Families Dorset March/April 23 Digital

Easter Event Easter Event

The ‘Bandit Bunnies’ are on the loose! These cheeky characters have plotted to capture the Easter Bunny and steal their chocolate eggs! We need your help to save the Easter Bunny by soaking them with water pistols!

EGG HUNT EGG HUNT

It wouldn’t be Easter at Farmer Palmer’s without our famous Easter Egg Hunts! 100’s of mini chocolate eggs will be scattered in our special egghunting field

Look out for a GOLDEN TICKET! There are 25 to find each day and these can be exchanged for a BIG chocolate egg in the Gift Shop.

Pedal Karts Pedal Karts

CONTENTS

Welcome

Spring is just around the corner and it’s time to re-embrace the big outdoors! Why not check out our downloadable walking challenge and get the whole family stepping out? And take a look at some great outdoor toy options that will definitely motivate the kids!

Of course, Mother’s Day is just around the corner and Easter not too far away. Find inspiration for a great gift for mum for under £20. We have researched the best egg options and have some tips on organising a successful Easter egg hunt, plus loads of Easter craft and cooking ideas too.

Don’t miss our giveaways either! This issue’s goodies include Smoby Nature Playhouses, tonnes of books and a device to help those who find reading difficult. Apply inside and also ensure you receive every issue of our digital magazine with lots more content and goodies on offer.

In

4 8 15 16 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Days out

What’s On

Downloadable walking challenge

Education

Top Easter eggs for 2023

Hosting an Easter egg hunt

Easter crafts

Easter treats

Outdoor toys

Giveaways

Travel Health

Mother’s Day

Get in touch

Competition winners from our November/ December issue

Congratulations to all our winners. You can find a list HERE

Easter fun at Monkey World

Farmer Palmer’s helps kids’ movement skills

From 1 to 16 April, enjoy Easter fun at Monkey World in Wareham including a FREE activity sheet for kids to complete during their visit. They can then collect a sticker as a prize.

Families matter at Monkey World and, as well as two hundred and sixty rescued and endangered apes and monkeys, they can make the most of three play areas and a woodland walk.

The kids’ activity centre will also be running primate arts and crafts, so your little monkeys can also make an enrichment feeder for the primates living at Monkey World.

From 7 to 10 April, there’s a FREE Easter Egg Trail for kids around the park. Find all the clues to lead to a tasty chocolate treat (while stocks last!)

Book online HERE for an extra 10% off gate prices and pick up your activity sheet at the entrance gate.

A day out at Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park is packed with opportunities for fun-filled play which assist the development of important movement skills in young children.

To celebrate this, Farmer Palmer’s, in Organford, Poole and the Bournemouth-based Storycises, have joined forces to create a book called I Love Visiting My Favourite Farm Park!

Wendy Joy and Jane Reynolds, both Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists, were able to link crucial motor skills practice to the various areas of Farmer Palmer’s and show the importance of the physical experiences it offers.

The colourful book shows how to integrate essential foundation movement skills through play, practice, learning and experiences available at Farmer Palmer’s.

Copies are available to buy from Farmer Palmer’s in-store and online HERE.

A family experience at Golden Gecko

Family adventures at Avon Tyrrell

At Golden Gecko Climbing in Romsey, climbing isn’t just an activity – it’s a shared experience and ideal for families this Easter.

The team at Golden Gecko prides itself on encouraging climbers of all ages and levels of experience to reach new heights and enjoy everything the centre has to offer.

With 190m2 of climbing available on the Climbing Tower and Challenge Wall, children will never be bored and any child ages 5+ can participate, with or without climbing experience. For experienced climbers, bouldering is also available.

With more than seventy routes and easy access to roped climbing, safety is taken care of with seventeen easy auto belay devices which lower the climber to the ground at a controlled rate and act as a safety check if they fall. Golden Gecko also offers a range of instructed sessions for kids and adults.

More info HERE

Avon Tyrrell Outdoor Centre’s family Go Adventure Activities in the New Forest National Park are the perfect opportunity to try an activity and experience the great outdoors.

Costing just £14 per person for a ninety-minute activity, it’s the ideal environment to experience learning outside of school and everyone can discover new skills through adventure and discovery. There are lots of free activities too!

Why not make it a staycation - book activities AND stay in the Grade 1 listed house, a selfcontained lodge or camp.

More info HERE

What’s on

All listings are correct at the time of publication. Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.

Daily until 26 Mar

Dinosaurs in Weymouth

Dinosaur trail throughout the town, featuring three life size dinosaurs.

Every Fri until 31 Mar Parent & Toddler Group at Careys Secret Garden

An activity related to a story/theme to encourage exploring the woodland. Includes FREE play.

Every Thu in Mar & 20 Apr

Roots and Shoots at Upton Country Park Grandparent-friendly tots sessions with storytelling, crafts and exploration in gardens.

Every Fri during term time Puddle Jumpers Club Forest School at Upton Country Park

Outdoor activity sessions for pre-schoolers and parents.

Every Sat & Sun Regent Kid’s Club at Regent Theatre

Christchurch Best kids and family films every weekend morning. £3.50 kids & adults.

Fri 10 Mar, Sat 25 Mar & 14 Apr

Stargazing at Durlston Country Park

Join the Wessex Astronomical Society to use telescopes to view the stars and planets. Sat 11 Mar

Lab Kitchen at Swanage Library

Come and learn about fun science you can do in your own home. FREE.

Sun 12 Mar

Family Science Day at Dorset Museum

Meet a real scientist and get involved in hands-on learning and experiments Ages 4+, FREE.

Exotic Animal Handling at Corn Exchange

Amazingly fun, educational and interactive sessions, FREE.

The Magic of Science at Corn Exchange

Non-stop, action-packed, interactive magical science experiments.

Thu 16 Mar

Lab Kitchen at Swanage Library

Come and learn about fun science you can do in your own home. FREE.

An Investigation in the Library at Gillingham Library

Join a forensic investigation involving fingerprints, DNA and other investigations.

Science Bits and Bytes at Ferndown Library

Celebrate British Science

Week with fun experiments and activities. Ages 6-10 years. FREE.

What’s on

All listings are correct at the time of publication. Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.

Thu 16 Mar

UK Space Agency at Dorchester Library

Learn all about the UK’s first orbital launch attempt.

Wed 15 Mar

Nature Tots at Kingcombe Visitor Centre

For parents/guardians to bring children ages 4 and under to experience the wildlife of Kingcombe.

Sat 18 Mar

Mother’s Day Craft Activity at Shaftesbury Library

Creative Mother’s Day craft drop in event, FREE.

Sun 19 Mar

Science Day at Nothe Fort

Fun and immersive Science Day, full of experiments and activities for the family to enjoy.

Mother’s Day at Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre

Mums get 50% off entry for a great day of ape fun, book online for extra 10% off gate prices.

Mother’s Day at Farmer

Palmers Farm Park

Half-price tickets for mums and special cream teas.

Mother’s Day Paddle to the Pub in Beaulieu

Treat Mum to a wonderful paddle to the pub on the Beaulieu River with New Forest Activities.

Mother’s Day at Seaton Tramway

Fantastic day out for everyone this Mother’s Day. Mum travels FREE.

Fri 24 Mar to Sun 26 Mar Spring Steam Gala at Swanage Railway

Three-day spectacular will see the best of Scottish and Southern motive power.

Sat 25 Mar

Mad About the Bard at Swanage Library

Learn about Shakespeare with stories, songs and craft activities. All ages. FREE.

Sat 25 Mar & Sat 22 Apr Fox & Cubs Club at Upton Country Park Sessions designed for dads and kids to spend quality time together in the great outdoors.

EASTER HOLIDAYS

Sat 25 Mar to Wed 19 Apr Bonker Bunnies Easter Trail at Durlston Country Park

Hop on up and find all the Bonkers Bunnies around the park. £3 per trail pack.

Sat 1 Apr to Mon 10 Apr

Easter Fun at Monkey

World

Kids can complete free activity sheet with prize as well as well as 260 rescued and endangered apes and

monkeys, three play areas and a woodland walk.

Canoe Easter Egg Hunt at Beaulieu

Two hour guided canoe tour on the hunt for Easter eggs.

Easter Archery Tournament at Beaulieu Take aim during a range of fun Easter theme games and challenges.

The Fantastic Egg Hunt at Upton Country Park Find all the eggs and crack the code to receive your fantastic Easter surprise.

Sat 1 to Sun 16 Apr

Family Easter Bushcraft in Swanage

Family bushcraft and foraging sessions (age 4+). £20pp. Booking required.

Easter Quiz at Wimborne Model Town

Search around the model town buildings and surrounds for clues with small prize.

Easter Holiday Activities at The Tank Museum

The biggest day out in history with three hundred tanks, explosive live displays, kids’ activities.

What’s on

All listings are correct at the time of publication. Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.

EASTER HOLIDAYS

Easter Egg Hunt at Corfe Castle

Use your trail map to locate and complete the dragon’s activities. Includes chocolate egg. £3.

Easter Craft Shed at Upton Country Park

Drop in and create fantastic paper crafts that celebrate spring.

Easter Adventures at Kingston Lacy

Ten amazing activities to complete before you claim your chocolate egg prize.

Sun 2 Apr & Sun 9 Apr

The Dinosaur Tram at Seaton Tramway

Adventure-filled tram ride with music, stories, fossil dig and a dinosaur activity.

Tue 4 Apr

Kid’s Easter Drawing Workshop at Durlston Country Park

Join artist, Mark Page, in the Learning Centre and learn to draw Easter bunnies and hares. Booking required.

Children’s Swanage Pier History Tour

Learn about pirates, smugglers, sunken treasure and wrecks.

Mon 3 Apr & Mon 2 May

Wildlife Tots at Blashford Lakes

Outdoors activities session to explore the reserve. Ages 2-5.

Wed 5 Apr

Tremendously Tasty BirdFeeders at Corfe Mullen

Children’s Centre

Make your own birdfeeder and learn about Dorset’s wonderful wildlife. Ages 5-12. FREE.

Wed 5 & Wed 12 Apr

The Pirate Tram at Seaton Tramway

Set sail on the Seaton Pearl, hoist the Jolly Roger, walk, talk and look like a pirate.

Wed 5 & Wed 12 Apr

Wild Wednesdays at Durlston Country Park Drop-in craft activities for kids and families, FREE.

Wed 5 to Wed 12 Apr

Easter at Farmer

Palmer’s Farm Park Bandit bunnies on the loose, water pistols, tractor rides and egg-citing fun.

Thu 6 Apr

Flower Pot Planting for Kids at Durlston Country Park

Join a Ranger, decorate your own plant-pot and plant some seeds. Booking required.

Fri 7 to Mon 10 Apr

Eggs-travaganza at Monkey World FREE Easter egg trail with chocolate treat and activity sheet with prize as well as 260 rescued and endangered apes and monkeys, three play areas and a woodland walk on offer.

Easter Egg Hunt at Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park

Each day, hundreds of mini-chocolate eggs will be scattered in the special egg-field field as well as twenty five GOLDEN TICKETS to find and exchange for a BIG chocolate egg.

8 April Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Bournemouth Pier

Meet the Easter Bunny and enjoy an all-you-can-eat English breakfast. Children ages 3+ receive an Easter egg from the Easter Bunny, an Easter activity pack, Easter egg hunt, games, treats and activities. 9am12pm. Under 3s free. £22 per person. Pre-book.

Sat 8 Apr & Sat 15 Apr

The Pirate Tram at Seaton Tramway

Set sail for swashbuckling time, all children will receive some ‘booty’.

What’s on

All listings are correct at the time of publication. Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.

Sun 9 Apr

Easter Bonnet Parade in Lyme Regis

Watch the wonderful and extravagant creations parade through the town.

Tue 11 Apr

Little Explorer’s Hop into Easter at Museum of East Dorset

Easter and Spring themed arts, crafts, stories and trail with prize. £3.50.

Alice’s Adventures in Easterland at The Barrington Centre, Ferndown

Easter Panto

EGGstravaganza bursting with fun for all the family.

Tue 11 to Thu 13 Apr

Stagecoach ‘Party at the Palace’ Workshop in Ringwood

Performing arts fun for ages 4 to 18 at St Ives Primary School. Put on a show in three days including casting, costume and performance. Runs 9.30am to 3.30pm with varied drop off and pick up times between 9am-4pm. Call 01202 238810 to book.

Tue 11 to Sun 16 Apr

Tremendous Tree Trail at Upton Country Park

Explore the Trees of Grove Woods and learn about the native and non-native species.

Thu 13 Apr

Recycling Rangers at Sturminster Newton Library

Activities include badgemaking and creating grass heads. Ages 4+.

Let’s Go Fly a Kite at Durlston Country Park Design and make your own mini-kites, then learn to fly them! Pre-book.

Thu 20 Apr TooB at Pavilion Dance South West

A gentle, sensory, enchanting performance for little ones ages 6-24 months and their carers.

The Quiet Tram at Seaton Tramway

Sensory-friendly tram trip.

Sat 22 & Sun 23 Apr

Spring Countryside Show, Shaftesbury

Lots to see and do, tractor rides, blacksmith, falconry,

FlyBall and working steam engines.

Mon 1 to Sun 7 May

Coronation Quiz at Wimborne Model Town

Mon 8 May

Lyme Regis May Fete

A great community fundraising family afternoon. FREE.

Sat 13 May

The Jurassic Coasts Wild Exhibition

Showcasing the wild and wonderful exhibits of ants, invertebrates and more.

Sat 13 May to Fri 30 June

Swannery Cygnets

Hatching at Abbotsbury Swannery

Explore and witness the unique sight of the fluffy newly hatched cygnets.

Fitness and wellbeing for everyone

For swimming fun, racket sports, delicious food, kids activities and more.

ON

What’s on - Children’s Theatre

All listings are correct at the time of publication. Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.

BRIDPORT ART CENTRE

Georgia and the Iceberg Sat 11 Mar

Puppetry, jokes, and a heartwarming original story plus workshop. Ages 7+.

I Spy With My Little Eye – The Party Fri 7 Apr

A terrific treasure hunt, all your favourite sing-along

songs and games to play. Ages 2+.

MARINE THEATRE, LYME REGIS

Mr Magnolia Sat 15 Apr

Colourful characters, live music, puppetry and audience interaction.

LIGHTHOUSE, POOLE

The Tap Dancing Mermaid Sat 18 Mar

Featuring stunning puppets, live music and tap dancing. Ages 3+.

The Tiger Who Came to Tea Tue 4 to Thu 6 Apr Delightful family show with oodles of magic, sing-along songs and clumsy chaos. Ages 3+.

The King of Nothing Tue 11 Apr This wild new puppet musical sets out to prove… you’ll believe anything. Ages 5+.

High Jinx Thu 13 Apr

Fast paced family show filled with amazing tricks,

grand illusions and crazy circus thrills. Ages 4+.

The Munch Mission Sat 22 Apr A family show full of mystery and quirky comedy. Ages 6+.

TIVOLI THEATRE, WIMBORNE

Mother Goose Sun 16 Apr

Fabulous family pantomime full of your favourite traditions.

THE REGENT THEATRE, CHRISTCHURCH

Shrek the Musical 31 May to 3 June

Based on the 2001 Dreamworks movie, this award winning production features all the characters that you know and love.

I Spy With My Little Eye

Calling parents living in Dorset!

Would you like to try your hand at magazine publishing?

Do you think you can grow a business?

Are you interested in media and marketing?

Come and run Families Dorset magazine!

Work part time from home around your family and do something you love. FIND

Family Walking Challenges

Family life is busy and it can be difficult to stay active whilst still finding time for everything else – particularly spending quality time together. By making time to walk as a family, you can meet your exercise goals together. Try one of these three family walking challenges from PlanBee.

You are challenged to walk 30,000 steps 5 hours Or set your own challenge

DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE!

Free KS1 and KS2 SATs revision tools

With KS1 and KS2 SATs approaching, your kids can have fun AND learn with these free resources.

CHECKLIST

Maths English ✓ ✓

Karate Cats

English

Fun BBC Bitesize game which prepares for Year 2 English SATs.

Year 2 KS1 SATs topic checklist

Use this to identify skills and gaps that need more practice.

Karate Cats maths And prepare for Year 2 maths SATs with Karate Cats too!

Year 6 KS2 2022 English SATs papers

Practise English using past papers.

CHECKLIST

Maths English ✓ ✓

Year 6 KS2 topic checklist

Use this to identify skills and gaps that need more practice.

Year 6 KS2 2022 Maths SATs papers

Review and practise maths using past papers (with answers).

Guardians

Defenders of Mathematica

Fun BBC Bitesize game which develops KS2 SATs maths skills.

KS2 Crystal Explorers

Join the adventure and improve grammar, punctuation and spelling.

KS2 SATs Online

10-Minute Tests

10-Minute Tests (and answers) - ideal for practice on-the-go.

Discipline in primary schools

By Lucy Dimbylow

At some point during their primary school years, all children – even the very best behaved – are likely to find themselves in hot water after committing some sort of misdemeanour.

How these incidents are handled will vary from school to school and also within schools, depending on the severity of the behaviour.

And while many schools still use traditional punishments, such as keeping children in at breaktime or sending them to the Head Teacher, a growing number are adopting a method called restorative practice to improve the behaviour choices of their pupils.

What is restorative practice?

Restorative practice is a set of principles and practice that encourages children to take responsibility for their behaviour by thinking through the causes and consequences.

‘In a rules-led system, the tendency is for the teacher to tell the child what they’ve done wrong and how they’re going to pay for it – for instance, by sending them out of the classroom if they’re disrupting the lesson,’ says Chris Straker, a former Head Teacher and interim Chief Executive Officer of the Restorative Justice Council.

‘The problem with this system is that children don’t learn about the responsibility they had in that situation and how it affected other people, because an adult has intervened and told them what they’ve done wrong.’ READ

Engaging your child with history

Presented well, history can be enthralling for kids. If you want to encourage an interest, these books will really stimulate engagement.

The Story of World War One

Ages 6-8. Beautifully illustrated with facts explained in simple English.

Rupert’s Parchment: Story of Magna Carta

Ages 4-8. The exciting Magna Carta story seen through Rupert’s eyes.

The Lion and the Unicorn

Ages 5-7. Powerful story about a child’s WWII experience.

Coming to England

Ages 3-6. An inspiring true story celebrating the Windrush Generation.

The Spanish Armada

Ages 6-11. Explores the English navy’s defeat of the Spanish Fleet.

Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot

Ages 5+. Accessible re-telling of the plot to blow up parliament.

Plague: A Cross on the Door

Ages 7-9. Exciting read bringing the plague and its impact to life.

Vlad and the Great Fire of London

Ages 3-9. How did the fire start and how did Londoners escape?

1066 The Norman Conquest

Ages 7-9. Exciting account of the military invasion of England.

The natural world at Talbot Heath

Teaching children about the natural world is a vital part of their education.

Talbot Heath School in Dorset is situated in the middle of six hectares of pine woodland and is blessed with two Forest School areas. It uses the main site to run a full Forest School programme for Years 1 to 6 and a secure, smaller Forest School trail which gives Early Years (EYFS) children a sense of the woodland. EYFS children explore the woods weekly, playing, climbing and making mud cakes. Their natural inquisitiveness is heightened and they begin to develop confidence.

Talbot Heath’s Forest School ethos allows children to take on new challenges at their own pace, whilst supported by adults who encourage their independence.

More info HERE

Stretching your child’s imagination

By Jemma Z Smith

Helping boys manage the gender gap

By Lisa Wander and Catherine Loble

Imagination helps children think creatively and consider possibilities that may not be rooted in current reality. Imagination can be a powerful tool for problem-solving and innovation. So how can we encourage its maximum use?

READ MORE

A 2022 global report shows that boys are increasingly becoming left behind in education. Furthermore, recent school entry baseline assessments show over one million boys are already under-achieving by the time they enter Reception. So what are the reasons behind this?

READ MORE

Top Easter eggs for 2023

Choose your Easter eggs from the couch this year with our wonderful selection of treats.

Space Eggsplorer

Chocolate Egg

Decorated, hollow milk chocolate space shuttle with milk chocolate balls.

Egg On My Face

Chocolate Slab

Cheery milk chocolate slab with two white chocolate half-eggs.

Chocolate Dorset

Dinosaurs

Handmade shapes with milk, dark & white chocolate.

Percy Pig™

Easter Egg Hunt Bucket

Hollow milk chocolate eggs and a small bag of mini Percy™ Piglets.

Easter Eggtastic Easter bundle

A chocolate egg for every occasion in this eggtastic Easter bundle.

The Raspberry White Chocolate Egg

Belgian white chocolate, raspberry pieces and marshmallow chunks.

Giant Dinosaur Egg

Gargantuan 700g egg, 11+ inches tall, made of smooth, rich Belgian chocolate.

Extra Thick White Chocolate Easter Egg

A generous egg, piled with fun chocolate treats.

Capsule of Milk

Chocolate Robots

Fabulous tin capsule filled with ten mini milk chocolate robots.

Hosting an Easter egg hunt

Choosing the location

Your garden is great or a local park if your group is large. Allow for weather. Have an indoor Plan B or take wet weather gear. Avoid an area so large that it’s impossible to find the eggs! For younger kids, keep it simple. Scatter eggs about in obvious locations.

Incorporating nature

An outdoor hunt is an ideal way to incorporate outdoor learning. Use vegetation in your own garden or park as hiding spots. Instead of solving clues, complete a spring spotting sheet or scavenger trail along the way.

Collect items along the way instead to make a nature craft to win the prize.

How to decorate eggs for Easter

Hiding the eggs

Before you start, count the eggs. You’ll thank yourself later!

Make it fair with different colour eggs for different kids. Try treasure hunt style with clues and rewards along the way. Finish with a grand prize. Find age-appropriate hiding spots - too easy and it’s over in a flash; too hard, kids get upset.

Selecting prizes

Go healthy with less sugary offerings.

Personalise your own decorated eggs (name, date, place) to create keepsakes. Customise treats for your child - favourite pens, books, gift voucher.

Try tokens to collect and redeem for prizes or even cash.

Readymade Easter egg hunt downloadable

A short 3-minute video which demonstrates how to easily decorate eggs for your hunt.

Try this readymade indoor hunt with clues and hiding spots suitable for most houses.

Easter treats to make with the kids

From Neha Gandesha @squashedpickle

Froyo Easter egg lollies

Easter hot chocolate

These frozen yoghurt treats are considered the best Easter cooking activity in our family. With a few simple ingredients, such as Greek yoghurt and food colouring, you can create a delicious Easter snack which the kids will run to the freezer to devour!

RECIPE VIDEO

Cinnamon Swirl bunnies

Kids can top these with their favourite chocolate eggs, sprinkles or even cookies and enjoy in a hot cup of milk. They make great Easter gifts when wrapped up too. Remember, marshmallows should only be given to kids over 5-years-old as they are a choking hazard.

RECIPE VIDEO

Milky Bar Oreo chicks

These bunnies are so fun for Easter and very easy to make, thanks to the ready-to-bake cinnamon swirl rolls made by Jus-Rol. The fun is in shaping the rolls so they turn into bunny ears! Kids can decorate the finished product with sprinkles and candy eyes and they make a really cute little Easter snack.

RECIPE VIDEO

These are another really fun Easter-themed treat to make with the kids and they use favourite chocolatey treats including Oreos, Milky Bar and yellow and orange Smarties. Other than that, all you really need are some lolly sticks and some candy eyes to really bring the chicks to life!

RECIPE

Easter crafts for the kids to enjoy

Get the kids crafting during the school holidays with this great selection of arty Easter and spring-themed ideas.

Burlap bunny bunting

Bunny scrunchies

Spring tin can animals

Easter biscuits

DIY Easter egg pinata

Easter bonnet

Easy button Easter egg

Mini Easter baskets

Easter egg weaving

Let’s play outdoors!

Get your little ones active and outdoors now spring is on its way. Here are some favourites from child psychologist and play expert Dr. Amanda Gummer, founder of The Good Toy Guide.

Xootz Bubble-GoScooter

An easy-to-master 3-wheeled scooter which blows bubbles as you ride! RRP: £49.99

Geosafari®

JR.Kidnoculars®

Extreme™

Magnify nature! 3x nofocus binoculars & builtin mic. RRP £26.50

Kids First Weather Science Kit

Investigate different types of weather with this interactive lab kit.

RRP: £16.95

Naylor Activity

Tunnels

Lightweight, bright play tunnels for indoor or outdoor adventures!

RRP: £33

Diditrike

Quirky, lightweight and easy-to-manoeuvre early year’s ride-on.

RRP: £44.99

Smoby AquaPlay

LockBox

Kids can explore waterway adventures with this canal-inspired playset. RRP: 39.99

Zoomarang

The original backyard boomerang! Circles out 30 feet with ease.

RRP: £4.99

Smoby KS Slide

Encourage active play with a slide that doubles as a water-slide!

RRP:£69.99

Waterwall

Hands on problemsolving fun with this interactive water flow.

RRP: £99.99

Helping children who find reading difficult

Word Window is a specially designed hand-held tool that helps children break down words to make them easier to read. It was invented by a mum with an extensive background in education who created it to help children that found reading difficult.

Words are built on letters, sounds and other words and Word Window gives children, parents and teachers the ability to highlight sections of the word so that fluency and comprehension can build over time.

Word Window is successful at helping children to bridge the gap between learning phonics and building these skills into reading as it engages the kinesthetic sense when reading, a sense which is often neglected.

Check out the website HERE or find on Facebook.

Special offer for Families readers using discount code FM10 at checkout.

Healthy after-school snack ideas

We asked our friends at Kitchen Titbits for healthy ideas to satisfy our kids’ after-school hunger and to avoid spending a fortune on packaged snacks.

Energy-balls

Banana and blueberry muffins

(vegan)

Banana ice cream

Butternut squash and feta scones

Oat pancakes

Yoghurt and fruit bark

Fruit smoothie

Courgette spinach cheese muffins

Snack mix

Top value family holiday destinations

Travelling abroad as a family is a wonderful experience but can be costly. Families asked Ashley Lutz at Travel Counsellors to recommend some destinations that offer excellent value for money.

Turkey

Warm, family-friendly and relatively cheap once you are there.

Portugal

A Eurozone destination where your cash can work harder.

Montenegro

Cheaper and quieter than neighbouring Croatia.

Mauritius

Something for all ages with prices almost half of the neighbouring Seychelles.

Jamaica

Named best value destination in the Caribbean (The Post Office).

South Africa

Wildlife, exploration and relaxation – and easy-ish on the wallet once there.

Albania

Kids’ attractions, sandy beaches and a family 3 course meal for £20!

Sri Lanka

Relatively affordable food, transport and accommodation.

Thailand

One of the cheapest long-haul destinations to fly to. Cheap once there.

Mother’s Day gifts for under £20

Attention dads! This is one for sharing with the kids before 19 March!

Gourmet chocolate pizza

For the mum who loves pizza and chocolate! £11.75

Personalised wooden memory box

Kick start mum’s collection with a few of your own items. £19.99

Photo cushion

Capture family memories on this multi-photo upload cushion. £19.99

Olive & Pip’s Drawing Make Up Bag

Create something special with those drawings on the fridge. £20.99

SHO reusable drink bottles

For mums who are both eco and style conscious. From £12.49

Mother’s Day Sketchy Muma biscuits

Gift box of ten biscuits. Hand drawn illustrations of heart-warming messages. £20

Reusable coffee cup

Designed to last 10 years. 100% recyclable. £14.95

Rarebirds Lucky Dip Book Club

Choose a genre; they will choose a book for mum. £8.99

Gift wrapped botanical posy

Mini posy made up of seasonal flowers, foliage and herbs. £15.95