fingerprints which takes moments and the finished product is delivered to your door,’ says Debbie. ‘Timescales from appointment to delivery can take up to 4 weeks though, so ensure you book your appointment in plenty of time for Christmas. As well as silver jewellery, the range includes 3d hand/feet castings for baby capturing the exact size of those tiny fingers and toes and raised hand and feet impressions. Debbie is based in Tockwith, near Wetherby- ideally located to cover York, Harrogate and Leeds. To arrange an appointment call 0845 269 1538 or email debbie@pinkiesandtootsies.co.uk www.pinkiesandtootsies.co.uk

Zak & Flo

Ruth Holden Harris owner of Zak & Flo in Bishopthorpe stocks the most beautiful party clothes which promise to be a hit with little ones this Christmas. ‘My daughter Florence has her eye on these Mini-a-ture, Tasha, Tutu Skirts,’ says Ruth, ‘which come in cerise pink and heron blue.’ ‘Parents are often looking for something a little bit special at this time of year, ’she adds, ‘ every little girl should have a special party outfit.’ Ruth stocks clothing by designers such as Little Darlings, Marese & Sarah Lousie, to name a few - visit her website at www.zakandflo.co.uk to get a taste of what’s in the shop. Zak & Flo, can be found at 26 Acaster Lane, Bishopthorpe, York. 01904 707829

Cookielicious

Local business woman and founder of Cookielicious, Jean Boyle has launched her latest range of irresistible treats to celebrate Christmas. The Christmas range includes Christmas trees, snowmen, stockings, Christmas puddings and snowflakes which all make great stocking fillers. The cookies are available at selected food retailers across the region and can be ordered at www.cookie-licious.co.uk.

Wear it-or Share it

Not every shopper browsing York dress agency Get Your Frocks Off is aware that the bargain hunter’s treasure trove has an upper floor, but those who climb the narrow red-painted staircase are rewarded with a glorious array of nearly new party frocks – as well as separates, bags and shoes. When she’s not being Families magazine’s very own BetaMum, Jacey Lamerton runs the two-storey dress agency and style consultancy, selling new and nearly new clothing and accessories. She’s recently moved the shop over the road to 43 Goodramgate, but you’ll still find the same top quality nearly new clothing and accessories at bargain prices, as everything is sold by other stylish shoppers, who are paid a commission when the item is snapped up. ‘As well as kitting people out for the festive season, we’re selling lots of jewellery, bags and scarves as Christmas gifts,’ explains Jacey. ‘It’s a great way of looking supergenerous while only spending a fraction of the original price.’ Get Your Frocks Off dress agency, 43 Goodramgate, York YO1 7LS TEL:01904 652302 Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 5pm (early closing Wednesdays at 2pm)

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Families Vale of York

out&about theatre

01904 623568 www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

9 DEC - 29 JAN JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

Illustration

by William

Rudling

Once again mayhem and madness will be taking over the main stage this year. Expect out of this world magic beans, zany anarchy, fantastic dance routines and endless amounts of slapstick. With all the usual cast including Berwick Kaler, who returns for his 32nd year, Martin Barrass, David Leonard, Suzy Cooper and AJ Dean. You KNOW it’s Christmas when you’ve seen this show! 7/10/10

Registered

JackA3.indd

Charity No.

ST. GEORGE’S HALL

ROWNTREE PLAYERS

YORK THEATRE ROYAL 568 01904 623 BOX OFFICE Online rely Book Secu atreroyal.co.uk kthe www.yor - £25 Tickets: £10

Information was correct as we went to press but be sure to check before you make plans as things may have changed.

17:46:00

Rowntree Players is the oldest amateur dramatic society in York and they’ll be celebrating their centenary in 2012. They produce and perform 3 plays a year and an annual pantomime which this year will be Mother Goose. The society is run on a voluntary basis by its membership and currently they rehearse and construct scenery and props at the Young Groves on Lowther Street in York. Membership ranges from 8 to 80 and new members are always welcome whether it be for performing, helping with scenery or general running of the society. If you’d like to know more, visit their website at rowntreeplayers.co.uk and in the meantime enjoy their ‘rollocking romp of a panto’ at...

JOSEPH ROWNTREE THEATRE Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA www.jrtheatre.co.uk

DICK WHITTINGTON

HELMSLEY ARTS CENTRE 01439 771 700 www.helmsleyarts.co.uk

4 DEC A YORKSHIRE CHRISTMAS CAROL 15 –18 DEC & MATINEE 18 DEC MOTHER GOOSE

JUNCTION Paradise Place, Goole, East Yorkshire, DN14 5DL www.junctiongoole.co.uk 01405 763652

13 NOV 11AM-1PM PUPPETRY WORKSHOP 13TH NOV 11AM-1PM FOREST OF FABLES 27TH NOV UGLY BEAUTY 10 & 11 DEC DICK WHITTINGTON 11 DEC11AM -1PM PANTOMIME WORKSHOP

01274 432000 www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

18 DEC – 6 FEB

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS

THE GRAND THEATRE & OPERA HOUSE, LEEDS 0870 121 4901 www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

16-20 NOV DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 17-31 DEC THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO

DONCASTER CIVIC THEATRE

Kingston square, Jarratt Street, Hull, HU1 3HF

16 – 20 NOV 9 DEC – 9 JAN

2 – 7 NOV

26 NOV – 15 JAN

ALHAMBRA THEATRE

HULL NEW THEATRE

01904 671818

01423 502116 www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk

HIGH SCHOOL ROCKS

The best hits from High School Musicals 1, 2 & 3, Hannah Montana, Camp Rock and Glee.

16TH DEC - 9TH JAN ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP

GRAND OPERA HOUSE YORK

HARROGATE THEATRE

23 NOV

01302 342349 www.doncastercivic.co.uk

229396

JOSEPH & HIS AMAZING TECHNICOLOURED DREAMCOAT 3 DEC THE CHUCKLE BROTHERS IN THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 10 DEC – 2 JAN CINDERELLA

01274 432000 www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

THE WIZARD OF OZ ALADDIN

SHEFFIELD MOTORPOINT ARENA 16 – 19 NOV 4-11 DEC

MOTHER GOOSE

Matinees on 4th 5th & 11th at 2pm. Evenings at 7:30pm (No evening performance 5th Dec) Will Baron Tightwad ever get his rent from Gertie? Will Houston ever pluck up enough courage to ask Tilly out? Why is Lord Moldevart so interested in Priscilla and will Fairy Floella be able to keep him under control? The answer to all these questions and more can be found at this years panto with another brand new script, jokes old and new, laughs in abundance, hilarious slapstick, rousing songs and dazzling dancing. Tickets £12 & £10. Book early to avoid disappointment – contact Helen on 07927 026071 Email: tickets@rowntreeplayers.co.uk

WAKEFIELD THEATRE ROYAL AND OPERA HOUSE 01924 211311 www.wakeﬁeldtheatres.co.uk

29 NOV – 2 JAN

SLEEPING BEAUTY

LAWRENCE BATLEY THEATRE 01484 430528 www.lbt-uk.org

9 - 24 DEC

HEIDI – A GOAT’S TALE

WEST YORKSHIRE PLAYHOUSE

DISNEY ON ICE

music, concerts & carol services CASTLE MUSEUM, YORK 01904 650333 www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk

7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 14 8PM CAROLS IN KIRKGATE 27 & 28 NOV, 4, 5, 11, 12 & 18 - 24 DEC A CHRISTMAS CAROL

FOUNTAINS ABBEY & STUDLEY ROYAL WATER GARDEN 01765 608888 www.fountainsabbey.org.uk

2 DEC

CHRISTMAS THEATRE MR FEZZIWIG’S CHRISTMAS 3 DEC CHRISTMAS THEATRE THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS 4,5, 11,12,18,19 DEC MUSIC AND LIGHTS AT CHRISTMAS 4,5, 11,12, 18 – 31 DEC CHRISTMAS TWINKLE - ANGELS & STARS 12 DEC 3PM CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT Traditional carol service with candles for children.

RIEVAULX ABBEY 01439 798228

Box Ofﬁce: 0113 213 7700 www.wyp.org.uk

12 DEC FROM 1.30PM

20 NOV – 15 JAN

KEIGHLEY & WORTH VALLEY RAILWAY

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

CHRISTMAS CAROLS

01535 645214 www.kwvr.co.uk

‘A YORKSHIRE CHRISTMAS CAROL’

18 DEC 7PM

ON TOUR DEC 2010

YORK MINSTER

Enjoy a family treat this Christmas and join the much lauded BadappleTheatre for their latest ‘theatre on your doorstep’ production. Writer Kate Bramley and her itinerant band of actors put their classic Yorkshire comedy slant on the Dicken’s Christmas story. The tour will take in a host of venues including Helmsley Arts Centre, Fountains Abbey, North Stainley Village Hall, Sheriff Hutton Village Hall & Green Hammerton Village Hall For information call the Badapple Theatre box ofﬁce 01423 339168 or ofﬁce@badappletheatre.com

16 Families Vale of York

CAROL SERVICE TRAIN

10 DEC 7PM

YORK MINSTER’S CHRISTMAS CAROL CONCERT 16, 17 18 DEC CHAPTER HOUSE CHOIR ‘CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT’ 22 DEC 7PM & 24 DEC 4PM FESTIVAL OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS 24 Dec 11.30pm MIDNIGHT MASS

ST LEONARD’S HOSPICE 185 Tadcaster Road, York YO24 1GL

16 DEC 6.30PM

CAROL SERVICE

Takes place round the lighted tree in the Hospice grounds.

Picture courtesy of The Farm Shop, Willow House

SELBY PARK 12 DEC

HAREWOOD HOUSE 0113 218 1010 www.harewood.org

26, 27, 28 NOV 1-5, 8-12, 15 – 19 DEC 12 NOON TO 10PM HAREWOOD CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Including Santa’s Grotto.

ROCKPLEX CENTRE, PRIORY STREET

where’s santa ? ANIMAL WORLD AT TOO HOOTS

NARNIA CHRISTMAS GROTTO 11,12, 18,19, DEC TICKETS ON THE DOOR

Hirst Road, Carlton, Near Goole, DN14 9PX 01405 862854 www.toohoots.co.uk

11,12,18,19, 21, 22 & 23 DEC FASTPASS TICKETS AVAILABLE

OPEN DAWN TILL DUSK EVERY DAY (except Dec 25) 11,12,18 & 19 DEC SANTA’S GROTTO

Much talked about enchanting walk which will take you through the wardrobe doors ﬁlled with fur coats into the snowy corridor of fairy lights and icy trees, past the lamp post and into Mr Tumnus’s house.

Plus popular seasonal Christmas shop, real Christmas trees for sale, animals to visit and Wise Owl tea rooms.

BENINGBROUGH HALL& GARDENS 01904 472027

4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19 DEC 11AM – 3.30PM A CHRISTMAS EXPERIENCE

HUNTINGTON HALL 46 Strensall Road, Huntington, York, YO32 9SH

5 DEC 3 – 5 PM SANTA’S GROTTO & CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Each child will receive a quality gift from Father Christmas for just £5 each. Fast Pass tickets are also available at a cost of £6 per child by booking in advance on 01904 659475. Adults £1.50 & £2 fastpass. NOTE: FAST PASS ONLY ON 21,22,&23

CASTLE HOWARD 01653 648333 www.castlehoward.co.uk

27, 28 NOV, 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19 DEC A FIRESIDE AUDIENCE WITH FATHER CHRISTMAS

EUREKA! THE MUSEUM FOR CHILDREN

Adults £2.00, Children 50p, Family ticket £4.00

01422 330069 www.eureka.org.uk

Contact Sylvia, 07776 305510 , Rebecca, 01904 416526Or email: HuntingtonMH@aol.com for tickets.

4,5, 11,12 & 18 – 23 DEC SANTA’S TOYSHOP

CRAZY TYKES

ENGLISH MARTYRS’ CHURCH HALL

Thorp Arch Trading Est, Thorp Arch, Wetherby, LS23 7BJ 01937 541007 www.crazytykes.co.uk

24 DEC 12PM – 3 PM

CHRISTMAS PARTY

Tickets priced at £7.50 per child. Traditional buffet for the children and a glass of wine for the adults. Special visitor for the children - before he gets too busy!

STOCKELD PARK On the A661 nr Wetherby, North Yorks. 01937 586101 www.stockeldpark.co.uk www.thechristmasadventure.com

13 & 14 NOV SANTA & REINDEER SLEIGH PARADE New FREE event - meet Santa and his Reindeer and maybe win a sleigh ride

13 NOV – 24 DEC

SANTA DASH

St Leonard’s Hospice has its ﬁrst dash which will see grown-ups, dressed in full Santa suits and children with reindeer antlers and shiny noses (all supplied!)Follow a fun one-mile course – and have the chance to show off to passers-by! Entry fees are £10 (£5 for children up to age 12) – and everyone is encouraged to ﬁnd sponsorship.

SANTA’S GROTTO

Weekdays 3pm – 7pm, weekends & every day from 13-23 Dec 12pm – 7pm, 24 Dec 12pm- 6pm. A beautiful, traditional grotto with good quality gift – no need to book, just turn up. Weekdays are best if you want to avoid the queues!

21 & 27 NOV 9 AM BREAKFAST WITH SANTA & FRIENDS New event - book online and join Santa for a yummy breakfast and gift.

THE FARMER’S CART Towthorpe Lane, York, YO32 9ST 01904 499183 www.thefarmerscart.co.uk

SANTAS WOODLAND GROTTO

THORP PERROW Bedale, North Yorkshire 01677 425323 www.thorpperrow.com

4, 5,11,12 DEC 11AM-12.45PM & 1PM-2.45PM SANTA’S INTERACTIVE TRAIL 4 DEC – 2 JAN

CHRISTMAS TRAIL

MURTON PARK 01904 489966 4 , 5,11,12 &18 – 21 DEC 10 AM – 3 PM

SANTA SPECIALS

YORKBOAT 4,5,11,12,13,16,18, 19,21 22 DEC SANTA CRUISES

A BIG ARCTIC EXPRESS WEEKEND 27 - 28 NOVEMBER

Dalton Terrace, York

4 DEC ST LEONARD’S HOSPICE’S CHRISTMAS FAIR Games and stalls, the Hospice mascot Lenny Bear will be there to welcome children and adults and there may also be a visit from Father Christmas.

Escape the Christmas rush and join in festive family fun. Skate around our ice rink, make special Christmas crafts and experience your own winter wonderland in a human-sized Snow Globe.

ADM I FRESSION E*

THE FARM SHOP Willow House, Wigginton Road, York, YO32 2RH Tel: 01904 766822 www.thefarmshopyork.co.uk

27 & 28 NOV, 4, 5,11& 12 DEC 11AM-4PM & 13-17 DEC 1PM6PM, 18-24th DEC 11AM-4PM SANTA’S WINTER WONDERLAND Indoor woodland walk for all ages. Weave you way along the woodland path through the enchanted land where Santa’s reindeer Donner and Dancer are resting before their big night. £8 per child, £3 per adult

Leeman Road, York YO26 4X J 0844 815 3139 www.nrm.org.uk *A small charge applies for Arctic Express Activities

Families Vale of York

��

out&about YORKSHIRE AIR MUSEUM

STOCKELD PARK

11,12,18,19, 22 & 23 DEC SANTA’S PLANE

On the A661 nr Wetherby, North Yorks. 01937 586101 www.stockeldpark.co.uk

Halifax Way, Elvington, York 01904 608595

WETHERELLS DEPARTMENT STORE The Crescent, Selby 01757 702454

20, 27 NOV & 4,11 & 18 DEC 10 AM – 4PM SANTA’S GROTTO

EMBSAY & BOLTON ABBEY STEAM RAILWAY

Information 01756 710614. Talking Timetable 01756 795189. www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk

KEIGHLEY & WORTH VALLEY RAILWAY 01535 645214 to check availability. www.kwvr.co.uk

21 & 28 NOV & 4, 5, 11, 12,18,19 DEC SANTA’S SPECIALS

NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY

Full timetable, operating dates and advance bookings:01751 472508 www.nymr.co.uk

4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 21 & 22 DEC SANTA TRAINS

NATIONAL COAL MINING MUSEUM 01924 848806 www.ncm.org.uk

27 - 28 NOV & 3 - 5, 10 - 12, 17 - 23 DEC 10.00AM – 3.30PM DEC SANTA UNDERGROUND Visit Santa140 metres below the surface in his underground grotto.

OPEN UNTIL 30 JAN* THE CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE

At the centre of the snowﬂake maze

A fabulous day out with lots of seasonal things to do. Try the snowflake maze which this year has some silly signs to help you find your way to the centre to find this year’s winning sculpture. Try a magical walk through the Enchanted Wood where you’ll meet all kinds of fairy tale creatures including Merlin, a host of angels on the lake, a magic mirror and even a knitting beaver! All wonderful at dusk – and even better if there’s been a fall of snow. Sip a hot chocolate whilst the kids enjoy eco-friendly ice-skating and for the energetic there’s Nordic Skiing. If you prefer a more leisurely pace there’s a fabulous shop and cafe – and Santa to visit. What more fun could a family have? * Weekends only after 9 Jan

EVERY TUES 10AM

PARENT & TODDLER

Coffee & cake drop-in. Meet with other parents & read story books.

13 &14 NOV SANTA AND REINDEER SLEIGH PARADE

01904 472027

7,14,21,28 NOV & 12, 19 DEC WINTER ARTRAGEOUS

CASTLE HOWARD York, YO60 7DA 01653 648333 www.castlehoward.co.uk

FRI 5 NOV NSPCC

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FAIR 29, 30 NOV & 7, 14, DEC 10AM - 4PM CRAFT AND PRODUCE MARKET

DUNCOMBE PARK Helmsley, York YO62 5EB Tel: 01439 770213 www.duncombepark.com

13 & 14 NOV 10.30AM – 4.30PM CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR

EMBSAY & BOLTON ABBEY STEAM RAILWAY Information 01756 710614. Talking Timetable 01756 795189. www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk

1 JAN

NEW YEAR’S DAY SPECIALS

No Santa – he’ll be on holiday!

MURTON PARK

19 NOV

21 NOV 11AM – 3PM

CHILDREN IN NEED LANTERN LAUNCH THE RED DEVILS PARACHUTE DISPLAY

Watch the fantastic world famous parachute team. Free.

EVERY DAY FROM 21 - 28 NOV CHRISTMAS TREASURE HUNTS 5, 10, 11, 12, 7 DEC GET IN TO THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT Enjoy the sounds of Christmas with live music

28 NOV 9AM

THE STROKE ASSOCIATION’S REINDEER RUN

This year the Stroke Association is spreading Christmas cheer on the run up to the festive season with a 5k Reindeer Run. The event is suitable for �� everyone, from experienced runners to families out �� for a stroll. It’s a great way to support a charity over �� the festive season, and doubles up as a great day Preschool/ Primary out! Every participant will receive free antlers and a Parent/Child Birthday Holiday Kindergarten School Smarty advert 40x55:Layout 1 30/3/10 20:30for taking Page part 1 and they’re encouraging the Classes Parties Camps medal Gymnastics Gymnastics more adventurous to dress up in festive outﬁts. There is a registration fee of £10 for individual participants and a fee of £15 for a family entry (for 2 Adults and up to 3 Children). This is to cover administration costs. All individual participants must pledge to raise a minimum sponsorship of £50 and families ry Senso & A new, exciting Arts,Crafts must pledge to raise a minimum play session for 1–5 year olds. sponsorship of £100. All er. registrations must be received by Run by a qualified, experienced Teach area. Friday 19th November. Sign up at New sessions coming soon in the York www.stroke.org.uk/reindeer welcome. ren child older – able avail ns sessio Holiday To ﬁnd out more contact the Christmas hotline on 738 339 a on 01423 0161 742 7484 or For further information call Fion email reindeer@stroke.org.uk or email: smartyart@live.co.uk Book your free trial class NOW! Call us on 01423 701560

Come and join

the fun…

Make a mess here… not at home!

18 Families Vale of York

27 & 28 NOV 11AM – 4PM AN AUDIENCE WITH VICTORIAN FATHER CHRISTMAS

Meet Santa and his Reindeer and maybe win a sleigh ride. Free.

20 NOV

At the Little Gym, we take a non-competitive, progressive approach to motor skill development. Children aged 4 months to 12 years, learn at an age appropriate pace, building upon past achievements as they advance week to week and term to term. It is a place where children develop their co-ordination, balance, confidence, listening and social skills whilst having heaps of FUN! The Little Gym provider of the world’s leading gymnastics based programme is NOW open in Harrogate. Take the first step, and enrol your child today.

CLIFFORD’S TOWER YORK BENINGBROUGH HALL & GARDENS

Launch a Chinese lantern in aid of Children in Need. 6.45pm start, 6.15pm arrival recommended

Develop your child’s skills and confidence

days out

01904 489966

DECK THE HALLS

NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM 08448 153139 www.nrm.org.uk

27 & 28 NOV

ARCTIC EXPRESS WEEKEND

Celebrate the festive season at the National Railway Museum with a winter – themed weekened full of family. Step into a giant human Snow Dome, take to the ice on our indoor ice rink and get creative with seasonal craft activities. There will also be exciting live science shows and new interactive storytelling sessions all about the royal carriages called Quick, the Queen is coming! Extensive onsite shops stock the perfect gift ideas to suit everyone.

18 DEC – 2 JAN

FAMILY ACTIVITIES

Free fun family activities throughout all school holidays.

FOUNTAINS ABBEY & STUDLEY ROYAL WATER GARDEN 01765 608888 www.fountainsabbey.org.uk

2 DEC 7.30PM

CHRISTMAS THEATRE – MR FEZZIWIG’S CHRISTMAS, 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 & 19 DEC 1.30 – 5PM MUSIC & LIGHTS 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 – 31 DEC 11AM – 3PM CHRISTMAS TWINKLE – ANGELS AND STARS,. 9 DEC 7.30PM CHRISTMAS THEATRE – A YORKSHIRE CHRISTMAS CAROL12 DEC 3PM CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHT 20 DEC 2PM CHRISTMAS STORY-TELLING Lots of Christmas stories. Suitable for 4 – 9 year olds. £1.50

HELMSLEY CASTLE North Yorkshire, YO62 5AB 01439 770442

4 & 5 DEC 10AM – 4PM MEDIEVAL CHRISTMAS & CHILDREN’S DRESSING UP

Photo courtesy of Stockeld Park

HENSHAWS ARTS & CRAFTS CENTRE

YORK – THE QUARTER

50 Bond End, Knaresborough, 01423 541888 www.henshaws.org.uk

Bringing the magic and excitement of our childhood Christmases back to us. In and around Swinegate, Back Swinegate & Grape Lane.

THROUGHOUT THE FESTIVE PERIOD Christmas Treasure trail - spot the festive images and objects hidden around the centre. Fabulous Café – special menu for children. Free mini mince pie with every hot drink during December. Shop & Plant Nursery – beautiful pieces of art and crafts made on site. Pre-order Christmas trees and wreaths.

3 DEC

NEARLY THE GOAT

A brand new Christmas play for the family... and other animals. Presented by Riding Lights Theatre Company. Tickets £3. Running time 1 hour. Suitable for ages 5+

HAREWOOD HOUSE 0113 218 1010 www.harewood.org Box Ofﬁce on 0113 218 1000.

11 - 12 DEC

FESTIVAL OF ANGELS

YORK Around the city 25 – 28 NOV

ST NICHOLAS FAYRE

KNARESBOROUGH EDWARDIAN CHRISTMAS MARKET 4 & 5 DEC VARIOUS VENUES AROUND THE MARKET PLACE AND CASTLE YARD.

YORK DESIGNER OUTLET www.theicefactor.co.uk

20 NOV-9 JAN 9.30AM-9.15PM DAILY ICE FACTOR

classes

26, 27, 28 NOV 1-5, 8-12, 15 – 19 DEC 12 NOON TO 10PM HAREWOOD CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL

TITHE BARN

BARLEY HALL

ELVINGTON VILLAGE HALL,

25 – 28 NOV 10AM - 5PM ST NICHOLAS FAYRE MEDIEVAL MARKET

ARCHBISHOP OF YORK CE JUNIOR SCHOOL IN BISHOPTHORPE 14TH NOV 10-12

TOY FAIR

TENNIS TYKES HOLIDAY COURSES

Fair includes nearly new and used toys in fantastic condition. Christmas rafﬂe with top prizes and the famous fantastic Christmas hamper. Tombola, refreshments and a huge chocolate stand too! Adults pay 50p on entry, children go free. For further details contact Sally on 01977 596244.

YORK STEINER SCHOOL Danesmead, Fulford Cross, York

ADVENT FAIR

Seasonal market stalls, children’s activities, lots of wonderful food, continental cafe, magical grotto, story telling, music, and more. Tel: 01904 654983 for more details. Adults £1 Children free.

LIGHTWATER VALLEY North Stainley, Ripon 0870 458 0040 www.lightwatervalley.co.uk

LIGHTWATER VALLEY DICKENSIAN FESTIVAL

YORK WALKS 01904 622303 www.yorkwalk.co.uk

NICHOLAS TOUR

Wed & Thurs 6.30 - 8.15pm at Jacob’s Well, Trinity Lane, central York. £7.50 per class. Sophie Carr www.yogaco.co.uk info@yogaco.co.uk 01904 733752

Mum and Baby Yoga Mon 10.30 - 12 noon at St Columba’s Church Hall, Priory St, central York. £6 per class. Alison Goodwin www.yogaco.co.uk yogawithalison@yahoo.co.uk 01904 799097

Yoga in York with Anna Semlyen British Wheel of Yoga Dip 01904 654355 / 07891 989310 www.yogainyork.co.uk anna@yogainyork.co.uk

Pregnancy Yoga at the Friargate Friends Meeting House Tues 7-8pm to 14 Dec and from 4 Jan £6.50

Yogaco

Henshaws fts Arts & Cra Centre rt of the

O SI

Holiday courses over the Christmas holidays with a festive theme. For further information, contact Caroline Buncall on 07843342662/ email her at caroline.buncall@tennistykes.co.uk or log onto www.tennistykes.co.uk.

Yoga for Pregnancy

20 NOV 2- 3.30PM WHELDRAKE PLAYGROUP ANNUAL TOY FAIR

20 NOV 10am – 4pm

HARROGATE AREA

Broad Highway, Wheldrake, York, YO19 6BU

Jewellery Making Workshops, for Children aged 8 - 14 years. Cost - £13.00 including materials. For more info or to book a place call Sam on 07896840397 or Layla on 07894668062.

M D A

WHELDRAKE VILLAGE HALL

11 DEC 10:30 -12:00 MAKE A CHRISTMAS PRESENT

EE FR

Admission £1 including free coffee/tea. Children are free. Proceeds will go towards Bishopthorrpe playgroup. As well as the sale of toys, there will be craft stalls, tombola, rafﬂe and refreshments. To request a seller’s form please contact Nicky (07827 854923) or Hannah (07913 854339) by 10th Nov.

4 Dec 2PM ST

13 NOV 10:30 - 12:00 ELVINGTON, YORK

2 Coffee Yard, York

1 – 5 DEC

NETHER POPPLETON, YORK

At the hea munity m creative co

as play for ew Christm n d n ra b a Dec , 7pm Goat’ – ! Friday 3rd ‘Nearly the ls a im n a r e ompany. and oth the family... ts Theatre C h ig L g in id mini d by R ildren. Free £3. Presente l menu for ch a ci e sp r. e – afé Decemb Fabulous C rink during every hot d ith bjects w ie p mince ages and o e festive im th t o sp – il ra Treasure T e centre. n around th e d id h of art and e ’v we utiful pieces a e b – ry e mas trees nt Nurs r your Christ Shop & Pla e rd -o re P . on site crafts made now! s th and wrea Open Monday – Saturday 10am – 4pm We close for Christmas on 23rd December

Call 01423 541888 or visit www.henshawsacc.org.uk

Mum and Baby Yoga Tues 11am - noon (includes crawlers) at St Clements Ch, Scarcroft Rd from 2 Nov . Fri 11am- noon (6 wks - pre crawlers only) at Healing Clinic, Museum St from 29 Oct. Prebook at £38.50 for 7 wks

Yorkshire

Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre, 50 Bond End, Knaresborough HG5 9AL Registered Charity No. 221888

Families Vale of York

Is your child

‘future

What are the magic ingredients your child will need to flourish in an unpredictable world? And how can they be developed? Education expert C J Simister describes some activities and games to nurture your children’s minds. It’s one of those lurking, back-of-the-mind issues that most parents will have felt at least a little uneasy about at some point or other: how can we be sure that when the time comes our children are going to be ready not only to face but also to flourish in the big, bad (but tremendously exciting) world? Particularly as the world is so very different now to when we grew up. The pace of social, economic and technological change is such that knowledge – regurgitated facts, figures and A Levels – won’t be all that counts. There are other ingredients that are needed if a child is truly to flourish, to shine and to become all that they can be. The problem is these hidden secrets of success often aren’t taught in schools, where passing exams and getting the grades are too frequently the sole agenda. The foundations laid during early childhood make a tremendous difference to a child’s future. Those personal qualities and thinking habits that our children form when they’re young will be the ones that last. So, what are these magic ingredients? Let’s play fairy godmother for a moment – what should be on our wish list?

The hidden secrets of success

1. Perseverance – wouldn’t it be great if our kids grew up with the

sort of confident and proactive outlook that would enable them to meet each obstacle that arises by going over it, under it, round it, whatever it takes, but without being overly daunted?

2. Curiosity and creativity – the ingredients needed to find new solutions, come up with inventive ideas and solve unforeseen problems. 3. Resilience – because, after all, everyone fails at some point and what really makes a person stand out from the crowd is whether they’ve the courage required to get back up, dust themselves down and have another go. C. J. Simister is Director of the Cognitive Development Programme at Northwood College, an independent school for girls aged 3–18. Described in the school’s latest Inspection Report as “a major and successful initiative… this innovative thinking skills programme… makes an outstanding contribution to pupils’ general education”. The activities and games described here are just a very small selection taken from her latest book, ‘The Bright Stuff: Playful ways to nurture your child’s extraordinary mind’ (Pearson: 2009). for further details, see www.future-smart.com

4. The confidence to take a considered risk when the moment is right – absolutely essential if our children are to make the most of

opportunity and discover truly what they’re capable of.

5. An ability to sort sense from nonsense – the ‘critical thinking’ shield

to hold up in day-to-day life.

6. Initiative and an independent approach – add this to the mixture and we could really sit back, content to watch our children tackle whatever life throws at them.

These are the Cinderella gifts for the modern world and what I believe it means to be ‘future-smart’. There’s so much that you can do to make a real difference to your child’s future. We now know a great deal about how children’s minds develop and grow, about the sort of responses and activities that will help to develop a confident, innovative and resilient mindset. Simply by being more aware of the value of these ‘hidden secrets of success’, you’ve taken a big step forward. And by making small changes to the way you speak and react to your children, by introducing occasional games and activities here and there – over tea, in the car, even in the queue at the supermarket – you’ll be helping to spread a little of that fairy godmother magic yourself.

Help your child to think independently

Getting kids to open up and talk more deeply about things is something lots of parents find a challenge. And yet if you can establish the sort of home environment where your children feel encouraged to express, discuss and think carefully about their own and other people’s ideas and opinions, you’re laying a fabulous foundation for later life. As John F Kennedy pointed out, ‘Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.’ But let’s face it, it’s not surprising that our children are a little reluctant to get into discussions when the opening gambit is nearly always, ‘So how was school today?’ Lots of kids have a sneaking suspicion that we’re not asking what happened at school, but how well did you do; checking up on them basically. If you want your child to communicate more – and to develop the independent thinking and reasoning that go along with this, not to mention a wider interest in the world around them – then you’ve got to make it fun. So here are some ideas that you’ll enjoy and your children won’t even know what you’re up to!

Tea-time talk

20 Families Vale of York

One great idea is to schedule a weekly tea-time talk. Have a special noticeboard and get everyone involved. Keep a stash of Post-it notes (if you’re really organised, have a different colour for each member of the family) and make it a family tradition that whenever anyone thinks of an interesting question they’d like to chat about, they scribble it down and stick it to the board, then when your tea-time talk comes around, you’ll have plenty of subjects to chat about. Consider varying the theme every now and then to keep everyone interested:

e-smart’ I wonder…

Clifton Pre-Prep School

For boys and girls aged 3 - 8 years ‘Academically excellent’

Sometimes you could challenge everyone to begin their questions with the words ‘I wonder…’ This is a fantastic way of enticing your children to ask some really great questions – and the fact that you’re joining in too means your kids quickly learn a really important lesson: that asking questions is not something they’re meant to grow out of. Curiosity signals an active, open, problem-solving spirit. Not only does it lie at the heart of successful learning and research, but it’s also the key to innovation and progress. Bernard Baruch put it beautifully: ‘Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.’ When I’ve done this activity with children, I’ve been stunned by the ideas they come up with – they wonder why cats have whiskers, what it would be like if we lived to 200, why we have wars, whether animals should have the same rights as people; what would happen if no one ever told the truth…

Magic powder

Another idea to use every now and then is to get everyone to come up with one person they might each like to invite to tea and post their names on the noticeboard. It might, for instance, be a current celebrity or someone in the news; it could be a character from a book or film or a particular historical figure. For fun, you could even set an extra place at the table for your mystery celebrity, then pretend you have some magic truth powder that your children are going to sprinkle over the family’s chosen visitors. This will grant them the power to ask each person any three questions they wish – and the response will be the whole truth and nothing but the truth! What will they ask? What might their visitors say? It would be the scoop of the century! This one always provokes a really great debate, as narrowing down the final choice involves such a lot of reasoning and flexibility of mind.

In the news

Give your noticeboard a topical theme every now and then by encouraging everyone to cut out short articles and headlines that are really eye-catching. Some great newspapers exist for children now – try FirstNews (an award-winning weekly newspaper for children aged 7-14, www.firstnews.co.uk and the BBC’s excellent online source of news items for children, http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews

Building the foundation of your child’s education

If you are interested in seeing our Nursery and Reception classes for entry in September 2011 please call us on 01904 527361 to book an appointment Clifton Pre-Prep School York YO30 6AB Tel: 01904 526361 enquiries@cliftonprep.sch.uk www.st-peters.york.sch.uk/clifton

Clifton Pre-Prep • St Olave’s • St Peter’s

Younger children often love stories about animals, celebrities, outer space and sport, so these are the sorts of things to go for initially. As they get a little older, it’s extraordinary how many topical issues are of real potential fascination to them – global warming, animal rights, smoking bans in public places, freedom of speech, the threat of terrorism, human cloning, euthanasia, renewable energy sources… the list is endless.

Next, remember the following top tips: Don’t feel you have to have all the answers Choosing fun, child-friendly topics like the ones described above is essential as this immediately places your children on a more equal footing. Hold back from offering too many of your own fully-formed opinions as this can discourage children from developing their own ideas. The easiest thing in the world is to put a child off by telling them what to think, rather than gently supporting them in learning how to think for themselves. Make it an exploration for both of you – not a lecture.

Listen carefully and build on what your child says Remember that newly forming opinions are unlikely to be perfect – they need to be nurtured, tested and adjusted. Point out what’s interesting or original in what your child says. Even if you feel their suggestions are naïve or incorrect, don’t make your child feel silly for saying them. Gently probe their understanding and reasoning, with questions like, ‘So what would you say to someone who listened to all of that but still felt… ?’ and ‘Do you think anyone else might have a different opinion? What might they say? Do you disagree with all or just some of their points?’

Teach them to be flexible Demonstrate as often as you can that changing one’s mind during a discussion is a sign of intelligence, not weakness, if it means you’ve been convinced by another position. This will mean changing your own mind sometimes – or at least appearing to! Children who grow up able to think and talk about whatever topic is thrown at them have a massive advantage. They come across as having a natural sense that they’re worthy of inclusion in adult conversation, something that tends to be self-fulfilling. They’re also more likely to volunteer for new opportunities, develop new skills and make new contacts. Let’s face it, we live in a world where we often judge a person’s intelligence by their ability to talk clearly and confidently. Give your child this skill and you’re helping pave their way for a successful future.

Building confidence

Queen Mary’s School, Baldersby Park, Thirsk

“Children are extremely confident in the environment and clearly enjoy their time at the nursery” Ofsted September 2009. For further details contact Mrs Tory Robeson, Head of Admissions 01845 575040 email: admissions@queenmarys.org www.queenmarys.org A School of the Woodard Corporation Registered Charity No: 1098410

Outstanding Girls Day and Boarding School with mixed Pre Prep

Families Vale of York

- the perfect solution or hell on earth? If you’re considering holidaying with friends next year, Wendy Shand founder of family friendly travel company Tots to Travel, has some great tips to keep your friendships intact on holiday.

You’re having dinner with a group of friends and the subject of holidays comes up. Several glasses of wine in, you all agree that going away together is the perfect solution. You all have children the same age, it’ll cut costs and be more fun. But it doesn’t always work out quite how you imagine it. Arguments can start before you leave. Some people have bigger budgets than others, which makes choosing the holiday destination tricky. Then there’s trying to find a date that suits everyone and debates about travel arrangements. Once you’re there, things can get even worse. The children might not get on and suddenly you realise that your parenting style is very different to those of your friends. Arguments or stony silences start about who’s doing which chores and who’s paid for more of the groceries. And then there’s the daily debate about what to do so that everyone is happy. The result can be a stressful holiday and friendships in need of repair. Sounds fairly nightmarish. But it doesn’t have to be. Holidaying together as a group can result in a fabulous holiday for adults and kids. The trick, according to Wendy Shand, founder of family friendly travel company Tots to Travel, is to plan well and communicate. ‘Even friends or family members you know really well can prove difficult to stay with for any length of time unless you’ve had a good honest discussion before you set off. A bit of planning in advance can make the difference between you all going away together again or not speaking to each other!’ Wendy has these holiday tips when travelling with friends or family:

22 Families Vale of York

Setting it up

Compatibility: Think about who you want to holiday with before

suggesting it and try to choose people you are normally compatible with. Try to choose people with children similar in age to your own and similar interests to yours. Any more than three families holidaying together can get logistically difficult so bear that in mind too.

Budgets: Ask everyone upfront what their holiday budget is. If the budgets are vastly different, have an honest discussion about what type of holiday everyone is after. If you’re not in agreement, agree to holiday separately. If one family feels that they’re having to stretch themselves financially to fit in, they’ll be resentful of any additional costs on holiday. Equally a family who is willing to spend far more than the group average might feel that feel that they’re not getting what they really wanted.

Research: If you all know where you want to go on holiday or the

type of holiday you want, it makes it a lot easier. If you don’t, you need to get together to discuss some of the options. In every group there’ll be those who’ll go with the flow and aren’t too interested in researching holiday destinations, and there’ll be people who like to be in control and who enjoy spending hours surfing the web for holiday ideas. Agree who will do the research – no more than two people. They can then present their favourites to the group for a joint decision.

Accommodation: Consider the accommodation options. Staying in a single large house puts the most pressure on you as a group to get on, as there is little opportunity to be alone as a family. But it can be fun; can save on costs and makes looking after children in the evenings easier. A cluster of properties together is a good option as each family has their independence but can still benefit from the close company of their friends -everyone gets their own living space and independence, but you share the pool, garden and other facilities. The kids have friends to play with, you have other adults to socialise with but you’re free to run the domestic side of it your way. Hotels or resorts can have the same kind of benefits, but you’re likely to spend quite a bit of time trying to find your friends amongst the other guests and it won’t feel quite as personal.

Timings: Determine the length of stay. Most people battle to live

comfortably with another family for an extended period of time, so try to limit the stay to a week. Alternatively, stay for two weeks, but invite different families to stay with you for the first and second week.

Travel: Decide whether you’re all going to travel together or make your own way there. The latter can be easier as it allows people more flexibility to fit in with their commitments and their departure destinations.

Before you go House rules: Have a chat about

house rules. There’s nothing worse than one person constantly doing the washing up or cooking and feeling like they’re the only one doing any chores. But equally, holidays are meant to be for relaxing and no-one wants to spend all of their time doing chores just so that they appear helpful. Agree a rota or a general rule about when dishes will get done or who’s in charge of cooking. It can be fun to agree a set budget for each meal and assign teams to come up with the meal idea – including shopping in the local markets for ingredients and creating a culinary feast.

Money pot: Create a kitty. Have

every family put in an agreed amount of money to be used for groceries and alcohol. It’s far easier than people feeling as though they’re continually putting their hand in their pocket while others don’t contribute as much. Families can pay for their own extras when they’re out and about.

Children: Discuss your children’s

routines and your no go areas and try to be consistent. For example, if one family lets their children stay up late in the holidays and another sticks to a 7pm bedtime, have a chat about it before you go. Come to a compromise – perhaps all children getting a slightly later bedtime but not staying up all night with the adults. Similarly, discuss their attitudes to treats and extras. If one family happily gives their children ice cream whenever they ask for it and another family limits them, it will result in arguments and upset children. Also chat about how they discipline children so that everyone is consistent. Even people you think are similar in parenting style to you can seem very different when you’re staying with them every day.

Once you’re there

Independent activities: Have a chat on night one about

the things each of you would like to do on holiday. Some people might just want to lie in the sun, others might be into activities and sports, while others might want to do sightseeing or shopping. You don’t all have to do everything together all of the time. Agree to take turns looking after the children so that you can get a chance to have some ‘me time’ to do the things you want to do.

Talk: If any problems spring up, the best thing to do is chat

about them to clear the air, come up with a solution and move on. Otherwise tensions build and the holiday is far from relaxing.

Enjoy it: Holidaying with friends is a really great way to spend

quality time with people you enjoy. You’ll find that you get to know far more about them, their backgrounds, what’s really going on in their world than you would ordinarily have the time for in regular get togethers.

Try new things: Travelling with other people opens your eyes to new experiences and new ways of doing things. Just because you’ve always done something one way doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it. Your children will benefit too from trying things they don’t normally do.

Go with the flow: This is a holiday. Relax and bend the rules a little. You’re all there to have a good time. So remember why you wanted to go on holiday with them in the first place and have fun.

Further Information

www.totstotravel.co.uk has range of properties suitable for friends travelling together, from large mansions in France and Italy with enough space for everyone to have their independence, to gite clusters that accommodate several families in their own properties but with shared outdoor eating facilities, play areas and swimming pools. The properties also come fully equipped with all the kit families need making it far easier for everyone to travel light - take look at Kreiz Breizh in Brittany or Little Heath Farm in Wales. Some properties even provide home cooked meals to cut down on the workload and babysitting so that you can head out as a group in the evenings. These houses get booked up fast so plan well in advance.

Christmas & New Year Many families holiday together over Christmas while the week between Christmas and New Year is an ideal time to catch up with a group of friends. If you’re looking for a Christmas holiday group getaway, Tots to Travel may still have availability at some of its properties over this period - check for availability online.

SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR FULL DETAILS

beta mum

“Mummy! I just took a photo of Daddy’s bottom in the shower! Could you put it on Facebook?” At this point, ‘Daddy’ wrestled the iphone from my six-year-old’s grasp: “I just managed to jump out of the shower and stop him from texting it to someone. God knows who – the last text I received was from my biggest client. How does he know how to work this thing anyway?” That’s the question, isn’t it? How is it they’re so proficient with technology? I don’t remember having a foetal chip implanted that instructs them on Google and iphones and Sky Plus and DVD players but my two seem to breeze their way around the lot. As usual, I blame the parents. During a fleeting spell of educational Alpha Mum-ism, I gave them access to the internet and sat nearly patiently for... oooh, seconds.... watching and encouraging as they clicked their chubby little hands around CBeebies and the surprisingly fab Road Safety hedgehogs site. Then, because I’m really a slightly crap Beta Mum, I realised their chubby little mouths were fairly quiet and I could sneak my chubby little bottom out of the room and off to do something more interesting. It seems, however, that it may have been some time since I checked on their internet activities. The other day, I glanced at my eight-year-old son’s screen to find him sliding foaming pints of virtual beer along a shiny virtual bar, being served by a barmaid in a transparent virtual top stretched provocatively across the largest pair of virtual breasts I’ve virtually ever seen. “Erm, is that suitable, son?” “Yeah Mum, chill out,” he muttered, as he spectacularly blew out the brains of a virtual man entering the virtual bar, “They’re only stick men.” Yes, stick men with the tops of their stick heads blown off and vivid scarlet spattering the screen and stick women with decidedly un-stick-like breasts. I am currently

researching parental control software. The same child is so utterly wedded to his Nintendo DS that we have been forced to instigate a strict ‘no DS on the loo’ rule, which I think I have mentioned in these illustrious pages before. But who can blame them? He’s not particularly sporty (although he does weekly football and karate), nor bookish (although thank the lord for Horrible Histories). But he’s pretty good at computer games. Perhaps our rose-tinted nostalgia specs are thicker than we realise? I was a prolific reader, but I also remember hours and hours of climbing trees, creating mini gymkhanas in the garden to jump over on broomsticks and compiling complex rules for secret societies which met with great ceremony in my shed. But what would I have given for a DS on a long, dull car journey? All I had was the Famous Five, interspersed with violent vomiting when the car sickness got too much. A quick bout of Lego Star Wars would have been a godsend on yet another tedious traipse round one of the National Trust’s yawninducing stately homes (Do not touch) or manicured gardens (Keep off the grass). Too many computer games lead to obese, socially inadequate kids with a penchant for weaponry. Too few lead to marginalised kids who don’t have the social currency they need in today’s digital playground. They neglect gross motor skills but promote fine motor skills and handeye co-ordination. Swings, as they say, and roundabouts. Ultimately, it’s another parental tightrope, with an inevitable Ted Hughes ending. In the meantime, I’m trying to get my six-year-old to show me how to recover deleted files on the i-phone so that I can ‘share’ that shot on Facebook. Isn’t technology wonderful?

Jacey Lamerton juggles motherhood with running her own dress agency and style coaching business Get Your Frocks Off!. Some days the juggling goes better than others. Her shop sells nearly new clothes and accessories from brands including Diane von Furstenberg, Joseph, LK Bennett, Hobbs, Mulberry and many more. It’s now at 43 Goodramgate and open Mon – Sat 10 – 5.

INDEPENDENT CO-EDUCATIONAL JUNIOR SCHOOL INVITE YOU TO OUR OPEN MORNINGS SATURDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2010 AT 10.00AM FOR MORE INFORMATION AND A PROSPECTUS CONTACT JULIA HAMPSHIRE 01904 667529 REGISTRAR@MOUNTSCHOOLYORK.CO.UK WWW.MOUNTSCHOOLYORK.CO.UK

TREGELLES JUNIOR SCHOOL CO-EDUCATIONAL DAY SCHOOL FOR CHILDREN AGED 3 — 11