Families North London Issue 136 May/June 2019

North London

IN THIS ISSUE

Education, flexible working, family festivals, school holiday camps & much more!

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Issue 136 May/June 2019

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Welcome to the May/June issue!

CONTACT US:

Families North London Magazine Editor: Karen Konowalchuk PO Box 74501, Muswell Hill N10 9DZ T: 020 8793 3366 E: Karen@FamiliesNorthLondon.co.uk Events/What’s On: Listings@FamiliesNorthLondon.co.uk

UPCOMING ISSUES July/Aug 2019 — “What to do over the Summer, Summer Camps, Childcar” Deadline : 4 June 2019 Send in your news, stories and advertising bookings to the details left.

HADLEY WOOD HIGH BARNET

ARKLEY MILL HILL

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CLAY HILL ENFIELD PONDERS END

EAST BARNET WINCHMORE HILL TOTTERIDGE SOUTHGATE LOWER EDMONTON WHETSTONE ARNOS GROVE

FINCHLEY HENDON

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MUSWELL HILL WOOD GREEN CRICKLEWOOD

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FINSBURY PARK STOKE NEWINGTON HIGHGATE SWISS COTTAGE HIGHBURY HAMPSTEAD KENTISH TOWN ISLINGTON WEST HAMPSTEAD CAMDEN CHALK FARM KING'S CROSS GOLDERS GREEN

ST JOHN'S WOOD

REGENT'S PARK

IN THIS ISSUE

Education, flexible working, family festivals, school holiday camps & much more!

Special Offer Straumann dental implant £750 Invisalign Treatment £1,475 Full mouth dental implants £8,995 with life�me guarantee Terms and condi�ons apply.

Valid un�l end of June

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Issue 136 May/June 2019

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4 Families News 5 Education 8 Focus on Flexible Working 9 School Holiday Camps 10 Family Festivals 11 Children’s Theatre 12 What’s On 14 Parties, Activities, Clubs and Classes

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M25

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M1

North London

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IN THIS ISSUE:

HOXTON

Families North London Magazine is distributed bi-monthly throughout North London.

An area bordered by the M1/A5 on the West, the A112/A10 on the East, the M25 to the North and the A501 to the South.

You can collect a FREE copy from the scores of outlets: schools, nurseries, play groups, clubs and classes, sports centres, libraries, family doctors and baby clinics, and children’s shops. If you would like to stock copies to give to parents please let us know.

For families from birth to twelve. Read by over 60,000 local families 6 times a year.

FREE MAGAZINES

for your school, nursery, café, shop or club — just ask!

020 8793 3366 or editor@familiesnorthlondon.co.uk

Can you deliver?

Families North London is looking for distributors to deliver our magazines once every two months!

You supply a cheery smile and your time; we provide magazines and a list of the schools, nurseries, libraries, shops etc who have copies – what a team!

If you have a car, spare time at the beginning of each month and would like a nice little earner while your children are at school please email editor@familiesnorthlondon.co.uk for further details.

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

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Families News Parent School Holiday Fines at Record Level The number of fines issued to parents in England for taking children on term time holidays has risen to record levels, according to figures from the Department of Education (DfE).

Penalty notices for unauthorised absences rose to 260,000 in 2017-18, an increase of 110,000 compared with the previous year.

“Unauthorised family holiday absence” was the most common reason for attendance fines, the DfE said.

In September 2013 the government changed the law so head teachers could only grant a leave of absence to pupils during term time in “exceptional circumstances”, such as funerals.

Councils can require parents to pay £60 each per child taken out of school without permission. This rises to £120 if not paid within 21 days, and after 28 days parents can be prosecuted.

More Protection for Mums Returning to Work New parents returning to work could receive greater protection from redundancy under new government proposals.

The government is proposing that mothers returning to work from maternity leave will be protected from redundancy for a minimum of six months.

The announcement followed research which found that one in nine women had been fired or made redundant when they returned to work after having a child, or were treated so badly they felt forced out of their job.

Little Village Little Village makes it as easy as possible for local families to support one another during times of need, by collecting donations of great quality clothes, toys and kit for babies and children up to the age of 5, and gifting them to local families who are dealing with really challenging circumstances.

At the beginning of April, the charity was thrilled and honoured to be selected as one of four charities the Duke and Duchess of Sussex chose to highlight on their new @sussexroyal Instagram account, bringing in a flood of new donations as part of the grassroots #GlobalBabyShower campaign.

Little Village has branches in the boroughs of Camden, Wandsworth and Southwark. The Camden centre based near Kings Cross is open for donations every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during term time between 9am and 1pm.

See www.littlevillagehq.org/camden for more information

School Holidays Put Single Parents under Pressure Single parents struggle particularly with the extra costs involved in school holiday childcare, according to recent research commissioned by the credit information provider, Equifax.

A fifth of single parents admit to calling in sick because they are unable to afford childcare. 35% of single parents take unpaid leave, compared to just 18% of dualincome households, which puts them under further financial pressure.

School holidays also come with the added pressure to spend money to keep children entertained. The research revealed that most parents expect to spend £178.29 during a half-term holiday.

It is also considering giving the same protection to parents returning from adoption or shared parental leave.

4 out of 5 parents agree that school holidays are getting more expensive every year, with more than 76% saying there are fewer free entertainment options out of term time, compared to five years ago.

Sports Academy

Check out our What’s On listings on pages 12 and 13, where there are several free half term activities included!

Sports Academy Barnet and Crouch End are offering you the opportunity to join their classes mid term from June 1st to July 20th when they will be coaching students in Archery, Football, Tennis and Cricket. Their Little Sporties classes are a great introduction to sport for 4 & 5 yrs, whilst Main school is ideal for 6–16 yrs. Older students train in 3 age related squads.

All equipment is supplied. Classes are held Saturday AM at QE Girls School, EN5 5RR & Saturday PM at Hornsey School, N8 9JF Sports Academy develops students through inclusive play, actively engaging them whilst teaching the correct technique, skills and rules for each sport. Sessions are about personal self development whilst having fun in a safe, friendly and secure environment.

For more details or to join mid term call Grant on 08000 248 842 or visit www.sportsacademyuk.com 4 Families North London

Get Your Garden Buzzing this Summer Join in the campaign to get the UK’s gardens buzzing this summer with Hozelock’s Plant a Pot campaign.

By pledging to plant a bee-friendly plant you can be part of a mission to help save Britain’s bees.

Bees are disappearing at an alarming rate and having no bees would mean virtually no flowers, no gardens and very little food.

By planting a container with bee-friendly plants, bulbs or seeds, and keeping it watered and healthy throughout the foraging season, you can have a huge impact on the availability of bee food throughout the year.

What’s more, if you visit www.plantapot.info and pledge to plant a pot you can be in the running to win £5,000 of prizes as well as monthly gift vouchers. familiesonline.co.uk

Education More than Third of Parents Think Homework is Unhelpful According to a recent Ofsted report, more than a third of parents said homework isn’t helpful to their children in primary school. Many parents said homework was a huge cause of stress for the whole family and had a negative impact on home life.

Nearly three quarters of parents thought allowing children more time at school to plan and get ready for lessons through research was a better alternative to homework.

Parents gave some very clear messages about homework, both negative and positive. Those who spoke positively said that homework enables them to feel part of their child’s learning and that it helps them to support that learning with other activities, such as visits to museums and home projects. The discipline, planning and time management skills that homework gives children were welcomed and homework was viewed as a way of promoting independent learning.

More info at www.gov.uk/government/publications/ofsted-parents-panel

Learning Life-Saving Skills to Become Compulsory Beginning in 2020, all state schools in England will be required to teach “life-saving skills” under new plans for health education announced by the Government.

According to draft guidelines released by the Department of Education, primary school children are set to learn basic first aid, as well as steps they can take to protect and support the health and wellbeing of others, including calling emergency services.

Children age 5 years will learn basic first aid and children as young as 11 years will be shown CPR at school.

“Learning the basic skills of first aid and techniques like CPR will give young people the confidence to know that they can step in to help someone else in need and in the most extreme cases it could potentially save a life” announced Education Secretary, Damian Hinds.

More info visit: www.gov.uk/government/news

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Education Looks can be deceptive!

On first sight, Broomfield School may look like a small school building with limited outside and sports space, much like many schools in London. However, behind that narrow drive and 1930s facade lies a wealth of outdoor and indoor sports facilities for their pupils.

Inside there is a five badminton court purposebuilt sports hall with trampolines, basketball courts and low level climbing facilities amongst just a few of the possible activities. Further to this there is a large gymnasium which offers a variety of sports with table tennis being very popular.

The school also has a small fitness suite used by older pupils.

But it is outside where the school site really shines, from the playgrounds, picnic and garden areas to a full-size synthetic pitch, large playing field and outdoor table-tennis tables.

Whether it is during lessons, extra-curricular activities or in their free time pupils have access to these amazing facilities throughout their time at Broomfield School. It is for this reason that pupils are able to compete locally, regionally and even nationally. If you are considering your child’s next steps in education to secondary school why not go and visit Broomfield School and see the facilities for yourself. www.broomfield.enfield.sch.uk

Curiosity Is Key to Early Childhood Success New research links curiosity levels in young children with later academic success.

Researchers from the University of Michigan assessed the reading and maths ability of 6,200 kindergarten children and found that the children of parents who reported their child’s behaviour as highly curious did the best at school, regardless of socioeconomic status. The results were consistent for both boys and girls.

The children’s reading and maths scores were consistently better the more curious they were. That was true even when the students weren’t very good at a self-control measure called “effortful control,” which tracks how attentive and persistent students are when completing tasks.

“Even if a child manifests low effortful control, higher curiosity may be associated with more optimal academic achievement,” the authors of the study wrote.

The study, published in the journal Pediatric Research said that that cultivating curiosity in children, especially in those from deprived backgrounds may be a valuable way of fostering academic achievement.

More info at www.nature.com 6 Families North London

Dania Scandinavian School Celebrates Five Years!

Dania Scandinavian School is a small, bilingual, independent school in North London founded in 2013 by a local Islington family with Danish roots. Frustrated by the increasing emphasis on testing and inspired by the Danish education system, they sought to create a school that uses the British National Curriculum as a benchmark but presents the material in a unique Scandinavian way. For example, at least once a month the entire school spends the entire day learning outside, even cooking their own lunches. Twice per term regular lessons are paused for a “theme week” and the students become a team of architects, scientists, or historians and use both academic and social skills to solve problems.

The school has grown to include families from Britain, Scandinavia, and beyond. All lessons are in English, but Danish and Swedish is supported, including formal daily lessons. daniaschool.com

UCS Given Wellbeing Award In March, University College School Pre-Prep in Hampstead was given the Wellbeing Award for Schools (WAS). The WAS is a national accreditation and is supported by the National Bureau of Children. It recognises the work and commitment of schools to developing positive mental health and wellbeing within their community.

Dr Zoe Dunn, Headmistress of UCS Pre Prep was delighted that the school’s continual focus on pupils’ wellbeing has been recognised with this national award, “Promoting positive mental health in young children is vital for sustaining their wellbeing in order for them to develop into confident, happy young adults. I am so pleased that the inspector identified this as a strength at UCS Pre Prep and that she highlighted the happy and healthy fabric of our school’s community. Some of our pupils take on special roles as Wellbeing Champions. They support their peers and encourage them to talk about their emotions and think rationally to resolve issues, concerns or worries.” The WAS inspector commented on, “the compassionate, trusting and collaborative staff team,” and noted the staff’s enthusiasm for supporting the children and each other. The inspector stated, “[the] leadership [of the school] is particularly strong and the school enjoys a calm and stimulating atmosphere, mindful of the need to provide a truly nurturing environment.”

UCS Pre Prep educates boys of 4-7 years of age. For more information, please see: www.ucs.org.uk/pre-prep-welcome familiesonline.co.uk

Education Summer Learning Loss Research has shown academic skills can slide in such a short space of time if children don’t continue to practice and embed what they have learnt in the last academic year.

Students can lose up to 15% of their academic ability over the holidays if they don’t continue to read, write and practice maths.

Year 6 students make a smooth transition into Year 7 so they can feel able and confident to start secondary school.

The inTuition learning centre in North Finchley provides a fun and friendly environment that will keep your child in touch with their studies whilst learning new skills and having fun with new friends.

If this sounds like something you would like your child to benefit from over the summer, call to arrange a free taster session. Tel: 020 3092 7280, Website: www.intuitionclubs.com

Studies have shown that it can take teachers six weeks or more in the Autumn term to catch up, and review and re-teach last years’ topics to make up for lost learning in the summer.

Just 2–3 hours each week during the summer holidays doing some maths and English can make a huge difference and prevent or at least reduce the learning loss.

Summer holidays are the ideal time to consolidate the years’ learning and build on their skills for the coming term and start their new year ready and able to make good progress. inTuition Clubs have a series of programmes that can help your child avoid the ‘Summer Slide’. They have sessions that support children in reviewing, revisiting and embedding the knowledge and skills they have learned during the academic year, ensuring they return to school ready to rise to the challenge of a new school year. They also have specific programmes that support

A unique, bilingual, independent school based on Scandinavian education principles that place children at the centre of their own learning journey.

now enrolling ages 3 to 11 daniaschool.com

74 Westbourne Road, N7 020 7607 4268

29th July to 16th August

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Families North London 7

Flexible Working Focus Finding More Family Friendly Work

By Mandy Garner Flexible working is one of the top three benefits that today’s jobseekers look for – particularly if they are parents. Meanwhile, employers are being encouraged to publish their parental leave policies and increasing numbers of employers are offering family friendly parental leave policies, from carer’s leave to the ability to buy extra holiday.

It’s not just women who want family friendly working.

Workingmums.co.uk’s recent survey of dads shows 73% say they are considering seeking flexible working. The truth is that modern family life requires flexibility and employers who don’t offer it will lose out. Employers also need to do more than offer flexible working policies; they need to back this up with a culture that normalises different ways of working. Otherwise employees often feel side-lined or end up working overtime because expectations are not reduced in line with hours.

When this flexible working policies and the right culture work together, great opportunities arise.

Samantha Hamilton-Davies is a Senior Associate [Due Diligence] in the homeworking legal team of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, based in Manchester. Samantha works four days a week from home and has been promoted since joining the homeworking team. In her previous role Samantha had faced a long commute. She says that without her homeworking role she might have eventually left the legal profession.

Claire Brown left a ‘million miles an hour’ job in the City and is now working part time as Internal Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] Manager at Carpetright.

The post means she can use her skills and experience in a senior role AND still has enough time for her family and voluntary job running her village’s residents association.

Such cases are not confined to the big corporates. SMEs like IT firm, Hireserve, has grown by employing experienced professionals on flexible hours. Their hours have increased as their families and the firm has grown.

So how do you land this kind of job? The answer is research and being clear about what you want and why it is good for your employer. Research the best family-friendly employers. Don’t just look at their policies - everyone can look good on paper, but read what others say about them; talk, if possible, to people who work there; find out what the companies offer beyond the statutory requirements; and look at whether they are shouting

out about it on their careers page or LinkedIn. Does it matter to them? Do they really get it?

It’s not just the provision of a flexible role that matters. It is about the employers’ overall attitude to flexible workers. Line managers’ attitudes, in particular, are crucial to ensuring flexible working doesn’t mean career stagnation.

With regard to clarity, it is best to be upfront about what you need and to put a business case for why it is in both your interests and that of your potential employer. What do they get by allowing you flexi hours? What do you bring to the organisation that they need? Remember not to downplay or apologise for skills gained outside the workplace.

When Visa in Europe was advertising the post of Director of Talent, mum-of-four Pippa Edwards, who was a Talent Manager, expressed her interest but told her manager that she didn’t want to work full time. He said: “Have you considered a job share?”

“In that one sentence everything changed for me,” says Pippa.

“I started to believe I could have my cake and eat it.” Pippa now job shares with mum-of-three Vicki Mawson, former Talent Acquisition Director at L’Oréal. Both women think the company has benefited from the job share, getting a depth of expertise that one person alone would not provide.

“Before I thought that I would have to make a choice between working part time and having a career” states Pippa. I had come to accept that that was the reality, but my boss showed me that I could have both and that was so powerful. So many women should have that opportunity and not have to make that choice.”

Mandy Garner is Editor of www.workingmums.co.uk, which links top family-friendly employers with female professionals and highlights examples of best practice to encourage greater innovation across sectors. They have just launched a partner website for dads at www.workingdads.co.uk

Picked Pepper Books Franchise Opportunity!

Pickled Pepper Books is a specialist children’s bookshop, theatre and events space in Crouch End, North London, and are now franchising! Ever dreamed of running your very own children’s bookshop? Now you can with the expertise and guidance from the original store owners.

Pickled Pepper Books was established by parents Steven and Urmi back in 2012 to provide a family friendly environment in which to experience the tactile nature of choosing books for and with kids. Their children, Naina and Eshaan have grown to be major bookworms and the couples’ third child, Renu, arrived soon after opening. Steven and Urmi love what they do and are certain there are parents, carers and people engaged in children’s education who would make great bookshop owners.

In the last 18 months Steven and Urmi have established a more thorough and well thought through events and activities programme along with an online sales platform. This model is well established as well as tried and tested and so the couple are now seeking initial interest from potential franchisees to join Pickled Pepper Books in the next step of the brand’s success story.

Franchisees should, first and foremost, have enthusiasm and the ability to deliver a personal service to customers, including children. Previous experience in bookselling or events management is not required as full training and a comprehensive package of support is provided.

If you are interested please email urmi@pickledpepperbooks.co.uk 8 Families North London

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School Holiday Camps Have bundles of fun at Barracudas Activity Day Camps! Holiday entertainment is sorted for 4.5-14 year olds with a brilliant program of amazing activities using fantastic facilities, including an 8 lane swimming pool! Standard hours are 8.30am to 5:30pm with early & late pick ups available to extend the day from 8am to 6pm. The camps run at Queen Elizabeth Boys’ School, Barnet, from 22 July to 23 August. In addition to our unrivalled range of activities this year, we’re excited that the Aero Ball inflatable will be at our summer camp! www.barracudas.co.uk or 01480 467 567 for more details. intuition Clubs During the May Half-Term and the Summer Holidays we will be running SATs revision sessions alongside our usual tuition sessions and have additional ‘Fun Activities’ running designed to challenge and develop: • Adaptive thinking • Communication skills • Socials skills • Collaboration skills • Critical Thinking and Problem-solving skills • Creativity Keeping children engaged while subtly learning new skills—great way to make new friends! 020 3092 7280 for more details or hello@intuitionclubs.com London Academy of Gymnastics & Dance Summer Camp Keeping children active this summer with a fun-packed mix of Gymnastics, Circus and Aerial Skills. Morning sessions for 3–4 year olds and a variety of booking options for 5–13 year olds. Fully-trained and highly qualified coaches bring out the best in every child. All abilities welcome.

• Age range: 3–13 years • Dates: Monday 24th July–Friday 2nd August 2019 at Tetherdown Primary School, Muswell Hill (N10) • Monday 5th–Friday 9th August—venue TBC. www.lagad.co.uk/holiday-camps info@lagad.co.uk 0208 883 4675 Leaders are Readers Their summer School is attended by children from all over the world and early booking is currently on and available to book. This year they are running from Mon 29 July–16 Aug (3 weeks) at St Andrew’s Southgate Primary School, Southgate, N14 6JA. The aim is to cover a year’s essential work in 3 weeks, fill in learning gaps and prepare children on advanced topics so they can zoom ahead when they return to school in September. 01992 651 300. www.leadersarereaders.co.uk/summerschool Little House of Science Summer Science Camps 2019. Daily MondayFriday, 9.30–3.30 (8.45am early drop-off), 4–7 and 8–12 years (age adjusted & separated groups), Location: Swiss Cottage Library, 88 Avenue Road, London NW3 3HA: July • 8–12: Journey to the Centre of Biology: From the Mini World of Bacteria to Humans • 15–19: Think Physics: Newton, Volta, Einstein and Quantum Physics • 22–26: When Science meets Architecture: Shapes, Materials and the Cities of Future • 29–2 Aug: Astrogeology: Exploration on Earth, other Planets, Moons, Asteroids, Comets and Meteorites Aug • 5–9: The Science of Seas and Oceans: Whales, Sharks, Rays and much more!

• 12–16: Engineered! The Journey from Wheels to Rocket Engines • 19–23: Science Geniuses: Great and fearless Men & Women in Science who changed the World?

• 27-30: Biochemistry: Molecules and Elements and how they work Sept • 2–4: Fascinating Zoology: Animals and Ecosystems CONTACT: info@littlehouseofscience.com or 0800 092 1062, www.littlehouseofscience.com, multiple/sibling booking discounts.

Perform There’s no place like Perform this summer. We’re off to see the wizard this summer, as we sing and dance our way down the yellow brick road in our Wizard of Oz holiday courses. With colourful costumes, uplifting songs and dazzling dancing, your child will have the best fun of the summer as we bring this story to life. Book online at perform.org.uk/wizard • Age range: 4–10 years.

• Dates: Across July and August. Three, four and five-day courses. 10am to 3pm each day.

• Venues: The Hall Middle School, Belsize Park (NW3); Mansergh Club, St John’s Wood (NW8); Hampstead Suburb Free Church (NW11); St John’s Highbury Vale Primary School, Highbury (N5); Highgate United Reform Church, Highgate (N5). 020 7255 9120 / enquiries@perform.org.uk Yellowbird Education—Holiday Workshops for Children—NOW AVAILABLE IN NORTH LONDON! Due to popular demand, these fun engaging workshops are being offered in new NW11 classroom facilities. The focus of all Yellowbird workshops is to inspire children and encourage creative minds whilst giving children the confidence to think differently. Carefully structured classes across a number of days aim to build confidence and motivation whilst enlightening children to the joy of learning—key to success on any educational journey. Suitable for children aged 6–12 (Years 2–6).We anticipate these popular workshops will book up fast so advise booking early to avoid disappointment.

• May Half Term: (May 28–31): Creative Writing Workshops + Comprehension & Composition Workshops (7+, 11+) • Summer Holidays (July 8–12, 15–19, August 27–30): Creative Writing Workshops + Comprehension & Composition Workshops (7+, 11+) + Reasoning Workshops SINOTE CONSULTING: KIDS MAY 2019 HALF TERM FINANCE CLUB Specially designed for children aged 10–15 years to explore and gain knowledge about finance, business and a chance to develop amazing new business ideas. Program Options are: • Beginners level: Suitable for 1st time participants, Tues 28 &Weds 29 May: Money, Interest rates, Introduction to personal finances • Level 1: Suitable to participants who have completed the Beginners level. Thurs 30 & Fri 31 May: Introduction to business- Understanding Demand, Supply and Markets 020 8090 0885/ 07368 316 819 info@sinoteconsulting.co.uk Venue: Building 3, North London Business park, N11 1GN Time 10am–1pm Price £25 per session

Why I love teaching Perform holiday courses Perform Producer, Gemma Payne, tells Families why she loves running Perform’s drama, dance and singing holiday courses.

Holidays should be fun and my job is to take the children on a magical adventure they will remember. Together, we work on songs, dances and character and it’s a joy to see the quieter ones come out of their shell and the bubbly ones become focused on learning song lyrics and lines.

On the last day, there’s a show for friends and family and the parents are so surprised and proud when they see what their child has achieved. The children’s faces light up when they hear the applause and they know they’ve done a good job as they run to their families for a cuddle. It’s a busy week but the feeling when you’ve put together something memorable and entertaining for the parents is just magical.

And I suspect most of the children won’t ever forget it either!

Perform Wizard of Oz holiday courses run across July and August. Visit perform.org.uk/holidays for full details.

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Family Festivals Check out our pick of the best Family Festivals of 2019!

by Claire Winter Wychwood Festival, Cheltenham 31 May–2 June A firm favourite on the festival circuit and consistently voted ‘Best Family Festival’ in the UK Festival awards. Headline acts include The Stranglers and Scouting for Girls. The festival is celebrating its 15th birthday and they’re promising that it’s going to be a corker! www.wychwoodfestival.com Solas Festival, Perth, 21–23 June This family-friendly arts festival is set in the heart of the lovely Perthshire countryside in Scotland. It is popular because of its chilled out vibe and has an eclectic mix of artists and musicians with plenty to do for the kids. www.solasfestival.co.uk Electric Fields Festival, Dumfries and Galloway 4–6 July Based at Drumlanrig Castel in Dumfries and Galloway, this fab festival has a varied line-up, plus provides a whole gamut of family fun. It has its own adventure playground, kids disco and lots of workshops to do too. www.electricfieldsfestival.com Blue Dot, Cheshire, July 19–21 This cool festival is celebrating 50 years since the moon landing. The space theme is very apt because it is being held at the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire. Kraftwerk, New Order and Hot Chip are headlining at this fantastic location. You can expand your children’s minds with some great science talks and also dip into art, culture and comedy. Plus there’s also the opportunity to do some stargazing. www.discoverthebluedot.com Latitude Festival, Southwold, July 18–21 Laid back Latitude has a great line up this year that will appeal to all generations. Highlights include headliners George Ezra, Lana Del Rey, and Snow Patrol. Plus Neneh Cherry and Sigrid are on the bill too. There are lots of family-friendly activities to enjoy like interactive theatre, woodland fun and lake swimming. Don’t forget to check out the pink sheep! www.latitudefestival.com

Deer Shed Festival, North Yorkshire, 26–28 July Now in its tenth year, Deer Shed is passionate about hosting a fun, inclusive festival for the whole family. Last year Goldfrapp headlined, and this year they have Ezra Furman, Anna Calvi, Rolling Blackouts and many more bands on the bill. They also have 130 art, craft, science and sport activities on site.

Plus family shows from the Edinburgh Fringe, hot tubs to relax in and film screenings if the kids need to chill out. www.deershedfestival.com Wilderness Festival, Cornbury, 1–4 August A popular boutique festival set in the countryside in Cornbury, Oxfordshire. Every year they promise great music, delicious food, art, and a Champagne garden darling! They even have a Wilderness Spa and boating lake. www.wildernessfestival.com Curious Arts Festival, East Sussex, 23–26 August A wonderful festival, which is partnering with Byline Festival at Pippingford Park in East Sussex this year. It promises an exhilarating combination of literature, poetry, comedy, journalism, activism, and music for the most curious minds. Including lots of interesting activities for inquisitive kids. www. curiousartsfestival.com

The Ultimate Family Festival

Camp Bestival is known as the UK’s ultimate family festival, having won Best Family Festival at the UK Festival Awards five times. Taking place July 25th-28th at Lulworth Castle, Dorset, the four-day festi-holiday offers hundreds of things to see and do. From headliners Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Jess Glynne and Annie Mac, family fun with Mr Tumble, Mister Maker and Shaun The Sheep, to science shows and circus workshops, there’s so much for kids of all ages to enjoy.

Tree-climbing, woodland workshops, helter skelters, giant bubble workshops and face painting for the kids through to teens having poetry slams, teen only spinning classes, sleeping out under the stars and How To… workshops, there really is something for everyone.

Parents are particularly spoilt at Camp Bestival; well, they do buy the tickets! Amazing live acts and DJs, raves, discos, parties, comedy, literary talks, parenting advice and stories, cocktails, award-winning street food, likeminded people all in a big old field by a castle and the sea. www.campbestival.net 10 Families North London

familiesonline.co.uk

We aim to be as accurate as possible, but these listings are compiled several weeks beforehand and may be subject to change. Please check before setting out.

Artsdepot www.artsdepot.co.uk Sat 5 May Pink and Boo An interactive circus theatre adventure, with acrobatics, live music, mountains of toys. Age 2–5.

Sun 12 May—Better Together Join the three delightful clowns who make waiting for a bus a tragically complicated affair. Full of slapstick, acrobatics and physical comedy. Age 4–7.

Sat 18 to Sun 19 May—The Tiger who Came to Tea The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? JA stunning stage adaptation of the classic tale of teatime mayhem... expect to be surprised! Age 3+.

Sun 26 May—Stick by Me A joyful and funny show about friendship and play, and the importance of treasuring little things. Age 3–6.

Thu 30 May to Sun 2 June—The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show Based on the Book by Eric Carle, and, the critically acclaimed production, created

by Jonathan Rockefeller features a menagerie of 75 lovable puppets, faithfully adapting four of Eric Carle’s other stories. Age 2+.

Sun 9 June—The Goose Who Flew Goose loves the summer, playing with his family and friends, but soon it will be time for him to fly south for the winter. As his journey begins, things are not as they should be. Age 3–7.

Sun 16 Jun—Yellow is the Colour of Sunshine A new play told in words, sign, colours, music and movement about feelings, emotions, empathy and how we communicate. Age 3+.

Sat 22 to Sun 23 Jun—Inside Join us on an immersive journey and share a very special experience with your little one. Ages 1–4.

Chickenshed www.chickenshed.org.uk

Children’s Theatre

Fri 10 May to Sun 4 Aug—The Slightly Annoying Elephant This hilarious story by comedian and author David Walliams is brought to life through puppetry. Age 3-8.

Thu 23 May to Sat 13 July—Suffraujitsu The story of one young girl and inspired by the real lives of suffragettes! Age 7–11.

Sun 26 to Mon 27 May—Inside Join us on an immersive journey and share a very special experience with your little one. Age 1–4.

Fri 31 May to Sat 1 Jun—A Message from the Sea Captain Jorgan’s found a message in a bottle—a message for Charlie. Join them on a steampunk voyage to discover the truth. Age 6–11.

Thu 6 to Sun 23 June—The Bed Curl up and get comfy for a bedtime story like no other. Separate shows for babies (6–18mths) and toddlers (18m to 3 yrs).

Lyric Theatre www.nimaxtheatres.com Wed 3 July to Sun 8 Sept—The Gruffalo Join Mouse on a daring adventure through the deep, dark wood in Tall Sorties’ magical, musical adaption of the classic picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. All Ages.

The Pleasance Theatre www.pleasance.co.uk 26 May—There Was an old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly One of the world’s best loved nursery rhymes brought to life! Age 2+ 2 June—Wear Your Pants With Pride With Nutty Noah, who is loved and revered by family audiences! Age 3+.

7 to 18 May—Stig of the Dump Everybody had told Barney not to play too near the edge of the chalk pit. But today was one of those grey days when there was nothing to do.. Performed by young people aged 7–21. All Ages.

Cockpit Theatre www.thecockpit.org.uk Sat 25 May—Ribbet Ribbet Croak Join Grandma and Grandpa Frog as they leave the pond to plan a big surprise. Featuring puppetry, Makaton and plenty of audience interaction! Age 3+.

Dugdale Theatre www.dugdalecentre.co.uk Tues 28 May—Milkshake Live Starring Fireman Sam, Noddy, Shimmer & shine, Digby Dragon, Wissper, Nella the Princess Might and the Floogals, alongside two Milksharek Presenters! All ages.

Half Moon Theatre www.halfmoon.org.uk Th 13 to Fri 14 June—Young Herbert’s Horrors A Pirate adventure with a twist! Age 4–9.

Puppet Theatre Barge www.puppetbarge.com Sat 4 May to Sun 7 July—A Child’s Garden of Verse Shadow puppets and marionettes combine with specially composed music to make this a programme of beauty, poignancy and fun, which captures and nurtures the imagination. Age 4+.

Regents Park Open Air Theatre www.openairtheatre.com 16 May to 8 Jun – Our Town Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize celebrates what it means to be human, the bonds that hold communities together, and our relationships with the ancient past and the eternal tomorrow.

Age 11+.

14 to 22 June—Hansel and Gretel This is a co-production with English National Opera. Sung in English, two casts will sing at alternate performances. Rachel Kelly and Heather Lowe share the role of Hansel, with Susanna Hurrell and Elizabeth Karani sharing the role of Gretel. Age 9+.

Jacksons Lane www.jacksonslane.org.uk 17 to 26 May—Partenope Join us at the sea-side in Victorian England, where Partenope, proprietress of a leading establishment, faces takeover attempts (on her hotel and herself) from neighbouring hoteliers. Age 5+.

Little Angel Theatre www.littleangeltheatre.com

LIVE ON STAG E

BASED ON THE PICTURE BOOK BY

JULIA DONALDSON AND AXEL SCHEFFLER

The Gruffalo © Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler 1999 – Macmillan Children’s Books.

Until Sun 5 May—The Journey Home Join Polar Bear as he sets off in search of a new home! Based on the book by Frann Preston-Gannon. Age 5-11.

Wed 8 to Sun 12 May—A Necklace of Raindrops One Moment In Time’s adaptation of Joan Aiken’s classic book. Age 4-11.

WED 3 JUL - SUN 8 SEP

BOOK NOW gruffalolive.com familiesonline.co.uk

Families North London 11

What’s On

To have your event listed on these pages email the details to

Listings for all the family

listings@ familiesnorthlondon.co.uk

We aim to be as accurate as possible, but these listings are compiled several weeks beforehand and may be subject to change. Please check before setting out.

MAY

Sat 11 May & Tues 18 June

Until Sun 26 May Exhibition: The Hoffman Foundation for Autism FREE Competition 2019: Exhibition of Paintings and Drawings at The Bruce Castle Museum (N17) Weds–Sun 13:00–17:00. museum.services@ haringey.gov.uk

Every Fr/Sat until 15 June Planet Play & Tales from the Shed at the Chickenshed theatre (N14) Planet Play on Fri’s (not 31 May) 10:00, 0–3 yr olds. Tales from the Shed on Fri, 11:30 & Sat 10:00 & 11:30. All tickets £6 (under 6mth olds free) www.chickenshed. org.uk

Every Sun Free Family Art and Craft Activities at the Bruce Castly Museum (N17) 5–13 yr olds, 14:00–16:00 museum. services@haringey.gov.uk

FREE

Fri 3 May & every Fri in term time Under 5s at Kenwood House (NW3) 10:30-11:30. Under 5’s craft making, story telling and singalongs. £2 per child, drop in basis www.english-heritage.org.uk/ visit/whats-on/kenwood

Sat 4 & 11 May A-Tissue A-Tissue at Picked Pepper Books (N8) 30m interactive performance followed by play.

10.30, Ages 2–6, £8.50 per ticket www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk

Sun 5 May East European Fair, Celebrating Easter European Heritage FREE and Culture at Forty Hall (EN2) 11:00–19:00, free event. www.fortyhallestate.co.uk

Great Hampstead Bake Off (NW3) 10:00-15:00, hosted by All Dogs Matter. More details TBC. alldogsmatter.co.uk/

Come and build a Machine for the Future with Artist Rachel Jacobs, Finsbury Park (N4) Free workshop for children and families, refreshments provided. 11 May 13:00–16:00 & 18 June 15:0018:00. info@furtherfield.org

Sat 11 & 25 May, 8 & 22 Jun North Finchley library Lego Club (N12) Fortnightly lego-fest for age 4+. 020 8359 3845 north.finchley.library@ FREE barnet.gov.uk

Sat 11–Sun 12 May Crouch End Art Trail (N8) 53 Artists across 41 venues. www. crouchendopenstudios.org.uk

Sat 11 May The Nightingale Princess Tea Party at St Peter’s Church Hall (N21) 11:00–13:00 or 14:30– 16:30pm. Child: £15, Adult: £12.

Includes afternoon tea, stories, games, live musical performances with some favourite princesses.

Booking essential. 020 8366 9674 or www.nightingalesupport. org.uk

Cinderlella Ashputtel at Lauderdale House (N6) 9:30, ages 3–8. Puppetry performance followed by arts and craft session. £8.50 per ticket. www. lauderdalehouse .org.uk

Variety Performance at Arts Depot Theatre (N12) Anna Fiorentini students (4–18yr olds) performing. 18:00, tickets from £15.

To book www.artsdepot.co.uk/ theatre/variety-performance

Mon 13–Sat 18 May Dash productions and David Short Present ‘The Magic of the Musicals’ at the Dugdale (EN2) 19:45, £13.50 per ticket. www. dugdalecentre.co.uk

Fri 17 May The Nightingale Pyjama Walk Start/finish at Enfield Civic Centre.

Registration: £15, over 12s only.

15km or 10km—decide on the day 19:30 start (18:30 for warm up and reception). 020 8366 9674 or www.nightingalesupport.org.uk

Sat 18 May Free Drama Taster Lessons (NW1) The award winning Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School for 4–18 year-olds is offering FREE free taster sessions at their Camden Branch). To book hello@annafiorentini.com or 020 7682 1403

Ice Island at Picked Pepper Books (N8) Ages 3–7, other details tbc www.pickledpepperbooks.co.uk

Sat 25 May Behind the Scenes with T Abrahams, presented by Empire, at the Dugalde (EN2) 19:00, £12.50 per ticket. www.dugdalecentre. co.uk

Brace Yourself (It’s Magic Time!) at Picked Pepper Books (N8) I hour performance. Ages 3+.

10.30, £8.50 per ticket www. pickledpepperbooks.co.uk

The Stings Club and Monkey Music Discovery Day at St Mary’s Church (N1) 12:15–13:15, this is FREE a free drop in event! 0121 296 9204 for more details!

Elmer Day Craft at Hornsey Library (N8) Free craft event for children, 3+, 14:00–15:00. 020 8489 4560

FREE

Sat 25 to Mon 27 May British Cactus and Succulent Society, Lea Valley Annual Show at Capel Manor Gardens (EN1) 10:00–17:00, normal admission fess apply. www.capelmanorgardens. co.uk

The Cockfosters Festival at Saracens Rugby Club (N14) 10:00–22:00, tickets £7 for adults, child £5. www.fancy-fair.co.uk

Sun 19 May

Sun May 26

Sun 12 May

IACF Antiques & Collectors Fair at Alexandra Palace (N22) alexandrapalace.com

Baby Jazz at the Jewish Museum (NW1) 10:30–11:15 (babies and pre-walkers) and 11:30–12:15 (16mths–5yrs). Free but FREE pre-booking advised jewishmuseum.org.uk

Gardening Morning At Stephens House (N3) 10:30–13:00.

Meet at the Depot FREE opposite the playground, tools provided. www. stephenshouseandgardens.com/

Children’s International voices of Enfield at the Dugdale Centre (EN2) 15:00 Adults £12, children, £5. www.dugdalecentre.co.uk

Printing Patterns at Burgh House (NW3) 11:00–13:00, ages 5+, £5 per child. www.burghhouse.org.uk

Sun 12 May & Sun 9 Jun

Thurs 9 May

Farmer’s Market at Forty Hall (EN2) 10:00–15:00 free entry www.fortyhallestate. co.uk

Talkies Community Cinema showing of Belle at the Dugdale (EN2) 19.45, £6.50 per ticket, 12 cert. www.dugdalecentre.co.uk

Free Bird Walk at Forty Hall (EN2) Meet at 9:45. 020 8292 8325 to book

FREE

Sun 12 May

Sunday Buzz: Abimaro at the Arts Depot café (N12) 12:30 www.artsdepot.co.uk

FREE

MAY HALF TERM

Thu 23 May

The Trials of Oscar Wilde at the Dugdale Centre (EN2) 19:45, Tickets £16 (conc £14) www. dugdalecentre.co.uk

Sunday Lunch in the House At Stephens House (N3) 12:00–15:00.

Booking recommended. www. stephenshouseandgardens.com/ Quiz night at Stephens House (N3) 19.30, £15 including Supper with cash bar. www. stephenshouseandgardens.com/

FREE

Tue 28 & Wed 29 May

Summer Quest and Craft at Kenwood House (NW3) 12:00– 16:00. Creative workshop for families. £2 per child, drop in basis. www.english-heritage.org.uk/ visit/whats-on/kenwood

Museum Focus Natural History Museum (SW7)

Museum of the Moon Exhibition Since 2016 the Moon has been circling the globe, lighting up spaces from Bilbao to Beijing including abbeys and swimming pools. This six-metre model features meticulously detailed NASA imagery of the lunar surface, ambient moonlight and an evolving soundscape, and will be at the Museum in time for the fiftieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, accompanied by an exciting programme of events for space enthusiasts of all ages.

Plus, join interactive theatremakers Coney in Companion: 12 Families North London

Moon, a free experience where you can join in or observe as multiple art forms combine in a beautiful performance. Dates include 17 and 18 May, 15 June, 20 and 26 July. www.nhm.ac.uk London Transport Museum (WC2)

Explore the fascinating world of transport engineering in the new Future Engineers gallery, which opens to the public as a permanent display. Test your skills, solve transport conundrums faced by modern day engineers, and enjoy a series of interactive exhibits. London Stories: Visit this new exhibition featuring 100

illustrations celebrating London and revealing some of the fascinating tales of London life past and present. From urban myths, historic events and remarkable characters, to daily lives and adventurous animals, the exhibition offers new insights into the cultural history and heritage of London. It’s quirky, amusing and bizarre! Also at the London Transport Museum on 22 & 23 June are Steam Train Trips: Be transported to a by-gone era of Victorian steam-powered travel to mark 150 years of the Capital’s District line, and travel on a vintage steam train through central London. www.ltmuseum. co.uk

National Maritime Museum (SE10) Saturdays in May and June— Character Encounters. Join an exciting performance and journey bringing maritime history to life.

12:00, 13:00, 14:00 and 15:00, age 6+. From 15 May—Ready, set, action! Have fun exploring

different forms of performance and dance from around the world. Find out about Kathakali Indian dance and how sailors would perform on-board HMS Intrepid when stuck in the frozen Arctic ice. Free, all ages.Sundays in May—Discover Sundays Be inspired by our maritime past and explore your personal connections to the sea. Free, all ages.

Tuesdays in May and June—Play Tuesdays Embark on a museum adventure that includes trails, arty workshops, songs and stories.

10:30, 11:30, 13:00 and 14:00. www.rmg.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

What’s On Tue 28 & Thu 30 May

Thu 6 Jun

Fri 14 Jun

Thu 27 June

Get creative at the Jewish Museum (NW1) 11:30–12:30 & FREE 14:00–15:30pm. Free drop in activity all ages. jewishmuseum. org.uk

Stand Up Comedy: Women and Money G at the Jewish Museum (NW1) 19:00, £7–10. jewishmuseum.org.uk

The Piano Guys at Kenwood House (NW3) Doors open 4pm, perf starts at 18:00 www.english-heritage. org.uk/visit/whats-on/kenwood

Tzedek’s Comedy Evening 2019 at the Arts Depot (N12) 19:30, early bird tickets £15. All proceeds go towards Tzedek’s work reducing extreme poverty in disadvantaged communities around the world www.artsdepot.co.uk

Tues 28 May Celebrate Spring Half Term FREE Treasure Hunt at Wood Green Children’s Library (N22) 14:00–15:0, for children (all ages) and families 020 8489 4560

Wed 29 May Curious Explorers at the Jewish Museum (NW1) 9:00–11:00, free activity, all ages, FREE booking recommended. jewishmuseum.org.uk

Watery Wednesdays at the London Canal Museum (N1) 10:30–12:00 or 13:30–5:00.

Includes short boat trip. Children £4, normal admission charges for accompanying adults. www. canalmuseum.org.uk

Thu 30 May Family Takeover: Make and Create at the British Library (NW1) 11:00–15:00, free dropin event. All Ages. www. bl.uk/events

FREE

Phoenix of Persia storytelling event at the British Library (NW1) 14:00–15.30pm, £10 per adult, £7 per child. Ages 6+. www.bl.uk/ events

Celebrate Spring Children’s Film Screening—Alice in Wonderland at Wood Green Library (N22) 15:00–17:00, ages 5+. Free, limited spaces. 020 8489 FREE 4560

Peppa Pig Craft at Hornsey library (N8) 11:00–12:00, ages 3+. 020 8489 4560

FREE

Fri 31 May London History Day at Burgh House (NW3) Ages 3+, will include music, story-telling and FREE crafts. Free event. www. burghhouse.org.uk

JUNE

Talkies Community Cinema showing of Son of the Bride (EN2) 19:45, £6.50 per ticket, 15 cert. www.dugdalecentre.co.uk

Sat 8 Jun Winnie Sings ‘The Colours of Love’ at the Dugdale (EN2) 19:30, £16.50 per ticket. www.dugdalecentre. co.uk

Romeo and Juliet at Forty Hall (EN2) 17:30, outside event, bring a chair and picnic. Standard Tickets £14, age 8+ (Conc and early bird discounts) www.fortyhallestate. co.uk

Cancer Research UK, Pretty Muddy Adults at Trent Park Event Site open from 9:00, first wave 10:45. £19.99 to enter. Choose from either a 5k or 10k muddy obstacle course. Climb, crawl and slide your way to beating cancer. £19.99 to enter. raceforlife. cancerresearchuk.org

Cancer Research UK, Pretty Muddy Kids at Trent Park Event Site open from 9:00, first wave 10:45. A brilliant muddy obstacle course just for the little ones. All children taking part must be at least 1.2m tall on the day of the event and have a supervising adult. £10 to enter. raceforlife. cancerresearchuk.org

Cancer Research UK, Race of Life at Trent Park, 5K and 10K Event Site open from 09:30 and event start time is 11:00. All ages/ abilities welcome. raceforlife. cancerresearchuk.org

Sally’s Adventure Club: Dragon School at Lauderdale House (N6) 10:30, £8.50 for a standard adult/child ticket. www. lauderdalehouse .org.uk

Sat 15 Jun Madness at Kenwood House (NW3) Doors open 4pm, perf starts 18:00. www.english-heritage.org. uk/visit/whats-on/kenwood

Sat 15–Sun 16 Jun Haringey Box Cup at Alexandra Palace (N22) Europe’s largest amateur boxing event. alexandrapalace.com

Sat 29 Jun & 6 Jul Mama G’s Storytime Roadshow at Picked Pepper Books (N8) 50min performance, 10:30. All ages, £8.50 per ticket. www. pickledpepperbooks.co.uk

Sat 29 Jun

Family Day: Build a Story at the British Library (NW1) 12:00– 16:00, Free, drop in event, all FREE ages. www.bl.uk/events

Sun 16 Jun Saddle and Sole Festival of cycling & Walking at Finsbury Park (N4) 12:00–18:00, free family fun activities, FREE fun walks and bike rides. 020 8489 5351 or www. haringey.go.uk/smartertravel

Jose Cerreras at Kenwood House (NW3) Doors open 6pm, perf starts at 19:00. www.english-heritage. org.uk/visit/whats-on/kenwood

Sat 22 Jun Summer Flower Festival at Capel Manor Gardens (EN1) 10:00–17:00, normal admission fess apply. www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk

Mini Gin Festival at Pymmes FREE Mews (N13) 11:00–16:00 or 17:00–23:00. Free Entry, advance registration suggested. www.enfieldginfestival.com

Mum2mummarket nearly new sale at Jubilee School, Hackney (N16) Sale of top quality pre-loved baby, children’s (0–6 years), maternity and baby goods and equipment.

10:00–12:00, £2 entry, includes goody bag for first 100 people. hackney@mum2mummarket. co.uk

Sun 30 Jun Music on the Lawn at Forty Hall (EN2) 11:00–18:00, tickets £7. www.fortyhallestate.co.uk

Rhodes Avenue Primary School Fun Day (N22) Fun for the whole family! Adults £1 entry, kids free. rhodesavenue.school

Sun 23 Jun Summer Bonsai Show at Capel Manor Gardens (EN1) 10:00–17:00, normal admission fess apply. www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk

Teddy Bear’s Picnic at Stephens House (N3) 2–7yr olds, and their grown-ups. £7.50 per adult, £5.50 per child. Includes a picnic lunch box but bring a blanket and teddy. Booking essential. www. stephenshouseandgardens.com/

Thu 13 Jun Victorian Plum presents ‘Old Time Music Hall’ at the Dugdale Centre (EN2) 14:30, tickets £16 www. dugdalecentre.co.uk

Kids Half Term Finance Club- May 2019

Sat 1 Jun Free Tree Walk at Forty Hall (EN2) Meet at 9:45. 020 8292 8325 to book.

FREE

Sat 1 & Sat 8 Jun Amelia Earhart at the Edge of the Stars at Picked Pepper Books (N8) 50min performance, 10:30.

All ages, £8.50 per ticket. www. pickledpepperbooks.co.uk

Sun 2 Jun

Sense and Sensibility at Stephens House (N3) Open air performance in the Bothy Gardens, 19:30, by the Pantaloons Theatre Company. Adults £16, under 16yrs £12, booking essential. www. stephenshouseandgardens.com/

£25/

10am- 1pm Daily SESSION 28th & 29th May, 2019 Beginners level: Suitable for 1st time participants – Money, Interest rates, Introduction to personal finances 30th & 31st May, 2019 Level 1: Suitable to participants who have completed the Beginners level Introduction to business- Understanding Demand, Supply and Markets 020 8090 0885 07368 316819 INFO@SINOTECONSULTING.CO.UK

NORTH LONDON BUSINESS PARK N11 1GN

Herts Heavy Horse Show at Capel Manor Gardens (EN1) 10:00–17:00, admission fess apply. www. capelmanorgardens.co.uk

Thu 6 to Sun 9 June Coggers Family Fun Fair at Down Lane Park (N17) 16:00–20:00, £1 entry. nationwideamusements@ yahoo.com

familiesonline.co.uk

Families North London 13

Parties, Clubs, Classes and Activities CHILDREN’S PARTIES Adam Ants offers high energy parties. Adam Ants and his talented team make sure their parties are non-stop fun. With something for all ages: magic, balloon modelling, puppets, music, dancing, games and face painting.

They also offer amazing disco/ sports parties or the ever popular Build a Bear party. You can hire tables and chairs/bouncy castles/ soft play and ball ponds. New for 2018/2019: Fantastic Lego Parties. www.adamantsparties.co.uk 020 8959 1045 07969 121 094 Arts Depot (N12) With artsdepot’s exciting programme of family shows, hosting a birthday party is simple. Birthday parties can be held on Saturdays and Sundays during school term time. We’ll arrange your tickets (group discounts may apply), birthday lunchboxes and reserve a space in our public area or a room for your party. 020 8369 5454 www.artsdepot.co.uk Captain Fantastic is proud to be voted the UK’s number 1 children’s entertainment company by trusted review site FreeIndex. Trusted by brands such as Pokémon, Nickelodeon, The BBC, LinkedIn & GOSH. Captain Fantastic offer a wide range of parties for all ages, from classic magic shows and discos, to themed parties fit for a princess – or pirate, superhero parties and science parties. www.captain-fantastic.co.uk Flip Out Brent Cross (NW2) It seems word is getting around and all kids want their next party at Flip Out Brent Cross!

Our experiential Earth, Wind and Water themed party rooms are sensational. Expect a forest canopy and log bean bags, ripples of blue light creating the feeling of being under water, wind chimes ringing alongside a canopy of dazzling ribbons. You’re guaranteed to have the best time ever! Check out our party packages online www.flipout.co.uk/brentcross.

Jacksons Lane (N6) - Jacksons Lane is the perfect venue to host your child’s next birthday party.

With a selection of flexible spaces and Cafe Theadro on hand, all you need to do is turn up! www. jacksonslane.org.uk 020 8340 5226 Nicky Grace, textile artist in Muswell Hill, offers craft parties and workshops for children (and adults) in a calm, natural place which seats up to 14 people round the table. Children take home the beautiful things they have made so no need for party bags! nicky.grace@hotmail.co.uk the greenshed.format.com Jump In (EN1) Go along for a fabulous party at the Trampoline Park in Enfield! Party packages include 60 minutes to enjoy all of the activities including free jump, dodgeball, tumble tracks & more; 30 minutes in the party area with a Party Host, Pizza or hotdogs for tall the children, and unlimited squash and water with your food.

All you need is the cake and party bags! 01926 356290 hello@ gojumpin.com www.gojunpin.com Microsport (NW1, NW3 & NW8) Take the effort out of organising party entertainment and make the perfect birthday experience for energetic young children: Microsport parties include a fun variety of ball sports activities and games suitable for boys and girls aged 3-7 years. ben@microsport.co.uk Perform Parties Based around a colourful theme, Perform’s energetic party leaders use a 14 Families North London

magical mix of songs, games and laughter to create fun-filled, action-packed parties. 0207 255 9120 or visit performparties.co.uk Perform Parties Pickled Pepper Books (N8) have various party packages available for your child’s next party! Parties are held in a specially dedicated Events Space and packages available include themed Story and Craft parties, perfect for 4-9 year olds, - don’t forget to dress up! Or, how about a Science party, run by expert instructors from Kids With Brains, suitable for 5-11 year olds, and including a choice of three experiments!

Parties can host up to 30 children. Catering also available so all you need to do is turn up! info@pickledpepperbooks. co.uk, 0203 632 0823 www. pickledpepperbooks.co.uk Puddles Children’s Parties deliver hassle free, affordable and environmentally friendly entertainment and party packages in London. As a specialist in treasure hunts and themed parties, we take care of everything. From carefully selected party venues, all supporting good causes, to professional entertainers, decorations and food, you don’t have to put any effort in. For more information and bookings visit www.puddles.london Rainbow Faces of Enfield Face painter available for parties, events, discos and festivals. Face paints, festival glitter and glitter tattoos available. Prices vary.

DBS and PLI up to date. Find me on Facebook www.facebook. com/rainbowfaces or Instagram rainbowfacesofenfield. 07960 474810 Rhodes Avenue Primary School (N22) is open to community use for parties, celebrations or learning classes. We have indoor and outdoor spaces, including a play area, large sports hall, art room and computer room, available to hire on an hourly or daily rate before or after school, at weekends and during the holidays. andrew. satwick@rhodes.haringey.sch.uk, 0208 826 1810 Topsy Turvy World (NW4) Turn your child’s birthday party upside down and inside out! Dedicated party room, a birthday throne and a variety of party options: slime, laser, teddy tastic and our popular topsy turvy party. www. topsyturvyworld.com or 020 8359 9920. Free registration (£10) and free party child by quoting Families 2019.

Zebra Ceramics (N10) Pottery painting studio, loved by all ages!!

Whether it’ s a mug, plate or bowl being painted, we will help all party goes to create something they will treasure forever. Our parties are designed for ages 5 and above. You may also visit us if you are not organising a party, we are open 7 days a week. 0208 442 1314 or www.zebraceramics. co.uk

We aim to be as accurate as possible, but these listings are compiled several weeks beforehand and may be subject to change. Please check before setting out.

and ‘unplugged’ coding games builds fluency for the jobs of the future. Discounted trials available. 07709 266 901 www.mama. codes Mama.codes.finchley@ gmail.com

COOKERY Sycamore Seeds After School Cookery Club Teaching kids how to cook helps build a healthy attitude to food. Hands-on lessons from a Leiths-trained chef that go “beyond cupcakes”. We make sweet and savoury treats to take home, develop kitchen skills and learn fun food facts. Mondays at Hornsey Vale Community Centre (N8) for 7-11 year-olds. Private lessons and children’s parties also available. 07887 585 957 clare@sycamoresmyth.com sycamoresmyth.com/sycamoreseeds

DANCE The London Institute Of Dance (N10, N8, N12, N21, N22, N9, EN4, Herts) Excellent, Professional tuition in Imperial Ballet, Tap, Modern, Contemporary & More.

For ages 2.5years - Adults. www.londoninstituteofdance.org londoninstituteofdance@yahoo. com 07563 136 803 Highgate Ballet School Ballet classes for all ages in North London www.highgateschool.com

LANGUAGES Club Petit Pierrot (NW3/8/11) French classes offered for a range of ages, toddler upwards. www. clubpetitpierrot.co.uk La Jolie Ronde offer French and Spanish classes throughout North London for all ages. www. lajolieronde.co.uk Portugese for Children (NW6) Every Saturday, from 10am to 12pm, the international Gospel Church on Belsize Park will be open for children from 4 to 12 years to enrol for lessons which will include reading and writing, and Brazilian culture, including Music! Prebooking required, contact@ iglondon.org.uk

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT Lady Teacher with lifetime experience in London’s leading orchestras offers confidenceboosting, fast track and enjoyable one-to-one lessons in Violin, Music Theory and English as a Foreign Language.

Proven success in Public Schools Preparation (Eton, Radley etc.)—Music Works Magic!

Widely experienced Oboist husband (Royal Opera House & international book author) offers tuition in Oboe, Recorder and beginner Piano.

NW3, free parking. 07976 830 309.

CODING CodeToday focuses on treating computer coding seriously while still making it fun and engaging.

All courses use Python — a fullfeatured programming language.

We run private courses for groups of friends, held at a participants’ home, and scheduled courses. Ages 7-17 CodeToday.co.uk info@ codetoday.co.uk 020 3289 7431 MAMA.codes Creative Coding Classes: Fun and creative after-school and holiday coding clubs for ages 3-8. Our unique approach to teaching coding and computational thinking using stories, rhymes, jokes, songs

Colourstrings for a brilliant start in music! 020 8444 9435 for a trial of 3 discounted lessons or email admin@nlcolourstrings.co.uk www.nlcolourstrings.co.uk DaCapo Saturday Music Centre is a friendly, inclusive and innovative music school in North Finchley. We teach all instruments,

all abilities and all ages from toddlers-upwards. Family-friendly environment. Many parents learn with us too! Contact us now to book your free taster session and come for a free coffee at our delicious café. www.dacapo. co.uk jam@dacapo.co.uk 07923 130 289 Muswell Young Musicians is a Saturday Music School offering musicianship classes (18 months - 5 years) and an innovative instrumental programme (5 years+). We’re passionate about music education and strive to provide an inclusive setting where young people can enjoy high-quality music making and grow as well-rounded musicians.

Contact us for a free trial. We look forward to welcoming you! www. muswellyoungmusicians.co.uk info@muswellyoungmusicians. co.uk 07954 854 731

SPORTS AND EXERCISE Danny Grant Soccer School Action-packed football camps and classes for ages 3.5-12years in NW3. Non-stop skills, drills, games and tournaments, led by professional, enthusiastic coaches.

Now booking Holiday Camps and weekly Saturday morning classes.

Football parties are also bookable! 020 8446 0891 www.dgsoccer. co.uk Gojumpin (EN1) Interconnecting trampolines for free jumping, foam pits, tumble tracks, battle beams and more. Under 5s have their own area devoted to them. Also, birthday parties, school and group events, free running classes, fitness classes, teen nights, toddler classes and other special events and sessions throughout the year. www.gojumpin.com/enfield/ Kiddikicks (NW1, N16, NW6, W9) Football Coaching for children 18 months to 10 years old. 020 7937 7965 info@kiddikicks.co.uk www.kiddikicks.co.uk/timetable London Academy of Gymnastics & Dance (LAGAD), N2, N3, N12, N8, N10, N14, N15, N20, N22, NW11 and HA9. High quality, dynamic and fun classes for children aged from 3.5 – 16 years. Fully-trained and highly qualified coaches. All abilities welcome. Trial Classes available. 0208 883 4675 info@lagad. co.uk www.lagad.co.uk North London Schools of Taekwondo The Korean Martial Art of Taekwondo, for Self Defence, Fitness, discipline and Confidence.

Classes for 3-5 yr olds, 5-11 yr olds and mixed Family/Adults. Classes in Barnet, Cheshunt & Enfield www.taekwondo-northlondon. co.uk www.selfdefence-london. com Phone Richard on 07967 128 420 Microsport (NW1, NW3) offers fun multi-sports classes and parties for 2-4 year olds in Kentish Town, Marylebone and West Hampstead. Tried and tested for over 28 years, our entertaining and unique programme coaches skills for ball sports like tennis, football, hockey, rugby, cricket, basketball as well as general sporting skills and athletics. www.micro-sport.co.uk ben@micro-sport.co.uk Rising Stars Football Club (N2 + NW2) High quality football coaching in a safe and fun environment. Children will learn and develop core football skills to ensure that they progress and familiesonline.co.uk

Parties, Clubs, Classes and Activities fulfil their potential. Teaching will also focus on appreciating good sportsmanship and teamwork. We offer a boys and girls only football club! Age structure: Pre Reception – Year 6. Book now 020 8150 6655 info@risingstarsactivities. com Sports Academy UK provide weekend coaching programmes locally in BARNET and CROUCH END for children aged 4-16 years, using our qualified team of coaches. We offer 18 different sports a year. All equipment is supplied. For a trial, or to book a place visit www. sportsacademyuk.com or 08000 248 842

SWIMMING Just Swim provide swimming lessons in several North London locations (Barnet, Friern Barnet, Hornsey) for all ages. www. justswim.org.uk Oakleigh Park School of Swimming provide swimming lessons in Whetstone, Mill Hill and Woodside Park for babies – adults. www.swimoakleighpark.co.uk Swimming Nature Teaching babies, children and adults the fundamentals skills required to improve water confidence and learn to swim. For 25 years, our hands-on approach helps students reach their goals faster. Swimming Nature deliver lessons in Queens Park, Muswell Hill, Highbury, Hampstead, Cricklewood.

For more details visit www. swimmingnature.com or 03445 040506.

Tiny Swimmers provide swimming lessons in Barnet, Finchley, Hornsey and Islington. www. tinyswimmers.co.uk

THEATRE & PERFORMING ARTS Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School Saturday workshops in Drama, Singing, Dance and Film all taught by leading industry professionals. Our Camden branch takes place at Parliament Hill School at 9.30am - 2pm or 2.30pm - 5.30pm for 7 - 18 year olds. Fiorentini Weenies for 4 - 6 years takes place at 9.30am 11am. More details at www. annafiorentini.com Dramarama Exciting Performing Arts courses and classes for ages 3.5-15years in NW3. Develop acting skills and performance technique and star in exciting plays, dance shows and musicals. Now booking Holiday Courses and weekly Saturday morning drama classes.

Drama parties also bookable! 020 8446 0891 www. dramarama.co.uk

Huzzah Performing Arts & Mindfulness Build confidence from the inside out with a huzzah weekly class. Drama, dance, singing and a touch of mindfulness.

Ages 4-7. Saturday 1 - 2.20pm in Queen’s Park. Sunday 10 - 11.30am in West Hampstead. Creative, calm, confident kids. Sign up for a FREE TRIAL at www. huzzahperformingarts.com Perform NW3, N22, N8, NW5, N2, N12 & N3, N4, N11, NW3, NW11, N6, N1, N10, N12, NW1, N14, NW8, N16, N20, N7, NW6, N21 and NW7 Confidence building fun for 4-12s.

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.

Perform offer no-obligation FREE trial sessions. 020 7255 9120 enquiries@perform.org.uk www.perform.org.uk/try The Place Join the exhilarating atmosphere of The Place this Winter. Jam packed with dance activities and performances for all ages from babies to over 60’s, including workshops the whole family can enjoy together! More info at theplace.org.uk or call 020 7121 1100 Theatre Life Academy (N12) Exceptional musical theatre classes for 4-18s, taught by industry professionals. Classes include Singing, Dance & Drama, learning material from London’s West End. We build stamina, confidence, co-ordination, fitness and selfesteem. At the end of each term a presentation will be performed in the studio for parents. Private lessons are also available. www. theatrelifeacademy.co.uk 07730 482 148

AFTER SCHOOL CLUB / EDUCATION Bilingual Nurseries (N1) French/ English Mars Montessori Bilingual Nursery is a small private nursery in the heart of Islington, offering Montessori education and a bilingual environment, coupled with extended day care for children aged 1-4 years. We have only 24 children, and 6 members of staff. The nursery is open from 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday for 47 weeks of the year. 020 7099 0452 www.bilingualnurseries. com inTuition inTuition clubs provide a purpose built learning environment designed to support and inspire our students in progressing and achieving the results they desire, building on their school based learning in Maths and English. We deliver affordable, private tuition, which is 100% aligned to the national curriculum for primaryaged children. Contact our North Finchley centre on 020 3092 7280 www.intuitionclubs.com

Leaders are Readers awardwinning reading programme, exemplary English, maths, 4+, 5+, 7+ and 11+ curricula have helped more than 3500 children from 3+ to 13 years old, for over 17 years, with a 90% pass rate for children taking entrance exams to top grammar & independent schools. Saturday School for the Spring 2019 term enrolling now.

St Andrews’s CE Primary School 297 Chase Road, Southgate N14 6JA. Free assessment on open days. 01992 651 300 www. leadersarereaders.co.uk SDE Finchley Susan Daughtrey Education has operated extremely successful 11+ Courses for over 25 years. The classes are taught by a qualified, experienced and carefully selected KS2 teacher and prepare Year 4 & 5 students for both CEM and GL Assessment tests (and is therefore suitable preparation for Henrietta Barnett (Stage 1), Laytmer, QE Boys, Dame Alice Owen’s, SW Herts Consortium and other counties such as Bucks and Berks). Mock Tests also available. Call 020 3515 0099 wbarns@sde11plus.com www. sde11plus.com/courses Teachers Teach Education Centre (EN1 EN2 N9 EN3 EN7 N21) Offers professional tuition by qualified teachers. They teach students from reception age through to those studying for A-Levels covering: SATs, 11+ & Entrance exams, GCSEs, A-LEVELs - as well as mock exams and informal school tests. OFSTED registered. (Use childcare vouchers or claim Childcare tax credits) Call 020 8363 5008 www. teachersteachenfield.co.uk info@teachersteachenfield.co.uk

BABY AND TODDLER Friern Barnet Community Library (N11) offers a variety of classes for adults and children. These include Toddlers Rhyme time on Wednesdays at 11am, and Minecraft club for children on Fridays 4-5pm. The library is also a party venue and available to hire for education and health classes. www.friernbarnetlibrary.org Humpty Dumpty Singalong is a relaxed singing/music session for babies and toddlers (0-2s) with grown-ups. We sing a mix of nursery rhymes and other favourite songs, we make live music together with shakers, bells and my ukulele and we have puppets, toys, bubbles and more! Singalong parties also available! 11-11.45am Wednesdays, Hargrave Hall, Archway N1 and other sessions are available in Crouch End, Stroud Green and Islington. For current details please see www.facebook.com/ thehumptydumptysingalong or thehumptydumptysingalong@ hotmail.com T&FI Softplay (N7) Come along to our stay and play with Softplay, crafts, singing, parachute, mini disco and meet our mascot: Every Wednesday (term time only), 9:30 to 11:30 at Goodinge Community Centre, N7. Free tea, coffee and cake! £5.00 per child, siblings £3. A fun, friendly space where everyone is welcome! Check us out on Instagram #tfisoftplay

Would you like to list your club or service here? Packages start from as little as £10 a month! Contact listings@familiesnorthlondon.co.uk for more details

LONDON INSTITUTE OF DANCE

IMPERIAL CLASSICAL BALLET. TIMELESS SIGN UP NOW FOR YOUR FREE TRIAL Excellent, professional tuition in Imperial Ballet, Tap, Modern, Contemporary, Jazz & Musical Theatre Dance and more. For ages 2½yrs–Adults.

Tel 07563 136 803. www.londoninstituteofdance.org. ✉ londoninstituteofdance@yahoo.com familiesonline.co.uk

Families North London 15

Book your Free Taster Day Now Plus see us perform at the Arts Depot Theatre