Families Vale of York Nov/Dec 2018 Christmas issue

Online Bookings Only. Limited Availability.

For prices, availability and to book tickets visit pigletsadventurefarm.com

eek midw me i t m r te till are s slots able l i a v y a Ever rom f y a d v– 24 No c 24 De

MAGICAL SLEIGH RIDES TO SANTA’S WOODLAND VILLAGE

IN THIS ISSUE Where’s Santa?

Christmas Toy Guide 20 ways to get kids off Fortnite Weaning your baby

Sleigh ride with Elf Airlines / Donkeys in the Stable / Santa’s Grotto / NEW Story time with the Elves / Animal petting area / Santa’s Woodland Village / Unlock the Toyshop with your magic key / Santa’s Tepee PIGLETS, NR YORK YO32 9ST TEL 01904 499183 PIGLETSADVENTUREFARM.COM

Issue 85 Nov/Dec 2018

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1.3million ways to inspire. leeds.gov.uk/ morethanamillion

Number #349,012 Coffin of Nesyamun at Leeds City Museum

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15/08/2018 13:48

Magical Christmas Mango’s

at Tropical World

Mango the meerkat is calling for Little Helpers to bring the magic of Christmas to Tropical World. This December, your little ones can help Mango while enjoying lots of festive fun. « Christmas crafts and activities « Photo with Mango the Meerkat « Receive a Christmas gift « Christmas jumpers or festive attire encouraged *Subject to small charge for crafts/photo

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#LeedsChristmas

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Contents

Welcome CHRISTMAS MORNING ‘It’s Christmas day it’s Christmas day Let’s see what Santa’s brought us!’

‘Alright but don’t be so loud, Remember what Mum and Dad told us.’

‘Look some Star Wars Lego, LOOK SOME LEGO I SAID!’ ‘Ok Ok I heard you first time Stop jumping on the bed.’

‘A spud gun a Yo Yo some chocolate mice, AND A TOY STORY BOOK!’ I’ve got LOADS of cool things, Quick come here and look.’

‘WHAT’S GOING ON IN THERE SO EARLY?!

‘It’s alright Dad it’s nearly light.’

‘No it’s not look at the clock!

IT’S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!’ ‘I don’t want to go back to bed, Can’t we play with our toys?’

‘Oh, alright if you must, But remember NO MORE NOISE!’ BIO: Jane Rogers is an experienced Parenting Practitioner and founder of ‘The Cambridge Parent Coach.’ The above poem is from her children’s book

4. Family News 5. Families Recommends 7. Christmas Cooking Inspiration 8. Treasures Toy Guide 9. Where’s Santa?

10. What’s on 12. Weaning your baby 13. How to get your kids off Fortnite 15. She means business

Where is Families Vale of York?

Families Vale of York is distributed bi-monthly throughout The Vale of York. You can collect a FREE copy from the scores of outlets: schools, nurseries, play groups, clubs & classes, sports centres, libraries, family doctors & baby clinics and children’s shops. If you would like to stock copies please let us know. For families from birth to twelve. Read by over 18,000 local families 6 times a year.

Circlulation: 18,000

Deadline: The deadline for the Jan/Feb edition is early December 2018

Designed by: Anna Lawton

Printed by: Warners Midlands PLC www.warners.co.uk

‘I’m Not Afraid of Spiders, Poems about Feelings.’

Free activities for children can be found on the Kids’ page of her website www.thecambridgeparentcoach.com. Follow ‘childrensbooksandpoems’ on Instagram.

Wishing all of our readers a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Download our magazine

Don’t miss an issue! Download our latest magazine and our back catalogue at issuu www.issuu.com

Editor, Families Vale of York Magazine

Get in touch E – editor@familiesvoy.co.uk T – 07794909820 @FamiliesValeofYorkMag @FamiliesVoYMag

Families Vale of York 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 Vale of York are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Vale of York. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but 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.

FAMILY

News Bright Beginnings Childcare Agency is Recruiting

A Daily Mile Improves Children’s Health

Are you a qualified child carer looking for flexible work with a great rate of pay? Do you need a helping hand to find the right position for you?

Bright Beginnings Childcare Agency specialise in the recruitment and temporary placements of Nursery Practitioners, Nursery Assistants, Nannies and Babysitters. At Bright Beginnings Childcare Agency, we operate a strict screening process.

Our service is designed for and dedicated to childcare professionals. Our team is experienced, approachable and well qualified in childcare.

The result? - A strong working relationship that will satisfy your needs and ambition.

An initiative to get schoolchildren to walk or run a mile every day leads to significant improvements in their health, according to a study.

The Daily Mile scheme was originally the brainchild of a Scottish head teacher who started it in 2012.

Researchers at Stirling University compared the health of children at a primary school taking part in the scheme with those at a school that wasn’t participating.

The children wore accelerometers which recorded how much moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) they were undertaking every day, and for how long they were sedentary. Children who were doing the Daily Mile were significantly healthier than those who were not.

According to the Daily Mile Foundation, more than 3,600 schools worldwide have introduced the initiative, including about 1,200 in England, 770 in Scotland, 210 in Wales, 85 in Northern Ireland and more than 100 in the Republic of Ireland.

More at www.stir.ac.uk & www.thedailymile.co.uk

Bright Beginnings Childcare Agency has been established for 10 years and supplies qualified and experienced child carers in York and North Yorkshire to cover any staffing requirements that settings or parents may have.

Are you a Parent looking for a Nanny or Babysitter? Or a Nursery Manager looking for temporary cover or have a permanent position to fill?

Bright Beginnings Childcare Agency can help to match trustworthy and qualified child carers to your needs. All applicants are vetted by the agency and hold current DBS and paediatric First Aid Certificates. They have a face to face interview and time is spent checking qualifications, work history and references. We aim to make the recruitment process as fast, efficient and stress free as possible.

There is no fee to register with the Agency. Log on to www.bb-agency.co.uk to register.

Got a Christmas Party coming up? Struggling to get a Babysitter? Ask us about our babysitting membership.

For more information please contact the agency on 01904 691698 or 07823332627 or email info@bbagency.co.uk

Talking to Young Children About War this Remembrance Day Talking to Young Children About War this Remembrance Day Remembrance Day this year will be on Sunday 11 November and will be especially significant as it will mark 100 years since the original agreement to end fighting during the First World War in 1918, also known as Armistice Day. Accordingly, you can expect that there will be a great deal of media coverage given to this significant commemoration and your child may be prompted to ask you questions.

Discussing war with children can be quite difficult.

Recognising this, CBeebies has produced a short animation, simply titled ‘Poppies’ to help convey the notion of remembrance in a way that resonates with a young audience.

It is a really beautiful piece to watch and would be a great way to introduce any discussion of Remembrance Day. The 2 minute film follows a bunny who starts off playing in a meadow, which then becomes a WW1 battlefield.

The film can be viewed on the CBeebies website at www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies

The

Mount School York

We Know Girls Can A genuinely remarkable education for girls from the age of two. www.mountschoolyork.co.uk 4 Families Vale of York

COME AND VISIT US TO FIND OUT MORE admissions@mountschoolyork.co.uk

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recommends for Christmas

Top Toys for Creativity Every child loves to be stimulated and these top toys are fantastic and fun alternatives for your child’s creative learning and skill building. Each toy provides endless hours of fun for not only your child but the entire family.

The Playful way to healthy teeth Playbrush is an interactive electric toothbrush that connects via Bluetooth to game apps, so children can play fun games with their toothbrush and learn the importance of dental hygiene.

Studies show children who use Playbrush brush their teeth for twice as long as traditional toothbrushes and are more likely to brush twice per day.

Playbrush syncs to an app which makes brushing teeth fun, children use their own toothbrushing movements to paint masterpieces, make music or defeat monsters. The app incentivises movement and encourages children to brush all around their mouth, increasing surface coverage.Children’s toothbrushing quality is recorded and assessed through each game they play.

An opportunity for your child to assemble their own station and play scenarios from a day in the life, with included tickets that can be inserted into the projector to display images of Paris, London, New York, Berlin and Beijing. The Hape Grand City Station £89.99 from Smyths

The Playbrush Smart Sonic costs £29.99 from Playbrush and includes, 1 Playbrush Smart Sonic, 1 brush head, 1 charging dock and 4 free games. Additional games and brush heads are available via subscription from as little as £3.99.

Personalised Christmas Eve boxes & Santa Sacks

A toy that offers your child valuable development tools and sensory exploration through its glow in the dark loops and cosmic boosts. Your child is able to build creativity and forward planning skills as they build their own plans for the marbles to roll through. The Hape Space City £89.99 from Argos

If you’re looking for the perfect Christmas Eve box or Santa Sack, then take a look at what’s on offer at PersonalisedGiftsShop.co.uk.

Introduce your child to the wondrous world of music with this 6 in 1 Music Maker. A guitarshaped toy, compiled with 6 different musical elements, including a drum, xylophone, rattle ball, bell, scratchboard and tambourine. The opportunities for musical creativity and exploration are endless! The Hape 6 in 1 Music Maker £24.99 from Smyths

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Families Vale of York 5

recommends Christmas at Dalby, the Great Yorkshire Forest Santa-approved Christmas trees Get a head start on making Christmas extra special this year by choosing the perfect Christmas tree from Dalby Forest!

We know that your Christmas tree is a big part of the festive season and that you care about where it comes from and how it’s grown. That’s why we grow a range of sustainably sourced quality real trees, just as Santa would want! Trees grown and nurtured in Dalby range in size from 3ft to 8ft and are all Grown in Britain and FSC approved.

Festive fun in the forest Along with the tradition of choosing your tree, there will be festive events and activities to enjoy in a lovely Christmas courtyard setting. There will be plenty of opportunities for the kids to get hands-on and creative too.

Tamar’s Toy Box - Bishopthorpe At Tamar’s Toy Box everyone is welcome and it’s a new one stop toy shop for all your wants and desires!

Why not make the most of your forest visit by staying a while or making a day of it?

You can get some fresh air and stretch your legs by following a sign-posted family Christmas trail through the trees.

The shop provides a wide range of children’s toys and meets all of your birthday and Christmas needs from wrapping paper to cards, candles, badges and banners. They also make and supply party cones that include sweets and toys.

Parking is free with every tree sold and you also get a free baby Christmas tree to take home and nurture! We love seeing the photos you share of your Dalby trees growing up through the years!

The pocket money pyramid is very popular and loved by all children with toys as little as 20p. The DIY Lego pit is great for the imagination and children love to create a sensation.

Plan your visit

Be sure to check out their Facebook page for all their exciting activities and competitions in the run up to Christmas! www.facebook.com/Tamarstoybox

Our Christmas tree sales centre at Low Dalby courtyard opens on Friday 30 November until Sunday 16 December. See forestryengland.uk/Christmas or call us on 01751 460295 for more details.

And of course pay them a visit with your kids in tow!

Festive family shows at York Theatre Royal

After the success of last year’s The Book of Dragons, York Theatre Royal brings to the Studio a Christmas show specially created for children aged 3+ and their families in The Elves and the Shoemakers (11 Dec – 05 Jan).

The popular tale tells the story of two poor shoemakers who were so poor they couldn’t even afford to buy each other Christmas presents. With no wood for the fire and only one piece of leather left to make shoes, there was little festive spirit in the shoemakers’ shop. But one night, just as the snow began to fall outside and the clock strikes midnight, two mischievous elves appear at the window…

And to find out what happens you’ll just have to go and see the show. Directed again by the theatre’s Associate Director Juliet Forster, The Elves and the Shoemakers will bring the classic Christmas story to life with live music, puppetry and lots of theatre magic for a guaranteed festive treat for young children.

Over in the Main House families with children 6+ won’t want to miss York’s worldfamous pantomime as Berwick Kaler returns to celebrate 40 years as York’s Dame in The Grand Old Dame of York (13 Dec – 02 Feb). Berwick will again be joined by Martin Barrass, Suzy Cooper, David Leonard and AJ Powell for another spectacular and entertaining show. You can expect a gag-laden, song packed extravaganza featuring stunning costumes, jaw-dropping sets and choreography to thrill. You won’t want to miss this one!

Tickets are available from Box Office in person, over the phone on 01904 623568 and online at www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.

6 Families Vale of York

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Christmas Cooking Inspiration

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 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.”

“Because he is still little, we stick mostly with baking for now. Muffins are a great one - I measure out all of the ingredients and get him to line the muffin tray with little paper cups, and then he adds the ingredients to a bowl one by one and we both have a turn at mixing. These muffins are great for Christmas time, especially if you roll them in dehydrated raspberry powder to give them a festive hue.”

To make decadent dark chocolate and berry muffins: 1. Heat the oven to 180°C. 2. Line a muffin tin with paper muffin cups.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, cool on a wire tray and then tuck into your delicious vegan treat!

Vegan Goodness: Feasts by Jessica Prescott (Hardie Grant, £15) is available to buy on Amazon.

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 curry:

them with half the sugar - they don’t stay as crisp as long, but are still just as delicious! Tip: Make double the dough and freeze half for another time, or just make double quantity as they disappear pretty quickly!

1. 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.

2. Either in a mixer or by hand, cream together 100g of butter and 130g of light brown sugar until light and creamy.

1. 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.

3. Mix in one egg and combine.

2. Next, add 2 tbsp. of sunflower oil to a wok or pan and when it’s hot add all of the ingredients, stirring thoroughly.

6. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F during the last 10 minutes of chilling.

3. Cook for 3 minutes and then add ½ pint of water and cook for a further ten minutes.

7. For a smooth top to the biscuits, roll out the dough to around ½ inch thick and cut circles out with a cookie cutter. For a more rustic ‘ginger nut’ top, scoop out a dessert spoon of mixture from the bowl and shape into a ball, transfer to the baking sheet and, spacing around 2 inches apart, flatten tops slightly.

The water should be reduced and the chicken cooked thoroughly.

4. 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 www. sarahalichoudhury.com.

White Chocolate dipped Ginger Biscuits These delicious ginger biscuits from mylittlepiccolo.com are great on their own with a cuppa, or dipped in white chocolate, and are fabulous to make with children or wrap up as a present. For a less sweet biscuit, you can make

Competition time

Families has TWO copies of The Littlest Reindeer to give away!

OUT NOW ON DVD/DIGITAL IN ORDER TO BE IN WITH A CHANCE OF WINNING A COPY OF THE DVD, email your answer to the following question to editor@familiesvoyco.uk

What are the names of Santa’s 8 reindeers according to traditional tales?

4. With the mixer set on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients and mix until you have a dough.

5. Cover bowl with cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

8. Bake for around 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

9. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

10. In a microwave safe bowl, melt 100g of white chocolate in the microwave, in 10 second intervals until melted. 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.

If you are feeling artistic you could also pipe on a holly leaf. Yummy!

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Join the adorably ambitious “littlest reindeer”, Elliot, this Christmas as he sets his sights on becoming the newest – and tiniest – member of Santa’s reindeer team!

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When Blitzen suddenly announces his retirement from the reindeer team, Santa needs to find a replacement, and fast! Against all odds, Elliot and his best friend Hazel set out to prove that he is the little horse for the job.

Busy with the North Pole reindeer try-outs, Hazel and Elliot don’t realise that a sinister lady has turned up at the ranch and their friends are in serious danger.

Elliot is forced with the biggest decision of his life: save his friends or follow his dreams and save Christmas! familiesonline.co.uk

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Families is more durable so your ads look great for longer Contact us today to find out how we can help your business Laura Macaulay: editor@familiesvoy.co.uk

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TREASURES

L.O.L SURPRISE UNDER WRAPS £14.99

Each layer of wrapping holds clues to your mystery doll. Using your special decoder spyglasses to reveal secret messages and codes to help you unlock 15 surprises. Your doll’s outfit, accessories and shoes all need to be unlocked from their secret compartment in the capsule. There are plenty of other toys in the L.O.L range: Sisters, Pets, Pet surprise, Pearl surprise and Bigger Surprise with price ranges from £5.99 to £89.99. So, if you are looking for a stocking filler or a main present for a L.O.L fan it’s all covered.

TOY GUIDE

Our Christmas preparations are almost complete and there is barely room for a Harry Potter Minifigure in our stock room. Deliveries have been pouring in and we have rewritten our Christmas Wishlist many times. Slime and its many versions (Glitter, Chalk and even Unicorn) easily made our list and the Unwrapping Surprise toys (L.O.L, Treasures X and Ready2 Robot) and the return of Harry Potter Lego will be there too. Chances are your little ones have already mentioned some or all of these hopefully, some of our favourites will prove a hit too and help you find a much-wanted gift that will last long after Christmas Day.

LEGO HARRY A7G+E POTTER QUIDDITCH MATCH Hard to imagine Christmas in our house without a box of Lego under the tree and all the better this year to choose from the Harry Potter range and the launch of the second Fantastic Beasts movie to look forward too. I have selected the Quidditch Match as there is plenty to play with and with 6 mini figures (including Harry, Hermione and Snape), Golden Snitch and four brooms, this set won’t just gather dust once built. If you do want something bigger The Hogwarts Express train and the Hogwarts Whomping Willow sets are equally impressive.

.99

£34

Don’t forget our late-night Christmas shopping evening on Thursday 06th December.

Have a wonderful Christmas from Zhara & the Treasures team, Wetherby!

AGE 8+

NERF LASER OPS PRO 2 PACK

£49.99

.99

TREASURE X – 10 SURPRISES

AGE 5+

Ten layers of surprise here, Rip, fizz and chip away to reveal the secrets hidden within. If you are lucky your may reveal a real gold dipped treasure!

EASY READ AGE ALARM 5+ CLOCK

This clock is unlikely to be on your child’s Christmas list but we have been so impressed with this it’s worth including here. The easy 3 steps to learning to read the time is super, the clock is silent and has a night light too, perfect for a child’s bedroom.

£21

.99

AGE 8+

Slime continues to be one of our bestselling lines, if you are looking for a stocking filling the Cra Z Slimy kit @ £9.99 gives great results. The Squish ball maker is new and combines slime making with a squishy ball, you make your slime and then your own squish ball. This will please any slime and £22.99 squishy fans.

GHOST BLITZ

AGE 8+

This is a lightning fast colour and shape recognition game that will test your reflexes. Who can spot the correct item to grab once the card is revealed?

There is no turn taking, fastest correct response wins the card.

AGE 5+

£13.99

It’s been wonderful to see how popular fantasy creatures are now, children are immersing themselves in imaginary worlds. We have beautiful unicorns, mermaids and fairy figures, soft toys and craft sets. Schleich new Eldrador range has a wonderful array of creatures from 4 imagined worlds. I have selected our best seller The Ice Dragon with impressive moveable wings.

9

£15.9

OK PLAY

£9

CRA.Z. SLIMY SQUISH BALL MAKER

If you and your children have enjoyed Laser Tag parties this will be a hit. Laser Ops is great fun for children and adults alike download the Laser app, comes with arm strap to hold your device (app works with iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices). Can set to play indoors or outdoors. Blasters fire a single-shot IR burst and register hits with lights and sounds, while lights on the back display health status and ammo capacity.

Designed with unlimited ammo, the blasters have a quick-reload button to replenish supply.

SCHLEICH ICE DRAGON

AGE 6+

AGE 8+

OK Play designed to take with you, easy rules but may take longer to win than first appears. The first to successfully get 5 tiles in a row wins, its great fun blocking your opponents but once you use all your tiles the game reverses and you pick up and move tiles which is much trickier.

£15

Try out both games at Treasures on our games demo table. If you are looking for a longer family board game I discovered Ticket to Ride Europe this summer. Another super game kept 10 children, teens and adults keenly focussed for 45 minutes. £39.99 also available at Treasures.

8 Families Vale of York

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Every day 24th November – 24th December Piglet’s Adventure Farm

Santa?

Where’s

Enjoy a unique Christmas experience with magical sleigh rides at Piglet’s Adventure Farm. Come along for a truly unfortgettable Christmas experience with Elf Airline Sleigh Rides, meet Santa in his grotto, getting the golden key to Santa’s Toyshop and lots more!

Book tickets online before it’s too late! www. pigletsadventurefarm.com

23rd Nov – 23rd Dec Lotherton Hall’s The Christmas Experience

Weekends, 1 – 24 December Wensleydale Railway Here comes Santa Claus on The Wensleydale Railway! Take a magical winter wonderland adventure into The Yorkshire Dales and meet the main man himself! Begin your festive journey in our very own North Pole at Leeming Bar station, where you can enjoy a yummy hot chocolate and Christmas cookie or mince pie and explore our Christmas market while you wait to be called for your Santa Special service. Once on-board, Santa and his elves will visit each child and listen carefully to exactly what they would like for Christmas as well as giving them a lovely age appropriate gift to take home. For more information please visit www.wensleydalerail.com or call the admin team on 01677 425 805.

familiesonline.co.uk

Yorkshire is experiencing an early wave of Christmas cheer, as regional attraction Lotherton launches ticket sales for its magical and much-loved annual extravaganza; The Christmas Experience. Families can embark on a festive adventure in the ultimate winter wonderland. Activities include seasonal favourites such as the Twelve Days of Christmas Woodland Walk, the Elf Village, the Enchanted Fairy Dell, The House and Edwardian Selfie Studio, and The Christmas Courtyard. The Christmas Experience will also feature a very special North Pole, where children can help Santa’s elves in their workshop, as well as visiting Father Christmas himself to share their wishes. Fly to www. thechristmasexperience.co.uk to find out more and book a magical trip.

Weekends, 1 – 23 Dec Beningborough Hall Come and meet Father Christmas in the library of the hall as part of a small group. He’ll read you some stories unique to Beningbrough, chat to each and every one of you and have a photo taken.

You’ll leave with a small gift to take away. Sessions will run on weekends in December at various times from 11.30am – 3.30pm.

Regular sailings, 25th Nov – 23rd City Cruises, York There is a reason why families return year after year to join us for our City Cruises York Santa Experience, it really is the most magical event on the River Ouse! Your Santa experience begins as you are welcomed into our Grotto, cleverly hidden away underneath the beautiful Lendal Bridge. Upon entering, the Captain will check all of the children off the special list that we receive from Lapland.

You will be warmly greeted

by Santa’s good friend Mary Christmas who will gladly show you to your reserved seating and distribute the magic bells.Each child will be hand delivered a personalised present from Santa whilst everybody on board will enjoy refreshments, fun and surprises, making this a Christmas treat to remember.

24th Nov – 23rd Dec Mother Shipton’s Cave Mother Shipton’s is opening for the first time during the Christmas Period. Children can visit Santa and enjoy a magical Christmas experience. Children meet Santa, then choose from an array of wonderful gifts in his Toy Shop. Be greeted by the Head Elf for story time and don’t forget to bring your camera for a photo opportunity in Santa’s Sleigh! Create a wish to hang on Mother Shipton’s Wishing Tree and post a letter to the North Pole.

As you take in the magical surroundings treat yourself to hot drinks, mince pies, and pizza.

Children can also buy and decorate their very own Christmas treat. Wonderful gifts and decorations are available in our new pop-up Christmas shop.

Booking online: www.mothershipton.co.uk

17th Nov – 31st Dec Castle Howard Enjoy a truly magical day out as Castle Howard is transformed for the festive season. Experience the magnificent decorations as you journey through the House’s grand state rooms. Open fires, candle light and live music evoke all that we love about this special time of year, with the iconic 25-foot traditional Christmas tree adorned with over 3000 baubles providing a breath-taking highlight in the Great Hall.

An Enchanted Evening with Father Christmas – Add a touch of magic to your Christmas with our exclusive evening with Father Christmas. Gather in the Grecian Hall for a festive tea party with WonderPhil, our Christmas wizard, before setting off on a candle lit trail into the house to find Father Christmas and his friends in the magnificent Great Hall. Children are invited to gather under the soaring tree and join in with music and stories before receiving their personalised present from Father Christmas, with photo opportunities too. www.castlehoward.co.uk

24th Nov 11am – 4pm Treasure’s Toy Shop, Wetherby Santa will be visiting his favourite Toy Shop, Treasures in Wetherby on 24th Nov. We expect to hear Santa’s bells ringing at 11am as he pulls up at Treasures and he has promised to stay until 4pm. So just call in and tell Santa all about your year, he loves posing for photographs and if you haven’t already written your letter to Santa the Treasures Elves will be on hand to help you.

Come and join us for some festive fun at your local toy shop!

Weekends, 1-23 Dec Murton Park

The Derwent Valley Light Railway shall be running heritage passenger trains on which children will receive a present from Santa. Join Chief Elf Bauble for a guided tour of Santa’s village to meet the elves who are busy preparing for the big day. Take a look through Father Christmas’s House, which is decorated with traditional decorations and a wood burning fire. On your return, adults will receive a complimentary sherry (or orange juice) and mince pie in the farmhouse kitchen.

Families Vale of York 9

Nov/Dec

WHAT’S ON

CASTLE HOWARD IMAGE CREDIT - CHRIS PEPPER

Barley Hall

YORK

17 Nov – 24 Dec A Victorian Christmas at the Castle York Castle Musuem

MOREE ONLIN

k

ne.co.u

onli families

HARROGATE & KNARESBOROUGH

22 Nov – 29 Dec Glow’ Winter Illuminations RHS Harlow Carr

Enjoy an illuminated trail around the magnificent trees & shrubs as dusk falls. See the lake, Winter Walk, Streamside & Doric columns as you’ve never seen them before. Visitors can bask in the ‘glow’ of the winter illuminations three evenings a week (Thursday – Saturday) from 4.30pm – 8pm, with last admission at 7pm. Tickets are available to buy online at www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr or to purchase on the door.

24 Nov – 23 Dec Christmas Mother Shipton’s Cave

Mother Shipton’s is opening for the first time this Christmas. Children visit Santa, then choose from an array of wonderful gifts in his Toy Shop. Be greeted by the Head Elf for story time and don’t forget to bring your camera for a photo opportunity in Santa’s Sleigh! Create a wish to hang on Mother Shipton’s Wishing Tree and post a letter to the North Pole. Tickets can be purchased ONLINE ONLY. www.mothershipton.co.uk

17 Nov – 5 Jan A Magical, Medieval Christmas Rediscovered

Take a stroll over the cobbles of York Castle Museum’s twinkling Victorian street this festive season & experience the award-winning Victorian Christmas at the Castle. Journey back in time to Victorian York to discover the magic and traditions of days gone by on York Castle Museum’s enchanting Kirkgate. Walk under the beautiful garlands, enjoy the intimate glow of our decorated Christmas tree & meet our Victorian residents before making a visit to our wonderful Father Christmas.

16 Nov– 16 Dec (Fri – Sun only) ‘The Night Before Christmas’ Goddard’s House & Garden

Discover the Terry family Christmas & how it changed in different years of family life. From the laughter & fun of Christmas games when the children were little, to more reflective years after the war & how the Terry business changed during the Christmas period. Booking essential for Christmas lunch. Tel: 01904 771956

13 & 14 December York Minster Christmas Carol Concerts

This is your chance to discover the hidden history of the use of charms, potions & magic during Christmas celebrations in medieval York at Barley Hall. Join the lady of the house, Joan Snawsell of Barley Hall, as she prepares her household to welcome the great & the good of York into her home for the festive season. Expect to see much greenery & colour as you are transported back in time to explore the beautifully decorated rooms of Barley Hall, each dressed to reflect the different activities that would have taken place in the home & around the city in Lady Snawsell’s time.

17 Nov – 6 Jan Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland York Designer Outlet

Home to the north of England’s largest & bestloved outdoor ice rink – The Ice Factor – with its magical setting, giant Christmas tree and rink side Alpine-themed café. With vintage funfair rides dating from as early as 1933, Santa welcoming visitors in his enchanting log cabin, live weekend entertainment and of course Christmas shopping in over 120 designer brands for up to 60% less at York Designer Outlet, Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland really does have something for everyone. Skate, play, shop, and dine at Yorkshire’s winter wonderland. www.

Yorkshireswinterwonderland.com

24 Nov – 24 Dec York’s Chocolate Story

York Minster

York Minster’s Christmas Carol Concerts are the most popular events in the cathedral’s calendar, with many people returning year after year to enjoy the festive tradition. The evenings feature traditional Christmas music sung by the full York Minster Choir, with the Yorkshire Volunteers Band leading the audience in Christmas carols & celebrity readers performing seasonal poetry &readings. For a full listing of services & events visit www.yorkminster.org

Santa’s Sweet Adventure

York’s Chocolate Story will undergo a festive make-over to welcome Farther Christmas. Visitors will get a chance to meet Santa & participate in a number of special themed walks, in which they will complete a mission to help him save Christmas.

On the way, visitors will learn festive facts about iconic brands & how chocolate was involved in Christmas past as well as make their own Christmas-themed lollies & watch special festive demonstrations with York’s talented chocolatiers. www. yorkschocolatestory.com

DON’T MISS BERWICK KALER

30 Nov, 1 - 2, 7 - 9 & 14 - 24 Dec Stories with Santa

1 Nov – 7 Jan The Christmas Adventure

RHS Harlow Carr

Snuggle up for a classic Christmas tale, have a sing-along & a story with the man himself & if you have been very good, receive a small gift. Tickets for Stories with Santa go on sale now & must be booked in advance at www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr

York Theatre Royal presents

30 Nov, 1 - 2, 7 - 9 & 14 - 24 Dec The Magic of Christmas

STARRING AND WRITTEN BY BERWICK KALER

DEC

RHS Harlow Carr

10 Families Vale of York

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Put on your best Christmas jumper, enjoy Christmas crafts & follow a Christmas trail to get you in the festive spirit. Normal garden admission.

TADCASTER, WETHERBY, SELBY & SURROUNDING AREAS

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ction

FEB

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Stockeld Park

Entry to our Woodland Cafe, Gift & Tree shop is free during our winter season. Plus, guests can choose to buy tickets to enter our exciting Adventure Zones, including our Real Ice Rink, Nordic Ski Trail, Fun Filled Maze & Illuminated Enchanted Forest. familiesonline.co.uk

17 – 18 Nov 10am – 4pm Walton Group of Artists Annual Exhibition

24 & 25 Nov Cycling Hub Mountain Biking Skills Courses

Work from 22 artists on show and most available to purchase. Free entry and open to all. Refreshments in aid of the play area at the Hall. www.waltongroupofartists.co.uk or www. facebook.com/waltonartists

Beginners & improvers – introduction to Mountain biking ages 10-14 years. 3 hrs expert coaching based in & around Low Dalby. Covered: basic bike set up; cornering; braking on different terrain; gear selection; reading the trails. Ratio is 1 coach to 6 riders. Prices from £40 per hour. Minimum 2-hour booking. Contact us on 01751 460585

Walton Village Hall, Nr. Wetherby

1 Dec – 9.30am – 5pm Christmas Market Selby Market Place

Stall & entertainment from local school choirs and bands throughout the day.

2 Dec Elf

Riley-Smith Hall, Tadcaster

‘The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by singing loud for all to hear!’ Tempt Community Cinema presents ‘Elf’. Tickets available online and at the hall. Ticket + hot chocolate & festive treat £6.50. www.ticketsource.co.uk/tempt

2 & 9 Dec Santa Sunday Lunch Carlton Towers

3 course festive Sunday lunch. Santa’s Grotto with free gift. £30 per adult, £16 per child.

16 Dec – 1.30pm – 3.30pm Jingle Bell Bop Riley-Smith Hall, Tadcaster

It’s a family Christmas stage show, exclusively for young families with stage lead panto fun & games.

Elves & fairies will greet you, there will be singing, dancing and a Santa panto on stage. It’s a party as well as a panto, so you’re encouraged to get up, dance and enjoy the festive mood.

EAST YORKSHIRE & THE COAST

1 Nov – 9am – 4pm Kids Christmas Crafts, FREE Yorkshire Waterways Musuem, Goole

A fun and interactive day out for the whole family, with a relaxing canal side location, café, exhibits & boat tours around Goole’s historic docklands.

FREE admission to museum. Charges for boat trips. FREE Christmas Craft session on 1st Nov.

24 Nov Junior Experience Day The Deep

For children aged 8-11 who are passionate about marine animals. Join the team for a funfilled experience day where your child can help carry out some of the Deep’s daily activities.

24 & 25 Nov Christmas Fair Burton Constable Hall

There will be more than 6 local traders showcasing their products from arts & crafts, cheese, pies and much more. FREE entry, FREE parking & dogs welcome. familiesonline.co.uk

Dalby Forest

2, 16, 23 Dec Santa’s Grotto & Deer Park Trips Children can visit Santa’s magical Grotto & tell him all their Christmas wishes. Tractor & Trailer trips to the Deer Park for the whole family too! £7.50 per child for Grotto (inc. Deer Park trip) & £4.50 per person for the Deer Park trip.

LEEDS

For the first time ever, UK audiences are invited to enjoy the popular Cbeebies Christmas show in cinemas this holiday season, laugh & sing along with your favourite Cbeebies stars. Cbeebies’ favourite personalities are lined up to star in this unique adaptation of the original Hans Christian Andersen tale, Thumbelina.

The Spa Theatre, Scarborough

Premiere UK Tour - Bing Goes to the Theatre Calling all “Bingsters”! Bing & his friends are going on tour in the first ever Bing stage show! Bing Live! will visit the Spa Theatre, Scarborough on 16 & 17 Jan as part of a major UK tour through to April 2019.

Pantomimes

9 Nov – 22 Dec Christkindlmarkt – German Christmas Market

13 Dec – 2 Feb The Grand Old Dame of York

Millennium Square

York Theatre Royal

One of the most established German markets in the UK, with traditional wooden stalls, festive greenery, Christmas carousel ride & twinkling colourful lights all creating a unique continental festive atmosphere.

1 Dec – every weekend til Christmas Meet Father Christmas & Getting ready for Christmas Temple Newsam House

See how the Tudors, Georgians & Victorians prepared for a merry Christmas.

The elves & Father Christmas are working hard at Temple Newsam to get ready for Christmas, but he will be taking a break on Sat & Sun afternoons to welcome younger visitors to his workshop, have a chat and receive a gift. Book a slot to see him to avoid disappointment. Normal admission plus £4 per child to see Father Christmas.

table tots November Sat 3rd - SELBY indoor boot Barlby High School 2.00 start

Sun 4th - GUISELEY Aireborough Leisure Centr

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Sat 10th - HULL Wyke 6th Form College Brick

Sun 11th - MORLEY Morley Leisure Centre Queensway Sat 17th - CASTLEFORD Lock Lane Sports Centre 11.00 start Sun 18th - GUISELEY Christmas Craft 12 until 3.30pm Sat 24th - ROTHWELL Rothwell Sports Centr e 3.00 start Sun 25th - QEGS Christmas Craft 12 until 3.30p

Sun 2nd - BEVERLEY Christmas Craft 12 until

From 15th Dec Thumbelina - CBeebies show at cinemas

16 &17 Jan Bing Live!

Sledmere House, Driffield

December

Theatre

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3.30

Celebrate Berwick Kaler’s 40th year as York’s legendary Dame in The Grand Old Dame of York...

Celebrating the traditional art of pantomime, this year’s show will be a gag-laden, song packed extravaganza featuring stunning costumes, jaw dropping sets & choreography to thrill. With performances up to 2nd Feb, our panto is not only a great festive treat, but also an ideal way to banish those January blues. Book at www. yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or call Box Office 01904 623568.

14 Dec – 5 Jan Cinderella

Grand Opera House York

Three Bears Productions returns for the third year & this time it’s with everyone’s favourite pantomime, Cinderella. The cast include Star of Liberty X Michelle Heaton as The Fairy Godmother, Channel 5’s Milkshake Amy Thompson as Cinderella, the magical Martin Daniels as Buttons, Coronation Street’s Ken Morley & Britain’s Naughtiest Dame Steve Wickenden as Covonia and Calpol, with BBC’s Allo’Allo!’s John D Collins as The Baron and Danny Rogers as Dandini. To book call Box Office on 0844 871 3024 or book online at www. atgtickets.com/york.

28 Nov – 20 Jan Jack and the Beanstalk Harrogate Theatre

It’s hot & Dame Trott has had enough. Her daydreaming daughter Jack has her head in the clouds & her son Simon is no better. She sent the pair of them to market to sell Buttercup the Cow & they came home with nothing but a handful of beans. That’s when the magic really begins!Packed with everyone’s favourite pantomime characters, this enchanting and spellbinding tale combines spectacular scenery, jokes galore, magic & sparkle - all of which makes Harrogate Theatre’s pantomime a festive family favourite throughout the region.

Families Vale of York 11

Weaning Your Baby

by Annabel Karmel

Blending, storing, mashing and messy highchairs are all part of the exciting journey of weaning!

From around 6 months, a baby’s regular milk will no longer provide them with all the nutrients they need – in particular, essential fatty acids and iron – and their stores of these start to deplete. So now is the time to begin weaning, as missing nutrients need to be provided by food.

Getting Started Every baby develops at their own pace but here are few key signs that your baby is ready for weaning: Your baby: 1. Can hold her head steady and sit up with minimal supervision.

2. Has developed sufficient hand-to-eye coordination to look at food, pick it up and put it in her mouth.

3. Is showing an interest in what you are eating.

4. Has lost the tongue-thrust reflex (automatically pushing solids out of her mouth with her tongue) and is able to swallow food.

Best First Foods First foods should be simple, easy to digest, and unlikely to provoke an allergic reaction. I would recommend starting with a single ingredient, ideally a fruit or vegetable.

Root vegetables like carrots, sweet potato and butternut squash are very popular; they have a naturally sweet flavour (similar to breastmilk) and can easily be puréed to a smooth texture. Try mixing them with a little breast/ formula milk to ease the transition.

From 6 months, your baby will need more than just fruit and vegetables and you will need to make sure you start to introduce iron rich foods like meat, lentils, eggs and iron-enriched cereals as well as foods rich in Essential Fatty Acids from oily fish like salmon.

The transition to solids is more about introducing food than giving a full meal. Your baby will still need at least 600ml of breast milk or formula each day until they are at least 12 months old when their diet is varied enough to offer the correct balance of nutrients.

Please don’t worry about picky eaters - we’ve all been there! Your baby may need to try a new food 10 to 15 times before they are willing to eat it.

Reflux and Allergies Around 50% of all babies experience some reflux during their first 3 months, but, it will prove to be a problem for only a very few and they will usually outgrow it. Gastrooesophageal reflux can sometimes be a sign of cow’s milk protein allergy so look out for the signs and symptoms and seek advice from your doctor if you are concerned.

Childhood food allergies are increasing but the actual incidence of food allergy in babies is very small - about 5 to 6%. Babies and children also tend to grow out of allergies like cow’s milk or egg allergy by ages 2 or 3.

If your baby is at high risk e.g. has bad eczema, then it’s sensible to get allergy testing done just before weaning to help guide safe introduction of common allergenic foods such as milk, egg and peanut. For babies with no history then these foods should be introduced from 6 months.

If your baby’s diet is restricted for any reason, it’s important 12 Families Vale of York

to seek professional advice to ensure that they are still getting all the essential vitamins and minerals they need.

Iron, Fats, Protein, Essential Fatty Acids, Carbohydrates, Zinc and Vitamin D are all essential to include in their diet from 6 months.

Tackling Texture From around 6 to 9 months babies are developing quite rapidly, so introduce as many different nutritious foods, flavours and textures as possible during this time.

To help them tackle texture, try finely dicing and softening small cubes of carrot or apple so their gums can squash them when they try to chew. Be careful of surprise chunks as these can really startle your baby and put them off.

Making your own baby food will allow you to control the size of the lumps and in turn, gradually increase their size.

With my son Nicholas I soon realised that if I added baby pasta shapes to his favourite puree then he was more receptive because it was a flavour he was familiar with.

Give rice or couscous a go too.

Baby-led or Spoon-led?

Whilst a high percentage of parents start out with spoonled purees, baby-led weaning (BLW) is fast growing in popularity.

The BLW philosophy is to let your baby feed herself from 6 months, missing out on purees and spoon feeding altogether. Babies can explore a variety of different tastes and textures from the beginning, helping them to eat a wide range of foods and develop good eating habits.

As well as soft finger foods, you can offer a mini portion of a family meal (without the salt). Cottage pie, risotto or chicken curry are all ideal (and tasty) options.

Don’t worry about how much or how little your baby eats at the beginning; as long as they are experiencing a variety of tastes/textures and eating lots of different nutritious foods then you’re on the right track!

Remember that no ‘one-sizefits-all’ with weaning. Some people decide to go with one method or the other, but I’ve always believed that you don’t have to choose. At around 6 months, you have the freedom to combine an element of babyled weaning alongside spoon feeding if you feel that’s right for you and your baby.

Annabel Karmel is a leading children’s cookery author and feeding expert. Her book, Weaning (DK £12.99) includes everything you need to know about traditional and baby-led weaning, advice on when to start, critical nutrients, how to cater for allergies and intolerances, and more than 60 healthy and delicious recipes. Available from all good bookstores.

Open up the world for your child with our Montessori nurseries.

Outstanding care and education to inspire and guide each individual child.

Fulford 01904 642666 Strensall 01904 490339

www.yorkshiremontessorinursery.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

As the new school year starts parents are being encouraged to tear their kids away from Fortnite and do something productive. The team at PromotionalCodes. org.uk have come up with a list of things your children can do in 20 minutes – the length of one game of Fortnite.

Fortnite is the latest XBox, PlayStation, Windows and Mac craze for gamers. Ninety-nine players pit against each other in a fight for survival on an island with the last gamer standing declared the winner.

Tearing children away from the game isn’t as easy as it sounds, so now the experts have compiled their tips for alternative activities. Suggestions include outdoor fun like taking a 20-minute bike ride, walking a mile and playing half a game of five-a-side football, to more crafty ideas like customising old clothes and painting a picture. Others include filming your own mini movie, writing a song, baking a cake and doing homework.

Here are 20 things your kids can do in 20 minutes rather than play Fortnite:

1. Arrange a game of football

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10. Soak in the tub A bath is a great way to relax. Throw in a sweet-scented bath bomb and enjoy the peace and quiet.

11. Clean out your pets If you have pets who live in a hutch or cage, give them a clean out. Change their bedding, top up the water bottles and you’ll have very happy pets.

12. Paint your nails

In 20 minutes, you can play half a five-a-side match. Each half lasts around 20 minutes.

With a free 20 minutes, you could treat yourself to a mini at home manicure. If you’re feeling artistic, try some fun nail art too.

2. Go swimming

13. Clean your bedroom

A strong swimmer could cover up to 20 laps of the pool in 20 minutes with rest breaks included. That’s about 1,000m.

It may not be the most interesting thing to do with a spare 20 minutes, but it will make your mum happy and surely that’s worth more than anything?

3. Bake a cake

14. Do your homework

You can bake a basic sponge cake in just 20 minutes and fill it with tasty raspberry jam.

If you have summer holiday homework from school, get it done early in the holidays. It’s amazing how much you can get through in 20 minutes.

4. Go for a walk Walking at an average speed, you can cover a mile in 20 minutes. That’s around 2,000 steps.

5. Write a book Maybe not a whole novel but in 20 minutes you could have a good attempt at a short story or even a fun poem.

6. Paint a picture Try painting a picture of your best friend or a family member. Hide it for them to find or why not pop it in the post as a nice surprise.

7. Customise your clothes Grab an old t-shirt, some fabric paint, a pair of scissors and customise your clothes. Twenty minutes is all it takes to make something truly original.

8. Make your own slime All you need to make slime is glue, bicarbonate of soda, food colouring, contact lens solution and any other extras you’d like to add like glitter A bit of mixing and kneading and hey presto, you have your own slime.

9. Teach yourself to dance Follow a few tutorials and teach yourself some moves.

Have a go at street dance, contemporary or try a bit of ballet. familiesonline.co.uk

15. Build a den

AS SEEN ON

Head to your local park, find some broken branches and build a den.

16. Facetime grandma When did you last catch up with grandparents?

Facetime your grandma and grandad – it’ll be 20 minutes well spent.

17. Go for a bike ride In 20 minutes, you can ride a couple of miles on a bike so strap on your helmet, head out and enjoy the city or countryside around you.

18. Write a song Have a go at writing your own song and if you’re musical, create the tune to go with it.

19. Learn a language Download an app or listen to some podcasts and start to teach yourself a new language.

MAKE YOUR CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT MORE FUN!

TRY RUGBYTOTS Our dynamic weekly play sessions enable boys and girls aged 2–7 to develop their social and physical skills in a fun, positive environment.

For more details, just call or email.

0345 313 6716

york@rugbytots.co.uk

20. Create your own movie Why not get some friends round and make your own mini-movie. This may take a little longer than one game of Fortnite but could be enough to keep you busy all weekend.

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Families Vale of York 13

Supporting your child with friendship challenges

by Lianna Champ

Life and relationships are not always easy and we learn our skills as children, watching the interactions of our parents and other adults in our lives. What we learn as children then sets our patterns of relating in adulthood.

Falling out with friends is normal during childhood and it is through struggling with friendship challenges that our children learn about themselves, relationships and how best to interact with others. Through experience, children also learn how to set boundaries what they will or will not accept in a friendship.

We cannot make these decisions for our children but we can guide them gently and encourage them to use their instinct, intuition and intellect.

The most important thing we can do when our children are struggling with friendship issues is to listen. Falling out with their friends can feel like the worse thing in the world. Saying anything negative about their friends at this point will only cause your child to withdraw and can create further emotional confusion for them. Gently encouraging your child to talk about their feelings can help to identify areas of conflict, disagreement or unfairness which may have led to the fall out.

Classes, Parties and Camps for children 4 months to 12 years

TRY US OUT! For every stage of your child's development, The Little Gym offers a diverse line up of classes, camps and parties filled with movement, music, learning and laughter for boys and girls.

Call us to book your free introductory class THE LITTLE GYM LEEDS 0113 3359915 leeds@thelittlegym.eu www.leeds.thelittlegym.eu

14 Families Vale of York

THE LITTLE GYM HARROGATE 01423 701560 harrogate@thelittlegym.eu www.harrogate.thelittlegym.eu

Ask what they think went wrong. Do they think they could have reacted differently? Do they feel that they did nothing wrong? When friends fall out, it doesn’t necessarily mean any of the children in the mix did anything wrong.

Fall outs just happen and they can happen all the time! Girls especially can change friends quickly, moving from one to another in succession. There is an important lesson here too - that friendships grow and change and sometimes come to an end. Children are still developing and so must their friendships.

As we grow up, it is healthy that our friendship groups grow and diversify. Our needs change and different people provide different things.

Learning how to be a friend is like learning anything else. Sharing your own stories of your own friendship experiences can be helpful, showing your children that friendships can hit a rocky patch which has to be worked through.

Help your children to understand the importance of sharing, taking someone else’s feelings into account and listening to each other. It’s important that children learn about allowing their friends the privilege of sharing their feelings without being judged. Teach your

children that their friends should also allow them this privilege too.

We can teach our children to decide whether a friendship is worth persevering with or whether it’s best to just walk away. Don’t be afraid to talk about the differences between healthy and toxic relationships. It’s important to help children understand that there are different kinds of friends too – best, great, good and casual friends - and that new people are constantly coming into our lives. As we navigate life we can’t expect to get everything we need from one friendship, which is why we need quite a few to fulfil our needs.

Children have a tendency to think about things over and over again. Gently reflect back to them using clear language how they are feeling and what happened. Try a bit of role play around a friendship challenge which can help your child see what is happening more objectively. If you think your child’s behaviour was the catalyst for a fall out, role play can help them learn how to be a better friend in the future. It can also help them see more clearly whether they were at fault.

Always take an interest in your child’s friendships and if you sense something out of the ordinary, be there as a buffer. But avoid taking sides, actively interfering or taking decisions for your child about their friendships. Working through their experiences is an extremely important part of growing up and a learning curve for adulthood and taking this away from them robs them of the chance to learn valuable life lessons.

Equally, do not make them feel like victim in a relationship as this can prevent them from taking responsibility in relationships later in life. Encouraging new activities and providing arenas for new friendships can give your child confidence in their ability to make new friends and be a good friend.

Studies show that children who have healthy relationships with the adults in their lives are more likely to make sound decisions about friendship, because they understand things like empathy and mutual respect, and they have better problem-solving skills. So above all, nurture your own relationship with your children and others in your family.

Lianna Champ has over 40 years’ experience in bereavement and grief recovery. Her new book How to Grieve Like a Champ is out now priced £9.99. More information at www. champfunerals.com familiesonline.co.uk

She means business...

Here we find out a bit more about Donya Keys who runs En Pointe Dance School in York.

Who are you and where do you live?

My name is Donya or Miss Donya to my dance students, and I live in the beautiful city of York.

I am a mummy to my gorgeous girls, and the Founder and Principal teacher of En Pointe Dance school.

Alongside running En Pointe Dance Studios, I am the Royal Ballet associate cover teacher for the North, the Manchester Royal Ballet associate coordinator and I also teach ballet at Queen Ethelburga’s school.

Tell us a bit about your business.

From a young age I have studied dance, focusing on Ballet. I trained at a vocational dance school called Elmhurst and danced with Birmingham Royal Ballet during my apprenticeship. After training to become a professional Ballet teacher at the Royal Academy of Dance, I worked in and around London as a freelance Dance teacher for 6 years. With this wealth of experience and expertise, after moving back to my home town of York, I decided to open a ballet school, En Pointe, which soon expanded to me teaching in 6 venues across York. In 2015, I invested some money into a warehouse, and transformed it into dance studios with two studios, large reception and kitchen area with free parking… En Pointe studios.

The studios have been open for almost 3 years; we now have 6 teachers teaching a variety of dance styles at the studios, a

small dance wear shop for our En pointe uniform, and 350 students attending classes. We have also won ‘Best Dance classes in York’ for 3 years running, voted for by the public, of which we are very grateful and proud.

What did you used to do?

I have always danced, I thoroughly enjoy teaching, and think this is what I will always do!

What inspired you to set up the business?

I set up my own ballet classes to offer excellent quality dance to the children and adults of York, and with the popularity of my classes, wanted to open our own studios, that are purpose built, with sprung floors, barres and mirrors, to ensure my students have the best facilities I could offer to match our standard of training. I am so proud and happy with En Pointe, it’s a dance family, a lovely community, and as long as dancers want to dance, we will be there to provide our professional training.

What would your advice be to other business women?

Live your life to the full! Take the risks! Be daring! Focus on you and your dream… and go for it!

At times, it may be very hard, but the journey is worth it, and to achieve your goals and dreams is a wonderful thing.

And once you have, share your knowledge and be generous. Give back to the community if you can!

Find out more about classes at www. enpointeyork.co.uk

Broken Strings On Tuesday I was on my way to work on a beautiful sunny autumnal morning, when a song that I like came on the radio. Whenever I hear “Broken Strings” by James Morrison and Nelly Furtado it reminds me of the way many of my clients tell me they are feeling when they are considering separating from their partners but cannot decide whether to leave.

Couples stay together despite unhappiness for so many reasons - habit, children, fear of the unknown, fear of the other person even and deciding to separate can be one of the most difficult and heart-breaking decisions to make.

It is only natural to initially turn to well-meaning family and friends, social media or the internet for advice but so much of what is out there is inaccurate or taken out of context that the decision can become more confusing.

“He’s the one in the wrong so you will get everything…” or “she’s the woman so the Court will have more sympathy...”

Everyone is suddenly an expert in the law proffering conflicting advice.

Of course, family and friends can be a fantastic and much needed support, particularly where there are children involved. However, at a time that may often be full of

familiesonline.co.uk

uncertainty, confusion, financial worries and even fear, taking legal advice early on, can help give the clarity and reassurance needed to help make a decision.

And this is where a family Solicitor fits in - providing much needed advice on rights, options as well as practical advice on what may happen, often even forming a plan of action to escape if needed.

So, if you feel your relationship is broken possibly beyond repair then please do take the benefit of legal advice to help you make an informed decision.

At Coles we offer a free, no obligation, 30-minute consultation with an experienced, specialist Family Lawyer which will be in the strictest of confidence. Call us 0800 160 10 10 or email familyenquiries@coles-law. co.uk

KEEP CALM AND TAKE FAMILY LEGAL ADVICE

Offices in York, Harrogate, Ripon & Market Weighton

Call our experts today

0800 160 1010

www.coles-law.co.uk Families Vale of York 15

FREE baby Christmas tree with every purchase

Buy your real Christmas tree t s e r o F y b l a from D Enjoy Christmas in the courtyard at Dalby Forest Free parking with every tree sold Festive events and activities For full details and opening times visit forestryengland.uk/dalbyforest

On sale Friday, Saturday & Sunday 30 November - 16 December Fridays & Saturdays 10am - 6pm Sundays 10am - 4pm Dalby Forest courtyard, Low Dalby, YO18 7LT

More information: forestryengland.uk/christmas