Families Leeds & West Yorkshire Jan/Feb 2020

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IN THIS ISSUE

ICE CUBE TICKETS TO BE WON! CHILDREN’S AUTHOR ROSS WELFORD SUPPORTING AN ANXIOUS CHILD WHAT’S ON THIS FEBRUARY HALF TERM

– 15 Sat n 23 Su b Fe Imp ro Ind ved Bale oor Baa Play arn!

FEBRUARY FROLICS

LOADS OF UNDERCOVER FUN THIS FEBRUARY HALF TERM!

NEW Fleecy Fun Shows with The Magic Hatter! | Bottle Feed New Born Lambs | Lambing Live | Tractor and Trailer Rides | Baa-rilliant Bale Play Baaarn with…

GIANT Slides, Junior Tractor Drivers, Rope Swings, Dig ‘n’ Play, Heated Seating Area and lots more Adventure Farm Fun! PIGLETS, NR YORK YO32 9ST TEL 01904 499183 PIGLETSADVENTUREFARM.COM

Issue 68 January/February 2020

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An inspired move.

Our gates at Alwoodley are opening for 3 to 7-year-olds.

From September 2020 our nursery and pre-prep department, Rose Court, will be moving to our main campus at Alwoodley. To find out more call 0113 228 5121 | admissions@gsal.org.uk

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer

OUR BRAIN TUM A Y B D E T DEVASTA SHOULD BE NO FAMILY

Just

Sign up today for your

1%

of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease

FREE FUNDRAISING PACK

www.wearahatday.org Registered charity number 1153487 (England and Wales) SC046840 (Scotland). Company limited by guarantee number 08570737.

looking for expert legal advice? we can help.

“I can not speak highly enough of Emsleys.

99

%

OF CLIENTS*

Everyone was friendly and helpful. Thank you for the great service.”

MATTHEW

would use us again and recommend us.

There comes a time when everyone needs advice from an expert.

• Conveyancing & property • Family matters • Wills, trusts and probate • Employment law • Personal injury • Notary Public • Family matters • Resolving disputes

Call us on 0113 264 4414 or visit www.emsleys.co.uk *Based on Emsleys’ client satisfaction survey results January 2018 – November 2019.

Yorkshire Legal Awards 2019: Shortlisted

I

Yorkshire Legal Awards 2018: Winner

I

Modern Law Conveyancing Awards 2018: Shortlisted

I

The Legal 500: Recommended

I

FT Innovative Lawyers 2015: Stand Out

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WELCOME BACK

CONTENTS… To advertise in this magazine please call 07799 667 041 or email editor@familiesleeds.co.uk CIRCULATION: We distribute 25,000 copies of the magazine free of charge through schools, nurseries, playgroups, clubs and classes, selected retail outlets and sports centres. If you would like copies for your establishment please let us know.

DESIGNED BY: Justin Leeming • 07745 038 005 www.justinleeming.crevado.com PRINTED BY: Charlesworth Press, Wakefield www.charlesworth.com Families Leeds 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 Leeds are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Leeds.

Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Leeds Ltd; our distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

The winner of our Night Before Christmas competition was Saffron Dale, who took Emily, pictured above at the Leeds Playhouse. The winner of our Hansel & Gretel ticket competition was Gwen Kelly.

The winner of our Cinderella ticket competition was Erica Watson. The winner of our Knights and Dragons game competition was Judith Dyson and the winner of our Rainbow Unicorns game competition was Adele Silva.

Congratulations to them and thank you to all who entered.

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4–5

NEWS

6

CLASS REVIEW Tumble Tots

10

CHILDREN’S AUTHOR ROSS WELFORD Interview and book competition

11

DON’T STOP MOVING Tips for getting active

13

ANXIETY IN CHILDREN Advice on how to support

14 – 15

WHAT’S ON? Your guide to what’s on for families in January and February

Welcome back...

6 8 14

As we all know, this is the perfect time of year for resolutions and fresh starts. Luckily, I don’t need to get a coach/personal trainer/boot camp type person in my life – I already have one.

When she fixes me with her solemn, steady glare and commands: “Come on Mummy” – I snap to it.

In fact, now she’s found her voice, the youngest member of the family is whipping us all into shape.

There’s no slouching on her watch.

It is quite entertaining to see her toddler predecessor (middle brother) fall into line.

When she says “Gen gen”, he knows resistance is futile.

But it is her eldest brother, who is nudging towards his teens, with whom she really works wonders. While we resort to pointless nagging and arguments, the calm confidence with which she forces him to do her snack and Peppa Pig-related bidding is quite breathtaking.

So, if anyone is looking for motivation to help make 2020 less sedentary, may I proudly present our two-year-old. The best anti-dote to inactivity there could possibly be!

Happy New Year x Claire Bottomley (Editor)

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Families NEWS… THE BIG GARDEN BIRDWATCH The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is the largest wildlife survey in the world, and it’s great fun for children. It takes place from January 25 to 27 and the information collected helps monitor bird species in the UK. To take part, you need to watch the birds in your garden or local park for just one hour at some point over the three days and report your results to the RSPB. You can request a free Big Garden Birdwatch pack from the RSPB which includes a bird identification chart and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden.

To make it fun, challenge your children to see who can spot the most birds. Take a bike ride to a local park to look for birds, or make a day trip out of it and spot birds in a new place.

For more information, visit www.rspb.org.uk

AIR QUALITY IS WORSE INDOORS A new report into the state of air pollution in UK households has found that our homes are experiencing dangerous levels of indoor air pollution.

The report commissioned by Clean Air Day found that nearly half of UK homes have high indoor air pollution as a result of dangerous levels of formaldehyde and other pollutants.

Data also shows that outdoor air pollution adds to indoor air pollution; it builds up in the home, taking longer to disperse inside than outside.

According to the British Lung Foundation, children are particularly sensitive to poor indoor air quality as their lungs are proportionally larger in relation to their body weight than adults and immature immune systems mean they are less able to fight off any problems that arise from polluted indoor air.

Sources of indoor air pollution include smoking, faulty boilers, open fires, gas cookers and heaters, as well as irritant chemicals from new furniture, air fresheners and household cleaning products.

For more information, visit www.cleanairday.org.uk and www.blf.org.uk

EMSLEYS LAUNCHES POP-UP COMMUNITY SWAP-SHOP A Leeds company hosted a Pop-up Swap-shop throughout December, as part of a new ecofriendly business strategy.

Together, Emsleys Solicitors and Emsleys Estate Agents have been working hard to up their green credentials, including introducing Emsleys Ecos, a group of colleagues who are challenging the way the sister businesses run.

The idea was simple. Visitors to the shop, at the company’s Crossgates office, could swap an item for another of a similar value, donate any unwanted items, or buy from the shop. All funds raised were donated to Emsleys’ charity of the year, The Alzheimer’s Society, and local community hub St Vincent’s Support Centre.

4 Families Leeds

ICE CUBE COMPETITION! Yorkshire’s coolest wintertime attraction is back for another year! Ice Cube will be open from January 31 in Millennium Square, Leeds, and we have four tickets to give away to one lucky reader. To be in with a chance to win them, send an email with the word ICE in the title to editor@familiesleeds.co.uk by January 25. To find out more about Ice Cube, turn to page 8.

Director and Emsleys Ecos Ambassador Andrew Greenwood said: “We care for our people, our clients and our environment – without any of the three we wouldn’t have a business. So, in addition to making Emsleys a great place to work, coupled with exceptional client service, we’re also looking at ways of reducing our impact on the environment.

“The swap shop is a fantastic way of giving local people the option to exchange secondhand goods rather than buying brand new. We hope the initiative will help boost community spirit, as well as our local high street in the lead up to Christmas.”

Visit www.emsleys.co.uk/swapshop for more details, including the final figure raised for charity.

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CALLING ALL FAMILIES – WEAR A HAT DAY NEEDS YOU! The annual fundraising extravaganza Wear A Hat Day is coming back in 2020 – Families Magazine and Brain Tumour Research are calling on you to get involved!

Wear A Hat Day takes place on Friday, March 27, at the end of Brain Tumour Awareness Month.

Over the last decade, this hattastic event has raised more than £1 million in support of the charity Brain Tumour Research. It has become a must-do event for many children and parents and their communities.

Taking part is really easy and the charity has some great ideas on their website to help you plan and host wonderful hat-themed fundraising events. Register today to ensure you get your free fundraising pack in time: www.wearahatday.org.

Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. Wear A Hat Day is a really important campaign be involved with – not only is it great fun but with your participation, it becomes a powerful symbol of hope for all affected by this disease.

Funds raised will continue to help the charity build a network of experts in sustainable research at dedicated centres of excellence whilst influencing the Government and larger cancer charities to invest more nationally.

WOULD YOU RENT BABY CLOTHES? Babies can get through an alarming number of outfits in a day, so there’s no getting away from the fact that you will need plenty of sleepsuits in different sizes, each of which will only fit for a matter of months or weeks. So how to you avoid ending up with piles of clothes your baby has outgrown?

For more and more new parents, the answer is simple: rent.

Two UK companies have introduced an alternative which they believe solves this problem as well as being affordable and environmentally sustainable by reducing waste. The alternative also reduces time spent by parents constantly re-selling and purchasing clothes.

Families pay a monthly subscription, return outgrown clothes and then receive the next size up, in line with their baby’s growth and the changing seasons. Clothes are professionally cleaned and must pass quality control before being sent to the next renting family.

For more info, visit www.bundlee.co.uk or www.bellesandbabes.co.uk

A MAGICAL FAMILY BUSINESS Party organiser and entertainer Susie Sparkles has been making birthday wishes come true for more than 10 years. Now, sparkling has become a family affair, after Susie welcomed her daughter Sylvie to the world last summer.

Daddy has always been part of the line-up, as a Pirate or Super Hero, but now they've made it official and together have become Magic and Mischief, Kids Parties with Sparkle!

“Performing together is so much fun and I think it makes parties that much more special inviting a family to plan and perform at your events,” said Susie. “We know how important it is to get it just right and how those personal touches can make memories that last forever."

To contact Susie Sparkles at Magic and Mischief about your party, look out for Magic and Mischief Kids Parties with Sparkle on Facebook or visit Susie’s website, www.susie-sparkles.co.uk.

SCOPE COURSES TO HELP PARENTS… Scope, the national disability charity, has run its first wave of Parents Connect courses, which launched in Leeds in October.

Parents Connect helps parents of children with disabilities and additional needs to build resilience and take care of themselves whilst raising their children. The six-week course, which is run by parents of children with needs, also provides emotional support and practical advice for parents, helping them to feel better equipped for the journey ahead. After the initial success, Parents Connect will now be running regular courses for the rest of the school year.

Scope also provides a Sleep Right service, which includes a Sleep Practitioner and Sleep Awareness sessions, and Activities for All, which supports and develops inclusive activities across the Leeds.

All three services are free to families in Leeds and don’t require professional referrals. For more information, visit www.scope.org.uk/family-services

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Nurturing

CREATIVITY

Children’s Classes • School Workshops Teacher Training northernartsfactory.co.uk ge ntouch@northerartsfactory.co.uk Telephone 07747 105 277 or 07590 820 920

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CLUBS & CLASSES

CLaSS REviEW: Tumble Tots Huddersfield & Sheffield Where: When:

Ages:

Grenoside, Banner Cross, Moldgreen, Denby Dale. various times on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays – trials available.

Six months to walking, walking to two years, two to three years, three years to school, four-and-a-half to seven years.

Adele, Hannah and Oliver, were on hand to support activities and provide us parents and children with guidance, which gave reassurance and confidence all round.

As we shared the equipment within our groups, the children experienced taking turns and being aware of the world and others around them, as well as developing their co-ordination and agility.

There are four different zones and the groups rotate around them until all are completed. These vary each session, and there is always something new to explore.

Stories are often used to spark imagination with the various exercises – for example small white balls are ‘snowballs’ – and colours and numbers come into play to give an all-round early-years educational experience. I could really see how this class, designed for two to three-year-olds, had been carefully planned to encourage fine and gross motor skills as well as social and cognitive development.

We ended the 45-minute class back together in a circle, with some more singing and an all-important sticker!

As soon as we walked into the Saturday morning Tumble Tots class at Moldgreen United Reform Church in Huddersfield, the speciallydesigned, colourful equipment sparked my two-year-old’s interest, and I knew she couldn’t wait to explore.

We began in a circle with leader Adele, who is welcoming and friendly, and gives clear and simple instructions. After warming up and shaking it all about in the Hokey Cokey, the children were split into groups and allocated to a set of equipment.

Our first zone included a trestle ladder with rungs to climb over, an elevated bench to balance on, balls to throw, a tunnel to climb through and some wobbly boards to navigate.

Faced with engaging and challenging tasks, my little one was enthusiastic about some things and cautious about others. The team –

For more information, visit www.tumbletots.com/huddersfield or call 07368 670 388.

NORTHERN aRTS FaCTORy: Producing the Goods!

Have you thought of having a PyjaMa DRaMa day?

A West Yorkshire Theatre School which has gone from strength to strength has been nominated for an Independent Business of the Year award.

Sally Harington and Anne Keighley took a leap of faith to leave their successful teaching careers two years ago, and Northern Arts Factory was born.

Now it has been nominated in the Yorkshire Choice Awards, and they are both delighted.

“Our vision has taken shape and it is amazing to read our feedback about the difference we have made in the lives of many children,” said Sally. “We are not a traditional theatre school, we are inclusive, we nurture creativity and develop confidence at a pace that suits every child. We promote self-belief before stardom and team rather than self, far removed from any notions of celebrity.”

Northern Arts Factory runs three independent theatre schools and has worked in over 30 schools across Yorkshire to enrich curriculum.

Sally added,“Our mission is to nurture creativity through the arts to enrich the lives of young people.”

Drama is a fun and engaging activity for even the very youngest children, and Pyjama Drama offers classes for children aged from six months up to seven years.

“Our 40 minute sessions are packed full of drama games, music, song and, of course, lots and lots of opportunities for the children to pretend,” said Sara Wainman, who runs Pyjama Drama North Leeds. “Each week, the children will go to an imaginary world and have the opportunity to share their ideas and also to lead the direction of the drama themselves. We don’t use props or costumes in our sessions we don’t need them – a child’s imagination is all we need to bring an imaginary world to life!”

For more information, visit www.northernartsfactory.co.uk To vote, visit www.yorkshirechoiceawards.co.uk

For more information, visit www.pyjamadrama.com

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i

every teacher who has inspired me.

I am Grovian.

Open Morning

Thursday 19th March 9.30 - 11.30am Register to attend at woodhousegrove.co.uk

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BRONTĂ‹ HOUSE

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Families FAVOURITES… Here’s our pick of fun things to do with the whole family this January and February…

Get your skates on at ICE CUBE, Leeds The Ice Cube returns to the heart of Leeds city centre in Millennium Square for three weeks of icy fun from January 31.

Featuring a fully covered outdoor real ice rink, a cosy Skate Escape visitor café and a range of themed rides and attractions suitable for all ages, it’s a great day out for everyone.

There will be general ice-skating sessions, a weekly Penguin Club especially for young budding skaters, ice skating lessons, and accessible sessions.

For times, prices more information, visit www.millsqleeds.com/icecube For details on how to win tickets to the Ice Cube, see page 4.

Reach for the stars at CLIP N CLIMB, ilkley Whatever the weather, adults and children can enjoy some healthy, action-packed fun at Clip n Climb in Ilkley. There are 21 individual and multi climber challenges of varying design and difficulty, testing the agility and courage of climbers in different ways.

It’s a safe and fun environment to enjoy climbing in, ideally located in Ilkley Train Station. Full training is given and if old enough, the climber can connect themselves, to be in control of their own climbing experience.

Arena staff are always on hand to help if needed.

For more information, visit www.clipnclimbilkley.co.uk

Feed the animals at Piglets Adventure Farm, york There’s a new Fleecy Fun Show, baby lambs to feed, giant slides to whizz down and much more at Piglets Adventure Farm this half term.

Open from February 15 to 23, 10am to 5.30pm, you can spend a whole day exploring the farm and enjoying the covered Bale Play Baaarn.

Jump aboard the tractor and trailer ride, see cute animals in the Animal Barn and if you’re lucky you might even see some baby animals being born in Lambing Live and the Piglet Maternity Ward.

In the Play Baaarn, there’s a straw bale mountain, junior tractor drivers’ area, giant slides and dig’n’play. There’s also heated seating area where sourdough pizza is served.

For more information, visit www.pigletsadventurefarm.com 8 Families Leeds

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WHAT’S ON? Get gaming with CBBC at the NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MEDIA MUSEUM, Bradford The world of CBBC and its videogames is coming to the museum this February half term. You can play along with the experts, try out coding workshops with the BBC Education team and discover new skills.

Get a feel for how user testing helps the development of CBBC’s most popular games. Find out how a cartoon about a secret agent mouse comes to life as a game. What does it take to digitise the wild antics of the Operation Ouch! doctors? And how does the CBBC games team bring the exciting adventures of The Dumping Ground online?

Visitors can also enjoy open play zones with the latest CBBC game releases; from Danger Mouse, The Worst Witch, The Dumping Ground and The Next Step.

For smaller visitors and those wanting some space away from the action, there will be a quieter zone where they can try out CBeebies apps including games, stories and creative tools full of everyone’s favourite CBeebies friends.

Visitors can also explore the museum in a special family trail packed with fun challenges. The museum’s popular Wonderlab gallery will be open throughout half term, with opportunities to see exciting experiments and STEM-focused demonstrations from the museum’s learning team, and to try out the fun interactive displays exploring the science of light and sound.

John Darnbrough, Learning Programmes Developer at the museum, said,“We are thrilled to be welcoming back CBBC this February half term following the success of last year’s Operation Ouch! event. CBBC games have something for all children to enjoy, and as well as being fun to play, this is a great opportunity to explore the science behind our favourite videogames and uncover how they are made.”

The CBBC Games Half Term at the National Science and Media Museum runs from February 15 to 23 and is free to enter.

For more information, visit www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

PiCTURE CROSSWORD Can you solve the picture clues and put them in the crossword?

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW

BOOk CLUB… Rachel Bailey has been talking to Ross Welford about his best-selling novels for young readers aged eight plus, and to celebrate the publication of his newest book, The Kid who came from Space, we have a full set to giveaway!

Your first novel was Time Travelling With A Hamster and that was followed

by What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible.

Is there a particular superpower you wish you had?

Oh yes: the ability to write a full-length book once a year effortlessly. It’s not exciting like invisibility, but it’s a power that I would do almost anything to possess.

As well as having a talent for writing, we’ve heard you put on a pretty impressive event when you visit schools/festivals. What do you enjoy most about sharing your books with young fans?

It’s a privilege simply to meet readers.

I especially like it when a teacher introduces a child saying “He/she didn’t like reading until they discovered your books…” The knowledge that I have made a difference like that is awesome: that’s a proper superpower!

You describe yourself as a life-long magic-nerd. Care to elaborate?

I enjoy writing about impossible things becoming possible, and that is exactly what magic tricks do. It’s an interest I have had since I was quite small, and this year I was

admitted to the Magic Circle, which was a very proud moment. I include magic in all my school and festival presentations, and the tricks all have a relevance to my books, or to reading generally.

What’s the thought behind your re-writing competition, and can anyone enter?

I had been doing an “improvised story” with school and festival groups since the start, and the end results are often hilarious. But I worried that I was leaving the children with the impression that that’s how books get written! So I stress that everything needs to be re-written if you hope that other people will read it. I invite the students to re-write what we come up with and submit the results to my competition via my website. It has proved very popular!

What’s your favourite childhood book/author?

Growing up I loved The Magic Faraway Tree books by Enid Blyton and loved them again when I read them aloud to my own kids.

She was phenomenal: the sheer volume of her output was astonishing. There are occasional lapses of quality, but they are pretty rare and she seldom repeats herself.

World Book Day is coming up soon.

Do you have any tips?

I love seeing kids dressed as characters from my books! I have seen someone as a hamster in a football top (Alan Shearer from Time Travelling With A Hamster); a Viking boy (Alfie from The 1,000 Year Old Boy) and a white-coated mad professor (Dr Pretorius from The Dog Who Saved The World).

Failing that, you could just let them truant for the day and say they went as Ethel from “What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible”.

What’s your favourite way to spend time with your family?

They are teenagers now, so I’m pathetically grateful for any scraps of time that they deign to spend with their dad. That said, Sunday lunch is always good, and beach holidays.

The Kid who came from Space is available from January 9 priced £6.99.

Visit Ross’ website: www.rosswelford.com

COMPETiTiON! Families have one full set of Ross’s books to give away to a lucky reader!

They are Time Travelling With A Hamster, What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible, The 1,000 Year Old Boy, The Dog Who Saved the World and The Kid who came from Space. For your chance to win, send an email with Ross Welford in the title to editor@familiesleeds.co.uk before February 28.

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GET SET GO! Sally Hall offers some ideas and inspiration for ways to boost you and your family’s activity in 2020, including great resources available here in West Yorkshire…

Good intentions for the New Year often waver before the Christmas baubles are back in their box. When it’s dark outside and there’s so much to do, it’s easy to pull back from those bubbly-inspired plans to become the next Paula Radcliffe that seemed so achievable on New Year’s Eve. But making a resolution to be more active with family this year needn’t feel like a chore. There are loads of ideas for getting out and about in Leeds and West Yorkshire (as well as stuff to do at home with just a pair of socks and a bucket) to get you and your family moving more.

WALK, SCOOT OR CYCLE TO SCHOOL One of the easiest ways to get active is to walk, scoot or cycle to school (it only takes about 15–20 minutes to walk a mile). For loads of inspiration, support, and contacts, check out organisations including Living Streets, Sustrans and CityConnect, or search ‘Road safety and sustainable school travel for schools’ on the Leeds City Council website. The UK school car run generates half a million tonnes of CO2 every year, so every active school journey helps the planet too.

PARKRUN Parkrun and Junior Parkrun are led by volunteers, and the events offer a fun way for families to get together and be active in parks across the region, including Bramley, Temple Newsam, Roundhay, Cross Flatts and the Brownlee Centre in Leeds, Roberts Park in Saltaire, Greenhead Park and Beaumont Park in Huddersfield, Thornes Park in Wakefield, and Pontefract Park in Pontefract. Walkers are welcome too! Check out www.parkrun.org.uk.

GET SET LEEDS, ACTIVE CALDERDALE, ACTIVE BRADFORD Get Set Leeds is a citywide ambition to get everyone in Leeds moving more. With ideas for getting active from Pokemon Go to family yoga sessions, www.getsetleeds.co.uk also offers the option of becoming a Mover & Shaker and helping to make Leeds a more active city.

Or check out Active Calderdale and Active Bradford if you live in these areas.

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ACTIVE IMAGINATIONS Active Imaginations is an online resource featuring simple and fun activities to help two to four-year-olds get the physical activity they need to grow healthily. The site features videos of local families enjoying games like ‘sock basketball’ and ‘sticky spider webs’, with a drop-down menu offering a selection of different games to play depending on the weather, age of the child and numbers taking part: www.activeimaginations.co.uk 50 THINGS Downloading the ‘50 things to do before you’re five’ app will open up a host of ideas for activities with pre-school children, including ways to enjoy the great outdoors. The app is active in Leeds, Calderdale, Kirklees and Bradford. Check out www.50thingstodo.org.

HOW LONG SHOULD WE ALL BE ACTIVE FOR PER DAY? It’s recommended that children aged one to five are active – in other words not sitting, lying down or glued to a screen – for 180 minutes a day, while for older kids Public Health England advises an average of 60 minutes of daily physical activity. For grown-ups, every minute counts – the more we do, the better the health benefits are likely to be. If adults manage 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, the risk of diseases including diabetes, depression and dementia can decrease by 30% or more.

Sally Hall is an Advanced Health Improvement Specialist for Public Health in Leeds.

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EDUCATION NEWS

MAISEY IS NATIONAL CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPION Woodhouse Grove School’s Junior Girls’ and Junior Boys’ Cross Country teams made it through to the English Schools Athletics Association Cross Country Cup National Final in December – where one of the girls came first.

Both squads had broken school records to

become the first year to ever qualify for the national cup final. Maisey Bellwood put in an outstanding performance to win the girls’ event, with the team placed seventh overall.

The Junior Boys squad put in an admirable performance and finished in 24th place overall.

NATIONAL COMPETITION WIN FOR ST MARY’S St Mary’s Primary School in Horsforth has won a national competition; Help a South African School.

The initiative is run by HORTGRO, the industry association representing South African fruit growers. It aims to give UK school children the opportunity to learn about South Africa.

This year, primary schools were invited to create an assembly script based on ‘Doing Good with South African Fruit’. They were required to demonstrate an understanding of how buying South African fruit allows us to enjoy a healthy, nourishing diet all year round; how it supports their growers and workers; the country’s focus on sustainability and the environment; culture; geography; history and wildlife.

SLEEP LESSONS FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN…

The Year Two class at St Mary’s wrote a script that demonstrated extensive research about South African fruit farming; the fruit’s journey from the tree to our kitchens, and how the country’s climate impacts the quality of their fruit. St Mary’s even made South African fruit flapjack and kebabs, which they sold in the playground to raise money for a South African Sock Appeal.

The school was awarded £2,000 to spend on resources.

DON’T FORGET TO APPLY FOR A SCHOOL PLACE! If your child was born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 they should start primary school in September 2020 and you will need to make an application for a place at a primary school. If you live in Leeds, Kirklees or Calderdale areas, your application must be completed before January 15, and in Bradford it’s January 16.

Apply via your local authority website.

L

Climbing and café 2 ½ years to adult Groups e.g. Scouts, School Trips / PE, Special Needs Sessions, Team Building Parties with or without food

School children across Britain may be offered sleep lessons to help tackle the problem of insomnia in young people.

Children and young people’s sleep is being seen as an increasingly important issue.

According to the British Medical Journal, there is mounting evidence emerging that lack of sleep has a major impact on children’s mental and physical health, as well as learning. A recent study by the BMJ suggests that sleep has a greater impact on an adolescent’s mental wellbeing than bullying, physical activity and screen time.

The sleep lessons are aimed at children ages seven to 16 years and are available as part of the PSHE curriculum. The lessons focus on giving children strategies for falling asleep and raising awareness of how sleep needs change in adolescence.

Experts say the increase in sleep problems is down to a combination of higher obesity levels, excessive use of social media before bedtime and a mental health crisis among young people For more information, visit www. pshe-association.org.uk and www.thechildrenssleepcharity.org.uk

Music & Sensory Classes for 0–2 years Booking for January 2020 Sessions £5 Free toy for block bookings

Booking essential: www.clipnclimbilkley.co.uk or call: 01943 603 829

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PARENTING

Practical Strategies for Supporting an anxious Child By alicia Eaton Once they’ve finished, fold the piece of paper and put it into the Worry Box. Put the lid firmly on the box and put it away.

Once a week, sit down with your child and take out all the pieces of paper in the box and read through the worries one by one.

Encourage your child to be pleasantly surprised at just how many worries took care of themselves. Remember: most of the things we worry about never happen!

E OFTEN HEAR that today’s children are more anxious than previous generations. Growing up in an environment with worrying news items about climate change or terrorism, an endless stream of exams and the digital nightmare of social media competitiveness all contribute to this heightened sense of anxiety. No wonder then that many of today’s parents are finding it a struggle to deal with their children’s anxieties.

But there are simple things parents can do to help. Here are some strategies which you can incorporate into daily life to soothe anxiety and help your children feel calmer and more at ease.

W

PRACTISE BREATHING TECHNIQUES Anxiety can lead to a shortness of breath which in turn creates a pale complexion, sweaty hands and face, tightness in the chest and even giddiness or fainting. “Take a nice deep breath” is a traditional phrase that we’re all familiar with, but taking a deep inward breath is precisely what an anxious person doesn’t need to do. Anxious feelings can be caused by having too much air trapped in the lungs, which gives the sensation of not being able to breathe properly.

Toys and games can help children practice controlling their breathing and here are some useful ways to introduce this concept. n a hand-held windmill toy with sails; n blowing bubbles through a wand n blowing up balloons; n blowing bubbles in a drink through a straw; n playing blow football; n blowing a feather from one side of a table to the other; n blowing up an imaginary paper bag through a scrunched-up hand.

Not only will your child feel calmer after playing these games, but they’ll get a feel for how to control their breathing more effectively when they are feeling anxious.

CREATE A WORRY BOX If you have a child that’s stuck in a cycle of worrying about future events and repeatedly asking “yes, but what if…..,” it will be more helpful to restrict the amount of time given over to discussion about these worries.

Find a box. It can be an old shoebox, or a small, attractively decorated one so long as it has a lid and can be closed easily. Explain to your child that this is going to be their personal Worry Box. Put a supply of paper and felt-tips inside the box. Each time your child gets stuck in a cycle of worries, ask them to take a sheet of paper from the Worry Box and choose a coloured pen. Having a good selection of coloured pens is useful because you can ask your child what colour they think this particular worry is.

Ask them to write down or draw a picture of the worry.

ENCOURAGE AN ATTITUDE OF POSITIVITY Negative thinking can easily become a habit that’s hard to break. Switching your child’s thought patterns around will help to prevent this from happening.

Encourage your child to keep a journal. This can be a physical notebook to record events or doodle in, or they can use any devices they may have for the same purpose.

Each day, ask your child to write down three positive things that happened. These can be quite simple to begin with: we had pizza for lunch or the maths teacher forgot to set homework.

If it’s easier, you can introduce this technique conversationally, either in the car or at the dinner table. Start the ball rolling by mentioning something good that happened to you that day. Too many of us fall into the trap of only talking about the problems and difficulties that we encountered during our day.

Alicia Eaton is a children's emotional wellbeing specialist based in London’s Harley Street and author of First Aid for your Child’s Mind available from Amazon (£12.99). For more information, visit www.aliciaeaton.co.uk

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WHAT’S ON?

ICE CUBE 2020 IN MILLENNIUM SQUARE

Have you got an event you’d like us to list? Email our What’s On editor, Lisa Ross, at lisa@familiesleeds.co.uk.

We took every care in preparing these entries but sometimes events are cancelled or times change. Please double check with the organiser to avoid disappointment.

Red Riding Hood Rock 'n' Roll Panto at City Varieties Music Hall – daily until January 12 Swan St, Leeds, LS1 6LW www.cityvarieties.co.uk You’ll be wowed by this breath-taking production which mixes traditional elements of audience participation and corny gags with a jukebox full of classic rock anthems and chart-toppers, all performed live on stage by a ultra-talented cast of actor-musicians. For four years and above.

Hello Universe at the Science and Media Museum – until January 22 Pictureville, Bradford, BD1 1NQ www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk A mesmerising journey through the incredible sights and sounds of space. Free, temporary exhibition.

The Wizard of Oz at Leeds Playhouse – until January 25 Playhouse Square, Leeds, LS2 7UP 0113 2137 800 www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk Join Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion as the classic story and songs you know and love burst on to the stage in this technicolour spectacular!

The Forgotten Showman at The National Science & Media Museum – Daily Pictureville, Bradford, BD1 1NQ www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk Discover how Robert Paul, the forgotten pioneer of cinematography, invented British cinema.

Aladdin at The Lawrence Batley Theatre – January 11 to 18 Queens Square, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP 01484 430 528 www.thelbt.org The Huddersfield Light Opera Company are back for their 25th pantomime. Expect plenty of glittering costumes, and lots of laughter.

Cinderella at Yeadon Town Hall – January 17 to 25 High Street, Yeadon, Leeds, LS19 7PP 0333 666 33 66 www.yeadontownhall.co.uk/ theatre Yeadon Charities Association presents Cinderella, a perfect family pantomime to enjoy this winter.

Arboreal at Eureka! – From January 11 Discovery Road, Halifax, HX1 2NE 01422 330069 www.eureka.org.uk Step into a digital forest world full of interactive games – the latest exhibition taking over the ground floor of the Spark gallery.

Leeds Dads MeetUp at The Holbeck – January 19 Jenkinson Lawn, Leeds, LS11 9QX www.leedsdads.org Join the Leeds Dads MeetUp – it’s a playgroup for dads and pre-school kids. Expect plenty of arts and crafts, lego, storytime and games. There are mats for babies to crawl. 2pm, £1 per dad.

Leeds Fun Weekend 2020 – January 17 to 19 Various venues in Leeds and Parks around Leeds www.earth.li/~kake/croydon/leeds-funweekend-2020 The Leeds Fun Weekend is a celebration of all the great things to do in Leeds. Includes a museum crawl, the Leeds Owl Trail around the city centre, and a child-friendly crafting session.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the Alhambra Theatre – until January 26 Morley Street, Bradford, BD7 1AJ 01274 432 000 www.bradford-theatres.co.uk Starring Alhambra Theatre panto legend Billy Pearce, pop star and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Faye Tozer and family TV favourite Paul Chuckle.

Home Educator Day at Eureka! – January 23 Discovery Road, Halifax, HX1 2NE 01422 330 069 A great opportunity for Home Educator families to visit the museum at a quieter time (no school bookings are taken on this day) and to take part in some of the school programmes developed for pupils in Years 1 through to Year 6.

Rory’s Tiger Club at Leeds City Museum – Saturdays Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 8BH 0113 224 3732 www.museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk Looking for something creative to do with kids in the city? Head down to Leeds City Museum for a messy Rory’s Tiger Club session for under 5s and their carers. Free, no need to book. 11am to 12.15pm.

Peter Pan at Carriageworks Theatre – January 24 to February 1 exc Monday The Electric Press, Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 3AD 0113 376 0318 www.carriageworkstheatre.co.uk Journey to Neverland where the Darling children Wendy, John and Michael, are led by Peter Pan and Tinkerbell on an exciting adventure with the Lost Boys, the Indians, and Tiger Lily. A sparkling pantomime version of the classic story by JM Barrie.

Toddler Day at Eureka! – January 10 Discovery Road, Halifax, HX1 2NE 01422 330 069 www.eureka.org.uk Take your pre-schoolers along for a day of drop-in activities specially designed for pre-schoolers. There will be no school bookings, so all spaces (and staff) will be focused on the youngest visitors.

THE WIZARD OF OZ, LEEDS PLAYHOUSE

14 Families Leeds

Multi-Sensory Afternoon for the underfives at Leeds City Museum – January 20 Millennium Square, Leeds LS2 8BH 0113 224 3732 www.museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk Play in the pop-up sensory room, with dark dens, bubble tube and sensory equipment. For underfives and their carers. 1pm.

Sneaky Finders Detective Day in Huddersfield Town Centre – January 25 West Yorkshire, HD1 2QB 07577 716 769 www.cluedupp.com Think you have what it takes to catch a killer?

CluedUpp is the exciting outdoor detective game that’s just like a giant version of the board-game Cluedo – and it's happening in Huddersfield.

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WHAT’S ON? Fantasy Heroes at Royal Armouries Museum – January 25 and 26 Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT 0113 220 1999 www.royalarmouries.org An action packed weekend discovering the magic behind the movies.

Green Eggs and Ham at The Lawrence Batley Theatre – February 17 Queens Square, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP www.thelbt.org Meet Dr Seuss’ hilariously persistent Sam-I-Am who is on a mission to persuade a grumpy grouch to try a delicious plate of green eggs and ham! This 50-minute performance features two opera singers, a nine-piece orchestra, and an interactive workshop. Suitable for four to sevenyear-olds and their families.

Limelight Theatre School presents The Little Mermaid at The Victoria Theatre – January 26 Fountain Street, Halifax, HX1 1BP 01422 351158 www.victoriatheatre.co.uk Join Limelight Theatre School's fantastic dancers, singers and actors as they take you under the sea for this classic pantomime tale. 2pm.

Ice Cube 2020 in Millennium Square – January 31 to February 23 Calverley Street, Leeds City Centre, LS1 1UR www.millsqleeds.com The Ice Cube, Yorkshire’s coolest wintertime attraction is back in Millennium Square with its undercover ice rink, visitor café and a wide range of winter themed rides and attractions.

High Jinx Magic, Illusion and Circus Show at The Lawrence Batley Theatre – February 1 Queens Square, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP https://www.thelbt.org High Jinx is back with another fast-paced show filled with grand illusions, crazy tricks and unbelievable circus skills.

Yorkshire Games Festival 2020 at The National Science & Media Museum February 5 to 9 Pictureville, Bradford, BD1 1NQ www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk A five-day extravaganza celebrating games culture, design and production. A fun-packed weekend for gamers of all ages.

Click – The Internet Genie at The Lawrence Batley Theatre – February 8 Queens Square, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP www.thelbt.org A brand new performance for children aged four to 12 about the perils and wonders of the web.

What are you looking at? What do you see?

What appears on the surface may not be the same underneath. The internet genie has given you three wishes and help – be careful what you wish for!

Chinese New Year Extravaganza 2020 at Victoria Theatre – February 9 2 Fountain Street, Halifax, HX1 1BP 01422 351158 www.victoriatheatre.co.uk Mark the fresh beginning and welcome the Year of the Rat as Jinlong Culture Performing Arts brings a spectacular line-up of Chinese acrobatics, music and dance to Halifax. With skilled jugglers, mesmerising magic, illuminating Dragon Dance, live instruments and more.

1.30pm.

HELLO UNIVERSE AT THE SCIENCE AND MEDIA MUSEUM, BRADFORD

A CBBC Games Half Term at the National Science and Media Museum – February 15 to 23

Pictureville, Bradford, BD1 1NQ www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

Get a taste for the world of CBBC and their videogames. Play along with the experts, try out coding and play the latest CBBC game releases; from Danger Mouse, The Worst Witch, The Dumping Ground and The Next Step. For younger visitors there will be a quieter zone where they can try out CBeebies apps including games and stories.

February Half Term Fun at Piglets Adventure Farm – February 15 to 23

Towthorpe Grange, York, YO32 9ST 01904 499183 www.pigletsadventurefarm.com

Watch Fleecy Fun Shows with The Magic Hatter, bottle feed new-born lambs and whizz down giant slides in the undercover Bale Play Baaarn.

Open 10am to 5.30pm.

Sing-along-a-The Greatest Showman at City Varieties Music Hall – February 16 Swan St, Leeds, LS1 6LW www.cityvarieties.co.uk Experience The Greatest Showman in the greatest way possible – with lyrics on the screen so you can join in as loud and proud as you want.

Fancy dress is strongly encouraged and full audience participation essential. 2pm.

Leeds Dads MeetUp at The Holbeck – February 16 Jenkinson Lawn, Leeds, LS11 9QX www.leedsdads.org Join the Leeds Dads MeetUp – it’s a playgroup for dads and pre-school kids. 2pm, £1 per dad.

Superheroes at the Royal Armouries Museum – February 15 to 23 Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT 0113 220 1999 www.royalarmouries.org February half term activities. There are speeding bullets and a tall building, so where better to discover your inner superhero than at the Royal Armouries this spring. But not all of us are made of steel, so go along design and build your superhero armour (evil masterminds also welcome).

PIGLETS ADVENTURE FARM, YORK familiesonline.co.uk

Peppa Pig: My First Concert at Leeds Town Hall – February 18 The Headrow Leeds, LS1 3AD 0113 247 6647 www.leedstownhall.co.uk From Mozart to Muddy Puddles! Peppa Pig: My First Concert is a fun interactive introduction to a live orchestra with everyone’s favourite Pig family.

Sensory Room for Families with Additional Needs at Leeds City Museum – February 20 Millennium Square, Leeds, LS2 8BH 0113 224 3732 museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk A pop-up sensory room with bubble tube, dark tents and tactile toys, for a calmer moment on your museum trip in the holidays. 10.30am.

Recycle Runway at Leeds City Museum – February 20 Cookridge Street, Leeds, LS2 8BH www.museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk Create outfits out of old clothes, recyclable and craft materials. Craft for the under-fives and their carers. 1pm.

Ogg ‘n’ Ugg And The World's First Dogg at Otley Courthouse – February 22 Courthouse Street, Otley, LS21 3AN 01943 467216 www.otleycourthouse.org.uk Can you imagine life without dogs? No? Well, no worries, because Ogg ‘n’ Ugg are here to save us from a life of doglessness. For ages three plus and their families, 2.30pm.

Zog at The Lawrence Batley Theatre – February 28 to March 1 Queens Square, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP www.thelbt.org This smash-hit stage adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s much-loved Zog is a magical production for all ages.

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