Families Oxfordshire July-August 2015

Issue 68 - July/ August 2015

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68

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Oxfordshire

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Using praise for good behaviour Rainy day activities What's on

Families Oxfordshire - useful information for parents of 0 - 12's in Oxon.

Find us online at familiesoxfordshire.co.uk Oxfordshire Magazine July/ August 2015

Rye St Antony is an independent day and boarding school for girls aged 3-18 (and boys 3-11). Established in 1930 as a lay Catholic foundation, the school is situated in a beautiful 12-acre location overlooking the city of Oxford.

Open Day Wednesday 16 September 2015 10.00am – 1.00pm

Visitors are welcome throughout the year.

Please telephone the Registrar, Fern Saxton, to make an appointment.

Pullen’s Lane, Oxford OX3 0BY

01865 762802

enquiries@ryestantony.co.uk www.ryestantony.co.uk

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July/ August 2015

Big enough to challenge: small enough to care

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Oxfordshire Magazine Editor: Ema Murphy 01993 815966 - 07733 228 038 editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk Next issue: September/ October 2015 Booking deadline: 31 July 2015 Copy deadline: 3 August 2015 36,000 readers per issue Printed by Warners Designed by Rebecca Carr

In this issue...

Disclaimer: Families Oxfordshire Magazine is part of Families Magazines Ltd a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families ® is a registered trademark of Families Magazines Ltd, Temple House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Oxfordshire Magazine are fully protected by copyright and non of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of the publisher. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents.

Do you wish to advertise your business to 36,000 parents in Oxfordshire?

BOOK NOW to be included in our bumper education September/ October issue.

Call 07733 228 038 or email editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Summer Village Fun for 6-16s from 21-31 July A bumper programme of activities including...

4

News & views

7

Nature's classroom

8

How to praise good behaviour

9

A simple guide to life insurance

10

Rainy day activities

11

Family walks with the Big Pathway

12

Make a Scrapstore puppet

13

Places to visit in London

14

What's on in July & August

OPEN MORNING 10 OCTOBER 2015 Please join us at Open Morning on Saturday 10 October, 9.30 am – 12 noon.

21-24 July 9.30am-3.30pm

•

Arts Tasters A week of drama, dance, music,

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crafts activities for 6-12s.

28 July 10am - 3pm

Street Dance High energy day learning dance moves for a performance for 10-15s.

Booking 01865 812 150

www.pegasustheatre.org.uk

Pegasus, Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1RE

July/ August 2015

Infant & Nursery School, boys and girls aged 3 – 7 Junior School, girls aged 7 – 11 • Senior School, girls aged 11 – 16 For more information please contact admissions@cranfordhouse.net or 01491 651218

Situated on the A329 between Streatley and Wallingford

www.cranfordhouse.net Telephone: 01491 651218

Registered Charity Number: 280883

Oxfordshire Magazine 3

News & views

New drama classes in Abingdon

News &Views Easy2name solves all labeling problems!

With waterproof stickers for labeling shoes, lunchboxes and stationery and a choice of clothing labels, including No iron/No sew Stick-Easy clothing labels and the EasyTag system which allows clothes to be labeled quickly and easily with re-usable tags. Use Code FAMOX10 on www.easy2name.com to get 10% off your order!

Stagecoach Still got time to fill for the holidays?

Why not let your child experience the wonders of Stagecoach, by signing them up to a week long holiday workshop, for 4-18 year old’s. Various shows are being held in Oxford, Thame, Abingdon, High Wycombe and Banbury, from 22 July to 21 August. Including The Addams Family, Arabian Nights, Little Red Hoody, Annie, Starlight Express and more. www.stagecoach.co.uk

Children are invited to new drama classes starting in September, at St Helens Church, St Helens Court. Classes include drama, dance and singing for 4-7’s, on Thursday afternoons at 4-5pm.

Acting, singing and dance classes for 7-12s will start on Thursday 24 Sept, at 5pm - 6pm.

What’s influenced Oxford kids’ language?

Social media, the Ebola epidemic, and World War I are just some of the things that have influenced British children’s creativity and use of language over the last year! The results are from a report published by the OUP, which analysed 120,421 entries for the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Chris Evans Breakfast Show’s short story competition. The most popular words used by entrants from Oxfordshire was hunter. Here are the top 10 key words used: Hunter, poacher, sailor, mammoth, fisherman, gorillas, bicycle, raindrop, pickle and puppet. Interesting!

Supporting Breastfeeding It’s another World Breastfeeding Week, with 2015’s theme on working mothers and breastfeeding. From 1-7 August, World Breastfeeding Week aims to support all women to combine work with child-rearing, particularly breastfeeding, in a productive manner and hopes to gain support from all sectors to enable women everywhere to work and breastfeed and much more! www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org

Be a crocodile keeper for a day!

This summer looks set to be filled with dinosaurs and all things Jurassic, thanks to the release of Jurassic World at Crocodiles of the World in Brize Norton, where you can safely meet animals whose ancestors roamed the earth with the dinosaurs over 150 million years ago. With feeding displays, daily talks and animal encounters, children will be captivated by these amazing prehistoric animals, including crocodiles, alligators, caiman and smaller reptiles. For an unforgettable experience children aged 6 and over can join the croc team for the day as a junior keeper, to get really ‘hands on’ at the zoo. For more information and to check availability visit: www.crocodilesoftheworld.co.uk or call 01993 846353.

More Monkey Music classes Following the great success of their first term, Monkey Music Oxford will be opening two new venues from 7 September, in Summertown on Monday mornings and Headington on Wednesday mornings. Bookings are now being taken. Full details available soon at www.monkeymusic.co.uk/area/oxford

Kids Unlimited Waterways – Open Week Parents are invited to visit the nursery and pre-school in central Oxford, from Monday 20 to Friday 24 July. Simply book your visit, take a tour and talk over your requirements with a friendly team.

Visit: Kids Unlimited Waterways Nursery and Preschool, 45 Clearwater Place, Off Elizabeth Way, Oxford, OX2 7NL Email: parentenquiry@brighthorizons.com www.kidsunlimited.co.uk

Rare triplets encounter Tuesday 25 to Saturday 29 August

ROOM ON A BROOM Adapted from the book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

There’s room on the broom for you too!

Don’t miss this magical, musical adaptation of the beloved children’s book for ages 3 and up.

Be prepared for rhymes, songs and dragons.

Tickets £13 adults | £11 children

01865 305305

How about paying a visit to Cotswold Wildlife Park to see the rare, six-month old Wolverine triplets, Sunshine, Liv and Gutt. Just eighty Wolverines are believed to exist in captivity worldwide and the Park is the only collection in the UK to have successfully bred these rapacious predators. Also visit the ever popular Skymaze, or enter the photo competition, with pictures of your favourite animals taken at the Park!

Go online for more details: www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk

www.oxfordplayhouse.com

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www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

News & views

10% off new music summer school Does your child love music and singing and would you like them to experience music as a second language to enhance their musicality? Kodály Music Summer School, from 27-31 July at the Cutteslowe Pavillion, Oxford, will help children ages 5-10 to develop their music literacy and musicianship skills through singing, movement and games! A fantastic musical experience led by experienced teachers, of The Kodály Concept of Music Education. Support for music exam preparation and improving aural and singing skills is also included. Hurry, spaces are going fast! Call Zamna 07975 661 717 to book or email: info@littlegeniusmusic.co.uk

Local Dad calls for 636mile riders A dad from Oxford is looking for people to join him as he takes on a massive fundraising challenge in memory of his son Skye Hall, who died last August, aged five, from an aggressive and cancerous brain tumour.

His dad, Andrew, 43, has organised ‘2Skye4Skye’, where on 25 July, a bike ride will start from Blenheim Palace, finishing at the highest point on the Isle of Skye, to raise money for his charity Blue Skye Thinking. Anyone interested in taking part for all or part of the journey, visit contact@blueskyethinking.org or offer support at www.justgiving.com/2Skye4Skye-2015

Go alfresco at Blenheim Palace Visit Blenheim Palace this summer and enjoy a fun and memorable day out for the whole family. Pack a picnic and dine al fresco amongst over 2000 acres of landscaped Parkland or enjoy a sizzling favourite from the BBQ. Visit the Pleasure Gardens and get involved in a whole host of fun family activities, including Animal Encounters, an Interactive Bubble Show, Teddy Bears Picnic and Circus Skills Workshop. Or simply enjoy the Butterfly House, Marlborough Giant Hedge Maze, Adventure Playground and bouncy castle. www.blenheimpalace.com

Theatre Arts Schools

Stagecoach

TM

Stagecoach Theatre Arts Inspiring and enriching young people through the performing arts.

Stagecoach offers the ideal balance of training, performing and, of course, fun! Top quality training in drama, singing and dance to inspire creativity and develop young talent age 4-18. Skills for the stage – skills for life!

Stagecoach Schools Oxford 01869 278600 e-mail: oxford@stagecoach.co.uk Abingdon 01865 390970 e-mail: abingdon@stagecoach.co.uk Thame 01865 763767 email: thame@stagecoach.co.uk Henley, High Wycombe & Marlow 01494 533203 email: henley@stagecoach.co.uk Banbury 01908 969467 email: banbury@stagecoach.co.uk

Summer Holiday Shows Oxford The Addams Family (Advanced & Seniors) Arabian Nights (Juniors) Thame Little Red Hoody (Seniors) Abingdon Jungle Book (Juniors) S4K A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Seniors) High Wycombe Annie (Seniors) Starlight Express (Advanced) Superhero Bugs and Fairies Fun (Juniors) Banbury Aladdin Jnr (Seniors)

FAMILIES READER GIVE-AWAY Win a grey - the dream sheep®, the ultimate baby sleep aid To celebrate the arrival of Princess Charlotte born on May 2nd, we’ve got a new grey ewan the dream sheep® to give-away! ewan the dream sheep® emits soothing sounds at a low base frequency and a calming pink warm glow, which when combined, help settle babies and toddlers into a peaceful sleep. He’s soo cuddly (RRP: £29.99). www.sweetdreamers.co.uk.

www.stagecoach.co.uk

Simply like our Facebook page at http://tinyurl.com/q8nwnnn before August 30 for a chance to win!

July/ August 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine 5

In partnership with

Home of Thomas & FriendsTM toys

Enjoy a summer of family fun at Britain’s Greatest Palace 25th July - 30th August Animal Encounters • Interactive Bubble Show Teddy Bears Picnic • Recycled Workshop and Sculptures Music Workshop • Adventure Playground Butterfly House • Giant Hedge Maze Circus Skills Workshop • Bouncy Castle

Join Thomas & FriendsTM at a heritage Railway near you.

Experience a ride on a real steam engine and take part in Thomas-themed activities.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK TICKETS visit www.blenheimpalace.com

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Times and prices of activities vary. Please review the relevant details before visiting.

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Day Out With Thomas Thomas the Tank Engine . Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W. Awdry. © 2015 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas & Friends and Day Out With Thomas are trademarks of Gullane (Thomas) Limited. © 2015 HIT Entertainment Limited.

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TM

*Terms and conditions apply

Maths & English tuition Explore Learning centres provide maths and English tuition to children aged 5-14, designed to improve knowledge, confidence and enjoyment of learning.

Families Oxfordshire.indd 1

6 July/ August 2015

tries new things with relish. She counts the days until she can come back here!”

Explore Parent.

Book your free trial session today to find out how Explore Learning can help your child to gain confidence, enthusiasm and new skills.

HILDCARE

USE THEM AT EXPLORE!

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UCHERS

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As members, children work with tutors who are great role models, enthusiastic about learning and fantastic motivators. The individual focus allows children to work at their own pace – whether they are finding school tricky or are top of the class!

“The hesitancy and lack of confidence that held her back is gone. Now she

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Explore helps children make fantastic academic progress, in addition the vibrant atmosphere keeps them engaged and focussed enabling them to have fun while they learn.

01865 595 509

Inside Sainsbury’s, Oxford www.explorelearning.co.uk/oxford

01/08/2012 14:55

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Outdoor learning

Nature's classroom As parents we know that children are happy in the outdoors, and once even the most hardened of city-dwellers have got used to the damp and mud, they revel in unstructured time spent in the natural world. This applies not only to small children, but older ones too – contact with nature is known to impact positively on teenage anxiety and depression.

Outdoor play can develop children’s understanding of risk, as well as testing their emotional and physical strength. Learning how high they can climb or how brave they can be, teaches them about themselves as well as how they relate to the environment. Contact with nature has even been shown to increase creativity and language development.

Children’s activity levels automatically go up when they are outdoors. As childhood obesity has a direct link with inactivity, outdoor learning could be a key to tackling this growing problem.

Despite this, many of today’s children are missing out. According to Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive of The Wildlife Trusts: “Children in 2015 are spending half as much time outdoors as they were a generation ago and it cannot be unrelated that one in ten children suffer from depression. Society is starting to realise the risks that this separation from our natural environment poses to our children’s health and happiness.”

By Hannah Hunter ‘treasure’). The Trust also provide less ‘techy’ outdoor activities for families – their 50 things to do before you're 11¾ is a good starting point.

Children are encouraged to explore their environments, taking supported risks, and the learning is child-centred rather than teacherled.

Clubs and classes

If you’re not lucky enough to live close to a forest school, there are after-school clubs and classes that can support children’s learning outdoors. Many schools have nature or gardening clubs, often run by parent volunteers. Tried-and-tested outdoor organizations, the Scouts and Girl Guides, offer a range of activities and camps. The less traditional Woodcraft Folk, (http://woodcraft. org.uk) focus on developing children’s connection with activities exploring issues around nature and the natural environment.

Family nature days

You can pledge some ‘wild time’ with your children by signing up to The Wild Network – an organisation dedicated to reconnecting children with nature, at projectwildthing.com.

They have a calendar of different events, and lots of fun activity ideas that will get you and your kids outdoors. The film that inspired the organization is available to watch online, it’s an interesting take on how to ‘re-brand’ nature to appeal to the younger generation, who they claim are suffering from ‘nature-deficit disorder’.

Other useful links rspb.org.uk - local and national information and ideas for families. english-heritage.org.uk - historical sites in natural settings. hillend-oec.co.uk/cms/site/hill-end Outdoor centre in central Oxford for families.

As well as providing accessible venues for school and group outings, the Wildlife Trusts run activities across the UK just for families and children, organised by local groups, ranging from ‘nature tots’ toddler groups to family pond-dipping days. Visit their website to find local information wildlifetrusts.org.

earthtrust.org.uk - Environmental Centre at Little Wittenham, Thrupp Lake, Radley, Nr Abingdon & Commuinty Meadows in Wallingford, Thame and Didcot.

Inspired by Danish ‘open air life’ nurseries, the first UK Forest School was started in Somerset in 1993, at Bridgewater College.

Since then the movement has spread across the UK, with many Local Authorities employing trained Forest Schools practitioners to deliver a woodland learning experience each week, usually to primary-aged children and nurseries.

Go to the Forestry Commission website at www.forestry.gov.uk, to find your nearest woodlands. They have a free app with maps and local information on camping, trails and activities. At many of their forest centres you can buy a pack that will take you on a ‘Superworm’ kids trail, which includes activities and challenges for younger children.

beardogoutdoor.co.uk - Outdoor learning for children and adults.

Leading charity, The Forest School Association, lists the principles governing the sessions. Small groups of children are taken into woodland or other natural environment, “to support the development of a relationship between the learner and the natural world.”

To get the whole family moving, you could try geocaching. The National Trust has set up free trails– all you need is a GPS enabled device that uses coordinates (you can use a smartphone). Download co-ordinates to find the caches (small waterproof boxes of

So what can you do as a parent to increase your kids’ contact with nature? Here we explore some of the options:

Forest schools

bbowt.org.uk - Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust, Sutton Courtenay, Oxon.

oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site Outdoor-learning - Offering a range of experiences of outdoor and environmental activities, (including Hill End.) littlewildthings.org.uk - Outdoor nature play for young children in West Oxfordshire. campwilderness.co.uk - Provider of summer holiday outdoor activity camps.

Oxford, Abingdon and Thame E: oxford@monkeymusic.co.uk T: 01865 408037

New classes opening soon in your local area!

July/ August 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine 7

Parenting

How to use praise to encourage good behaviour From the Triple P Positive Parenting Programme 2) Be discerning. Don’t make your child so reliant on your praise that their willingness to do anything depends on it. Rather than always praising your child every time they pack up their toys, phase outthe praise as your child becomes more skilled at the task you’re trying to encourage. Gradually, the praise becomes less predictable, the child becomes more accomplished, and the behaviour moreroutine.

Parenting advice can be confusing – after all it keeps changing! For example it wasn’t that long ago that parents were encouraged to “break their children’s will” in order to ensure they were well behaved and would fit into society.

Less than 100 years ago parents were told never to hug or kiss their children. Strict discipline and minimal physical contact, unless for punishment, were the advice of the time. We now know differently and understand that effective parenting is about parental warmth, building self-esteem and encouraging them through praise.

3) Be genuine. Obviously you shouldn’t praise when it’s not due. Children will know when you’re not being genuine. And giving kids inflated praise, such as telling them their preschool painting is“incredibly amazing” can make some children afraid to try difficult or challenging tasks, just because they might not always succeed.

So how do you deliver praise that is effective and elicits the behaviours you’d like, but also doesn’t overdo it leaving your child with little sense of balance and reality?

Professor Matt Sanders has this advice: We all enjoy being praised. And that’s why appropriate praise is one of the simplest ways to encourage good behaviour and help children learn new skills.

If you’re too busy to notice your kids, except if it’s to say “don’t” or “no”, children quickly learn that behaviour which upsets you is also the behaviour that gets them the most attention. In this way, parental attention, even if it’s negative, becomes a child’s “reward”.

It’s easy to find yourself falling into the above habit. The good news is, you can create a new reward for your children by making a point of noticing and praising them when they behave in a way you want to encourage.

Then if you do need to say “no” or “don’t” to problematic behaviour, remind yourself to follow up with a positive instruction.

For example, if you have to say “No! Stop grabbing the cat’s tail!” follow up with “pat the cat like this”. A good rule of thumb is to try to deliver four positive comments to every negative (such as “stop”, “don’t”, or “no”). This requires an active effort on your part to create positive situations and learning interactions with your children, and to notice when they’re behaving well.

It’s worth it, though, because this starts to create a cycle of good behaviour and praise.

Top tips for effective parental praise 1) Be specific. Rather than being vague, praise should accurately describe the behaviour you observed and liked. For example, rather than saying “that’s good” if your child has packed away their train set, you’d say, “thank-you for putting your toys away”. This kind of praise is clear, specific and enthusiastic, and it tells the child that what they’ve accomplished is both positive and appreciated. When a child receives praise they understand and enjoy, they’re more likely to repeat the behaviour in the future.

4) Be observant. Concentrate on effort, not results. This is more important than simply praising them for “succeeding” by external standards. Praising your child for trying something new, or formaking an improvement, will motivate them to continue even when something is difficult to master. If you only notice what they failed to achieve (or achieved very easily), you’re not reallyteaching them the importance of effort and persistence.

5) Be a good role model. Behave in a way you’d like your children to imitate.

Don’t say bad things about yourself and if someone praises you, don’t brush it off or disagree. Graciously accepting acompliment is a social skill kids need to learn. If they can’t handle receiving praise without being silly, embarrassed or acting up, they’ll be disadvantaged at school and later in life.

By following this advice you’ll help your children build their self-esteem, you’ll encourage the good behaviour you want and find it easier to deal with, and discourage, the bad behaviours.

For more information see: www.triplep-parenting.uk.net/online

OL! BACK TO SCHO ON K IC ST IRON ON SEW ON SEW NO IRON - NO GS BA & ILS PENC

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You name it we label it!

Call us on: 01635 298326

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July/ August 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine

9

Activities

Things to do on rainy days

By Sarah Butters

One thing you can count on this summer is that there will be rain. When the heavens do open, you’ll need some ideas to keep your little ones occupied and you on the right side of sanity this summer. Sarah Butters offers her favourite ways to fill a wet summer day.

GET BOARD! Whether you’re a Jedi at Jenga or a master Monopoly player, there’s nothing like a giant board games tournament to pass the time, with a game of Battleships or Scrabble! This is a great chance to encourage your family to forget the iPads and X Boxes and remember the fun you can have with three dimensional people.

Here we’re lucky to have our very own board game specialist, Hoyles, located on the High Street in central Oxford. Why not visit our more traditional, local shops, to see the range of games on offer.

TAKE A DIP If the summer showers won’t allow you to get dry, grab your swimsuit and head to your local leisure centre. News that half of primary school children can’t swim the length of a pool should be a wake-up call for all parents.

Many local swim schools offer intense holiday courses for children looking to master this life saving skill too. This time of year provides the perfect opportunity to make swimming fun and get the whole family summer holiday ready.

KEEP LEARNING ALIVE Six weeks is a long time to be out of the classroom.

Make a note of the days your local after school support centre is running holiday sessions. For example, Explore Learning (based at Sainsbury’s Heyford Hill) is open daily over the school holidays and offers a range of learning opportunities for children from 4 years old. As

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Rain, rain don't go away and come back another day well as discounts during July for maths and English tuition. Keeping them occupied on a rainy day during the summer may give your child a head start, once they’re back at their desk in September.

CREATE A RAINY DAY JAR Has your child ever asked to do something that you’ve not had the time for? Maybe it’s baking a batch of biscuits, building some Lego they’ve had since their birthday or showing you a dance routine they’ve created.

Whenever time is against you, get your child to write the idea on a piece of paper and pop it in the Rainy Day Jar. It means you can reach into it for ideas as soon as you hear the words ‘’It’s raining!”

HEAD INDOORS Your local museum is rain proof and packed with family activities to keep you all occupied. The summer holiday is a time for the attractions on your doorstep to put out the welcome mat for families. Take a look at our What’s On guide to find out what’s happening near you and make a note to that when that typical British summer does arrive, you know where to head.

We’re so very lucky to have a number of museums Oxford where there are always different activities and exhibitions taking place. Choose from numerous ones including, Pitt Rivers, The Ashmolean, Museum of the History of Science, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Oxford, The Bus Museum, The Story Museum and many more in our local towns.

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Step out for family fun and take part in The Big Pathwatch!

Families in Oxfordshire are being encouraged to step out for a stroll this summer and help protect the places they love to walk along the way as part of the Ramblers’ Big Pathwatch.

The Ramblers is asking families to head out and walk their favourite paths in the South East and report back on what they find using a smartphone app. To make this fun for children, the walking experts have created fun, free activity sheets that families can download and take out on their ramble.

Not only is walking good exercise for all the family, it’s also a great way to tempt children away from the Xbox or TV and help them learn all about the great outdoors.

The Big Pathwatch activity sheets are the perfect way to turn a normal walk around the local area into a fun family adventure.

Ramblers’ chief executive Benedict Southworth said: “The summer holidays are the perfect time to step out for a walk with your family and spend some quality time together, as well as a great way to help everyone stay healthy.

“As part of the Big Pathwatch we’re helping families to turn their walk into an adventure. We’ve created fun, free downloadable activity sheets for youngsters to complete while they’re out walking. From a game of walking bingo to a creative rainbow ramble, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

“For older children we’ve even got an activity sheet with top tips on being a walk leader. Let them lead the way on your Big Pathwatch walk, draw a map and sketch anything interesting they see along the way.

July/ August 2015

“We need as many people as possible in the South East to step up and help us protect our paths. The Big Pathwatch is the perfect way to help inspire our next generation of walkers, who will play a key role in protecting our paths for generations to come.”

From 13 July families will be able to download the Big Pathwatch app and share their experiences as they walk every right of way within a specific grid square. They’ll be asked to share the positive features of the walk, the beautiful views, any wildlife and interesting landscapes they see, as well as noting any problems they encounter.

The Big Pathwatch activity sheets will be available from www.Ramblers.org.uk/bigpathwatch

Save £50 on Maths and English tuition Research has revealed that two thirds of children fall behind in their studies over the summer holidays, meaning that when they finally go back to school, many can be lacking in confidence and unable to recall things they learnt in the previous school year. July is the most popular time of the year for families to join Explore Learning, as parents across the country look for an engaging way to keep their children’s brains active over the long summer break.

Families joining in July will save £50 registration fee at Explore, at Sainsbury’s Heyford Hill, so now is a great time to join if you haven’t already!

To book your trial visit www.explorelearning.co.uk

Oxfordshire Magazine 11

Create & craft

Make a Scrapstore Bird Puppet It's the summer holidays and whatever the weather your local Scrapstore has everything your family needs to make, create and play.

The Scrapstore, run by the Gloucestershire Resource Centre (GRC) collects clean, re-usable waste materials from local companies and offers them to community groups and families. It’s a little like going to the supermarket, only it’s a lot more fun, as it’s your imagination that you’re shopping for!

For anyone who maybe fancies an alternative day out, why take a trip to Gloucestershire to Scrapstore.

It’s not too far away and an annual Family Membership (£7 a year) allows you to stock up on the Scrapstore’s treasure trove of arts and craft materials. You could even do so in one or two trips per year.

It’s a perfect destination during school holidays and a fantastic and economical way of making arts and crafts! Find out more at: www.grcltd.org. Wouldn’t it be great if we had one of these in Oxfordshire?!

What you will need from the Scrapstore

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How to make your puppet

1

Glue the yellow paper to the white card. Roll the card to create a cone for the beak.

2 cardboard cylinders Thick red foam

2 white plastic washers

2

4

3

Make a head by pushing the cone through one of the cardboard cylinders and tape in place.

Press the black plastic stoppers into the white plastic washers to make the eyes.

5

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2 black plastic stoppers 2 yellow pipe cleaners White card

Yellow paper

Wooden stick

Glue the eyes to the head.

Several lengths of wool

Cut wings from the red foam.

Tie two lengths of wool to the second cardboard cylinder to make a body.

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Scissors

Strong glue

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Sticky tape

More Information

Bend one pipe cleaner to create a foot, leaving a loop through which to tie the wool for the legs.

Repeat.

The Scrapstore is located in City Works, Alfred Street, Gloucester.

Visit www.grcltd.org for full details of the types of membership available, opening times and how to become a volunteer.

9

Tie a length of wool through each of the foot loops. Attach to the body.

Attach the head and body to the wooden stick with wool.

10

Join the head to the body with a length of wool.

Your bird puppet is finished!

12 July/ August 2015

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Places to visit in London OK so I can hear lots of you reading this and saying “never been to London with the kids? Of course we have!” But did you know that: Despite being voted the top capital city (19 percent) for a family holiday, 70 percent of UK parents haven’t visited London with their children The top reason (38 percent) that parents overlook London for a family holiday is that it’s perceived to be too expensive, however 50 percent of the top ten London experiences for kids to try before they’re 12 years old are actually free Those in Bristol (80 percent), Belfast (79 percent) and Sheffield (75 percent) are among the areas where the majority of families have not visited the capital With the half-term and Easter holidays around the corner, a survey has shown that despite a wealth of culture and top attractions our capital city is being overlooked by UK families as an option for a break away.

Commissioned by the Royal Garden Hotel which offers a family-friendly package, the survey of 2,000 parents revealed that almost half of British parents (38 percent) think London is too expensive for the average family to visit. Contrary to this, the research showed that 8 out of 10 of the top ten experiences in London that parents think will enrich their children are either free or have a minimal cost – while visiting all ten attractions would cost a family of four under £200 in total.

July/ August 2015

Top London experiences for kids to try before they’re 12 years old 1.

Travel the underground (46%) – free for 10 and younger

2.

Ride on the top of a double decker bus (45%) – free for 10 and younger

3.

Take a ride on the London Eye (41%)

4.

See the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace (35%) – free to see

5.

See the dinosaur skeletons at the National History Museum (34%) – free general entrance

6.

Go to the Science Museum (33%) – free general entrance

7.

See the penguins at London Zoo (31%)

8.

Visit Winter Wonderland (30%) – free to visit

9.

Buy a toy from Hamley’s (28%)

10. See the Houses of Parliament (25%) – free to see A third (31 percent) of parents are under the illusion that London museums charge for entry, however top attractions such as the Science Museum – where 33 percent of children want to visit – and the Natural History Museum – where 34 percent of children want to visit – actually have free

general admission all year round.

Another interesting finding is that a fifth (20 percent) think London hotels don’t cater for families when in actual fact there are many family-friendly hotels offering great value room packages during school holidays.

Despite reservations of London being a holiday destination, parents actually voted London the top capital city (19 percent) to visit with the kids, followed by continental capitals, Paris (18 percent), Rome (12 percent) and Madrid (10 percent).

Commenting on the survey, Jonathan Lowrey, General Manager at the Royal Garden Hotel, said: “It’s a pity to see that lots of children are missing out on visiting the country’s capital city. With our research showing the top ingredients for the perfect family break are spending quality time together (62 percent) and having fun things to do and see (57 percent), families are missing a trick if they don’t consider visiting London this half-term or Easter.

He continued: “We know that planning a family holiday can be a challenge and our research shows that the top stresses for parents are travelling to the destination (45 percent), packing (35 percent) and organising fun things for the family to do (30 percent). With easy transport links and a wealth of free and reasonably priced attractions to alleviate these worries, London offers families the opportunity for an action packed break away with the kids without having to compromise on great value.”

Oxfordshire Magazine 13

What's on

What's on in July & August For a comprehensive list of what’s on at each venue please refer to the websites. We can only include a small number of events, space depending. Families cannot be responsible for any changes of dates or other details.

1 July-15 August Oxford Shakespeare Festival

Oxford Castle Unlocked 44-46 New Road, Oxford, OX1 1AY www.oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk Oxford Castle Unlocked will play host to a brand new festival for the City, featuring scintillating performances in the attraction's historical courtyard, held outside.

2 - 3 July Return to the Romans Day

4 July Modern Art Trolley

Modern Art Oxford 30 Pembroke Street, Oxford, OX1 1BP www.modernartoxford.org.uk Each week the Modern Art Trolley offers free art activities linked to the exhibition, led by art students and artists for families to enjoy together.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. 1pm-3pm.

East Oxford Community Classics Centre, Cheney School, Oxford, OX3 7QH eoccc.org.uk/return-of-the-romansdays Go back to Roman times with an outdoor re-enactment show, plus stalls and activities and talks on Sunday by expert Jane Harrison. Go online for more details.

Pitt Stops Pitt Rivers Museum

4 July Celebrate Alice's Day

5 July Cowley Road Carnival

The Story Museum 42 Pembroke Street, OX1 1BP www.storymuseum.org.uk Celebrate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland with a day of Alicethemed activities and events all around the city. Many of Oxford’s beautiful and world-class locations, including the Bodleian Library, the Ashmolean Museum and Christ Church, will be joining in the fun.

10am-7pm

4 July Hands-On Coins

Ashmolean Museum Beaumont Street, Oxford, OX1 2PH www.ashmolean.org/events Handle historical coins from different times and places every Saturday.

11.30am-3.30pm. Free.

Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW www.prm.ox.ac.uk Fun ways to explore the Museum and discover more about the exciting collections. Make something super to take home. Suitable for all ages - held on the first Saturday of the month. 1pm-4pm

Oxford, OX4 2DF www.cowleyroadcarnival.co.uk Join in with lots to see and do at the annual carnival celebrations. With processions, art, culture and music to enjoy for all the family.

5 July Free Family Fun

Pitt Rivers Museum, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW www.prm.ox.ac.uk Visit Pitt Rivers Museum and Oxford University Museum of Natural History for a relaxing afternoon. Try activity backpacks, sorting boxes, trails, colouring sheets, story corner and craft activities. For all ages.

2pm-4pm

CHILTERN OPEN AIR MUSEUM A great family fun day out - come and explore today!

4 - 5 July Medieval Life 25 - 26 July Medieval Warfare 1 - 2 August Rifles & Revolution 8 - 9 August Vicious Vikings 4, 11, 18 & 25 August Terrific Tuesdays!

M25 Junction17 14 July/ August 2015

01494 871 117

www.coam.org.uk

5 July Guided nature walks

Ewelme Watercress Beds Nature Reserve Watercress Beds Centre, Ewelme, Oxfordshire, OX10 6HQ www.ewelmewatercressbeds.org Take a guided walk with knowledgeable guides through nature reserve situated next to the watercress beds. No dogs allowed except guide dogs. Free parking next to the playing field. Every first Sunday of the month. Between 2pm-5pm / Adults £3, children Free.

9 July Owl Babies

OUMH Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW www.oum.ox.ac.uk/visiting/whatson Twit twoo! Touch some owl feathers and make your own owl baby to take home. Under 5's, drop-in! 10.30am12.30pm & 2-4pm

10-12 July Cornbury Music Festival

Cornbury Park Estate Charlbury, Oxfordshire, OX7 3EH www.cornburyfestival.com A dedicated music festival to create great live performances to entertain families for three days. Glamping available.

11 July Make your own Planet

The Story Museum 42 Pembroke St, Oxford, OX1 1BP www.storymuseum.org.uk/whats-on/ make-your-own-planet/ Join illustrator Mini Grey and meet her very latest character, Space Dog. Space Dog’s lonely mission is nearly over and it’s time for him to go home. Ages 5-7. Every child must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian for the duration of the session. 2pm-3pm / £6

12 July Cushion Concert - Tuned Percussion

Jacqueline Du Pre Music Building, St Hilda's College Oxford, OX4 1DY www.sthildas.ox.ac.uk/jdpevent/ cushion-concert Regular Cushion Concerts on Sundays introduce children and their families to how different instruments make music, each lasting 45 minutes, led by Roz with Mr Cello.

Take your own cushions! 10am under 5's, 11am & 12pm for over 5's / £16 family, £5 parents and child

12 July The Mobile Phone Show

The North Wall South Parade, Oxford, OX27 7JN www.thenorthwall.com A funny and thought provoking play about young people and their relationship with Mobile Phones.

Superbly written by Jim Cartwright.

7pm / £10.00/£5.00 (concessions)

12 July Teddy Bears Picnic

Didcot Railway Centre Didcot Parkway Station, OX11 7NJ www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/ Steam and Diesel Trains in Operation and free admission for Children with Teddy Bears. Displays, activities, crafts, story reading, themed Teddy trail and competition.

12 July Wildlife Discovery Day

Letcombe Valley Nature Reserve Letcombe Regis, Wantage, OX12 9JY www.bbowt.org.uk/reserves/ letcombe-valley Wildlife discovery day for all the family at a local nature reserve, for an amazing day of nature and wildlife. 2pm-4.30pm

16-19 July Art in Action

Waterperry Gardens Nr Wheatley, Oxford, OX33 1JZ www.artinaction.org.uk Every July up to 400 artists, craftsmen, performers and musicians gather together in Waterperry Gardens to demonstrate their skills and show their work.

18 July & 1 August Green Picnic Afternoon

University of Oxford Botanic Garden Rose Lane, Oxford, OX1 4AZ www.botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk Take part in a summer picnic afternoon. Meet local eco champions and enjoy live music, stories, activities and growing fun!

21-23 July Wild about Dinosaurs

Bucks, Berks & Oxon Wildlife Trust Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre, Abingdon, OX14 4TE www.bbowt.org/uk/whats-on Meet Denis the friendly Dinosaur, go hunting for dinosaur eggs and dig for bones. Learn more about

www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

What's on dinosaurs’ distant relatives who live on the reserve today. Fun activities to get the whole family excited about nature. The activities will take around two hours. 10am-3pm.

21- 31 July Summer Village Fun

Pegasus Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1DY www.pegasustheatre.org.uk A bumper program of activities including Arts Tasters and Street Dance. Booking essential. For 6-16's.

22 July Woodland Adventure

Earth Trust Little Wittenham, Oxford, OX14 4QZ www.earthtrust.org.uk/explore/ whatson/ An expedition for 5-8 year olds! Use your detective skills to discover our secret destination to explore, build and play.

24-26 July Peace in the Park - The Festival of Spirit Global Retreat Centre Nuneham Courtenay, OX44 9PG www.peaceintheparkfestival.org An annual spiritual event for families, including talks and workshops, mindfulness and yoga.

25-26 July Outside the Box - Youth Festival

Pegasus Magdalen Road, Oxford, OX4 1DY www.pegasustheatre.org.uk Young members of Pegasus Youth Theatre will set up a new mini festival for young people. Philip Pullman will be meeting and talking to the young audience about his writing and his books. Workshops on graffiti art, street dance, stage fighting, comedy improv, beatboxing, BBQ and street food. From 2pm.

27 July-20 August Magna Carta - Medieval Life in Oxford

Museum of Oxford Oxford Town Hall, OX1 1BX www.oxford.gov.uk Join in to find out more about life in Oxford in the time of King John when the Magna Carta was signed.

Investigate the evidence from a medieval rubbish pit and discover what survived and what didn’t!

10.30am-12.30pm.

28 July-12 Sept As You Like It - Creation Theatre

Lady Margaret Hall, Norham Gardens, Oxford, OX2 6QA www.creationtheatre.co.uk A wrestling match, love notes on trees and a healthy amount of boys falling in love with girls dressed as boys, this show promises to be as quirky and fun. £22

5 August Creative Science

Cornerstone 25 Station Road, Oxford, OX11 7NE www.cornerstone-arts.org Join the family team to explore science in imaginative and creative ways! Different hands-on activities such as squishy circuits, conductive paint, mechanical toys to give you an insight into principles of science whilst having fun. For 6-10’s.

10.30am - 4pm

5-30 August Summer Fun!

Waddesdon Manor Nr Aylesbury, Bucks, HP18 0JH www.waddesdon.org.uk/events Join in the fun at the Stables with family craft activities and more.

From 5-30 August excluding Mon and Tues. Some charges may apply.

Normal Garden admission.

6-9 August Wilderness

Cornbury Park Estate Charlbury, Oxfordshire, OX7 3EH www.wildernessfestival.com Multi-award winning 4 day festival combining music, arts and food.

11-13 August Wild Play

Bucks, Berks & Oxon Wildlife Trust Sutton Courtenay, Abingdon, OX14 4TE www.bbowt.org.uk/whats-on Join in for den building, messy fun in the mud kitchen and more. Fun activities to get the whole family excited about nature. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

10am-3pm. £4 donation.

15-23 August Rhino Week

Cotswold Wildlife Park and Gardens Bradwell Grove, Burford, OX18 4JP www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk A week of Rhino based talks and activities to highlight the conservation work done with Tusk Trust; an organisation set up to help protect African wildlife and halt the decline of one of Africa’s most famous wild residents.

16 August Family Cycling Day

Blenheim Palace Woodstock, OX20 1PP www.blenheimpalace.com Enjoy this once-a-year opportunity to cycle around the picturesque parkland and take in the scenery and have a picnic.

25-29 August Room on the Broom

Oxford Playhouse 11 Beaumont Street, OX1 2LW www.oxfordplayhouse.com Room on the Broom is a magical, heart-warming and ribtickling story by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler that has been delighting families for over 10 years. Whether as an awardwinning book, Oscar-nominated short film, or as a criticallyacclaimed stage production, children have absolutely fallen in love with this terrific tale of witches, dragons and friendship.

A delightful adventure that’s full of merriment and music! Ages 3+ £13 adults, £11 childrenn

26 August As You Like It

Cogges Manor Farm Witney, OX28 3LA www.cogges.org.uk The Festival Players return with this favourite amongst Shakespeare's comedies. The magnificent setting of the manor house lawn is perfect for your own picnic. 7pm-9pm / Adults £12.50, Children £8.50.

28-30 August The Big Festival

Kingham, Chipping Norton, Oxon, OX7 6UJ www.jamieoliver.com/thebigfestival/ Jamie Oliver and Alex James present a unique weekend celebration of music, food and fun for all the family, set in Alex's idyllic Cotswold Farm.

29-31 August Foodies Festival

South Park, 75 Hill Top Road, foodiesfestival.com Annual food event for all the family including Chef's Theatre, Cake and Bake Theatre, children's cookery and live music!

29 August The Three Bells Summer Concert

Upton House and Gardens, Nr Banbury, Warwickshire, OX15 6HT uptonhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk Listen to the 1940s vocal trio inspired by The Andrews Sisters, as they showcase their repertoire of 1940s classics. Take a picnic and enjoy the music.7:30pm / Adult £19, Child £9.50

30-31 August Robin Hood the Musical

Blenheim Palace Woodstock, Oxon, OX20 1PP www.blenheimpalace.com Enjoy the classic story of Robin Hood told through musical theatre production. The Cambridge Touring Theatre will be bringing their joyful, larger-than-life, musical adaptation of 'Robin Hood the Musical' in an explosion of action and comedy for all the family!

for boys and girls 18 months - 7 years Classes being run on:

Saturdays Lord Williams Lower School Thame OX9 3NW For class times visit

midbucks.kiddikicks.co.uk /timetable

01296 290204

Call Email midbucks@kiddikicks.co.uk

free trial sessions – get in touch for details

July/ August 2015

Oxfordshire Magazine 15

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