Families North East Magazine May/Jun 2022 PRINT

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IN THIS ISSUE

Clubs & Classes Education Kids’ Parties Awards Travel Issue 24 May/June 2022

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AWARDS

Families North East Awards Shortlisted nominees

Sponsored by

Congratulations to all those who have been nominated to win one of our Families North East Awards. Independent judges will decide our winners and runners up!

Star Teacher/Childcarer Kim Longstaff, childminder Leah Norris, Nursery Teacher, Little Tinklers Nursery, Corbridge Mrs Harrison, Head Teacher, St. Anne’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Sunderland Mrs Leadbeater, Assistant Head Teacher, Waverley Primary School, Newcastle upon Tyne Andrew Firth, Head Teacher, High Spen Primary School, Rowlands Gill Mrs Hann, Head Teacher, Thomas Walling Primary Academy, Newcastle upon Tyne Miss Pritchard, one to one support Teacher, Thomas Walling Primary School, Newcastle upon Tyne

Discovery Museum Hall Hill Farm Beamish Museum WWT Washington Wetland Alnwick Garden

Best Childcare Provider Tamsin’s Little Acorns, Ashington Little Tinklers Nursery, Corbridge Plantpots, Jesmond Ponteland Private Nursery Spring Bensham, Gateshead

Best Club/Class North East Wilds CIC, Newcastle upon Tyne Razzamataz, Newcastle upon Tyne Hartbeeps, Alnwick, Morpeth, Ashington, Newcastle & SE Little & Loud, East Boldon True Colours Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne Dance City, Newcastle upon Tyne Little Kickers, area wide Little Learners, Newcastle & Gateshead Owl Tree Children’s Cafe CIC, Newcastle upon Tyne Rugby Tots, North East Rhythm Time, Newcastle, Tyne & Wear Tiny Tasters, Tyne Valley

Best Day out in the North East Beat the Street, Stockton RSPB Saltholme Raby Castle Wacky Warehouse, Boldon Bowes Museum

Best Holiday Club Shape Performance, Northumberland Parker Trust, Sunderland North East Wilds CIC, Newcastle upon Tyne Wilde Farm, Ponteland Dance City, Newcastle upon Tyne Razzamataz, Newcastle upon Tyne Lee Sterry Sports Coaching, Newcastle upon Tyne

and place to suit you, contact: Emily Cannell Head of Family ecannell@mincoffs.co.uk 0191 212 7718

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CONTENTS

Welcome So much to look forward to in May and June, including two bank holidays, one of them extra-long! Yippee!

Contact us

Warm sunny days are on the horizon so start planning some local family adventures using our new Top 9 feature on the back page. This issue, we focus on animal/wildlife attractions.

Carla Finlayson & Laura Macaulay Editors E: Carla@familiesnewcastle.co.uk T: 07734 690020

Take a look at our new ‘Meet your local club/class’ directory and find out what is on offer in the region for your child.

@FamiliesNorthEastMag

If you have a little one who starts school in September or a child transitioning to secondary school, now is also the time to start thinking about preparation. Find tips and advice in our Education section.

@FamiliesNEMag

Did your child miss a birthday party or two during the pandemic? If you’re searching for inspiration for a big bang occasion this year, then keep reading for this year’s hottest party trends and make it a party to remember.

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Finally, in this issue, we have cute and cuddly Care Bears to give away! Apply for these colourful companions for your child to fall in love with at familiesmag. co.uk/go. By doing so, you’ll also ensure you receive our digital magazine straight to your inbox with lots more content and goodies on offer.

In this issue 4.

Education

8.

Early years

10.

Travel

11.

Clubs & classes

13.

What’s on

14.

Family law

15.

Parties

16.

Animal & Wildlife top 9 in the

Carla & Laura x January/February giveaway winners

Congratulations to all our winners. You can find a list at https://bit.ly/compwinnersJF

Northeast

Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Print Ltd. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine but Families Print Ltd, its distributors, franchisees and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequences thereof.

Care and share with Care Bears Bean Plush!

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EDUCATION

Lessons to learn before you’re 10

By Gail Hugman We live in a world where it’s easy to become overwhelmed. So teaching young children to make good use of their working memory, exercise self-control and get organised will really help them develop the skills they need to succeed in life.

These key skills underpin everything we do in life and it takes just a few minutes a day to boost them so your child learns more effectively and confidently. What’s more, growing these skills can be fun!

Developed by experts who understand how children’s brains develop and form, try these starter activities to set your child off on the right path.

school, your brain will remember it better if you sort the information first. You’ll be able to remember names, countries, lists, linked facts and even do magic tricks by remembering a bunch of playing cards in order - how cool is that?’

Working memory

Self-control

Play Kim’s Game.

Ask your child to tell you really quietly what colour socks they are wearing. Then ask them to tell you again as LOUDLY as possible (it may not be such fun for you, but they will love it!)

Each time they whisper or shout, give feedback to their brain by telling them ‘that’s great whispering, can it be quieter?’ or ‘excellent LOUD voice, is that the loudest you’ve got?’

To set up, gather ten objects together on a tray. Give your child one to two timed minutes to look at the objects, then cover them up. Depending on age and ability, ask them to tell, draw or write which ones they remember. As they progress, add more objects or give them less time to remember them.

There are ways help brains recall objects; the trick is to make links and spot patterns.

Give them these tips: To start with, count how many objects you’ll have to remember.

Look to see if any can be linked together, by colour or by material, such as all plastic or all wood, by shape or by use; eg knife and fork go together, tools together, toys together.

Do this exercise a few times and congratulate your child on their self-control. Tell them that taking charge from the inside is a very grown up thing to do.

Decide one thing you’d like your child to get under control. For example, it may be to resist the impulse to call out in class. Or leave their desk when they should be sitting quietly. Make it a positive.

Older children ages 7+ might be able to order the objects in a sequence or a story.

Explain to your child that you’d like them to focus on this one thing every day for a week. Remind them each day, ask how they got on and praise their progress. In this way, you’ll support their effort to control their impulses.

The more children play the game, the better they will get at recalling the objects. Why not see for yourself and play along too! Keep a tally so they can track their improvement and praise them for being clever. Explain that this is more than just a fun challenge, it’s all about teaching their brain to have a really good memory.

Gail Hugman is the bestselling author of 100 Things to Learn Before You’re 10. A children’s life coach, she owns and runs Human at Core (www.humanatcore.com), which helps parents motivate and engage their children in developing a bright future and provides science-based online personal development courses for children and parents.

You can say: ‘When your teacher shows you something in

Time management

Organisation

Organising time is a great skill, but children first need to grasp how long things actually take. Our ‘just a minute’ might take five or ten minutes and young brains may understandably be fooled into thinking only a minute has passed.

Have fun using a timer to count how many of the following things they can do in one minute: hops, writing their name neatly, reading words out loud, starting a colouring-in page.

Show them a timetable of their day with blocks of playtime in which they can plan their own fun.

Good habits created early on pay dividends in later life!

Help your child put together a homework kit so all the stationery they need is at hand before they start working.

Teach your child to get ready the night before, setting out tomorrow’s clothes and any extra kit they will need.

Time homework. If it’s supposed to be thirty minutes, don’t spend longer on it. If your child is not finishing on time, either the teacher needs to know or they need to focus more effectively.

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EDUCATION

A parent’s guide to secondary school transition

By Lisa Wander and Catherine Loble

The move from primary to secondary school is a major change for children. Most see this as an exciting next stage in their school journey but, for some, the change can make them feel anxious and uncertain. And all this at an age when children are already going through many physical and emotional changes ahead of adolescence.

Bringing up children is a slow, staggered process of detachment, from the moment they learn to crawl to the moment they finally leave home. When a child starts secondary school, with a mobile phone and travel card, it’s easy to see impending adulthood in the paraphernalia of independence as the detachment process begins.

Our role is to give our children roots and wings. Roots to know where home is and wings to fly away. The roots begin to form during early years education; secondary school is the place where children start to grow their wings.

Whilst most children will have a positive secondary school start and will embrace the new experiences on offer, research has found that the shift to secondary school can be stressful for about one in four children and that nearly three quarters of parents are anxious themselves.

Our input at this stage is crucial and our role as parents is to be our child’s sounding board, establishing an open relationship in which they feel valued, respected and connected. By adopting this non-judgemental response, our children are more likely to

keep talking to us as they get older.

Finally, while we may no longer be at the school gates, our involvement continues to be crucial to both our children’s emotional wellbeing and academic success. There are still many opportunities to stay involved: by joining the PTA, becoming part of a class WhatsApp group and getting to know the school and what support it offers.

Talk to your children about their day but possibly not the moment they walk through the door - a snack and a drink often help to ease the way into a pleasant chat.

The key to a healthy ongoing relationship is to keep the communication going. Remember that you are your child’s emotional coach.

Lisa and Catherine are co-founders of Emparenting (www.emparenting.co.uk), supporting children, parents and families with the insights, skills and tools needed to nurture the development and well-being of the next generation.

Before your child starts

Change and uncertainty

Exploring Recognise and talk about their primary school highlights and achievements - and things they may miss.

Find out what they are looking forward to at their new school, addressing worries and concerns.

Connecting Look at the new school website with your child and take part in any induction events.

Help your child think about how to approach new people and start conversations.

Find other children on the new school route to travel with.

Empower your child Encourage your child to take more responsibility at home to build their confidence and independence.

Support steps towards independence: allow them to walk home alone in their final term (if practical), meet a friend locally or run an errand for you.

Notice when your child does something well and praise them.

Organisation is key to success Help your child plan out their journey and do a few trial runs together.

Make sure you have all the uniform and equipment ready in time.

Plan a suitable space and time for daily homework.

During times of change children will typically experience many emotions, just as adults do. Remember that change is a normal part of life and can help us develop courage, flexibility and resilience.

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So how can we help them understand and manage their feelings?

Acknowledge challenging feelings and events. help them learn that life is not perfect and that there may be hard days and difficulties. Teach them to accept these feelings knowing that this acceptance will help them to move on with the emotional strength that they will need as they mature.

Validate your child’s feelings. encourage them to process and talk to you about what is going on. Try not to dismiss their concerns and worries as trivial.

Help your child learn what they can and can’t control. we can control our goals, relationships and how we spend our time. We can’t control natural disasters, pandemics or loss.

Maintain family routines. knowing what to expect will help your child feel grounded and secure, especially during times of transition.

Families North East 5

EDUCATION

Starting school?

Managing school lunches

By Emma Lewry

School lunches have come a long way since cold custard and blancmange. If your child is starting school this year and you want to prep them for the experience, here are a few things to consider.

School dining halls can be busy places and children might need to carry their food to a table. Practise at home by using a tray and some real or play food. Explain to your child that at school they might need to use a tray too.

Talk to them about what the hall might be like; lots of tables and chairs where children eat lunch together, lots of grown-ups to help and, although it might be noisy, it will be because everyone is chatting about their fun morning at school.

Will they like the food? I’ve seen with my own eyes that when there’s no pressure from adults watching their every move, children are more likely to try what their peers are eating.

Families are often surprised to hear their children have tucked into things like couscous or ragu at school when at home they would rather starve themselves than even touch a vegetable!

Very often children will eat well at school and be brave enough to try something new. If you have a child who is choosy, it can be helpful to explore different tastes at home alongside their tried and tested favourites, exposing them to more options before launching into school lunches.

It’s also useful to explain that food may look and taste different from the home version. If lasagne is their favourite and the school version is packed with veggies, it might not be what they were expecting. Show how foods can be made in different ways by trying out some new recipe variations at home to mix things up.

If you’re unsure about whether to give school lunches a go in Reception, ask the school for a menu and check which options your child might like.

All in all school lunches are a great choice, so consider taking the leap and ordering them at least for the first few weeks. I’m pretty sure you won’t look back!

Emma Lewry is an Early Years teacher, headteacher and mother of two. Emma co-owns Every Day’s a School Day (www.edasd.co.uk) which guides families through starting school with courses, groups and a school starter’s planner available from Amazon.

Four reasons to opt for school lunches

Preparing for secondary school lunches

NOT having to make a packed lunch every day!

Most secondary schools have a canteen-style lunch option often with more choices than at primary school. Prepare by exploring similar venues like cafes; ask your child to look at the options on the menu and let you know what they might choose if it was lunch at school.

They’re free for all children in Reception, Years 1 and 2 in England.

They’re healthy. The days of greasy chicken dippers and chips with every meal are long gone. School food now has to pass strict regulations which ensure healthy, nutrient-packed ingredients with a range of different fruits and vegetables included. School meal providers work extremely hard to ensure lunch options are healthy and tasty. So if healthy is what you’re after, school lunches tick the box. Choosing school lunches also means your child has a hot meal each day; this takes the pressure off needing a fancy dinner when they get home.

They’re an opportunity to try something new, including new flavours and foods which can then become tasty new favourites.

The more adventurous you are at home in the run up to starting school, the more open your child will be to new menus. Finally, you’d be surprised how unfussy they can be when they’re hungry!

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Discuss with them how to choose a good balance of foods to give them energy and fill them up. Explain how a range of foods across the week will give them a balance of nutrition. You could also practise working out how much items cost; children may have a card to use with a set amount of money for the week or a set amount each day, so budgeting is a great skill to practise.

Hopefully lunch times will be a social opportunity and your child will be able to meet up with friends to enjoy their lunch together.

Encourage them to organise who to eat lunch with in advance, especially in the first few days, so they can tackle the new system together.

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EDUCATION

Understanding executive function

By Usha Patel Executive functioning is a way of describing the series of mental processes that are required to complete a task.

Broadly speaking, executive function skills involve selfcontrol, working memory and flexible thinking.

Children labelled with a learning or behavioural problem will often display issues with their executive functioning, for example, in staying organised and focused. But many of the symptoms that parents may be told to medicate away are, in fact, executive functioning problems that might respond to a different kind of therapy.

These are the kids who lose the homework they stuffed into overflowing backpacks. Or the children who realise at 9pm that they need supplies for a vital project due the next day. When the tasks of daily life become unbearable, they melt down in a convulsion of emotion.

Whether the diagnosis is ADD, dyslexia or something else, these kids share a common problem: they just can’t manage the simple daily tasks that come easily to some of us.

Many children experience problems with their executive functioning, regardless of whether they have an underlying condition. Difficulty with one skill usually manifests across lots of different areas of a child’s life. For example, a child who has difficulty with time management is likely to both struggle to be on time and be unable to estimate how long a task will take.

Executive function difficulties seem pervasive but I believe it is possible to deconstruct their symptoms and pinpoint cognitive

skills that can be strengthened using the latest research. These difficulties are manageable and respond well to intervention. The first step is to observe your child and their behaviour, look for any executive functioning problems and then talk to them about their difficulties.

A child’s struggles can come from a variety of sources but these may be mysterious and frustrating for both you and your child and the source may be difficult to pinpoint. However, the chances are there is an underlying cognitive skill that needs strengthening. By understanding the root cause of the problem, you can then implement helpful therapies.

You may find it helpful to download my self-assessment that highlights behaviours associated with executive functioning problems. You can find this at https://bit.ly/exfuinfo Usha Patel is a neurocognitive therapist and expert in executive functioning, along with other special educational needs. She runs Raviv Practice London (www.ravivpracticelondon.co.uk).

What is executive function?

Identifying executive function weaknesses

If you think about the structure of a large company, it’s easy to understand the term executive function. Just as the executive team of a corporation manages and co-ordinates the various departments around a common goal, your brain’s executive functions co-ordinate different cognitive abilities around your goals. You require these skills to set and achieve goals, whether modest or ambitious.

Rule out learning disorders It’s possible your child isn’t turning in homework because they don’t understand the subject and are embarrassed to ask for help. It isn’t uncommon, for example, for children gifted in the arts to have a learning disability when it comes to maths.

Society creates structures for children that mimic adulthood in part to help them develop their executive function skills. School, sport and other activities help children create and work towards goals.

Rule out emotional issues Perhaps a bully is targeting your child. Maybe they’re too anxious to read their homework out loud. Maybe they’re concerned the teacher dislikes them and will give them a bad grade. Children’s emotional pain may not make sense to us but it’s very real to them.

Here are some key areas of your child’s life where executive function can help: Paying attention in class or at home; Managing time and prioritising tasks, such as homework; Being organised and planning ahead; Remembering tasks and chores; Starting tasks and staying focused on them; Controlling emotions; Understanding both their and other’s emotions.

Understand the patterns There is an unmistakable pattern to executive function problems in children. If your child often loses their homework and their bedroom is always a mess, this may indicate problems with organising. If they can’t resist playing video games or another fun activity until homework is finished, then they may have trouble with self-control. If that’s the case, then they will probably want to eat dessert before dinner too!

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Families North East 7

EARLY YEARS

Developing humour as an infant

By Dr Elena Hoicka As a research team, we have always been fascinated by humour in children and so we set out to discover the types of humour that are present in early development and the ages at which different types of humour emerge. To do this, we mapped young children’s understanding of jokes for the first time using data from a new study involving nearly seven hundred children ages 0 to 47 months.1 Incredibly, we identified twenty one types of humour. Children under one year appreciated physical, visual and auditory humour. This included hide and reveal games like peekaboo, tickling, funny voices and noises. In the first year, children are learning to process sensory information, such as what things look, sound and feel like and their humour reflects this. So once they know what a voice should sound like, they notice when someone’s voice sounds strange and find it funny.

One-year-olds appreciated humour that involved getting a reaction from others. This included teasing, for example, offering and withdrawing objects, scaring others and taboo topics, for instance, toilet humour. They also found it funny to act like something else, such as an animal. Interestingly, it is around the age of 1 that children start to understand other people’s minds.

Their understanding and appreciation of humour reflects this.

Two-year-olds’ humour reflected language development, including mislabelling (for instance, calling a duck a cow), playing with concept (for example, saying: ‘dogs say moo’) and nonsense words such as ‘moogly boo.’ They also demonstrated a mean streak as they appreciated making fun of others. As most children start to speak by the age 2, humour reflects this, showing children enjoying playing with language. Our findings

also suggest that perhaps 2-year-olds are starting to understand that other people’s feelings can be hurt too. While many parents won’t be too happy to see their children laugh at someone’s expense, this may signal that a child is understanding other people in more complex ways.

Finally, 3-year-olds played with social rules, for example, saying naughty words to be funny and showing the beginnings of understanding tricks and puns. This reflects the way in which children’s understanding of language and the social world keep developing and are simultaneously reflected in their humour.

Dr Elena Hoicka is an Associate Professor at the School of Education, University of Bristol.

Want to participate in future research? Sign up at www.babylovesscience.com 1 ‘The Early Humor Survey (EHS): A Reliable Parent-Report Measure of Humor Development for 1- to 47-Month-Olds’ by E Hoicka et al in Behavior Research Methods.

When to expect humour in your child

How to joke with your child

Some parents reported that their children appreciated humour as early as 1 month old and produced humour as early as 4 months old! But this wasn’t typical. Our research estimated that fifty percent of children appreciate humour by 2 months old and produce humour by 11 months old but that means fifty percent of children don’t appreciate humour until 3 months old or later and don’t produce humour until 12 months old or later.

Parents are very good at joking with their young children.

You can start looking for humour in your child’s first year but don’t worry if it doesn’t happen as early as you expect. Every child is different and some may understand different types of humour earlier and other types later. For instance, a very verbally precocious 1-year-old might understand mislabelling jokes earlier than expected, whereas a child who has just started speaking at 2 years may understand this joke type later.

Remember, joking isn’t a race, it’s about having a positive, social experience with your child that allows you to bond and enjoy a joke together.

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Professor Gina Mireault, from Northern Vermont University, found that when parents joke around with little ones ages 3 to 6 months, they smile and laugh, letting their baby know they are joking. Professor Vasu Reddy, from the University of Portsmouth, found that when parents laughed at their 7 to 12 month-olds’ jokes, their babies often repeated them.

In my research, we found that parents smile more when joking with their toddlers and make more eye contact. Furthermore, parents explain they are joking. They often express jokes like a question, for instance: ‘The ducks say moo?’ which highlights they are not being serious. After joking, they often explain what they did wrong. For instance, saying: ‘Ducks don’t say moo!

They say quack!’. In response, children smile and laugh at their parents’ jokes, make eye contact and copy the jokes.

So, when you joke with your child, make sure you smile, laugh, make eye contact and even explain your jokes!

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EARLY YEARS

The importance of routines for young children

By Claire Burgess

Routine is important for all of us. It provides safe, comfortable boundaries and keeps our lives on track. But it also means different things to different people and needs to fit each individual family, adjusting as children grow. Some families benefit from more structure, while others work well with more flexible routines. There is no right or wrong in a routine, other than when it doesn’t work for your children or for you!

Why do babies and children need routine?

As humans, every day of our lives is made up of various mini routines. These are the little routines which we have perfected over time and repeat daily, all of which help us to manage our day, many times without even really thinking about it.

Routine is also another word for security. By having a routine it helps our children (and us) to feel secure and we are at our best when we feel safe and secure. This is when we are able to concentrate, co-operate, negotiate, listen and ultimately learn.

Being able to tell the time gives adults the ability to develop routines but babies and young children don’t have this luxury. So they are relying on us to help them understand how their day is going to be structured.

It’s worth being aware that if this timing changes day to day, your child will be constantly unsure of what is happening next. In turn, this may lead to them displaying challenging behaviours, their eating habits fluctuating and their sleep being disturbed.

How do I keep my child on track?

It is all about watching for the signals. These can be subtle and can sometimes be easily missed; observation of your child is key.

Look for those little indicators such as wandering off around the house and not being able to focus on things, becoming clingy when they were happily playing, staring into space, getting cross, frustrated or fidgeting, upset or boisterous.

These behaviours can all be indicators that your child is feeling out of kilter and needs you to help them find the way back into their routine.

Once you have recognised this, you can put a plan into action.

Claire Burgess is a director and family consultant at Bespoke Family (www.bespokefamily.co.uk), which offers tailored support from newborns to teens.

Top tips

Making it work

Make the routine fit your family. Every family is unique and has their own way of structuring their day; what works for your friend might not work for you.

A completely rigid system leaves little room for spontaneity and can be self-defeating. Don’t be afraid to nudge your routine when the need arises.

Don’t make it too rigid. But do have two key times of the day: the time your children get up in the morning and the time they go to bed. If you aim for and stick to these two points of the day, it will help to regulate your child’s sleep hormones at night and ‘get up and go’ hormones in the morning.

For example, if lunchtime is usually 1pm on a normal day, but today you have been swimming and your little one is showing signs of being really hungry and tired, take the hint and bring lunch forward. Just half an hour might be the difference between the biggest ‘I’m hungry and tired’ meltdown and having your little one eating well and feeling happy (meaning that you are happy and relaxed as well!)

Between getting up time and bed time you should schedule regular mealtimes (and snacks dependent on the activity of the day) and possibly naps.

These focal points provide a constant structure which will give both you and your children the security and safety to approach each day with confidence.

Go for consistency. For something to become a habit it needs to be consistent. When implementing a new routine or an adjustment, it can take at least two weeks to stick, so persevere!

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The one routine that’s always worth sticking to is the fixed bedtime. Proper sleep is as important to children as a healthy diet.

While it might be tempting to keep your little one up later than normal to fit in with your own plans, sleep time is when kids grow and rest so that they are ready for everything tomorrow brings. Including naps, experts recommend up to sixteen hours’ sleep for infants and up to twelve hours per night for older children.

Families North East 9

TRAVEL

Vacation staycations It’s not always easy to know whether the holiday destination you’ve found online is truly as family-friendly as it claims.

So, to offer you some recommendations that have been tested and rated in this regard, Families asked the experts at Tested by Tots for their suggestions for your next family break. Here’s four they’ve come up with.

Sandylands Holiday Park, Ayrshire, Scotland No top picks should be without a Parkdean resort!

Sandylands is in a beautiful location for outdoor exploring and comes with excellent facilities: adventure playground, indoor swimming and toddler pools, arcade and kids’ club, plus a range of organised activities. Cosy accommodation with plenty for everyone to do. www.parkdeanresorts.co.uk

Catgill Farm, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire This charming family-run campsite is ideally located for Bolton Abbey and local tea rooms and pubs. Choose from camping, bell tent glamping or timber pods, with an on-site coffee shop, regular shop, BBQ and fire pits (with pizza ovens) for hire, plus electric hook up and WiFi. www.catgillfarm.co.uk

Forest Holidays, Cropton, North Yorkshire

Holiday Inn Kenilworth, Warwick

Beautiful cabins in peaceful woodland with a beach nearby. Bookable activities include horse riding, archery, cycling and forest ranger activities. The kids will love being outdoors, whether in the forest or play area; and there’s even the option to bring the dog.

A comfortable hotel in a great location to explore the attractions in and around Warwick. It’s great value, as are most of the Holiday Inn hotels: under 17s stay for free if in their parents’ room and up to four children can eat free if they’re under 12. Free parking and WiFi add great value to a city break.

www.forestholidays.co.uk

www.ihg.com/holidayinn

Tested by Tots takes the stress out of travelling with children. It recommends only products and services that it has checked out and agrees are child-friendly. All this and hints and tips on holidaying with children, including holiday packing checklists at www.testedbytots.com

Summer in the Alps with Chilly Powder The Alps may be an obvious destination for the ski season, but how about a summer visit? Summer offers enough green (the mountains) and blue (the sky) to set you up for the whole year - and plenty of fresh air to fill your families’ lungs.

With reasonably priced flights from London airports to Geneva then a short drive to Morzine, there is a warm welcome waiting from Paul and Francesca Eyre at Chilly Powder. With the main chalet - Au Coin du Feu - plus two chalets next door, you can organise your own meals, or join the party at ‘Au Coin du Feu’ for dinners that you usually only dream of. Family friendly early evening meals for the children and a daytime crèche for little ones not quite as active as you, with drinks in the bar for the grown ups – or in the Jacuzzi on the terrace – Paul and Francesca will make you wish that this was home!

For more about Chilly Powder chalets for summer and winter visit www.chillypowder.com and more about summer in Morzine visit: www.morzine-avoriaz.com/activites-de-plein-airete.html

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CLUBS & CLASSES

Meet your local Club/Class Razzamataz, Newcastle

Wilde Farm, Ponteland

Razzamataz Newcastle is proud to put the welfare of its students at the heart of everything it does. Each child will receive first class tuition in a range of styles from classic West End musical theatre to funky street dance and pop singing. We pride ourselves in providing affordable part-time performing arts training for children and young people and giving them access to some of the most talented performers through specialist workshops and masterclasses.

Wilde Farm holiday club is an award winning club in Ponteland for adventurous 5-11 year olds. The children participate in a wide range of fun farm activities 9am - 5pm, MonFri in the school holidays. It is an outdoor holiday club based on a real working farm so the children get to experience first hand life on the farm and have lots of fun! www.wilde-farm.myshopify.com

www.newcastle.razzamataz.co.uk ARTventurers - Area Wide ARTventurers classes are super colourful and jam packed with creative fun for your little ARTventurers to enjoy. www.artventurers.co.uk Famous 4.15 - Newcastle Whether you’re content to sing into your hairbrush or have serious ambitions to make it in the industry, Famous 4.15 has something for you.

They offer a range of classes for children and young people who want to develop their performance skills and have a good time. www.famous415.co.uk Hartbeeps - Area Wide Hartbeeps are magical, musical, imaginative classes for little ones from 3 weeks to pre-school age! We take a different journey every week, full of multi-sensory fun & one to one play for adults and little ones! www.hartbeeps.com Little & Loud - East Boldon Little and Loud classes combine familiar songs and rhymes with new songs, percussion instruments, puppets and props, opportunities to dance and move and always end with a relaxing lullaby or two. www.littleandloudmusic.co.uk

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Little Kickers - Area Wide The Little Kickers programme delivers high quality football skills, combined with important pre-school learning concepts such as colour and number recognition, sharing, following instructions and using imagination. www.littlekickers.co.uk Little Learners - Area Wide We are a multi-award winning children’s activity provider which offers educational messy play for babies to preschoolers. Your child is encouraged to use hands, fingers, feet and toes to make marks which will help to strengthen their core muscles and develop their gross and fine motor skills. www.littlelearnersuk.com Puddleducks - Area Wide Our Baby & Pre-school programme is a wonderful bonding experience.

Progressive lesson plans instil a water confidence and a love of swimming whilst our nurturing teachers tailor activities to your child’s abilities and needs. Taught in lovely warm pools with a maximum of ten children, our classes incorporate rhyme, music and movement based on extensive child development research. www.puddleducks.com

Dance City, Newcastle

Dance City is a vibrant & friendly place where people come together to take part, enjoy, experience & talk about dance. We offer over 65 weekly classes in more than 40 different styles of dance - open to all ages & for absolute beginners as well as more experienced. From contemporary to hip hop, ballet to ballroom, belly dancing to Pilates, & for adults with learning disabilities our classes are a great way to stay fit & healthy, learn new skills, have fun and meet new people. www.dancecity.co.uk Rhythm Time - Area Wide Rhythm Time offer multi-sensory music classes that have been specifically written by a music teacher to enhance the development of every child. Their musical journey will begin when they are babies, and we will help them to develop their skills as they grow through to toddler and preschool level. www.rhythmtime.net RugbyTots - Area Wide RugbyTots offer fun, structured play sessions taking children on a journey of sporting imagination with engaging and energetic coaches supporting them every step of the way whilst teaching how to catch, pass, kick, run with the ball and play as part of a team. www.rugbytots.co.uk Tiny Tasters - Area Wide Through stories and songs the children build a repertoire of early cooking skills as they make, bake, create and release their inner chef! www.tiny-tasters.com Waterbabies - Area Wide Your little one is at the heart of everything we do. When they’re ready, we’re ready. Our classes have a maximum of 10 little ones, are 30 minutes long, tailored to your little one’s ability and we have manageable monthly payments to spread the cost of swimming. www.waterbabies.co.uk Families North East 11

HEALTH

Keeping children’s teeth healthy

By Dr Attari

Dental decay has become one of the main reasons for hospital admission among children in recent years, with forty thousand children ages 1 to 14 admitted in 2019. Many of those needed dental extractions under general anaesthetic. This isn’t surprising when around a quarter of 5-year-olds have tooth decay.

But tooth decay is preventable with good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups from an early age. Children who are used to the dental setting are more at ease and find it easier to return and have their oral health monitored throughout their lives. Here are our top tips for healthy teeth: Babies Clean your baby’s mouth with a soft, clean cloth even before the baby teeth start to come through, moving to a soft finger brush or handheld brush once the teeth start to erupt.

Once your baby’s teeth are coming through, don’t give them a bottle of milk before bed. Formula and, later, cow’s milk can cause dental decay if pooled around the teeth at night.

Once all twenty baby teeth have erupted, teeth should be brushed, in a circular motion, on all the tooth surfaces, not forgetting the gumline.

When to brush Brush teeth twice per day, ideally after breakfast and before bed but avoid brushing young children’s teeth just before bedtime – they are less likely to co-operate when tired.

Toothpaste, floss and brushes Always use fluoride toothpaste. In older children, fluoride mouthwash should be used at a different time to brushing.

Interdental cleaning with floss is useful where the teeth are not well-spaced.

Use of electric toothbrushes should be avoided until children are around age 12. When used, the brush head should be placed at a forty-five-degree angle at the junction of gum and tooth. Hold the brush for three to five seconds on every tooth surface.

Avoid using battery-operated electric toothbrushes; use

Preventing Bad Breath

rechargeable toothbrushes or stick to manual brushing.

Assisting children Help your child with brushing and flossing up to the age of 9.

By this age, they should have good enough manual dexterity to clean their teeth independently.

After night-time brushing, avoid children snacking or drinking anything apart from water.

Toothpaste should be spat out after brushing but don’t rinse mouth with water as this actually washes away the fluoride.

Finally, remember, a visit to the dentist isn’t just for when you’re in pain - routine check-ups can prevent the pain occurring in the first place!

Dr Attari works at Weymouth Street Paediatric Dental Care in London. For more information, visit www.wpddentistry.co.uk

Diet and oral hygiene A balanced diet is vital for a child’s oral health and it’s important to eat varied foods and minimise snacking.

Sugary foods result in an acid-attack on teeth. It’s not the quantity but the frequency of eating sugar that causes decay.

Remember that fruit juices and dried fruit are two of the main causes of dental decay – they are not healthier than refined sugars.

Get some ideas and recommendations on snacks for kids from the NHS Change4Life website and app at www.teethteam.org. uk

Win a Great British WIN! Map of Wonders Let the adventures begin!

Families has teamed up with ST&G to offer ten lucky readers their very own Great British Map of Wonders.

A combination of good oral hygiene, diet and routine dental visits from a young age can reduce the likelihood of children needing any dental treatment but can also help avoid bad breath.

Other tips include: Good brushing and interdental cleaning; Tongue scrapers which can help reduce bacteria on the tongue; Probiotics which restore the balance of bacteria in the gut, combined with good oral hygiene.

12 Families North East

There are so many amazing adventure-filled things to do here in Britain, that it’s hard to take them all in without a ginormous map! For children ages 6+, this map includes 1000 of the most fun things to do and places to visit around Britain, with great games to play, boxes to tick, notes to fill in and a huge colouring map. Find and explore amazing animals, awesome activities, brilliant beaches, thrilling quests, super-fun festivals, funny place names and legendary places. For more information, visit www.marvellousmaps.com

To enter, visit familiesmag.co.uk/go Closing date: 20 June. T&Cs at https://bit.ly/MapofWonders

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WHAT’S ON If you’re looking for places to visit and things to keep the kids entertained this springtime, then our What’s On guide is packed full of ideas for places to take the kids, whatever the weather, local festivals, events and shows.

Ongoing, Life Science Centre Hello World!

See the earth as an astronaut would.

From space, our planet is an amazing ball of beauty. Enjoy an astronaut’s view from the upper level and be awed by our stunning 7-metre Earth installation Gaia.

Create your own Earth art masterpiece; write a postcard to the future and launch your ideas for a greener planet; get creative with colour on our giant wildlife maps or escape to our cosy reading nook and become a nature book-worm. till 5 June, Washington Wetland LEGO® Brick Wetland Safari Go on a Lego Brick Wetland Safari this spring showcasing GIANT models, some of which are twelve-times life-size, sitting alongside some of their real-life cousins. Plus with 2 NEW MODELS never before seen at WWT Washington!

Plus, complete the trail and enter our competition for an exciting Lego goody bag!

14 - 15 May, Beamish Meccano Weekend 2022 Head to the Museum Room and Bank Board Room to see marvellous creations and learn all about the history of Meccano with The North East Meccano Society.

21 May - 25 Sept, Roman Vindolanda Emperor for a day Bring your bears for a day out! Dress your bears as Roman emperors and make them emperor for the day! Head out to Roman Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum to get your colouring pack as well as an eco friendly biodegradable sticker for each site you visit. At each site we have our museum bears to greet you see if you can spot them!

24 - 29 May, Rainton Arena Planet Circus OMG The legendary PLANET CIRCUS is an amazing adrenaline packed family spectacular that will thrill audiences of all ages.

26 - 30 May, Royal Quays Turners Funfair!

Head to the Royal Quays for some Traditional family carnival fun, rides & entertainment 28 May - 5 June, Raby Castle Jubilee Celebrations Join Raby Castle in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, with some exciting events planned. From a street party themed trail to a picnic in the park and special displays in the castle, come and celebrate with us.

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28 May - 5 Jun, Seven Stories The Tiger who came to tea - Storytime Will your tiger eat all of the sandwiches and all of the buns, and drink all of Daddy’s beer? Join us here to celebrate the wonderful world of Judith Kerr and the hungriest tiger we know! In this interactive story time you’ll make your very own tiger, visit Sophie and her Mummy just in time for tea and see just how hungry that tiger really is!

28 May - 5 Jun, Beamish Platinum Jubilee Celebrations Join us for a week of Platinum Jubilee Celebrations this May Half Term!

28 May - 5 Jun, Belsay Hall Kids Rule!

Get ready for a right royal knees-up at our Kids Rule events this May half-term.

Join us in the grounds of Belsay Hall to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with historic performers, hands-on activities and fresh-air family fun. Book online and save!

29 May & 25 Jun, Northumberland Zoo Junior Zoo Club Zoo Club is an engaging and interactive day for children aged 6-10 years of age. Take a tour of the zoo meeting and greeting some of the animals while feeding some of them on the way around.

30 May, 1 & 3 Jun, Seven Stories Rosie’s Walk Rosie the Hen goes for a walk but a sneaky fox is not far behind. Join us down on Rosie’s farm for a fun-filled re-telling of the classic tale Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins. Full of songs and fun to get you moving, this storytime session is made for pre-school children and their grown-ups.

4 June , 11 Arches Fina and the Golden Cape Set on the panoramic outdoor stage, this 11 Arches original production is the biggest equine stunt show in the UK, an exciting tale of revenge, ambition, magic and bravery – watch an old-fashioned story with a 21st century hero, told on a grand cinematic scale. Fina and the Golden Cape is a 50-minute fast-paced family treat.

12 Jun, Raby Castle Open Farm Sunday Come and see our oilseed and cereal crops, which include barley and wheat and meet some of our animals. Learn about farm stewardship, how we care for our environment and much more.

Trailer Rides will leave from the Coach Yard at Raby Castle.

Theatre 4 - 5 May, Aidy the Awesome Northern Stage Aidy is a normal 8 year old girl…so she thinks! One day she discovers a family secret that changes everything. Aidy and her granny embark on an adventure that turns their world upside down. Watch performers fly, zoom and spin through the air!

19 - 22 May, Billionaire Boy Sunderland Empire Joe Spud is twelve years old and the richest boy in the country! He has his own sports car, two crocodiles as pets and £100,000 a week pocket money! But what Joe doesn’t have is a friend. So he decides to leave his posh school and start at the local comp. Things don’t go as planned.

24 - 25 May – Twirlywoos Live Whitley Bay Playhouse Join Great BigHoo, Toodloo, Chickedy, Chick and their friends as they discover the wonderful world around us!

24 May - 4 Jun, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat Newcastle Theatre Royal The sensational brand-new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat comes to Newcastle Theatre Royal for two weeks only!

29 May, Pongo’s Party The Customs House Today is the day that Pongo the Pig has been waiting for – that’s right, it’s his birthday! He’s been dropping hints to his friends all year, so is looking forward to a fantastic party… but the trouble is, nobody seems to remember!

16 June – Hedge Queen’s Hall Arts Centre Playful, fresh and engaging, a brand new show for children 4+ and their families that combines the magic of dance with beautiful costumes, innovative props and puppetry to create an imaginative and atmospheric performance space for them to explore and enjoy.

18 Jun, The Secret Garden Gosforth Civic Theatre “A secret garden, just for them, that no-one else knew about.” When Lennox finds herself sent to Northumberland, with a family she barely knows, she must rediscover herself and in doing so uncover the mystery of the long hidden secret garden.

Families North East 13

FAMILY LAW

Cohabitation agreements for unmarried couples The Office of National Statistics reports that there were 234,795 marriages in England and Wales in 2018, which is a decrease of 3.3% compared with 2017, and the lowest number since 2009.

This long-term decline is a likely consequence of increasing numbers of men and women delaying marriage, or couples choosing to cohabit rather than marry, either as a precursor to marriage or as an alternative.

In 2018, the average age at marriage for opposite-sex couples was 38.1 years for men and 35.8 years for women. The average age for same-sex couples in 2018 was slightly higher at 40.4 years for men and 36.9 years for women.

One of the biggest misconceptions in family law is that there is such a thing as a common law husband or wife or partner. No matter how long you live with your partner, you do not acquire or accrue any rights.

If a couple are married then should they separate Divorce law determines what is a fair and reasonable distribution of the couple’s assets, income and pensions whether owned individually or jointly. The law has no power to make such orders in relation to unmarried couples and cannot change ownership of assets. It may be possible to make an application to the court for a declaration of beneficial entitlement in a property but this can be costly and involve quite complex consideration of Trusts law.

Courts may need to examine the common intention of the parties, promises made and any money contributed to the joint home. It may be possible for a parent to make a claim for a child they continue to look after, but generally you will have to re-pay capital once the child is 18 or finishes education.

Even if you live with your partner for years, you will not inherit their estate automatically unless a Will has been prepared nominating the partner as a beneficiary.

Rachel Smith, Mincoffs Solicitors

Drawing up a Cohabitation Agreement can protect your interests, provide certainty and should not harm your relationship if you approach it in the right way. You should avoid looking at the agreement simply as a prediction that the relationship will at some point break down. Instead, you can use the preparation of drawing up the agreement to work through some of the key issues and make some key decisions in your lives together. If sensitively handled, this process can strengthen a relationship.

Cohabitation agreements can cover a wide range of agreements between cohabiting parties and they often deal with the important issues of: - who is to pay the mortgage and other property and/or living expenses and in what proportions; - In the event that one party wishes to sell the property, the mechanics for that sale.

- the shares held in the property and how the equity, on sale, is to be divided in accordance with the parties’ respective shares - what happens if one co-owner wants to sell the property and the other does not; - the arrangements for one party to buy the other’s share in the property and how the property will be valued for that purpose; - ongoing financial support between cohabitees; and - the living arrangements and financial provision to be made for any children.

If you are cohabiting or intend to cohabit and want to discuss your situation in more detail and consider your options further, contact Rachel Smith at Mincoffs Solicitors on 0191 281 6151 or email rsmith@mincoffs.co.uk.

Dance Around the World - Summer Dance Camp 1-5 August 9am-5pm £125

Best of the West End - Summer Dance Camp 8-12 August 9am-5pm £125

Multi-buy and sibling discounts available 0191 261 0505 dancecity.co.uk 14 Families North East

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KIDS’ PARTIES

2022 children’s party trends

By Claire Winter Many of us have missed celebrating important birthday parties and milestones with family and friends during the pandemic. With restrictions lifted and the summer months upon us, things are looking up at last!

Did someone say party? Here’s how to party like it’s 2022.

Outdoor parties

Food

The pandemic drove us outside and having a party in the garden or going to an outdoor venue still appeals to many parents. A huge outdoor picnic and good old-fashioned games like tug-of-war, quoits or skittles always go down a treat.

Pack bats and balls and you’re ready for rounders. It’s a party with no crumbs and more space to let off steam! Alternatively, parties at venues like Go Ape are an easy option and the children will love to monkey around in the trees.

Grazing platters may look fabulous but some delicious goodies in individual recyclable cardboard boxes are simple to serve, create less waste and can be eaten anywhere. A firm favourite is a cream tea in a box! You can also outsource food to a party organiser or caterer. Or, instead of having one large statement cake, why not offer a fabulous display of cupcakes and mini desserts? It will look gorgeous and the kids (and parents) will love it.

Retro gaming parties

Sleepover in style

Flower power

If you have a gaming fan in the house, why not hire a gaming company to take them back to the eighties? Pac-Man and many of the old-school favourites will fascinate and intrigue them. There are also loads of great VR games that you can hire for the day too.

For an extra special sleepover if you have the garden space, consider hiring a bell tent or teepee. One for the older children - decorate with fairy lights, set up mini Bluetooth speakers and let the fun begin!

Just don’t expect too much sleeping....

Whether they are dried or fresh, flowers have made a huge comeback. Scatter rose petals on the party table or freeze them in ice cubes. Create a huge bouquet as a centrepiece or if you are going all out, hire a flower wall. Perfect for tweens!

Call in the experts

The party bag

Old-school fun

A seasoned magician or entertainer will provide the fun crowd control you’re after.

Younger kids love the games, banter and dancing while you sit back watching the fun.

Give small meaningful gifts instead of plastic. It’s just not the done thing any more to fill party bags with sweets and land-filler plastic tat. A few popular (more eco-friendly) alternative ideas could be a book, a packet of wildflower seeds or a jar of make-at-home cookie mix.

Take a full-on trip down the traditional route. There’s nothing wrong with keeping it simple. Two hours of games like pass the parcel, musical statues, a treasure hunt and a spot of dancing before tea still do very nicely, thank you.

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Instagrammable installations If you’re all about the ‘gram and other social media shares, you can hire amazing balloon displays, giant LED numbers and neon signs for the party. Do be conscious of sharing pictures of your party-goers as not all parents are comfortable with their children on social media.

Families North East 15

TOP 9

Animals & Wildlife Here’s our round up of some of the best animal and wildlife attractions to take the whole family to in our region. Each one offers a unique experience with many also catering for children of all ages. Take a look at their websites before visiting for up to date information on opening times, restrictions, booking procedures and more.

Award winning!

Adventure Valley, Durham

Butterly World, Stockton on Tees

Hall Hill Farm, Durham

Adventure Valley is the North East’s biggest Family Adventure Park! With over 50 activities, attractions and shows, new themed events every school holiday, 18,000 sq feet of indoor play, plenty of new cute and cuddly friends at the FarmYard and acres of more!

Visit the tropical rainforest they have created, with beautiful trees and flowers and 80-120 species of butterfly flying freely around for you to explore.

Hall Hill Farm first opened to visitors in 1981, since then many thousands of people have visited the farm. Over the years, the farm has won many awards including Outstanding Educational Experience and even our own Families North East 2021 award for Best family attraction!

Kielder Water Birds of Prey Centre, Hexham

Northumberland Zoo, Kirkley

RSPB Saltholme, Middlesbrough

The zoo is part of Northumberland College’s Kirkley Hall Campus and was set up as an educational training facility as well as becoming a tourist attraction on weekends and school holidays.

Since opening, the zoo has grown and boasts over 150 species of animals, reptiles and birds. Visitors can meet our zookeepers, enjoy various animal encounters and even have the opportunity to hold reptiles and domestic animals.

These family-friendly wetlands have a helpful visitor’s centre, hides and screens which let you get up close to water rail, yellow wagtails and terns, plus a family discovery zone, cafe, play area and accessible trails.

Washington Wetland, Washington

Whitehouse Farm, Morpeth

Washington Wetland is the UK’s leading wetland conservation charity, working to create a world where healthy wetland nature thrives and enriches lives. This Spring witness the Ancient Spring Gill Wood carpeted with bluebells; grey herons perform courtship ‘dances’ in the heronry; lapwings start to breed and the regionally rare avocet sits tight on eggs.

Whitehouse Farm Centre is a 40-acre visitor farm attraction. The visitor centre is extensive, housing a wide variety of animals from traditional farm breeds to small animals, pets and exotic species.

In 2008 the centre diversified and holds a zoo licence enabling our collection of animals to grow. The visitor centre is a place for all ages, it has something for everyone!

The Birds Of Prey Centre is located within the magnificent lakeside surroundings of Kielder Water at Leaplish Waterside Park, Northumberland. The Centre contains one of the largest and most fascinating collections of Birds Of Prey in the North of England.

Tynemouth Acquarium, North Shields Enjoy close encounters with hundreds of incredible aquatic creatures! Come face to face with everything from adorable seals to clownfish, seahorses and graceful stingrays. Meet the monkeys and reptiles in our stunning Amazonian feature and get up close and personal to our playful Seals!

16 Families North East

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