FamFifeTaysideCrieffSepOct2018

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IN THIS ISSUE Outdoor Autumn Fun! Education Parenting News What’s on New! Clubs, Classes & Workshops Directory

Issue 51 September/October 2018

familiesonline.co.uk

Contents

Dear Families,

Wow! Where to begin?! It feels like

a long time since I prepared my last welcome message to you all. When News 3-6 I last wrote, the weather had started local news and reviews to give us hope of a ‘proper’ summer

– and what a summer it was! I’m Outdoor Autumn fun 7 looking back at the list of things I ideas to ‘go wild this Autumn’ said we would be doing during the holidays… baking? Nope, barely

been inside. Litter picking on the Education 8-11 beach? Absolutely. My sons have spent more time in the sea news from learning providers, this summer than I think I ever did as a child. It’s been brilliant. the importance of drama, My oldest has become quite the environmental campaigner and should you help with homework?, always helps me remember to do our 2 minute beach clean kitchen science recipe (more like 20 minutes sometimes!) whenever we visit the shore.

Painting rocks? Sort of… we have found a few, and decorated Publication Title: some, but we haven’t quite gotten the hang of parting with Parenting 12-13 our decorated rocks.

It feels quiteG4the PSP Media Group Ltd, 50 High Craighall Road,like Glasgow 9UDtransition now to be dealing with the loss of a loved one, Tel: 0141 353 2222about Fax: 0141 332 3823October holidays, Halloween and the talking Autumn, educating your child about social media like, although the current rainy weather is making it slightly PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: It is your responsibility to check that all information within the advert is correct; we will not be held accountable for any inaccuracies or false information included within it. If you do not contact us by the deadline date more believable that time is marching on.

Which brings me to stated within the email, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to complete any changes received after the stated deadline. Failure to respond may result in the advert being printed as shown below. the front cover image. I chose this picture as it reminded me of New! Directory 14 the fun we had picking ourPLEASE pumpkins last year.DEADLINE It did make me DATE WITHIN SEE BODY OF EMAIL browse local businesses and services wonder (as I find myself doing so oftenThis theseisdays) where the a low resolution pdf for purposes byproofing category last year has gone. It really is true when they say, ‘the days are long but the years are short’. I’ve got friends whose sons have Out and About 14-16 started P1 in August who I am sure will agree. If your child has round up of events in September started (or, indeed, returned to) school over the last few weeks, I hope they have settled (back) in and that you enjoy your family

& October time over the next few weeks. Keep safe and have fun!

URGENT PROOF

Walk in Scotland

Rachel URGENT PROOF URGENT PROOF URGENT PROOF Contact us

PSP Media Group Ltd, 50 High Craighall Road, Glasgow G4 9UD PSP Media Group Ltd, 50 High Craighall Road, Glasgow G4 9UD PSP Media Group Ltd, 50 High Craighall Road, Glasgow G4 9UD Tel: 0141 353 2222 0141 332 3823 Tel: 0141 353 2222Fax: Fax: 0141 332 3823 Tel: 0141 353 2222 Fax: 0141 332 3823

Publication PublicationTitle: Title: Publication Title:

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PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: It ItisItisyour responsibility totocheck that allallinformation within the advert isiscorrect; we will not bebebe held accountable forforfor any inaccuracies ororfalse information included within it.it.Ifit.Ifyou dododo not contact ususby deadline date PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: isyour your responsibility tocheck check that allinformation information within the advert iscorrect; correct; will not held accountable any inaccuracies orfalse false information included within Ifyou you not contact usbythe bythe the deadline date PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: responsibility that within the advert wewe will not held accountable any inaccuracies information included within not contact deadline date

stated within the email, we cannot guarantee that we will bebebe able totocomplete any changes received after the stated deadline.

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Now takin g bookings Editor: Rachel Davidson editor@familiesfife.co.uk Tel: 07736 328233 for our Nov/Dec and PLEASE SEE DEADLINE DATE WITHIN BODY OF EMAIL PLEASE SEE DEADLINE DATE WITHIN BODY OF EMAIL PLEASE SEE DEADLINE DATE WITHIN BODY OF EMAIL Follow us on facebook: families fife magazine Design: Sarah Harmer Printer: Warwick Printers 2019 issues!

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Families Fife, Tayside and Crieff 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 Fife, Tayside and Crieff are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Familie Fife, Tayside and Crieff. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Fife, Tayside and Crieff, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

Copyright Families Fife, Tayside and Crieff September/October 2018.

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Letham Feus Park Sauchope LinksLodges Holiday Loch Tay Highland Lodges Loch Tay Highland Letham Feus Park Sauchope Links Park Braidhaugh Holiday Park Loch Tay Highland Lodges Braidhaugh Letham Feus Park Sauchope Links Park Braidhaugh Holiday Park Loch Tay Highland Lodges Letham Feus Park Sauchope Links Park Braidhaugh Holiday Park Nr Lundin Links, FifeLethamPark Crail, Fife Park Creiff, Perthshire Perthshire, Scotland Nr Lundin Links, Fife Fife Perthshire Perthshire, Scotland Nr Lundin Links, Fife Crail, Fife BraidhaughCreiff, Creiff, Perthshire Perthshire, Scotland Nr Lundin Links, Fife Crail, Fife Creiff, Perthshire Perthshire, Loch TayScotland Highland Lodges Feus Park Sauchope Links Park Crail, Holiday Park 01567 820 323 01333 900 01333 450 460 01764 652 951 01567 820 323 01333 351 900 01333 450 460 01764 652 951 01567 820 323 01333 351 900 01333 450 460 01764 652 951 01333 351 900 01333 450 460 01764 652351 951 01567 820 323

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www.largoleisureholidays.co.uk www.largoleisureholidays.co.uk www.largoleisureholidays.co.ukwww.largoleisureholidays.co.uk

www.largoleisureholidays.co.uk

2 Families Fife

Creiff, Perthshire 01764 652 951

www.familiesfife.co.uk

NEWS

Holiday with Largo Leisure this Autumn!

Each of Largo Leisure’s holiday parks allow you to appreciate the spectacular Autumn scenery and make the most of the great outdoors… even if that means simply enjoying the view from your hot tub!

Maybe you’d love Loch Tay Highland Lodges park, with its range of accommodation from award-winning glamping facilities to Scandinavian-built lodges, including many with private hot tubs. On the banks of Loch Tay, nearby activities range from walking to kayaking, abseiling, white-water rafting, golf, and exploring nearby castles, to name a few. The Loch Tay Marina Water Sports Centre is on-site, as is a children’s playground and facilities for putting, disc golf, and archery.

Perhaps Braidhaugh Holiday Park takes your fancy. Located on

the River Earn, a short distance from the centre of Crieff, its selfcatering accommodation ranges from wigwams to lodges with hot tubs and hook-ups for touring caravans & motorhomes. On-site facilities include: free-to-use games room with TV & air hockey table, children’s outdoor play area with swings, climbing frame & sandpit, a public playground next to the holiday park, a small shop, beautiful countryside walks in surrounding areas, and fishing permits for the River Earn available to purchase from reception during fishing season.

In the lovely East Neuk of Fife, you might opt for lodge or glamping accommodation at Sauchope Links Holiday Park.

Within walking distance of Crail, and only a short drive from St Andrews, there is plenty to see

Celebrate all life in Fife!

& do. On-site facilities include: a heated outdoor pool (weather permitting!), an indoor recreation room with pool table & table football, a children’s play area, washing & laundrette facilities, a small shop, and a long & fascinating rocky shore to explore.

The hard part is choosing which park to visit! With such brilliant accommodation on offer,

range of activities including open days, taster sessions, equality workshops, social cafes and musical gatherings happening across Fife to promote the interests and engagement of young people.

Diversity Week Fife is a key project of Fife Centre for Equalities (FCE). Funded by Fife Council, FCE started in 2014 with the vision to inspire and enable everyone we work with to take action that makes Fife a more equal, fairer place to live, work and study.

Diversity Week Fife is a full week’s programme to celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of life in Fife. This year’s theme is Year of the Young People (#YOYP2018). From Monday 3 to Sunday 9 September, there will be a wide

you might find yourself wishing for a rainy day so that you can cosy up in style for some quality family time together.

Book your October break at any of these parks and get 10% discount using the exclusive code FAMILY10 at checkout. Or get planning further ahead for 2019 – the offer is on holidays BOOKED within 2018!

We are a local information and resource centre that helps organisations and businesses with: • Building skills and confidence in managing equality issues • Creating innovative inclusive practices • Unlocking untapped talents • Improving reachability and responsiveness to service users and customers.

We also support individuals and communities with: • Dismantling societal and structural barriers • Strengthening self-confidence to be themselves • Building a universal voice to champion equality, diversity, inclusion and social justice.

Please get in touch with us if you want to attend any Diversity Week events, by email: info@centreforequalities.org.uk or by phone: 01592 645 310.

More importantly, feel free to pop by our office at New Volunteer House, 16 East Fergus Place, Kirkcaldy KY1 1XT to learn more about our work.

You can find out more about Diversity Week Fife on our website: https://centreforequalities.org.uk/diversity-week-fife-2018/

Scotland’s first design museum is opening!

MERBABIES SWIM SCHOOL L E A R N T H R O U G H P L AY & T E A C H W I T H L OV E

V&A Dundee, Scotland’s first design museum, will open to the public on Saturday 15th September. It will be the only V&A museum in the world outside London: an international centre for design, a place of inspiration, discovery and learning. Visitors to V&A Dundee will experience the remarkable story of design past, present and future, and the vital contribution design makes to all our lives.

The museum will be open seven days a week, 10am-5pm.

Entry to the museum is free. A www.familiesfife.co.uk

paid ticket is needed for certain events, activities and temporary exhibitions. Congratulations if you were successful in securing tickets for the 3D Festival or the opening weekend. If (like us!), you were unsuccessful, you can visit from Monday 17th September. Look out for their programme of events and activities for younger visitors. Children are welcome in both the café and restaurant and there will be a children’s menu available in both locations. On weekends and during school holidays the picnic room will be available to eat packed lunches.

5 * R AT E D N U M B E R O N E INDEPENDENT SWIM SCHOOL C L A S S E S S U I TA B L E F R O M B I RT H TO P R E S C H O O L A G E JOIN US NOW OR REGISTER NOW FOR PRIORITY BOOKING I N TO O U R W I N T E R T E R M S TA RT I N G N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 8

W W W. M E R B A B I E S . O N L I N E

Families Fife 3

NEWS

Merbabies Swim School - Teach With Love, Learn Through Play After experiencing a lack of quality early years swim classes, Scottish mumpreneur Anna Payne set up Merbabies to offer something special to parents looking for swim classes for children aged 0-4.

Classes teach life-saving skills, encourage water confidence, and build the foundations

for early swimming through a gentle learnto-swim programme. Love, communication and play are key to health, happiness and well-being, so children are encouraged to play, explore and enjoy the pool, through creative and imaginative lessons, using toys, songs, games and sensory play.

This gentle, child-led approach to teaching has really resonated with customers. From small beginnings in Fife in November 2017, Merbabies swim classes are becoming increasingly popular. We have quadrupled our Fife swimmer numbers and have big plans to grow further, adding new venues and classes from November 2018 when Winter Term starts.

Anna Payne, Founder of Merbabies said ‘It’s

amazing to look around and just see happy smiling faces, and parents and children loving their time together in the pool. We’d love to see more families in Fife join us at our swim classes.’

Please see www.merbabies.online to learn more

Zumbini is coming to town!

Fife has a new class for caregivers and their children which is unique and exciting. Zumbini offers the FIRST EVER 360° experience in music and movement. With a 45 minute live class once per week, take home music books, toys and interactive TV show (Zumbini Time), the program is one of a kind.

This beautiful class is not only fun but teaches children fine motor, cognitive and social skills. It allows parents and caregivers to interact

and bond with children on a whole new level! All music is original and specially designed for the program.

The best part is you get to take it all home once you sign up.

Children ages 0-4 years are in a mixed class so if you have multiple children they can all enjoy it together. They all learn from one another.

With all the colourful music of the world, we sing, dance and play instruments for 45 minutes of

won’t stop, can’t stop fun!

Katie Simon from Dunfermline, who travelled to London in May this year to train as a Zumbini instructor, said, “I’m truly excited to be sharing the stunningly inclusive experience with people of Fife.”

Classes commence August 2018 but, due to popular demand, the first term is sold out! Another demo session is taking place on Sat 6th October at Baldridgeburn Community Centre and more classes will commence after the October holidays. Visit www.zumbini.com

for registration or Facebook – Zumbini with Katie Fife for more information.

Alesha Dixon Releases a New Inspirational Children’s Book We know her as a BGT judge, a Strictly judge, a TV personality and a pop star, but did you also know Alesha Dixon has recently become a children’s author?

Families spoke to Alesha about the upcoming release of her new book – Lightning Girl: Superhero Squad, the sequel to her electrifying first book Lightning Girl.

What inspired you to become a children’s author?

I love new creative challenges! I felt there was a gap in the market for an inspirational book which featured a young female superhero as a positive role model for boys and girls of different ethnicities.

One of my driving forces was the desire to create a book to which my daughter could strongly relate.

What is the general idea plotline of your second book?

Aurora Beam doesn’t want to be a superhero. She just wants to be a normal girl who blends in.

After her adventures in Lightning Girl, Aurora is finding that this ‘saving-the-world lark’ isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. World-famous overnight, she’s now living in the full glare of the media’s flash bulbs: everyone wants a piece of Aurora. When she attends a global gathering of superheroes, will she find support from new friends? Or will there be rivalries

and sabotage to deal with? There’s twists and turns throughout, and the challenges get bigger as the story moves on.

There are a lot of messages interwoven within your book.

What do you hope are the core messages received by your readers?

Essentially, what I’m saying to young people is “you all have a superpower within you”. It’s okay to be different, it’s okay to stand out.

You don’t have to follow everyone else or be like everyone else to be accepted. You all have a light, so

don’t let anything dim it. We’re all unique and collectively we can all help one another in our own special way. It is important to me that all children learn that they can contribute, that they are counted and that they are important. I want them to realise that nobody should be discriminated against, nobody should feel excluded in any way, and we all should feel worthy. If children have a gift or talent, I’d love this book to give them permission to celebrate it.

Lightning Girl: Superhero Squad by Alesha Dixon will be published by Scholastic on 6th Sept 2018. Why not catch up on Aurora Beam’s first superhero adventure in Lightning Girl?

Perth & Kinross Archaeology Month 2018 Perth and Kinross Archaeology Month returns this year in a new September slot as part of the annual Scottish Archaeology Month. It promises to be an engaging and varied programme offering residents and visitors opportunities to actively engage with the historic environment. Dunkeld is the place to be in Perth and Kinross Archaeology Month as programme organisers Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust, in partnership with Dunkeld and Birnam Historical Society and AOC Archaeology Ltd, host an exciting living history fair. Can you imagine the streets of Dunkeld echoing with the sounds of Pictish craftsmen hard at work and warriors training for combat? Well, this 4 Families Fife

year you don’t have to! Visit Stanley Park on the 9th of September to see it, hear it and experience the past for yourself! There will be ancient craft technology and combat demonstrations plus talks, storytelling and hands-on activities for all the family. Guided walks will also be on offer up to the enigmatic hillfort of King’s Seat, above Dunkeld, where exciting early historic metalworking evidence is being uncovered. For more event information visit www.pkht.org.uk or check out programme listings for events across the region delivered by other heritage organisations at www.archaeologyscotland.org.uk. Brochures available from local museums, libraries and visitor information centres. www.familiesfife.co.uk

NEWS

Home Education Festival of Scotland On Sunday 23rd of September, we are holding the very first Home Education Festival of Scotland at Glamis Castle. Glamis is a stunning venue, providing a historical and natural environment for the attending families to move between a variety of workshops such as yoga, hula hooping, and archaeology, as well as sharing ideas and making connections.

Conference and meeting opportunities include: ✱ Home Education with Xtraordinary children ✱ What after Home Education?

The next step. ✱ Home Education support ✱ The documentary ‘Being and Becoming’ about free Learning.

We would like you to share in our vision of bringing together the members of the Home Education community from throughout Scotland in an inclusive and supportive environment. We aim to cross boundaries and provide access to continued educational support, but more importantly we want everyone to have a fun time exploring and making new friends.

Adults £10, Children 5+ £5, Children under 5 Free.

Proceeds are only for refunding festival fees. Tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/home-education-festival-of-scotland Find ‘HEFS – Home Education Festival of Scotland’ on FB

Happy International Babywearing Week!

By Rachel Davidson Oct 1-Oct 7 is International Babywearing Week and the theme is ‘Babywearing has...’.

So, for me, babywearing has.... given me the most amazing snuggles with my sons given my poor arms and back a break from lengthy holds given weary legs a rest when toddling gets too much let me take my babies to places I wouldn’t otherwise manage brought comfort to my sons in many different ways strengthened the bond between me and my babies proven itself as the safest way to mother a 5 month old baby when you break your knee and end up on crutches!

I could go on! If you’ve never worn your baby or toddler, it’s not too late. Emma Gilmour, carrying consultant with Slingsure, Carrying Support and Sling Hire in Fife & Kinross, has this advice for carrying your bigger little ones.

‘Adventurous toddlers can tire easily and a suitable carrier can be a more portable alternative to the ‘just in case’ buggy. Some carrier manufacturers reflect this with toddler ...and Hamish

Award-winning dance theatre company balletLORENT are returning to their beloved Scotland with the third in their fairy tale trilogy, Rumpelstiltskin. They’re bringing their original adaptation of this traditional tale to Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy on Saturday 6 October. Directed by Liv Lorent MBE and retold by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, this emotionally rich production spins a tale of greed, loss, adventure and love.

Forget the goblin-like Rumpelstiltskin you know. This is the tale of the original X-Man with his gold-spinning abilities, outcast from his kingdom as a child, searching for love and acceptance until he is revealed as ‘the true prince that he was’. The combination of spectacle and storytelling is perfect for children and adults alike.

With a score by Doctor Who composer Murray Gold, costumes designed by Michele Clapton (Game of Thrones, Mamma Mia 2), narration by actor Ben Crompton (Game of Thrones), set design by Phil Eddolls, and lighting design

by Malcolm Rippeth and Michael Morgan, this is dance theatre for 21st Century family audiences.

The British Theatre Guide said, “It could quite possibly be the perfect family show”.

Performed by world-class inimitable balletLORENT dancers and a local cast of seven schoolchildren and four ladies aged 70 and over, Rumpelstiltskin will be at Adam Smith Theatre on 6 October at 2pm & 7pm. balletLORENT will also be performing Rumpelstiltskin at His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen on 28 & 29 September, and Eden Court in Inverness on 1 & 2 October.

Tickets here: https://www.onfife.com/whats-on/detail/balletlorent-presentrumplestiltskin#performanceDates Or call: 01592 583302

a

production

RUMPELSTILTSKIN “It could quite possibly be the perfect family show” The British Theatre Guide

Rachel with Rory... and even preschool size ranges, an option offered by Fife Sling Library for those who’d like to try them out. If you’ve not carried your child in a while, just be sure to listen to your body (as always when carrying) and consider building up your activity slowly and steadily. Bigger babies and children still benefit from the emotional benefits of being carried and being in a sling can quickly evaporate a grumpy, disconnected mood. Carrying your bigger baby or toddler won’t make them clingy - evidence suggests a secure, caring bond with you will actually increase their confidence, trust and selfesteem, nurturing their growing independence at a pace that’s right for them. So go on, make those piggybacks more comfortable for you both!’

You can contact Emma or find more info at www.slingsure.co.uk www.familiesfife.co.uk

balletLORENT bring Rumpelstiltskin back

Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy

Sat 6 Oct 2pm & 7pm

www.onfife.com 01592 583302

His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen

Fri 28 Sept 7.30pm & Sat 29 Sept 2pm

Eden Court, Inverness

Mon 1 & Tue 2 Oct 7pm

www.balletlorent.com Families Fife 5

NEWS

Only Half of Pre-School Children Being Read to Daily The number of toddlers being read to daily has dropped by nearly 20% since 2013, according to recent research.

The annual ‘Understanding the Children’s Book Consumer’ survey from Nielsen Book Research found that while 69% of preschool children were read to daily in 2013, that figure had now dropped to just 51%.

The study found parents complained of obstacles preventing them from reading to their children. Nearly a fifth said it was hard to find the energy at the end of the day, whilst 16% said their child would rather do other things. One in five parents don’t feel comfortable in bookshops, and nearly half are overwhelmed by the choice of children’s books.

The publisher Egmont, which co-funded the research, said the decline correlated with an increase of almost a fifth in the proportion of toddlers watching online video content daily. They warned that the “steep decline” in reading to young children “signalled a significant threat to child development, with potential long-term social impact.”

Editor’s top tip

Have a browse at the Jack & Jill Market or your local charity shops and you’ll get several books for the price of a new one!

More info at at www.egmont.co.uk

That’s all folks!

by Angela Baker

The Kids’ Week in Crieff (KWIC) 2018 Summer week-long event is over for another year.

It exceeded our expectations once again. This was our third year and the event is growing in both popularity and size. It’s just amazing to experience it from the inside and see how it’s all evolved. We feel very proud of what has been achieved. It’s great to see everyone coming together in our town and to have so many new faces in attendance from further afield. This year we had 4 generations of one family

6 Families Fife

spend gala day with us - such a lovely sight. It confirms that KWIC is not just for kids but for everyone.

We endeavour to plan events to include kids from birth to 18 years.

However, where possible, all events are intended to be family friendly, intergenerational and all-inclusive.

Our MASH UP IN MacROSTY event is a perfect example. We had a spot of everything during the week: storytelling, yoga, an assault course, a sing-along cinema, archaeology fun, running club sessions, themed family roller disco, a family ceilidh and, of course, the KWIC Fairy and Peter Rabbit Trail. We had nearly 50 events for you to choose from. We’d like to thank everyone for attending our events and for the continued support.

Send us your favourite pics of the week on our Facebook page! @kidsweekincrieff2018

www.familiesfife.co.uk

OUTDOOR AUTUMN FUN

Go Wild this Autumn!

By Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks

Autumn. A time for playing in crisp, colourful leaves and raiding conker trees. A time when fields are woven with glistening spiders’ webs on misty mornings and wild food is plentiful in the hedgerows and woods.

Just because summer’s over, there’s no need to abandon the great outdoors. There’s a wealth of fun activities you and your children can enjoy as the temperatures start to cool.

Here are just a few ideas:

Make Leaf Mobiles Celebrate Autumn’s amazing colours by creating a brightly coloured mobile.

You will need: twine, scissors, and a large needle.

Visit the woods or the park to collect colourful fallen leaves, cones, wild nuts and seeds, and a stick.

Cut the twine into lengths of about 75cm/30in. Tie a cone or an acorn to one end of each length of twine. Thread leaves and seeds along the twine. Tie the leaf strings along a stick and hang your mobile up in the autumn sunshine.

Choose fruit bushes and trees away from roads

!

Go Wild Foraging Discover wild foods in hedgerows and woods. Look out for nettles, blackberries, raspberries, elderberries, rosehips, hazelnuts, walnuts, crab apples and wild herbs. Gather some berries, nuts and leaves. Make sure you know what’s safe to eat, though, before you give your permission for your children to eat what they’ve collected!

Make Jam with Wild Fruit Collect some fruit on one of your walks and make some jam. Weigh and wash the wild fruit and put it in a saucepan with a little water. Bring the fruit to the boil and add the same weight of sugar. Simmer for about one hour or until it sets (does it form a jelly on a cold saucer?).

Pour carefully into a warmed jar and put the lid on.

Decorate a label with pictures of the fruits and invent a wild name for your jam.

Cover the lid with a large leaf.

!

Hold a Wild Bake-Off Challenge What can you make from wild foods and a few basic ingredients like flour, salt, milk, butter, sugar and eggs?

You will need: basic cooking equipment eg: a griddle, frying pan and Dutch oven (a cast iron cooking pot with lid), measuring cups, knives, spoons and a mixing bowl.

Make a safe fire in a fire pan or pit or use a barbeque.

You could bake a delicious layer pancake with different fruit in each layer, including elderberries with sloes, crab apples with rosehips, and blackberries with damsons, all cooked with a little water and sugar.

Alternatively, a blackberry cake baked in a clay pot or wild herb bread cooked in a Dutch oven among the ashes.

Award prizes for taste, wild presentation and the most creative use of foraged foods!

When foraging, take care to only collect safe, edible fruits and seeds

!

!

Make fires in a fire pan, a fire pit or a barbeque and always supervise children around fire and when cooking, as well as when using nightlights in lanterns and carving pumpkins

!

!

Outdoor Halloween For a real Halloween adventure, go to the woods, the park or into the garden after dark for a scary feast, made more festive with wild decorations!

Create: Pumpkin faces - no carving involved, just stick on wild materials with double sided tape or clay to make funny and scary faces.

Leafy decorations - cut coloured leaves into bat shapes and scary faces to decorate a witch’s hat or make leaf bunting.

Leafy lanterns – tie string around jars to make handles. Cut scary faces in colourful leaves and attach them to the jars with elastic bands.

Pumpkin lanterns - carve pumpkins into decorated lanterns and place them in a trail for your friends to follow.

Prepare a warming Halloween feast: cheesy baked potatoes and pumpkin soup, sausages wrapped in chunks of bread, toffee apples or apple tarts, and sweet pumpkin pie.

Set up a Halloween mystery trail with a few scary surprises, perhaps a ghost in the trees and a spider’s web across the path?

More about Going Wild. Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks of Going Wild are on a mission to inspire everyone to spend more time outside discovering the wonders of the natural world. Their books are packed with practical ideas to tempt children and families away from screen-based entertainment and escape into the outdoors, where the wild world will weave its magic upon them. These autumn activities are taken from their tenth book The Wild Year Book, Things to do Outdoors through the Seasons, published by Frances Lincoln in July 2018. For more information, visit www.goingwild.net

www.familiesfife.co.uk

Families Fife 7

EDUCATION

The Importance of Drama When choosing an after-school club or activity in which to enrol your child, it may be worth considering drama and the performing arts if you haven’t done so before.

Some children seem to be natural performers, but if you have a shy child the idea of sending them to drama lessons may seem absurd.

However, joining a drama class doesn’t necessarily mean your child will be pushed onto a stage and expected to sing and dance, and there are some significant benefits.

Academic Performance A range of research studies have found that students who participate in the Arts don’t just do better in school, they perform better in areas that contribute to success outside the classroom.

Not only do children active in the Arts demonstrate higher academic performance and test results, they are also more likely to participate in community service and be elected to class office.

Self-Confidence Aspects of performing arts, especially improvisation, help children to understand how to appraise situations, think outside the box and be more confident going into unfamiliar situations.

Students learn to trust their ideas and abilities. Confidence gained from learning performing arts skills applies to school, career and life.

Imagination Being creative and learning to make creative choices helps students to be better at thinking of new ideas, allowing them to view the world around them in new ways. Remember, Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Empathy Understanding characters, roles and the sub-text of plays and musicals allows students to relate better to the different situations, backgrounds, and cultures they encounter in real life. It encourages them to show

By Alexa Brant

Try it yourself at home!

compassion and tolerance for others.

Co-Operation An effective drama programme embraces both extroverted and introverted children. Combining the creative ideas and the abilities of all participants is required for the best outcomes. This requires all those taking part to engage in discussions, feedback, rehearsing, and performance.

Concentration Playing, practicing, and performing develops the abilities and skills necessary for children to be able to focus their minds, bodies and voices.

Communication Skills Performing arts improves vocal projection, articulation, tone of speech and expression.

Importantly, it also develops listening and observation skills.

These skills will benefit a young person throughout their life.

Fun Drama delivers elements of play, humour, and laughter to those taking part, improving motivation and reducing stress.

Emotional Outlet Acting and drama games allow

students to express a range of emotions and encourage them to understand and deal with similar feelings they may be experiencing.

Aggression and tension can be released in a safe, controlled environment, often allowing for a period of reflection afterwards.

Memory Rehearsing and performing lines and movements will improve your child’s memory. Memory requires exercise, just like a muscle!

Ruth Rankin, Director of Perthformance, www.perthformance.com, has this suggestion for some DIY drama: ‘Your children will have loads of fun exploring role-play with you and it can be done in any weather, inside the home or outdoors.

Grow their creativity by helping them use their imagination, to develop and star as their own characters.

For example, my children love to take me on a safari as they become intrepid explorers, then minutes later they may be serving me lunch in an imaginary café.

It’s important you follow your child’s lead and allow them to direct the scene.

Ideas for characters could be: Archeologists, Chefs, Teachers, Doctors, Performers, Vets, Fashion Designers… the only limitation is your imagination!’

Take advantage of a Free Trial at your local Kumon study centre

Your local Kumon Study Centre is offering a two-week Free Trial for new students enrolling between 1 September to 31 October 2018.

Take advantage of this opportunity and find out what your child can achieve through the Kumon Maths and English Programmes.

Kumon offers individualised worksheet-based maths and English study programmes which are tailored to all ages and abilities.

Established for 60 years, the Kumon programmes enable children to develop their study skills and confidently tackle advanced work.

Kumon develops children through the acquisition of independent learning skills, rather than teaching in the conventional sense.

Through daily study of the Kumon programmes, your child will develop the ability to learn for themselves so they do not become dependent on – or limited by – the skills and knowledge of others.

Call now to book an enrolment.

8 Families Fife

www.familiesfife.co.uk

EDUCATION

Kilgraston – preparing the individual

The Static Powered Dancing Ghost Scientific Principle: Electrostatics Time: 20 minutes

Introduction

Watch in amazement as your tissue ghost magically dances without you touching it, thanks to an invisible electrostatic force.

Inspire the scientists of the future from your own kitchen! Here’s a spooky idea to get you started…

Equipment ✚ ✚ ✚ ✚ ✚

2-ply or 4-ply tissue Balloon Scissors Pen Clear tape / sticky tape

Instructions ‘Preparing for excellence’ is the motto of The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the British Army’s world-renowned Officer training base.

Exactly where one of our recent former pupils has just been offered a place to train on its extremely tough, 44 week course.

At Kilgraston, girls focus on who they wish to become, while enjoying being who they want to be. Single sex education is a liberation, not a restriction.

For some girls, their Kilgraston journey starts at the age of five. Others join us throughout the primary and senior years.

At whatever stage a girl comes to us, they will be assured of an individual education in an environment in which they, the individual, can thrive.

In the latest annual survey of university admissions officers, 91% of responders cited “Evidence of an ability to think and work independently”and “an inquiring mind” to be the most desirable qualities.

Perhaps Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects are where your passions will lie. After all, this year 66% - against the national average of 25% (source: WISE 2016/17) - of our pupils have been offered undergraduate places to read these subjects.

Our STEM Club meets every week, attracting those who wish to further indulge their passion for the subject.

Perhaps, ‘Art Club’ is more your thing? Pony Club?

Philosophy? Karate? Botanical Studies? All of these clubs are just part of the 55 weekly activities on offer at Kilgraston. These clubs complement our already comprehensive curriculum and provide invaluable extra opportunities with which to broaden your horizon and gain vital equipment to enter the adult world.

Like Sandhurst, Kilgraston prepares you for the future.

Whichever direction your boots may be facing.

1. Peel apart each of the tissue layers so you end up with a very thin, single ply sheet.

2. Using the pen, draw a ‘ghost’ shape approximately 4cm (1.5 in) tall.

3. Cut out the shape using scissors and add any features you want to with a pen.

4. Tape the base of the tissue ghost to a table.

5. Blow up and tie off the balloon.

6. Rub the balloon across your hair for around 10 seconds.

7. Bring the balloon close to the ghost and watch the ghost rise up towards the balloon, appearing to fly on its own. Woo hoo!

The Science Behind the Static Powered Dancing Ghost When some objects are rubbed together, they can create a build-up of electrical charge known as static electricity. Rubbing a balloon across your hair causes the negatively charged electrons to transfer from your hair onto the balloon. This results in a negatively charged surface on the balloon. The tissue sheet is neutral in charge, which means that it has equal amounts of both positive and negative charges. However, because opposites attract, when the negatively charged balloon comes close to the tissue, the positive charges within the tissue become attracted to the negative charges in the balloon and rearrange to move towards the balloon. The force of attraction is enough to pull the lightweight tissue sheet up towards the balloon and the ghost shape is picked up by the static charge.

Explore Further ✱ Does rubbing the balloon back and forth change the amount of static charge compared to only rubbing in one direction? ✱ If you rub the balloon against your hair for a longer amount of time, does it produce morestatic charge? ✱ Try rubbing with materials other than your hair such as wool or silk fabric. Do they create more or less static charge?

Lauriston Nursery @Dunfermline 165 Robertson Road, Fife KY12 0BL 01383 741900

Lauriston Nursery @Kinross Lathro, Kinross Fife KY13 8SY 01577 383838

www.letslearnyoung.com www.familiesfife.co.uk

Dr Michelle Dickinson (MNZM) – prize winning nanotechnologist, researcher and educator – has made it her life mission to make science and engineering accessible for all. Her new book The Kitchen Science Cookbook is packed full of fun ‘recipes’, each teaching an important scientific principle in a format that is perfect for parents and children to enjoy together.

Available on Amazon. Find out more at https://uk.kitchensciencecookbook.com/

Families Fife 9

EDUCATION

A rich history, vibrant present and exciting future at Morrison’s Academy Morrison’s Academy is a friendly and nurturing independent school in the heart of rural Perthshire. Generations of Morrisonians have benefited from the school’s rich choice of academic, artistic and sporting experiences, going on to make their mark on the world as Olympic athletes, groundbreaking scientists, award-winning actors, adventurers, politicians and professionals.

The school’s long tradition of academic success in boys and girls from 3 to 18 continues today with a contemporary Scottish curriculum that earned our pupils the best SQA results in the School’s recent record in 2017. A programme of independent, child-centred learning builds emotional intelligence, creativity and life skills, and this year earned the school a place in the final of the Scottish Rural Award for Education.

The beautiful campus

FREE

location in the heart of Crieff allows ample opportunities for outdoor education and the chance to be part of an engaged local community, but the school is by no means provincial: regular trips, community projects, and international partnerships mean they’re connected to the world outside the classroom, in person or virtually - through video classes, live correspondence, or Skype classes in Africa. The small but vibrant school community hosts a wealth of knowledge and experience, and everybody is invited to bring theirs to the table: parents, pupils and former pupils are regularly involved in activities from running cocurricular clubs and serving (or eating!) pitch-side bacon rolls at weekend sports fixtures, to inspiring pupils at regular careers networking events.

In 2017, Morrison’s launched their Academic and Music Scholarships, adding Sport Scholarships to the mix in 2018, to offer talented children expert guidance and mentorship to

MATHS AND ENGLISH STUDY ANY CHILD, ANY ABILITY

TRIAL

nurture their aptitude. Sports teams play at national schools’ level, the debating team compete at the Cambridge Union, and the school is consistently represented in local, national and international competitions in Art, Business, Maths, Music, Science and Translation.

In 2018-19, the school launches its Forest Schools programme, opening an outdoor classroom for classes and clubs from Nursery level all the way through to S6. In the Primary School, resident Literacy and Numeracy ambassadors, soon to be joined by the newlyappointed STEM ambassador, have the role of exploring new and

exciting methods for teaching and encouraging a love of learning in these core academic areas. Learning isn’t just for pupils, either: the school is constantly improving, reviewing, and investing in professional development through programmes of continual reflection that enable staff to improve their practice and prepare Morrisonians to enter a fast-changing adult world. This culture of aspiration, continual improvement, and respect is embodied in everything they do, from academic teaching to sports coaching, personal development to pastoral care.

Sporty fun in the sun at Lauriston!

1 SEPTEMBER - 31 OCTOBER Book a consultation with your local study centre to start your child’s two-week Free Trial.

St Andrews Dunfermline

01592 756376 01383 730775

Developing ability for 60 years Terms and conditions apply. Fees vary. Participating study centres only.

Please refer to your local study centre. Subject to availability.

10 Families Fife

We have had a fun sporty summer at Lauriston, with approximately 60 of our children taking part in a Sports Day Event.

From our youngest babies to our big 5 year olds we all had fun taking part!

Races included: egg and spoon, cone balancing, two-bodied hula hooping, sack race, hopping race and a welly throwing competition.

Mummies and daddies joined in too, taking part in both a running race and the three-legged race!

After all that fun, the children enjoyed a well-earned snack of fruit

bags, crisps and water before being awarded their certificates for participating! www.familiesfife.co.uk

EDUCATION

Should You Help with Homework?

Researchers from Finland have found that, although most homework assistance aims at helping the child, one approach is much better at instilling persistence.

The study looked at children aged from 8 to 11 years and found that when parents offered opportunities for their child to work independently, the child demonstrated an increased ability to work persistently on his or her school assignments when tested 12 months later.

However, when parents provided concrete assistance to their child, the child’s behaviour later became less taskpersistent. This in turn, made parents offer more and more help.

“One possible explanation is that when a parent gives a child the opportunity to do homework autonomously, this sends out a message that they believe in their child’s skills and capabilities. This, in turn, makes the child believe in him or herself, and in his or her skills and capabilities”, Associate Professor Jaana Viljaranta from the University of Eastern Finland explained.

Similarly, concrete homework assistance - especially if not requested by a child may send out a message that a parent doesn’t believe in their child’s ability to do their homework.

When a parent offers the child an opportunity for autonomous working, the child will work persistently, which leads to better development of skills. If, however, a parent’s homework assistance

When a parent offers the child an opportunity for autonomous working, the child will work persistently, which leads to better development of skills.

When your children settle down to do homework, do you keep close tabs on them and routinely offer to help? Or is your approach more hands-off? involves plenty of concrete help, the child will work less persistently, leading to poorer development of skills.

It is important for parents to take their child’s needs into consideration when offering homework assistance. Of course,

parents should offer concrete help when their child clearly needs it. However, concrete help is not something that should be made automatically available in every situation – only when needed,” Viljaranta said.

More info at www.sciencedaily.com

LEARNING FOR LIFE Morrison’s Academy has been independently educating boys and girls in the heart of Perthshire for over 150 years. Today, our unique approach blends digital technology, specialist teaching, rich classroom settings and outdoor learning in our enviable Scottish environment to create a truly personalised experience for every child. The same friendly and nurturing culture that allows our three and four year olds to flourish also enabled our National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher students to achieve their best results on record in 2017.

Come to our Open Morning − take a tour, meet our pupils and staff and discover why our approach to learning was shortlisted for the Scottish Rural Award for Education 2018.

Saturday 29 September 2018 Register online, by telephone or on the day.

Crèche facilities available.

01764 653 885 morrisonsacademy.org

MORRISON’S ACADEMY

Morrison’s Academy, Crieff PH7 3AN

www.familiesfife.co.uk

Families Fife 11

PARENTING

The grief of children is as real as the grief of adults. When a grandparent or close family member dies, a child’s view of the world and their sense of security are threatened and all that is familiar changes, especially if they had a special bond with that person. For children, relationships with grandparents, aunts and uncles can be magical.

Talking to Your Child about the Loss of a Loved One

By Lianna Champ

Sometimes, in an attempt to protect them from the harsh reality of death, we may distort the facts to soften the truth. This can inadvertently create a mystery around death which forces children to use their imagination to fill the gaps. By using straightforward language to explain what ‘dead’ means, we are teaching children a truth - that people can die when they are old, if their bodies stop working properly or if there has been an accident. In the case of suicide, it is alright to admit that we don’t always know why someone has died.

The way we teach our children to cope with their losses in childhood sets a pattern for the rest of their lives. We can teach them to embrace all life experiences and to process their emotional responses - good, bad, happy or sad - as they arise.

Life is not an endless series of happy moments and it is always interspersed with traumas. By accepting and experiencing all life events as they occur, our children learn to process them practically as they arise, deal with them and move forward.

Children learn their coping mechanisms from us. They may

not always hear what adults are saying but they will always watch what they do. It is important that parents and carers keep their behaviour and routines as normal and familiar as possible and give children their full attention and time. This will ensure they feel safe.

Let your children know that you are still there for them even though you may feel like folding.

You are still a parent and have that responsibility. You are also teaching them a very important emotional tool - how to grieve.

Create a safe space where they can talk about how they feel.

You go first and if you cry, talk through your tears. Explain that what you feel may be different

feelings and don’t compare how you are feeling. Comparisons minimise the importance of their expressions and can affect their self-esteem and confidence and create imaginary failings where there are none.

It is vital that we are honest.

If the death is expected, children have the opportunity to express their love, say things that are important to them and share everything that needs sharing.

Experiencing grief together brings us closer to our loved ones and is all part of the cycle of life.

Children have a natural curiosity and may ask lots of questions. Let them. They will ask as much or as little as they need to know. Give them simple and factual answers

The way we teach our children to cope with their losses in childhood sets a pattern for the rest of their lives. to what they feel. Each loss experience is as unique to us as our own fingerprint. Don’t offer an opinion on your child’s words, but be open and accepting in your body language. Feedback words to show you understand, but don’t interrupt their flow.

Don’t try and analyse their

– tell them the truth. Listen to their words, reassure them and be ready with a hug if they need one.

Don’t try to change how they feel.

Encourage them to talk through their tears - emotion is contained in words and speaking them helps to unravel their confusion.

All children, no matter what age,

must be allowed to talk and share unconditionally.

Programming children with incorrect information about how to deal with loss can create negative coping mechanisms.

They need to learn that it is okay to talk about the person who has died, even if it makes them sad.

When we are happy we want to share our happiness. It is the same when we are sad - both emotions need equal expression.

Sometimes young children don’t understand that death is permanent. Creating a scrapbook can give them the opportunity to say, ‘We can’t see grandma or grandad because she/he has died, but we can look at their photographs and see them in this way.’

Memory is how we hold on to the things we love. Choosing photographs together to make a scrap book and drawing pictures can evoke lovely conversations and memories. Choose a beautiful memory box for cherished items. Have a memory hour where your child thinks of their favourite memories of their grandparent or loved relative.

Our memories are the fruits on the tree of grief.

Lianna Champ has over 40 years’ experience in bereavement and grief recovery.

Her new book How to Grieve Like a Champ is available on Amazon, priced £9.99. For more info, visit www.champfunerals.com 12 Families Fife

www.familiesfife.co.uk

PARENTING

Educating your Child about Social Media

By Claire Winter

During the primary school years, there is a tendency to want to bury your head in the sand when it comes to the issues and challenges of mobile phone use and social media. If you have children under 10, you may feel you don’t need to pay attention to this yet. However, in the later primary school years, many of your children’s peers will start to actively use apps like Snapchat and Instagram and you need to start to understand how to help your child navigate the online world.

The legal age for children to use social sites like Facebook, Instagram, Musical.ly and Snapchat is 13. But, according to a report by the Children’s Commissioner, around 75% of 10 to 12 year olds have a social media account. The study makes sobering reading, stating that children face a ‘cliff edge’ when it comes to using social media when they go to secondary school.

Getting comments and likes on their posts becomes a priority, especially when their whole class are now using mobile devices and have social media accounts. They become more concerned about how they look, and feel anxious about staying connected at all times. FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) becomes much more prevalent.

Class WhatsApp groups and the like mean that whilst your child has their phone they are connected to their peers 24/7. This is the equivalent of having the “noise” of the playground with them at all times. It makes it impossible for children to leave behind the social interactions of the day, including any negative ones, and switch off emotionally. It means your child is at risk of being negatively impacted by any hurtful throwaway remarks or comments made by their peers which may not even have been intended to be hurtful. Social posts, without accompanying tone, facial expression and gesture, are more likely than words delivered face to face to be interpreted negatively or have the meaning questioned.

In short, you need to set limits on social interaction if your child is going to remain sane and grounded. www.familiesfife.co.uk

Here are some things to consider before your child becomes active on social media: ✱ Explore the privacy settings on all the apps your children will use and explain how they work. Make sure their accounts aren’t public and are only available to their friends. ✱ Explain they should only friend or follow people they know on all their social media accounts. ✱ Stress that it is crucial for them to tell you if someone they don’t know is trying to contact them. Explain not everyone is who they say they are online. ✱ Remind them they can block people they don’t know or users who are giving them unwanted attention (including their peers). ✱ There are many things your children should

not see on the internet. Ensure your children feel comfortable talking about what they have seen online or things that have been sent to them. Conversations need to be open and frank, because sexual and violent content can often be only a few clicks away. ✱ Follow them or add them as a friend on your social accounts, so you can see what they are doing. Many parents make this a condition before allowing their child to have an app, especially if they are younger. ✱ If you are not on the social platform, explain that you will want access to their account to see what they are doing (actually follow through on this). Some people may feel this is an intrusion on their privacy, but my personal view is that young teenagers need some supervision. ✱ Tell them not to share private information about themselves, like where they go to school or their address. ✱ Remind them not to post, snap or chat about something that they don’t want to be shared or seen by a wider audience.

Remind them pictures can be captured by screenshot and shared with people they don’t know. ✱ Tell them that bullying should not be tolerated in real life or cyberspace. If they are being bullied or see someone being bullied, tell them to tell a trusted adult. ✱ Limit how long they can be online. Put the Wi-Fi on a timer or set a daily limit of time for how long they can be on their device. ✱ As parents, we need to lead by example, so limit the time you spend on social platforms when you are with your child.

Accept that your child is bound to make some mistakes on social media. The key is to have an open dialogue with them about it so they can ask for advice if things go wrong and learn how to create healthy boundaries around their online activities.

Families Fife 13

CLUBS, CLASSES & WORKSHOPS DIRECTORY MUSIC

SPORTS

Tots Express offers a fun and interactive program of music, movement and sensory classes throughout Fife for different age groups from 3 months to 5 years.

Watch your child learn and develop in a structured, yet relaxed and informal atmosphere.

To view our timetable and secure your place, visit www.totsexpress.co.uk

Rugbytots, the world’s favourite Rugby play programme, in 8 locations across Perth and Kinross. Our motto is simple: “make more fun” which our amazing coaches do whilst teaching your Tot to catch, pass, kick, run with the ball and play as part of a team.

Visit www.rugbytots.co.uk call 0345 313 0288.

Email samaan@rugbytots.co.uk

Zumbini offers a 360° experience in music and movement, through its live weekly class, take home music books, toys and interactive TV show (Zumbini Time). With all the colourful music of the world, we sing, dance and play instruments for 45 minutes of won’t stop can’t stop fun!

Visit www.zumbini.com for registration

it

LANGUAGES

pg 4

Kidslingo offer award-winning fun language learning for kids in French and Spanish. Our sessions are full of songs, games, music and stories… We are also officially Makaton-friendly! For more info, see our Facebook www.facebook.com/KidslingoKittyT, or view our full timetable at http://bit.ly/2weWzKx and book your free taster.

ARTS

SWIMMING Merbabies Swim classes let parents and children enjoy time together, while children learn life saving skills, become water confident and build the foundations for early swimming. We follow a progressive learn to swim programme, specifically designed for baby to preschool age children and deliver this through fun, playful lessons.

Teachers are in the water beside you, offering support every splash of the way. www.merbabies.online

pg 4

How It Felt provides supervised and interactive Puppet Building, drama and film making Workshops. We can be available for group workshops, one to one’s, lesson plans, birthday parties, and commissions plus much more! For more info contact@howitfelt.co.uk or https://www.facebook.com/HowItFelt Can’t wait to make new fuzzy friends with you!

If you’d like to see your club, class or workshop featured in our new directory, get in touch with Rachel at editor@familiesfife.co.uk or via Facebook ‘Families Fife Magazine’

see this page for more info

Fife, Tayside

Out and about dates for your diary Until Sun 11 Nov ‘THERE BUT NOT THERE’ INSTALLATION The Black Watch Castle & Museum, Perth Included in Museum entry. To conclude our centenary programme we are hosting a ‘There But Not There’ silhouette installation. This project is linked to a national initiative to educate all generations about the ultimate sacrifice made during the First World War. Features a 6ft outdoor Tommy sculpture with 13 silhouettes placed throughout the venue creating a remembrance trail for visitors.

Sat 1 & Sun 2 Sep

TABLETOP SCOTLAND –

Dewar’s Centre, Perth Sat 9am-11pm Sun 9am-6pm A fantastic weekend of board games for all the family aged 4 to 104 in this special weekend of fun. Join your friends & family around the table, sharing stories as you explore this amazing & growing hobby. There are hundreds of exciting games to play, all included with your ticket. Our dedicated “Family Zone” hosted by HABA, the world leader in family games, will have a fantastic selection of games to keep you & your family entertained. 10s & under are free. Find out more and plan your visit at www.tabletopscotland.co.uk 14 Families Fife

DOORS OPEN DAYS Fife East ‘Doors Open Days’ is Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates heritage and the built environment, new and old.

Every September it offers you the opportunity to explore hundreds of fascinating buildings not normally open to the public and all completely free. Further info www.doorsopendays.org.uk Sat 1 Sep PERTH FARMERS MARKET King Edward Street, Perth 9am-2pm ST ANDREWS FARMERS MARKET Argyle St Car Park, St Andrews 9am-1pm

Sat 1 SEP JACK & JILL MARKET

Vine Conference Centre, Dunfermline. 10.30am1pm Where Smart Families Sell & Save. Join us at your local Jack & Jill Baby & Kids Market. Find everything you need for children aged 0-9yrs, at 40+ stalls bursting with quality nearly-new baby and kids’ goods at affordable prices. Shop smartly, be SAVVY and SAVE £££. Prams, Cots, Cribs, Clothes, Toys, and so much more, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for – why pay more when you can pay less – now that’s being smart! Book your stall at www.jackandjillmarket.co.uk HARVEST ‘SOUPER’ SATURDAYS The Ecology Centre 12pm-2pm £2.00 per adult, children FREE! Come along and join Eliza, our Community Gardener, for a family friendly afternoon where you will get involved in harvesting all the seasonal veggies and turning them into a delicious soup. www.theecologycentre.org

Mon 3 – Sun 9 Sep DIVERSITY WEEK is a partnership between a range of different organisations, groups and individuals from all the different sectors, to showcase and celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of life in Fife.

Check out the events at https://centreforequalities.org.uk/ diversity-week-fife-2018/diversityweek-fife-2018-events-calendar Tues 4 - Sat 15 Sep (closed 9-10 Sep) KING’S SEAT HILLFORT COMMUNITY ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION

By Dunkeld, PH8 0HX Visit Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust and the Dunkeld & Birnam Historical Society at their exciting community dig on King’s Seat

by Dunkeld. Enjoy spectacular views, watch as amazing discoveries are unearthed and learn more about Dunkeld’s early hilltop residents. Guided site tours available 10:00-15:00 Access: pedestrian access from Dunkeld via the riverside footpath & through the grounds of Dunkeld House Hotel www.familiesfife.co.uk

Thurs 6 Sep MINI GROWERS Ecology Centre, Kinghorn 10am-11am Join our Mini Growers every Thursday for some fun planting, crafting, campfire cooking & nature walks for toddlers & preschool children and enjoy outdoor play on our site & community garden. Siblings are welcome to come along during the school holidays. £3.00 per child. Book on our website www.theecologycentre.org Fri 7 Sep BABY MUSA@THE BELL PETTIGREW: UNDER THE SEA Bell Pettigrew Museum, St Andrews, KY16 9TS 10:15am-11:15am (0-5 years) Held every month, Baby MUSA Time allows your little one to discover some of the fantastic things found in museums through stories, songs, art and messy play.

This drop-in activity is for babies, pre-school children and whoever looks after them. Join us at the Bell Pettigrew Museum of Zoology for a different take on the world around us!

WILD NIGHT: BAT WALK RSPB Loch Leven, Vane Farm 7.30pm-9pm Explore the reserve at night to see and hear the different types of bats found here. Up to five species of these fascinating nocturnal creatures could be spotted, including the rare Nathusius Pipistrelle bat.

Booking essential; RSPB members £8, Child members £3, nonmembers £10, child £5.

Sat 8 & Sun 9 Sep DOORS OPEN DAYS Dundee & Fife Central See 1 & 2 Sep for details Sat 8 Sep DUNFERMLINE FARMERS MARKET Dobbies Garden Centre Fife Leisure Park 9am-1pm 20TH ANNIVERSARY SUMMER FESTIVAL The Ecology Centre 12pm-4pm FREE. The Ecology Centre’s annual Summer Festival is set to be an action-packed afternoon of outdoor family fun. Live music from local artists, children’s games, face painting, storytelling, pond dipping and den building for everyone to enjoy. www.theecologycentre.org PITLOCHRY HIGHLAND GAMES Recreation Ground, Ferry Road, Pitlochry PH16 5DZ www.pitlochryhighlandgames.co.uk/ Sun 9 Sep PICTS IN THE PARK: LIVING HISTORY FAIR Stanley Park, Dunkeld, PH8 0AN 11am-3pm Join Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust and the Dunkeld www.familiesfife.co.uk

& Birnam Historical Society in celebrating King’s Seat hillfort by Dunkeld. Step back into the 1st Century AD as the Picts of Regia Anglorum take up residence with demonstrations inspired by the archaeological discoveries from King’s Seat. Pictish combat & slingshot demonstrations; metal, stone & wood working; place name inspired storytelling; archaeology & placename talks by experts; displays & activities for all ages; hillfort dig tours…and lots more.

Hillfort tours at 10:00 & 13:00, booking essential via www.kings-seat-tours.eventbrite.co.uk FARMING YESTERYEAR VINTAGE RALLY Scone Palace Vintage tractors, stationary engines, steam engines and agricultural machinery will be on display together with vintage cars, lorries and other vehicles. Working demonstrations of vintage agricultural machinery including ploughing, combining and threshing, plus trade stands and auto jumble. Adults £12. Children & Concessions £6. www.svtec.org Wed 12 Sep NATURE TOTS: TREES RSPB Loch Leven 10am-11.30am Come along with your budding wildlife adventurers for a journey through the seasons.

This popular monthly event, for families with children aged 5 and under, starts with a story and is packed with creative ideas and surprises, getting you outside and playing in nature. Please dress for the weather – pack your wellies!

Booking essential: RSPB members £3, non-members £6 (per family) Thurs 13 Sep MINI GROWERS Ecology Centre, Kinghorn 10am-11am See 6 Sep for details Fri 14 – Sun 16 Sep TASTE OF PERTHSHIRE FOOD FESTIVAL Perth City Centre Bursting with fantastic flavours, local and international producers and demonstrations from award winning chefs, including JeanChristophe Novelli, the Taste of Perthshire Food Festival has something for every palette.

The weekend will be packed with activities and will feature a top-class line-up of chefs and demonstrations. The food festival is part of The Great Perthshire Picnic which runs for the month of September, showcasing the fantastic food and drink on offer across Perthshire.

Sat 15 & Sun 16 Sep DOORS OPEN DAYS Highland & Eastern Perthshire and Fife West See 1 & 2 Sep for details

Sat 15 Sep CUPAR FARMERS MARKET Crossgate, Cupar 9am-1pm KIRKCALDY BEACH HIGHLAND GAMES Beach opposite Mercat Shopping Centre 10.30am-3pm Full athletics programme, Highland dancing, Heavy events, kids’ races, stalls and more… For more information: www.kirkcaldy4all.co.uk GUIDED TOURS OF THE CASTLE, HOUSE AND CHAPEL OF GLENEAGLES Gleneagles, PH3 1PJ Home to the Haldane family for centuries, the house and grounds of Gleneagles are steeped in history. Test your archaeological skills by exploring the ruins of the 15th Century castle, admire the early 16th century chapel and hear the fascinating family history with a guided tour of the laird’s house

by Martin Haldane.

Guided tours at 11:00 & 14:30, booking essential via www.dod_gleneagles.eventbrite.co.uk (10 places per tour) Thurs 20 Sep MINI GROWERS Ecology Centre, Kinghorn 10am-11am See 6 Sep for details WILD WOODLANDS: ANIMAL HOMES Quarrymill Woodland Park, Scone, Perth 10am-11.30am Come and join us for a morning of play and discovery. This popular monthly event, for families with pre-school children, starts with a walk into the woods followed by lots of seasonal and wildlife inspired fun. Please come dressed for the weather and bring a small snack as being outdoors can be hungry work!

Free but booking is essential on 01577 862355 or email miranda.shephard@rspb.org.uk.

Sat 21 & Sun 23 Sep DOORS OPEN DAYS Strathearn and Kinross-shire See 1 & 2 Sep for details Sat 22 Sep KINROSS FARMERS’ MARKET High Street, Kinross 10am-2pm

seasonal changes that take place throughout the year. Led by RSPB community learning officers this group aims to inspire and engage future generations to enjoy and care for the world we live in and the nature all around us.

Free but booking is essential on 01577 862355 or email miranda.shephard@rspb.org.uk Thurs 27 Sep MINI GROWERS Ecology Centre, Kinghorn 10am-11am See 6 Sep for details Sat 29 & Sun 30 Sep DOORS OPEN DAYS Perth City See 1 & 2 Sep for details MODEL STEAM WEEKEND Dundee Museum of Transport 10.30am-3.30pm The bi-annual Steam Weekend returns to Dundee Museum of Transport. As always, lots of fun for all members of the family. Working models Stalls of wide variety - Miniature railway - Art & Craft Activities - Face-painting. Adult (16 and over): £5.00, Accompanied child (5 to 15): £2.50, Family (2 adults, 2 children): £12.50, Members and under 5s: FREE. Sat 29 Sep KIRKCALDY FARMERS MARKET Town Square, Wemyssfield 9am-1pm

MORRISON’S ACADEMY OPEN MORNING

Ferntower Road, Crieff, PH7 3AN 9.30am Be welcomed with the Rector’s address before heading on a guided tour with a current pupil. You and your children will be warmly invited into classrooms and subject departments by our staff and encouraged to try some of the many activities on offer.

The morning is rounded off with an informal lunch where you will have the opportunity to meet and chat in more depth with current teachers, parents and pupils. Register at https:// www.morrisonsacademy.org/ admissions/open-mornings/

Sun 23 Sep HOME EDUCATION FESTIVAL OF SCOTLAND GLAMIS CASTLE 10am-5.30pm A festival that celebrates Home Education, bringing together speakers and fun activities for a day in which to connect and explore!

QUARRYMILL ADVENTURES Quarrymill Woodland Park, Scone, Perth.

1pm-3.30pm all 8-12 year olds welcome! Journey into the woods to discover and explore the wildlife that lives there along with the

KILGRASTON SCHOOL OPEN DAY

Bridge of Earn, Perthshire, PH2 9BQ Join us for a tea or coffee.

Speak to staff and girls alike.

Immerse yourself in a tour of the School buildings, starting with the Georgian building at the heart of the campus, see the cutting-edge resources and the world-class facilities both inside and out; our new Science Centre, our indoor 25m Swimming Pool, our allFamilies Fife 15

Out and about dates for your diary weather pitches and Scotland’s only school equestrian Centre.

Then, enjoy a walk around the inspiring grounds and immerse yourself in Kilgraston life. To register, please contact the Head of Admissions, Mrs Amanda Johnstone on 01738 812 257 or email admissions@kilgraston.com Thurs 4 - Wed 31 Oct ENCHANTED FOREST Pitlochry Set amidst the stunning Autumn woodland of Forestry Commission Scotland’s Faskally Wood in Highland Perthshire, The Enchanted Forest is Scotland’s premier sound and light event. You can be sure of a warm welcome at this woodland wonderland that dazzles and delights. www.enchantedforest.org.uk/tickets/ Thurs 4 Oct MINI GROWERS Ecology Centre, Kinghorn 10am-11am See 6 Sep for details FRI 5 Oct BABY MUSA@THE BELL PETTIGREW: MONKEY BUSINESS Bell Pettigrew Museum, St Andrews, KY16 9TS 10:15am-11:15am See 7 Sep for details Sat 6 - Sat 13 Oct DROVER’S TRYST WALKING FESTIVAL Crieff – Various Locations Walking and mountain biking events across various days www.droverstryst.com Sat 6 Oct

JACK & JILL MARKET

Vine Conference Centre, Dunfermline. 10.30am-1pm Where Smart Families Sell & Save. Join us at your local Jack & Jill Baby & Kids Market.

Find everything you need for children aged 0-9yrs, at 40+ stalls bursting with quality nearly-new baby and kids’ goods at affordable prices.

Shop smartly, be SAVVY and SAVE £££. Prams, Cots, Cribs, Clothes, Toys, and so much more, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for – why pay more when you can pay less – now that’s being smart!

Book your stall at www.jackandjillmarket.co.uk ST ANDREWS FARMERS MARKET Argyle St Car Park, St Andrews 9am-1pm PERTH FARMERS MARKET King Edward Street, Perth 9am-2pm OUTDOOR LEARNING FOR TEACHERS AND OTHER EDUCATORS Quarrymill Woodland Park, Scone, Perth.

16 Families Fife

10am-12.30pm An informal training session aimed at teachers and others who work within an education setting. Join us as we mark National Poetry Day 2018 with a morning of poetry, risk management and nature play in the woods when we’ll provide ideas and resources to enhance and expand your outdoor learning work. Free, booking essential on 01577 862355 or email miranda.shephard@rspb.org.uk Sat 6 Oct RUMPLESTILTSKIN Adam Smith Theatre 2pm & 7pm Dance theatre for all the family by Award-winning company, balletLORENT. A magical family show! Full of action and humour this emotionally rich fairytale is set in a rural world of sheep, straw, wool and spinning, where the alchemist, Rumpelstiltskin, is outcast until he is revealed to be ‘the true prince that he was’. £15.00 (conc. £10.00) + £1 Reservation Fee. 01592 583302. https:// www.onfife.com/whats-on/ detail/balletlorent-presentrumplestiltskin# Mon 8 - Sun 21 Oct HALLOWEEN HALF TERM TREASURE HUNT RSPB Loch Leven, Vane Farm 10am-4pm Drop in anytime this half term for a spooky Halloween hunt. Pick up your treasure sheet at the visitor centre and see how many objects you can find! Expect nature wonders, spooky stuff, and of course, the odd trick. Suitable for children of all ages, no booking required. £2 per sheet.

Tues 9 - Thurs 11 Oct ECO ADVENTURES OCTOBER HOLIDAY CLUB The Ecology Centre 9am-3pm Our Eco Adventures Holiday Club is perfect for your 5-9 year old. We’ve got lots of fun outdoor play planned as well as exploring, playing games and crafting. There will be lots laughs too! Just bring a sense of adventure, outdoor clothing and a packed lunch. £20.00 per child. www.theecologycentre.org Wed 10 Oct NATURE TOTS: HEDGEHOGS AND HIBERNATION RSPB Loch Leven 10am-11.30am See Fri 7 Sep WILD AUTUMN: SEASONAL FAMILY FUN Quarrymill Woodland Park, Scone, Perth.

10am-12pm Come and discover the changes autumn brings to the woodland. Foraging, den building and toasted marshmallows guaranteed! Suitable for families of all ages. Free but booking is essential on 01577 862355 or email miranda.shephard@rspb.org.uk Thurs 11 Oct MINI GROWERS Ecology Centre, Kinghorn 10am-11am See 6 Sep for details Sat 13 Oct DUNFERMLINE FARMERS MARKET Dobbies Garden Centre Fife Leisure Park 9am-1pm CRIEFF COUNTRY MARKET James Square 10am-4pm Mon 15 - Fri 19 Oct AUTUMN WOODLAND CLUBS, FIFE Cambo Estate, NE Fife 10am-4pm Age 6-12 years. A chance to build a den, light a fire, use tools, play games, watch wildlife and more. Come and have fun. Early Bird Discount of £110 each for 5 days till Wed 3rd October. £135 thereafter. £32 each per single day (£27 each per day – siblings). Fully insured, disclosed, qualified & experienced Forest School leader. Booking is essential.

Contact: chris.childe_education@yahoo.co.uk Tel: (01337) 830621, Mob: (07587) 893190.

Thurs 18 Oct MINI GROWERS Ecology Centre, Kinghorn 10am-11am See 6 Sep for details

Quarrymill Woodland Park, Scone, Perth.

10am-11.30am Come join us for a morning of play and discovery.

This popular monthly event, for families with pre-school children, starts with a walk into the woods followed by lots of seasonal and wildlife inspired fun. Please come dressed for the weather and bring a small snack as being outdoors can be hungry work! Free but booking is essential on 01577 862355 or email miranda.shephard@rspb.org.uk Sat 27 Oct KIRKCALDY FARMERS MARKET Town Square, Wemyssfield 9am-1pm KINROSS FARMERS’ MARKET High Street, Kinross 10am-2pm PERTH’S HALLOWEEN Perth City Centre Family friendly celebration of Halloween in Perth City Centre.

Something for all ages.

Sun 28 Oct

PERTH NCT NEARLY NEW SALE Want to sell your preloved parent and child belongings? Want to kit your family out with great purchases of clothes, toys, books and more? Come along to Bell’s Sports Centre, 11.30am-1.30pm, on Sunday 28 October. £1 entry. Register to be a seller or to volunteer and get early entry – contact NNS.Perth@nct.org.uk or connect with us on Facebook NCT Perth & District Branch to find out more.

Sat 20 Oct CUPAR FARMERS MARKET Crossgate, Cupar 9am-1pm Sun 21 Oct QUARRYMILL ADVENTURES Quarrymill Woodland Park, Scone, Perth.

1pm-3.30pm all 8-12 year olds welcome! Journey into the woods to discover and explore the wildlife that lives there along with the seasonal changes that take place throughout the year. Led by RSPB community learning officers this group aims to inspire and engage future generations to enjoy and care for the world we live in and the nature all around us.

Free but booking is essential on 01577 862355 or email miranda.shephard@rspb.org.uk.

Thurs 25 Oct WILD WOODLANDS: AWESOME AUTUMN

Sat 3 Nov

JACK & JILL MARKET

Vine Conference Centre, Dunfermline. 10.30am-1pm Where Smart Families Sell & Save. Join us at your local Jack & Jill Baby & Kids Market. Find everything you need for children aged 0-9yrs, at 40+ stalls bursting with quality nearly-new baby and kids’ goods at affordable prices. Shop smartly, be SAVVY and SAVE £££. Prams, Cots, Cribs, Clothes, Toys, and so much more, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for – why pay more when you can pay less – now that’s being smart!

Book your stall at www.jackandjillmarket.co.uk ST ANDREWS FARMERS MARKET Argyle St Car Park, St Andrews 9am-1pm www.familiesfife.co.uk