Families East Sept/Oct 2011 by Families Magazine

www.familieseast.co.uk

Issue 63 September/October 2011

FREE

East

LOTS OF READERS’ OFFERS INSIDE!

The FREE pick-me-up for busy young families in East London

Offers & Local News

www.familiesonline.co.uk Email: editor@familieseast.co.uk Printed by Bishops. Tel: 02392 334900 Designed by: www.sambrannangraphicdesigner.com Front Cover: ©Trupti Patel www.kushdigital.com

East

Easy2Name competition winners from last issue: K Pereira-Lindley from E13, A Cumberbatch from E9, J Laughton-Jones from E14, Fahima Akhtar Monni (x2), Community Mental Health Team E16

Perform Workshops now available in Wanstead WIN! 1 of 6 Family Weekly Planners from Organised Mum Make sure you’re ready to keep up to speed with all the events and activities of the new term with a Family Weekly Planner from Organised Mum. Starting in September and lasting for 16 months, the Family Weekly Planner has space to give up to six family members their own diary space. It has a week-to-view format and includes loads of great features to keep you organised including a handy plastic overlay on which to write regular appointments which can then be moved from week to week to save re-writing. Plus, it has tear-off shopping and to do lists, a pocket for paperwork, colourful reminder stickers and a pen that writes on both the calendar and overlay. Available for £10.99 from www.organisedmum.co.uk or by calling 0845 644 7507, it’s the perfect calendar to organise a busy home. So make sure you don’t start the new school year without one. Email competitions@ familieseast.co.uk for your chance to win a copy

New classes in Wanstead are starting in September 2011 on Fridays at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 51 Cambridge Park, Wanstead, Essex, E11 2PR at 4pm and 5pm. Perform is a new type of children’s drama school with a unique mix of drama, dance and singing specially formulated to bring out every child’s true potential. Classes are kept small to ensure lots of individual attention from their experienced actor/teachers. They work exclusively with 8-12 year old children and focus entirely on the four C’s - Confidence, Communication, Co-ordination and Concentration. Perform don’t send children to auditions or castings but focus on helping them develop their social skills and having fun. Call now on 0845 400 1271 for your free trial session.

Copyright and Disclaimer: We take every care preparing this magazine, but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequences. Any original material submitted for publication is sent at owner’s own risk and, while every care is taken, neither Families® nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Families® is one of a group of magazines established in 1990. It is a Families® franchise independently owned and operated under licence by Lesley Bishop.

Local News

Little Gems Boutique – Opening Party 17th September As mothers with children at local schools in Victoria Park, Alex and Clair saw the need for a quality local shoe and clothing shop for babies and children so opened Little Gems Boutique. They aim to create a friendly vibe and offer ethical local fashion labels at reasonable prices. They stock a few East London brands in Boys&Girls, Dandy Star, and Green Eyed Monster and other UK brands including No Added Sugar,

Ilovegorgeous, as well as the Scandi brand Phister&Philina. The same applies to shoes with Start-rite, Vivobarefoot and Pippo Shoes all UK brands along with Pom Pom and Bobux from New Zealand. They have an opening party on 17 September where Miss Ballooniverse will entertain children so make sure you pop by! Little Gems Boutique 243 Victoria Park Road, London E9 7HD

Kidspace Romford looking to support a new charity Every year Kidspace Romford takes on a nominated charity to support and help raise awareness of their work in the local area. Over the last two years, Kidspace have supported “First Step” (www.firststep.org. uk), a local charity based in Hornchurch, who provide support and a place to learn for pre school children with special needs and their families in the London Borough of Havering. “We have had a really good working relationship and have held Family Fun Days for First Step as well as other fundraising initiatives and this has helped them enormously”, says Helen Mayes, Manager of Kidspace Romford. Kidspace are are inviting nominations from local people. The charity needs to be local to Kidspace Romford and be based around helping children. Kidspace will dedicate a notice board in the centre for poster displays and general awareness campaigns as well as hosting Family Fun Days for the chosen charity and helping in any way they can. Please email nominations to: Helen@kidspaceadventures.com by end September 2011. You can also suggest charities via their Facebook page - www.facebook.com/kidspaceromford

www.familieseast.co.uk

September/October 2011 Families East | 3

Local News Stratford children Guide the Way to Westfield Stratford City

Local winner of national kids awards scheme At the prestigious national ‘What’s On 4 Junior 2011’ Awards in June, Gymboree were revealed as a national winner yet again The awards, supported by Prima Baby & Pregnancy Magazine, are now in their fifth year and celebrate the best activities, classes and party providers from all over the UK. Competition was fierce with over 32,000 online votes cast for nominees and winners from the experts - PARENTS! Gymboree Docklands achieved national acclaim in the Best National Pre-School category meaning that they have been recognised as one of the very best by the UK’s parents. For over 30 years Gymboree has been offering fun, interactive classes for children from newborn through to 5 years old. Classes include baby play sensory exploration for infants, gym classes, music and dance classes, art classes and more. For more information or to book your free trial class contact Gymboree Docklands on 07966 227583 or email docklands@gymboreeuk.com, or visit www.gymboree-uk.com.

The Guide, launched on 12 July, is an eye-catching and exclusive insight into Westfield’s shops, restaurants and food, and accessibility. It was developed by a group of local children aged 7-13 who took pencils, pads and cameras to investigate and photograph Westfield. It’s the final project of “Building the Future”, a 3-year partnership between Discover and Westfield Stratford City aimed at engaging children and their families in the regeneration of Stratford. This collaboration established the Young Consultants, a group of 30 local children responsible for the Guide. They also investigated public art, street furniture, water features and food courts working with visual artists to draw out creative ideas and work for Westfield’s design and centre management teams. Get your copy of Guide the Way: A Young Person’s Guide to Westfield Stratford City from Discover, 383-387 High St, Stratford, E15 4QZ.

Scholarships at Young and Talented for Disadvantaged Young People Young and Talented have received a major grant award from the National Lottery to fund scholarships for disadvantaged young people to attend Young and Talented between September 2011 and July 2012. Founder and actress Suzann McLean Robinson says, “This years’ cabaret style production will be inspired by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games and called Viva Eastender! With this project we will be promoting our C.H.A.M.P.I.O.N.S motto – Children with High Aspirations Make Positive

New website gives crucial support to young families The national charity, 4Children, has launched a new website giving parents a ‘one stop shop’ for all the information they may need from pregnancy through the first 5 years of their child’s life. This new website called ‘Families in the Foundation Years: From pregnancy to children age 5’ provides information and advice from recognised experts in this

4 | Families East September/October 2011

Impact On Neighbourhood Surroundings. Whilst staging musicals is nothing new for performing arts schools, the innovation lies in the fact that the young people, some of life’s best teachers, will take the lead in every aspect of the show which, thanks to the grant, will have the look and feel of a fringe West End Show.” All Young and Talented members are guaranteed a place in this landmark show. For further information contact Suzann on 0208 556 5348 or email yandt@ymail.com

sector and is presented in a parent-friendly, comprehensive manner. It guides parents through what they can expect to encounter during pregnancy and a child’s early life explaining what support and services they are entitled to at each phase of the child’s development. The website is part of a of a partnership project between Government and charities working with families with young children. It aims to give their child the best possible start. It also highlights some of the best sources of help available on the web.

www.foundationyears.org.uk

www.familieseast.co.uk

Bring the family to Rich Mix this Autumn 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA Grand Union Youth Orchestra Sun 11 Sep/Sun 23 Oct/10am– 2pm/Free London’s pioneering world music youth ensemble, the Grand Union Youth Orchestra (GUYO) is taking up residency at Rich Mix from September. Led by top professional jazz and world-musicians, GUYO will be running free monthly masterclasses and workshops for aspiring young musicians from all musical cultures.

Extend the fun after a visit to Kids’ Cine Time by joining the hugely popular, filmmaking workshops where children have the opportunity to make their own short animated films. Sessions include experimenting with editing, learning about stop-motion animation, sound effects and more. Market Club Sun 18 Sep/Sun 16 Oct/12pm– 10pm/Free Lake of Stars launch a new event at Rich Mix featuring Olympic sports, markets, live music and art. A sportsthemed Sunday giving Londoners a chance to try out an Olympic sport for themselves. If all this sport is too much there will also be the usual Market Club chill-out area with board games and the Wii.

be hosting free monthly themed creative workshops and activities led by local artists. The Big Rich Drawing Mix Workshop Sat 1 Oct/11am & 2pm/Free/For children aged 8+/Children under 11 to be accompanied by an adult As part of the annual month-long Big Draw festival, Penoyre & Prasad, architects of Rich Mix, invite you to join us for a drawing extravaganza. Using a range of drawing machines, devices and materials you will explore the hidden depths of the Rich Mix building, and capture its colours, shapes and textures. DSC South Asian Literature Festival Family Storytelling Workshops Sat 8 Oct /For children aged 4-8 Discover traditional and contemporary tales for children from South Asia during a weekend of family storytelling sessions as part of the DSC South Asian Literature Festival. The workshops will be guided by leading storytellers and will take children and adults on an inspiring and colourful journey. www.dscsouthasianlitfest.com

StoryCraft Workshops with Apples & Snakes Mon 19 Sep/Mon 17 Oct/1.30pm– Wiggly Jigglers! 2.30pm/£2 per child/For children Mon 12 Sep/Mon 26 Sep/Mon 10 Oct/Mon 24 Oct/1pm–3pm/£3 per aged 2-5 StoryCraft Workshops are engaging, child/For under 2’s interactive and fun and will fire your Creative Movement for Babies and child’s imagination. Led by a different Toddlers in partnership with Little storyteller or poet every month the Oaks Children’s Centre. At these creative movement sessions children sessions are aimed children aged 2-5. They encourage families to enjoy will get the space, the freedom and the time to move in ways that support stories together in an active and fun Hare and Tortoise their development, and stimulate their way using puppets and percussion instruments; stories are animated with Sat 15 Oct/11am & 2pm/£5 per imaginations. singing and a hands-on craft activity. person/For children aged 3-7 By tutti frutti and York Theatre Royal. Kids’ Film Fun Workshops Snapshots Family Workshops tutti frutti return to Rich Mix with Sun 18 Sep/Sun 16 Oct/1.30pm– Sat 24 Sep/Sat 22 Oct/Free their fantastic adaptation of Aesop’s 3pm/£4 per child/£5.50 inc. Kids’ famous fable. Meet two competing As part of their new year-long Cine Time screening/For children aged 5-12 friends in this story about racing, Snapshots festival, Rich Mix will

opposites, time and friendship. The Hare and Tortoise is the greatest race on earth with a nail biting, seconds ticking, medal winning end. Tower Hamlets residents pay £4 – ID required.

Kids’ Film Fun Holiday Workshops Wed 26 Oct/1pm–4pm/£6 per child/£7.50 inc. Kids’ Cine Time screening/For children aged 5-12/ Under 9s must be accompanied by an adult during the workshop. Extend the fun after a visit to Kids’ Cine Time by joining our hugely popular filmmaking workshops where children have the opportunity to make their own short animated films. Sessions include experimenting with editing, learning about stop-motion animation, sound effects and more. Kids’ Cine Time Enjoy a collection of films for all the family every Sat and Sun at 12pm (11am on Kids’ Film Fun Workshop days). Tickets are £1.50 per person and the film programme can be found on the Kids’ Cine Time page.

Following on from the buzz of their Snapshots launch this summer - a year-long festival running up to the 2012 Olympic Games – Rich Mix are hosting free monthly creative family workshops this autumn with each one focusing on a different theme. Other arts-based sessions this season include workshops to celebrate the Big Draw and the DSC South Asian Literature Festival. Regular events for families continue, including Wiggly Jigglers!, StoryCraft Workshops and the Kids’ Film Fun Workshops. They are also proud to announce a special new partnership between Rich Mix and the Grand Union Youth Orchestra who will be resident this autumn. The Shoreditch Youth Dance programme continues with artist-inresidence Lee Smikle. Regular Kids’ Cine Time, Parents and Babies, and Autism-friendly screenings make Rich Mix an ideal place to bring your family to the cinema. Kids’ Cine Time runs every Sat and Sun from 12pm for just £1.50, Parents and Babies screenings every Mon for just £6 and £4.50 student/concession, and a special Autism-friendly Kids’ Cine Time screening runs once a month. Rich Mix look forward to seeing you this autumn. Box Office 020 7613 7498 or www.richmix.org.uk

The award winning Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School is currently taking applications for next term. Tuesdays 5pm - 8pm Bethnal Green Wednesdays 5pm - 8pm Docklands

www.familieseast.co.uk

September/October 2011 Families East | 5

School matters

How do you make sure your children are progressing as well as they can at school? Families East looks at some ways to keep things on track. So uniform bought and named, and your child is now settling into their new school - job done.... or maybe not. As now is the time to make sure the school helps your child develop and progress. Here are some simple points on how to keep an eye on things without having to join the PTA! Firstly, look at the annual published school performance figures; these should be readily available for every school and see what’s changed. If an area has got worse, ask your child’s teacher why, and see what is being done about it? Are they taking adequate steps to tackle it and more importantly are these actions making a difference. However, school is not just about learning and passing exams. There is a whole range of other important things like building a good group of friends, exploring new activities, and learning to get on with people from different backgrounds. These are often reliant on the ethos and culture of a school. It will tell you a lot about what a school is trying to achieve by look at its learning environment - do they have a library for children to easily access books, what out-of-hours activities are provided, who do you talk to about pastoral care and special needs issues. These are all good indicators on how effectively the school is operating. Of course one of the best ways to check how a school is performing for your child is talking to the people who work there. Regular meetings with teachers are an important way to monitor your child’s progress. Ask for information on your child’s performance, results and overall observations – does the teacher have empathy for your child? Why not take a morning off work, once a year, and attend a class if that is possible. 6 | Families East September/October 2011

You can ask for an appointment with the Head of Year, as they are the person most responsible for the teaching and targets for your child’s age group. Always remember that even the best teachers and students have good days and bad days, so allow yourself enough time to get a fair picture of what’s going on in the classroom. Finally, the most important thing to ask is my child happy to go to school? If the answer is yes, then they are likely to be stimulated and learning. Ask them about their day - what did they do in Maths today? Be specific in what you ask them and vary your topic, PE the next time, English the next. Get them to show you their schoolwork, check their marks and teacher comments. You can always

Annual Performance Figures • Number of applications • Number of pupils • Test & exam results • Attendance levels • Ofsted & Independent school reports • Reported incidents of poor behaviour • Number of exclusions imposed

ask teachers to show you examples of the standards they need to be working to and compare it to your child’s work. Listen to their comments about where your child can improve and if necessary, make a plan with the teacher on how you can work together to achieve improvements. As a parent, you can play an important role in your child’s academic achievement and by taking steps to monitor the school and track your child’s progress you can ensure your child gets the best out of this special time and helps them achieve their full potential.

Off the shelf reports - Inspection of schools The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulate and inspect all local authority schools along with independent schools that are not members of the Associations of the Independent Schools Council. The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) and School Inspection Service (SIS) inspect schools who are members of the Associations of the Independent Schools Council. The Bridge Schools Inspectorate inspects schools belonging to the Christian Schools’ Trust and the Association of Muslim Schools throughout England. All publish their reports on their websites. Relevant websites www.ofsted.gov.uk www.schoolinspectionservice.co.uk www.ISI.net www.bridgeschoolsinspectorate.co.uk

www.familieseast.co.uk

Xxxxxxxxxxx

Outside School - Clubs and Classes Out of school activities can give your child a chance to boost their confidence, have fun and shine outside the classroom and can lead to new friends and wider life skills. There really is plenty of variety to choose from, as you can see from our advertisers, so why not try them out.

Here are some practical tips and advice Think ahead. You may need to put your child’s name on a waiting list, particularly for more popular classes Stay local. Walking distance is ideal, otherwise getting there and back may become another chore Great staff. The best leaders are enthusiastic, skilled, trained, and have eyes in the back of their heads to spot children who need a little more encouragement, especially if they are new and feeling shy. Are they CRB checked? Additional costs. Will you need special clothes or equipment? Does the club offer these second-hand? Is there an annual subscription or insurance charge? How much are exam fees? Taster sessions. Many clubs offer a free trial class, especially if they run on a term basis. If that’s not possible, ask to pay weekly for the first two sessions Give it time. Some children are prone to dropping out. Unless you think they are completely and utterly unsuited to the activity, or really, really hate it, stick at it for a couple of terms

www.familieseast.co.uk

Some benefits of extra curricular activities Curriculum boosting. After-school activities and clubs are a great way to complement and extend what children have precious little time for at school, especially art, music and languages Socialising. Claire, mother of four under 10 year-olds, believes it is important for children to make new friends outside school: “It really helps them stand on their own and develop their confidence. There isn’t that pecking order thing that you have in the playground. It’s a chance to break out of whatever mould you’ve been cast in” After-school care. When both parents work, after-school activities on school premises can be incredibly valuable. Most schools offer a mix of teacher run and externally organised clubs after school, and even at weekends A sense of achievement. Amanda says: “Kitty, 8, has just reached purple belt and she has been made karate captain. She’s very proud, it’s tremendously good for her.” For all the family. A shared activity where all the family can benefit from being inspired to get active and joining in too But always remember it might seem tempting to guide your child to musical, sporting and artistic genius outside the classroom, but they need time to just ‘chill’ too.

September/October 2011 Families East | 7

School matters Xxxxxxxxx

Cool Kit for Kids. Your child will be raring to go back to school when armed with a Shirt Lunchbox (£12.95). Available in eight designs including England, Arsenal, Tottenham, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool so they can choose their favourite football team. They combine street cred with practicality and each comes with a set of stickers to let your child personalise their box. There’s also Disney’s Toy Story with a Buzz or Woody Shirt Lunchbox (£12.95). All available from www.handpickedcollection.com

Help your Child’s Writing Skills

Kids Look Cool with Skip-Hop! These cute Zoo Backpacks (£20.75) are perfect ‘back-to-school’ items. Designed for toddlers, these cute bags are not just fun but functional too. Snacks can be kept cool in the insulated front pouch with extra pockets inside and adjustable mesh side pocket to keep drinks secure. There’s a matching Zoo Lunchies (£14) too; an insulated bag and an inside mesh pocket. Both are hardwearing with easy to clean linings with an adjustable padded strap on the bags. Choose from Zebra, Owl, Bee, Puppy, Mouse and Monkey for an adventurous day out! Available online (John Lewis, Amazon)

8 | Families East September/October 2011

Here’s something for your young children – the Reception Words Write & Spell Book (4-6 years) and a Year 1 & 2 Write & Spell Book (5-7 years) from ZooBooKoo at £6.50 each. These 8 page, write-on and wipe-off booklets come in a handy A5 size with dry wipe pen to use again and again. Each book contains over 50 unique high frequency words for young children to practise and develop a simple cursive writing style. Children follow the dots twice and then try to write on their own, as repetition is key to developing these skills. Available from good toy and book and gift stores, Amazon UK and www.zoobooktoo.com

www.familieseast.co.uk

School matters Xxxxxxxxxxx

Help with Writing from STABILO The STABILO EASYoriginal pen encourages your child to pick it up and learn with its colourful exterior and built in finger grips making writing comfortable, fun and easy! Its ergonomic grip shows children exactly where to place their fingers so helping children through the early stages of writing. With versions for both right and left-handed children its praised by teachers, approved by parents and loved by children! STABILO EASYoriginal (RRP £6.99) is available from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Tesco along with WH Smith and Ryman.

Barkingside 020 8503 9272 Chingford 020 8524 7417 Dagenham 020 8599 8090 East Ham 020 8472 0465 Goodmayes 020 8598 9922

www.familieseast.co.uk

Hornchurch

01708 471687

Loughton

020 8508 2090

South Woodford 020 8530 3773 Walthamstow

020 8223 1205

September/October 2011 Families East | 9

When

Joanna Toloczko is a solicitor at Mullis and Peake LLP in Romford. She has 25 years experience of family and matrimonial law. She is a member of Resolution and the Law Society’s Family Law Panel. In this article she examines the sensitive subject of divorce and separation and its effect on your children.

ith single parents now making up a quarter of UK households with dependent children and an estimated 240,000 children going through parent separation each year, divorce and separation is touching more and more children’s lives. If you or someone you know is trying to deal with their own hurt whilst witnessing the distress of children too, then there are actions you can take to help children through this process.

Talk to your children

Once you have made a firm decision to separate (not before) talk to your children. Ideally both parents together but if the hostility between you makes this is impossible, then each parent should speak to the children separately. Whether you speak together or separately, agree in advance what the children will be told, as they will benefit from hearing the same message from both of you. Make sure the television is switched off and there are no other distractions. Explain in simple terms how their life will change and what will remain the same (for example, home, school, and contact with parents). You will need to adapt the amount and content depending on your child’s age, understanding and personality. Make sure they know they can ask questions and talk about how they feel with either parent throughout the process, not just at the beginning. Acknowledge the significance of the change to your children’s lives and that it is natural to feel sad.

Parents Part

Make sure your children do not witness conflict between you and your partner

It is very damaging to witness conflict between parents, whether this is physical aggression, intimidation, raised voices or verbal abuse. There are bound to be times when you feel angry and vulnerable but try not to react immediately, especially in front of the children. If you receive an upsetting text or email from your partner, sleep on it before responding. Try to understand that your partner’s hurtful and seemingly unreasonable demands can be an expression of their fear and anxiety. If you do feel at risk of physical violence then seek professional help from the police or a solicitor immediately.

Make sure you get some important messages across to your children

Children often mistakenly blame themselves for the breakdown of their parents’ relationship even if they don’t say it. They may think that, if they try hard enough, they can get their parents back together but it is important they understand that it is not their fault and both parents still love them.

Maintain their normal routines

Make sure that bedtimes, rules about television, computer times, etc., remain the same and continue to be enforced as this gives a sense of security.

Make sure that the children maintain a relationship with the non-resident parent if at all possible

This might not be possible but in the vast majority of cases it is emotionally beneficial for children to maintain a close relationship with both parents. Your children need to know that it is alright to continue to love both parents and it will not be viewed as disloyalty by either parent. Do not run your partner down in front of the children – it will upset them. Be positive about them seeing the other parent, even if the children may sometimes be reluctant to go. Try to agree the contact arrangements with the non-resident parent. The exact arrangements will depend on factors such as children’s age, distance between the two homes, etc.

Look after yourself

Your children are more likely to be happy and healthy if you are. It is important that you get support so find a trusted family member or friend to talk to – preferably someone who is objective and does not bring their own “emotional baggage” to your discussions. Do not rely on your children for emotional support, whatever their age. Consider seeking help from a relationship counsellor as they can help you communicate more effectively with your partner even after you have decided to end the relationship. A parenting coach may also help and there are many good books available written for both parents and children. Seek help from a solicitor at an early stage, preferably one who is a member of Resolution (formerly known as the Solicitors Family Law Association) or the Law Society’s Family Law Panel. Both organisations have Codes of Practice that promote a non-confrontational approach to solving problems in a constructive and dignified way. They encourage solutions that consider the needs of the whole family and in particular the best interests of the children and will not pressure you into taking action if you need more time to consider your options. Mullis and Peake LLP are holding a seminar on helping children through separation and divorce in conjunction with Bebe Jacobs of Parenting Coaching Now on Friday 21 October at 12 noon at their offices 8-10 Eastern Road, Romford, Essex RM1 3PJ. If you would like an invitation or further information, please contact Joanna Toloczko on 01708 784044 or joannatoloczko@mplaw.co.uk

10 | Families East September/October 2011

www.familieseast.co.uk

Out & About THEATRE, CONCERTS & FILMS BARBICAN

Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS 020 7638 8891 www.barbican.org.uk Watch me Move: The Animation Show Until Sun 11 Sep 11am–8pm, (Wed until 6pm,Thur until 10pm) Special Family Viewing every Sat from 10am £12/£8 Under 12s free Animation started back in 1911. A century later, it is one of the most popular and prevalent of visual art forms. This show brings together over one hundred films the contemporary artists and will delight visitors of all ages. LSO Discovery Family Concert: Music from the Movies Sun 16 Oct 2.30pm 7-12 yrs £10/£4 A swashbuckling, wand-waving, spine chilling, intergalactic chance to see the LSO in action as they perform some of their most famous movie soundtracks of all time. Join presenter Paul Rissmann as he takes us through the music of the weird and wonderful Alice in Wonderland, Harry Potter, Jaws, Pirates of the Caribbean and perhaps the LSO’s most famous soundtrack of all time – Star Wars Pre-concert Workshops 10am £5 Open to Family Concert bookers only Come along before the concert and take part in film-themed workshops where you can make your own movie ideas come to life. Create your own cartoon animation and compose the perfect soundtrack to go with it Free foyer activities 1pm–2.30pm Arrive early for the Family Concert to join in our exciting pre-concert events Crèche 2pm–4pm For families with younger siblings, a free crèche is available for children aged 6 months to 6 yrs. Open to Family Concert bookers only Family Film Club Discover a world of film together with your family every Saturday morning at the Barbican. Membership is free, and you can join via the website

BLOOMSBURY THEATRE

15 Gordon Street, WC1H 0AH 020 7388 8822 www.thebloomsbury.com Horrible Histories From 4-15 Oct £18.50/£14.50 Concessions £16.50 Family of Four £62 We all want to meet people from history - the trouble is everyone is dead! So it’s time to prepare yourselves for Horrible Histories live on stage! Using actors and ground-breaking 3D special effects, these two astounding shows The Awful Egyptians and The Ruthless Romans (24 different timings/dates to choose from) are guaranteed to thrill everyone. Historical figures and events will come alive on stage and hover at your fingertips! Little Howard’s Big Show 23 Oct 2.30pm £12/£10 The nations’ favourite human-cartoon double act: Big Howard and Little Howard return to the stage with their brand new comedy spectacular featuring songs, sketches, magic, a cheeky pigeon from Barnsley, a brand new invisible character, The Royal Monkey Philharmonic Orchestra, a large frying pan and more laughs than should be possible.

www.familieseast.co.uk

BROADWAY THEATRE

Broadway, Barking IG11 7LS 020 8507 5607 www.thebroadwaybarking.com The Light Garden Thu 13 Oct £4 18 months to 4 yrs 9.30am, 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1pm, 1.30pm, 2pm, 3pm, 3.30pm, 4pm Award winning artist Rachel Davies creates an interactive light and video installation for young children. A flightfooted fire-fly guide will encourage children to journey around the scene using their bodies and their imaginations. The adventure begins at dawn. Armed with torches, children will discover ladybirds crawling on a grassy bank. The outdoor experience indoors offers opportunities to react imaginatively, playing with the spectrum of movements in the natural world; from the tiny world of insects to the giant world of weather Mr Men & Little Miss Party Road Show Sat 22 Oct 3.30pm £13/£11 Family Ticket £44.00 Help Mr Men and Little Miss to celebrate their 40th birthday in a brand new singing and dancing party road show! This 90 minute show will feature the much loved characters singing and dancing along to well known children’s songs. We’ll also meet Little Miss Princess for the very first time and see her perform her debut single

GENESIS CINEMA

93-95 Mile End Road, Whitechapel, E1 4UJ Book online at: www.genesis-cinema. co.uk OR By telephone: 020 7780 2000 Baby changing facilities available, space for prams/buggies and free car parking – call to reserve Genesis Parent and Baby screenings, Wed at 11am Tickets £5 : Sep 7 - One Day Sep 14 - Friends With Benefits Sep 21 - Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Sep 28 - Crazy, Stupid, Love Weekend Fun for Kids at 11am Tickets £2 : Sep 10 & 11 – Mr Popper’s Penguins Sep 17 & 18 – Horrid Henry Sep 24 & 25 – The Smurfs

HALF MOON THEATRE

43 White Horse Road, E1 0ND 020 7709 8900 www.halfmoon.org.uk New Season starts Sat 1 Oct – see website for full details

QUEEN’S THEATRE

52 Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT 01708 443333 www.queens-theatre.co.uk Sing-a-long-a High School Musical 3 Sat 24 Sep 1pm 4.30pm £12/£10 (Under 2 yrs can sit on adult lap with no ticket) The latest High School Musical film with added subtitles! Perfect family fun for all ages with goody bags, fancy dress, a live host and great songs to sing and dance along with. Dress up as Troy or Gabriella or (if you’re really boring) Troy’s dad Jack!

Your guide to the best entertainment and local events London has to offer.

To list an event contact editor@familieseast.co.uk The Very Hungry Caterpillar Wed 5 Oct 12.30pm Thu 6 Oct 10.30am 12.30pm £11/£10 (Under 2 yrs can sit on adult lap with no ticket) Three stories by award-winning children’s book illustrator and writer Eric Carle beautifully retold in a glowing stage adaptation with puppetry in black light. Follow the wonderful adventures of a Very Hungry Caterpillar who eats through an amazing variety of foods before turning into a beautiful butterfly

The Disney 50 £6.75/£9.50, Family £20 Some of the world’s most celebrated family films of all time are showing on the big screen throughout 2011

SOUTHBANK CENTRE

Mulan Thu 6 Oct 6.20pm Sat 8 Oct 1.30pm

Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX 0844 875 0073 www.southbankcentre.co.uk National Poetry Day 2011 Thu 6 Oct 1pm-6pm free Led by Southbank Centre Artist in Residence Simon Armitage, established and up-and-coming poets including winners of Foyle Young Poets Award 2011 play with this year’s theme of “Games”. There is pop-up poetry all over the site, with poetry bingo, activities and your chance to take home a personalised poem

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Tue 13 Sep 6.30pm Sat 24 Sep 1.10pm Pocahontas Sat 17 Sep 1pm Thu 22 Sep 6.30pm Hercules Tue 27 Sep 6.30pm Sat 1 Oct 1.10pm

MAYOR’S THAMES FESTIVAL 2011 Sat 10 & Sun 11 Sep Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge www.thamesfestival.org The Mayor’s Thames Festival 2011 promises to be bigger than ever, with spectacular entertainment and amazing music from right around the globe. Visit the events on the river and the riverbank – music, art, storytelling, dance, food and theatre

STRATFORD CIRCUS

Theatre Square, Stratford, E15 1BX 0844 357 2625 www.stratford-circus.com The Light Garden Sat 24 Sep £7/£5 18 months to 4 yrs 11.30am 12 noon 12.30pm 1pm 2.30pm 3pm 3.30pm 4pm 4.30pm 5pm See description under BROADWAY THEATRE The event is part of a family day celebrating Stratford Circus’ 10th birthday. Free fun activities for families and children will also take place throughout the day. Merce Family Circus Afternoon Sat 1 Oct 6yrs+ Workshop 2pm Performance 3pm Merce Cunningham Dance Company provides audiences a unique opportunity to engage directly with the multifaceted work of a choreographic great. Families are invited to a tailored afternoon, integrating a performance of Squaregame with a workshop in which they can create their own dances using Cunningham’s chance procedures, such as the simple rolling of a dice

UNICORN THEATRE

147 Tooley Street, Southwark, SE1 2HZ 020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com See website for show times as these vary each day The Magician’s Daughter Sat 17 & Sun 18 Sep, Sat 24 & Sun 25 Sep 11.30am 2.30pm £11/£9 Family £32. The rain won’t stop, it’s drip, drip, dropping all the time. Isabella just wants to go out and play but the storm rages, and now it is time for bed. Her mother Miranda tells amazing stories of her time on an island … Inspired by Shakespeare’s story of The Tempest, this captivating production is a blend of puppetry and song

EVENTS THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE Belvedere Road, South Bank, SE1 020 7928 3535 www.bfi.org.uk

OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND 2011

Sat 17 & Sun 18 Sep www.londonopenhouse.org/ Open House London celebrates all that is best about the capital’s buildings, places and neighbourhoods. This is a unique opportunity to get out and under the skin of London’s amazing architecture, with over 700 buildings of all kinds opening their doors to everyone – all for free.

SOUTHBANK CENTRE

Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX 0844 875 0073 www.southbankcentre.co.uk Ugandan Dance Workshop Sun 25 Sep 3.15pm 5yrs+ free Join in this fun Ugandan dance and drumming workshop with south Londonbased Shake and Dance. Ideal for families and people from all generations LPO Funharmonics Family Concert Nutcrackers Sun 23 Oct £18 - £10 12 noon Stravinsky, Prokofiev and Rachmaninov all feature in this concert, with music from The Nutcracker Suite by Tchaikovsky topping the bill. There are also workshops in the foyers at Royal Festival Hall throughout the morning - you can try your hand at playing an orchestral instrument in one of the Have-a-Go sessions or join the Human Orchestra workshops from 10.30am to 2.30pm The Man Who Planted Trees Tue 25 Oct – Fri 28 Oct £10/£5 11am 2pm A unique blend of comedy, puppetry and storytelling, this is an imaginative family show about a shepherd who sets out to plant a forest and transform a barren landscape, accompanied by his faithful dog. Multisensory elements allow the audience to hear the wind, feel the rain and smell the lavender, and the partly improvised nature of the comic scenes means that no two shows are alike

September/October 2011 Families East | 11

Out & About GALLERIES NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE 020 7306 0055 www.npg.org.uk Open: daily 10am-6pm, Thu & Fri 10am9pm. Family Events: Meet in the Ondaatje Wing Main Hall Storytelling for Families Sat 17 Sep & Sat 15 Oct 10.30am 11.30am 1.30pm 2.30pm 3yrs+ free Bring the Gallery’s portraits to life with our exciting storytelling sessions followed by a fun art activity Family Art Workshop Sat 17 Sep & Sat 15 Oct 11.30am & 2.30pm 5yrs+ free Explore portraits, followed by an art activity in this enjoyable family session BP Portrait Award Until Sun 18 Sep free Come and explore the exhibition with our free family trail and labels, which offers a range of activities Animate – The Big Draw 2011 Sat 8 Oct 1pm – 4pm 3yrs+ free Explore drawing and animation with children’s illustrator and filmmaker Leigh Hodginkson. All the family will have the chance to make their drawings come to life. Special screening of animations at the end of the afternoon Tour and Draw Mon 24 Oct – Fri 28 Oct 11am 1.30pm 3yrs+ free. Tour and Draw sessions exploring the Collection Chasing Tales Mon 24 Oct – Fri 28 Oct 11.30am 2.30pm 5yrs+ free. A week of half-term art activities for families inspired by the Chasing Mirrors display

SOMERSET HOUSE

Strand, WC2 1LA 020 7845 4600 www.somerset.org.uk Tickets available from Seamen’s Hall Info Desk - allocated on a first come, first served basis Saturday Free Family Workshops Saturdays 2pm-3.30pm. For children 6-12 yrs accompanied by an adult First Impressions Sat 1 Oct Master the art of monoprinting and create your own one-off prints of the spectacular secret spaces of Somerset House Colour Blocking Sat 8 Oct Make two dimensions into three! Choose

a favourite painting in The Courtauld Gallery and explore colour and space by turning it into a sculpture Building Materials Sat 15 Oct Transform the architectural shapes and stunning structures of Somerset House into colourful textile collages and wall hangings Half Term : Free holiday workshops; 11am-1pm & 2pm-4pm Suitable for families with children of all ages; children must be accompanied by an adult Spooky Shadows of Somerset House Sat 22 Oct & Sat 29 Oct Join us and project your own scary spooks and glowing ghosties in our shadow theatre of horrid happenings! Mini Make Believe: Hubble Bubble Wed 26 Oct 11.30am-12.30pm The bubbles are boiling in our crafty cauldron today; under 5s and their families join us for spooky songs and games

TATE BRITAIN

Millbank, SW1P 4RG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/britain Open: daily 10am-5.50pm until 10pm the first Friday of the month Family Multimedia Guide £3.50 6yrs+ (available anytime during gallery hours) What makes a portrait? Join this tour of seven artworks in the gallery and decide for yourself. Our new multimedia guide encourages children and adults to explore together. Strange soundscapes, funny film clips, and some great games – there’s lots to do, see, hear and discuss Family Reading Area Every weekend free for all ages Lots of books for families in the Rotunda reading area

TATE MODERN

Bankside, SE1 9TG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/modern Open Sun-Thu 10am-6pm Fri & Sat 10am-10pm Under 5s Zone Level 5 Concourse free This is a new play space for under 5’s and their families. The Under 5s Zone invites children on a creative, physical and sensory exploration of themes inspired by Cubist artworks Children Multimedia Guide Daily from the Info Desks on Levels 3 £4.50 5yrs+ Keep youngsters captivated and animate

12 | Families East September/October 2011

artworks through music, video clips and entertaining games – a sensory experience for all the family to enjoy Weekend Sessions Every weekend 11-4pm Level 3 Concourse, free, 5yrs+ Stimulate your weekend with games, map-making or clue-matching Tate Modern Family Resources Available daily from the Info Desks on Levels 1 and 2 free for all ages. Pick up a free families resource and set off to explore the Galleries with paper-based activities that will help you look, enjoy and learn about art

THE NATIONAL GALLERY

Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN 020 7747 2885 www.nationalgallery.org.uk Open daily 10am - 6pm Fri until 9pm free Family activities include: Walk & Talk, Under 5’s interactive Story Sessions, Art Work Shops, Family Tours and Trails. See website for full details

WHITECHAPEL GALLERY

77-82 Whitechapel High Street, E1 7QX 020 7522 7888 www.whitechapelgallery.org Half Term Children’s 2 Day Courses Tue 25 & Wed 26 Oct 5-8 yrs Thu 27 & Fri 28 Oct 9-11yrs 11am-3pm £50 Artist-led skills-based painting workshops. Parents would be able to see a mini exhibition of the work produced on the last day of the workshop

MUSEUMS BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM

Entrance in Bartholomew St, off Threadneedle St, EC2R 8AH 020 7601 5545 www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum Open: Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm, free The Museum tells the story of the Bank, from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Among the exhibits are Roman and modern gold bars (visitors are invited to lift a genuine gold bar), the country’s oldest paper money, pikes and muskets once used to defend the Bank and many other objects. Interactive displays give visitors the opportunity to explore the intricate, changing designs and evolving security features contained within banknotes.

Open House London Weekend Sat 17 & Sun 18 Sep 9.30am – 5pm The Bank of England will be open to visitors for thirty-minute guided tours, which will include the Front Hall, Garden Court, the Monetary Policy Committee’s meeting room and the Court Room. No booking required The Big Draw - Designs on Your Money Mon 24 Oct – Fri 28 Oct 10am–4.30pm Visitors learn about the sophisticated security features contained within banknotes, before designing their own secure notes. Event includes a competition with prizes to be won

BRITISH MUSEUM

Great Russell St, WC1B 3DG 020 7323 8000/8299 www.britishmuseum.org Open: daily 10am-5.30pm, free For a full list of family activities please see the website – here are some highlights of free family activities in Sep & Oct Olympic Champions Sun 11 Sep 11.30am–3.30pm Make a Magical Mosaic Sat 17 Sep 11.30am–3.30pm Create a Comic Sun 18 Sep, Sun 23 Oct & Sat 29 Oct 11.30am–3.30pm Make a mismatch creature Sun 25 Sep 11.30am–3.30pm Mega–mummy animation workshop Sun 2 Oct 11am & 2pm Teddy time traveller Sat 15 Oct & Sat 22 Oct 11.30am–3.30pm Prehistoric Britain: flints, farms and flesh–hooks Other free family activities There is always something for families to do at the Museum including: Hamlyn family trails: including Dancing with Shiva: a counting trail for young children; activity backpacks: include puzzles and games (deposit required), both available from the Paul Hamlyn Library

www.familieseast.co.uk

Out & About CHURCHILL MUSEUM AND CABINET WAR ROOMS Clive Steps, King Charles St, SW1A 2AQ 020 7930 6961 www.iwm.org.uk/churchill Open: 9.30am-6pm. £12.80/£15.95, under 16s free Out of the Box Sat 17 & Sun 18 Sep Sat 15 & Sun 16 Oct Drop in 11am-12.30pm & 2pm-4pm An engaging drop-in session where all visitors to the Churchill War Rooms can examine replica objects that have become unique symbols of Churchill, such as hats, coats and cigars Undercover – Life in Churchill’s Bunker Extended until 2013 due to popular demand Visitors can hear the first-hand personal accounts of those who worked in the Cabinet War Rooms during the war and learn what life and conditions were like underground walking through the corridors where Churchill made history

DESIGN MUSEUM

Shad Thames, SE1 2YD 020 7940 8787 www.designmuseum.org Family Drawing Tour Sun 23 Oct 2.30pm 7yrs+ Booking essential free Grab a pencil and join our illustrator on a family tour through “This is Design”. This half hour tour begins with a general introduction to the museum and exhibition then invites you to discover the iconic objects in the museum collection through a series of drawing exercises

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM

Lambeth Road, SE1 6HZ 020 7416 5320/5321 www.iwm.org.uk Open: daily 10am-6pm, free Open House Sat 17 Sep 2011 Free tours every hour from 11am - 5pm While the exhibition spaces at the IWM are accessible to visitors throughout the year, the staff areas of the building, which was formerly the Royal Bethlehem Hospital or ‘Bedlam’ are usually off limits to the public. Free tours of the Museum will include visiting the historic dome chapel and talks on the history of the Museum and building as well as a presentation on its proposed redevelopment Once Upon a Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children Until Sun 30 Oct £3.95 to £5.95, family £12.50 The exhibition delves into the pages of well-loved books, bringing five stories of war dramatically to life through objects, photographs and films War Horse: Making a Scene Sat 22 - Sun 30 Oct 11am-11.45am, 12 noon-12.45pm, 2pm-2.45pm, 3pm3.45pm free drop in 6yrs+ To coincide with the exhibition, Once Upon a Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children, get the chance to design and make your own shadow puppets, depicting key scenes from the story of War Horse. Using artefacts from the Museum and the original set design for War Horse as inspiration, families will be invited to create their own depiction of Joey, the horse’s journey from rural Devon to the battlefield’s of France

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM GEFFRYE MUSEUM

136 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, E2 8EA 020 7739 9893 www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Open: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 12pm5pm free Saturday Specials 10.30am 2pm, 5-11 yrs free spaces allocated on a first come basis 30 mins before Brilliant Bunting Sat 24 Sep, 10.30am-12noon & 2pm-4pm Create a hanging decoration for your room inspired by ceramic objects Magnetic Madness Sun 25 Sep, 12.30pm-1.30pm & 3pm4.30pm. Paint a ceramic magnet with Geffrye patterns

HORNIMAN MUSEUM

100 London Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ 020 8699 1872 www.horniman.ac.uk Open: daily 10.30am-5.30pm, free Busy Bees Resumes in September – please see website for dates and times Fun sessions for under 5’s and their carers wanting to discover the museum. Creative play, enchanting stories from around the world, museum objects and simple craft activities, changing every week African Drumming From Sun 18 Sep 10.45am-11.15am 5-12 yrs £25 for 10 sessions African Drumming From Sun 18 Sep 11.15am-11.45am 5-12 yrs £25 for 10 sessions Many more family activities listed on line

www.familieseast.co.uk

Covent Garden Piazza, WC2E 7BB 020 7565 7299 www.ltmuseum.co.uk Open: Sat-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri 11am6pm, £6/£8/£10. Admission to the museum and family activities are free to accompanied children under 16 Children’s London Families are also invited to our family fun October half term events, which take inspiration from John Burningham’s illustrations and stories. You can create your own puppets and enjoy action packed storytelling sessions.

MUSEUM OF LONDON

150 London Wall, EC2Y 5HN 020 7001 9844 www.museumoflondon.org.uk Open: daily 10am-6pm, free See website for full details of regular groups held at Museum of London for “Mini Moles” (6 months – walking) and Little Moles (walkers – 5 yrs) and a full list of family activities. Here are some highlights Street Child Sun 11 Sep 1pm 2pm 3pm £5/£3 7yrs+ Based on Berlie Doherty’s novel of the same name this engaging family show dramatises the stories and adventures of Jim Jarvis. A gripping and exciting story of a Victorian orphan, brought to life in a visual feast of puppetry, projection and live action Characters from history - Meet a Roman Merchant Sun 11 Sep 1pm 2pm 3pm 5yrs+ What would London have been like 2000 years ago for a black merchant? Meet Marcus Aurelius a wealthy merchant who has recently arrived in London and hear his stories about stuffed doormice and

the exotic goods arriving from all over the Empire Under 5’s storytime Tue 27 Sep & 25 Oct 3pm Join us in our galleries for stories, music and fun on the last Tuesday of the month. A monthly interactive storytelling session for children under 5 and their carers Art Workshops: Edible History, Moving London, TV Yourself! And many more

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS

West India Quay, Canary Wharf, E14 4AL 020 7001 9844 www.museumindocklands.org.uk Open: daily 10am-6pm, £5 annual adult pass, kids free See website for full details of regular groups held at Museum of London Docklands for “Mini Mudlarks” (6 months – walking) and Little Mudlarks (walkers – 5 yrs) and a full list of family activities Pirates: The Captain Kidd Story Until Sun 30 Oct £7/£5 Focusing on the legendary privateer turned pirate, Captain Kidd, the exhibition reveals the surprising truth of how London’s corrupt political activities were entrenched in piracy. It looks at gruesome ritual executions and the greed and manipulation of the infamous East India Company London Forever Sat 24 Sep & 26 Nov, 12.30pm-1.30pm & 2.30pm-3.30pm 5yrs+ Help create an animation that reflects London as a melting pot of cultures and traditions Billy Jenkins: a pirate’s life for me Sun 3 Jul – 30 Oct, 12.30pm-1pm, 2.30pm-3pm & 3.30pm-4pm 7yrs+ Meet our pirate and learn the truth about life in the old port of London and on the high seas Under 5’s Storytime Thu 29 Sep Thu 27 Oct 3pm Join us in our galleries for stories, music and fun on the last Thursday of the month, then come and play in Mudlarks Art Workshops: Treasurers Made in Felt, Maps at Sea, TV Yourself!, Make a Pirate Flag

NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM and THE QUEEN’S HOUSE Romney Road, Greenwich, SE10 9NF 020 8858 4422 www.nmm.ac.uk Open: daily 10am-5pm, free

Play Tuesdays Sep & Oct 10am 11am 1pm 2pm under 5 yrs free Young children can have fun with their families as they explore the Museum through making, music, dance and stories Play Tuesday: Supermarket Sweep Tue 25 Oct 10.30am 1pm free under 5 yrs Explore the Museum through making music, dance and drama. Fabulous fabrics for people to wear. Exotic spices to make food taste delicious. Refreshing tea for grown-ups to drink. From the 1750s people in Britain had a huge choice of things to buy for the very first time, at cheap prices – all thanks to the fortunes of the British East India Company trading goods from across the world. Discover more in a range of intriguing activities about the Company’s trade in fabrics and spices with India, and explore the new Traders gallery

Discover Sundays Sep & Oct Be inspired by our maritime past and explore your personal connections to the sea Half Term Events: Mon 24 Oct – Fri 28 Oct 11.30am 2pm all ages free The Company that Changed the World Explore the ‘Traders’ gallery with your family using this gallery guide and trail to discover more Price tag Add your ideas on fashion and fair trade to a giant installation by a contemporary artist

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Cromwell Road, SW7 5BD 020 7938 9123, Info 020 7942 5000 www.nhm.ac.uk Open: Mon-Sat 10am–5.50pm, Sun 11am-5.50pm free Events for Families - check the full listing on www.nhm.ac.uk/whats-on Sensational Butterflies Until 25 Sep Experience the sensory world of butterflies, explore the five different sensory zones of sight, smell, taste hearing and touch in this new exhibition, come face to face with live butterflies in the beautiful butterfly house and learn more about the surprising life they lead Dinosnores Sleepovers Sat 16 Sep & Sat 15 Oct £46 7pm–9.50am Activities include: a torch lit trail through the dinosaur gallery, a live show about creatures that sting and bite, fossil fun, snuggling down in the Central Hall and tucking into breakfast the morning after Explorer Back Pack Mon- Fri 11am-5pm Younger visitors can pick up an Explorer backpack and take a mini adventure around the Museum. Don’t miss the Dippy floor puzzle, perfect for under 8’s. Complete the puzzle of the 26-metre long “diplodocus” and you’ll get a funky Dippy sticker!

SCIENCE MUSEUM

Exhibition Road, South Kensington, SW7 2DD 0870 870 4868 www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, free (charges for special exhibitions, IMAX cinema and simulator rides) Launchpad Science Shows Daily free 8 yrs + Launch a rocket, turn your head into a sound box, control a magnetic cloud and play with 50 more brand new interactive exhibits demonstrating light, sound, electricity and magnetism and more amazing physics phenomena

SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM

13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields, WC2A 3BP 020 7405 2107 www.soane.org Open: Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, free Junior Audio Tour Introduced by Stephen Fry. Read by Eleanor Bron this atmospheric tour, lasting 59 minutes, guides the listener through Soane’s Museum, accompanied by sound effects and music. Suitable for children and first-time visitors V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, E2 9PA 020 8983 5200

September/October 2011 Families East | 13

Out & About www.museumofchildhood.org.uk Open: daily 10am-5.45pm, free Daily Activities: We run a variety of free activities every day, including storytelling, arts and crafts, tours and treasure hunts. Activities are tailored to children aged 3-12 yrs unless otherwise stated. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or carer Term-Time Mon-Fri 5yrs and under Animal Magic 2pm Art Smarts 2.30pm Sat and Sun I Spy 10.30am Explore 11.15am Telling Tales 12 noon Art Smarts 2pm School Holidays Mon-Sun Themed gallery activities 10.30am 11.15am and 12 noon Art Smarts 2pm THE WALLACE COLLECTION Hertford House, Manchester Sq, W1U 3BN 020 7563 9500/ 9551 www.wallacecollection.org Open 10am-5pm, free Family Activities: Children must be accompanied by an adult The Little Draw A drop-in art workshop held in the galleries on the first Sunday of each month from 1.30pm-4.30pm Swords and Shields – the World of Sikh Warriors Sat 10 Sep 11am Giants, Lyrics and Lions - A Family Day in Partnership with Wigmore Hall - Sat 1 Oct 10.30am 7yrs+ Tick Tock: Make a Clock Mon 24 Oct 10.30am 2pm 6-9 yrs Autumn harvest: Drawing, Painting and Collage Workshop Tue 25 Oct 10.30am 2pm 7-10yrs Daily: Family Multimedia Tour with interactive games (small fee) Free Armour Handling - find out what a brigandine is and how heavy a bulletproof breastplate really was Family Trials - themed family trails available from the information desk

PLACES OF INTEREST CENTRE OF THE CELL

Blizard Building 4 Newark St, Whitechapel, E1 2AT 020 7882 2562 www.centreofthecell.org Free admission – booking essential, content suitable for 9+ but everyone is welcome Centre of the Cell is an exciting new science education centre. It is the first science education centre in the world to be sited in biomedical research laboratories with digital interactive games; body parts; films and microscopes

CANARY WHARF Discovery Walks Fri 16 Sep 6-8pm & Sat 17 Sep 11am1pm & 2pm-4pm Starting at Canary Wharf Jubilee Line station (West exit, Reuters Plaza) Free but space is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis Take a closer look at the architecture and history that define Canary Wharf on one of these informative guided walks

The Lunch Market Tue 27 Sep 11am-3pm Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf Join us for an alfresco lunch with over 25 stalls of delicious international foods featuring delicious homemade dishes ranging from the familiar to the exotic, all freshly prepared and ready for you to eat

DISCOVER

383-387 High Street, Stratford, E15 4QZ 020 8536 5555 www.discover.org.uk Open: daily Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm, Sat & Sun 11am-5pm, £4.50, family £16 Welcome to Monsterville Until Mar 2012 Play, smell and taste the mankiest exhibition ever! Big Scary Monsters Sun 11 Sep 11.30am 2.30pm A little bit scary but also full of fun this book will have you joining in with the BOOS! Find out how scaring becomes sharing as you take part in this story with our story builders

EPPING FOREST

(various locations) Open House at The Hunting Lodge Sat 17 & Sun 18 Sep 12 noon-5pm free drop in An opportunity to look at some archival material relating to The Hunting Lodge. Guided Tours at 2pm & 3pm. Family Bat Talk & Walk Fri 23 Sep 6.30pm £6 Epping Forest Field Centre (booking essential) Suntrap Open Day Sat 8 Oct 12 noon Suntrap Forest Education Centre, Church Road, High Beach, IG10 4AJ Activities will include: meeting the Suntrap animals, clay modelling, guided forest walks, pond dipping and lots more! Shuttle bus from Chingford Station. Admission Free (car parking £2.00) 020 8508 0611 Half-Term: Forest Fungi Mon 24 Oct 12 noon Visitor Centre, High Beach free drop in At this time of year lots of toadstools and mushrooms appear in the Forest as if by magic! Some are poisonous, most just taste bad, and a few taste good, but we don’t allow any to be picked here. Find out more about them and enjoy a themed ‘making’ activity Pond Dipping Drop-in Tue 25 Oct 1pm Epping Forest Field Centre Event £4 Safaris Wed 26 Oct & Thu 27 Oct 10am & 2pm Epping Forest Field Centre £6 per person. Little Owls (age 5-8) and Eagle Owls (age 8-10). Places must be booked in advance. Snuff and Nonsense Wed 26 Oct 12 noon The Temple free drop in Discover some of the so called cures and health bringing habits of the 18th & 19th centuries. Decorate your own pill or snuff box to take home Illness and Medicine in Tudor Times Fri 28 Oct 12 noon Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge free drop in

14 | Families East September/October 2011

Find out why you were likely to suffer from ailments in Tudor England and why you certainly wouldn’t want to! Enjoy a Tudor medicine-themed ‘making’ activity

HMS BELFAST

Morgan’s Lane, Tooley St, SE1 2JH 020 7403 6246 www.iwm.org.uk Open: 10am-6pm, £12.95, under 16s free Waving not Drowning: Signalling and Signals Sat 10 Sep & Sun 11 Sep free drop in 11am-12.30pm & 2pm-4pm Do you know your ‘jack’ from your ‘pennant’? Learn about naval communication and have a go at sending your own message by signalling across the ship or across the River Thames using semaphore What Lies Below Sat 22 Oct & Sun 30 Oct free drop in 11am–12.30pm & 2pm–4pm What lies beneath the battle cruiser HMS Belfast moored alongside the River Thames? From shopping trolleys to Roman coins, the unique quality of the Thames mud has preserved and will continue to preserve whatever we drop throughout the centuries. Rubbish or archaeology?

KENSINGTON PALACE

Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX 0844 482 7777 www.hrp.org.uk Half Term Events: Georgian Celebrations Enchanted Palace Exhibition Sat 22 – Sun 30 Oct 11am–4pm 5-13 yrs Join the 18th Century Georgian celebrations! Decorate your own clothes and accessories to wear to the party and learn about the language of fans. Discover how the Georgians entertained their guests and have a go at playing some of their games The Big Draw – A Room with a View Sat 22 Oct 11am–4pm 5-13 yrs Make your own 3D mirrored room with a view inspired by the magical rooms of the Enchanted Palace. Fill with your own drawings including furniture, wallpaper and paintings

KEW GARDENS

Kew Green, Richmond TW9 3AB 020 8332 5655 www.kew.org Open 9.30am-5.30pm (until March 26) with weekends close an hour later, £11.90/£13.90, children under 17 free

LEE VALLEY REGIONAL PARK

08456 770600 www.leevalleypark.org.uk See website for full list of activities, here are some highlights: Pony Club Show Sun 18 Sep (free) Lee Valley Riding Centre, Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, E10 7QL King Harold Day Sat 8 Oct 10am–4pm Waltham Abbey Gardens £2.50 Based in the Abbey Gardens, Waltham Abbey, this event with a medieval theme commemorates King Harold, the last Saxon King of England, who rebuilt the church and was buried in the grounds. The day will include displays and ‘have a go sessions’ including: archery, craft fayre, medieval music, hawks and

hunting birds, demonstrations of saxon crafts, living history and arts displays, re-enactment and fancy dress. You can also help us celebrate Orchard Day with some appletastic activities! Spooky Goings on at the Farms Sat 22 Oct - Sun 30 Oct 10am–5pm Lee Valley Park Farms, Waltham Abbey, Essex £7.50/free Join us if your dare on the farms this half term for a week of extra special spooky activity

RICH MIX

35-47 Bethnal Green Road, E1 6LA 020 7403 6246 Box Office 020 7613 7498 www.richmix.org.uk Wiggly Jigglers! Mon 12 Sep, Mon 26 Sep, Mon 10 Oct, Mon 24 Oct 1pm–3pm £3 per child under 2 yrs Creative Movement for Babies and Toddlers. At these creative movement sessions they will get the space, the freedom and the time to move in ways that support their development, and that stimulate their imagination Kids’ Film Fun Workshops Sun 18 Sept & Sun 16 Oct 1.30pm3pm & (during Half Term) Wed 26 Oct 1pm4pm (£6 per child/£7.50 inc. Kids’ Cine Time) Venue 2/£4/£5.50 including Kids’ Cine Time Screening 5-12 yrs Extend the fun after a visit to Kids’ Cine Time by joining our hugely popular film-making workshops where children have the opportunity to make their own short animated films. Sessions include experimenting with editing, learning about stop-motion animation, sound effects and more StoryCraft Workshops with Apples & Snakes Mon 19 Sep & Mon 17 Oct 1.30pm2.30pm £2 These workshops are engaging, interactive and fun and will fire your child’s imagination. Led by a different storyteller or poet every month the sessions are aimed at mums, dads and carer with children aged 2 to 5 Snapshots Family Workshops Sat 24 Sep & Sat 22 Oct free Themed creative workshops and activities for all the family. This is a showcase of the flavours, feelings and fashions that make East London the place it is. It’s a smattering of familyfriendly and free exhibitions, workshops, performances and films The Big Rich Drawing Mix Workshop Sat 1 Oct 11am & 2pm free 8 yrs+ (children under 11 should be accompanied by an adult) Rich Mix invites you to join us for a drawing extravaganza. Using a range of drawing machines, devices and materials you will explore the hidden depths of the Rich Mix building, and capture its colours, shapes and textures. Experiment, draw and have fun! Work produced on the day will be exhibited in the Rich Mix café DSC South Asian Literature Festival Family Storytelling Workshops Sat 8 Oct Ages 4-8 Discover traditional and contemporary tales for children from South Asia during

www.familieseast.co.uk

Activities

TopGolf Chigwell – A Great Family Activity We ventured out to TopGolf at Chigwell for a family treat on a sunny Sunday afternoon. TopGolf is a bit like bowling, in that you can all join in together to play whatever your golf skills, but it offers much more exciting. You play with real golf clubs that are free to rent for you or the children with lefthanders accommodated for as well. The aim of the game is to hit a ball into one of their 11 targets ranging from 25 to 250 yards away. Your bay screen then shows you your individual score based on how close you get to the target - the kids love the chance of beating mum and dad! On our arrival, we were allocated our own individual, undercover bay which has seats and table plus a heater for those chillier days or nights. There are staff on hand to help and take your food and drink orders that will then be brought back to your bay. We must mention how friendly and helpful

Pulled Pork (£6.95) with succulent, melt in the mouth meat inside a sourdough bun. They have an extensive menu to choose from that includes salads, paninis, wings and even a breakfast menu served to noon. For younger children, a Junior menu is available with a selection of dishes costing £3.95 each including a fruit shoot. We were all really impressed with not only the quality of the food, which was a good restaurant standard, but also at how generous the portions were meaning you got excellent value for money! Ultimately, you don’t need to be into golf to enjoy TopGolf as it offers a perfect chance to hang out, enjoy some great food and have a fun time together as a family or with friends.

the staff were – top marks! Whilst playing, we ordered some food choosing the Ultimate Nachos (£8.95) for two along with some burgers and other dishes. My personal favourite was the BBQ

TopGolf Chigwell, Abridge Rd, Chigwell, Essex, IG7 6BX, 020 8500 2644, www.topgolf.com a weekend of family storytelling sessions. The workshops will be guided by leading storytellers and will take children and adults on an inspiring and colourful journey. Hare and Tortoise Sat 15 Oct 11am & 2pm £5 per person* Ages 3-7 A fantastic adaptation of Aesop’s famous fable. Meet two competing friends in this story about racing, opposites, time and friendship. Running time: 60 minutes

RSPB RAINHAM MARSHES

01708 899840 Open: daily Sun 1 Nov-Wed 31 Mar open 9.30am-4.30pm, 1 Apr-31 Oct open 9.30am-5pm Unique wetland reserve with innovative visitor centre, shop, café, wildlife garden, and children’s adventure play area boardwalks throughout for wheelchair and pushchair access Entrance charges: Free to RSPB members and residents of Havering & Thurrock. Non-members: £2.50 adult, £1 child, £7 family (2 adults and up to 4 children). Some events may incur additional charges Kids’ Birdwatching Club Sat 10 Sep & Sat 15 Oct 10am £5

THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY, GREENWICH

Royal Observatory, Blackheath Avenue, Greenwich, SE10 8XJ 020 8858 4422 www.nmm.ac.uk Open: daily 10am-5pm, free Saturday Space Explorers Sat 24 Sep 2pm 2.30pm 3pm 3.30pm 4pm 4.30pm free 5 yrs+ Come along to this family friendly workshop and discover how to make a tellurian – a model that shows how day and night and the seasons result from the tilt and rotation of the Earth and its journey around the Sun. TOWER OF LONDON Tower Hill, EC3N 4AB www.hrp.org.uk Open: Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-

www.familieseast.co.uk

6pm, £9.50/£14.50/£17 family £47, under 5s free Buy in advance on 0870 756 7070

The countryside comes to town!

VALENTINES MANSION

Emerson Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 4XA 020 8708 8100 www.valentinesmansion.com Open: Tues & Wed 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm

LONDON OPEN HOUSE

Sun 18 Sep 11am-3.30pm All ages free drop in Valentines Mansion will be open to visitors offering guided tours throughout the day on a first come first served basis. Come along and find out more about the architecture and history of the restored mansion, a 300 year old grade II* listed building Under 5s Explore, Make & Do Tue 20 Sep 11am-2pm 1-5 yrs and families free drop in Run by Discover Children’s Story Centre, who will help you build your own stories inspired by the Mansion. Hear the story of Hootah, the baby space monster who is on the hunt for new stories Tue 18 Oct 11am-2pm 1-5 yrs and families free drop in Part of the Big Draw. There will be all the usual toys, puzzles, dressing up and stories plus lots of drawing and mark making. Create beautiful artwork and make a frame for your favourite piece so you can display it at home! Tue 25 Oct 11am-2pm 1-5 yrs and families free drop in Run by Cranbrook Children’s Centre. Come and join us for all sorts of fun activities, stories, play and dressing up! The Big Draw: Reinventing the Mansion Sun 2 Oct 11.30am-3pm free drop in Join artist David Allsop and help him build an enormous work of art. Explore the mansion inside and out and then become an inventor and redesign your favourite parts of the mansion, mixing the old with wild new ideas! A fun and creative drop-in workshop for all abilities and all ages, families and adults

Treat the family to a weekend of outdoor discovery on Sat 24 & Sun 25 Sept from 10am – 4.30pm at Countryside Live on Leyton Marsh, Lea Bridge Road, E10 7QL. Brought to you by the award winning Lee Valley Regional Park, this is a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of the countryside right in the heart of East London. So come and try your hand at traditional crafts such as willow weaving and woodturning, One World Week Celebration Wed 26 Oct 11am-3pm free drop in Drop in for fun, hands-on workshops with the recycling team. There will be plenty of creative and exciting activities for all ages. Information on recycling, composting at home and the real nappy scheme

MARKETS BROADWAY MARKET E8 4PH www.broadwaymarket.co.uk Open: Saturdays 9am-5pm Nearest Underground Station: Hackney Central Diverse range of shops and restaurants

COLUMBIA ROAD FLOWER MARKET

Columbia Road, E2 http://columbiaroad.info Open: Sundays 8am-3pm Nearest Underground Station:

take a tractor and trailer ride, meet the many different animals and explore the onsite weather station. If that doesn’t excite the kids or you are looking to enjoy a more leisurely approach to your weekend then why not relax whilst watching the famous sheep show with its dancing sheep, or our arena programme including falconry and sheep dog displays. Entry to Countryside Live is free for children and just £3 per adult with free onsite parking and is easily accessible via public transport.

For more information visit www.leevalleypark.org.uk or call 08456 770 600. Old Street, Bethnal Green Flower Market selling plants, flowers, shrubs, trees and accessories for the garden

LEADENHALL MARKET

Leadenhall Market, EC3V 1LR 020 7621 0709 www.leadenhallmarket.co.uk Open: Mon-Fri 7am-4pm Nearest Underground Station: Bank, Monument Fine food and clothing

OLD SPITALFIELDS MARKET 105a Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6BG www.visitspitalfields.com Open: Mon-Fri 10am-4pm, Sun 9am-5pm Nearest Underground Station: Liverpool Street, Aldgate East Fashion, clothes, antiques, art, records, books

September/October 2011 Families East | 15

Events

The Ultimate Girl’s Day Out! Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model (BINTM) Live Fri 28 – Sun 30 October, ExCel Centre, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1XL Following the success of last year’s launch event, the ultimate fashion, beauty and shopping extravaganza returns to London’s ExCeL Centre. Based on the hugely successful reality TV show hosted by Elle Macpherson, Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live brings the top model world to life and gives fans of the TV series the chance to join its infamous judges - Charley Speed, Grace Woodward and Julien Macdonald. The 3 day live event features stunning catwalk shows, live music, fashion,

styling, shopping, beauty, pampering and exciting entertainment all under one roof. The Main Catwalk Show will feature the latest trends and this season’s hot looks all within a 2,000 seat auditorium. There are Open Catwalk sessions too where you can strut your stuff like a top model on stage, whatever your size and shape. Talent scouts and big brands will be on the lookout for new faces for their upcoming fashion and beauty campaigns in a series of casting opportunities; last year saw dozens of girls spotted and signed at the event. To book or for more information visit www.bntmlive.com

Numberjacks Live - National Tour The Numberjacks are ten superheroes that live inside a sofa who are out on their first ever, live show! Based on the award-winning BBC CBeebies television series, the animated Numberjacks help young children learn about numbers, shapes and sizes in a

Win Tickets to the BINTMLive 2011 BINTMLive and Families East are offering ten lucky readers the chance to WIN a pair of admission entry tickets to this year’s show. To be in with a chance to WIN, simply answer the question below. Question: Where is this year’s Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live being held? Send you name, address and answer to competitions@familieseast.co.uk or a postcard to Families East, PO Box 2358, Ilford, Essex, IG1 8BD For terms and conditions see website www.familieseast.co.uk

Tue 6 Sept – Sun 27 Nov

fun and imaginative way. Touring the UK, the Numberjacks need help to solve tricky problems and beat the dastardly Meanies, like the Numbertaker and Spooky Spoon, who do all they can to disrupt proceedings, but with your help, the heroic

Numberjacks will win the day. The series, winner of the Royal Television Society Award for best preschool educational programme 2 years running, introduces children as young as two to the world of maths in a fun and lively way.

Running Time: 1hr 25mins includes a 15min interval.

Selected tour dates 10 Sept Harlow Playhouse 2-3 Nov Chelmsford Civic Theatre 6 Nov Southend Live Pavilion 19 Nov Colchester Mercury Theatre 27 Nov Ipswich Regent Theatre

For more information: www.numberjacks.co.uk

At Families East, we are always keen to receive your feedback on how we can improve and make each issue even more useful. Please email feedback@ familieseast.co.uk To advertise in with your views

Families East have teamed up with Numberjacks to give you the chance to win 2 families tickets to one of their shows (2 adults & 2 children). For your chance to win, tell us how many Numberjacks there are? Send your answer and name and address to competitions@familieseast.co.uk or send a postcard to our contact address. Closing date: 23 Sept 2011 *

Families East please email

editor@familieseast.co.uk

or call

07766 705655 for details