FREE
Warwickshire
IN THIS ISSUE
Education Easter Family life Travel
March/April 2022
Familiesonline.co.uk
Familiesonline.co.uk March/April 1
THE BONE SPARROW 22 – 26 Mar
13 – 14 May
From £10*
From £10*
Jonathan Church Theatre Productions presents the Nottingham Playhouse production
17 – 21 May
*1 – 2 Jul
Design:
From £15*
From £10*
*14 – 16 Jun
From £10*
23 Nov – 7 Jan
From £15*
BOOK NOW www.belgrade.co.uk 2 March/April
*Ticket price includes a £1.50 booking fee. No fee applies if booking online.
Familiesonline.co.uk
CONTENTS
Welcome
In this issue
We’re really looking forward to spring here at Families and in preparation, here’s our Easter magazine. Find Easter crafts, cooking, outdoor fun and our yummiest Easter egg selection!
4 9 10
Get out and about with the family again. Plan a unique UK wildlife encounter and find those lesser- 11 visited location spots in our Travel section. With cost-of-living increasing, saving money on everyone’s mind. Read our top tips in Family life section. Do you have a child starting school in September? Then you’ll want to download our free School Starters Planner taster edition. Finally, we have lots of DoodleJamz toys to give away! So make sure you apply for this squishy, squashy, sensory but mess-free drawing pad for your child. And sign up at familiesmag.co.uk/go to receive every issue of this magazine free to your inbox.
13 14 16 17 20 23
Education Mindfulness colouring Mother’s Day gifts Easter part 1 Health Early years Easter part 2 Family life Travel Spring outdoors
Get in touch Competition winners from our November/December issue Congratulations to all our winners. You can find a list here.
Fostering changes lives
Foster Parents come from all walks of life, backgrounds and cultures helping children feel safe & valued - we welcome applications from everyone.
“
By the Bridge are exceptional... ...the best decision we ever made.
”
Katie & Tom By the Bridge Foster Parents
We need Foster families for more than 600 children in your local area this month alone. All we ask is that you MUST have a spare bedroom and the time to give to a child. If you have a spare bedroom and want to make a difference, contact us today.
Call: 0800 644 6230 Familiesonline.co.uk
Visit: www.bythebridge.co.uk/families March/April 3
EDUCATION
Meet the Head We talk to Hellen Dodsworth, who has been the Head of Warwick Prep since September 2016.
Meet the Head
Special feature
Warwick Prep is part of the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation and is split into two parts - the PrePrep and the Prep Departments. The Pre-Prep is for girls and boys aged between 3 and 7. The Prep is moved by the Forest Witcraft quote, for girls aged between 7 and 11. ‘A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, How would your pupils describe the sort of house I lived in or the you? car I drove…but the world may be I asked our Year 2 pupils and they said kind, fair and clever (and wears different because I was important in the life of a child.’ pretty dresses!). How would you describe the ethos of Warwick Prep?
What does being a Head mean to you?
We encourage our children to ‘Aspire, Achieve, Enjoy’. And that last part, ‘Enjoy’, is something we take very seriously!
It means the world. I am fortunate to work with experienced and specialist colleagues and, together, we really care about shaping the lives of our children at Warwick Prep. No two days are ever quite the same!
I have always known that play is one of the most important things children can do and we’ve invested greatly in our outside spaces over the last year with new, stimulating play areas and a Forest School which sits at the heart of our school campus. In my mind, there’s nothing more uplifting that hearing the sound of children playing!
What have you been most proud of since being Head of Warwick Prep?
There have been so many memorable moments, it is hard to choose just one! It may sound like a cliché but I’m so proud of our pupils who every day always do something to make me smile. What are the qualities of a great From their academic and extrateacher? curricular achievements, to being Someone who really cares about the courteous and thoughtful, I couldn’t children and inspires them to be the be prouder. very best they can be. I am always READ MORE 4 March/April
Familiesonline.co.uk
Open Morning, Saturday 12 March 9am-10.45am • State-of-the-art facilities • An enriched curriculum • Dedicated and experienced staff • Specialist lessons • Stimulating nursery garden • Music School • 55 acres to explore • Forest School
Register now for The Squirrels Nursery 2022 warwickprep.com/squirrels
Book your place at our Open Morning at warwickprep.com/openmorning warwickprep.com | admissions@warwickprep.com | 01926 491545
An Independent Day School and Nursery for boys aged 3-7 and girls aged 3-11 Familiesonline.co.uk
March/April 5
Is your child starting school in September? Plan a successful start with the School Starters Planner 2022/23 What’s in the planner? Daily planning calendar What’s coming up – month by month School contact details and login pages
The full 12 month planner covers the entire 2022/23 academic year.
Vital information you will need for school from the experts at Every Day’s a School Day
Buy it HERE
Get a 4 month taster planner for FREE
DOWNLOAD HERE
6 March/April
Familiesonline.co.uk
EDUCATION
So you didn’t get the school place you wanted. What next? Watch advice from Emma Lewry at Every Day’s a School Day
Help, we didn’t get our school choice!
By Emma Lewry
In England, secondary school places are announced on 1 March. Then, during April, primary school applicants find out their designated school. Very high percentages of families receive one of their listed preferences or even their firstchoice school. But what can be done if you are unlucky? READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk
March/April 7
EDUCATION
Educational accessories
Great ideas to help your child learn at any age.
Apple Twist
Stimulates spatial insight, problem solving and logic. Ages 5+.
Smart Snacks Counting Cookies Engaging, imaginative & develops early maths skills at home. Ages 18mth-6yrs.
Play Plus Kids Headphones
Wireless, foldable, comfy fit and volume controls. Ages 3-8.
Peppa Pig Wooden Clock Puzzle
Count, sort, place shapes in the correct order. Ages 3+.
National Smartmax My First Geographic Fossil Sounds and Senses Mix and match, eightDig Kit Excavate real fossils using the included paleontological tools Ages 8+.
8 March/April
piece magnetic toy for early learning. Ages 1-3.
Cargo Ship
Quality resource for literacy, numeracy and general play. Ages 3+.
GILOBABY Smart Robot Toy
Fun, interactive, introduces robotics and advanced technology. Ages 3-9.
Baby Einstein Magic Touch Piano
Toddlers can make music or play along with classics. Age 6mths-3yrs. Familiesonline.co.uk
EDUCATION
Does spelling matter? By Jemma Zoe Smith As a dyslexic tutor, my answer does not fit squarely on one side of the fence. Spelling is a recognised core skill which helps with reading, processing and pronunciation. But should anyone be penalised for having important and novel ideas, simply because they struggle to write them down? In UK primary schools, children are given regular spelling tests and spelling is tested at each stage of pupils’ lives. 11+ exams, SATs, GCSEs and even some job interviews require a writing task without spellcheck. So yes, spelling must matter because it is tested at so many points in the UK (although not so much in the USA). Fail to master spelling and it is harder to make it to top universities or careers. READ MORE
BKHS Prep OM Families Wark.indd Familiesonline.co.uk
1
27/01/2022 10:43:48
March/April 9
EDUCATION
Games to improve visual perception
Can your child make sense of what they see? Visual perception is essential for your child’s reading, writing and movement. Here are some games that help with this important skill.
Peppa Pig Guess Who?
Paddington Spot the Difference
Wooden Pick Up Sticks
Pixy Cubes
Match It Head to Tail
Dive into Shapes!
Helping children discriminate carefully between features. Ages 6mths-3yrs.
Encourages visual attention and sequencing and spatial relationships. Ages 6+.
Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set Copying mazes develops visual perception skills, Ages 4+
10 March/April
A fun family game involving spotting the differences between pictures. Ages 5+.
Aids visual discrimination, visual attention and visual memory. Ages 3+.
iTrax Critical Thinking Game
Copying and building designs boosts visual perception skills. Ages 6-10.
Encourages a focus on details, ignoring extraneous visual information. Ages 3+.
Develops visual perception skills involved in handwriting and reading. Ages 6-10.
Lets Go Code Activity Set
Hop, turn, step and move through a gross motor maze. Ages 5+. Familiesonline.co.uk
EDUCATION
Finding or setting up a Forest School
© Coco Jones
Want a Forest School toddler group? A school offering Forest School? Find here. Nothing in your area? Parents/ childminders can train as leaders. Find a trainer offering ongoing support on the Forest School Association (FSA) website.
Events for Families 3rd to 8th May
ts h ke rc Tic st Ma
SPRING FESTIVAL
SA LE
1
Literary Festival stratlitfest.co.uk
ON
m fro
Stratford
Pre -Schooler Storytelling with Cat Weatherill and Kate Coleman, The Storytree Joanna Hutt Busy Books Gareth P Jones Fairy Tales for the Fearless Korky Paul Winnie the Witch Yuval Zommer How to Draw Bugs Jane Newberry One Green Crocodile Brothers McLeod Knight Sir Louis Hannah Shaw Unipiggle Christopher Edge Escape Room
Box Office: 0333
666 3366
or online at stratlitfest.co.uk 15/2/22 Families Warwickshire ad 180mm wide x 130mm (L) £45.00.indd Familiesonline.co.uk
1
15/02/2022 13:10 March/April
11
EDUCATION
Mindfulness colouring for kids
Download these mindfulness colouring sheets for kids who need some quiet, focused time to be calm or help with anxious or worried feelings.
Lion
Simple mandala
DOWNLOAD HERE
DOWNLOAD HERE
Hot air balloons
Two Smoby KS Slides to give away! Worth £77.99 each Perfect for summer fun! APPLY HERE
DOWNLOAD HERE 12 March/April
Magazine
T&Cs apply
Familiesonline.co.uk
Advertise your business to 1,000’s of local parents in the next issue. Email Claire for more information.
Peacock Gymnastics...
where kids learn to flip & fly GYMNASTICS FOR ALL • • • •
Beginners, Advanced & Intermediate Squads for boys and girls School age to teens Structured Preschool classes from 2 years to 4 years
PGA Merchandise available
GYMNASTIC BIRTHDAY PARTIES
with various themes, for more information or to book, email: flipping@peacockgymnastics.com
www.peacockgymnastics.com
Peacock Gymnastics Academy, Shipston on Stour CV36 4QZ
Familiesonline.co.uk
PGA Members get extra benefits
March/April 13
MOTHER’S DAY
Mother’s Day gifts for under £20 Dads! This one’s for you and the kids! Mother’s Day is Sunday 27 March this year.
Patchwork Game
Pink-Champagne Truffles
Plant Mum Vase
The Naked Bee Hand & Cuticle Salve
Beenax Spiky Massage Ball Set
Calm Club Yoga Cards
Turmeric-infused Honey
Cotton Kimono Robe Wrap
A soothing two-player Made with dolomite, she game about constructing has her own removable Beautiful gift box and a patchwork quilt. £15.29 luxurious white chocolate mini-pot! £16.99 truffles. £16
Spiky massagers for A healing salve for mums arms, legs, shoulders anywhere there’s tension. who garden. £9.49 £8.99
Health conscious, handwhipped, British raw honey infused with natural turmeric. £9.95 14 March/April
A soft, elegant robe mum can feel truly spoilt in. £16.50
A card for every week of the year, teaching the basics. £10.95
Sea Salt Scented Tin Candle Hand-poured, sea salt–scented candle to transport mum to the seaside. £13.05
Familiesonline.co.uk
MUMS IN BUSINESS
Mums in business Ashlea Lines is mum to Sydney, 4, and a local business owner. She set up Me&You when she realised there was a distinct gap in the market for toys that all children can relate to and which represent children living with diabetes, hearing loss and other conditions. We had a chat with her to find out more. What gave you the idea to set up your business? Our son Sydney wears hearing aids and we wanted to buy him a toy that also wore aids which he could relate to. Unfortunately, we found this impossible as ‘mainstream’ toys that children play with every day don’t reflect the real world. Every child is unique so why are the toys they love play and learn with all the same? I had a little play around with different materials and ideas with some of Sydney’s toys and gave him a spider man with hearing aids. His face when he saw him was a memory I will cherish forever. This is when I thought that I could give the same happiness to other children with my adaptations. The name Me&You is because Sydney will always say ‘me and you, me and you’ when we plan adventures. So, how does Me&You work? Do you source the dolls/teddies/ figurines? Me&You is still in the early stages and I have a lot to learn! I adapt Familiesonline.co.uk
toys, teddies and figurines to make them relatable to the child. I try to use pre-loved toys which are in a good condition, making it more sustainable and I adapt them using non-toxic materials. I find out as much information from the customer about the adaptation they want me to do and ideally see an example. I then ask questions to find out more about the child so I can really make their toy personalised. Seeing the children’s faces when they meet their new friend is why Me&You exists. Tell us more about your son Sydney is 4 years old. He loves playing football and has a great left foot! He also loves bowling - we go every week and even made him a bowling alley at home! His favourite film is Hocus Pocus which we watch at least once a week! READ MORE March/April 15
EASTER
Top Easter craft ideas Easter brings with it some fantastic opportunities to get out the paints and craft materials and create lovely eggs, chicks, cards and bunnies!
Easter trees
Potato Easter egg stamps
Egg carton chicks
Easter bunny headband
Easter scene jar
Stitched Easter bunny card
Pompom bunny bonnet
Easter egg pinata
No sew sock bunny
16 March/April
Familiesonline.co.uk
Redwings Horse Sanctuary Oxhill Visitor Centre
ily am f n A fu y out! da
Dog friend ly!
The UK’s Largest Tropical Butterfly Paradise! & Nature Inspired Gift Shop
Butterflies • Birds • Iguanas & so much more…. BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE TODAY Open throughout the year from 10AM
Swan’s Nest Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7LS
Tel. 01789 299288
enquiries@butterflyfarm.co.uk
www.butterflyfarm.co.uk
Follow the brown tourist signs Meet friendly rescued horses and donkeys at Redwings Oxhill, near Stratford-Upon-Avon, CV35 0RP Open 10am to 4pm every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday
www.redwings.org.uk | 01508 481000
W o od s , Ob s ta c l e s , L a k e s & Fi el d s . . .
Spanish, French, German & Italian classes across Coventry & Warwickshire sessions available for ages 1 month - 7 years
Book a trial class!
2 0 2 2
24
hello@bilinguasing.com We make languages fun agai n! Familiesonline.co.uk
A pr
|
5
E V E N T S
Jun
|
L e a m i n g t o n S p a , S ta n f o r d H a l l ,
4
Sep
W a r k s L e i c s
W I L D R U N N I N G - ‘ O U T D O O R F U N AT I T S B E S T ! ’
bilinguasing.com
thewolfrun.com
March/April 17
EARLY YEARS
Transitioning a toddler from cot to bed By Charlotte Woods and Jo Taylor Amidst the 2am online searches on ‘how to help your toddler get some sleep,’ you may have wondered when the right time is for your little one to graduate from a cot to a bed. In truth, there isn’t a one-size-fitsall answer. Do they need to use the toilet at night? Do they try to climb out of the cot? Is the cot needed for a new sibling? Or do you just feel they are emotionally and physically ready? Once you have decided it’s time, take steps to prepare for this exciting stage of development. It’s about building up and instilling confidence in your child. Think about sleep habits Make sure they can self-soothe and keep sleep prompts consistent eg white noise, a comforter or familiar song. Create a safe environment Check your child’s bedroom for anything unsafe. Ensure windows can’t be opened and consider using a stairgate. Establish a bedtime routine Maintain what works, such as a short bath, stories and cuddles – these all help to make the 18 March/April
experience more familiar. Communicate changes positively Talk to your child in age-appropriate language and use books such as: Princess Polly’s My Big Girl Bed and Pirate Pete’s My Big Boy Bed. Prepare the sleep space Get your toddler involved. Choose bed covers together and personalise their bedframes with stickers. Think about photos of loved ones and a night light too. Pre-empt bedtime requests Making their favourite meal before bed or introducing water in a beaker on the bedside table help with settling. If they need a nappy/ pyjama change, have everything to hand for minimum fuss. READ MORE
Familiesonline.co.uk
EARLY YEARS
Top apps every parent needs Overwhelmed by the number of apps available in the App Store? Ari Last, founder of the Bubble app shares his recommendations. Get these on speed dial to make parenting and family life a little easier.
Mush
Find friends with kids the same age nearby.
OLIO
Allrecipes Dinner Spinner
The Wonder Weeks
Kidday
Family Locator
A week-by-week guide to Solving the endless ‘what your baby’s development – pregnancy to after can I make for dinner?’ birth. question.
Give away unwanted kids’ items to other local parents.
Store your photographs in one place. Share albums with friends/ family.
Track the location of older children/teens when out and about.
CBeebies
Bubble
Sound Sleeper
Educational games and classic cartoons for when you just need a break! Familiesonline.co.uk
Find, book and pay local sitters/nannies recommended by friends/other local parents.
Help your baby fall asleep with this collection of calming sounds. March/April 19
EASTER
Easter cooking Fill the kitchen with delicious smells and make some yummy Easter treats with the kids.
Chocolate cornflake cakes
Hot cross bun trifle
Easter bunny KitKat house
Easy hot cross bun ice-cream
Easter marshmallow bubble slice
Greek Easter cookies
Chick biscuits
Choc chip hot cross buns
Lemony Easter chicks
20 March/April
Familiesonline.co.uk
HEALTH
One snack too many? Even if your child is a healthy weight, it’s not great if they eat little nutritious food and get most of their energy from unhealthy or sugary snacks. Public Health England advises parents that sticking to two packaged snacks a day and keeping them each at under 100 calories (kcals) or 418 kilojoules (kJs) is really important for children. The food label usually states how many calories are contained in 100 grams or 100 millilitres of the food or drink you are buying, so do compare the calorie content of
different products. The free NHS Food Scanner app helps you scan product barcodes to find healthier alternatives. You’ll be surprised at how high the energy intake is for some common snacks.
Calories in popular packaged kids’ snacks Nature Valley Crunchy Oats & Honey Bar Packet of Walkers Ready Salted Crisps 32.5g KitKat 2 Finger Bar Soreen malt lunchbox loaf Cheestring McVities Ginger Nut Biscuit Mini Milk Ice Cream Lolly Froot Shoot Orange Juice Drink Fruit Shoot hydro water
823kJ 706kJ 436kJ 380kJ 253kJ 196kJ 134kJ 40kJ 8kJ
or 196kcal or 169kcal or 104kcal or 90kcal or 61kcal or 47kcal or 32kcal or 10 kcal or 1.8kcal
Useful online resources Better Health – tips, tools and apps to help you improve your family’s health. The Eatwell Guide – how much should you eat from each food group? Plus healthy snacks ideas. BMI healthy weight calculator - calculates healthy weight. Familiesonline.co.uk
March/April 21
EASTER
Best Easter eggs for 2022 Find it hard to choose? Here are some of the best options this Easter.
Cadbury Twirl Orange Flavoured Extra thick egg filled with Chocolate Egg You Crack Me Up Easter Egg
Lindt Milk Chocolate Egg
Comes with Lindor Milk Chocolate Mini Eggs.
fun chocolate treats.
Large chocolate orange shell and two full-sized chocolate bars.
Ferrero Rocher Milk Chocolate & Hazelnut Egg
Montezuma’s Milk Chocolate Chick with Buttons Cute clucky chick and giant buttons.
White half-eggs sandwiched with caramel-milk chocolate.
KitKat Salted Caramel Giant Egg
Thorntons White Chocolate Bunny Egg
Marigold the Duck
Chocolate egg studded with chunks of hazelnut and Ferrero chocolates.
Caramel flavour egg, with bars of KitKat Chunky Salted Caramel Fudge.
22 March/April
With white chocolate and decorated with milk chocolate.
Caramayo Chocolate Easter Sandwich
Milk chocolate with naturally coloured yellow and white speckles.
Familiesonline.co.uk
FAMILY LIFE
Having incredible conversations with your child By Jane Gilmour and Bettina Hohnen You: How was your day? Your Child: Fine. Want something a bit more? Timing. Try not to pounce on your child with questions straight after school or nursery. Kids often need time to decompress. Wait and read the room. Start conversations when they are rested and well fed. Setting. Many kids find face-to-face talking a bit intense. Weave your conversations into another activity eg when they are drawing.
and so on - the top of the mountain is the best, the bottom is the worst.
Expectations. Learning to communicate meaningfully together is a skill that takes time to build. Not all conversations will go smoothly Get real. Pre-teen children find but, in time, if your bids are gentle abstract concepts difficult and often and genuine, your relationship will don’t have the vocabulary to reflect thrive. their experiences. If you want to find out how your child is, draw a READ MORE mountain. Ask your child to use the mountain to show how they are feeling today, how they feel usually Truly communicating with your child is a great privilege for a parent. More than that, building a strong relationship with them improves their quality of life by protecting their mental and physical health. How to Have Incredible Conversations With Your Child by clinical psychologists Jane Gilmour and Bettina Hohnen can help you further with this. Familiesonline.co.uk
March/April 23
FAMILY LIFE
Top green family products If you’re looking to replace existing family products with something new, then why not consider these green options?
Reusable bamboo straws
Eco-friendly backpack
Beeswax food & sandwich wraps
100% USDA certified organic with all-natural plant-based cleaning brush.
Large enough for A4 books and folders. 100% recycled polyester.
Award-winning reusable wraps. 100% organic cotton and British beeswax.
Biodegradable & recycled swim towels
Reusable snack bag
Disposable econappies
Reusable nappy
Reusable cutlery
Beeswax crayons
Quick dry towels. 100% recyclable materials and biodegradable cotton.
Award-winning, adjustable, all in one, washable and reusable.
24 March/April
Perfect alternative to single-use sandwich bags and cling film.
100% organic bamboo. Suitable for everyday use or picnics.
Sustainable organic bamboo fibre, plant based liners. 100% compostable.
Natural beeswax crayons made with minimum of 25% beeswax.
Familiesonline.co.uk
FAMILY LIFE
Reducing the cost of family living Get a grip of finances
Make savings
Get support
Never want to miss another issue? FREE
TAKE ME HOME
Magazine
s Magaz
30
ri
years
ud
e
o
ie
nt
il
in
Familiesonline.co.uk
SIGN UP NOW IT’S FREE
Pr
If you’re pregnant and for a year after your baby is born, you can get free NHS dental care and prescriptions. A monthly Child benefit of £21.15 per child under 16 and £14 for each additional child may be claimable, depending on your income. If you’re pregnant or have a child under 4, Healthy Start vouchers can be spent on essential food items. If you regularly spend money on prescriptions, an NHS Prescription Prepayment Certificate can save money. Check your entitlement to Tax-Free Childcare or Free Childcare/Early Education.
Slash £1,000+ off your yearly grocery bill by taking the Downshift Challenge. Save on big brand disposable nappies by using comparison site BumDeal. Get free second-hand stuff from giveaway websites Freecycle and Freegle. Buy second-hand and get great quality for less. Try eBay, Gumtree and Facebook Market Place. Save £££ each year (and reduce your carbon footprint) by following simple energy saving tips. Try the Energy Efficiency Calculator for personalised advice on use and solutions.
Fa m
Take back control of family spending with free apps like Money Dashboard or Emma. Monitor and set limits on your kids spending with apps like gohenry or the free Revolut Junior. Don’t spend more than you earn. MoneySavingExpert’s free The Budget Planner will help. Don’t get caught short. Try Piggybanking. Divide money into separate pots for essential bills. Struggling with missed bills and payments? Try prioritising and consolidating. More info at debt help tips. Get organised with family meal planning. Save money, time and waste.
to be
P
.co.uk
familiesonline
1 May/June 202
Magazine
March/April 25
TRAVEL
Unique UK animal encounters Create lasting memories with a UK animal encounter. Compiled by Yonder, a new travel brand offering nature-rich stays and experiences.
Spot badgers in Dorset
Go whale watching See wild boar in the in Scotland Forest of Dean
Stay: Shepherd’s Hut, Blandford Forum
Stay: Tirlaggan Studio, Oban
Watch beavers in Cornwall
Walk alpacas in East Sussex
Stay: 2 Pencoose Barns, Truro
Herd sheep in the Lake District Stay: Winster Fields, Windermere 26 March/April
Stay: Gun Hill Cottage, Heathfield
Spy red squirrels in the Yorkshire Dales Stay: Mary’s Cottage, Hawes
Stay: Danby Lodge, Coleford
Kayak with seals in Pembrokeshire Stay: Maerdy Lodge, Haverfordwest
Spot African animals in Kent Stay: Shore, Hythe
Familiesonline.co.uk
TRAVEL
Lesser-visited UK staycation spots Avoid the crowds! Try one of these lesser-visited staycations spots put together for Families by Gabrielle Nash.
Lundy Island, Devon
Tenby, Wales
The journey to this showstopping island is an adventure! The kids will love taking the ferry over from Ilfracombe. The name Lundy means puffin, the island’s most famous resident. Enjoy a back to nature holiday with just a handful of other inhabitants, staying in one of the historical properties. There’s even a lighthouse you can stay in!
Tenby is the perfect location for a family holiday but so often overlooked in favour of more traditional spots. Stunning sandy beaches are the major draw card but the town has a vibrant atmosphere, colourful cottages and an array of family-friendly eateries. There are also plenty of family attractions nearby.
Dungeness, Kent
Aberdeen, Scotland
Dungeness is a quiet settlement on Britain’s largest shingle beach. The well-known power station makes a great rainy-day activity and opportunity for kids to find out how electricity is generated. Surrounding it lies a beautiful nature reserve. Stay in a seaside property and take the narrow-gauge steam train out to Dymchurch and Hythe.
Perched on the east coast of Scotland, Aberdeen has a beautiful sandy beach to one side and the striking mountains, the Cairngorms to the other. Take the trail of seventeen castles you can even stay the night in one! For activities, check out the busy harbour for boat-loving kids and don’t miss the Science Centre.
Familiesonline.co.uk
March/April 27
TRAVEL
Lesser-visited UK staycation spots Avoid the crowds! Try one of these lesser-visited staycations spots put together for Families by Gabrielle Nash.
County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland
Bamburgh, Northumberland
In Northern Ireland’s lake district in the south-west of Northern Ireland, you’ll find beautiful accommodation options from a lodge on a private island to luxury camping. Kids will love the walk through the Marble Arch caves or enjoy taking a trip on the waterbus. A must-see is the medieval Enniskillen Castle.
Situated on a vast stretch of golden sand on the Northumberland coast, Bamburgh is a family holiday dream. The stunning Bamburgh castle sits imposingly above the beach in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Try surfing or windsurfing, or head to a local cafe for some freshly caught fish.
The Wye Valley
Cheshire
The Wye Valley is an area of outstanding natural beauty with the River Wye running through it. The area offers a great family holiday with opportunities to try wild swimming, fishing or canoeing. Whether you fancy a log cabin with a hot tub or glamping with the kids, you’ll find plenty of choice.
With some great family-friendly attractions, enjoy Cheshire’s beautiful countryside or opt for a city break in Chester. For space lovers, there’s a new visitor centre at the observatory Jodrell Bank, kids will love Chester Zoo and everyone will enjoy the Ice Cream Farm, a theme park dedicated to ice cream!
28 March/April
Familiesonline.co.uk
SPRING OUTDOORS
Spring make n’dos Enjoy nature and garden-themed activities with the kids - perfect to while away some hours at the weekend or during the school holidays!
Weave a nature loom
Make a spring sensory bin
Make a garden gnome
Spot early signs of spring
Grow potatoes in a tub
Make a butterfly feeder
Make easy pine cone hedgehog
Grow microgreens
Make simple garden wind chimes
Familiesonline.co.uk
March/April 29
SPRING OUTDOORS
Outdoor adventures Enjoy the great outdoors this spring and get the kids to try some of these great activities.
Try the string walk
Plant a tree
Join a fossil hunt
Take a family walk
Try orienteering
Make a stone cairn
Go pond dipping
Play Poohsticks
Go canoeing
30 March/April
Familiesonline.co.uk