Families Northants Nov/Dec 2019

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In this issue

Acts of kindness advent calendar Education Encouraging a Growth Mindset

What’s On Take a look at our top pick of What’s On throughout the festive season.

RECRUITING NOW Successful ‘business mum’ is seeking 5 working partners to work part-time from home, alongside & without compromising family commitments or current career.

If you have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or selfemployed background, or you wish to develop an extraordinary lifestyle Please Call Alexandra Willingale

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familiesonline.co.uk Issue 3: November/December 2019

Families Northants: Issue 3 1 familiesonline.co.uk

Issue 3: November/December 2019

Welcome to our Christmas Edition.

I think this is possibly the most exciting yet exhausting time of year for families. It can be a magical time of year for our children, but for us parents it can sometimes feel like the pressure is on!

Help however is at hand....and we have put together a packed magazine that will give you some great ideas for days out and things to do with the whole family over the next few months.

We also have a great centre page pull-out in this issue encouraging all members of the family to complete an act of kindness every day throughout December and complete our Families advent calendar.

Whatever the festive season has in store we hope you have a happy and healthy Christmas and wish you all the best for the New Year.

Editor: Hayley Ash editor@familiesnorthants.co.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk 07568 406901 Contributors Andrew Campbell Mandy Garner Gabrielle Nash Claire Winter Printers Warwick Printers Upcoming issue January/February 2020 Booking Deadline 1st December 2019 Follow us on social media for news updates and events: @familiesnortha1

Best Wishes

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Hayley x

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Childminder training & resources

Supporting childminders across the country

CO N T E NT S 4. Mum and Career 5. Parties 6. Early Years 7. Education 8-9. Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar 10-13. Christmas Feature 14-15. What's On 16. Clubs & Classes Advertise your family friendly business here, we can help you reach an audience of 32,000 readers in Northampton, Towcester, Daventry, Wellingborough, Kettering, Corby, Brackley, Oundle and many more inbetween! Contact us: 07568 406901 | editor@familiesnorthants.co.uk

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Families Northans is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Northants are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Northants. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Suffolk Ltd; our distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

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BACK TO SCHOOL IN THIS ISSUE How to Choose the Right School

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Does your Child Need a Tutor How to Teach your Kids their Times Tables…Easily

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Families Northants: Issue 3

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Mum & Career

Finding a Flexible Job that Works for You

By Mandy Garner

Time becomes an increasingly precious commodity once you have children.

For many that means looking to reduce or re-arrange their working hours to give themselves the time they need to enjoy family life. So what are the alternatives to the traditional full-time job? Well, these days there are many different options.

Flexible Working Requests Firstly, you could seek some form of flexibility in your existing job. It's important to be open-minded as to what that might look like, whether it could be part-time hours, some home working, flexible start and finish times, annualised hours, compressed hours (longer days but fewer of them), or a combination of several possibilities.

In order to make a formal flexible working application you will need to show you have thought through the implications of any changed working pattern on your employer and colleagues.

Are there, for instance, parts of your job that could be delegated to others to enable them to get experience? Could you use the flexible working process to review your job and hone in on where you can have the most effect? If you can show that you have thought your case through carefully, weighing up your own and your employer’s needs, you are more likely to be successful.

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Bear in mind that flexible working legislation currently only applies to those who have been in position for six months.

If this is not you or if you do not want to permanently change your hours - perhaps you only need some temporary flexibility - then you could ask for changes in your working pattern on a more informal basis.

Be Creative Another way around the flexible working issue is to switch jobs or even careers. Having children means that all your creative skills will be in play most of the time, including when it comes to your work life. You could try listing your skills and thinking broadly about any possible available job that might fit around your family’s needs. Talk to others and look into industries you may not have considered before.

Check out family-friendly websites to see who the most flexible employers are and read around about what other parents do. Sites like www. workingmums.co.uk have a regular jobs alert and case studies of working parents which can give you suggestions

of where to look that you might not have thought of before.

Once you have honed sectors and types of jobs you might be interested in, you could join LinkedIn professional groups and check out company websites and social media.

Thorough research is key to securing the right job for you.

If the sector you are interested in requires you to re-train, you could look into whether there is any on the job training

Portfolio Career Another potential option is the so-called portfolio career where you juggle several part-time or freelance/selfemployed jobs, creating a kind of tapestry which gives you flexibility around drop-off and pick-up times. You could, for instance, reduce the hours in your regular job and run a franchise or self-employed job on the side either on a permanent basis or until your self-employed work is earning enough to support you. Another advantage of the portfolio approach is that it gives you time to experiment with different work options.

Families Northants: Issue 3

It could also allow you to retrain for another career while still earning.

Self-Employment You could, of course, choose to jump straight into self-employed work. If so, ensure you do your business research well. You could also consider becoming a franchisee, which means that you would have the freedom associated with running your own business with fewer of the risks of going it alone since the franchise will provide a tried and tested business model.

Find our more about becoming a franchisee with Families Magazine. For more information call: 07530 283330.

The important thing is to be creative and to try to think out of the box about your skills. Go back to basics and rediscover what those skills are, who you are, what you like doing. A good coach can help you work your way through all the above options.

Mandy Garner is Editor of www.workingmums.co.uk where you can find more suggestions on flexible working options.

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Parties

Indoor Parties for Winter The skies may be dull and gloomy but that doesn’t mean you child should miss out on a fabulous birthday party! However, it is probably best to head indoors to avoid a washout, freezing cold kids or limited day light. Here are some of our ideas for indoor parties during the winter months:-

Rock Climbing

Pottery Painting

Rather than YOU climbing them, let the party goers climb up all the walls they want at a rock climbing centre - it’s a perfect party place for energetic kids. They offer a variety of climbing structures to choose from, so they’re great for children of all ages. If everyone’s new to the sport, then go for the party package, which typically includes instructions and all the gear to keep them vertical for hours.

There’s nothing like ceramics painting to stir the creative juices!

Many pottery/ceramics painting studios or cafes host birthday parties for groups of children with a range of great pottery items to paint to suit different ages. Some venues also offer catering options or allow you to take in your own cake and sing to the birthday child at the end of the session.

Theatre

Paint Pottery at Cre8!

There are always plenty of holiday plays and puppet show performances during the winter season. Take the party goers out to a matinee, then afterwards, head out for a pizza. Or do the pizza before an evening performance. Make invitations look like a playbill and include autograph books with pens for goody bags – they may come in handy after the show!

Poolside Fun Invite kids to shed their coats, put on their swimsuits, and dive right into some summer-style fun at a wintertime pool party.

Most local leisure centres and fitness centres offer great party packages and many now have water flumes which add to the excitement. This option is guaranteed to keep active youngsters fully occupied and catered for in a warm environment.

Cooking Up a Storm Kids of all ages will enjoy the mess, the creativity and the tasting involved when put in charge of preparing their own party food. If you are not up for this culinary challenge you will find there are now plenty of very good local providers of cooking parties for kids.

Hit the Ice Take advantage of all the pop up ice rinks that appear in the winter or any permanent indoor rinks that are within striking distance of your home. You may be able to hire one of the teachers at the rink to teach beginners the basics or the pros some new tricks! There’s likely to be a minimum age so you may need to be on the ice with your group of children. Ideally you need to be a fairly competent skater yourself or bring other adults along to help out, as you may be required to support the kids that are less confident.

Laser Action Laser Tag parties are ideal for kids to let loose and enjoy actionpacked fun. Your local centre will usually offer packages including your group’s own area overseen by a marshal.

Bounce to a Trampoline Park Trampolining has come a long way. Trampoline parks can be massive with literally acres and acres trampolines, all interconnected so the kids can bounce all over the place. There are walls they can bounce off, giant foam pits they can dive in to, slam dunk basketball with launch pads and more. familiesonline.co.uk

Cre8 is a brand new paint-yourown pottery studio in Towcester.

Opened in July 2019, the studio is designed for adults and children to enjoy painting their own ceramics, which are then glazed and fired in the on-site kiln.

A truly a unique painting experience that is therapeutic for adults and fun for children, visitors can choose from a fabulous range of ceramic items such as figurines, mugs, plates, bowls, lanterns and many more.

Staff are available to inspire and help painters create their own designs, as well as serve biscuits and quality Italian coffee. They are also available to do hand and foot prints on items for pets and children.

Paints are washable, non-toxic ceramic paints. Once a creation has been painted, it is glazed and fired in the kiln on site, and will be ready for collection within 3-5 days.

Cre8 caters for children's parties.

All the details for these can be found on its website. It also arranges ceramic painting events for adults who are welcome to bring their own drinks. These will normally be held outside opening hours.

Cre8 is located at 8 Whittons lane, Towcester, NN12 6YZ. For further information, visit www.cre8towcester.com

Families Northants: Issue 3

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Early Years

Finding the Right Childcare Provider Finding good quality childcare can be a challenging task.

We asked Bright Horizons Family Solutions to share advice on what to look out for and what questions to ask when visiting a childcare setting.

The Environment Should be welcoming, attractive, clean and tidy. Look for displays to see if the work of the children is celebrated. Are there lots of photos of activities?

When you attend the nursery you should expect to meet the Manager and be introduced to the staff team as you go around the nursery. To make you feel welcome all staff should say hello and speak with you.

The Staff During the tour, the Manager should highlight staff qualifications, specialist knowledge and any languages the team may speak. This is the opportunity for the Manager to celebrate her team.

The Manager should explain to you about the nursery Key Person system, how your child would be settled and how long this may take, and how the Key Person will plan activities, observe and document the progress of your child. They will also explain how the curriculum works and talk about the milestones your child will achieve.

The Key Person should have a Buddy to ensure continuity for you as parents and your child when staff have holidays.

You could ask about policies around sickness, medicine and holidays or others that may be important to you especially around how the nursery will keep your child safe.

It’s worth enquiring about the ratio of staff to children, as well as the policy on behaviour management and an explanation of this.

Watch how staff are interacting with the children – are they responding to the needs of each individual?

Ask for examples of how staff specifically respond to cultural sensitivities and a child’s home life.

The Children Look at the children in the setting – do they seem happy and relaxed but occupied? Are there adults supporting and working with them?

The Day What is the daily routine and how does this flex to accommodate the existing routines of the child?

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What activities are planned each day?

What arrangements are there for exercise, outside play and quiet times to relax?

Are mealtimes relaxed and fun? Can children help themselves to drinks and snacks?

to book person your al tour

Are there plenty of opportunities for children to learn new things?

What the setting provides Does it provide meals, snacks, nappies etc or will you need to provide them?

Remember to ask about anything specific that is important to you and your child. our nursery so outstanding! show you what makes be proud to onveniently located on the c d d n l a m p 0 u 0 .

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After your visit, remember you can check Ofsted's grade and report for the providers you are considering at www.ofsted.gov. uk. It can also be a good idea to take up at least two references.

You may also want to visit the childcare providers website for further information and parent testimonials. To find out more about our nurseries visit: www.brighthorizons.co.uk.

Good luck!

21/08/2017 10:31:27

Families Northants: Issue 3

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Encouraging a Growth Mindset in your Child

By Gabrielle Nash

Children are like sponges, aren’t they?

They soak up every new thing, whether it’s a new word or the latest trend. But are they learning new things in the right way?

You may not have given it much thought, but the way we speak to our children can have a huge impact on how they learn.

If you’re new to the phrase ‘growth mindset,’ don’t be put off. This simple concept could help both you and your child. Developed by Carol Dweck, an American Professor of Psychology, the ‘growth mindset’ ethos has become increasingly popular in schools globally. Dweck believed that by changing their ‘mindset’ anyone (children included) could increase their abilities and improve their intelligence solely through dedication and hard work.

Many of us battle with a ‘fixed mindset.’ For example, the belief that if we aren’t naturally good at languages, that won’t change and therefore we shouldn’t try to learn them. But by shifting to a ‘growth mindset,’ we can actually motivate ourselves to succeed.

In the last 10 years more and more schools have embraced the theory of growth mindset into their teaching ethos, not placing so much focus on the natural gifts children have but instead focussing on the work they put in.

Integral to growth mindset is the understanding that making mistakes is okay. It’s natural to encounter challenges and make mistakes when learning so many new things.

However, failure can sometimes dent a child’s confidence. By embracing mistakes and failures, teachers can give children the reassurance that it’s okay to struggle, rather than the idea that mistakes and failings are wrong.

Growth mindset means praising a child for effort and not natural talent. Teachers can adjust how they give feedback to motivate a child to continue to work hard. If a child does an impressive painting, instead of praising the child’s natural talent, the teacher can instead praise the effort, process and commitment put into creating that painting. A child that is praised solely for their natural ability may not believe that to be attainable again, so may not try. Yet a child who gets noticed for the effort they put in will feel able to repeat that success.

Tom Dobson, an education expert at Leeds Beckett University says the growth mindset ethos places the onus on pupils to take control of their own learning and development. “Rather than the teacher telling children what they have achieved and what they now need to achieve, pupils can become aware of what their own steps for progress are.”

Growth mindset can be used at home too. There’s a tendency in modern parenting towards over- praising children, to protect them and their precious self-esteem. While it is important to be positive, the growth mindset theory suggests that instead of heaping praise at every opportunity, we should rephrase the praise to encourage development.

Encourage your child to talk about the struggles they encountered today. Getting them to understand that it’s okay to find a task or activity tricky is central to having a growth mindset, because that’s how we learn.

We exercise our bodies but what about our brains? Encourage your children to see their brain as a muscle that needs exercising; the more they use it the stronger it becomes. Refer to the different things they learn as light bulbs; each time they learn a new skill, they turn on a new lightbulb. Each time they practice it, the light bulb gets bigger and brighter. All of which contribute to a stronger brain.

When your child is struggling with something, whether it’s a physical or mental task, try to motivate them to not give up.

The mantra “try, try and try again” really can have incredible results. Not only does this develop their growth mindset but it also builds resilience, something so vital for the grown-up world.

Don’t forget though, this isn’t just for your children. If you’re facing a challenge whether at home or work, try applying some of these principles to it. You might surprise yourself whilst setting a great example to your kids at the same time!

For more parenting tips and advice, read Gabrielle’s blog: @thelondonishmum.

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Zoe took biscuits

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1. Smile at everyone you see today 2. Make cards for elderly people in your street 3. Tell someone the reasons you like them 4. Pick up litter in your street or local park 5. Clean up a mess you didn’t make 6. Wish a stranger a nice day 7. Help make dinner 8. Donate pocket money to charity 9. Compliment staff at a café or shop 10. Donate books, toys and clothes to charity 1 1. Volunteer at a festive community event

12. Leave snacks on your doorstep for delivery people 13. Let somebody go ahead of you in the queue 14. Hug someone 15. Bake biscuits to take to school or work 16. Deliver notes to houses with great Christmas light displays 17. Pack away your things without being asked 18. Make someone laugh 19. Take canned food to your local food bank 20. Make a list of the things you’re thankful for 21. Leave a kind note where someone will find it 22. Send a Christmas card to someone overseas 23. Do a chore for someone else 24. Leave food out for Santa and his reindeer!

Perform an a ct of kindness each day until Ch ristmas!

Pin up the c alendar and keep a daily record of yo ur family’s good deeds .

– choose from below or make up your own

An Act of Kindness for Every Day of Advent!

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.Christmas Cooking Inspiration. …

By Claire Winter

The festive season is a great time to get cooking in the kitchen. Families has talked to chefs, food influencers and readers across the country to

White Chocolate dipped Ginger Biscuits

give us the best ideas on what to cook with the children this Christmas.

Festive Dark Chocolate and Berry Vegan Muffins Jessica Prescott author of Vegan Goodness says that baking is always her favourite thing to do at this time of year. “My son Louie loves helping me in the kitchen and I feel that getting him involved is a great way for him to connect with food and the process of turning raw ingredients into delicious creations.”

Turkey or Chicken Curry Award winning Indian food expert, Sarah Ali Choudhury, suggests making a simple curry, which is tasty, nutritious and easy to make. This is a great dish to cook with the kids on Boxing Day.

To make the biscuits: ¬ In a mixing bowl, whisk 340g of flour, 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda, a pinch of salt, 3 level tsps. of ginger, 1tsp of cinnamon and 1/4tsp of nutmeg. Set aside. ¬ Either in a mixer or by hand, cream together 100g of butter and 130g of light brown sugar until light and creamy. ¬ Mix in one egg and combine.

To make the curry:

To make the muffins: ¬ Heat the oven to 180°C. ¬ Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups. ¬ Combine 250ml of soy milk, 1tsp of apple cider vinegar, 1tsp of pure vanilla extract, 2 tsps of chia seeds and 3 tablespoons of coconut or olive oil in one bowl. ¬ Sift 125g of spelt flour, 60g of millet flour, 100g of sugar, 1tsp of baking powder and 1tsp of bicarbonate of soda into another bowl and then add 200g of frozen berries and 100g of dark, vegan chocolate. Roughly combine. ¬ Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the wet ingredients until just combined. ¬ Spoon the mixture into the muffin cups and sprinkle with the toppings, some extra dark chocolate and 3tbs of puffed quinoa. ¬ Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, cool on a wire tray and then tuck into your delicious vegan treat!

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¬ Add 300g of chicken or turkey breast to a bowl with 2 finely chopped small shallots, 2 plum tomatoes cut into quarters, 1 spoon of garlic paste, 1 spoon of ginger paste, ½ tsp of salt, 1tbsp of mixed curry power and ¼ tsp of turmeric powder. Make sure the chicken or turkey is fully covered. ¬ Next, add 2 tbsp. of sunflower oil to a wok or pan and when it’s hot add all of the ingredients, stirring thoroughly. ¬ Cook for 3 minutes and then add ½ pint of water and cook for a further ten minutes. ¬ The water should be reduced and the chicken cooked thoroughly.

¬ With the mixer set on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until you have a dough. ¬ Cover bowl with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. ¬ Preheat the oven to 180C/350F ¬ Roll out the dough to around ½ inch thick and cut circles out with a cookie cutter. ¬ Bake for around 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown then transfer to a wire rack to cool. ¬ In a microwave safe bowl, melt 100g of white chocolate in the microwave, in 10 second intervals. Dip half of each cookie in melted white chocolate mixture then run bottom of cookie slightly along edge of bowl to remove excess, then return to Silpat or parchment paper to set at room temperature.

¬ Chop up some fresh coriander to garnish the curry and you are now ready to serve it.

The curry would be delicious with some rice or Naan bread. You can find more recipes at Sarah’s website sarahalichoudhury. com.

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Eco Christmas Gift Guide

By Claire Winter

2019 has definitely been the year to think about over-consumption; households around the country have gone Marie Kondo crazy, getting rid of unwanted clutter. Many people are also avoiding buying plastic or fast fashion and thinking about the things they purchase and consume. So why don't you consider buying some eco-friendly presents for your nearest and dearest this festive season?

Baby Car Seat Wrap

Babies

Teens

The Bear Grylls Snorkel Experience for Two

This stylish, organic, baby car seat wrap is the perfect present to give parents peace of mind on winter car journeys. The ladies behind Kura Organics realised that taking their newborns out in the car was more stressful than it should be. They found the amount of safety advice about how to dress babies for travel overwhelming, so they created this cosy wrap. Not only does it keep little ones warm and safe, it looks gorgeous too. | £49.99 | www.kura-organics.com

Buy an experience for your teen instead of an actual gift. The Bear Grylls Adventure at the NEC in Birmingham is an experience they will never forget. Snorkel with some not-so-deadly Black Tip Reef Sharks and other marine life protected by a see-through snorkel cage. Plus, a percentage of every dive is donated to the Shark Trust to help shark conservation. | £90.00 | www.redletterdays.co.uk

Sophie la Girafe Comforter Gift Set

This funky, portable laptop stand is the brainchild of engineer Celine Kerr and her husband Zeno.

The ili is a versatile and elegant laptop stand. It is made out of natural, sustainable materials and also helps to improve posture when working from a laptop, plus it's light and portable. A fantastic gift for a teenager or adult, who loves to spend hours on their laptop. £39.99 | www.ililaptopstand.com.

This charming gift set featuring an original Sophie la girafe® and comforter is a lovely gift for baby's first Christmas. The 58-year-old icon is loved by millions and is still made using traditional methods from 100% natural rubber, derived from the sap of the hevea tree, and decorated with food grade paint. | £29.99 | www.1two.co.uk

Toddlers

Bamboo Hungry Kids Set

Make dinnertime roar-some with this cute plate, bowl, and cup set. Dinosaur lovers will relish munching their meals from this cute, eco-friendly set. All pieces are made from plant-based materials, including bamboo and corn starch, making them fully biodegradable, and super-safe for kids. They're also fully microwave and dishwasher proof. | £14.99 | www.prezzybox.com

ili Laptop stand

ABC Wooden Blocks A classic alphabet and numbers blocks set. Beautifully crafted from solid rubberwood, all the edges are smooth so they are easy to handle.

This chunky set features pastel designs of upper and lower case letters as well as numbers from 0 to 9. Every block is hand screen-printed, which makes each one unique. Designed to help strengthen motor skills, critical thinking, develop pre-reading and early counting skills, this is a beautiful, educational toy made out of sustainable materials that will give a toddler hours of fun. | £29.99 | www.letoyvan.com

Kids

My First Giant Bubble Kit

You can never be too old to play with bubbles. Dr Zigs is made in the UK by a small, Snowdonia-based company. The bubble mixture is fully biodegradable and palm oil and phosphate-free. It also comes in 10x concentrate to massively reduce packaging, while the 25cm wooden wands and rope used to create the bubble are made from sustainablysourced wood and unbleached cotton. They even make bubbles for dogs! | £19.99 | www.drzigs.com

Teepee The Little Green Sheep Teepee is a great gift for kids with a big imagination. This beautifully designed playhouse with a striking scalloped edge is made out 100% cotton canvas and wood. This great company ensures all of their products are natural and chemical-free.

Once playtime is done at home, the Teepee adventures can continue on your travels, because each one comes with a handy cotton travel bag. | £89.95 | www.thelittlegreensheep.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Families Northants: Issue 3

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¬

10 Things Your Family Must Do This Christmas

By Claire Winter

¬

Every day we get closer to Christmas the children (and adults) get a little bit more excited. Here are some great ideas to get in the festive mood with the whole family.

1.

Visit a Christmas market.

Many cities and towns across the UK now have wonderful choice of markets, where you can buy a vast array of gifts, drink mulled wine and soak up the festive atmosphere. This year, don’t miss the FREE Victorian-themed travelling market in Corby from 29 November until 1 December where you will be able to buy handcrafted and unique Christmas gifts, eat and drink spiced wine, a hog roast and roasted chestnuts and enjoy juggling, stilt-walking, circus skills workshops, balloon modelling, and magic shows and more.

2.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Panto.

Many families make it a tradition to watch a festive show. Here are two we recommend:

Swiss Family Robinson...

This Christmas, multi-award-winning comedy theatre company New Old Friends return to Corby with an exciting new comic re-telling of the classic family tale Swiss Family Robinson, directed by James Farrell (RSC and The 39 Steps in the West End).

New Old Friends have won national acclaim for their particular brand of entertaining and engaging theatre and this production will be overflowing with creativity.

Delivered by a cast of just four talented performers, the show will feature stunning ship-wrecks, wonderful wild animals, glorious gags, marvellous machines, stupendous songs and witty wordplay. Visit Corby Theatre for a island escape this December!

To book visit www.thecorecorby.com

Aladdin The stars of Castle Theatre’s panto Aladdin hopped on their magic carpets and flew into Wellingborough to officially launch the venue’s first inhouse professional pantomime! Led by Atomic Kitten’s Natasha Hamilton, the cast brought a little bit of Christmas magic to town! Aladdin promises to be an action-packed, fun-filled panto which runs from Sat 14 - Tue 31 Dec. Popstar Natasha Hamilton, best-known for being one third of Atomic Kitten, is also a highly respected musical theatre actress. This December she will join the Aladdin cast as Slave of the Ring.

Joining Natasha will be Joe Chadwick who plays Aladdin, Elizabeth Bright who will take on the role of Princess Jasmine, Kivan Dene who will be this year’s villain Abanazar, and Robert Squire and Ellis Dackombe as Widow Twankey and son, Wishee Washee.

Tickets for Aladdin start from £16.25 with groups rates available. Book tickets by calling the Box Office on: 01933 270 007 or online at www.castletheatre.co.uk.

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Families Northants: Issue 3

familiesonline.co.uk

3.

Make reindeer food.

Generate excitement about the arrival of Father Christmas and his reindeer by making a special food for Rudolf and friends. You can pre-make it and have it ready to sprinkle on the lawn or hallway on Christmas Eve, so Santa and his friends know where to go! Mix oats with edible glitter (don’t use normal glitter as it could be harmful to animals) and cake sprinkles and then pop the mixture in a suitable bag. You can also get the kids to design their own festive labels and give the bags to family and friends at school.

4.

Go Ice-skating at Corby Town Shopping Centre and Willow Place this Christmas.

7.

Bake with the kids.

Make festive gingerbread men with the children.

The smell of baking, ginger and cinnamon immediately evokes the scent of Christmas.

You could also be ambitious and bake biscuits to construct a gingerbread house too. Don’t worry you can also cheat and buy a readymade set from supermarkets like Asda, Aldi and Lidl!

8.

Go and see the Christmas lights.

If you’re on budget this a great way to get into the festive spirit without having to spend a fortune.

Most towns and cities also have a festive switchon, where a local celebrity or panto star turns on the lights and there is usually some free entertainment too.

9.

Help Others.

For the first time ever, Willow Place and Corby Town Shopping Centre is hosting a real ice skating rink and a three-day Victorian-themed travelling market as part of its 2019 Christmas festivities.

Find out what your local food bank needs at Christmas time. Maybe they are collecting stocking fillers for children or need extra festive food. Get your children to think of someone locally who might like a visit or some extra help during the Christmas period.

The Corby ice rink will operate from 26 October until 5 January (10am to 10pm Saturdays and school holidays, 10am to 8pm Sunday and 4pm to 8pm Monday to Friday (closed Mondays and Tuesdays in November).

10.

The ice rink will be located alongside the new Gateway long stay car park off Anne Street and will measure a mammoth 25m x 12m, allowing up to 100 people at a time to take to the ice! Sessions will be 45 minutes long and will not be interrupted by weather due to the rink’s roof. General and disco skating sessions will be available and a range of ice-skates, illuminated polar bear skating-aids and double-bladed trainer skates will be available for hire.

Watch a Christmas Film.

Snuggling up with a hot cocoa and watching a festive classic can be just what the doctor ordered after a hectic day of Christmas shopping. A Wonderful Life, The Polar Express, Elf, Miracle on 34th Street and Home Alone are just some of the films people love to watch.

For more information visit: www.corbyicerink.com

5.

Check out a Christmas Light show.

Stately homes and gardens are lighting up with festive brilliance across the country. Christmas at Kew has its annual show, where the garden is illuminated by 1 million twinkling lights along a mile-long trail (kew.org/kew-gardens/whats-on/christmas-at-kew). Blenheim Palace in Oxford will also be lit up, so you can see the Capability Brown designed grounds in all their glory (blenheimpalace.com/ whats-on/events/christmas-at-blenheim.html) Look out for ‘Light up the North,’ an annual series of lighting festivals across Northern England. ‘Illuminating York’ is one of the most popular ones and this year they will be opening up some of the city’s most famous buildings at night, where there will be cutting edge lighting installations.

6.

Deck the Halls.

Put on some Christmas tunes and decorate the house as a family. Get all the decorations out and have fun making your home all Christmassy. Collect some greenery from the garden or whilst you are on a walk. The traditional holly and ivy looks great draped over a mantle piece or around a door frame. You could also get the kids to make their own decorations - card, glue and glitter is all you need!

Box Office 01933 270 007 www.castletheatre.co.uk

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Families Northants: Issue 3

13

What’s On: November/December 2019

Corby on Ice

Jurasic Farm Weekend

Santa’s Magical Grotto

Willow Place and Corby Town Shopping Centre Mon 26th Oct – Sun 5th Jan

Sacrewell Farm Sat 16th & Sun 17th November

Whilton Locks Garden Village Sat 23rd Nov - Tue 24th Dec

Something ROAR-some is happening at Sacrewell Farm this November. Go on a dinosaur adventure with shows that are interactive, entertaining and educational.

Father Christmas will be visiting Whilton Locks winter wonderland’s magical grotto. Each child will be given a premium gift – providing they are on the nice list of course. This year there are two choices of gifts from Father Christmas.

For the first time ever, Willow Place and Corby Town Shopping Centre is hosting a real ice skating rink. The ice rink allow up to 100 people at a time to take to the ice!

www.sacrewell.org.uk

www.willowplace.co.uk

www.wlgv.co.uk

Santa Specials

Victorian Travelling Market

Christmas through the ages

Northampton and Lamport Railway Sun 24th Nov - Sun 22nd December

Willow Place and Corby Town Shopping Centre Fri 29th Nov - Sun 1st December

Canons Ashby National Trust Sat 30th Nov - Sun 22nd Dec

Visit Santa in his Magical Grotto and then take a train ride along the Northampton & Lamport Railway from Pitsford and Brampton station.

Every child will receive a present from Santa.

www.nlr.org.uk

The market will take place alongside the skating rink and will have for sale handcrafted and unique Christmas gifts as well as festive food and drink plus magic shows and more.

From a grand Tudor banquet to a cheery 1980s party. Experience Christmas from different times in history as you explore the beautiful festive house.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/canons-ashby

www.willowplace.co.uk

Santa’s Grotto

Swiss Family Robinson

Jack & the Beanstalk

Queen’s Square, Corby 30th November, 1st, 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st and 22nd December

The Core at Corby Cube Fri 6th - Sun 29th December

The Deco Theatre Fri 6th - Sat 28th December

Santa’s Grotto will be located as usual in Queens Square, Corby. From 11am to 5pm on Saturdays and 11am to 4pm on Sundays.

Admission £2.50, includes gift.

When a family find themselves shipwrecked on a deserted island, they have to use all of their wits, strengths and skills to build a new home.

As well as finding shelter and safety on the island, they must also make some new friends.

Coming Christmas 2019 the magical tale of Jack and the Beanstalk, with a star studded cast, magic beans, Daisy the cow and a mean giant. This promises to be the biggest panto in town

www.willowplace.co.uk

www.thecorecorby.com

www.thedeco.co.uk

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Families Northants: Issue 3

familiesonline.co.uk

Take a look at our editors pick of local family days out, shows, and seasonal events.

Northants

The Snowman

Quirky Christmas Mince Pie Run

Christmas at Westlodge

Castle Theatre Sunday 8th December

Billing Aquadrome Sunday 8th December

Westlodge Rural Centre Fri 13th - Sun 15th December

Experience the heart-warming tale of The Snowman screened with a live orchestra includes a festive interactive introduction and a chance to meet a certain ‘special guest’.

A fun 5 km run (or walk) for the whole family requiring you to stop to eat a mince pie every kilometre.

Pop on magical glasses and walk through Winkly Woods to visit Father Christmas in his magical grotto and choose a gift. Take part in the live Nativity Play. Includes FREE access to heated indoor adventure barn.

www.billingaquadrome.com

www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk

Curious Creatures Cristmas Carnival

www.westlodgeruralcentre.co.uk

Christmas Magic Lantern Show

Aladin

Abington Park Museum Sat 14th December

Castle Theatre Sat 14th - Tue 31st December

Led by RSPB volunteers, have a Rocky-coast Christmas party, making friends and taking part in all sorts of outdoor activities. Perfect for children aged 5+.

Take a trip back in time with Kevin Varty to experience Victorian entertainment at its best – the magic lantern. The facts are amazing, the images stunning and the jokes are truly awful but they did make the Victorians laugh!

Follow the story of Aladdin, a simple laundry boy who falls in love with a Princess. All that stands in his way is the evil Abanazar who wants to get his hands on the magic lamp to become the greatest sorcerer of all time.

www.stanwicklakes.org.uk

www.northampton.gov.uk/museumkids

www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk

Snow White The Masque Theatre

Magical Wicksteed Park 2019

Children’s Christmas Party

Sun 29 Dec - Thu 2 Jan

Wicksteed Park Sat 14th Dec - Sat 4th Jan

360 Play (Rushden Lakes) Wed 18th December

Classic tale is brought to life with dancing, singing and high energy musical numbers for an enthralling and entertaining theatrical festive delight.

Take a magical ride on the Festive Train to meet Mr and Mrs Claus and their reindeer, includes a gift, biscuit decorating. hot drink and mince pie for adults plus fairground rides.

A fantastically festive evening to start your Christmas celebrations at the home of fun.

With Twizzle and Twirl hosting a dazzling disco, party games and seasonal music.

www.masquekettering.co.uk

www.wicksteedpark.org

www.360play.co.uk

Stanwick Lakes Sat 14th December

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Northants: Issue 3

15

Winter Clubs & Classes With the nights closing in and temperatures dropping, sending your child out on to the football pitch, tennis court or athletics track is not an attractive idea. But active after school activities offer children great developmental benefits including:

Improved Academic Performance

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Research has found that children from disadvantaged backgrounds who participate in after-school clubs get better results at age 11 than their peers.

Enhanced Socialisation Skills

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Making friends with children from outside their school allows children to broaden their social experience, whilst extracurricular activities at school give them the chance to enjoy a different type of social experience with their school friends.

Better Health and Fitness

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According to the National Association of Sport and Physical Education, kids ages 5 to 12 should exercise for at least 60 minutes of each day. This figure shouldn’t be ignored just because it’s cold outside!

Stress Relief

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Exercise helps to relieve stress built up by homework, exams and peer pressure.

Here are our ideas for keeping your restless young ones on the go – and the good news is you don’t have to force them (or you!) outside:

Trampoline Clubs and Parks: These are popping up all over the country and classes are fun and social. The UK now has over 190 trampoline parks and most offer kids a safe environment to cut loose as well lessons and classes for toddlers upwards.

Indoor Rock Climbing: This activity is also growing in popularity across the country and you are likely to have a centre quite close to you. The NHS recommends rock climbing as an activity that provides unique physical and mental benefits whilst at the same time catering for all ages, fitness levels and abilities.

To find a centre, visit www.thebmc.co.uk.

Girl Guides and Scouting: Scouting and Girl Guides are experiencing an unprecedented surge in popularity. Why? Because they offer an antidote to the modern world with adventure being at the heart of everything they do. From age 6, children can get involved in learning outdoor skills and undertaking leadership qualifications, as well as enjoying camps and residential experiences. However, waiting lists can be long so act quickly! To register interest, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk or www.scouts.org.uk Indoor Sports: You can access indoor classes for most outdoors sports such as football, cricket and tennis at leisure centres or school recreation halls. There are also other sports like martial arts that are inherently indoor sports - check out Tiska Karate for local classes! Likewise for toddlers and pre-schoolers, multi-sport and ball skills classes often run inside during winter.

Classes held NORTHAMPTON

Every Friday at 5.45pm & Saturday at 10.00am Caroline Chisolm School Wooldale Centre for Learning Northampton NN4 6TP

For more information please contact us on

07709 327274 or 01753 882012 tiska.karate@btconnect.com 16

KETTERING Every Saturday at 10.00am Isebrook School Eastleigh Road Kettering, NN15 6PT All our instructors have enhanced Disclosure and Barring Certificates

www.tiska.com