Families East Kent Magazine November/December 2019 issue 12

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East Kent

IN THIS ISSUE

What’s on this November & December RECRUITING NOW Successful ‘business mum’ is seeking 5 working partners to work part-time from home, alongside and without compromising family commitments or current career.

If you have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or self-employed background, or you wish to develop an extraordinary lifestyle

call Vicki King 07501 433 922

Issue 12 November/December 2019 familiesonline.co.uk

Talking to kids about climate change Eco Christmas gift guide Act of kindness advent calendar familiesonline.co.uk Families East Kent

East Kent Managing Editor Rebecca Carr editor@familieseastkent.co.uk 07789 882 467 Advertising Amanda Biggs amanda@familiespublishing.co.uk 07835 848066 What’s On Guide Laura Vass assistant@familieseastkent.co.uk Printed By Holbrooks Printers Ltd Cover image: Depositphotos Readership 40,000 local parents, carers and teachers every issue UPCOMING ISSUES January/February 2020 Early years - Family travel - School Open Days - Clubs & classes and much more....

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Stay in touch Families east kent magazine © Families East Kent 2019 Families East Kent 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 East Kent are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families East Kent. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families East Kent ; 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.

Next Issue Jan/Feb 2020 Early Years I Education I Travel Clubs & classes I Feb Half Term

Contents 4. News 6. Talking to children about climate change 7. Flexible working options 8. It’s party time 10. What’s on this Christmas in East Kent 14. What’s on in November & December 15. Act of kindness advent calendar Follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news and events happening in East Kent and look out for some great competitions, giveaways and special reader offers.

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13 December - 24 December Folkestone Quarterhouse Mill Bay, Folkestone, Kent, CT20 1BN

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Families East Kent 3

News

The Tiger Who Came to Tea hits the screen this Christmas The Tiger Who Came to Tea, the classic children’s book by Judith Kerr, will come to TV this Christmas adapted as a half-hour animated film for Channel 4.

It will feature a star studded cast of voices including Benedict Cumberbatch, David Oyelowo, Tamsin Greig, David Walliams and Paul Whitehouse.

The role of Sophie will be played by 7 year old Clara Ross, who will be making her TV debut.

Letter from Santa All children love to receive a letter addressed to them in the post, but what could be more special than a letter from Father Christmas? Here are two ways of making this happen.

Royal Mail Letter to Santa For children to receive a FREE letter from Santa via the Royal Mail children must post their letter to Santa by Friday 6 December.

Envelopes must have either a first or second class stamp and be addressed to Santa/Father Christmas, Santa’s Grotto, Reindeerland, XM4 5HQ. The letter must include your child’s full name and address.

Visit www.royalmail.com/christmas/lettersto-santa NSPCC Santa Letter Children can also receive a personalised reply from Santa via his elves at the NSPCC in exchange for a minimum £5 donation to the charity. The letter is ordered online and must be placed by 9 December.

Visit https://letterfromsanta.nspcc.org.uk/ letter-from-santa for more information.

For anyone that doesn’t know the book, it tells the tale of the tiger that shows up at young Sophie’s front door and proceeds to eat the family out of house and home, even going so far as to drink all of the water out of the taps, before declaring: “Thank you for my nice tea. I think I’d better go now,” and departing.

Chloe Tucker, Commissioning Executive, Channel 4 Drama said: “The Tiger Who Came to Tea is a timeless classic, and we hope this film will capture the same special place in every family’s imagination watching it.”

New Sleepy Tales for children The book publisher Penguin Random House has collaborated with The Children’s Sleep Charity to create collections of Sleepy Tales audiobooks designed to help children relax before bedtime.

For children ages 3 to 6 years, Ladybird Sleepy Tales and for children aged 7+, Puffin Sleepy Tales, they are stories with a difference. Part soundscape, part descriptive narrative, they use relaxing sounds and soothing narrators’ voices to conjure calming settings and landscapes to help children feel calm and positive at the end of the day.

Each tale is 15 minutes long and has been created to be interesting enough to hold children’s attention, but not too exciting.

Sleepy Tales are designed to become part of a child’s bedtime routine, and can be listened to before or after reading a bedtime story. Children can listen on their own, or with a parent, as a way to wind down.

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If you have any local news to share with our readers and would like to include it in our January/February issue, please email it by 2 December for consideration to editor@familieseastkent.co.uk

Step up for Safe Streets UK Road Safety Week 2019, takes place between 18 and 24 November, will encourage road users to ‘step up’ and play a part in the creation of a safe and healthy future on our roads.

Every 20 minutes, someone is killed or seriously injured on a British road, yet each of these tragedies is preventable.

This year, the annual event aims to encourage everyone to Step Up for Safe Streets and learn about, shout about and celebrate the amazing design-led solutions that can help end suffering on our roads.

The focus is on how design can stop human error from causing death or serious injury on the roads, can encourage walking and cycling, and can make sure that the air is clean.

For more information and to get your free Action Pack, visit www. roadsafetyweek.org 4 Families East Kent

Vintage inspired high quality knitwear for the modern day baby and toddler

www.etsy.com/shop/emilyandevelyn familiesonline.co.uk

‘Mothers should do most childcare’ Surprisingly, according to the British Social Attitudes Survey carried out by the National Centre for Social Research, around half of people (51%) in the UK think that the best option for a family with a pre-schooler is for the mother to do most of the childcare.

When deciding how a family with a pre-school age child should best organise work and family life, only 16% of those surveyed favour arrangements that represent an equal split of childcare and work between parents.

32% think mothers should work part-time and fathers full-time, 19% think mothers should stay at home and fathers should work full-time, 9% think that the mother and father should both work part-time and 6% favour both parents working full-time.

Nancy Kelley, Deputy Chief Executive at the National Centre for Social Research, comments: “Despite considerable social change, and strong policy intervention, we still have some way to go in supporting women to flourish in their careers and men to take a more active role in caring for children.”

News

The Mamma Coach Pregnancy and Parenting can be challenging times with many people finding the stress and anxieties it causes too much to cope with. Preparing for a baby, whether it is your first or fourth can be both joyous and terrifying, with worries about birth, being a good enough parent and having enough love and money for more children being top of the list.

Many parents juggle their jobs and children on tight budgets without much, if any support and the stresses of modern day life and parenting leave parents feeling like they’re failing or not good enough. Finding the layers of stress overflowing into our daily lives with not enough time to fit in times to de-stress often results in a pressure cooker effect and we become ill, short-tempered, have chronic pain and look for ways to ease the stress that are actually doing more harm, like drinking alcohol or over-eating.

PHE has revealed that about 30,000 children may have started primary school with no protection against measles, mumps and rubella, while 90,000 may have had only the first of the two vaccines necessary for protection.

As a mother of 4 boys (including twins), and a therapist, Sophie Burch knows all too well how our anxiety and stress levels can overflow and get the better of us, slowing us down until we begin to become slightly dysfunctional or worse, unable to cope. She also knows that our valuable NHS services are at capacity with many people having to wait long periods of time before they can be seen by a CBT therapist or Councellor. This is why, it’s important to have a “bridging” service for parents to access; a light therapy service for mild to moderate symptoms that gives people the chance to be heard, to learn simple, effective mental wellbeing coping skills and importantly to feel held in a safe space where they can express themselves without judgement. Half of new parents mental health problems don’t get picked up by the overstretched NHS; this needs to change.

There were 230 cases of measles in England in the first quarter of 2019, many linked to visiting European countries during holiday periods. As a result of these outbreaks, the UK has now lost its measles-free status, just three years after the virus was eliminated.

PHE is urging all parents to check their child’s Red Book to make sure there is a record of two MMR doses and the 4-in-1 booster vaccine. If not, parents should contact their GP practice to arrange any further vaccinations.

Sophie runs antenatal courses that include life, wellbeing and relationship coaching through into the fourth trimester, giving couples the skills to be resilient to the curveballs of pregnancy, birth and early parenting. She also run postnatal mental wellbeing groups, online coaching and 1:1 therapy for new parents and any parent struggling with anxiety, low mood, fears and other mental ill health issues.

More info: www.nhs.uk/NHS vaccinations

Get in touch for a free chat to see if Sophie can help or signpost you to where you can get support. Always go to your GP first if you are not feeling yourself, and they will refer you on to one of their services. If you have to wait, contact Sophie and work through it until you get the recommended help.

More info: www.natcen.ac.uk

One in seven 5 year olds not protected against measles One in seven 5 year olds may not be protected against potentially life threatening measles, Public Health England (PHE) has warned.

Record low Sudden Infant Deaths Sudden infant deaths, the syndrome in which otherwise seemingly healthy babies die unexpectedly before their first birthday, has dropped to its lowest level on record, according to a report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Records of what used to be called ‘cot death’ began in 2004, when the rate was 0.5 deaths per 1,000 births. The 2017 figure is 0.27 per 1,000 births meaning the figure has almost halved since the records began.

The ONS said the fall in unexplained deaths may be due to factors such as fewer expectant mothers smoking and more awareness of safer sleeping practices.

The term ‘cot death’ is no longer used, due to the suggestion that sudden infant death can only happen when a baby is in its cot. The term now used is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS.

Email sophie@themammacoach.com or visit www.themammacoach. com or www.burchtherapy.com.

Parenting life can be hard at times can’t it? Are you feeling Anxious, Stressed, Fearful or Over-worried? I can help pop you back into balance. 1:1 online therapy sessions to suit you.

Check out my website and take the first step to feeling better. sophie@themammacoach.com www.themammacoach.com www.burchtherapy.com

More info: www.ons.gov.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Families East Kent 5

Parenting

Talking to children about

climate change Valentina Gianella

Being a parent is a tough job. The trickiest part is making sure we tell our children the truth, without simultaneously causing them to be either over-anxious or delusional about the future. It applies to an extensive range of aspects in life, and climate change is a relatively new but undeniable one.

My children were 10 and 7 years old when we first started talking about the environmental challenges facing humanity. Even as a journalist who has dealt with such topics for years, I was frankly terrified of this task. Writing an article is one thing: facing their worried questions was entirely another.

Then, a young girl showed up. Greta Thunberg was everywhere online, with her yellow raincoat and a straightforward concept: we have to DO something to save our planet, or there’s going to be trouble. Action: that was the key. If you know that there is something you can do about a problem – even the smallest thing, anything that is within your power – you feel less hopeless. Less scared.

Here are some of the questions that children and their parents have been asking me about Climate Change and the answers that seem to help them.

My child gets anxious about the future of humankind: what should I say?

Talk frankly, but also help them understand the everyday actions that we can all take to tackle the main issues related to Climate Change. Action is the

best cure for fear. Stop using disposable plastic; start using re-fillable water bottles; make sure you recycle correctly; re-use; exchange instead of buying new things; save energy; save water; walk and cycle more; use public transport or shared transportation. Show your child we can all make a difference and that if everyone does the same, the future looks more positive.

“What is climate change?”- How to answer The earth is our home, and it is nestled within a precious shelter that is called the atmosphere. Inside the atmosphere, we and other creatures can breathe and live. For nearly 200 years we have used something called fossil fuel (carbon and oil), which we burn in order to fuel our working world, in everything from factories to transportation. Every time we burn fossil fuels, or cut down trees, the atmosphere temperature rises a tiny bit because the gas (mostly a gas called carbon dioxide) that comes from this burning becomes trapped inside the atmosphere. This means the earth cannot release the heat that it receives from the sun. This is called Global Warming.

As the temperature rises, the climate changes. This brings heavy rains or severe drought, diverts the sea currents and disrupts the natural habitat of many species. It also means that the sea level is rising due to the ice melting in the Poles. All of these are the main effects of Climate Change.

What can help me communicate the key facts to my child?

It helps to introduce a hero character that allows children to engage their imagination while they absorb abstract information. Greta Thunberg is a perfect medium for these concepts. Discover other children who have also made a difference – like William Kamkwamba, who inspired the book and film The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

6 Families East Kent

Who is Greta Thunberg?

Greta is a child who loves to be “in the know” about what is happening to our planet.

She comes from a family of scientists and artists, she has studied the facts, and she is not afraid of being in the spotlight.

This combination worked well when she decided it was time to speak out and gain attention from the world about the danger we are facing and what we should be doing to avoid it.

Where can we learn more about this?

Sometimes, the news can be challenging for children to understand because it only illuminates part of a problem. Also, some headlines can be scary. Suggest that your child come to you with their questions and look for scientific sources together.

Bookshops and the internet (reliable websites such as www.climatekids.nasa. gov) can give a wider view. Look for sources that have been translated in a way that is understandable for younger ages.

Valentina Gianella is the author of We Are All Greta: Be Inspired to Change the World published

by Laurence King and is available from www.amazon. co.uk, www. laurenceking. com and all good book stores.

ISBN: 9781786276131 £9.99 familiesonline.co.uk

Lifestyle

Finding a flexible job that works for you

By Mandy Garner

Time becomes an increasingly precious commodity once you have children. For many that means looking to reduce or re-arrange their working hours to give themselves the time they need to enjoy family life.

So what are the alternatives to the traditional full-time job? Well, these days there are many different options. the hours in your regular job and run a franchise or self-employed job on the side either on a permanent basis or until your self-employed work is earning enough to support you. Another advantage of the portfolio approach is that it gives you time to experiment with different work options.

It could also allow you to re-train for another career while still earning.

Flexible Working Requests Firstly, you could seek some form of flexibility in your existing job. It’s important to be open-minded as to what that might look like, whether it could be part-time hours, some home working, flexible start and finish times, annualised hours, compressed hours (longer days but fewer of them), or a combination of several possibilities.

In order to make a formal flexible working application you will need to show you have thought through the implications of any changed working pattern on your employer and colleagues. Are there, for instance, parts of your job that could be delegated to others to enable them to get experience? Could you use the flexible working process to review your job and hone in on where you can have the most effect? If you can show that you have thought your case through carefully, weighing up your own and your employer’s needs, you are more likely to be successful.

Bear in mind that flexible working legislation currently only applies to those who have been in position for six months.

If this is not you or if you do not want to permanently change your hours - perhaps you only need some temporary flexibility - then you could ask for changes in your working pattern on a more informal basis.

Self-Employment and thinking broadly about any possible available job that might fit around your family’s needs. Talk to others and look into industries you may not have considered before.

Check out family-friendly websites to see who the most flexible employers are and read around about what other parents do. Sites like www.workingmums.co.uk have a regular jobs alert and case studies of working parents which can give you suggestions of where to look that you might not have thought of before.

Families East Kent Magazine is currently available as a franchise opportunity. You can work flexible hours from home and work around your family commitments.

Families East Kent Magazine is a premium free magazine for parents with kids 0-12 years and is published 6 times per year. It is also part of a group established in 1990 and has 40 local titles around the UK. To enquire for more details, email rebecca at editor@familieseastkent.co.uk

Once you have honed sectors and types of jobs you might be interested in, you could join LinkedIn professional groups and check out company websites and social media. Thorough research is key to securing the right job for you.

If the sector you are interested in requires you to retrain, you could look into whether there is any on the job training.

Be Creative

Portfolio Career

Another way around the flexible working issue is to switch jobs or even careers.

Having children means that all your creative skills will be in play most of the time, including when it comes to your work life. You could try listing your skills

Another potential option is the so-called portfolio career where you juggle several part-time or freelance/self-employed jobs, creating a kind of tapestry which gives you flexibility around drop-off and pick-up times. You could, for instance, reduce

Could this be your ideal job?

Work flexible hours from home and around your family!

Families East Kent is a premium free magazine for parents with childen 0 - 12 in East Kent and it’s now looking for a new owner.

You could, of course, choose to jump straight into self-employed work. If so, ensure you do your business research well. You could also consider becoming a franchisee, which means that you would have the freedom associated with running your own business with fewer of the risks of going it alone since the franchise will provide a tried and tested business model.

The important thing is to be creative and to try to think out of the box about your skills. Go back to basics and rediscover what those skills are, who you are, what you like doing. A good coach can help you work your way through all the above options.

Mandy Garner is Editor of www. workingmums.co.uk where you can find more suggestions on flexible working.

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If you are interested in: •

running your own business and;

IN THIS ISSUE Summer Fun for all the family

RECRUITING NOW Successsful ‘business mum’ is seeking 5 working partners to work part-time from home, alongside and without compromising family commitments or current career.

If you have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or self-employed background, or you wish to develop an extrordinary lifestyle,

Lose weight for summer!

Caroline 07967 347484

The East Kent franchise area covers Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Faversham, Folkestone, Margate, Ramsgate and all areas inbetween.

•

Families East Kent Magazine is part of the brand-leading Families Magazine franchise group, which was established in 1990 and has 40 local titles around the UK.

Then call us today for more information on 07789 882467 or email your interest to editor@familieseastkent.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Please call Vicki King 07501 433 922

The benefits of Forest School Fruity summer snacks ideas

As seen on TV ‘The Crash Diet Experiment’

Issue 4 July/August 2018 familiesonline.co.uk

learning the skills of print publishing, copy writing, design, sales, social media and business management

familiesonline.co.uk Families East Kent

Families East Kent 7

Parties

It’s PARTY time

Party entertainers are a great idea for a birthday party. They mean less stress and more time for you to enjoy your child’s celebration. But you may still need invitations, decorations, food and some activity ideas. So, if your child has their heart set on a themed party here are tips for popular themes.

Science Party Science parties are a great way for introducing science concepts to young children. There are companies which can provide spectacular science parties at your home but here are some accompaniments you may need.

Decorations Spell out the birthday child’s name using the periodic table.

Circus Party Kids love to clown around and have fun so why not try a circus party?

Prince and Princess Party

Decorations

A prince and princess party is all about makebelieve and dressing up. Think gold and silver, jewels and gems!

Create a balloon archway around a doorway.

Invitations

Create the illusion of being under a big top by hanging bunting from the where the walls meet the ceiling, with the other ends of the bunting meeting in the centre of the ceiling.

Arrange toy animals like elephants and lions around the room.

Create royal proclamations to invite your guests using coloured paper, ribbon and some candle wax. Either hand write or print out on a computer.

Decorations

Food

Welcome your guests by rolling out a length of red carpet or any fabric that looks grand.

Serve popcorn in decorated paper cups.

A drawbridge made from cardboard or a balloon archway also adds finesse.

Choose a colour theme for your balloons.

Decorate the cake with a clowns face Use icing pens to draw balloons on cupcakes.

Hot dogs, funny-face pizza and animal-shaped biscuits add to the atmosphere.

Activities Pin the Red Nose on the Clown – children pin their red nose onto a clown poster whilst blindfolded.

Juggling - use tennis balls to teach juggling or spin plastic plates on top of a broom handle.

Musical Clown Noses – children skip around the room to music. When it stops, they have to find a clown nose and the person who doesn’t find a nose is out.

Clown Face Painting Competition - children paint their own faces, making themselves look like clowns.

Circus Crafts Balloon animals – buy a pack of long balloons and search for free video tutorials online.

Circus finger puppets - download and print out circus characters. Get children to colour them in and cut them out. Cut a 2cm wide strip of paper long enough to go round the middle of each child’s finger. Glue/Sellotape strip into a circle. Attach the character onto the front.

Clown Hats - cut circles out of bright, thick card to make into cone shapes, as well as small circles in different colours to be glued on. Glue a pompom at the top of the hat. Punch holes either side to thread elastic through.

8 Families East Kent

Make the table the focus. A canopy made from inexpensive voile, or a net curtain hung from the ceiling, will look eye-catching. Wrap fairy lights around the table or scatter it with glittery confetti.

Food Watermelon Magic Wands – cut watermelon into star shapes, and serve on top of skewers.

Crown-shaped Biscuits and Sandwiches - wrap a cake tin with foil, and add four turrets made from foil-wrapped cardboard tubes.

Royal Sweets - pile red, white and blue sweets or cupcakes onto a cake stand.

Activities Make crowns and tiaras - decorate paper crowns with sequins and glitter.

Make medieval prince/princess hats - provide some pastel-coloured card, elastic and cheap net or voile, to transform into cone-shaped, medieval prince/princess hats.

Royal Party Games - Play Pin the Tail on the Dragon or the Jewel on the Tiara, Musical Thrones, or The Queen Says (instead of Simon Says).

Royal Treasure Hunt - Hide gold chocolate coins around the house or garden. Someone has stolen the king’s gold and the children must find it!

Hang up educational science posters like the periodic table which can be downloaded for free.

If you have one, display a whiteboard for working out problems such as ingredients for a potion or volcano.

Use coloured balloons for different planets – add cardboard for Saturn’s rings.

Costumes Oversized white shirts can become lab coats.

Print out name tags with monikers added like ‘Professor Julia.’

Party Food Rocket and Star Sandwiches and Pizzas – use a cookie cutter to cut sandwiches or pizza slices into rockets or stars.

Celestial Cupcakes - use edible glitter to dust cupcakes.

Sweet Rockets – fill plastic test tubes with sweeties.

Activities Erupting Volcanoes - children make a small volcano from play dough. Then insert a small container such as jar or film canisters (available cheaply on Amazon) into the centre of each volcano. Into each container, put one teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, a squirt of dish washing up liquid and a few drops of red food colouring.

Add one tea spoon of vinegar and kapow!

Mini Lava Lamps - fill jars or bottles about a ¼ full with water. Add food colouring and mix.

Almost fill jars with oil. When the oil and water have separated, drop in a fizzing tablet like Alka Seltzer or Vitamin C. Watch as the tablet floats down slowly to the water, dissolve and create bubbles of gas that carry some of the coloured water to the top. Add a few tablets at a time!

Magic Potion Station - Gather safe ingredients such as washing up liquid, vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, glitter, food colouring, spoons and mixing bowls/glass jars and arrange them so children can mix their own potions.

Advertise with us and reach 40,000+ local parents and carers. Call Amanda on 07835 848066 familiesonline.co.uk

Parties

Jungle Party A great theme for boys and girls ages 2 to 8 and lovers of the Lion King or the Jungle Book.

Invitations Purchase some cheap animal masks and write invitations on the back.

Decorate the envelopes with coloured stripes or spots.

Costumes Ask children to come dressed as their favourite animal or perhaps a jungle explorer.

Have them make animal masks when they arrive.

Make tails using rope with a knot in the end (lion or giraffe) or old tie or strip of cloth (monkey).

Space Party Many children become fascinated by all things space. If this applies to your child, a spacethemed party may take off!

Invitations Buy space-themed invitations or make them by placing a picture of an astronaut on the front of a note card. Stick a picture of the birthday child’s face on the astronaut. For party information, use ‘Launch Date,’ ‘Lift off Time,’ ‘Scheduled Return to Earth,’ ‘RSVP to Mission Control Headquarters’ etc.

Decorations Buy space posters, models/inflatable space craft, cut out and hang star and planet shaped cards.

Hang black and blue streamers and balloons.

Turn each child into a jungle beast with face painting.

Decorate the table with a black table cloth, sprinkled with star and/or planet-shaped confetti.

Decorations

Download official NASA transmissions to play in the background!

Gather your potted plants together and hang green streamers to create a jungle in one part of a room.

Food

Place and hang cuddly animal toys around the room.

Alien Juice and Rocket Fuel - green and red squash or fizzy drinks.

Decorate a plain white paper table cloth with spots or stripes and sprinkle with plastic bugs and snakes.

Star Cakes/Biscuits - decorate cakes/biscuits with star sprinkles.

Food

Rocket Fruit Sticks - for the rocket nose use a strawberry; for the body, alternate slices of banana and strawberry; for its end, shape a piece of melon into fins.

Snake sandwiches – cut using a circular cookie cutter. Arrange on a platter in a snake shape using the ends of cucumber to make the head and tail. Use olive slices or pepper circles for eyes and a strip of ham for the tongue.

Jungle Juice – squash coloured red or green.

Animal Cup Cakes – decorate cupcakes with animal figurines.

Games Sleeping Lions – children lie still and quiet on the floor pretending to be ‘sleeping lions.’

A judge roams the room and any child that moves is ‘out.’ The winner is the last child ‘asleep.’

Safari Animal Scavenger Hunt – beforehand hide several plush jungle animals. Tell the children the safari animals have gone missing.

Call out the name of a missing animal. When that animal has been retrieved, call out the name of another.

Jungle Animal Charades – write the names of jungle animals on note cards and place in a jungle hat. Each child pulls a card out of the hat and tries to get the others to guess the name of the animal by acting it out.

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Flying Saucer Sandwiches – cut small pittas into saucers or star/planet shapes.

Activities Don’t Drop the Asteroid - children must keep all the asteroids (balloons) in the air while the music plays. When it stops, they grab an asteroid. You call out a colour. Whoever has that coloured asteroid must pop it and complete the challenge inside to win a prize.

The game continues until all have received a prize.

Hot Moon - children stand in a circle. One starts the game by passing the ball. While the music plays, the players quickly pass the ball around the circle. When it stops, the child holding the ball is out. Play continues until one child is left - the Hot Moon Champion!

Solar System Challenge - children collect all the planets in our solar system and rush them back to their team’s star keepers. Then they must put them in the correct order to win.

Superhero Party You don’t need to be a super parent to make sure your kids have fun at a superhero party.

Invitations Superhero party invitations can be bought or make your own. Buy superhero masks, handwrite the party details on a notecard or decorative shipping tag and tie onto the masks.

Costumes Children come dressed as their favourite superhero, or transform into one on arrival using a selection of masks and capes which you can buy cheaply. Capes can be decorated with markers and printables you have downloaded.

Decorations Lay the table with red, blue and yellow table cloths. Stick to three primary colours with balloons too for a real comic book effect.

Classic superhero terms such as ‘Kapow’, ‘Boom,’ as well as posters can be downloaded to print and use to decorate walls.

Superhero inflatables are cheap and can be hung in the room.

Food Use brightly coloured cups and plates.

Superhero Chips - make cones from downloadable comic book pages to serve chips, dippers or other party food.

Superhero Cupcakes can be obtained from supermarkets.

Superhero Fruit Sticks - foods such as pineapple, green grapes and watermelon fit the colour scheme; put them on sticks with superhero labels attached to the end.

Super Juice - brightly coloured fruit juices or low sugar squash will keep super thirsts quenched!

Activities Pass the Kryptonite - children sit in a circle and pass around a green object (a painted rock or green bean bag), while the music plays.

When it stops, whoever’s holding the kryptonite is out! Give a prize to the last child left in the game.

Superhero Face Painting - you could get a professional face painter or set up your own face painting stand and view online video tutorials to transform your guests into superheroes.

Superhero Obstacle Course - jump through a hoop; weave through cones; run with an egg and spoon; pop a balloon; crawl through a tunnel or walk along a balance beam.

Families East Kent 9

Family Christmas

Top board and card games to play

this Christmas

Christmas is the time to dust off your favourite games to play at home with your family and friends. With a flurry of new games hitting our living room tables during recent years, the games market has seen something of a revolution. Now there are hundreds of games available that employ brain-teasing strategies and flex your investigatory muscles.

Claire Winter has picked some family board games that will help entice your children away from gadgets this festive season.

Sherlock Holmes - Consulting Detective Thames Murders game Gather your loved ones, and don your deerstalkers to play this fun mystery game. You have to solve the case by interviewing witnesses, and tracing their steps through Victorian London. This is very much a challenge of the mental ability of the players, rather than a game of chance. The details are well-researched and give you a real sense of a bygone era. £34.90 Amazon

The London Board Game

Monopoly Cheaters Edition

Pictionary

The complexities of the London Underground system make this a great brain-challenging game for players of all ages. The board itself is the London Underground map, so while enjoying the race, you’ll also learn more about London.

Players must visit six of London’s sightseeing hotspots, and the winner is the first person to get back to the mainline station where they started.

The new Cheaters Edition of Monopoly brings a fresh twist to the property trading game that was initially designed to warn players about the dangers of capitalism. This version encourages cheating and subterfuge! It includes 15 cheat cards that allow players to steal money from the bank and avoid paying rent.

This drawing game has been a firm favourite since 1985. The latest edition has been updated with two levels of clues for adults and younger children, making it a fun game for all ages. It also has wipe clean markers and boards. Mattel has also released Pictionary Air, which uses an app and augmented reality, but I prefer the old school version!

£17.74 Amazon

£21.99 Amazon

£30 www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk

Dobble

Chess and Draughts

Speech Breaker

Nudge

This fun picture card game is very popular in our house and it’s really addictive. It depends on speed of observation as players have to pick out one icon from a group on a card that matches the same icon in a group on another card.

This simple premise then forms the basis for five short minigames, alternatively asking you to collect or discard cards as quickly as possible. Younger eyes and reflexes are at a definite advantage which means your 5 year old will beat you fair and square!

According to academics, chess boosts intelligence and creativity, so this Christmas teach your children the tactical games of Chess and Draughts to improve their mental agility. These timeless games are also a great way to share one-on-one time with your child.

This challenging game for children age 14+ is great fun. You have to put on the game headset, talk into the microphone, and get your teammates to guess who, what, where without saying any of the words on the cards. But… the microphone jams your speech with a built-in delay. As you talk, you’ll hear your delayed voice through the game headset, making it harder to speak clearly. Really hilarious!

Nudge is an incredibly simple, yet insanely addictive strategy game for children age 14+ designed to send you and your opponent over the edge. Designed with the environment in mind, the game is made from 100% recyclable materials including the game board, single-colour packaging, and fully biodegradable game discs.

£19.99 Amazon

£9.99 www.nudgegames.co.uk

£25.52 Amazon

£12.99 Amazon

10 Families East Kent

familiesonline.co.uk

Family Christmas

Eco Christmas Gift Guide

By Claire Winter

2019 has definitely been the year to think about over-consumption; households around the country have gone Marie Kondo crazy, getting rid of unwanted clutter. Many people are also avoiding buying plastic or fast fashion and thinking about the things they purchase and consume. So why don’t you consider buying some eco-friendly presents for your nearest and dearest this festive season?

BABIES

TODDLERS Bamboo Hungry Kids Set

Make dinnertime roar-some with this cute plate, bowl, and cup set.

Dinosaur lovers will relish munching their meals from this cute, eco-friendly set. All pieces are made from plant-based materials, including bamboo and corn starch, making them fully biodegradable, and super-safe for kids. They’re also fully microwave and dishwasher proof. £14.99 www.prezzybox.com

Baby Car Seat Wrap

This stylish, organic, baby car seat wrap is the perfect present to give parents peace of mind on winter car journeys. The ladies behind Kura Organics realised that taking their newborns out in the car was more stressful than it should be. They found the amount of safety advice about how to dress babies for travel overwhelming, so they created this cosy wrap. Not only does it keep little ones warm and safe, it looks gorgeous too. £49.99 www.kura-organics.com

Sophie la Girafe Comforter Gift Set

This charming gift set featuring an original Sophie la girafe® and comforter is a lovely gift for baby’s first Christmas. The 58-year-old icon is loved by millions and is still made using traditional methods from 100% natural rubber, derived from the sap of the hevea tree, and decorated with food grade paint. £29.99 www.1two.co.uk

TEENS KIDS My First Giant Bubble Kit

You can never be too old to play with bubbles. Dr Zigs is made in the UK by a small, Snowdoniabased company. The bubble mixture is fully biodegradable and palm oil and phosphatefree. It also comes in 10x concentrate to massively reduce packaging, while the 25cm wooden wands and rope used to create the bubble are made from sustainably-sourced wood and unbleached cotton. They even make bubbles for dogs! £19.99 www.drzigs.com

Tepee

The Little Green Sheep Teepee is a great gift for kids with a big imagination.

This beautifully designed playhouse with a striking scalloped edge is made out 100% cotton canvas and wood. This great company ensures all of their products are natural and chemical-free.

Once playtime is done at home, the Teepee adventures can continue on your travels, because each one comes with a handy cotton travel bag. £89.95 www.thelittlegreensheep.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

The Bear Grylls Snorkel Experience for Two

Buy an experience for your teen instead of an actual gift. The Bear Grylls Adventure at the NEC in Birmingham is an experience they will never forget. Snorkel with some not-so-deadly Black Tip Reef Sharks and other marine life protected by a see-through snorkel cage. Plus, a percentage of every dive is donated to the Shark Trust to help shark conservation. £90 www.redletterdays.co.uk

ili Laptop Stand

This funky, portable laptop stand is the brainchild of engineer Celine Kerr and her husband Zeno. The ili is a versatile and elegant laptop stand. It is made out of natural, sustainable materials and also helps to improve posture when working from a laptop, plus it’s light and portable.

A fantastic gift for a teenager or adult, who loves to spend hours on their laptop. £39.99 www.ililaptopstand.com

ABC Wooden Blocks

A classic alphabet and numbers blocks set. Beautifully crafted from solid rubberwood, all the edges are smooth so they are easy to handle. This chunky set features pastel designs of upper and lower case letters as well as numbers from 0 to 9. Every block is hand screen-printed, which makes each one unique.

Designed to help strengthen motor skills, critical thinking, develop pre-reading and early counting skills, this is a beautiful, educational toy made out of sustainable materials that will give a toddler hours of fun. £29.99 www.letoyvan.com

MUM AND DAD Blue Goose Coffee

Perfect for coffee fans, this new range of speciality, single-origin, and organic coffees in innovative plasticfree, compostable starch and wood bark capsules are perfect to go in coffee machines.

Compatible with Nespresso® original coffee pod machines, these innovative capsules turn into compost within twelve weeks. £18.99 www.bluegoose.coffee

Pukka Herbal Tea Christmas Advent Calendar The perfect advent calendar for all tea lovers, featuring 24 Pukka organic herbal teas.

Inspired by the power of plants, Pukka’s Christmas Calendar is a healthy alternative to chocolate-filled advent calendars! £9.99 www.waitrose.com

DIYogi Yoga Mat

The ideal present for a yogi or yogini.

The world’s first yoga mats that people can write and draw on using markers. You can custom design your own mat or add designs before you give the gift. For every mat sold, £1 is donated to Clear Blue Sea, a not-for-profit organisation, which develops an automated solution to remove large quantities of plastic in our oceans without affecting ocean wildlife. £77 www.diyogi.com Families East Kent 11

What’s on

What’s on

Your essential guide to family events in November & December compiled by Laura Vass.

We take great care in compiling our events guide, but check with the venues before you leave home just in case times or prices have changed since we went to print.

CHRISTMAS EVENTS 22 November – 1 December Look for a Book Christmas Event Whitefriars, Canterbury CT1 2TF Take part in this fantastic free event.

Hunt out the Christmas themed books, take them home to read and hide them again for someone else to find.

22 November – 30 December Christmas at Bedgebury Bedgebury Pinetum, Goudhurst TN17 2SJ Inspired by the landscape itself, it is a festive adventure in a world of trees on the illuminated winter trail and get a glimpse Father Christmas and his elf along the way.

23 November – 24 December Christmas at Hever Castle Hever Castle, Edenbridge TN8 7NG Take a magical journey down the rabbit hole and into the enchanting world of Alice in Wonderland. See website for available dates.

30 November Christmas Fair and Santa’s Grotto Woodnesborough Village Hall, Woodnesborough CT13 0FB With stalls from local suppliers and crafters, seasonal refreshments and winter warmers. Santa will be in residence for the day with his helpers, so take your little ones along ahead of the big day. 10am-3pm.

30 November Christmas in the Park Strode Park, Herne CT6 7NE There will be a variety of stalls, crafts, gifts, food and entertainment. Children can visit Santa in his grotto as well as meeting his reindeer. 10.30am-3.30pm.

30 November CBeebies Christmas Show: Hansel and Gretel Ashford Picturehouse, Elwick Road, Ashford TN23 1AE The show is an adaptation of fairy-tale classic Hansel and Gretel and will again feature many of CBeebies’ most popular talent. Audiences will also get a chance to see exclusive, additional content specially-made for the cinema.

30 November – 23 December A Truly Magical Christmas Rare Breeds Centre, Ashford TN26 3RJ The Rare Breeds Centre is hosting Santa and his elves, as well as their very own pantomime. Performances are at 12 noon and 2 pm.

30 November – 24 December Experience Christmas at Kent Life Kent Life, Sandling, Maidstone ME14 3AU Head along to Kent Life to join in the festive fun. In addition to the farm activities, you can jump on board the Land Train, driven by the Head Elf, to take a tour of the farm. Father Christmas will be visiting the farm on selected days through December.

1 – 31 December Ramsgate Illuminations Royal Harbour, Ramsgate CT11 8LS The berth holders in the Royal Harbour decorate their vessels in celebration 12 Families East Kent

of the holiday season. This beautiful spectacle is well-worth a visit – head down to the harbour to witness this wonderful sight of boats and local businesses lit up for December.

5 – 22 December (Thurs-Sun only) Enchanted Walmer Castle Walmer Castle, Deal CT14 7LJ Make the most of winter evenings with an enchanting experience of light, colour and sound as the gardens at Walmer Castle are transformed into an illuminated world.

7 December Christmas Crafts Duke of York’s Royal Military School, Guston, Dover CT15 5EQ The Astor Theatre is hosting a Christmas-themed Family Crafternoon from 1.30-2.30pm. £12 for a child and accompanying adult. Additional sibling £8. Booking is essential. Ages 4-12.

7 & 8 December Dickensian Christmas Festival Rochester Castle and Town Centre Uncover a feast of Victorian delights, costumed characters and parades as the town is transformed to a 19th century wonderland.

7 & December Wartime Christmas Weekend Royal Engineers Museum, Gillingham ME7 1UR Head along to the museum to discover how Christmas was celebrated during the Second World War! Immerse yourself in the festivities and browse the market for festive treats.

7 & 8, 14 & 15, 21 – 31 December Winterland Margate Dreamland, Margate CT9 1XJ Escape to a magical Christmas world down by the sea this December as Dreamland presents Winterland Margate. Frosted FM will be in full swing at the Roller Disco, playing Christmas classics from 1-5pm on Winterland Margate open days, so strap on your skates and spin around the dance floor.

14 December Christmas Crafts Astor Theatre, Deal CT14 6AB The Astor Theatre is hosting a Christmas-themed Family Crafternoon from 1.30-2.30pm. £12 for a child and accompanying adult. Additional sibling £8. Booking is essential. Ages 4-12.

14 December RNLI Ramsgate Lifeboat Carol Service St George’s Church, Ramsgate CT11 8RA Starting at 2pm, this service is approximately an hour long. The service is running alongside the church’s Christmas tree festival, so take the time to browse the decorated trees and donate to some good causes.

22 December Christmas Disco Whitstable Castle, Tower Hill, Whitstable CT5 2BW Head along to the castle for a fun packed Christmas Disco with music, games, dance routines, a special visit from Father Christmas and possibly even some snow! The disco will run from 4.30- 6.30pm Ages 4-9. £10 per child. Call 01227 281726 to book tickets.

CHRISTMAS MARKETS 1 – 3 November Kent Christmas Fair Kent Event Centre, Detling Showground, Maidstone, ME14 3JF Step into a creative world and rediscover the art of enjoyable Christmas shopping. The Kent Christmas Fair offers a unique opportunity to find special presents for special people; it is the perfect place to work your way through your Christmas list.

Christmas is coming to Dreamland

3 & 24 November Canterbury Christmas Fair The Westgate Hall, Canterbury CT1 2BT Taking place at the beautiful Westgate Hall, you’ll be able to shop a handpicked selection of products from small businesses in Kent and East Sussex. 10am.

9 November Neptune Christmas Market Neptune Canterbury, Canterbury CT1 3TY Shop local food, drink, jewellery, crafts and more. 10am-4pm.

9 November Ashford Christmas Fair and Craft Market The Towers School, Ashford TN24 9AL With a range of seasonal stalls this market will be a great event for all.

9 November Pilgrim’s Hospice Christmas Fair and Craft Market The Towers School, Faversham Road, Ashford TN24 9AL With more than 50 dedicated craft stalls to browse and buy from, and a further 25 stalls run by volunteers and filled with donated goods. 10am-3pm.

Free entry but donations welcome.

16 November - 24 December Whitefriars Christmas Market Whitefriars, Canterbury CT1 2TF With 68 cabins and a further 70 small, artisan businesses represented in a shared space, plus an additional week of trading, this is the biggest and longest-running Christmas market in the city.

23 November Christmas Fair Lympne Village Hall, Aldington Road, Hythe CT21 4LE Artisan crafts, gifts, decorations, pottery, cake stall, refreshments, games for children and big hamper raffle.

Dreamland will be hosting Winterland Margate, a festive extravaganza this December, with seasonal entertainment and rides open on weekends and Christmas school holidays, and a brand new premium grotto experience for families.

23 - 24 November Christmas Fayre The Friars, Aylesford ME20 7BX The weekend will be full of festive fun including the free ice rink and Christmas Land Train. Adults £4.50 and Under 12’s are free.

Guests can expect dazzling fairy light walks, a winter market with festive food and drinks, yuletide crafts, free festive film screenings, Christmas trees, wreath making, and more. A selection of seasonal rides will also be running during open days between 7-31 December.

23 November – 15 December The Christmas Market Leeds Castle, Maidstone ME17 1PL Browse the splendid array of seasonal gifts, toys, festive decorations. Visits to Father Christmas cost £17 and must be booked in advance.

There will also be a special giant Snow Globe that guests can climb inside, and dogs will also be allowed on the park with their owners throughout the festive period.

Frosted FM will be in full swing at the Roller Disco, playing Christmas classics, so strap on your skates and spin around the dance floor.

The park is free to enter. Full details, ride wristbands and grotto tickets are available at dreamland.co.uk.

29 November – 22 December Folkestone Christmas Market Folkestone CT20 1TU With a range of quality seasonal treats and gifts, this is a wonderful market to get you into the festive spirit. Open daily 10am-5pm. Visit Santa in his grotto, check dates and times with the organisers beforehand. familiesonline.co.uk

1 December Christmas at Brogdale Brogdale Farm, Brogdale Road, Faversham ME13 8XZ Christmas handmade crafts and local produce market. Take a magical ride on the Faversham Miniature Railway to Santa’s grotto. 10am-4pm.

1 December Christmas Market Sandwich Wildlife Park, Sandwich CT13 0DG This arts, crafts and gifts market will showcase some of the best traders Kent has to offer. 10am-4pm. Free.

1 December Tides Christmas Fayre Tides, Park Avenue, Deal CT14 9UU Tides will be hosting a Christmas Fayre in aid of the RNLI. A variety of stalls to browse, a bouncy castle and an enticing raffle. 12.30-4.30pm.

7 – 8 December Christmas at the Castle Whitstable Castle, Tower Hill, Whitstable CT5 2BW This is a traditional Christmas Fair with stalls inside and outside. Children can visit the magical Christmas grotto!

8 December Birchington Christmas Fair Station Road, Birchington CT7 9RE This is a festive family fun day with live music, children’s entertainment, carol singing and a traditional Christmas market with local artisan gifts, food and drink.

14 December Lydden Christmas Market Lydden Village Hall, CT15 7EX Market’s stalls selling locally produced food, drink, decorations and gifts.

Christmas raffle and gifts for children.

1-5pm.

ICE SKATING 14 November – 5 January Ice Skate at Bluewater Bluewater, Greenhithe DA9 9ST Take a trip to Bluewater’s spectacular undercover outdoor ice rink. Perfect for all the family to enjoy. Prices from £11 adults and £9. Book in advance online.

29 November – 1 January Canterbury on Ice Dane John Gardens, Canterbury CT1 2WR The Dane John Gardens will provide a dramatic backdrop to the rink, with twinkling lights and views available from the city walkway. Children must be 4 or over to skate and prices start at £9 per child for 45 minutes on the ice.

Book in advance via the website.

29 November – 2 January Ice Skating at Eastwell Manor Eastwell Manor, Ashford TN25 4HR Eastwell Manor is hosting an outdoor skating rink. An hour skating and skate hire is £14.50 for adults and £9.50 for under 12s.

LIGHTS SWITCH ON 15 November Canterbury Christmas Light Switch On Longmarket, Canterbuy CT1 2JS Prepare to watch Canterbury light up and sparkle at the annual Christmas Lights Switch-On event. The lights will be turned on between 5.30pm and 5.50pm.

22 November Tankerton Late Night Shopping and Light Switch On Whitstable CT5 2AJ Tankerton will celebrate their first Christmas Light Switch on event this year. Local businesses will support this event by staying open late.

22 November Westwood Cross Light Switch On Westwood Cross Shopping Centre, Broadstairs CT10 2BF The popular shopping centre will officially launch the season in style, revealing the stunning new Christmas lights display and spectacular Toy Fort Grotto.

23 November Faversham Christmas Lights Town Centre, Faversham Expect a beautiful blend of quaint town flair and good old fashioned Christmas spirit at the Faversham Christmas light switch on.

1 December – 1 January White Cliffs Christmas 24 November ICE-travaganza Ramsgate Christmas Lights The Port of Dover, Western Docks Switch On 8, 15 & 22 December (Cruise Terminal) CT17 9DQ King Street and Queen Street, Faversham Christmas Market Open every day during December, the Ramsgate Guildhall Market Place, Faversham historic Dover Marine Station will once With events starting from 11.30am, Packed full of Faversham Market’s again be beautifully decked out with this is a whole day of fun Christmas stalls selling locally produced food, Christmas decorations and will feature festivities for you to enjoy, culminating drink, decorations and gifts, you can ice-skating on the fantastic indoor real in the switch on of the town Christmas get all your shopping done in one go! ice rink, Father Christmas in his grotto, lights.

There will also be festive music and rides, market stalls, Christmas activities entertainment. and many delicious food15/10/2019 outlets. 9am 16:00 30 November AD_129729_The Snow Dragon_87x130mm.qxp_87x130 - 6pm.

Sandwich Lights Switch On Sandwich Town Centre This is a celebration for all the family, with festive stalls, music, street entertainment and lots of food and drink. A lantern-lit parade around the Suitable town will take place in early evening for ages and the lights switch on will be at 7pm.

3+

30 November Whitstable Christmas Celebrations Various Locations in Whitstable Various organisations, attractions and businesses in the town will be hosting a range of Christmas activities for residents to enjoy throughout the day.

30 November Dover Christmas Celebrations Town Square, Dover The Christmas Light Switch-on is timed for the finale of the celebrations at 5pm.

11 – 22 Dec

1 December Westgate Christmas Light Switch On Station Road, Westgate-on-Sea CT8 8QY Open 11am-5pm, Station Road plays host to a fantastic day for all the family.

Light switch on will be at 4.30pm.

7 December Broadstairs Christmas Fayre and Light Switch On Pierremont Park and Hall, Broadstairs CT10 1JX This is a traditional family event with Christmas themed stalls, Santa in his magical Grotto, music and entertainment and the turning on of the Christmas lights at 5pm.

Tickets & Information 01227 769075 www.thegulbenkian.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

WHERE IS SANTA? 10 November – 24 December Santa’s Grotto The Reindeer Centre, Tenterden TN26 3EQ The Grotto and centre are open every day and no pre-booking is required.

What’s on Children can meet Santa and get up-close with his reindeer, as well as explore the magical Christmas Grotto.

14 November – 24 December Santa’s Grotto Bluewater, Greenhithe DA9 9ST Experience a world of majesty and fantasy at Bluewater’s 2019 Grotto, based on the timeless festive story of The Nutcracker and the Realms. From £10.50 per child and times must be booked in advance.

23 November – 24 December Santa’s Grotto Longacres Bybrook Barn Garden Centre, Ashford TN24 9JZ Booking in advance is strongly suggested as tickets sell out fast. £6 to visit Santa and receive a gift.

30 November – 24 December (selected dates) Santa Specials Kent and East Sussex Railway, Tenterden TN30 6HE Take a magical steam train journey to meet Santa this Christmas on one of the popular Santa Special trains. From £22 and babies under 18 months free.

30 November – 24 December Santa’s Grotto Whitefriars Shopping Centre, Canterbury CT1 2TF Santa’s Grotto can be found admidst the bustling Christmas market in the centre of Canterbury. Santa can be found here at weekends and then in the week from mid-December. £4 per child and places should be booked online.

Selected Dates in December Santa Specials Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, TN28 8PL The miniature railway offers a range of experiences to meet Santa. All include train travel and a visit to Santa in his grotto at Dungeness. See website for details. Prices from £20 per person.

Selected dates in December Santa’s Grotto Wildwood, Herne Common, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 7LQ Santa will be at Wildwood on selected dates in December. Children will be entertained by his magical elves, visit the reindeer and receive a quality soft toy and souvenir photograph, as well as meeting Santa himself. Book in advance.

1, 7-8, 14-15, 20-24 December Elf Express Quex Activity Centre, Quex Park, Birchington CT7 0BH Climb aboard the Elf Express and travel in style to Elf Tower. You will then venture through the Magical forest where you will be greeted by some cheerful elves. Your visit will then culminate with a visit to Santa for a Christmas story and gift. Slots must be pre-booked prices from £11 per child.

1 – 23 December Father Christmas at the Hop Farm The Hop Farm, Paddock Wood TN12 6PY A visit to the Big Red Grotto will entail a visit with Father Christmas, a chance to meet his jolly helpers. Children will receive a gift, as well as the chance to participate in craft activities. £18 per child. Book in advance.

7-8, 14-15, 21-22 December December Santa Specials Crampton Tower Museum, The Broadway, Broadstairs CT10 2AB Book in at the Museum Kiosk on arrival from 12.15pm to see Santa. Admission is £7 per child. This includes a visit to see the man himself, a carefully chosen gift and a miniature train ride (weather permitting). No pre-booking required for this event.

Families East Kent 13

What’s on 7-8, 14-15, 21-22 December Grotto Experience at Winterland Dreamland, Marine Terrace, Margate CT9 1XJ Dreamland is creating an enchanting one-hour walk-through Grotto Experience for little and big kids to enjoy. Families will experience all sorts of festive fun as they make their way through the magical Grotto, before meeting Father Christmas himself and receiving a special gift. Grotto tickets start at £22.25 and include access to the full one-hour Grotto Experience plus all rides open in the park. Tickets must be booked in advance.

19 December Breakfast with Santa Old Gate Inn, New Dover Road, Canterbury CT1 3EL Join Santa for breakfast at the Old Gate Inn between 8am and 10am. Contact the inn for further details and to book your table.

THEATRE & PANTOMIMES 11 – 22 December The Snow Dragon The Gulbenkian, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NB On New Year’s Eve, Billy is looking forward to the annual visit of the legendary Snow Dragon, who will bring him even more goodies… But when Billy bumps into some hungry wolves in the forest, New Year’s Day seems a long way off. How will Billy escape?

And has he been naughty or nice?

Tickets £8-9. Suitable for age 3+.

13 – 17 November Nativity! The Musical Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury CT1 2AS Box Office: 01227 787787 Feel-good, funny and full of joy, featuring all of your favourite sing-along hits from the movie.

16 November Same Same but Different The Gulbenkian, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NB Box Office: 01227 769075 This new family show mixes Kathak, Hip Hop dance, contemporary dance, hints of live music and physical storytelling. Performance at 1pm. £8-9.

Suitable for age 5+.

16 – 17 November Stick Man Theatre Royal, Margate CT9 1PW Box Office: 01843 292795 Touching, funny and utterly original, Freckle Productions’ delightful adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Stick Man is back! All ages welcome.

23 November Star in a Jar The Gulbenkian, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NB Box Office: 01227 769075 A warm-hearted story, with music, that perfectly captures the friendship between two siblings; the lovely set design taking the action from park to school, and back home. 12.30pm. £8-9.

Suitable for age 3+.

30 November Hansel and Gretel The Gulbenkian, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NB Box Office: 01227 769075 This contemporary retelling of the classic fairy tale finds our two young heroes lost in London, overwhelmed by the sights, sounds and smells. A show that will delight the whole family.

Performance at 2.30pm. £8-9. Ages 5+.

14 Families East Kent

13 - 24 December Once Upon a Snowflake Folkestone Quarterhouse Folkestone, CT20 1BN A magical world of shadow puppetry, storytelling and enchanting songs for all the family! Liza has gone missing and no one knows where she can be. One thing is for certain - those mysterious Winter Sprites have something to do with it! Every winter, these tiny elf-like creatures can be found hiding in pockets, shoes and sock drawers, watching and hearing everything. But how are they connected with Liza’s disappearance and can they help to find her? Follow Liza into a colourful whirlwind of stories and adventure led by a tiny Sprite with a fascination for snowflakes.

You’ll never see a snowflake the same way again! 10am, 11am, 1.30pm, 2pm (days and times vary).

DIARY DATES Every Friday in November An Invitation to Play The Grand, The Leas, Folkestone CT20 2XL An invitation to Play will keep your young ones occupied for an hour and a half with craft, play, stories and songs. 10am. £6 per child with discounts available for siblings. Email: sarahjudgeplay@gmail.com to book.

Ages 0-5.

2, 9, 16 & 23 November Lantern Making Workshop St Peter’s Church, Sandwich CT13 9DA Head along to St Peter’s Church on any Saturday in November to make your own lantern ready for the Christmas parade on 30 November. Open from 10am until 4pm. £4 per lantern.

3 November & 1 December Ashford Farmer’s Market Ashford Town Centre Visit Ashford town centre between 10am and 2pm to see a wide variety of locally produced artisan goods and foods.

5 November & 10 December Sounds Beaney The Beaney, High Street, Canterbury CT1 2RA The Explorers and Collectors Gallery will become a performance space, as it hosts the monthly Sounds Beaney event. Limited seating available. 11am12pm, 5 November Broadstairs Fireworks Victoria Gardens and Viking Bay, Broadstairs Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council present a beautiful display over Viking bay. You can also enjoy children’s funfair rides and entertainment on the Bandstand. The Fireworks are at 8pm.

7 – 9 November The Railway Children Playhouse Theatre, High Street, Whitstable CT5 1AZ Box Office: 01227 272042 The Railway Children is a heartwarming adventure which captures the anxieties and exhilarations of childhood with great tenderness and insight.

9 November & 14 December Bach to Baby St John’s Methodist Church, Whitstable CT5 1JS Bach to Baby is the critically acclaimed classical concert series for babies, toddlers and their parents. The concert starts at 11am and lasts about an hour.

9 & 23 November & 7 & 21 December Forest School Willow Bushcraft, Marsh Wood, Ashford TN26 A morning full of woodland activities including den building, fire lighting, campfire cooking, woodland craft and archery. Suitable clothing and shoes for weather and the environment must be worn. £10 per place. Ages 8-12.

10 November Art Makes Children Powerful Cliffs, Margate CT9 2QN In this workshop children will discover and discuss the importance of creativity and will create Slogan Art to make their feelings shown! All materials and a snack will be provided.

15 November Family Fun Night Elvington Community Centre, Elvington CT15 4DZ With crazy rounds, child-friendly questions and a bit of the absurd, it is a brilliant family night out. £10 a table (max 6 players including children). Call Hannah on 07828 647511.

15 – 17 November The Kent Festival Kent Event Centre, Detling Showground, Maidstone, ME14 3JF This is Kent’s first indoor music festival catering to everyone’s music tastes.

Plus a circus tent (inspired by The Greatest Showman), a Children’s Pantomime, comedy entertainment and funfair. There will also be craft and gift stalls, as well as food and drink.

19 November & 7 December Sandgate Farmers and Makers Market Chichester Hall, Sandgate, Folkestone CT20 3AR The Sandgate Farmers and Makers Market is open from 10am-12.30pm on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month and is free to enter.

22 November & 27 December Astronomy Viewing Session Monkton Nature Reserve, Monkton CT12 4LH This session allows you to explore the night sky from the observatory on site. The viewing session starts approximately one hour after sunset.

Contact the reserve for specific details.

23 November Family Yoga Treelight Yoga, Violet Way, Ashford TN23 3GH This family yoga class is for children aged 4-12 and their grown-ups. No yoga experience required Class runs for 45 minutes and starts at 4pm. £8 for a child and adult. Contact Michele for details or to book: 07977 503897.

23 November Christmas Makers Day Old Woolworth’s Building, 33 High Street, Margate CT9 1EA 50 local artisans selling homemade arts and crafts. There will also be free make and take activities as well as live music throughout the day. 11am-3pm.

24 November & 22 December Cliftonville Farmers Market Oval Lawns, Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville CT9 2HL There will be producers selling bread, cheese, honey, fruit, vegetables, wild game, fruit juices, fresh meat and more.

10am-1pm.

29 November Whirligig Christmas Shopping Evening Canterbury CT1 2HX Whirligig toy shop in Canterbury is opening its doors for an evening filled with all the fun of Christmas shopping!

From 6-8pm. Receive 15% discount off of your entire shopping bill.

29 November – 1 December Winter Art Fair Godinton House and Gardens, Ashford TN23 3BP The hugely talented Ashford Visual Artists will return to showcase their new and original work within the Great Hall and Old Billiard Room at Godinton House for three days this winter, from 10am until 4pm. Free entry.

1, 8 & 15 December Santa’s on the Run! Herne Bay, Folkestone and Margate Celebrate the countdown to Christmas by raising money for Pilgrim’s Hospices.

These events will take place on three consecutive Sundays in December, in three locations on the Kent Coast. You can walk, skip, hop, run or jump this 3K or 5K route, and buggies, wheelchairs and sleighs are all welcome to join in the festive fun too. Register in advance via the Pilgrim’s Hospice website.

6 December Go Stargazing Langton Grammar School for Boys, Canterbury CT4 7AR Away from the worst of the light pollution the city of Canterbury offers this is a good spot for stargazing and observing through members telescopes. The event starts at 7pm.

14 – 15 December Glisten The Studio, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury CT1 2AS Box Office: 01227 787787 A gentle, sparkling and immersive sensory experience. Glisten is an interactive performance for babies aged 0-18 months and their grownups. The audience are taken on a sparkling and shimmering immersive journey exploring the world of reflective materials wrapped up in an ambient soundscape of evocative yet laid-back music.

19 December Family Day – Christmas Activities Dover Museum, Dover CT16 1PH Family days at Dover Museum are fun for children of all ages. There are a great range of themed days in the school holidays. All children do need to be accompanied by an adult during the activity. Family day activities are free, so go along and join in anytime from 10.30am-3pm.

27 – 29 December Meet the Owls Brogdale Farm, Brogdale Road, Faversham ME13 8XZ Spend a magical winter evening meeting owls at their most active and nosiest time of the day. Visitors will have the chance to interact and get up close to the owls, you might even get to hold them too! Plus the chance to ask the expert falconer any questions about the owls. Suitable for children age 6+.

Tickets £10 for adults, £5 for children and must be booked in advance. 6pm.

28 December Cooking Morning for Children: Winter Warmers Chequers Kitchen Cookery School, Golf Road, Deal CT14 6RG Do you have a budding young chef waiting to get creative in the kitchen?

Children will make a delicious macaroni cheese and a squidgy chocolate pear pudding. All ingredients are included.

Please bring airtight containers to take home your two dishes. Booking must be made in advance. 10am.

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An Act of Kindness for Every Day of Advent!

– choose from below or make up your own 1. Smile at everyone you see today 2. Make cards for elderly people in your street 3. Tell someone the reasons you like them 4. Pick up litter in your street or local park 5. Clean up a mess you didn’t make 6. Wish a stranger a nice day 7. Help make dinner 8. Donate pocket money to charity 9. Compliment staff at a café or shop 10. Donate books, toys and clothes to charity 1 1. Volunteer at a festive community event

Zoe took biscuits to school

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12. Leave snacks on your doorstep for delivery people 13. Let somebody go ahead of you in the queue 14. Hug someone 15. Bake biscuits to take to school or work 16. Deliver notes to houses with great Christmas light displays 17. Pack away your things without being asked 18. Make someone laugh 19. Take canned food to your local food bank 20. Make a list of the things you’re thankful for 21. Leave a kind note where someone will find it 22. Send a Christmas card to someone overseas 23. Do a chore for someone else 24. Leave food out for Santa and his reindeer!

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Perform an a ct of kindness each day until Ch ristmas!

Pin up the c alendar and keep a daily record of yo ur family’s good deeds .

ADVENT CALENDAR

Families East Kent 15

FREE ENTR Y

CHRISTMAS BY THE SEA Visit Winterland’s rides and winter market for yuletide treats and much more.

Open weekends & holidays • 7-31 December For full details and advance bookings DREAMLAND.CO.UK

Co-educational, Day & Boarding School for 3-18 years situated in South-East England

With small class sizes and exceptional facilities, St Lawrence College is Kent's only High Performance Learning World Class School, providing outstanding opportunities for all pupils academically, in sport, and in the arts.

Find out more about life and learning at St Lawrence College - www.slcuk.com Junior School T: 01843 572912 Senior School T: 01843 572931

@slcuckofficial

Families East Kent

E: jsadmissions@slcuk.com E: admissions@slcuk.com

@slcMain

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