Families Oxfordshire July/August 2021

F R TAKE EE ME HOM E

Enjoy the freedom of stories

“Enter a magical indoor wood where each tree has a story to share…” www.storymuseum.org.uk

Issue 102 July/August 2021 familiesonline.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk Families Oxfordshire 1

Availability for September 2021 Open: 8am – 6pm Age: 0-5 years BAMPTON

HEYFORD

01993 850 333

01869 233 268

bampton@theoldstationnursery.co.uk

heyford@theoldstationnursery.co.uk

Bowling Green Close,

Camp Road, Upper Heyford,

Bampton, OX18 2NJ

Bicester, OX25 5BS

FARINGDON

01367 243 800

faringdon@theoldstationnursery.co.uk 7 Park Road, Faringdon,

SN7 7BP

OXFORD

OXFORDSHIRE

01865 777 167

osp@theoldstationnursery.co.uk Sanders Road, Oxford Science Park,

Oxford, OX4 4GD

Book your visit: www.theoldstationnursery.co.uk

Contents & Competitions

Dear Reader, It’s the summer holidays already and we need to cherish these moments as there may not be another chance to relax until October half term! So for me it’s a time to re-charge my batteries ready for the autumn and spend some quality time with the children. It’s sometimes the simplest routines and small pleasures such as eating breakfast in the garden and a family walk along the beach (with a furry friend if you have one) that form the cherished memories of summer. Hopefully some of the events we have found going on in Oxfordshire this year will become one of your most talked about summer memories.

As usual you can find the events and days out on pages 8&9 from tree climbing to strawberry picking and “‘Three summer camps and workshops, with something things in human importa life are for everyone. nt. The

Wise w ords

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first is to The sec be kind ond is to . be kind the thir . And d is to b e kind.”

Henry J ames

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What's in this issue?

4.

News & Views

7.

Baby News

8.

What’s On

10. Child’s Play 11. Outdoor Shopping Feature 12. PQA Performing Arts 13. Preparing Your Child For School 14. What’s On Summer Camps EDITOR: Lisa Exell 01945 861336, editor@familiesOxfordshire.co.uk

A FAMILY DAY TICKET

and enjoy a day out at Cogges Manor Farm (2 adults and up to 3 children U16). Cogges is a unique historic farm in the heart of Witney, Oxfordshire with a beautiful manor house, stunning walled garden, orchard, adventure play and friendly animal residents.

They have 17 acres of open space for you to enjoy and welcome wellbehaved dogs on a lead too! To enter, please visit our Facebook page @ familieseastoxfordshiremag and simply like and share our competition post. Good luck.

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Amanda Dawson, admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk SOCIAL MEDIA: Amanda Dawson, admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk SALES: Jean Stevens, jean@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk DESIGN: Caroline Thompson-Heap, info@cheekymonkeydesigns.net 22,000 copies of Families Oxfordshire available through schools, nurseries, hospitals, clubs and classes, selected shops and restaurants. If you would like copies for your establishment please let us know.

Families Oxfordshire 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 Oxfordshire are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Oxfordshire. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Oxfordshire its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

Families Oxfordshire 3

News & Views Help take Nature’s pulse in the Big Butterfly Count

The Big Butterfly Count (16 July to 8 August) is a UK-wide survey aimed at helping the Butterfly Conservation charity assess the health of our environment by counting the amount and type of butterflies.

According to the Butterfly Conservation charity, counting butterflies is essential because they play a vital part in the ecosystem as both pollinators and components of the food chain. The data gathered by the public will be used to assess where conservation efforts should be targeted.

Taking part in the Count is easy: just spend 15 minutes counting the butterflies you see and then submit sightings online or via the free app. There’s also a handy free downloadable butterfly chart to use.

More info: www.bigbutterflycount.org

Daniel Gibbons appointed next Head of Our Lady’s Abingdon School Our Lady’s Abingdon is pleased to announce that Daniel Gibbons has been appointed Head of OLA with effect from September.

Daniel brings a wealth of educational experience including an overseas appointment at the British International School in Jakarta.

Currently serving as Deputy Headteacher at Downside School in Somerset, a co-educational Catholic independent boarding and day school for children aged up to 18 years of age, he has proved instrumental in developing the commercial aspects of life at Downside, including the development of boarding provision, and brings both strategic and commercial strength to OLA. Daniel has also proved pivotal in developing and improving academic performance across all of his prior schools, and specialises in maximising the value-added potential for each pupil and the creation of agile and challenging curriculums to cater for a variety of pupil requirements.

OLA (Our Lady’s Abingdon) is a Catholic independent day school for students aged

7 to 18, offering a highly successful fun and innovative learning experience within a happy and friendly community.

The school’s success comes from a combination of six key factors which create the unique OLA learning adventure: 1. A Small school 2. Small classes 3. Fun and innovative learning 4. Highly praised pastoral care 5. Family community 6. Catholic Christian ethos www.ola.org.uk

Children wait longer to play outside alone

The perfect socially distanced day out

Birth rate falls to record low

The UK’s fertility rate has fallen to an all-time low. Levels of childbearing in all the countries of the UK were declining even before the pandemic. A new study by researchers at the University of Southampton suggests that the impact of Covid-19 could mean a further fall in fertility rates to historically low levels.

Researchers warned that the health crisis would ‘depress fertility, particularly among young people,’ as more of them are living with parents.

Postponed weddings and job losses are also factors considered in the research, leading to a possibility of up to 66,000 fewer children being born across the UK by 2023.

More info:www.southampton.ac.uk

4 Families Oxfordshire

Located in the heart of Witney, Cogges Manor Farm is a hidden gem with over 1,000 years of history. Set against the stunning backdrop of a 13th century manor house and Grade II listed 18th century farm buildings, today Cogges is an award-winning visitor attraction for people of all ages to relax, learn and have fun.

Explore over 17 acres of naturally beautiful grounds, the enchanting walled garden, picnic orchard and moated islands – it offers the perfect socially-distanced family day out and you can even bring your dog!

Children love to feed the farm animals, explore the meadows and have fun in the woodland adventure play area. Cogges also plays host to many special events, ranging from outdoor theatre, craft workshops and extra family activities in the school holidays.

Cogges is an easy five-minute walk from the centre of Witney, or you can park in their free carpark (postcode OX28 3FR). Stop for breakfast, lunch or a delicious home-made treat from the Cogges Kitchen café and you won’t be disappointed. You don’t need to buy a ticket for the farm to visit the café.

Visit their website for the latest updates and to book your tickets at cogges.org.uk

Primary-age children in Britain are losing the freedom to play independently and typically are not allowed to play outside on their own until they are two years older than their parents were, according to the British Children’s Play Survey.

While their parents were allowed to play outside unsupervised by an average of 9 years of age, today’s children are 11 years old by the time they reach the same milestone.

The study expresses concern that children are reaching the end of their primary school years without having had enough opportunities to develop their ability to assess and manage risk independently and a lack of adventurous play could affect children’s longterm physical and mental health. More info: www.reading.ac.uk

Going local at the Festival of Archaeology

The UK’s biggest archaeological event, the Festival of Archaeology runs from 17th July to 1st August and the theme this year is ‘Exploring Local Places.’

Through nationwide digital and on-site events, archaeological experts will help families discover how your local landscape has changed and shaped to become what it is now, as well as discover exciting stories about your local community.

Join educational guided walks, listen to talks, get involved with exciting archaeological excavations, or join digitally online through social media, and discover more about your local area. More info: festival.archaeologyuk.org familiesonline.co.uk

News & Views

2021 Summer Reading Challenge - Wild World Heroes

Children’s poems needed for The Poet Tree Project

Own Books, the popular free book giving scheme, is delighted to be launching an inspiring new initiative which gives children the freedom to express themselves through poetry and see their poems in print.

The aim of the initiative is to print an anthology of children’s poetry, which showcases children’s experiences and feelings during lockdown, complete with children’s illustrations. The anthology will be distributed free to all the families, schools and children that are featured in it, on request, and will also be featured online.

Children are invited to submit a poem for the anthology, with an illustration to accompany it. The first 101 poems that arrive with Own Books at ownbooks_poettree@ yahoo.com will be printed.

Gifted young poet, Grace Ridley, who was shortlisted as poet laureate for Warwickshire, is facilitating the project More information: ownbooksforchildren@ gmail.com or www.ownbooks.co.uk

LOCKDOWN CAUSED TANTRUMS IN OLDER CHILDREN

Older children demonstrated bad behaviour normally associated with the 'terrible twos' during the Covid lockdowns, a study has found.

Bristol University researchers said an unusually high number of children, with some as old as 8 years, were throwing temper tantrums expected of 2 year olds.

The study, which has followed more than seven hundred youngsters through the pandemic, said the distress of lockdowns has likely taken a toll on their mental health.

The Bristol researchers said children's tantrums and emotional distress usually peak when they are two or three and then calm down during primary school years.

More info: www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac

The Summer Reading Challenge encourages children ages 4 to 11 to read six library books during the long summer holiday and collect rewards, such as stickers, on their way to receiving their challenge certificate and medal.

Children's reading can decline during the holidays if they don't have regular access to books or encouragement to read for pleasure.

This year’s nature-themed challenge called ‘Wild World Heroes’ will inspire children not only to read books but to discover how they can make a difference to the environment too.

The Challenge will launch in libraries and online on Saturday 10 July. More info www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk

Parents rush to rebuild children's confidence after 14 months in lockdown

HOME SCHOOLING LEADS TO QUEST FOR NEW CAREERS

For most parents,home schooling was a tremendous challenge which led to a huge sigh of relief when schools finally reopened.

Some parents, however, have been inspired by the experience and are now on a quest for a new career working in childcare or education.

A survey from Now Teach, a charity that helps experienced professionals retrain as teachers, found that 1.6 million people in the UK could now be thinking of becoming a teacher, despite not considering it before lockdown. Confirming this trend, Now Teach experienced a seventy percent rise in applications during lockdown in 2020.

Similarly, applications to tiney.com, a new initiative focussed on helping people set up as early years educators in their own homes, experienced an exponential rise in people who had worked in traditional white-collar jobs now wanting to work in childcare.

More info: www.tiney.com and nowteach. org.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Stagecoach Performing Arts has reported a surge in new student enrolments (40%) as it reopens its schools across the UK and welcomes students back for the Summer term from April.

Performing arts’ powerful impact on improving children’s mental health, along with the need for social interaction, a creative outlet and a happy and positive environment where children can be themselves and make friends, have been key contributors to this spike in enquiries and enrolments.

Young people’s participation in the arts provides ideal ways for them to alleviate their physical and mental stresses while meeting their social, emotional and psychological needs through collaboration and focussed engagement, bringing a sense of purpose and ownership to their lives and work.

Each of the schools has been working hard to not only create a healthy and safe environment for teachers and students to return to but also pivoted their classes to online during the lockdown. This was key in keeping students active, connected, and building Creative Courage for Life from their living rooms. 97% of Stagecoach venues will physically re-open for the Summer Term 2021.

“Health and Safety guidelines are put firmly in place to ensure our schools remain COVID-secure. With a full and thorough risk assessment, we have everything in place to keep all our students and teachers safe during the pandemic.

We are so pleased to see such a surge in new enrolments for next term, as the importance of the arts is recognised, and we cannot wait to meet all of the new faces as they join our Stagecoach family.”

Stagecoach is the UK’s largest network of performing arts schools, with more than 2,000 extra-curricular performing arts schools worldwide. Stagecoach aims to make a difference in its students’ lives by teaching Creative Courage for Life, with many students going on to be professionals and worldrenowned actors, singers and dancers. Early Stages classes are available for children aged 4 to 6 and Main Stages classes take place for 6 to 18-year-olds every weekend.

Stagecoach classes in the Oxfordshire area include Abingdon, Didcot & Oxford Botley, Henley & High Wycombe, Oxford Summertown & Witney, Oxford Headington & Kidlington, Thame, Banbury and Bicester.

Families Oxfordshire 5

Families Entertainment

5 Unmissable Moments at The Story Museum As Oxford’s Most Unusual Museum gets ready for a summer of story, here are 5 unmissable Story Museum moments for you and your family.

1. Explore Small Worlds with your little one Enter a patchwork land of picture books, nursery rhymes and traditional tales for the very young. Collect your very own story cart and set off to a land of picture books, nursery rhymes and traditional tales for the very young.

With your family group you will explore five story-themed zones where you can go on a Bear Hunt, discover Traction Man’s under-sink world, relax in the Night Safe, ride on the Story Bus and enjoy Winnie and Wilbur’s miniature theatre!

2. Take a trip to some famous story destinations Are you ready to fall down a rabbit hole, play Pooh Sticks in the Hundred Acre Wood or step through a wardrobe into Narnia! The museum’s Enchanted Library gallery has all this and more.

3. Fly through 1000 years of Oxford’s story history In this film experience, board the museum’s ‘Story Craft’ and be transported to stories including Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, C S Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, J R R Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials.

4. Hear a secret from a tree The museum’s Whispering Wood takes you on a cross continental journey through oral stories. Enter a magical indoor wood

Radley for Life Bursary support available at 11+, 13+ or Sixth Form for talented boys. Radley is a top boys’ boarding school near Oxford.

01235 543174 www.radley.org.uk/funded-places Please contact admissions@radley.org.uk

where each tree has a story to share…

Grab a pair of headphones, step through the portal and enter a world of traditional stories.

5. The Story Museum Café After you’ve finished exploring, why not enjoy a tasty treat from The Story Museum café? There’s plenty of seating both inside the beautiful garden themed café, as well as outside in the museum courtyard if the sun is shining!

Families Baby News

BRING THE INSIDE OUT WITH STOKKE® CLIKK™ Transform outdoor areas into personal and family-friendly escapes As the weather begins to warm up and the days are longer and the evenings lighter, it’s no surprise that we are all wanting to spend more time outside. As we transition to spending more time outdoors and create a personal escape and sanctum at home, families across the country are making the most of their gardens, balconies, patios and terraces. Spending quality time outdoors as a family, or as we visit friends and families elsewhere as restrictions continue to ease, it is important that parents still have the necessities to hand, to make life easier when dining and socialising alfresco.

Ensuring parents have the essentials they need to do exactly that, the STOKKE® CLIKK™ HIGHCHAIR is the perfect furniture addition to bring the inside out, no matter how big or small your space and guarantees no one will miss out on the fun of family mealtimes outside. Designed for easy mealtimes, the STOKKE® CLIKK™ HIGHCHAIR can be assembled in 1 minute, tool free, meaning you’re ready to eat, play, clean and enjoy your time together as a family stress-free.

With detachable legs, it can be conveniently packed away as and when needed and with an additional travel bag, transportation is a breeze. The chair has been awarded the Red Dot Design Winner 2020 “Best of the Best”, the tray is detachable and dishwasher safe and the chair can simply be wiped clean. From 6 months to 3 years. stokke.com

Understanding baby loss and where to find support

What is a miscarriage, why does it happen and how will a woman know if she is experiencing one?

A miscarriage is the loss of a baby up to 23 weeks of pregnancy and often isn’t detected until an ultrasound. Sometimes a miscarriage occurs spontaneously, signalled by cramping and bleeding. The reason is often unknown, although it is believed to be down to problems within the developing embryo in most cases.

What is a late miscarriage?

A late miscarriage is one that occurs during the second trimester of pregnancy up to 23 weeks & 6 days. A late miscarriage can be spontaneous, the uterus begins to cramp, starting labour, which may or may not be accompanied by bleeding, or it may be detected on ultrasound with the absence of the baby’s heartbeat.

What is a stillbirth?

A stillbirth is the loss of a baby after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Experiencing a stillbirth can be a particularly painful and heart-breaking thing to go through, particularly when often a full labour is experienced to birth the baby.

Most stillbirths are detected after a woman has noticed the baby’s movements have stopped. Stillbirth occurs in approximately 1 in 250 births and can happen because of numerous causes such as poor growth in the uterus or the placenta coming away from the inside of the uterus. Sometimes the cause for a stillbirth is unknown.

How to cope with a miscarriage?

Coping with a miscarriage or stillbirth at any stage is different for all people. Some people want to talk about their baby often, others would rather initiate conversation when they want to but would prefer not to have others constantly talking and asking questions. It’s important for people who experience a loss to give themselves time to grieve in their own time. There will be health professionals available to support you, bereavement midwives are often available in the event that you have had a late miscarriage or stillbirth. There are a range of support services and charities that may be beneficial too, such as Tommy’s, SANDS and the Miscarriage Association. @midwifemarley / midwifemarley.com familiesonline.co.uk

Bugaboo Introduces the Bugaboo Bundles The complete bundle ready to take parents wherever they want to go!

Bugaboo has bundled up all a growing family needs so parents are ready to hit the road and start the ‘ride of their life’ from day one. Bugaboo understands identifying the right stroller to meet every parents’ individual needs is essential. Making the complicated uncomplicated, Bugaboo have bundled up the perfect package and parents can now choose from two bundle combinations fit for every discovery.

The ‘Ready To Go’ Bundle The ‘Ready to go’ bundle includes all the essentials that ensures parents will be ‘ready to go’ on their family adventures from day one. The bundle includes the stroller of choice with complementing accessories: • Bugaboo’s raincover • Turtle Air by Nuna car seat (including car seat adaptors) • Changing bag, footmuff and cup holder – it’s everything they could need for all their family adventures The ‘Ready To Go Further’ Bundle The ‘Ready to go further’ bundle is complete with everything the ‘Ready to go’ bundle offers, but with the additional simplicity and safety of the Turtle Air by Nuna Isofix wingbase.

Fox 2 Ready to go bundle: RRP £1295/ Ready togo further bundle: RRP £1395 (Save up to £182) Cameleon 3 plus Ready to go bundle: RRP £1025/ Ready to go further bundle: RRP £1125 (Save up to £132) Lynx Ready to go bundle: RRP £1125/ Ready to go further bundle: RRP £1225 (Save up to £152) Visit Bugaboo.com for more information Families Oxfordshire 7

W hat’s Onto places Things to do, be had go and fun to ages in for kids of all

Oxfordshire

Baby Ashmoles Online

FAMILY DAYS

WHERE: Ashmolean Museum WHEN: 9th July: 10.30 – 11.00 Baby Ashmoles Online sessions include sing-along, play ideas, and a short object talk for the grown-ups and will be run as a Zoom call. Under 1’s Free www.ashmolean.org/events

WHERE: The Science Oxford Centre WHEN: Every Saturday in July and August: Session times: 10-12; 12.30-2.30; 3-5pm 2 hours in the Exploration Zone and access to the woodland all day. Explore nature trails,and discover native wildlife from bugs and bees to butterflies. scienceoxford.com/events/

Nature Tots

Looking Glass Story Walk

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: Sundays in July, 10.15 & 12.00 Join in with a retelling of the story of Alice’s Adventures through the Looking-Glass. You begin at the Museum and walk through the city to Christ Church Meadow, having fun with riddles, themed games and races all the way. Age 3+ £5.00 per person – takes approximately 60 minutes.

Pre-booking essential www.storymuseum.org.uk 01865 790050

Family Fun Day and Grand Opening

WHERE: Sulgrave Manor and Garden WHEN: 4th July, from 11.00 The new Webster’s Tea Room at Sulgrave Manor and the Manor will be open for the first time this year! There will also be activities, a barbecue and lots of other treats! www.sulgravemanor.org. uk 01295 760205

MACBETH!

WHERE: Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre WHEN: 12th & 16th July, 9.30 & 12.30 Join friendly Nature Tots staff and volunteers to explore the nature reserves and enjoy wildlife themed activities suitable for children aged 18 months to 4 years. £7.00 www.bbowt.org.uk/events/

Giffords Circus

WHEN: 22nd July – 2nd August (Stonor Park), 5th – 16th August (Little Barrington) Including daring flying routines, hand balance and an aerial act to take your breath away, Giffords Circus is fast-paced, magical, hilarious and breath taking.

From £5.00 www.giffordscircus.com

WHERE: Bletchley Park WHEN: 24th July - 5th September 9.30 – 17.00 Grab a free teddy bear trail and find all the code breaking teddy bears hidden in secret locations around Bletchley Park (feel free to bring your teddy bear along to help!) Admission from £12.50 (children under 12 Free) bletchleypark.org.uk/ 01908 640404

Brainiac Live

WHERE: The Oxford Playhouse WHEN: 26th & 27th July The most outrageous live science show with exploding dustbins, combusting microwaves, live daredevils stunts and all the experiments you’re not allowed to do at home. Suitable for ages 6+ £17.00 (Livestream tickets £11.50) www.oxfordplayhouse.com 01865 305305

Sunshine Story Walk

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: Sundays in August, 10.15 & 12.00 You begin at The Story Museum and walk through the city to Christ Church Meadow, telling stories of vengeful rabbits in Africa, a secret fruit tree in the Amazon, and a foolish frog in Australia, having fun with riddles and themed games all the way.

Ages 3+ £5.00 per person – takes approximately 60 minutes.

Pre-booking essential www.storymuseum.org.uk 01865 790050

Beauty and the Beast Family Archaeology Day

WHERE: Wallingford Museum WHEN: 24th July, 11.00 – 16.00 Be part of the UK’s biggest celebration of archaeology. Meet their experts, bring along your special fossils and finds from gardens, allotments, fields and beaches. Plenty to do for all. www.wallingfordmuseum.org.uk

WHERE: The Manor House Lawn, Cogges Manor Farm WHEN: 7th July, 19.00 – 21.00 Join The Handle Bards all-female troupe at Cogges for a bicyclepowered, farcical production of Shakespeare’s classic suitable for all the family. Forget the tears and tragedy - this is a frantic, delirious, full-of-beans show like you’ve never seen before.

Future performances at Cogges Manor Farm include Much Ado About Nothing (20th July), The Importance of Being Earnest (4th August) and Henry V (25th August) Adult £16.50 / Child £10 (10% discount for Season Ticket holders) www.cogges.org.uk/cogges-events 01993 772602 8 Families Oxfordshire

Teddy Bear Trails

WHERE: Waterperry Gardens WHEN: 31st July, 17.00 This enchanting production promises to be fast-paced, family-friendly and fun so prepare to be amazed and amused as IKP give this tale of adventure and acceptance their trademark ‘bonkers’ treatment. From £11.00 www.everymantheatre.org.uk

Toddler Workshop: Teddy Bears Picnic WHERE: Environmental Education Centre Sutton Courtenay WHEN: 3rd, 4th & 5th August, 9.30 – 11.00 Bring your teddy to the woods and join in with nature play and exploration, crafts, stories and more on a Teddy Bears’ Picnic themed outdoor adventure.

18 months to 4 years. £7.00 www.bbowt.org.uk/events/ familiesonline.co.uk

Families What’s On David Gibb’s Family Jukebox

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: 17th July & 14th August, 11am Join musician, David Gibb, for a morning of brilliant live music that everyone in the family will enjoy! David’s Family Jukebox is guaranteed to have both parents and children singing along in no time. Suitable for ages 2+ £7.00 per person – approx.

45 minutes. Pre-booking essential www.storymuseum.org.uk 01865 790050

Pop Up Festival of Children’s Literature

WHERE: Waddesdon Manor WHEN: 19th – 22nd August, 10.00 – 17.00 A summer showcase of some of the best children’s writers, illustrators and storytellers – with readings, performances and activities for all the family to enjoy participating in together.

Free with grounds admission (from £6.00 – under 5’s free).

Booking essential. www.waddesdon.org.uk

Fairytale Farm

WHERE: Chipping Norton WHEN: July & August: 10.00 – 17.00 Mixing classic fairy tales, animals and adventure play, children will love Fairytale Farm - the UK’s first visitor attraction that is open to all. From £7.00 www.fairytalefarm.co.uk 01608 238014

Cotswold Wildlife Park

WHERE: Burford WHEN: July & August: 10.00 – 18.00 Wonderful animals and seasonal events complemented by daily activities: penguin feeding, adventure playground, farmyard fun and single-gauge railway!

Adult £16.00; Child £11.00; Under 3s FREE. Pre-Booking essential www.cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk 01993 823006

Summer Steam Days

WHERE: Didcot Railway Centre WHEN: July & August Travel back in time and savour the sights, sounds and smells of steam as you explore this 21-acre living museum with trains dating from Victorian times to the 1960s.

From £8.80 www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk 01235 817200

Crocodiles of the World

WHERE: Brize Norton WHEN: July & August, 10-17.00 With under-water viewing, talks, animal encounters and feeds throughout the day there’s plenty to keep you occupied at the UK’s only Crocodile Zoo. From £7.95 www.crocodilesoftheworld.co.uk 01993 846353

THE WHISPERING WOOD

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: July & August Explore THE WHISPERING WOOD, a mysterious indoor forest where every tree has a story to tell and a secret to reveal; THE ENCHANTED LIBRARY where you can wander between the shelves and find yourself inside a story; and SMALL WORLDS, a patchwork land of picture books, nursery rhymes and traditional tales for the very young. From £5.00. Pre-booking essential www.storymuseum.org.uk 01865 790050

Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: 21st August, 11.00 & 14.00 All around the world Roald Dahl’s words are disappearing not only from books but children’s minds too! Now only a Secret Organisation can save the stories and they need your help…

Especially made for ages 6 and up, the show is an immersive and interactive performance, involving games and imaginative play. £10.00 per person – takes approximately 55 minutes.

Pre-booking essential www.storymuseum.org.uk 01865 790050

Pick Your Own Fruits

WHERE: Farms in Oxfordshire WHEN: July & August Oxfordshire farms offering PYO include Flower Farm, Secretts Farm and Crockford Bridge Farm.

Check each venue for opening times and types of fruit available. www.pyo.co.uk

Tumblestone Hollow

WHERE: Stonor Park WHEN: July & August High level walkways, climbing nets, look-out decks and bridges, all connected by a quirky, gnarled central tower– perfect for the kids to burn off some energy.

From £4.50 www.stonor.com/tumblestonehollow

Summer Gardens

WHERE: Greys Court WHEN: July & August With rambling roses, Rose Garden ‘room’, peony borders, fragrant lavender, crab apples and clematis trained over hoops to create a lush flower tunnel, there is plenty to see in Greys Court gardens. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ greys-court

Please note

all events are subject to change and cancellation in view of any future COVID-19 legislations. familiesonline.co.uk

Families Oxfordshire 9

Families Education

CHILD’S PLAY - Making the most of the outdoors Childhood has moved indoors. The average child spends less than 10 minutes a day playing outside. And while the recent pandemic hasn’t helped, now that lockdown has eased and summer is official, it’s time to put away the Xbox, press pause on Netflix and head outside for green adventures.

Spending more time outside helps children grow and develop – emotionally, physically and socially. As a parent, you don’t have to know the difference between a sycamore tree and a horse chestnut to help promote this either; a sense of curiosity and adventure is all that’s needed.

We don’t stop playing because we grow old… we grow old because we stop playing ~ George Bernard Shaw Children need to do and reflect to grow their knowledge. Rolling on grass, climbing trees, playing with sticks, dropping leaves into streams… they all improve cognitive development.

Some advantages of outdoor play: Builds confidence. Inside activities usually have rules.

Outside, your child can decide how to play and take control of their own actions. Let your child make the rules for your next game.

Teaches responsibility. Nature is filled with living things which die if neglected or not looked after properly. Plant some seeds together and help them grow.

Offers different stimuli. There’s a rich experience to be had outside; the sounds, sights, smells and feels are very different from what you find indoors. Together, close your

10 Families Oxfordshire

eyes and ask your child to describe what they smell, hear and feel.

Makes kids think. Nature, unlike any other environment, has the power to instil wonder and prompt questions. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answers – you can look it up together.

Promotes creativity and imagination.

Outdoor play is usually more unstructured, which allows children to approach their surroundings in inventive ways and think more freely. Bring containers, balls, and other items, and let your children choose how to play with them.

Kids move more. They don’t have to be racing wildly around to get moving more than they would likely do inside. Every walk counts as exercise and will get their blood pumping.

Allow time to investigate and encourage exploration on your walk.

Spending time in green spaces is free, easy to do and has huge benefits for yourself and your children. Plus, you’ll create great memories together - think how many of your favourite memories took place on adventures outside.

Fun outdoor fitness activities Obstacle courses Every child loves the adrenaline rush and sense of achievement of using all their skills to run, jump, climb, crawl, balance and roll to the finish line. Look at what’s around you with new eyes and identify the fallen trees which can be used as a balance beam, the branches for hanging off, the hills to roll down and the

by Eliza Flynn

bushes to jump over.

Supports: creative thinking, teamwork, confidence, balance, co-ordination, boosts mood.

Nature bingo Draw up activities to do, and make bingo cards for everyone. Older kids will enjoy coming up with ideas. The first to cross them all off is the champion!

Bingo ideas: hang from a tree, roll down a hill, find a cloud animal, spot five butterflies, find the biggest stick, find a feather, find five different flowers, spot a squirrel, discover a shell.

Supports: observational skills, knowledge building, mindfulness, numeracy, confidence, friendly competition.

Eliza Flynn has two small and feral boys, and is passionate about encouraging families to stay fit and healthy together. As a pre and postnatal fitness specialist, she helps women build the strength and resilience they need as mums.

More information at www.thewarriormethod.co.uk

IF YOU’RE NOT BAREFOOT, YOU’RE OVERDRESSED

Children love nothing more than to take their shoes off outside. Why? Partly because children love to disrupt the natural order, but also because they move better without shoes and it feels good. Next time they kick them off, providing they’re in a suitable place, encourage them to take their socks off too.

When was the last time they, or you, got the chance to feel earth, grass, sand, or concrete under their feet?

Barefoot benefits: Different stimulus. By freeing your feet, they feel more and this lays the foundation for better movement control and balance.

Builds healthy feet. The muscles in your feet can’t work as they’re meant to in shoes.

Removing that restriction gives joints and muscles the chance to strengthen as they should.

Better mental health. Contact with natural surfaces, such as grass or sand, has a grounding effect which reduces stress and improves sleep.

Before long, there will come a time when children spend more time wearing shoes and socks than going ‘au naturel’ so encourage them to free their feet now!

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Shopping Guide 8.

5.

9.

6.

1.

If we have to spend more time in the garden this year with little ones, why not make it FUN! 10.

2.

7.

3.

4.

familiesonline.co.uk

1. Cook up some mud pies for dinner with this mud kitchen that also doubles as an easel for messy play! GLTC.co.uk £160 2. Make happy memories together by popping popcorn on the BBQ or fire pit.

Kikkerlandeu.com £20 3. Explore your garden with this magnifying glass and get up close to nature. Hape Nature Detective Set amazon.co.uk £8 4. Turn your little one into a real life flower fairy with this leather necklace ready to thread with fresh flowers. consciouscraft.uk £6.80 5. Turn a tree into a shaded swing spot without spending a fortune or taking up lots of the garden space. Bigjigstoys.co.uk £19.99 6. Camp out in the garden with this pop up tent. Easy to assemble and store and great fun too! MountainWarehouse.com £59.99

7. Let little ones help mow the lawns with their very own little lawnmower. homebargains.co.uk £13 8. No need to lose sleep camping - use these bundle beds,which are great as a spare bed for sleepovers too. bundlebeds.com from £200 9. Keep little ones happy for hours loading and unloading with this fun little wheelbarrow.

Bigjigstoys.co.uk £44.99 10. Create a magical hideout in the garden with this fun little wigwam. GLTC.co.uk £78 Families Oxfordshire 11

Families Education

Performing Arts can help your child prepare for the new school year The new school year is a great time to consider new activities for your child. Often gone unnoticed, the skills learnt in performing arts can be hugely beneficial to children as they navigate their way in a new school year.

Empathy

One challenge children face when they return to school in September is changes to friendship groups. Empathy is a particularly important characteristic to help overcome this and is a skill taught when training in the performing arts. To portray a character in a play we need to be able to step into their shoes and understand their situation; if a child learns to understand a character in this way, they can also apply this to everyday life, helping them to react to their peers and developing their social skills.

Listening

The ability to listen is an important skill, especially when a child is in a new setting, with new routines and expectations. During performing arts classes children take direction from their teachers and peers.

This encourages them to be receptive to others’ ideas and work collaboratively.

Problem solving

The ability to solve problems creatively within the safety of a performing arts environment can be transferred to everyday life. Improvisation performances teach children to use their imagination and think on their feet, a skill that can be used when dealing with a variety of daily issues. If children feel comfortable exploring and dealing with problems in a non-linear way, this makes them more confident overall.

Confidence Building

Performing arts are hugely beneficial to children’s confidence levels. Taking part in a practical performance, standing on stage, participating in a dance routine, or speaking in front of a group can give even the most confident children, and adults, nervous butterflies. Learning new skills, rehearsing, and performing in a safe space, with the support of expert teachers and encouragement of their peers, can prepare children to deal with situations in which they feel anxious.

PQA’s slogan ‘Be Yourself, Be Amazing’ reflects their ethos of offering a safe, creative space where children and young people feel comfortable and part of a like-minded community. Regular face to face experiences that encourage self-expression are more important than ever as families navigate the complicated landscape of growing-up in a digital culture.

OUTSTANDING PERFORMING ARTS TUITION FOR 4 - 18 YEAR-OLDS

ACT, DANCE, SING AND MAKE FILMS! Find your local Academy at pqacademy.com

BOOK YOUR

FR TASTEEE SESSI R NOWON !

12 Families Oxfordshire

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Education

Preparing your child to start school

By Claire Russell

Very soon, mums and dads across the country will be counting down the days until their little one starts school and wondering nervously how they can help prepare them for this massive step.

Whilst it’s normal for parents (and children) Encourage your child to use cutlery as well as SOCIAL SKILLS to be a little anxious, it’s important to remember that schools are very good at supporting children as they transition and will always ensure their needs are met. However, there are some things parents can do and good habits that can be established that can encourage children to feel school-ready.

It isn’t about putting pressure on them to learn academically, it’s more about preparing them socially and emotionally.

they can and to take their plate to the kitchen in readiness for clearing their lunch trays at school.

FINE MOTOR SKILLS

Encourage your child to do fiddly things like threading beads onto a string, making small items from play doh, or shredding scraps of paper. These activities strengthen muscles used in the pincer grip which will be required to hold a pencil or using tools such a scissors.

DRESSING

Is your child able to dress themselves? Can they pull a jumper over their head or pop socks on their feet? Can they put their shoes on? Try practising. No doubt they’re excited about wearing school clothes and it’s handy for them to get used to dressing themselves; they will have to attempt it at school for PE and for when they need the toilet.

Prompt them to put a coat on in cold weather, or taking a layer off if they are hot.

Young children often don’t link weather to clothes!

EATING INDEPENDENTLY

Teachers will not be expecting miracles and will, of course, support your child but it won’t be the same as their main carer being there to spoon feed them or gee them along.

If your child has been to nursery or preschool, they will be accustomed to sharing and social skills, but play some games with them and focus on these important social skills. Equally, practice following simple instructions and routines.

ANXIETIES

GOING TO THE LOO

Can your child wipe their bottom? Flush the toilet and wash their hands? Why not create a poster to stick up in the bathroom reminding them of the routine - draw around their hands and label each finger: rinse, soap, rub, rinse, dry.

Does your child keep asking the same question? It may be that it’s something specific that is worrying them. Even the smallest of things can feel like a big deal so sit down together, talk through and unpick the matter. Draw a timetable of the school day including pictures e.g. drop off, sit on carpet, have a snack, play, lunch.

Claire Russell is an Early Years Specialist and founder of play HOORAY! She is passionate about play, and keeping children playing for as long as possible. Find out more about Claire at www.playhooray.co.uk

Extra Preparation Recognising their name

It’s helpful if your child can start to recognise their name because they’re going to be seeing it on their pegs, book bags, and PE kit. If you don’t already have one, put a sign on their bedroom door - you could make it and decorate it together. Just recognising the first letter of their name can be a big help. Make it fun by writing it in shaving foam, paint, chalks, play doh and magnetic fridge letters.

Number recognition

This is handy but not essential. If your child shows an interest in numbers, try singing lots of numerical songs eg Five Little Ducks Went Swimming One Day; One, Two, Three, Four Five, Once I caught a Fish Alive, as well as counting when you’re out and about.

Point out bus numbers, house numbers, numbers around the home - on the oven, on clocks. Count when you climb the stairs and when brushing teeth. Most importantly, keep it fun. If they don’t know them then it’s absolutely fine.

Finally, make a habit of reading together regularly. School will be sending home books so encouraging their love of reading now will pay dividends. familiesonline.co.uk

Families Oxfordshire 13

n O s ’ t a h W to do this

Ultimate Activity Camps

WHERE: Various locations WHEN: July & August Outstanding Ofsted-regulated activity day camps in Oxford, Abingdon, Wallingford and Faringdon for children aged 4-14 years during the summer holidays.

With over 40 fantastic age-specific activities on offer it’s a great opportunity to try new activities and make new friends. www.ultimateactivity.co.uk 0330 111 7077 (local rate)

Things ma, ime - Dra g Summert somethin t r o p s & music one in for every

e Oxfordshir

Artways Art Club

(11 – 15 year olds) WHERE: River and Rowing Museum, Henley WHEN: 3rd, 10th & 17th July, 14.00 -16.00 Taking inspiration from the Museum, its collections and temporary exhibitions, young people work in a range of different media including screen printing, clay modelling and 3D construction, painting, drawing and textiles, and are encouraged to plan their own work around their chosen theme.

Art Club is currently taking place online. www.rrm.co.uk/whats-on 01491 415600

14 Families Oxfordshire

Camp Wilderness

WHERE: Blenheim Palace WHEN: Until 27th August 2021 Back-to-basics 3 & 5 Day residential camping experiences for children, aged 8 - 14 years, in the heart of Blenheim Palace’s historic woodland. Highlights include fire-lighting, camp craft, shelter-building, wilderness cookery, archery, fireside stories and more.

From £216.00 www.blenheimpalace. com/whats-on/events/ camp-wilderness 03332 004469

Jonathan Markson Oxford Tennis Camp

WHERE: University of Oxford WHEN: 4th July – 15th August: 10.00-16.00 Focus on a keystroke per day to help improvers and allow experienced players to perfect their skills in groups of one to six players. £360 for 5 days 0207 603 2422 www.marksontennis.com/ oxford-tennis-camp

Active Camps

WHERE: Summerfield School WHEN: 19th July – 27th August 8.15 – 18.00 Children attending will take part in activities ranging from large scale painting and mosaic masterpieces to team building games and obstacle courses. Children will be part of a group or ‘bubble’ with a maximum of 15 children of similar ages. £45 / day or £200 / week www.active-camps.com 01865 594325

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Clubs & Classes Comic Club 2021

Activate Camps

WHEN: 21st July – 27th August at Moulsford Preparatory School 11th – 25th August at Bloxham School Courses on offer include Triathlon Masterclass, Multi-Activity Camps, Cricket Academies, Freestyle Soccer Camps, Netball Fever and Hockey Masterclass.

From £30 / half day From £145 full camp. www.activatecamps.co.uk/

Story Explorers

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: 26th July – 13th August (Monday to Friday), 10.00 – 16.00 Give your summer holidays a story boost with one of The Story Museum’s Story Explorer Holiday courses - perfect for budding artists, performers and storytellers! Each week explores a different story theme with exciting workshops led by their learning team and guest professional artists. Ages 8 - 12. £38 / day www.storymuseum. org.uk/whats-on 01865 790050

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: 31st July: 11.00 – 12.30 The Story Museum’s popular monthly Comic Club is back on site to help children aged 8 – 16 develop their comic making skills with awesome comic artist Neill Cameron offering helpful advice and tips. £10.00 per session www.storymuseum.org.uk/ whats-on/comic-club-2021 01865 790050

STAGECOACH PERFORMING ARTS

WHERE: Venues throughout Oxfordshire Bring out the best in your child and encourage them to develop excellent communication skills, grow in self-esteem and enjoy the benefits of improved co-ordination. Suitable for children from age 2.

From £15 for two-week trial www.stagecoach.co.uk 01483 247404

Lego Masters Builder Club

WHERE: The Story Museum WHEN: 2nd – 23rd August, 11.00 – 13.00 (age 5-7) & 14.30 – 16.30 (ages 8 – 11) Build a story with LEGO! Master Builders Club will be providing 1000s of LEGO bricks that will transform the museum space into a LEGO fans paradise.

All you need to bring is your imagination and a desire to have fun. Suitable for all abilities of “Brickie” aged 5 - 7 years and .

Parents/adult must accompany children. £15 per person www.storymuseum.org.uk/ whats-on/ 01865 790050

REGISTER NOW FOR AUTUMN TERM STARTING IN SEPTEMBER

Classical Monsters Summer School

WHERE: Iris Classics Centre, Cheney School WHEN: 23rd – 25th August, 9.00 – 12.45 Latin and Greek classes, aimed at complete beginners, will be run by experienced teachers and will include activities as well as language learning. £20 per child www.eoccc.org.uk/project/ events/special-events

If booking any courses, please mention Families Oxfordshire Magazine.

Summer Holiday Club

WHERE: The Old Station Nursery, Faringdon WHEN: July & August The Old Station Nursery in Faringdon will be running a Summer holiday club for children aged 5-8 years old. From crafts, baking, outdoor activities and themed fun days, there’s something for everyone! www.theoldstationnursery.co.uk 01367 243800

Pauline Quirke Academy (PQA) of Performing Arts WHERE: Bicester School PQA provides outstanding performing arts tuition for 4-18 year old’s. Each week students rotate through specialist sessions in Musical Theatre, Comedy & Drama and Film & TV taught by leading industry professionals.

Book a free taster session at your local Academy today by visiting www.pqaacademy.com 0800 531 6282 REGISTER NOW FOR AUTUMN TERM STARTING IN SEPTEMBER

COGGES WOODLAND CLUB

WHEN: 27th July, 3rd, 10th and 17th August Each week there will be a different theme for the session such as International Mud Day, natural art, bugs and butterflies, dinosaurs to name but a few. This is a fantastic opportunity for children to enjoy den building, play in the mud kitchen, do some craft with natural materials, hunt for bugs and toast marshmallows on the fire. 01993 772602 www.cogges.org.uk/cogges-events familiesonline.co.uk

Families Oxfordshire 15

Support your child!

Receive a FREE children’s activity book when you sign up to our magazine*

Ages 7-11

Choose from:

Fun and engaging activities which guide your child to explore feelings, improve confidence and Approved self–esteem and by a children’s health boost wellbeing. mental practitioner

Magazine 2 July/August

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*while stocks last T&Cs

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CONTENTS

In this issue

Welcome

4 6 8 11 12 13 17 20 25

Get planning for the long summer holidays!

We know how challenging it can be to keep the kids entertained, so we’ve got dozens of ideas for you in our three part, six page summer boredom busters special. Plus fun activities that will keep little brains learning throughout the break too.

Summer boredom busters 1 Holidays Health Tween Summer boredom busters 2 Food Family Life Fun summer learning Summer boredom busters 3

Get in touch Competition winners Congratulations to Kate Petitclerc from Poole in Dorset whose family won a Smoby Playhouse in our Mar/Apr issue.

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.

If you’re dreading spending the entire summer cooking meals for the family, worry not. We have some great suggestions for tasty summer lunches, food ideas for when you are away from your own kitchen and healthy yogurt ice lollies to make with the kids.

You can also apply for a free children’s wellbeing activity book by signing up to receive our magazine in this issue. Signed up already? We have a free gifts for subscribers too.

Have a happy summer!

Free gift for our subscribers!*

100+ stories + record your own audiobooks

Readmio app (worth £49.99) Bring children’s books to life with sound effects triggered by your voice!

Magazine Familiesonline.co.uk

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*while stocks last T&Cs apply

July/August 3

BOREDOM BUSTERS

Top ideas to entertain the family this Summer

By Claire Winter Keep the family busy all summer long!

Outdoors Find the Gruffalo.

For Julia Donaldson fans, enjoy a themed family walk based on her books up and down the country.

Trail details.

Get appy.

Get reluctant kids excited about walking with a brilliant app, Caper.

Download and receive a call from Captain Redtail who needs help locating a crashed spaceship.

New hobbies Explore geocaching.

Join the world’s largest treasure hunt! Download the official Geocaching app, create an account and unlock the location of thousands of caches (i.e. the treasure) that other hunters have left for you to discover.

Get green-fingered.

Plant a veggie grow bag. You don’t need any more space than a window-box, or a tiny space in your garden. Kids will love deciding what to grow and charting its progress.

4 July/August

Boredom busters Rough and tumble.

Play fighting is a great way to let off steam. Stuff some pillows up a pair of dad-size T-shirts to set up a ‘sumo wrestle.’ Make the rules of play fighting clear, otherwise the session might descend into chaos and tears.

Eat a rainbow.

Of course, we’re not talking about vegetables! Have fun with edible food colouring and let your kids paint and then eat rainbow toast.

You could also make rainbow cake!

Products at Cake Craft World.

Free Get wild.

Join the Summer Reading Challenge, Wild World Heroes, at your local library or online. Libraries have teamed up with WWF to create a nature-themed challenge.

Go fly a kite!

They’re cheap and easy to buy, or you can even make your own. Tips on kite flying.

Familiesonline.co.uk

BOREDOM BUSTERS

Top ideas to entertain the family this Summer Bucket list Flying high.

Perfect for thrill seekers, try indoor skydiving and soar like a bird in a super-smooth, super-fast and super-cool wind tunnel. Suitable for kids aged 3+. Locations in Manchester, Milton Keynes and Basingstoke.

balloons and play-doh for kids, baby raves are a great way for the whole family to dance the day away. Big Fish Little Fish has events coming up in London, Liverpool and Norwich.

Wild swimming.

Nothing beats swimming in nature (as long as the weather Take to the skies. co-operates). You could try wild For a really special treat, book a paddling if you have little ones! hot air balloon flight for the family. Ideas of where to go to find wild Suitable for children who are 7+ and water near you. at least 4ft 6in (1.4m) tall. Must also be accompanied by a responsible adult.

MORE FUN IDEAS Learning ideas Letter fishing.

This is a fun game for pre-schoolers.

Grab yourself some magnetic letters from the fridge, some string, a pencil and a paperclip. Make a DIY fishing rod so your little one can fish for letters.

Family history.

How about finding out a bit more about your past and making a family tree? Get your kids to do some research about their grandparents and distant relatives. Check out Ancestry and Find My Past.

Unusual Baby raves.

With reasonable DJ bills for parents and bubble machines, giant Familiesonline.co.uk

Orchard Toys Game Giveaway!

6 bundles available, worth £27.80 each 3 games per bundle

APPLY HERE

T&Cs apply

Magazine July/August 5

HOLIDAYS

Baby and Toddler Travel Essentials We asked our friends at NapNapUK for their top product picks to make travelling with your little one easier this summer.

Babasac

A multi tog baby sleeping bag with removable inner layers.

Dribblebuster Baby Dribble Bibs

The designer bib for dribbly babies with soft absorbent backing.

SnoozeShade Original

The UK’s favourite baby buggy sun and sleep shade.

6 July/August

TUM TUM Travel Cutlery Set

Toddler travel cutlery with ‘make a picture’ handles & handy travel case.

Snugglebundl

Travel wrap to move baby without waking wherever you are.

NapNap Lullaby Sleep Mat

Award-winning mat with white noise and gentle vibrations.

Totseat

The original portable travel high chair, your washable, squashable lifesaver.

Tidy Tot Cover & Catch Bib

Perfect to keep mealtime mess at bay, with handy travel bag.

Gummee Mini UV Steriliser

Portable, attachable, rechargeable. No water, chemicals or fuss.

Familiesonline.co.uk

HOLIDAYS

Fun travel activities for kids

By Jemma Zoe Smith At long last, we’re able to go on holiday with the kids. But before the fun can begin, there’s the journey to deal with. Don’t despair!

These activities will help keep your kids occupied and your sanity intact.

What can you spot?

Get your kids to spot cars/lorries from different countries. Younger children can spot cars or lorries of different colours. Books like the i-Spy series or Usborne Minis are great for primary school children.

They can tick off what they see as they travel, whether that’s wildlife, birds or trees.

‘Person Do Thing’ The challenge is to describe a complex idea (eg ‘glasses’) in just thirty six simple words (eg person, see, thing, use, good, bad, yes, no).

See beginner’s version.

Road trip bingo Download/create bingo cards.

Different ages can work at different difficulty levels; your toddler might need to spot a cow or a caravan, while an older child might need to spot an Eddie Stobart lorry.

Audiobooks If your child suffers from car sickness, audiobooks are an alternative. Give the kids a shortlist to choose from, and let them rule out options so the final choice is something everyone’s happy with.

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Colour with water Colouring books can be difficult in the car but water colouring books let your child colour with a messfree, reusable, water-filled pen. Galt Toys has a good range.

READ MORE

Support your child!

Receive a FREE children’s activity book when you sign up to our magazine*

Ages 7-11

Two other titles also available *while stock last T&Cs apply

SIGN UP HERE IT’S FREE!

Magazine July/August 7

HEALTH

Improve your child’s mental health Using proven cognitive-behavioural therapy methods along with fun and engaging activities, these peer-reviewed children’s wellbeing activity books, published by Summersdale, have been approved by a children’s mental health practitioner.

Aimed at children ages 7 to 11, because much happens during these years that can impact a child’s sense of self-worth, the books can help

establish how your child is feeling and offer ways to improve their confidence and self-esteem and lower their anxiety levels.

Children are guided through the activities and, with the help of a friendly character, supported to navigate their inner world. These great practical guides are also interspersed with useful tips, inspirational statements and practical information for parents.

For more details an purchase d ,c on the bo lick ok image.

Emotional well-being for new mums

Getting kids to talk feelings

By Marie Louise

By Esther Marshall

Baby brain. Baby blues. Postnatal depression. Add Covid 19 into the mix and it’s not surprising that pregnant women and new mothers are more anxious than ever before. Are you prepared for the effect that pregnancy and new motherhood can have on your emotional well-being?

It’s not always easy to get children to open up.

READ MORE 8 July/August

Author of the Sophie Says children’s book series, Esther Marshall, shares with us her five top tips for helping children feel safe and comfortable enough to start talking about the difficult stuff.

READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk

HEALTH

Family Couch to 5K (ish)

By Andrew Campbell During the pandemic, lots of people chose running as their ‘exercise of the day’ and experienced a significant boost to their health and wellbeing as a result. The NHS ‘Couch to 5K’ programme allowed many to gradually build up their endurance until they were able to run a five kilometre course.

So, is it time for the whole family to get in on the act? Is it realistic or advisable to expect children to run such a distance?

Government guidelines stipulate that children ages 5 to 18 should accumulate an average of at least sixty minutes of physical activity per day across a week. Such activity can include running. However, it isn’t appropriate to expect children as young as age 5 to run continuously for five kilometres. As, they get older, however, it’s certainly possible to entice your child to extend their ability to run.

Encouragement and fun will be the key to keeping them on board.

Kids love a big occasion, so join a family fun run event or take the whole family to your local parkrun, where children are welcome to join their parents on a five kilometre course through parkland or open space.

Don’t feel you need to run the whole course – starting small is best and you don’t want to push your child beyond what they are comfortable with. Try alternating running and walking and praise their effort.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Alternatively, make your ‘family run’ a scavenger hunt with prizes. Or use the Couch to 5K plan to develop your own week by week plan to work towards running a shorter distance as a family.

Free gift for our subscribers!* Readmio app (worth £49.99) Bring children’s books to life with sound effects triggered by your voice!

100+ stories + record your own audiobooks

*while stockslast T&Cs apply

Magazine

APPLY HERE July/August 9

HEALTH

The Worry Cabinet

Download this activity, complete with instructions, to help your child deal with their worries. The Worry Cabinet is an activity for children taken from The Worry Workbook: The Worry Warriors Activity Book published by Summersdale.

The Worry Cabinet

The Wo

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Things yo u can’t co ntrol Once yo u you can’ have finished th t control e worry ca - lik a news pr ogramm e thunderstorm binet, try getting e. rid s or som ething yo of the worries See if yo that u have he u ard abou control. O can compile a lis t on t nc fro e m your w you realis easier to or e ry th stop wor rying ab at these things ar drawers of the th out them in e gs ou t of your yo . hands, it u can’t becomes The Wor ry The Wor Cabinet is an ac ry

by Imogen Workbook: Th tivity for children eW ta Harrison , publishe orry Warriors A ken from ct d by Sum mersdale.ivity Book

DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR CHILD NOW!

10 July/August

Familiesonline.co.uk

TWEEN

Screen time (out?)

By Chris Skeat

Most of us old enough to have tweens in the house, will remember the mantra from our childhoods that ‘watching too much television will make your eyes go square.’ Now the choice of screens and screen activities to be glued to is significantly wider with everything from Fortnite to TikTok competing for attention. But are beneficial for their children’s just how detrimental is this to the development, how do we maintain overall well-being of tweens and a healthy balance? are there any significant lasting effects?

WeareTwixt, offers parenting support for tweens/teens. We asked The British Psychological them for their thoughts.

Society warns that ‘too much screen time can unintentionally READ MORE cause permanent damage to stilldeveloping brains.’ It also advises that when using screens ‘the For What’s On ability to focus, to concentrate… to sense other people’s attitudes and near you, pick up communicate with them, to build a large vocabulary… are harmed.’ your local print

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Screens can be social, interactive and provide escapism. They can be an opportunity to connect with friends and family members; they can, at times offer a welcome break and respite from the challenges and anxiety of modern day living.

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Magazine July/August 11

SUMMER FUN

Beach games and activities Bored of building sandcastles?

Try these other great ideas to keep the kids entertained at the beach.

Beach treasure hunt You’ll need to give each child a bucket to collect treasure in for starters. Then they’ll need a list (words or pictures depending on their age). You can ask them to Running and jumping look for lots of different treasures like certain colour shells, different Sharks and minnows Play with a group of children. All you shapes of stone, a bird’s feather, need is something to mark out a big seaweed, driftwood. circle or square in the sand – and Throwing and catching children with plenty of energy!

READ MORE Spiral stones Use a spade, piece of driftwood or Water bucket relay even sharp rock to draw a spiral in You can play this with two players the sand with a small circle in the or more. Each player will need a middle. The idea of the game is that bucket or container, as well as a children take it in turns to throw spoon, cup, or large shell to carry pebbles in the direction of the spiral. water in.

A bit like darts, the closest to the READ MORE circle centre wins the round.

Thinking and exploring Sand skeeball For this game, you’ll just need Outdoor noughts and crosses flat sand and a small spade or This game is perfect for dialling something to dig small holes with. down the pace a notch or two and goes down well if you’re feeling a bit READ MORE lazy! You’ll need something sharpish to draw the grid in the sand and then you’re ready to go.

12 July/August

Familiesonline.co.uk

FOOD

Annabel Karmel’s easy toddler meals Enjoy these toddler meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, specially curated for Families by baby weaning and toddler food expert, Annabel Karmel.

Apple cinnamon sultana pancakes

Chicken apple balls

Dippy eggs and crumpet fingers

Sweetcorn and tomato rainbow fritters

Courgetti tomato sauce

Cheese and cherry tomato muffins

Mini fish pie

Spinach frittata

Mini cottage pie

Familiesonline.co.uk

July/August 13

FOOD

Tasty summer lunch ideas

Without too much time spent in the kitchen, you can keep the kids full of yummy, nutritious food. And involve them with the preparation, of course!

Ham and pineapple pizza muffins

Easy veggie fried rice

Salmon and cucumber sandwich

Egg mayonnaise pitta pockets

Scrambled egg, tomato and sweetcorn on toast

Tuna pasta salad

Chicken pasta salad

Beans, mushrooms and tomatoes on toast

Tomato and bacon muffins

14 July/August

Familiesonline.co.uk

FOOD

Away from home? Simple meal ideas Cooking in a kitchen with more limited facilities than usual or on a BBQ? Find inspiration here.

Rainbow pizzas

Fish finger butty with lemony mayo

Tuna rice salad

Anytime eggs & potatoes

Campfire doughnuts

Cowboy chicken & bean stew

Traffic light chicken shish kebabs

Campfire nachos

Marshmallow & strawberry kebabs

Familiesonline.co.uk

July/August 15

FOOD

DIY coconut, vanilla and blueberry yogurt ice lollies Emily Leary, multi-award-winning food, lifestyle and parenting writer, presenter and photographer and author of A Mummy Too shares her yummy fruit and yogurt lolly recipe - the perfect healthy summer cooler!

Equipment Chopping board * Kitchen knife * Weighing scales * Jug blender * Four lolly moulds with sticks * Spoon

Prep Time: 15 mins Freezing time: 8 hrs Servings: 4

Step 1

Pulse the blueberries, vanilla yogurt and coconut milk in blender.

Step 2

Continue pulsing until ‘smashed’ but not completely blended.

Step 3

Carefully spoon the yogurt mix into four lolly moulds.

Ingredients

90g blueberries 100ml coconut milk 100g vanilla yogurt

Step 4

Place a lolly stick into each cup. Freeze for a minimum of 8 hours.

Families Special Offer!

50% discount on RocketLearn summer school RocketLearn is holding a two week online Summer School for children ages 7 to 13. Aimed at keeping children learning over the Summer in a light, fun manner, the online sessions, accessible whenever, will cover maths, English, daily PE challenges and well-being sessions. The academic enrichment sessions will include challenges in coding, esports and teamwork among others. Maths sessions have three levels for different age groups, focusing on topics covered throughout the year in school, whilst English will be about fostering a love of reading – complete with suggested reading lists for children. The School is priced £50 for two weeks. Families readers can register for a 50% discount if they enter the code FAMILIES2021 HERE. 16 July/August

Familiesonline.co.uk

FAMILY LIFE

Talking about racial stereotypes

By Bilkis Miah With Black Lives Matter still on everyone’s minds, many questions have come to the fore about how we can challenge racial stereotypes and help our children thrive, regardless of their race. As parents and communities become more reflective, here are some tips to help you and your little one identify and talk about race.

How do children learn racial bias?

Children learn about racial bias from a young age, often from their surroundings and the people they come into contact with. This could be at school or at home.

As early as 6 months, a baby’s brain can notice race-based differences.

Between ages 2 to 4, children can begin to internalise racial bias.

This is an important time to work to unpick these beliefs.

So what can I do?

Plenty! Including talking to your children about race and the existence of racial bias, confronting your own bias and encouraging kids to challenge the stereotypes and bias they see. You can also give your children access to lots of different types of role models and expose them to many people from different cultures from a young age.

By age 12, many children become set in their beliefs and embedded in their views about racial stereotypes. READ MORE

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July/August 17

FAMILY LIFE

Is a vegan diet ‘safe’ for children?

Managing your child’s moods

By Louise Palmer-Masterton

By Louise Baty

When it comes to a child’s diet, balanced nutrition is important.

It’s obvious that fifteen packets of beef and onion crisps for dinner means you’ve lost your way. But how do you know what constitutes a balanced plantbased diet for your family?

Dreaming of lazy beach days?

Picnics in the sunshine? You’re not alone. It’s understandable to hold high hopes for this particular summer. But what if family days out are marred by the darkening of your child’s mood or their public outbursts of emotion? What can you do?

READ MORE

READ MORE

Why doesn’t my ex want to see our children?

While supporting parents with legal aspects of their divorce and separation, Only Mums & Dads are contacted regularly by parents concerned that their ex-partner does not want to be involved with their children. This concern is usually accompanied by much emotion and sadness.

So how can this be handled?

READ MORE 18 July/August

Orchard Toys Game Giveaway!

6 bundles available, worth £27.80 each 3 games per bundle

APPLY HERE

T&Cs apply

Magazine Familiesonline.co.uk

FAMILY LIFE

Taking the inside out this summer

By Claire Winter The time spent in our gardens during the pandemic last summer opened many of our eyes to the potential of having a lovely space outside to eat, entertain and hang out in. No doubt it’s also left many of us focused on improving the outdoor space we actually have.

So how can you make the most of your garden or outdoor area this summer?

There are three important factors to consider when creating an inviting outdoor space for your family: Comfort. If you can make a space for comfy outdoor seating, the outdoor space can become a second lounge for the summer.

Suitability for children. It’s worth considering whether you can create separate ‘zones’ for children and adults.

Weather proofing. You can never

rely on the British weather so this is a vital consideration if you don’t want rain and chilliness to ruin your plans.

Firstly, comfort. This really is a priority; outside will never be as appealing as inside unless you think carefully about how to re-create the wonderful relaxed-feeling you have inside in your outdoor space.

READ MORE

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July/August 19

SUMMER LEARNING

Fun educational apps for all ages Make screen time learning time with our top picks.

Khan Academy

Fish School

Think!Think!

Free app with high quality/creative early learning activities.

Ages 2-7.

Learn basic ABCs & 123s with fun fish pals.

Ages 3+.

Engaging mini game.

Develops lateral thinking and spatial reasoning. Ages 7+.

LEGO DUPLO World

DIY.org

Teach your monster to read

Free-play and goaloriented mini games.

Ages 2-5.

Virtual treasure trove of craft, activity and practical activities.

Ages 5+.

Engaging way for kids to learn phonics and reading. Ages 4+.

ScratchJr

The Human Body

Marvel Hero Tales

Introduces coding with interactive stories and games. Ages 5-7.

20 July/August

Brilliant interactive app about the human body.

Ages 7+.

Beat the villains & learn language skills.

Ages 7-11.

Familiesonline.co.uk

SUMMER LEARNING

Back to school Get organised now!

Don’t end the summer holidays with a frantic last-minute rush!

Manage a successful and stressfree return to the classroom. Get organised early.

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Labelling Label everything.

Choose your preferred labels and start early to avoid late nights!

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Uniforms & sports kit Do the summer sales.

Check out second hand options or unbranded supermarket alternatives.

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School shoes Visit a shoe fitter. Shop before the last minute rush.

After school activities Take advantage of early bird/free taster sessions.

ri

Haircut Phone early to get an appointment close to start of term.

Book after school care All schools are required to provide access to wraparound childcare but it’s popular, so book early.

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Doctors/Dentist/ Optician Get done at beginning of holidays.

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Magazine Familiesonline.co.uk

July/August 21

SUMMER LEARNING

Audiobooks for family road trips Great audio entertainment for the whole family to while away the traffic jams!

Ladybird Classics: The Complete Audio Collection Ages 3+.

10 hours 45 mins.

Matilda

Ages 7+.

4 hours 18 mins.

The World’s Worst Teachers Ages 8+.

4 hours 6 mins.

22 July/August

Finn Family Moomintroll

Ages 5+.

3 hours 33 mins.

Winnie-the-Pooh: The Complete BBC Collection Ages 4+.

3 hours 42 mins.

The Complete Chronicles of Narnia

How to Train Your Dragon

His Dark Materials: Northern Lights

Wolf Boy Book 1

Ages 7+.

15 hours 7 mins.

Ages 9+.

10 hours 45 mins.

Ages 7+.

3 hours 29 mins.

Ages 9+.

6 hours 25 mins.

Familiesonline.co.uk

SUMMER LEARNING

Seven steps to a book-filled summer Start small. For reluctant readers, start with magazines, comics or graphic novels.

Let them choose. Children need to feel they are in charge of selection – as long as it’s age-appropriate.

Join the Summer Reading Challenge. Your child will need to read six or more books during the holidays. Rewards include stickers and small prizes.

Audiobooks improve literacy skills and whet appetites for more stories.

Summer Book Club. Encourage your child to start a Book Club with friends. Then host a playdate with snacks and chats about their

favourite/least favourite parts.

Keep it handy. Wherever you go this summer make sure you have reading material to hand.

Make it a routine. Try to schedule regular daily ‘downtime’ for reading.

Pick up a book at the same time as your child, so you can be a reading role model.

Children’s books with sound effects App from Readmio Watch how it works!

Familiesonline.co.uk

July/August 23

SUMMER LEARNING

Free printable activity sheets for all ages

My Daddies! colouring sheets

Tad activity sheets

Hungry Caterpillar activity sheets

Ladybird bumper activity pack

Pirate Stew activity pack

Building a Home activity sheets

50 Things to do before you’re 11 ¾ activity pack

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Hard Luck activity sheets

Swallows & Amazon activity sheets

24 July/August

Familiesonline.co.uk

SUMMER LEARNING

Make ‘n’ do learning activities for under 5s Keep your little ones busy and engaged all summer long.

Bottle bowling

Enormous crocodile word game

Water boats

Touch and feel board

Ocean life zip lock sensory bag

Homemade potato stamps

Three Little Pigs masks

Farm tuff tray

DIY toilet roll poppers

Familiesonline.co.uk

July/August 25

BOREDOM BUSTERS

Make ‘n’ do learning projects for primary school kids Keep ‘em busy on those dull or rainy days this summer.

Recycled marble run

Water rocket

Water balloon piñata

Tin can stilts

Fruit & vegetable art

Vinegar volcano

DIY articulated hand

Rusty Rivets robot

DIY Luna Love Lovegood glasses

26 July/August

Familiesonline.co.uk

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