Families Hertfordshire Leaving Lockdown Summer 2020

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Leaving Lockdown IN THIS ISSUE

Lots of competitions!

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Summer 2020 familiesonline.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk Summer 2020

ART WITH TEDDIES ONLINE

Download and print this great colouring sheet and enter our Teddies Online Music Club colouring competition!

Win a unique personalised print created by Teddies Online Music Club!

WIN!

Choose between a farmyard animal and a train scene.

Fiddle-i-fee...

Just colour or paint the great colouring sheet on this page. Then email a scan or photo of your sheet to us, together with your name, post code, child’s age and choice of print.

Closing date: 31 August 2020

www.teddiesmusicclub.co.uk 2 Summer 2020

familiesonline.co.uk

CONTENTS

Welcome

Contents

We’re slowly coming out of lockdown – and here is our summer issue to steer you safely through the holidays.

Many children have not been to school for some time. So this issue is packed full of fun activities to keep their brains engaged, as well as games, classes, summer camps, places to go and competitions.

We’re also proud to present our first video feature, Mums in Lockdown, which we hope you enjoy.

2

Drawing and Colouring with Teddies Online

4-7

Learning

8-9

Early Years

Dale Harry

editor@familieherts.co.uk Families Hertfordshire Magazine Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Print Ltd. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine but Families Print Ltd, its distributors, franchisees and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequences thereof.

12-15 Parenting 16

Holidays

19

Work

20

Places to Go

21

Screen-Free Activities Weekend

22

Summer Camps & Courses

23

Give your Child a Social Summer

24

Online Classes

25

Activities

26

Best Printable Primary Age Games

27

Best Lego Kits

28

In Our Local Editions

ENTER HERE T&Cs apply

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Summer 2020 3

LEARNING

Secret Summer Learning Activities Our best ideas to keep your child’s brain ticking over all summer long.

Make a Video

Charades

Learn Chess

Develops creativity, promotes physical activity and communication skills.

Develops imagination and non-verbal communication skills.

Encourages critical thinking, planning ahead and reasoning.

Make a Miniature Book

Bake a Cake

Word Games for Families

Encourages creativity and an interest in literature.

Make a Soap Carving

Develops fine motor skills and creativity.

4 Summer 2020

Develops maths and coordination.

Game of 50

Develops addition/ subtraction, logical thinking, strategy, perseverance.

Improves listening, vocabulary, memory and attention.

Fruit & Vegetable Guessing Game

Develops memory and logical thinking. familiesonline.co.uk

LEARNING

School Work During the Holidays?

Supporting Secret Learning

By Murray Morrison

By Dr Amanda Gummer

When the whole of the summer term has felt like a halfway house between school and holidays, many families are beginning to wonder whether they should continue some element of school work through the summer break.

So, what should the plan be?

We’ve all mashed up veggies and hidden them in pasta sauce.

Well, the same can be done with learning! Hiding learning within play is a much less stressful way of helping children to keep learning whilst they are not at school, especially for reluctant students.

READ MORE

READ MORE

Tips on Home Schooling from Mum of Two

By Samantha Francis

A safe And Loving Home

For Every Child

Whilst we are all hoping our children will be able to go back to school full time in September, it’s possible that some home schooling may still be required.

So what can you do to make this less stressful for you and your child?

READ MORE familiesonline.co.uk

Summer 2020 5

LEARNING

Sourcing Children’s Books over Summer Our guide to finding the right books for your child at the right price.

Book Trust Great Books Guide

100 best new books for children.

The Libby App

Free ebooks and audiobooks with your library membership.

Library E-Lending Love Reading4Kids

National Shelf Service

Daily book recommendations from professional librarians.

BorrowBox App

All libraries have e-lending services. Join remotely and enjoy.

UK’s number 1 book recommendation site for children’s books.

Borrow ebooks and audiobooks free from your library.

Hive.co.uk

Oxfam Online Book Shop

World of Books

Free delivery.

UK’s largest seller of Commission paid to 1000s of new/pre-loved pre-loved books online. your local independent books and audiobooks bookshop. available online.

6 Summer 2020

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LEARNING

Preparing your Child to Start School

Return to School: How to Support your Child

Starting school for the first time is exciting - despite the pandemic. Remember that children starting school for the first time will not know that school routines are different to the past! So how can you best prepare your little one to start school?

Throughout the long, strange months of lockdown parents have provided continuity and a sense of reality for their children.

Soon it will be time to get them back to school and parents can help their children through this transition in numerous ways.

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Summer Reading Challenge 2020: Let’s Get Silly

What will School/Nursery be Like in September

By Beth Cadman

Over summer, there is often a dip in children’s reading levels.

The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children aged 4-11 to read for pleasure and maintain their literacy levels. This year’s ‘Silly Squad’ theme places an emphasis on funny books.

While some nurseries and schools have already opened their doors post-lockdown, September is when it seems that we can expect all children to return. So what will the ‘new normal’ look like for parents and their children come the autumn?

READ MORE

READ MORE

By Gabrielle Lawrence

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By Kairen Cullen

Summer 2020 7

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WELCOME BACK

We are delighted to welcome visitors back to Knebworth, and happy to provide a Covid-19 safe environment for families and friends to reunite and enjoy some much needed fresh air.

Check our website for full details on opening.

Pre-booking is essential. familiesonline.co.uk

www.knebworthhouse.com | 01438 812 661

Summer 2020

PRE SCHOOL

Nursery at Home Activities for under 5s that are easy to do at home and mirror the range of play experiences offered at nursery.

Make a Mermaid Tail

Make Sparkly Playdough

Make a Magic Garden

Make Crab Handprints

Car Name Game

Make Tractor Tyre Printing Pictures

Enjoy Songs and Action Rhymes

Make an Under the Sea Water Tray

Enjoy Dressing Up Role Play

10 Summer 2020

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PARENTING

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Summer 2020 11

NEWS COMPETITION

WIN Tickets to Paradise Wildlife Park! answer the following be in with a chance of winning one of two question. family tickets on offer.

Which one of the following animals are *terms & conditions apply – you likely to see on a see Families website for details. visit to Paradise Wildlife Closing date: 21st August.

Park? a. Pink Lion, b. White Lion, or c. Blue Lion To be in with a chance Email your answer, of winning one of two name and contact family tickets (up to 2 number to editor@ adults and 3 children), familiesherts.co.uk to Paradise Wildlife Park has reopened and Families Herts Magazine is giving you the chance to win a family ticket to this much-loved attraction which houses white lions, wallabies, and dinosaurs!

Fab Book Full of Fun and Games Hertfordshire mum and Family Lockdown Tips and Ideas Facebook group founder Claire Balkind has published a book for parents with some of the best activities featured on the groups pages.

20 Easy and Fun Activities is great to have to hand for those days when you’re stuck for things to do – from crafts to challenges, to ideas for indoor sports and games.

Born from the Facebook group which has over 1 million followers, the book is available to download from Amazon and all proceeds from sales goes to Barnardo's.

12 Summer 2020

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PARENTING

How to Motivate Your Child to do Anything There is a long summer ahead…. and for many families, this is just an extension of a long spring at home with no school attendance and precious little by way of entertainment.

Many children are fractious, bored, lonely, discontented and anxious.

It’s no wonder many are struggling to concentrate, focus and motivate themselves to do very much at all.

In order to get your child up and moving this summer and avoid a case of terminal boredom, your child needs a few projects and goals that will give them a sense of achievement and productivity.

These could be anything from practising times tables, having a day of screen free time every week, reading a book, doing some daily exercise or tidying their room.

You may even challenge them to complete some of the projects in this magazine! For little ones, some

more specific goals for positive behaviour might be appropriate.

Decide what you think might work for your child and, if they are older, discuss and agree this with them.

Consider an appropriate motivator for your child. This doesn’t have to be (and, in fact, shouldn’t always be) money and it’s best to avoid sugary treats as rewards too. But it may be that you offer to pay for something your child really needs if they achieve their goal. It’s fun to give an older child a few different projects and goals with points they can earn for each, with the aim of reaching a total number of points and a bigger reward.

Remember to give praise generously for the effort your child goes to, even if they don’t quite achieve all their goals.

You can find lots of reward ideas from simple/low cost to more involved on the next page.

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Summer 2020 13

PARENTING

Mums in Lockdown Four mums and Families magazine Editors tell us how lockdown has been for them. How have they juggled work, parenting, home schooling and life – and survived intact?

Caroline Roope is Editor of Families Solent East magazine. She lives in Hampshire with her husband and two sons. Watch Caroline’s lockdown video.

Laura Macaulay is Editor of Families North Yorkshire and Families Newcastle magazine. She is mum of two boys and lives in Yorkshire.

Watch Laura’s lockdown video.

Katy Stollery is Editor of Families Fife and Tayside in Scotland. She just started running her business at the start of lockdown! She is the mum of two girls and lives in Fife.

Watch Katy’s lockdown video.

Claire Bottomley is Editor of Families Leeds & West Yorkshire magazine. She is mum of three children ages 2 to 11 – two boys and a girl - and lives in Leeds. Watch Claire’s lockdown video.

14 Summer 2020

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PARENTING

Talking to our Children about Racism

Helping your Child Cope with Nightmares

Last month saw an unprecedented outpouring of movements throughout the world advocating an end to racial inequality. Children certainly have questions about the stories they hear, see and read, so how do we talk to them positively and openly about race? Download A Parent’s Guide to Black Lives Matter.

Many children have more underlying worries than usual right now. These are often kept at bay by the routines, occupations and pleasures of the day, only to surface at night in the form of scary nightmares.

Our friends at Fegans share their top tips for coping with your child’s nightmares.

Developing your Baby’s Sense of Humour

Worried about your Child’s Weight?

Watching your baby’s sense of humour develop is incredibly rewarding. Babies are born ready to laugh, but did you know that having a sense of humour is a learned quality that can actually be developed in babies and children?

Lockdown has significantly impacted children’s health, with a trend of weight gain resulting from confinement at home.

Here are some useful tips from Need2KnowBooks for parents wanting to control weight gain in their children There’s a book offer at the end of the article too!

READ MORE

By Andrew Campbell

READ MORE familiesonline.co.uk

By Shelley Goffe-Caldeira

Summer 2020 15

HOLIDAYS

Beat the crowd staycation ideas Please check the latest Government guidance before you book.

Canal Boat Holiday

Eco-Friendly Tree House

Rustic Woodland Shack

Hobbit Inspired Pod

Explore the UK’s rivers/ Luxury woodland break canals. From £725 a in Devon. From £1,390 a week (family of 4). week.

Retro Airstream Caravan

Go retro in Suffolk.

From £66 a night (min 2-nights).

Idyllic Shepherd’s Hut

Get off the grid in Yorkshire. From £125 a night.

Pod living in Suffolk.

From £710 a week (family of 4).

Northumberland’s beaches. From £180 for 2 nights (family of 4).

Gorgeous Highland Cottage

New Forest Cottage

Stunning St Ives Hideaway

Wild Scotland! From £1,990 a week (inc daily catering).

16 Summer 2020

Forest and beach. From Secret tunnel to beach! £949 a week (July).

From £164 a night Sleeps 4. (min 3-nights). familiesonline.co.uk

HOLIDAYS

Staycation Survival Guide Check for the latest government travel advice. The rules are different in Scotland, Wales and Ireland, so make sure you check the details for the country you are visiting.

Consider insurance. New policies no longer cover coronavirus-caused cancellations. If you have pre-booked insurance or an annual policy, the FCO has currently advised against all non-essential travel, which invalidates your insurance. It seems likely that the FCO position will change with regard to those countries with which the UK establishes air bridges but check your insurance T&Cs before you book/travel.

Check the cancellation policy for any holiday you book. Will your deposit be refunded if another lockdown happens or if travel restrictions are not lifted?

Lower your expectations. There will be fewer places open and some form of social distancing is likely to still be in place.

Embrace nature and spending time with your family and think of all the money you are saving towards next year’s holiday!

Budget Staycation Ideas Lodge in the grounds of the Thomas Lord Inn, Hampshire.

Private facilities/meals to your room.

Farmstay UK 700 farms offering camping, B&B and SC. Birdholme Glamping in Notts.

Stilted safari lodges in acres of space!

Forest Holidays Log cabins/ tree houses in 10 forest locations across UK. Camp Too - retro VW campers + modern motorhomes. Various UK pick-up points.

Tent Share. Rent a tent so you don’t have to buy camping gear!

Canopy & Stars - reconnect with nature! Glamping to shepherd huts. familiesonline.co.uk

Summer 2020 17

HOLIDAYS

Family Tour of the UK No holiday? Take your family on a virtual tour of the UK’s most famous places.

Stonehenge

Roman Baths

Edinburgh Castle

Interactive 360º tour + live view from inside the monument.

Virtual ‘walkthrough’ of Bath’s Roman baths.

Stunning aerial view of the building and city.

Tower of London

Giant’s Causeway 360º tour of this spectacular landmark.

Hadrian’s Wall

A 360º view of the world’s largest Roman artefact.

Buckingham Palace

The Shard

Dover Castle

Interactive 360º tour of the building and grounds.

Tour THE most famous Royal Palace.

18 Summer 2020

View London from the tallest building in Europe.

360º tour of the castle on top of the white cliffs. familiesonline.co.uk

WORK

Avoiding Home Working Hell….

By Mandy Garner Working from home is the nirvana parents have been waiting for, right? Well, maybe, but NOT when combined with looking after children full time.

Here are some tips on successfully working from home as the school holidays and exhaustion kick in.

Manage expectations - not just those of your employer, but your own and those of your family.

Creating a routine that allows you to work can help everybody. For instance, some quiet time after lunch when your children know that you will be making phone calls.

Ask your manager if you can work around your childcare responsibilities, perhaps in the evenings or at weekends, tag teaming with your partner, if you have one. Or consider reducing your hours if this is affordable, and explore this with your employer.

As with flexible working negotiations, if you spell out the issues, explain how you are trying to tackle them and suggest potential workable solutions, managers are more likely to listen.

The right set up - it’s not just about the hours you can work.

You need the right long term setup, given fears of commuting and familiesonline.co.uk

a second wave of infection. Can your employer help with technical support and ergonomics?

It’s sensible to have a back-up if your laptop goes down or to have someone you can call with technical issues. This is far less stressful and time-consuming than trying to work things out for yourself from YouTube tutorials.

You also need the right workspace and furniture. There are reports of increased back pain as a result of people working from sofas or beds during lockdown. Ask your employer for support - it’s a health and safety issue - and for help with work-related phone/internet bills if they don’t provide phones and laptops.

READ MORE Summer 2020 19

PLACES TO GO

Places to Go this Summer These places are opening many outside spaces and gardens (and possibly some inside ones too). Find out what is open near you.

National Trust

English Heritage

Legoland UK

Woodland Trust

WWT Wetland Centres

Forestry England

Zoos and Wildlife Parks

National Parks UK

Go Ape Adventures

20 Summer 2020

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ACTIVITIES

Screen-Free Activities Weekend

No more Netflix binging - mix and match ideas for a 48 hour family digital detox.

Morning – 1 hour Make brunch for all the family.

Rediscover paper. Make amazing origami.

Puzzle it out. Try crosswords/ Sudoku together.

Morning – 2 hours Mess about on the water. Try SUP paddling or canoeing.

Reconnect with nature. Do the RSPB Wild Challenge.

All morning Construct a fort in the garden or house.

Create a family scrapbook with memorabilia of all kinds!

Evening – 1 hour Make books. Just gather art and craft supplies.

Try a night walk. Pack torches, snacks, raincoats and go on an adventure.

Evening – 2 hours Go stargazing. Spot planets and constellations!

Play charades. Young and old love this classic game.

All evening Have a movie-athon. Check out ideas here.

Camp out. Set up the tent, cook sausages and yummy S’mores. familiesonline.co.uk

Afternoon – 1 hour Board no more. Play a board game or bingo. Print off cards here.

Afternoon – 2 hours Create a herb garden. In pots, the garden or on a windowsill!

Be treasure hunters. Set up a trail with treasure at the end.

All afternoon Get arty. Pack a picnic, art supplies and enjoy nature.

Strike a pose. Family photo shoot with an SLR/Polaroid camera.

All Day Build a go-kart. Then test it out!

Develop circus skills. Learn juggling, tightrope walking and magic!

Visit the seaside. Head to one of Britain’s best seaside towns.

French Day. Begin with croissants, learn the lingo and cook some French cuisine.

Build a garden labyrinth. Gather materials to make a cool labyrinth that you can walk round.

Be Kind. Post some fun letters/ cards to friends/relatives. Create care packages for vulnerable people.

Summer 2020 21

ACTIVITIES

Live and Virtual Kids’ Summer Camps and Courses

Chelsea Young Writers

Online streamed creative writing courses. Ages 6-12.

Sparks Filmmaking Courses Action-packed online course. Ages 9-18.

Camp Beaumont Summer Camps Live multi-activity camps. Ages 3-16.

22 Summer 2020

Perform

Kings Camps

Live 3/5 day performing arts courses. Ages 4-10.

Live multi-activity camps for ages 5-17.

Sophia

Little House of Science

Online classes from Harry Potter to coding.

Ages 4-18.

Firetech Courses

Online tech for ages 9-17. 20% off with code Families20.

Online video science camps. Ages 3-11.

The Strings Club Camps

Live & online music/ craft camps. Ages 3-11. familiesonline.co.uk

ACTIVITIES

Give your Child a Social Summer Outdoor activity ideas for groups of children. Make sure you check the latest government guidance and BYO equipment!

Mini Olympics Discus – use frisbees or paper plates.

Shot Put – use bean bags or tennis balls.

Hurdles – use cardboard boxes.

Simple Gymnastic Displays – handstands/cartwheels.

Running Races – of all lengths!

Long Jump – use tape measure and award points.

Ball Archery – throwing a ball at a target or containers.

Shooting - with nerf guns on a target.

Sports Gala Football Penalty Shoot Outs – 10 attempts, 10 points per goal.

Mini Golf – use cups for holes.

Darts – use magnetic/Nerf darts.

Swingball Tournament.

Quoits – with hula hoops and garden stakes.

Skittles – half fill drink bottles for pins.

Bowls – get closest to the small ball.

Balloon Tennis using rope for a net. familiesonline.co.uk

Picnic Party What’s the time Mr Wolf?

Simon says....

Bingo – download cards or make your own.

Charades.

Dance festival – mix up the music to test the best movers.

Treasure hunt.

Limbo – using a rope who can get the lowest.

Fun Races – sack/egg & spoon/ ball between knees/bean bag on head.

Park & Pavement Play Hopscotch.

Chalk Art Contest.

Noughts & Crosses.

Pavement Obstacle Course.

Jumping Game – mark out lines.

Tree Rubbings – who can make the most rubbings?

Painting with Water – old paint rollers/brushes with soapy water.

Skipping.

Summer 2020 23

ACTIVITIES

Best Online Classes for All Ages Are your children missing their regular classes and activities?

Try these instead!

Family Dance Workshops

Teddies Music Club Online

Online Science Club

Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes at Home

Sadler Well’s fun family Lively music and art for dance workshops for 2 pre-schoolers. to 6 years.

Live classes with Mother Nature Science.

The Strings Club Ukele/guitar/violin classes for ages 3+.

FREE session!

24 Summer 2020

Self-guided, fun tutorials (5-8yrs).

The Little Gym at Home

Little Kickers Football for Kids

Easy, fun football classes with a warm up, games, and goals.

Virtual Kids Martial Arts

Online classes to burn off excess energy.

Little STEAMers

Play-based science/ engineering classes for Fitness sessions for ages 2-4. primary and pre-school children. familiesonline.co.uk

ACTIVITIES

Win an Online Song Writing Course!

Songwriting4Kids teaches children ages 8-13 how to write songs. The selfguided instruction WIN! videos cover reading and writing music as well as basic rhythms and lyrics. Perfect for kids who are new to music as well as those who already play an instrument! First prize: Level 1 & 2 worth £135.99. Second prize: Level 1 worth £79.99.

Enter here with name & postcode by 15 August 2020.

Struggling to Get Your Child to Do Music Practice?

By Ruth Seodi

Having to constantly push your child to practise their music becomes tiresome and often leads to fall outs. Here are four ways in which you can turn practising from a chore to a pleasure for your child.

READ MORE. WATCH VIDEO.

Ten Cooking Skills for Every Child to Master T&Cs apply

ENTER HERE There’s no doubt parents will need a bank of fresh, childfriendly activities to get through the summer holidays. Why not add cooking to the list? It’s fun, educational and most children enjoy it. Here are ten cooking skills for children to master this summer.

READ MORE. familiesonline.co.uk

Summer 2020 25

ACTIVITIES

Best Printable Primary Age Games Free printables to help your child keep busy and learning.

Battleships

Develops strategy, logical thinking and concentration.

Country Word Search

Find 20 countries amongst the letters.

Alphabet Scattegories

Find a word for each letter!

26 Summer 2020

The Mystery of the Missing Pirate Treasure

Car Bingo

Great for alphabet recognition.

Practises maths and problem solving.

Colouring Picnic

Read the sentences to colour the picture.

Premier League Football Facts

Solve the sums to complete the football facts.

ABC Trace & Colour

Trace the letter and colour in the drawing.

Harry Potter Word Scramble Figure out what Harry is saying.

familiesonline.co.uk

ACTIVITIES

Best Lego Kits for Rainy Days The ideal creative indoor activity for any age.

Duplo My First Bricks Box of Fun

Classic Creative Brick Box

Boost Creative Toolbox Robotics

Great starter kit.

Ages 18mths+.

Endless building opportunities. Ages 4+.

Build/code interactive motorised robots.

Ages 7-12.

World Animals

Creator Mighty Dinosaurs

Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall

Great introductory set inc. toy animals and people. Ages 2+.

Trolls Poppy’s Pod Playhouse including mini figures/ accessories. Ages 4+.

familiesonline.co.uk

3 dinosaurs in 1 set.

Ages 7-12.

Friends Stephanie’s Gymnastics

Build gymnastic equipment. Ages 6+.

Includes 10 mini figures. Ages 9+.

Captain Marvel Toy Jet

Perfect for Marvel fans.

Ages 7+.

Summer 2020 27