Families North West London Jan/Feb 25 issue

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Top family-friendly festivals for 2025

Discover the ultimate family-friendly festivals across the UK in 2025, where music, arts and outdoor adventures come alive for all ages. Discover unique experiences which will ensure memorable moments and endless fun for families in vibrant, engaging and often idyllic settings.

Teddy Rocks Charisworth Farm, Blandford Forum, Dorset 2-4 May

Winner of Best Family Festival in 2022, Teddy Rocks is an immersive, intimate three-day music event, with one hundred percent of profits supporting children’s cancer research. This multi-awardwinning, independent festival hosts over one hundred acts from international to brand new performers. The festival offers activities for all ages, including fairground rides, comedy tent and axe-throwing. www.teddyrocks.co.uk

Bearded Theory, Catton Park, Derbyshire 21-25 May

Set in the heart of the Midlands, this festival features sensational live performances for adults across multiple stages. The award-winning children’s offering includes fun, educational classes, a Toddler Tent with soft play, a pop-up library, poetry tent and creative workshops like puppet making. Kids can also enjoy a chill-out area, face painting, circus activities and a talent show. NEW: ‘Kids Rave On’ with club lighting and DJ performances. Evening highlights include LED light shows and the unique DOGSHOW performance. www.beardedtheory.co.uk

Elderflower Fields, Ashdown Forest, Sussex 23-24 May

This delightful, family-friendly event offers a weekend filled with music, sports, nature exploration and arts. Tailored for families with young children, this intimate festival offers a secure environment where kids can freely explore. Highlights include Dragonfly Hill for lively performances and Leapfrog Lawns for crafts and games. www.south.elderflowerfields.co.uk

The Big Retreat, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales 23-25 May

The festival celebrates wellbeing and adventure with yoga, fitness and live music. It offers diverse children’s activities, including storytelling, discos, water slides, circus toys and bushcraft workshops for survival skills and nature exploration. Families can enjoy a creative and inspirational atmosphere filled with arts, crafts, singing, dancing and wellbeing classes – an inclusive experience in which they can have fun, enjoy and learn together. www.thebigretreatfestival.com

Latitude, Henham Park, Suffolk 24-27 July

Award-winning Latitude is among the biggest of the family-friendly festivals with a huge array of activities for both children and parents. It’s a proper pop festival in the beautiful grounds of Henham Park with a stunning Kids’ Area. Expect fire shows, pizza-making, traditional woodland crafts and exciting science experiments, a more relaxed but packed programme in the Enchanted Garden and an Inbetweeners Teen Area. www.latitudefestival.com

Camp Severn Kids Festival, West Mid Showground, Shropshire 25-27 July

Camp Severn offers an all-inclusive adventure for children ages 3 to 13. This family-friendly event is packed with interactive workshops, outdoor games and themed events such as Space Camp, with Star Wars characters, singing princesses and inflatables. The festival also features engaging science

workshops, blending fun and education. With camping options available, families can immerse themselves in the festival atmosphere, enjoying a hassle-free experience where all activities are included in the ticket price. www.kids-events.co.uk

Festival of Sport, Packington Estate, Warwickshire 1-4 August

The Festival of Sport at Packington Estate offers families an exciting weekend filled with diverse sports activities for children ages 5 to 17. Featuring expert coaching and interactions with sporting legends, kids can explore rugby, hockey, cricket and more. Set in a picturesque location, this festival provides a unique opportunity for children to learn, play and be inspired by sports heroes. www.festivalofsportuk.com

Camp Kindling, Sevenoaks, Kent 15-18 August

A magical, intimate, safe and secure family retreat in an ancient forest, featuring over one hundred activities. Children can enjoy thrilling adventures like water slides, zip lines and rock climbing, while adults delight in live music, theatre and comedy performances. Pre-bookable activities ensure no lost time and there are no hidden costs. www.campkindling.co.uk

Images

Top left: Latitude

Bottom left: Elderflower Fields

Middle: Camp Kindling

Top right: Teddy Rocks

Bottom right: Festival of Sport

EDITOR:

Heather Waddington

T: 01923 237 004

E: Editor@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk

42 Norbury Ave, WD24 4PJ

LISTINGS AND FEATURES EDITOR: Anna Blackshaw

E: Listings@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk

WWW.FAMILIESONLINE.CO.UK

Readership of over 60,000 local parents, carers and teachers every issue. Published six times a year. For families from birth to twelve.

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Red Balloon Learner Centre rebranded as Heartwood House

Red Balloon Learner Centre NWL, an independent special school based in Harrow, has recently rebranded as Heartwood House.

At Heartwood House we understand that mainstream school isn’t for everyone. Most of our students have tried many different ways of learning that haven’t worked, and they often feel disillusioned and let down by the adults and systems around them. For this reason, we strive to be different to any other educational experience they have had.

We aim to create a homely, welcoming, safe and nonjudgemental community at Heartwood House. As staff, we know how important it is to be able to build strong, supportive relationships with our students; without this, none of our other work can take place. We take the time to get to know our students and what interests them, what they find difficult and what they would like to get from their time with us.

For many students who join us, it is the first time they have felt ‘heard’ and that their opinion is important valued.

Our aim is for students to develop the intrinsic motivation to learn, based on their innate curiosity and their innate drive to progress. Students at Heartwood House are not learning ‘to please the staff’ – they are learning, both academically and emotionally, in order to grow towards a more positive futurewhich we help them visualise, believe in and realise.

With this in mind, it is very important that students at Heartwood House understand that they are part of the community through

choice, and not because anyone else has persuaded or coerced them to be there.

The majority of students at Heartwood House choose to stay with us until they have completed their GCSEs or some other qualifications.

Many arrive having missed significant school time, so it’s not uncommon for them to need a little more time to secure the qualifications they want, and that’s perfectly fine by us - if it means staying an extra year or two to fully prepare for their futures, we’re here to help. Some students that join us, plan on going back into mainstream education and we are here to support that journey too.

Our Heartwood House ethos extends far beyond academic achievement. We are committed to nurturing students who embody resilience, respect, and compassion; to cultivate individuals who are ready and able to move forward to the next stage of their educational journeys, most transitioning to colleges and sixth forms with confidence.

We strive to empower our students to become self-advocates— capable of expressing their needs and aspirations. Independence is a key milestone in our educational approach, ensuring that when our students progress, they do so with the ability to stand on their own two feet.

At Heartwood House, success is multifaceted. It’s not just the pride in a qualification earned; it’s the journey of personal growth that leads there.

The new childcare offering

Early education and childcare is very expensive, especially for our youngest children and as research has shown, many parents end up working just to pay for their child’s nursery. So why is UK childcare so expensive compared to childcare in similar countries? The reason is that the government contribution has been so low and until recently it was limited to children ages 3 and 4.

So, when the previous government’s plan to expand childcare support for working parents in England was announced last year, this was great news, not just for parents but also for children. Research shows that high quality early education and care supports their development, wellbeing and has an impact on their education all through their schooling.

What is the new childcare offering in UK childcare?

The childcare expansion is being delivered in stages, building on the thirty hours of funded childcare for children ages 3 and 4 which was already available. However, the offer is still only available to families where parents are working at least sixteen hours a week.

The roll out provides:

• fifteen hours funded childcare a week for children age 2 from April 2024

• fifteen funded hours for children ages 9+ months from September 2024

This will be increased to thirty hours funded childcare for all children under age 5 from September 2025.

Although government funded hours make a difference to family finances, this funded childcare still involves costs for parents. It is important to be aware of the following parameters:

The thirty and fifteen hours of government supported childcare is not ‘free.’ The government only pays for the actual childcare sessions, which does not include any meals, snacks, consumables or additional activities, so families can expect to see settings make charges for these.

The funded hours are only during term time. Most parents work all year round so providers may ‘stretch’ these hours across the year, reducing the hours per week.

Depending on the length of your sessions, you will need to pay for any additional hours you need at the nursery’s usual fee especially for early or later hours.

Purnima Tanuku OBE is Chief Executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) (www.nda.org.uk), a charity with a mission to see children and families thrive through access to high-quality early education and care.

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What do the inspectors expect?

The good news is that Ofsted and the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) now assess personal development, which includes mental health in schools. Areas such as resilience, confidence, independence and how to keep mentally healthy are all covered in their assessments. As part of pastoral care, all schools are now also required to provide a mental health and relationships curriculum.

A school judged ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in the area of personal development will provide high quality pastoral support alongside a wide, rich set of experiences which support pupils to be confident, resilient and independent. It will offer exceptional quality opportunities for children to develop their talents and interests and strongly encourage take up of these, especially amongst disadvantaged pupils.

Schools that are ‘Outstanding’ in the area of personal development are expected to promote equality and diversion and teach pupils how to be responsible, active citizens who contribute positively to society and demonstrate their own ‘outstanding’ personal development.

However, do look beyond Ofsted’s current one-word judgements and check when they last visited the schools that you are considering too. More than ninety percent of mainstream state schools are summed up as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ and yet, clearly, there is plenty to distinguish these schools from each other. What’s more, a lot can change in between Ofsted visits.

For parents with children in the private sector, the Independent School Inspectorate (ISI) benchmarks are similar to Ofsted. The ISI is a government approved body that inspects and provides objective evaluation of independent schools. However, ISI reports are more nuanced than Ofsted reports and don’t give single word summative judgements for each area inspected.

Their recently revised framework has pupil wellbeing running through it, resulting in TES magazine stating:

‘The upshot of [the new framework] is that personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is now probably the single most important subject that schools teach when it comes to inspection outcomes.’

Amanda Childs, Chair of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (IAPS) Pastoral and Wellbeing Committee, added:

‘Pastoral care is what the independent sector is renowned for. It is about a child knowing they are completely valued and cared for; allowing them to feel safe in order to discover themselves, what they are capable of and developing a positive sense of self.’

Pastoral care in primary schools

News reports last year claimed there is a child with a suspected mental health concern in every primary school classroom in the country. Figures released by NHS England showed more than 165,000 children ages 6 to 10 were in contact with NHS mental health services at the end of February 2024, while the number of primary-age children in England either waiting or being treated for mental health problems, increased by over a quarter in less than a year.

The picture has never been starker and schools have a key part to play both in terms of prevention and providing expert support. The past twenty years has seen schools evolve from places where it was ‘brain first’ to spaces where body and mind are recognised as needing equal developmental attention.

Before anything else, a school should be a centre for care. Pastoral care encompasses a wide range of initiatives and approaches. A good primary school will embed pastoral care into all it does within the culture of the school: how it teaches, how it protects, how it listens and learns. A pastorally strong school is in the best position to thrive academically.

When they experience anxiety, children can’t access learning, making it crucial that all schools have a robust pastoral care system to support pupils’ development. Simple measures like buddy benches, mindfulness lessons and worry boxes or mood charts are now widely offered and can make a big difference. Animals are good too. Some schools have a therapy dog and even class pets like goldfish or hamsters can help children open up.

A common thread running through primary schools with a strong pastoral offering seems to be plentiful opportunities for fresh air, physical exercise and being in nature. Even in some of the most space-pressed inner-city schools, children are cultivating a mini allotment or growing sunflowers in the playground. Similarly, Forest Schools offering regular outdoor hands-on learning sessions in natural environments, are building young children’s confidence and self-esteem.

Extra-curricular activities also play a role, fostering social engagement, personal development and a sense of belonging among pupils. An inclusive sporting ethos is often front and centre in schools with good pastoral care, particularly in the co-curricular timetable. However, do look for schools that offer a wide selection of clubs which appeal to all kinds of interests beyond sport too.

Amanda Childs, Chair of the IAPS adds: ‘Pastoral care is more than formal PSHE lessons. It incorporates every interaction an individual has in school; from the moment they arrive until they leave. It is about a genuine, positive culture, having excellent role

models and high expectations, balanced with a kind and realistic view of the support any individual child needs to succeed - and that will be different for every single child.’

Central to a robust pastoral approach is staff fully trained in mental health first aid and safeguarding. This also includes the non-teaching staff that children often seek out to talk to such as school nurses, lunchtime and office staff. Sometimes the support offered will be a listening ear, at other times, children might require signposting to additional support. The more mentally healthy schools usually have a school nurse, mental health support teams and even dedicated counselling.

For Dean Taylor, Associate Headteacher at Seven Kings School, a co-ed state school for ages 4 to 18 in east London, it’s the relationship between staff and pupils that holds the key to positive mental health in schools. Dean says: ‘The ethos is more important than anything and you can walk around this school and see that it’s inclusive, friendly, safe and with clear and consistent boundaries’.

Seven Kings pays particular attention to pressure points and makes sure every child has a trusted adult. There’s a joined-up approach with the SENCO too, in the knowledge that youngsters with conditions such as ADHD and autism can be particularly at risk of mental health problems. ‘The most vulnerable pupils have a one-page profile that’s shared with all staff’ adds Dean.

Finally, successful pastoral care involves the school, child and parents. Starting school is a huge milestone for the whole family and a carefully managed transition makes for a smoother pastoral pathway right from the start. Likewise, primary schools with good pastoral provision work closely with secondary schools in Year 6 to ensure a seamless transition to the next stage of education.

Good schools take the time to get to really know a child personally; what they like or don’t like and what they are interested in. Schools where pastoral care is foregrounded will extend their offerings to parents too. They might offer useful parent talks, for instance on safe use of technology and share wellbeing resources. Crucially, these schools will have the confidence to collaborate with parents in robust and trusting ways. If you think your child might need help, your first port of call should be your child’s form teacher or tutor who can elevate your concerns to the appropriate staff member.

Melanie Sanderson is Managing Editor of The Good Schools Guide (www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk), which reviews the key components, pastoral care being one, of hundreds of schools per year, providing parents with in-depth, unbiased insights.

Roll out of free breakfast clubs to begin in April

The Chancellor has announced that up to seven hundred and fifty state-funded primary schools will start offering free breakfast clubs from April this year.

This initiative will run during the summer term (April-July) as a pilot phase to prepare for a national rollout.

The Department for Education will work with the schools selected as part of the pilot to understand how breakfast clubs can be delivered to meet the needs of schools, parents and pupils when the programme is rolled out nationally.

The Government claims breakfast clubs will help reduce the number of students starting the school day hungry and ensure children come to school ready to learn. It will also support the government’s aim to tackle child poverty by addressing rising food insecurity among children.

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

Get ready for World Book Day 2025

Put Thursday 6 March 2025 in your diary for World Book Day 2025 and start planning your child’s costume.

Marked in over one hundred countries, children and schools get involved by dressing up as their favourite book characters and reading together to celebrate authors, illustrators and books. Each year World Book Day releases a brand-new line-up of £1 books and issues tokens that children can use to choose one of the books for free.

This year’s books include short stories from family favourites Bluey and Paddington Bear for beginning and early reading abilities, a search-and-find story from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler and a selection of poems from the 2022-2024 Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho. For more fluent and independent readers, Benjamin Dean captivates young adults with a standalone thriller, while Tom Palmer scores with The Soccer Diaries: Rocky Takes the Lead.

More info: www.worldbookday.com

ACTIVITY CENTRES

BigShots Golf (HA1)

BigShots Golf is transforming the game of golf to make it accessible and fun for everyone. They have developed cutting edge ball tracking technology and created colorful, virtual games so that even a total beginner can step up and swing on to have fun! www.bigshotsgolfuk.com

Lincolnsfields Playzone (WD23)

A soft play centre in Bushey for children up to the age of 11. Birthday party packages available. Open daily during school holidays, and Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday during term time. www.lincolnsfieldsplayzone.co.uk

Ninja Warrior Watford (WD25)

Ninja Warrior UK Adventure Park is a supervised activity and fitness venue inspired by ITV’s hit programme Ninja Warrior UK! A great place for family activities and for keeping fit. No charge for spectators to come and watch your Ninjas from the café area- full range of hot and cold food plus a wide selection of drinks! www.ninjawarrioruk.co.uk/watford

Harrow Woodcraft Folk

Join our Elfin group (6 to 9 years). Meeting in Central Harrow. Tuesday evenings (term time): 6:30-8pm. Email harrowwoodcraftfolk@yahoo. co.uk for more details. www.woodcraft.org.uk

Holidaytime After School Club (Part of Activetime Children’s Activities Limited) (HA1)

Pick up from four local schools at the end of the school day, then take the children back to the club for a snack and the daily activity. Open Mon-Fri 3-6pm at The Cadet Centre, Harrow, HA1 2QA. Call 07575801623, email holidays@ activetime.co.uk www.activetimedaynursery.co.uk

Willesden and Brent Chess Club (NW2)

Provides social chess for players of levels, set up Club competitions and tutor juniors. For the more competitive player they enter teams into local leagues and refer members to our county team. We meet at Cricklewood Library (Monday) and Chalkhill Community Centre (Wednesday). Call Anthony on 07974 238357, email fulton790@aol.com www.willesdenchess.wordpress.com

DiscoG Coding Academy (HA3)

Run weekly term-time classes and holiday courses and workshops for students aged 6 to 18. Join in to learn Computer Science, Coding, Robotics, AI and Machine Learning. Contact Gerard & Kat on 07767300940, email: info@discogcodingacademy.com www.discogcodingacademy.com

Little Coders

Coding class for children aged 4 to 6 years. Develop critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication. www.littlecodersclub.co.uk

Blank Canvas Art Club

Online, fine art classes for kids and adults from 6-106 teaching skills & techniques whilst encouraging imagination and finding your own style whatever your experience. Weekday after school kids classes. Adults evening or daytime classes suitable for beginners or refreshers. Email Suzi blankcanvasartclub@gmail.com www.Facebook.com/BlankCanvasArtClub

Cygnets Art School Ruislip

Inclusive term-time art classes, holiday workshops, birthday parties and private tuition for children aged 5+. Classes are high quality, allowing children to improve their artistic skills through enjoyable projects using professional quality materials. Regular classes in Ruislip Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. www.cygnetsartschool.com/ruislip

L Marsh Art Studio (HA7)

We celebrate the making of art by tapping in to the creativity, interest and enthusiasm of our students and providing the space, time and guidance for it to happen. Classes are taught from a purpose-built art studio, either in small groups or 1-2-1 private tuition. Skills and techniques are taught according to each student’s individual readiness. 90-minute after-school art classes Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. Term-in-a-Week Painting Courses during school holidays. Private classes by arrangement. All ages from 7 and upwards. All levels of experience. www.facebook.com/art1stanmore

Free Readers (Various)

Free Readers offers enrichment or extra help for children aged 3-11 yrs in Reading, Maths and English, homework and test preparation. Individual teaching and attention in small groups is the preferred way to help children. They encourage them how to learn, enabling them to reach their full potential. Call 07385 258007 or email office@freereaders.co.uk. www.freereaders.co.uk

Integratedbrain - Improve Co-ordination for learning! (UB5)

Activities to help those with poor co-ordination, dyspraxia, dyslexia or fine motor difficulties. Small groups of 4/5 children working to develop better all-round motor integration. Call 07766 837 616, ushapatel.raviv@gmail.com www.integratedbrain.co.uk

Hatch End 11+ Tuition (HA5)

Hatch End Tuition is an established and successful tutoring centre offering a warm and friendly environment where children are encouraged and motivated to achieve their maximum potential whatever their ability. Their aim is to build children’s confidence and help

Essential Touch-Typing Courses For ages 8-18

Our online courses are tutor supported (meaning a lovely human being checks your child’s work and gives positive feedback helping them to enjoy learning and stay on track).

95% of our students complete the course in 10 lessons, achieving 95% accuracy and 30 words per minute! Just imagine what a difference that would make to their school work!

Invest now for your child’s future:

ü Keyboard confidence

ü Accurate typing

ü Faster work speed

ü Improved spelling

Empower your child with this lifelong skill!

Contact us to find out more. https://touchtypeit.co.uk

achieve high standards of work in an engaging and challenging environment 020 8421 3066. www.hatchend11plus.co.uk

Little Big Leaders (HA8 & WD23)

Maths/English or Phonics & Writing for 3½ to 11 year-olds at our Saturday School, Summer and Winter School. Tutors support and challenge pupils to improve their learning and have a track record in enabling pupils to demonstrate progress in their mainstream setting and/or in 5+, 7+ and 11+ examinations. Childcare vouchers accepted. FREE trial lessons. Call 020 3637 6266. www.littlebigleaders.com

The Learning Wheel

A dyslexia assessment can help children understand why they may be struggling more than their peers. It helps to boost confidence and self-esteem. Early identification can help children and adults to get the support they need. Our assessments include a full detailed report that includes an outline of learning strengths, recommendations and strategies for how to work on areas of weakness. Assessments conducted by qualified SpLD (Dyslexia) assessor and teacher. Call 07930 557 870. www.thelearningwheel.co.uk

Raviv Practice London (UB5)

Catch up reading course. Improve reading age by 1 year in 3 months of home-based work. The computer interventions is similar to having a tutor in your home with daily monitoring and feedback. Call 07766 837 6168 info@ ravivpracticelondon.co.uk (registered therapist). www.ravpracticelondon.co.uk

Street Dance Academy (Various)

Teach children aged 5-18 yrs every weekend during school term time, with clubs in and around London, Hertfordshire and Surrey. Street Dance Academy also teach Adult Street Dance and Zumba Classes in Twickenham every Wednesday. Call 0800 0236 236. www.streetdanceacademy.co.uk

Elina Patrou Academy of Dance (HA7) Ballet classes to develop poise, technique and expression through dance, for boys and girls aged 3-16 years with Royal Academy of Dance examinations. Online private ballet lessons available. Call 07555 861561 or email elinapatrouacademyofdance@gmail.com www.elinapatrouacademyofdance.com

New Strathspey School of Dancing Highland Dancing for fitness and fun. Children’s Saturday morning highland dancing class for 5-11 year olds at Knutsford School Hall, Watford. Full details of all classes is available on the website. Contact Sandy at shunt@moose.co.uk www.rscdsherts.org/new-strathspey

Divine Yoga (Borehamwood and Kenton)

In each of our classes, yoga is brought to life using creative games and mindful movement ending in a relaxing mindful activity. Classes are for children 4-10 years, teens, families, schools and nurseries. Book a FREE class. www.divineyoga.com/booknow

Etiquette and Emotions

Etiquette and Emotions offer live, interactive, and enjoyable workshops for children and teens aged 7-15 to elevate their emotional intelligence and social etiquette. Workshops are run by a certified children’s coach and include videos, discussions, and a quiz. Get 10% off! Use discount code: ee10off at the checkout! www.etiquetteandemotions.com

Kids Yoga with Yana (Watford)

Yana is a qualified Kids Yoga teacher with a passion for empowering children to be the best version of themselves through yoga and mindfulness practice. www.facebook.com/kidsyogawithyana

Baby Lab (WC1E)

Have fun for free with your baby making discoveries about brain development at the Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development. Birkbeck College. Travel expenses refunded. www.cbcd.bbk.ac.uk

Phonics with Robot Reg (various)

Provide fun, high-energy classes which teach early phonics skills to children 1 to 4 years. Fun, varied and educational classes. https://robotreg.co.uk

Gymboree Play & Music Watford

Sensory classes for babies, art and music classes, as well as Play & Learn classes for little ones who are on the move. They also offer a range of fabulously fun birthday parties. Find them upstairs in the Atria shopping centre at the top of the Queens Car Park. https://gymbo.co.uk/locations/watford

Monkey Music (Various)

Award-winning Monkey Music, trusted by parents since 1992, introduces babies and young children aged 3 months to 4 years to music with a unique four-stage curriculum tailored to each age group. Classes run 6 days a week, in Uxbridge, Eastcote, Northwood, Ickenham, Harrow, Stanmore and Watford. Call 020 8427 6595. www.monkeymusic.co.uk

TISKA Karate

Learn the art of Karate. Classes held weekly in Harrow, Northwood and Wembley. Families welcome, Ages 4+. 2week FREE trial. Call 07739 572487, or email hpatel@tiskakarate.com www.tiskakarate-harrow.co.uk www.tiskakarate-northwood.co.uk www.tiskakarate-wembley.co.uk

Watford Cycle Hub

Offering cycle repair services, maintenance courses and cycle training. They also offer advice and information about cycling and bikes, including local cycle routes and maps, news about locally led rides and opportunities. www.watfordcyclehub.org.uk

Aqua Vie Regular after school weekly classes in Bushey during term times. Spaces for new babies, toddlers and adults on Tues and Wed. Learn mindful, effortless swimming in a calm environment in warm water. office@aqua-vie. com or call 01923 245 773 or 07814 987 153. www.aqua-vie.com

Achieve Arts (HA5/NW7/NW11)

Achieve Arts is a performance centre teaching drama, speech and singing to children and young adults. Young performers work towards their LAMDA examinations in acting, verse and prose, public speaking and musical theatre whilst learning some key life skills. The exceptional teaching team have a wealth of experience and are invested in the students to Achieve their best. call 020 8087 2461. www.achievearts.co.uk

Harrow Arts Centre Youth Theatre (HA5) Are you passionate about performing, writing, or directing theatre? Our weekly HAC Youth Theatre is your chance to develop professional skills in theatrical performance while boosting confidence and creativity in a supportive learning environment. For ages 7-11 years. www.harrowarts.com

Pauline Quirke Academy (HA6/WD17/UB8)

Pauline Quirke Academy (PQA) is a weekend performing arts Academy with over 200 Academies nationwide, providing tuition for children and young people from 4-18 years. Since 2007, PQA has given outstanding performing arts training in an environment that is friendly, safe and rewarding. Students spend three hours with us, rotating through hourlong sessions in Comedy & Drama, Musical Theatre and Film & Television. We provide a space for children and young people to express themselves, build confidence and, most importantly, have fun! www.pqacademy.com

Perform (Various)

Help your child shine with a FREE Perform class. Perform weekly classes for 4-7s and 7-12’s use a mix of drama, dance and singing to bring out a child’s natural ability. Run by professional actors, our classes focus on developing confidence, communication, coordination and concentration. We put child development at the heart of our classes which means we don’t worry about whether children get their lines or moves exactly right. All abilities are welcome! The curriculum is packed with fun, using a mix of drama games, catchy songs and funky dances. www.perform.org.uk/try

Sharpe Academy of Theatre Arts (HA5, HA6)

Performance based theatre school for children aged 3-18 with venues based in Hatch End and Northwood. Weekly classes in Musical Theatre, Ballet, Tap, Modern, LAMDA and Acrobatics. www.sharpeacademy.co.uk

Stagecoach (Various)

Training in three disciplines: drama, dance and singing. Great for building confidence, making new friends and beginning to hone talent and enthusiasm for performing, by having fun! Call Harrow 020 3504 0100, Harrow on the Hill & Sudbury Hill 01923 248 294, Stanmore & Harrow Weald 020 3504 2154, Watford 01727 768 738, Queen’s Park 020 7723 5861 or Northwood 01442 263 599. www.stagecoach.co.uk

CLASSES FOR GROWN UPS

Woodcarving (Iver)

A small group who would welcome new members. Drop in for a chat! Meet Monday mornings 9.30am-12.30pm at Evreham Centre. Email webb1959@btinternet.com

CHILDREN’S PARTIES

Angel Parties

Leave it to us to make all arrangements and kick start your party. Packages start from £199 and can include bouncy castles, decorations, invitations, party bags, candyfloss, popcorn, catering, juice bar, venue ideas, balloon arch etc. Please reserve your date! Call 07535 793 304 or 07535 793 404

What's On listings for all the family

To promote your local event, coffee morning, nearly new sale, parenting courses or community group in the next What’s On listing. Email Listings@FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk.

Listings in this section are FREE for most non-commercial ventures. Please check details of the events before setting off in case anything has changed since going to print.

Many activities and events require advance booking. Please check the website in the listing to confirm terms and conditions for attending before heading out.

JANUARY

Fri 10 Jan

Family Explorer Evening at the London Transport Museum (WC2E)

This FREE family explorer event is for children with special educational needs, disabled children and their families. This special time offers a calm opportunity to explore the All Aboard family spaces and exhibition spaces in peace. Get hands-on with genuine parts of transport history, or make use of the sensory bags to support exploring the collection. 6.30-8pm.

www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/ family-events/family-explorerevening

Sat 11 Jan

Create! Studio for Families: Squeeze (E2)

Create! Studio for families is where all members of the family, children and adults, are invited to get creative together at the Young V&A. Explore materials, play with each other and make together. This month’s session theme is ‘Squeeze’, led by artist Emily Hopkins. Make and play with salt dough and create a squishy sculpture with a variety of materials. Ages 4+. Booking is essential. www.vam.ac.uk/event/ DlX6XR4oXb/create-studio-forfamilies-jan-2025

Sat 18 Jan

River Colne Community Festival (WD17)

Head to the Wellspring Church Centre for an exciting day of discovery, connection and action as you celebrate the beloved river and the collective efforts to protect and enhance it. This FREE event offers something for everyone, from nature enthusiasts to curious minds eager to learn more about the environment. 10.30am-1.30pm. The Wellspring Church Centre, Watford WD17 2AH. www.watfordactually.com/ upcoming-events

Tue 21–Fri 24 Jan

Roman Festival Week (AL1) Bring history to life with this engaging Roman Festival at St Albans Cathedral. The immersive experience features a carousel of 3 interactive workshops and the opportunity to meet a Roman Soldier! www.stalbanscathedral.org/Event/ roman-festival-jan25

Tue 21 Jan–Sun 1 Jun

REPLAY: A Limitless Recycled Playground (SE1) Enter an endless world of play and invention in a limitless recycled playground for children to tap into their imaginations at the Southbank Centre. REPLAY is a space built entirely out of waste materials repurposed for fun by The Herd Theatre. www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ whats-on/replay-a-limitlessrecycled-playground

Fri 24-Sun 26 Jan

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (various)

Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers like you take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring. Head to the RSPB website to take part. www.rspb.org.uk/whatshappening/big-garden-birdwatch

Sat 25 Jan In The Dark (SE10)

This Burns Night, head to the Cutty Sark for a completely unique auditory experience in the dark. Described as ‘The best musical experience I’ve ever had’ and ‘The panacea that the world needs right now,’ in the dark is a 60-minute sound experience performed live, entirely in the dark - for both the audience and the musicians - in stunning and unexpected spaces. www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/cuttysark/In-The-Dark

Sat 25–Sun 26 Jan

January Steam Up (TW8)

Discover the fascinating world of water and steam at the London Museum of Water and Steam! Share in the history and energy of the Kew Bridge Waterworks and marvel at the amazing working pumping engines that helped make London the city it is today.

www.waterandsteam.org.uk/event/ january-steam-up/2025-01-25

Sun 26 Jan

Family Workshop: Opposites Attract (HA2)

Go to Headstone Manor Museum and make your own memory game using stamps and paint to print your own playing cards. Kindly note, you may get messy, so please don’t wear your Sunday best! Ages 5+ only. www.headstonemanor.org/events/ family-workshop-opposites-attract

FEBRUARY

Sat 1 Feb

Storytelling at Headstone Manor (HA2)

Head to Headstone Manor Museum and celebrate the National Storytelling Week with Pippa and Claudia, telling a set of engaging and interactive stories celebrating the wonders of the world around us. Music, props and humour will be used to make the magical stories come alive. 11am-12pm. www.headstonemanor.org/events/ storytelling-at-headstone-manor

Sat 1 Feb, Wed 19 Feb & Sat 8 Mar

Family Depot Tours (W3)

Exclusively for family groups, head along to the London Transport Museum Depot in Acton to uncover stories about the very special vehicles in the collection. From the tons of poo that accompanied the first Horse Buses, to why trains have bogies, this highlights tour of our bus

and train shed may surprise you! www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/ family-events/depot-family-tours

Sat 1 Feb–Sun 2 Mar Orchids (TW9)

Transport yourself from the cold British winter to Peru, with a vibrant floral celebration in the Princess of Wales glasshouse at Kew Gardens. Explore the beauty of Peru, with stunning horticultural displays of Peruvian plants and animals, and discover some iconic landmarks of Peru like the Nazca Lines and Machu Picchu. You might even spot some alpacas, flamingos or spectacled bears amongst the blooms! www.kew.org/kew-gardens/whatson/kew-orchid-festival

Wed 5 Feb

Families Roadshow (HA4)

Go along to Ruislip Manor Library to find out more about what’s on offer for families. Meet some of the partners in Hillingdon who work with families (including staff from the children’s centres, Families Information Service and the NHS) and find lots of information for parents/carers at different stands. There will also be free activities for under-5s. 10am-3pm. https://discover.hillingdon.gov. uk/families-roadshow?event id=7085-1786-9368-3804

Wed 5–Fri 7 Feb

Science Festival (AL1)

A seven metre diameter installation of the Moon will be in the Nave at St Albans Cathedral for the first half of the Spring term. The day also includes stepping in to the world of astronomy with a 35 minute planetarium show. www.stalbanscathedral.org/Event/ science-festival-2025

Sat 15–Thu 20 Feb

February Half Term: Behind the Poster (WC2E)

Head to London Transport Museum and celebrate iconic London Transport posters that have been a familiar sight in London for over 100 years. Enjoy arts and crafts, interactive workshops, and familyoriented tours and trails, offering

something for all ages. www.ltmuseum.co.uk/whats-on/ february-half-term-behind-poster

Sat 15–Sun 23 Feb

Stem Week (NW9)

Head to the RAF Museum this February Half Term for STEM Week! From an awe-inspiring mathsthemed Bubble Show to a super Laser Tag session, there will be so much to keep all entertained all day. Aeroplanes require engineers to be experts in all things Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths so where better to hone your skills than the RAF Museum! Ages 8+ www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/ whats-going-on/events/stemweek-2

Sat 15–Sun 23 Feb

Bill the Duck Trail (HA2)

Join the mascot Bill the Duck as he explores Headstone Manor Museum! Get creative with quacking art cart activities and see how many Bills you can spot across the site. www.headstonemanor.org/events/ bill-the-duck-trail

Sat 15–Sun 23 Feb

February Frolics (AL4)

The cutest event of the year at Willows Activity Farm! Go and watch the smallest members of the flock start to arrive at Willows, supervised by Tuck the Shepherd. There’ll be live lambing, newborn lamb bottle feeding demonstrations and a full day’s programme of fleecy fun for a baa-rilliant day out.

www.willowsactivityfarm.com/ events/february-frolics

Mon 17–Wed 19 Feb

Family Chocolate Making Workshop (SW3)

Calling all chocolate lovers! Join in a Chocolate Workshop at Chelsea Physic Garden. Learn how cacao beans grow, how it is made into chocolate, and design your own chocolate treats with a provided selection of herbs, flavourings and spices. This workshop is designed for children ages 5 and up.

www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/ event/family-chocolate-makingworkshop

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, Fri 24-Sun 26 Jan

Mon 17–Sun 23 Feb

Half Term Crafts at the Bunker (UB10)

Join in with Half-Term family fun at the Battle of Britain Bunker! Try your hand at seasonally themed Mess Hall crafts or follow the trails around the museum. Suitable for ages 5 to 14 years-old. https://discover.hillingdon.gov. uk/bunker-half-term?event id=5045-6684-1604-3838

Tue 18 & Thu 20 Feb

ZooLab: Meet Amazing Animals (SW3)

Soldiers have to adapt to work in the dark, but what about the experts from the natural world? Join ZooLab at the National Army Museum this February half-term as they take you on a journey of how different animals survive in the dark and learn how soldiers might take inspiration from them. www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on/zoolabmeet-amazing-animals-2

Tue 18 Feb

Out Of This World: Moons (SE10)

Explore the moons of our solar system in this family workshop at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Begin the morning of science and discovery in the planetarium as you explore the moons of our solar system. Then, join in an interactive workshop and put your knowledge to the test! Throughout you’ll have the chance to ask the astronomers all the questions you have about space and astronomy. Ages 7+. www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/royalobservatory/out-world-moons

Tue 18–Thu 20 Feb

Explore Reptiles (HP23)

Head to the Natural History Museum at Tring this half-term and delve into the fascinating world of reptiles. Get hands on with scaly specimens and discover what makes reptiles so turtle-y amazing! www.nhm.ac.uk/events/tringexplore-reptiles.html

Tue 18–Fri 21 Feb

Soldier Silhouettes (SW3)

Head to the National Army Museum for a silhouette workshop and learn how to create images of soldiers in the night. Taking inspiration from some amazing photographs from the collection, explore techniques using light, dark and glowing material. www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on/soldiersilhouettes

Tue 18–Sun 23 Feb

Imagine’s Giant Chalkboard (SE1)

The Giant Chalkboard returns to Imagine Festival at the Southbank Centre – pick up a piece of chalk and get creative! Kids are invited to scribble, doodle, draw and create to their heart’s content. For ages 3+. www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ whats-on/imagines-giantchalkboard

Wed 19 Feb

A Tour for the Curious (SW6)

Join this interactive family tour of Fulham Palace! Explore the house and historic rooms before continuing your adventure outdoors. Complete challenges, take in your surroundings and dress the part of a true Palace resident using the costume collection. Each stop on this tour features an interactive element encouraging visitors to experience the Palace like never before. www.fulhampalace.org/whats-on/ events/a-tour-for-the-curious-11

Wed 19 & Fri 21–Sat 22 Feb

Marching Orders: Duty in the Dark (SW3)

Join on a family-friendly gallery tour at the National Army Museum this February half-term, and explore the work the Army performs under the cover of night. What nickname do soldiers give their sleeping bags? What did soldiers in the trenches use to stop spies under the cover of darkness? What trick do soldiers use to fall asleep in two minutes? Find out on this interactive fun-filled family tour. www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on/ marching-orders-duty-dark

Thu 20 Feb

Intergenerational Family

Portraiture Workshop (HA5)

This interactive, intergenerational workshop at Harrow Arts Centre is a chance for grown-ups to rediscover the joy of drawing - and for children to relish in it! This is a chance for you to inspire and connect with each other in a memorable and meaningful way - to explore new things together and pick up some fun ideas/prompts to try at home! 10:30am - 12pm. Families with kids aged 7+. www.harrowarts.com/whatson/event/learn-harrowintergenerational-familyportraiture-workshop

Thu 20 Feb

Holiday to Space (SE10)

Join Ted and Plant as they explore the Solar System in search of the best place to take a holiday in a morning of fun including a planetarium show and interactive workshop at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Recommended for ages 3-6 years. www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/royalobservatory/holiday-space

Thu 20–Sun 23 Feb

Disney on Ice 100 Years of Wonder (HA9)

Celebrate with Mickey, Minnie, and their Disney friends while reliving the adventures of your favourite Disney stories at Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Wonder at OVO Arena Wembley. Set sail with Moana and Maui to save the island of Motunui, and see Mirabel and the stars of Encanto live on ice as they learn everyone has a special gift. www.wembleypark.com/whats-on/ ovo-arena-wembley-disney-on-ice20-feb-25

Fri 21 Feb

Family-Friendly Bunker Tour (UB10)

This half-term, the team at the Battle of Britain Bunker are running a family-friendly tour. This tour will be relaxed, shorter in length, and specifically geared towards younger minds. Suggested age range is 7-11 years-old, but younger visitors are welcome.

https://discover.hillingdon.gov. uk/family-friendly-tour?event id=8707-2560-3614-6726

Fri 21 Feb

Creative Fantasy Writing Workshop (HA5)

Head to Harrow Arts Centre this half term for a creative writing workshop. Dream up some of your own magical creatures, think about exciting locations for story settings and start writing your very own fantasy story! A workshop for families with kids aged 7+. 10:30am-12:30pm. https://harrowarts.com/whats-on/ event/learn-harrow-creativefantasy-writing-workshop

Sat 22 Feb

Stickfest! Family Nature Event (TW5)

The humble stick as you’ve never seen it before! Head to Cranford Park for stick games, stick craft and stick adventure. Suitable for families with children aged 3 years old and above. 11am-3pm. https://discover.hillingdon.gov. ukstickfest?eventid= 2366-6160-6185-9036

Sat 22 Feb

ZooNation’s Hip-Hop Half-Term (SE1)

Get your groove on with ZooNation dancers in workshops introducing families to a range of styles influenced by hip-hop culture. Join ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company for a fun-filled day for all the family, with workshops and performances from ZooNation Youth Company, plus a lunchtime DJ. At the Southbank Centre, suitable for ages 5-11 years. www.southbankcentre.co.uk/ whats-on/zoonations-hip-hophalf-term

Sun 23 Feb

Family Workshop: Soccer in a Box (HA2)

Make this classic table top toy from recycled materials and feel eco-fabulous at Headstone Manor Museum! The game is the play! The activity will involve cutting with sharp materials, sticking with hot glue and using pokey sticks so not suitable for under 5’s! Adults may need to support their children at some points during the activity. All materials provided. www.headstonemanor.org/events/ family-workshop-soccer-in-a-box

Sun 23 Feb

Cancer Research UK London Winter Run (WC2N)

The Cancer Research UK London Winter Run is a ten kilometre challenge through the heart of the capital. You will pass live music performances, encounter largerthan-life winter characters, and see world famous landmarks. It’s an unforgettable journey for runners of all abilities. www.londonwinterrun.co.uk

Sun 23 Feb

Hugglets Winter BearFest 2025 (W8)

Meet thousands of teddy bears and artists from all over the world in the heart of London at Kensington Town Hall. The Hugglets Winder BearFest is an annual event featuring up to 100 stands and thousands of teddy bears for sale, with prices ranging from a few pounds to over £1,000. Both antique and modern bears will be there, plus clothes and accessories as well as bear-making supplies.

https://hugglets.com

Sun 2 Mar

Mini Museum: Spring Special (HA2)

Step into the magical world of Cook’s herb garden, where alchemical delights are waiting for you at Headstone Manor Museum! Create potions, remedies, and enchanting perfumes worthy of the noble Lord and Lady of the Manor. Engage your senses on this aromatic journey as you discover, gather, and breathe in the fragrant essence of herbs and fruits, crafting your own unique scent. For under 5’s and their adults.

www.headstonemanor.org/events/ mini-museum-spring-special

Host and teach an international student

Hosting students on a language homestay offers an enriching experience for both student and host. Students are given an opportunity to learn English in an authentic environment, as they engage in real-life conversations, gain cultural insights and practise in natural contexts like at family meals and during social interactions and activities. Hosts can share language and culture in a meaningful way, foster cross-cultural understanding and create connections and friendships with people from around the globe. Hosting also provides a flexible way of earning income from the comfort of your home. As a freelancer, you decide when to work and whom to host, allowing for a work-life balance. Homestays vary in duration, generally ranging from one to three weeks and typically include private tuition sessions, fullboard accommodation and optional activities.

Influent offers full-immersion homestay language programmes abroad for children, teenagers, adults and professionals. If you are thinking of becoming a host teacher, visit www.influentme.com/become-a-host-family

What's On

Family Theatre & Shows

The Alban Arena, St Albans 01727 844488

https://everyonetheatres.com/ theatres/the-alban-arena

Wed 12–Sat 15 Feb

St Albans Scout and Guide Gang Show 2025

The St. Albans Gang Show is back again for the annual show. Go and see the enthusiasm, dedication and talent of young people from both Scouts and Girlguiding. Join in with a fun packed variety show full of uplifting songs, energetic dance routines and brilliant comedy sketches.

Sun 19 Jan

Town Mouse & Country Mouse

This enchanting story from Aesop’s much loved and heart-warming tale, is told with puppetry, music and magical design. Ages 3+

Sun 26 Jan

The Little Prince

The Little Prince is here to remind us that real truth is invisible to the eyes. Through mesmerising puppetry and beautiful original music the boy who fell to earth teaches his friend the Aviator about love, life and real happiness in this adaptation of one of the best-selling children’s books of all time. Ages 5+

Mon 3 Feb

Soft or Spiky?

This playful and interactive new show is full of shapes, sounds, textures and words exploring different ways to connect and understand each other. Inspired by heartfelt conversations with new parents, this humorous production explores the multiple ways we communicate, ensuring that no one is left out. This show has very limited language. This makes it accessible to a range of people, including d/ Deaf, hard of hearing and nonEnglish speakers. Ages 6-18 months

Sun 9 Feb

Crafty Fools: Adventures in Science

Best known as one half of magic duo Morgan & West, The Magical Mr West now presents his most amazing show yet, with the help (or possibly hindrance…) of a wisecracking cartoon crow. Expect skills, silliness and the studious application of logic as you embark upon Adventures in Science! Ages 6+

Wed 12–Thu 13 Feb

Room on the Broom

Jump on board the broom with the witch and her cat in Tall Stories’ funfilled adaptation of the best-selling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The witch and her cat are travelling on their broomstick when they pick up some hitch-hikers – a dog, a bird and a frog. But this broomstick’s not meant for five and – CRACK – it snaps in two… just as the hungry dragon appears! Ages 3+

Sat 15–Thu 20 Feb

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

This vibrant production faithfully

adapts four stories by author & illustrator Eric Carle: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, 10 Little Rubber Ducks, The Very Busy Spider and of course, the star of the show – The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show is a colourful celebration of Eric Carle’s adored classics and the perfect introduction to live theatre. Ages 1+

Thu 20 Feb

So Unfair!

We need YOU to take on some big challenges – and help us to save the day! How can we make things more fair? And what could go wrong if we don’t? Help Dan change the world, in an unexpectedly ridiculous adventure involving engineering challenges, bad dad jokes, and an extraordinary quantity of molten chocolate. Ages 7+

Until Sat 11 Jan

Pan

Wendy, John and Michael Darling are swept into Pan’s exhilarating journey, an unforgettable escapade teeming with magical, delightful chaos. Join us for an enchanting experience that promises to thrill and inspire!

Ages 5+.

Sat 15–Tue 17 Feb

The Little Mermaid

Packed with dazzling sets, colourful characters, astounding choreography, original music, and heaps of audience participation, the wonders of the sea burst onto the stage in a magical experience that will have audiences of all ages enchanted and enthralled from start to FIN-ish! Ages 4+

From performing mice to acrobatic fleas – this circus has stars you won’t see anywhere else! Ages 2+

The Radlett Centre, WD7 01923 859291 www.radlettcentre.co.uk

Tue 4–Thu 6 Feb

Room on the Broom

Jump on board the broom with the witch and her cat in Tall Stories’ funfilled adaptation of the best-selling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. Ages 3+

Sun 23 Feb

Teddy Bear’s Picnic

This show is full of songs, games, stories, fun and laughter and is suitable for under-5s, mums, dads, grandmas and grandads and teddy bears! Everyone is encouraged to bring their teddy bears along with them as there will be prizes for the biggest, smallest, oldest and friendliest. There is also lots of audience participation during the show with lots of prizes and giveaways. Ages 0-5

The OVO Arena London, HA9 0844 815 0815 www.ovoarena.co.uk

Thu 20–Sun 23 Feb

Disney On Ice

Celebrate with Mickey, Minnie, and their Disney friends while reliving the adventures of your favourite Disney stories as Disney On Ice presents 100 Years of Wonder!

Watersmeet, WD3 01923 711 063 www.watersmeet.co.uk

Tue 18 Feb

Puppet Spectacular Glow Show

Join us for an unforgettable one-hour UV puppet experience that promises to captivate audiences of all ages!

Sat 1 Feb

The Littlest Yak

This musical adaptation of the award-winning children’s book will delight audiences young and old with beautiful puppets, catchy tunes and an uplifting tale of selfacceptance for all the family. Gertie is great at being The Littlest Yak, only Gertie doesn’t want to be the littlest. She’s in a rush to grow up and be just like The Big Yaks. But what if there are some things that only a Gertie can do? Ages 3+

Sat 1–Sun 2 Feb

Whipped Up

Whipped Up follows Dottie, a diner server on their first day on the job – where the baby is the customer, and caregivers are along for the ride. Stimulating for tiny audience members with sensory play served up throughout the show and hilarious for parents/adults watching their loved ones take on roles in an unfolding comedy.

Sun 9 Feb

Chinese New Year Culture Show

Join us for an evening of stunning performances, including traditional dances in colourful costumes, incredible face changing, dramatic martial art, classical music and Chinese stylistic songs, to celebrate Chinese Culture and Year of the Snake.

Thu 13–Sat 15 Feb

Orpheus in the Underworld

Expect a delightful evening of satirical humour that critiques society while exploring themes of love, infidelity, and social pressure. The show is brought to life with lively melodies and features the iconic ‘Can-can’. Don’t miss this fresh, modern twist on a timeless story!

Sat 22 Feb

Ministry of Science Live

Until Sun 26 Jan

The Singing Mermaid

Join us on a fun, warm-hearted musical adventure with this joyful and charming family favourite with beautiful puppetry and performance. The singing mermaid is tempted away from all of her peaceful home by a travelling circus, but the poor mermaid was tricked! Instead of the swimming pool she was promised, she is kept in a small tank by the wicked circus master Sam Sly and she soon longs to return to the freedom of the sea. Ages 3+

Sat 1 Feb–Sun 27 Apr

A Squash and a Squeeze

Join us for this heartwarming and hilarious adventure, full of beautiful puppets and enchanting songs.

Ages 3+

Sat 15 Feb–Sat 19 Apr

Little Angel Theatre’s Miniature Travelling Circus

Roll up! Roll up! Take your seats for the smallest circus in town. Join Little Angel’s Miniature Travelling Circus and be delighted by beautiful puppets and nostalgic magic tricks.

Step into a world of magic and wonder as a vibrant cast of glowing, colourful characters come to life under the blacklight. This enchanting performance is packed with humour, music and breathtaking glow-in-thedark visuals, sure to mesmerize and delight both children and adults.

Watford Palace Theatre, WD17 01923 225 671 www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk

Sat 25 Jan

Comedy Club 4 Kids

We have the best comedians from the UK and world circuit doing what they do best… but without the rude bits! It’s just like a normal comedy club, but it’s on in the day and kids are allowed in! Ages 6+

Wed 29 Jan

Bring Your Own Baby Comedy

Bring Your Own Baby Comedy is the award-winning lunchtime comedy show for parents… and you can bring your baby! These shows feature the funniest comedians form TV and the circuit telling their grown up jokes in a totally baby-friendly environment. Ages 0-15 months

Join our presenters as they dive deep into the world of science and look at how science shapes the modern world we live in with a few loud bangs along the way! They’ll take a look at the scientists, engineers and inventors who have shaped the modern world that we live in whilst proving that each and everyone of you have the ability to change our world for the better! Ages 6+

Winston Churchill Theatre, HA4 01895 250615 www.hillingdontheatres.uk

Thu 16 Jan

Sleeping Beauty Pantomime

This year, let Argosy rock you with Sleeping Beauty! Will Billy, the King and Queen help find Princess Aurora her one true love before she falls under the wicked spell of Carabosse?

Tue 11 Feb

Annie The Musical Annie is a brave orphan girl who dreams of finding her parents and escaping the clutches of her evil orphanage mistress. The show is full of well-known songs, comedy, and a heartwarming plot. All ages.

Don’t forget to say you saw these events listed in Families magazine!

Teaching your child safe body boundaries

One of the biggest challenges parents face is how to both define and communicate body boundaries to their young children.

Naturally we want our children to be in the safest of hands, always. We interview and shortlist the individuals we trust enough to provide primary care when we are not available.

The next step is a boundary discussion with our children: ‘if a person is caring for you, they will care for you appropriately, help you wipe if necessary, take care to make sure you are comfortable and report any injuries or issues to me immediately’.

We have all heard horror stories of children being mistreated by carers. However, asking our children to establish or maintain their own boundaries when they are quite young (under age 6) is both unreasonable and potentially harmful.

If a child fell and injured their penis in the playground but have been told that ‘no one but mummy can check their privates,’ they may fail to tell their primary carer and delay necessary treatment. For children of this age, their bodies are neutral: to them, their penis is not much different from their thumb. If they hurt their thumb, they would tell a grown-up and within limits, it should be the same for their private parts.

The protection that parents can offer for young children comes from careful due diligence when choosing care providers and from normalising discussions about bodies and the ways they are treated daily.

Making conversation about their body should be as normal as

Consent

With small children it can be helpful to both explain the meaning of consent and give them a statement to use. For example, ‘it’s my body and I get to pick.’

The phrase is effective because what you will allow to be done with and to your body is the definition of consent. Saying it explicitly as ‘it’s my body and I get to pick’ consistently reinforces and helps the child internalise that consent means they get to say yes or no

Importantly, ‘it’s my body and I get to pick’ only applies in situations that are NOT health and safety related.

A child does not get to pick if they wear a seat belt. They do not get to pick if they are clean. They do not get to pick whether they will be getting a broken arm set with a cast.

Explain to your child that sometimes a safe adult has to step in and make sure that they are being cared for in the way that helps them grow and stay healthy.

reporting what they had for lunch. ‘Did you have a good day at daycare? Great! What was for snack? That’s wonderful! Did you get to use the big kid potties today or did you stay in the classroom? Ooooh, big kid potty, well done! Did anyone have to help you?’

As children get older, they can learn more about developing and maintaining their own boundaries. Around age 6 children have a solid grasp of the concept of privacy and understand that people have different thoughts, feelings and beliefs from theirs. They can understand that their body is for them to understand and explore; not for anyone else.

Rachel is a qualified mental health practitioner who has provided mental health skills training for children. Her debut book The Birds, the Bees, and the Elephant in the RoomTalking to Your Kids About Sex & Other Sensitive Topics (Union Square & Co) is now available from www.bookshop.org

Boundary phrases

We’ve all heard that ‘no means no’ and most people would agree with that. However, verbal and non-verbal communications contain almost countless variations of inflection, word choice, body language, proximity and other factors that can change the meaning of what is intended. In some parts of the world, ‘No, yeah’ means something different from ‘Yeah, no.’ A sarcastic ‘no’ might actually mean ‘yes.’

This is why boundary phrases specifically around physical touch can be incredibly helpful for young children. For example, a simple: ‘I don’t want to play that game.’ Although it should be a given to stop and check in when someone says ‘no’ or ‘stop,’ ‘I don’t want to play that game’ puts an instantaneous, hard stop to any activity, as it clearly means: ‘I, as a person, am not willing to be touched any more.’

This type of phrase models boundary setting. It should also prompt anyone involved to touch base and find out what’s going on, encouraging communication such as ‘Okay! is there a reason you don’t want to play this game anymore? Is there something you want to change?’

Becoming a sober mother

At 3am I opened my eyes and felt the all too familiar jolt of anxiety flooding my chest. I’d done it again. Five days of sobriety had been obliterated by a bottle of red wine.

Why do I do this to myself? I was feeling so much better. Why didn’t I just stick to the plan? Why is this SO hard!

Despite my solemn commitment to get sober, yet again I’d (quite literally) run to my local shop to buy a bottle of wine. I was hopelessly addicted.

Years of social drinking and ‘mummy wine o’clock’ endorsements had convinced me that I was just like all the other mums. How could I possibly have a problem if everyone else was doing the same thing? I didn’t drink in the mornings, was successful in my job and managed to spin multiple plates. I couldn’t be an alcoholic.

It was the sudden and totally unexpected death of my mum and an acrimonious divorce that fully catapulted me to a two-bottlesa-night wine habit and eventually, to concede that I did actually have an issue with booze. It became horribly palpable. Severe chest pain and blind panic in the early hours. Raging daily hangovers. Putting my boys to bed early so I could drink myself into a nightly coma. Constant fear for my declining health.

Every single morning, I would set the intention to not drink that evening. But addiction is a sneaky beast and in the aftermath of the dreaded school run, Pinot was the obvious answer to all of my problems.

First steps to getting sober

Tell everyone who matters to you that you’re going to quit. It won’t be easy but when you’re vocal about your issues with alcohol it gives you accountability and crucially, support from those who care about you most.

Read up on addiction for the sobering facts. When I first quit, I was absolutely staggered at how little I knew about alcohol’s effects on the brain and the body. Unravelling the many widely-held false beliefs about alcohol allows you to consider the truth about what it is doing to your body and your life.

Focus on the basics. It takes three months for the body to properly heal and there are a surprising number of symptoms to navigate. Extreme tiredness, desperate sugar cravings, feeling flat and bored due to lack of dopamine production, to name a few. As long as you stay sober, you’re winning. So rest, eat as much as you like and keep on top of the bare minimum. When your energy pops back in month four, you’ll be good to go.

Looking over to my nightstand, my journal was open to a drunken revelation: ‘This does not feel good.’ I didn’t remember writing it but something hit home in that moment. Alcohol had finally become pointless. That was the moment the decision to quit finally stuck.

Three years on and now happily sober, I’m living proof that life truly can begin again at age 40. I’ve started my own sober coaching business, written a book sharing my mistakes and lessons learned and I’m focused on finding joy in as many ways as possible; without alcohol.

I certainly couldn’t have imagined it would be so fulfilling; not just surviving, but actually living with purpose and fulfilment. They say that addiction is giving up everything for one thing and sobriety is giving up one thing to gain everything. I couldn’t agree more.

Sober Mama, Rachael Shephard’s book, is available from www.bookshop.org

How to cope with drinking triggers

Stick to daytime socialising until you’re beyond the threemonth mark. Going out for dinner (sans wine) can be extremely difficult at first. Opt for lunch out instead. This way you can maintain your social life instead of hiding indoors just to avert the risk.

If you have to go to an event involving alcohol eg a wedding, drive. The majority of the internal conflict with triggers is wrestling over the decision of whether or not to drink. By removing the option entirely, there is no choice to make, which makes life a whole lot easier. It also saves you from the inevitable questions about why you’re not drinking.

Reduce stress anyway you can. Triggers often follow tense events like work or family dramas. Stress leads to triggers and triggers lead to cravings. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and burn off cortisol. Meditation can help you to find peace in a moment. Whatever floats your boat, reducing the drama in your life is the key to maintaining early sobriety.

Three simple rules for a peaceful household

Ask your children what the rules are in your home and you may get a variety of strange responses: ‘Cleaning my room?’ or ‘Is it not calling Granny ‘skibidi bruv’ or even ‘There ARE rules?’ In other words, the rules in your head are likely to be very different from the ones in theirs.

Teaching your household’s rules once and never referring to them again by name is common. However, just because you’ve taught these rules doesn’t mean your child has learned them (ask any teacher).

With a lack of clarity around the boundaries, many children become focused on trying not to upset the adults. This encourages the wrong behaviours - sneakiness, secretiveness and trying to hide things. Nothing positive is learned here. It is difficult to have a trusting relationship if one side can’t be open.

Some homes have rules for every situation. For screens, for travelling on the bus, for where the toothpaste lives, for bedtime - then three new rules in the morning. There are so many rules that nobody can keep track of them. They are quickly forgotten and children don’t have the consistency they need.

Your child needs rules to feel safe. You need rules to stay sane. But you only need three and they must be simple. Three rules that can be used in a thousand different situations. Three pegs that you can constantly and consistently use to hang behaviour on; positive and negative.

Every time you talk to your child about their behaviour, refer to one of your rules; each time you celebrate fantastic behaviour, refer back to one of the rules.

I use Ready, Respectful, Safe. A lot of schools do the same. You might prefer Kind, Caring and Cooperative. The words that you choose are not magic; you just need single word rules that can easily be integrated into every conversation about behaviour.

Don’t be tempted to negotiate rules with your child: you are the adult so you get to decide the rules. A lengthy negotiation won’t give you better rules. It might just overcomplicate what needs to be perfectly simple.

Teaching the rules

Three rules can cover everything. There isn’t a behaviour that I have come across (and I have come across a few) that doesn’t fit into Ready, Respectful and Safe. Talk to your child about different situations where they will need to think about the rules.

Prepare them for activities by talking about the rules first; it can save a lot of time later on. ‘We are going to walk through this crowd. What do we need to think about using our Safe rule?

Now set about your work. Make sure your child knows what Safe means when crossing the road and what it means when they are online. Show them what Ready looks like in the morning before school and at night before bed. Teach them that Respect matters as much when talking to granny as it does to people you have only just met.

Celebrate their great moments with equal emphasis on the rules: ‘Love how safely you were carrying that,’ ‘Thank you for being ready. It makes everything so much easier’ and ‘I’ve noticed how respectful you have been talking to granny today. Also that you thanked her for the money.’

Three rules are a solid foundation on which to build a new approach to behaviour in your home. One that is consistently safe, with boundaries that are central to guiding your child and your response to their behaviour. With real clarity around expectations, the rules in their heads will be the same as in yours. Soon you won’t need to refer to the individual rules and it will simply be: ‘This is how we do it here.’ Then everything changes.

A good sign?

You might want to cover your fridge in groovy posters with the new rules, paint them as a bedroom wall mural or even tattoo them on yourself. Any of these would be most entertaining but won’t do anything to help your child know and understand them.

Instead of redecorating, simply make sure that the rules fall from the mouth of every adult, every time. When your child says to you: ‘ALL RIGHT, enough, I know the rules!!’ that is a good sign.

Paul Dix is a specialist in children’s behaviour and the author of When the Parents Change, Everything Changes: Seismic Shifts in Children’s Behaviour, available from www.bookshop. org

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