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January/February 2022
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Familiesonline.co.uk January/February 1
NEWS
Help fund vital brain tumour research Join Wear A Hat Day! Did you know brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer? This is an unacceptable fact which leading charity, Brain Tumour Research is determined to change. Join thousands of children, parents and teachers on Friday 25 March for Wear A Hat Day – a great way to bring people together and raise vital March sees the arrival of Brain funds Brain Tumour Research. Tumour Awareness Month. Coming towards the end of the month, Register your school, community or several celebrities will be lending family event today HERE and you’ll their support to the incredible receive a free fundraising pack. hattastic Wear a Hat Day campaign. The latest set of collectable Wear A Hat Day pin badges have a regal theme in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year. Order your box of badges to sell when you register! Funds raised from Wear A Hat Day will help towards establishing a new Research Centre of Excellence.
Danny Clarke
Dame Sheila Hancock DBE
Caprice Bourret
Sarah Beeny
www.wearahatday.org MARCH 2022
2 January/February
#WearAHatDay
Registered charity number 1153487 (England and Wales) SC046840 (Scotland)
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CONTENTS
In this issue
Welcome
2 4 6 12 14 16 18 22 23
Happy New Year everyone! Let’s hope 2022 is an easier year for everybody.
News Activities Education Tween Winter warmers New Year, New You Early years Family life Classes & clubs
Get in touch Competition winners from our September/October issue Sally Garbutt, Joanne Banks, Petra Dias, Frankie Salter, Nichola Woad, Cindy Baldwin, Alina Ali, Cherelle St Hilaire, Gemma Lovegrove and Farrah Orr who received a Tales of Me book and to Hina Wajahat, Claire Goodfellow and Fran Dobbins who received an Art Lab Pouring Studio. And, for the recipients of plasticine gifts or Equazen family packs, click here.
If you’ve made a resolution to prioritise your health this year, then plan to change ‘just one thing.’ Find inspiration in our New Year, New You feature. In Education, discover how children learn to write and download our free practice sheets. Concerned your child may not be ready for SATs? Find out how to help. And cheer up the dull winter months with some great activity and entertainment options. Finally, with our children’s mental health always at the top of our priority list, we have Happiness is…Mental Health Activity Packs for kids to give away. So don’t forget to apply! And sign up HERE to receive every issue of this magazine free to your inbox.
Family entertainment at Buxton Opera House
Pinocchio. Two child-friendly performances on 8 Feb. £8 for adults. £7 for children. Introduce your little ones to the magic of live performance! Billionaire Boy. Live stage adaptation of David Walliam’s successful children’s book, running 20-24 April. Plus school holiday workshops and youth theatre. More info and tickets. Familiesonline.co.uk
January/February 3
ACTIVITIES
Wild winter activities Playing outside is important for kids, even in winter. Here are some great outdoor activity ideas to keep them busy.
Build teeny tiny twig rafts
Rain paint
Make a muddy water filter
Make a mini pond in a pot
Do some wild weaving
Make a magic potion
Make a wormery
Create frozen sun catchers
Build a bird box
4 January/February
Familiesonline.co.uk
ACTIVITIES
Chinese New Year crafts Chinese New Year falls on 1 February this year and offers the perfect inspiration for kids to get crafty!
Year of the Tiger paper bag puppet
Chinese lantern
Chinese New Year candle holders
Tangram puzzle
Mr Panda craft
Fortune Cookies
Chinese New Year’s pinwheel
Rattle drum
Paper plate Chinese dragon
Familiesonline.co.uk
January/February 5
EDUCATION
Meet the Head
Meet the Head
Special feature
Families chats with Craig Jenkinson, Head of Abbey Gate College. You took up the position of Head last September. What was it about Abbey Gate College that made you want to apply? Its caring ethos, personalised approach to working with pupils, high standards and stunning buildings and grounds. When I visited, it felt so right to me - the friendliness of the staff and that the pupils were clearly happy at school and wanting to be the best they could. In three words, how would the students at your previous school describe you? Kind, firm, fair. What do you think makes Abbey Gate College so special? Both our Senior and Infant & Junior schools are housed in wonderful historic buildings, amidst acres of wonderful parkland and gardens. This natural beauty positively impacts learning and wellbeing. The sense of quiet focus and purpose, together with the friendliness, smiles and politeness
of staff and pupils create a special ethos which we really value. Do you think the pandemic has led to any positive changes within the school? We’ve moved forward more quickly with our digital provision and are enthusiastic about developing the integration of technology further where it will have a positive impact. We’re taking things less for granted now too, grateful for every occasion when we can come together as a school community. Our strong pastoral care has also developed further to accommodate the greater mental health support needed by pupils and staff. What do you think are the key skills that children should be mastering at the start of their school journey? We want children to be curious, to want to learn about the world they live in, be open-minded, tolerant, embrace mistakes as a vital part of learning, believe in themselves and their own potential, listen, be willing to put in the effort and be kind. READ MORE
6 January/February
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Activities Tips/Advice Days Out
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Spring 2021
January/February 7
Ground, Grass and Sky Handwriting Guide Help your child practise their handwriting and learn to make their letters the correct size with this activity from PlanBee. Download the instructions and practice sheets to get started.
Handwriting practice sheets Use the example on the previous page to show your child how each letter should look in relation to the ground, the grass and the sky. Get your child to write the letters of the alphabet using the dots below.
Handwriting practice sheets Use these sheets for your child to practise their handwriting and learn to make their letters the correct size. Below you can see an example of how each letter should look in relation to the ground, the grass and the sky.
Handwriting practice sheets Once your child has joined the dotted letters on the previous sheet, let them have a go at writing their own on the ground, grass and sky lines below. Give them the example letters on the first sheet to help.
Using this example as a guide, get your child to trace the dotted letters on the next sheet and then move on to writing the letters themselves on the final sheet.
DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE!
8 January/February
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EDUCATION
Show your child how to hold a pencil Watch video!
Developing handwriting skills
By Catherine Lynch
The three main skills in learning to write are the physical ability to make marks on paper, knowing that print conveys meaning and knowing what to write. Before children start making marks on paper and learning to write, they need to strengthen their gross and fine motor skills. But how? READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk
Win a Gingersnap Balance Bike Ages worth 2 to 4 years £119! Perfect to get little adventurers started! APPLY HERE
Magazine
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January/February 9
EDUCATION
New children’s books for 2022 Winter’s a great time of year to enjoy some fantastic children’s fiction. Here are our recommendations.
Also
by E B Goodale Ages: 4-7
Invented by Animals
by Christiane Dorion Ages: 7-12
Rita Wants a Ninja by Maire Zepf Ages: 3+
10 January/February
Little Horror
Crocodile Hungry
Big Wig
Atlas of Amazing Migrations
by Daniel Peak Ages: 8-12
by Jonathan Hillman Ages: 4-8
The Smeds and the Smoos Board Book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler Ages: 0-2
by Eija Sumner Ages: 3-7
by Matt Sewell Ages: 7-10
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty Ages: 5-7
Familiesonline.co.uk
EDUCATION
Is your child ready for SATs? By Jemma Zoe Smith SATs have been cancelled for the last two years but this year they’ll be going ahead. If you’re a parent of a child who will be sitting SATs this year or even next, you might be concerned about how the disruption to their education during the pandemic may affect their exam performance - a worry which is doubled for those If the situation is causing you stress, parents whose children are also it’s important not to transmit that sitting the 11+. to your child, whose performance won’t be improved by exam nerves. The good news is that if you’re addressing these concerns now, So what are the next steps? you’re doing so in good time. There’s plenty of opportunity for READ MORE your child to make up any gaps in their learning before the exams roll around. The first thing to do as a parent is not to worry too much! While your child’s schooling has been disrupted, so has that of all their peers. It’s likely results will be poorer across the board, which is reassuring if you’re considering a selective school for your child’s secondary education. What’s more, any teacher looking at your child’s exam results in the future will consider the extraordinary situation in which their studies took place.
Win a Gingersnap Balance Bike Ages worth 2 to 4 years £119! Perfect to get little adventurers started! APPLY HERE
Magazine Familiesonline.co.uk
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January/February 11
TWEEN
Best skincare products for tweens We asked our friends at wearetwixt for their round up of some of the best, tween-friendly zit-zapping cleansers that avoid chemicals that can be abrasive on young, delicate skin. TROPIC Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum (£42) A gentle serum with pre-biotics builds the skin’s defences and fights acne. Olivia (12) says: ‘I put this on twice a day. It cleared my spots completely. Absolutely amazing!’ Olivia’s mum says: ‘Pricey but a little goes a long way.’ Pixi Glow Tonic (£10) Lightweight, gentle exfoliating serum which hydrates and boosts radiance. 100% chemical-free and beautifully gentle for young skin. Olivia (12) says: ‘I use this every evening and it makes my skin feel completely clean.’ Olivia’s mum says: ‘‘This has been brilliant for Olivia’s skin.’ 12 January/February
LUSH Tea Tree Water (£6) and LUSH Grease Lightning (£8) Tea tree water cleanses and helps banish spots. Grease Lightning cleanses and helps combat infection and further redness. Olivia (12) says: ‘I love how fresh these products are and how clean they feel.’
TROPIC Clear Skin BlemishFighting Mask (£20)
Designed to control the levels of sebum in the skin, preventing spots forming. Kills bacteria, draws out toxins, closes pores and soothes sore skin. Olivia (12) says: ‘My skin is sensitive and can get dry and this is so gentle and soothing. It lasts for ages too.’ Familiesonline.co.uk
TWEEN
Why Aiyven and Kirsten are Happier Every Chapter Sisters Aiyven (12) and Kirsten (13) love writing stories and both published debut novels in 2020. Families talks to them to find out more. What made you start writing stories? Our parents read stories to us every night when we were young, which opened up whole new worlds to us. From around the age of 4 or 5, we were folding pieces of paper into cards and writing stories inside them - and just never stopped! What do you like best about writing stories? The best thing is how in a few hours, a new universe can sprout out of thin air. How many stories have you written? Many of our early stories were on laptops we don’t have any more but every month we write short stories for our book subscription box, Happier Every Chapter. Over time, we’ve written at least thirty stories each. That’s excluding our books. Do you make a plan for your stories? When we were younger, we often just typed whatever came to mind, which can result in an unusual plot and a storyline that doesn’t flow very well. Now, we plan Familiesonline.co.uk
the beginning, build-up, climax, resolution and ending. Once you have those five factors planned, it’s just a matter of connecting the dots. Interested in Aiyven and Kirsten’s advice on story-writing? READ MORE
FREE Mental Health Activity Pack from Storytime for your child* 14 pages of fun activities
ESS is... HAPPIN Y PACK! IT IV T C A
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APPLY HERE
*while stocks last. T&C’s apply.
January/February 13
FOOD
Winter warmers Get your big bowls and mugs out and make some of these fabulous, hearty seasonal soups and hot drinks with the kids.
Real tomato soup
Hot butter beer (no alcohol!)
Alphabet soup
Green pea and ham soup
Mini cob loaf sweet potato soup
White hot chocolate
Hot chocolate snowmen
Kids’ minestrone soup
Child-friendly hot toddy
14 January/February
Familiesonline.co.uk
Happiness is…..a happy child! Receive a FREE Mental Health Activity Pack from Storytime for your child*
HAPPINESS i s ACTIVITY PAC ... K!
One of the big gest challen teachers and ges faced by carers is hel parents, and deal wit ping childre h their feeling n to talk abo ut s. That is wh activity pac y we create k! We recom d this me nd that you then share the read it first, ideas and act and ivities in it wit h your kids.
Be cool. Be kind. Be you!
Inside this pack:
Recognising Emoti ons ............................. 2 Feelings Are Like Rainb ows ................... 4 Resilience Tool Box .................................. 5 Fun with Framing! ..................................... 6 Gratefulness Diary .................................... 7 The Pancake of Mistak es ........................ 8 Get Active with Emoti ons! ....................... 9 Talking About Feelin gs ........................... 10 30 Things You Can Do to Feel Good! ... 11 Awesome You! ........... ............................... 13 Your Jar of Happiness ............................. 14 How to Use This Pack.. . for Grown-Ups! ........... ............................... 15
On page 17-20, there is a special section about how you can help your kids build resilience and get comfortable with their emotions!
© www.stor
With
ytimemagazi
ne.com 2021
14 pages of fun activities
Read first and then share with your child….
APPLY HERE Familiesonline.co.uk
*while stocks last. T&C’s apply.
January/February 15
NEW YEAR, NEW YOU
Just one healthy thing
At this time of the year, we are bombarded with unrealistic health advice. So how about setting yourself an easy target of changing just one thing this New Year? © Bruce Mars from Unsplash
Consider cold water swimming
Get a fitness buddy
Take time to meditate
Start with cold water showers and build up with the Wim Hof method.
Accountability works. Find out more.
10 minutes a day can make a huge difference. Find hundreds of free meditations.
Take Vitamin D
Try forest bathing
Get quality sleep
10mg daily for adults in autumn and winter compensate for lack of UK sunshine.
Time in forest/woodland boosts your mood, health and wellbeing. Find options here. Photo: Spirited Euphoria
If your nights are disrupted, try going to bed earlier. Discover the benefits. Photo: Gabrielle Henderson from Unsplash
Photo by Ella Olsson from Pexels
Go veggie
For one day a week, skip meat. Follow MeatFreeMondays.
16 January/February
Give up alcohol
Practise gratitude
Try mindful drinking with Keeping a daily gratitude Spirited Euphoria! 100% diary can make you feel more optimistic. natural, non-alcoholic, endorphin-releasing alternative. Familiesonline.co.uk
HEALTH
How CBT can help children with anxiety By Lilly Sabir As both a clinical therapist and a mother, I know from personal and professional experience how important it is to help our children understand, identify and support their own mental wellbeing. Studies suggest that the earlier children are empowered with the resources needed to improve the way they think, the earlier positive foundations are laid that they can build on throughout their lives. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is identified as the most effective therapeutic intervention in managing anxiety. When your child expresses feeling tiredness or pain, this can be one of the most demonstrative signs they are anxious - somebody or something has triggered an emotional response within them. Children don’t know how to express and articulate emotional language in the early years but this improves with age. Tummy aches, headaches and ‘something is hurting’ is often a child’s way of saying whatever is going on around them has caused them stress. They need to calmly be helped to cope with that pain, using fun ways that can help them tap into the sensations occurring in their bodies and minds. Familiesonline.co.uk
It’s important to recognise when a child needs therapeutic intervention, rather than masking their emotional problems and hoping they will grow out of them; the earlier the intervention, the more effectively treatments can work. If you have a child who is suffering with anxiety-related issues, find out more about some child-friendly CBT techniques that you can use to help them. READ MORE
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January/February 17
EARLY YEARS
Sensible safety supplies It’s a great time of year to check that you have all the right protection to keep your children safe at home.
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Essential if you use gas, LPG, oil or wood at home. £14
Cable Tidy Unit
The easiest way to keep cables away from children. Click-lock lid. £17.90
Bath & Room Thermometer
Flashes/beeps when water is too hot/cold for your child. Floats in bath. £11.49 18 January/February
St John Ambulance Travel First Aid Kit Important at home and when away. £18.60
Stove & Hob Guard
Protects from stove-top dangers. Adjustable. Suitable for gas and electric. £37.99
Magnetic Child Locks
Corner Protectors
Oven Door Guard
Door Slam Protector
No DIY skills required. Fit lock and catch simultaneously. £19.95
Prevents little hands from opening the oven and getting injured or burned. £6.49
Easy to install. Larger than others. Soft protection from sharp corners. £6.99
Protects fingers from door slamming and children from getting locked in. From £6.99 Familiesonline.co.uk
EARLY YEARS
Getting more involved with your child’s development Volunteering at your child’s childcare setting is a great way to become more involved with your child’s learning and development. If you’ve previously worked with children or in childcare, that’s invaluable but you don’t actually need any experience. You may be interested in formal roles like a nursery assistant where you will receive lots of support including an induction or special training. Other roles may be more informal with flexible arrangements such as joining outings to the park, helping with a fundraising activity or running a toy library. Your child’s setting is likely to be open to ideas. Volunteering at your child’s setting can help you: Increase your enjoyment and understanding of the way your child learns; Learn new skills, gain confidence and practical experience; Make new friends and meet other parents; Develop and become part of a parent forum; Take up free training opportunities to help you progress into paid work; Get to know your child’s friends better; Explore new career opportunities in childcare; Give something back to your local community. Familiesonline.co.uk
Children learn a huge amount while in quality childcare but parents remain their most important educators. Find out how to continue developing your child’s learning at home. READ MORE
Protect your child online! Get a free and complete guide to parental controls*
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Magazine
January/February 19
FAMILY LIFE
Top car seat suggestions Need a new car seat this year? Kickstart your research with these nine top ADAC safety-approved models.
Joie Spin 360 Group 0+1
Cosy N Safe Merlin 360 Group 0+/1 0 to 18kg. Birth to 4yrs. £200
Up to 18kg. 3mths to 4yrs. £325
Maxi Cosi Axiss Swivelling
Graco Milestone All-in-One Group 0+/1/2/3
Nuna Myti Group 1/2/3
Cosatto Judo Group 1/2/3
Halfords Essential Group 1/2/3
Birth to 18kg. Birth to 4yrs. From £199.
9 to 18kg. 9mths to 4yrs. £139
Joie Baby Bold Group 1/2/3 9 to 36kg. 9mths to 12yrs. £179.99
20 January/February
Birth to 36kg. Birth to 12 yrs. £210
9 to 36kg. 9mths to 12 yrs. £180
Britax Romer Dualfix M i-Size
9 to 36kg. 15mths to 12 yrs. £325
9 to 36kg. 9mths to 12yrs. £40 Familiesonline.co.uk
FAMILY LIFE
Family tech ideas The latest in technological innovation – maybe you can find a bargain in the January sales?
Symfonisk Picture Frame with WiFi Speaker Your favourite sounds from your favourite picture! £179
Bonaok Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone Enjoy family karaoke at home. £29.99
Oculus Quest 2 Virtual Reality Headset
Use headset and app to jump into VR. £299.
Facebook Portal - da Vinci miniMaker Illuminator Light Up Smart Video Calling Drone 3D Printer Video call others on their devices with WhatsApp/ Messenger, even if they don’t have Portal. £60.
First-time users 3D printer. Great for young minds and STEM learning. £284.40
Philips NeoPix Easy Heated Throw Perfect for snuggling up Home Projector
For cosy winter nights in. £99.99 Familiesonline.co.uk
with the family. £53
Delivers an amazing light show. USB and batteryoperated remote control. £29.99
Nanit Smart Baby Monitor
Peace of mind. A crystalclear overhead view of your baby’s cot. From £199 January/February 21
FAMILY LIFE
Protect your child online
Try Storytime, the world’s best story magazine!
The internet is a fantastic place to learn, play and contact friends and family. However, just like the real world, it’s not safe for children to navigate alone.
Special Full of fairy tales, adventures, myths Reader Offer and legends, tales from other cultures, real life stories and awesome animals, Storytime is the world’s best story magazine.
Save 15% on complete guide to parental controls (E-book/PB) Welcome to the new book, which aims to make it easier to protect our children online!
Leading children’s charities and parent groups agree that parents need more help to understand potential online dangers and understand how best to react when our children are upset or disturbed by something they have seen online. Protecting children of the digital age contains over 130 pages of information, advice, tips and step by step guides to setting parental controls on the most popular devices, Apps, platforms and games. Use code FAM15 at check out here to obtain the e-book for Special just £5.94 or the Reader paperback for just Offer £13.59.
Save 50% off your first 4 issues - just £9.99!
It’s packed with wonderful stories for children and parents to read, love and share, as well as puzzles, activities and games. All 52 pages are beautifully illustrated and printed on quality paper so they can be treasured, read and re-read. No adverts, plastic toys or packaging and each copy arrives in a specially illustrated envelope, so your child has all the excitement of receiving their own mail. Plus, each month, there are free home learning resources and fun activities to bring the stories to life. More info and apply for offer. Follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
22 January/February
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FAMILY LIFE
Moving on after separation and divorce By Adele Ballantyne At Only Mums and Only Dads, we get many emails expressing concern at the way an ex-partner has introduced their new partner to the children. Often these emails report that the children have become upset as a result. So we asked Adele Ballantyne for her advice on getting this right.
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Many parents use the time whilst their children are with their other parent to start socialising, keeping it separate from their parenting role initially. Of course, it’s okay to tell your children, especially older ones, offering reassurance if you meet resistance.
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definitely worth discussing and agreeing a plan with your ex-partner about how you would manage the introduction of any new, long-term partner to your children.
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Separating when you have children isn’t easy but as a new ‘normal’ begins to emerge, you may find yourself or your ex-partner starting to think about moving on with the ‘adult’ part of life.
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Magazine January/February 23
CLUBS & CLASSES
Unusual class and club ideas Kids looking for something a bit different to try in 2022? Check out our ideas.
Chess
Rock climbing
Fencing
Trampolining
Parkour
Archery
Table tennis
Sailing
Skating
24 January/February
Familiesonline.co.uk
ACTIVITIES
Winter boredom busters Virtual fun
Take a ride on a virtual roller coaster. Check out 10 of the best virtual rides. Go on a virtual tour of a zoo, aquarium or science centre. Here’s some of the world’s best. Explore breath-taking scenery with a virtual visit to America’s greatest national parks. Drop in on London - visit a museum, Brick Lane, Houses of Parliament and more. Take a plunge and swim with wild dolphins. Marvel at the magic of nature’s beauty by gazing at the Northern Lights.
Kitchen capers
Try a new cookie recipe, suggestions here. Bonus idea: Set up a camera or smart phone and film a cooking show! Make ice cream in a bag, recipe here. No need for a fancy ice cream maker! Make slime, instructions here. Make some DIY play-dough, recipe here. Have a pizza party, DIY pizza recipes here. Throw an afternoon tea party for the family, see children’s tea party ideas.
Game time
Educational
Learn and play a new card game, here are 12 classic card games.
Conduct a science experiment, find 31 easy science experiments using common household items.
Play family charades. Choose from 100s of ideas with this online random charade’s generator.
Put on a family magic show, here are 13 easy tricks to learn. Dice games teach maths and other skills. Here are some great options. Two truths and a lie. Play two truths and a lie, See some childfriendly examples. Have a bingo tournament. Try this online Bingo Card Generator.
Familiesonline.co.uk
Check out the National Literacy Trust’s list of podcasts here.
Have an extra Amazon box laying around? 32 fun, creative, and educational things to do with a cardboard box. Create a message for the present and the future with a Sustainable Development Time Capsule.
Practise a new life skill with your kids, here are 19 life skills you can teach your child at home.
January/February 25
ACTIVITIES
DIY board games from overseas Fed up with the board games in the cupboard? Make and try these fascinating alternatives curated from overseas by www.whatdowedoallday.com
Watermelon Chess Country of origin: China
Kaooa Country of origin: India
Nine holes Country of origin: England
Fighting Serpents Country of origin: New Mexico
Lu Lu Dice Country of origin: Hawaii
Picaria
Country of origin: American South West
Fox & Geese Country of origin: Scandinavia
Shisima Country of origin: Kenya
Tapatan Country of origin: Philippines
26 January/February
Familiesonline.co.uk