Families London SE July-August 2017 issue 185

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ESTABLISHED 1996

EE

ISSUE NO. 185

FR

SUMMER 2017

®

southeast london familiesSE.co.uk

online edition g

with workin website links

HERE COMES SUMMER Workshops, sports camps and holiday childcare WIN West End theatre tickets WHAT’S ON Where to go, what to see, what do to this summer

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Y R E V I L E D S ’ I K KI SERVICE LIVE ON STAGE

B IS FOR... (no need to look away, it’s not the word that rhymes with exit I think we’ve all had more than enough of that thank you very much).

Let’s try Breath of fresh air, in celebration of the summer months. From Brockwell Park in July to Blackheath in September, our favourite corner of London is planning festivals and family events to put a much-needed dance in our heels and a smile on our faces.

Then there are Bears - ah! We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is coming to a West End stage, and if you hunt for the bear paws in this magazine, you could be there with a family ticket, on us!

And what about Books - what better distraction could we ask for? The Summer Reading Challenge is back; number 1 author Julia Donaldson tells us what inspires her to write; and as ever, Justine has a whole page of recommendations to share with your little ones. All packed into this issue for you to enjoy - Bring on summer!

The Times

Robina Cowan, editor

Time Out

IN THIS ISSUE

ays. r the summer holid fo ng ti ou ily m fa t The perfec £12.

Tickets from just

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Local News and Views Win West End theatre tickets; children’s music and dance classes; the Summer Reading Challenge; and what’s new

6-9

Holiday Workshops Making a song and dance - a whopping four pages of summer activities for musical, sporty, theatrical and crafty children

10-11 Education News

Starts 10 August - 4 weeks only southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Local schools’ news, and summer learning - how to keep your child’s brain active over the holidays

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The Big Interview The outrageously talented, prize-winning author Julia Donaldson talks about writing best-selling books

MY

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The Book Page Half blog, half book review - Justine is ready for summer with a most pleasing pile of new publications

UP TO

150

Simply Superb

STALLS & DESIGNER SHOPS!

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What’s On Our pick of the best events, shows and workshops to see you through a summer of fun

Families London South East

@ FamiliesSE

Front cover: Cutty Sark ® National Maritime Museum,

Greenwich. Perfect for a family day out! www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark Next issue 1 September, deadline 11 August

Families South East PO Box 11591, London SE26 6WB 020 8699 7240, editor@familiesse.co.uk

www.familiesse.co.uk

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families south east - july / august 2017

Families South East is part of Families Magazines Ltd a franchise company.

All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families® is a registered trademark of Families Magazines Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families South East are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of the publisher. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

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LocalNews email your news to editor@familiesse.co.uk

WIN West End tickets

WIN! To celebrate the London production of We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Families magazine has one family ticket (admits 4) to be won.

We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is coming live to Cadogan Hall from 3 August to 3 September and you could be there!

Join the intrepid family of adventurers and their musical dog on their quest to find a bear; as they wade through the gigantic swishy swashy grass, the splishy splashy river and the thick oozy, squelchy mud! Expect catchy songs, interactive scenes and plenty of hands-on adventure in this live adaptation of Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury’s classic tale. Ages 3+, tickets from £14.50. Book early for this perfect family treat, live on stage in the West End, on 020 7730 4500 or www.bearhuntlive.com.

A number of bear prints have landed throughout this magazine (here's one to get you started). For your chance to win the family ticket, count them up, then email how many you found together with your name and the subject heading ‘BEAR HUNT FAMILIES SE COMPETITION’ to info@kennywax.com before 23 July 2017.

T&Cs. Prize is for one family ticket (admits 4, min 1 adult) to see the London production of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt at Cadogan Hall from 4 August - 3 September. The winner will be selected from a random prize draw of all entries with the correct answer. Tickets are subject to availability, non-transferable and hold no cash value. Answers will not be accepted after the closing date of 23 July 2017 and all decisions will be final.

NEWS FOR PARENTS

Feather Moon Kitchen Permanent pop-up restaurant Platform 1 has a newly-opened Feather Moon Kitchen, which offers a ‘consciously curated children’s menu’.

Owner Chloe Gounder-Forbes has created a menu that focuses on healthy and organic food, encouraging young palates to explore new flavours, and older children to eat more vegetables. The menu is seasonal and consists primarily of vegetable focused plates and fresh juices, served in a brunch style, with delicious handmade bread. All the food is prepared onsite and sourced organically and locally, where possible.

The Kitchen is open 12noon to 5pm Tuesdays to Fridays at Platform 1, 71 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich SE22; 020 3609 2050. Find Feather Moon Kitchen on Facebook or for adult menus and more information, see www.platform1.london.

First aid for nannies Established since 1998, Little Masters and Misses was the first nanny agency to run day-long Paediatric First Aid courses, and has since trained hundreds of nannies across southeast London.

The First Aid Team’s Ofsted-approved course is taught to groups of 12 nannies, priced £75 including a manual to take home. Run every six weeks, the next course is on 29 July in Beckenham, and participants will be entered into a raffle where one lucky winner will get a £20 cash refund.

This summer Little Masters and Misses is launching a new, free Find a Job website service, where parents can find checked and interviewed nannies and babysitters, and childcarers can find jobs. Owner Debbie is passionate about children’s happiness, and their safety. She says: “Advert-only websites are just a 21st century sweet shop notice board - ideal to buy second hand clothes or toys but have been proven unsafe when finding a childcarer. For a devious person it is easy to fake a great unchecked CV, delete a past job or mislead about their experience.”

To book a first aid course or discuss childcare requirements, call Debbie at the agency’s Beckenham High Street office on 020 8650 3232, or register online at www.littlemastersandmisses.com.

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Support for disabled children KIDS is a national charity supporting disabled children, young people and their families. Established in 1970, the charity works with over 11,000 disabled children and young people across England each year providing over 120 services.

Southwark Council has been working with KIDS to provide a Portage Home Learning service for babies and young children with a disability or developmental delays, along with weekly developmental play services for under two year-olds.

Portage Home Learning offers weekly visits from practitioners who work with parents to plan fun activities which will take their child on to the next step of their development, while the developmental play sessions are held in groups where parents and children can meet each other and work together.

Children can be referred to the service by parents, carers or professionals.

To find out more, call 020 7635 9080, email southwark@kids.org.uk or visit www.kids.org.uk.

Exceptional dance classes for children and adults

Ballet Tap Modern Street Jazz National Contemporary

130 Herne Hill, SE24 9QL 020 7978 8624 info@southlondondancestudios.co.uk

www.southlondondancestudios.co.uk

july / august 2017 - families south east

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France with the Family

Wicked Wednesdays in Greenwich Market

South London Dance Studios

Pop down to Greenwich Market on any Wednesday throughout the summer holidays for some fun workshops.

Children can stretch their minds and muscles at yoga workshops or burn off bags of energy at the hoola hoop sessions. Budding artists can get crafty the traditional way with the market’s designer makers and enjoy the satisfaction of making something themselves.

Step aboard the Pink Sewing Bus and make something beautiful with Miss Libby Rose. There’s face painting and balloon fun too and lots of giant games to play, such as skittles and board games. For details, see www.greenwichmarketlondon.com.

South London Dance Studios in Herne Hill have had an extremely busy year including their fantastic premiere of ‘Coraline’ the ballet, and two large examination sessions.

The school provides constructive and fun weekday and Saturday dance classes for children from eighteen months, starting with their popular ‘Melody Movement’ classes and then moving on to ISTD ballet, tap, modern, national and street/ commercial classes. Due to children progressing through to higher levels, there will be some spaces opening up for new students in September.

South London Dance Studios also offer ballet, tap and modern/ jazz classes for adults at different levels and they are pleased to announce that their new beginners’ ballet and tap classes will be starting soon!

Go to www.southlondondancestudios.co.uk for more class information or to complete an enquiry form.

Justine’s family friendly house in rural Normandy is available to rent.

Sleeps 6+, fully equipped, beautiful location

We have a winner!

Contact Justine@Justinecrow.co.uk thenormandienest.wordpress.com

Adult & Children’s Entertainer Magic, Plate Spinning Balloon Modelling Interactive Games, Karaoke, Mini Disco

Tel: 020 8480 8176 www.amigosmagic.co.uk

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families south east - july / august 2017

A local eight year-old has been named a regional winner in the National Young Writers’ Award.

Zaine Pennant from All Saints’ School in Blackheath fought off tough competition from children all over the region with his story, for which children were tasked with writing a 500 word story set in 3017.

Organised by tuition provider Explore Learning, this year’s NTWA judge was TV presenter and adventurer, Steve Backshall, who commented: “The quality of the stories was beyond belief! If I didn’t know this was a competition for young writers, I’d believe I was reading the scribblings of Isaac Asimov or Philip K Dick.”

Now in its eighth year, the competition is organised by tuition provider Explore Learning. Over 10,000 children from all over the UK entered in an effort to win a trip to Disneyland Paris and £500 worth of books for their school, and throughout the competition, Explore Learning ran a number of creative writing workshops in libraries and schools up and down the country.

Explore Learning provides English and maths tuition to children aged four to 14, with 126 centres located across the country, including six in southeast London all of which offer FREE trial sessions. Book yours by calling 030 3003 4006, or online at www.explorelearning.co.uk

Gems Performing Arts Gems Performing Arts has now been running for five incredible years and to celebrate the achievement, their brilliant 3-14 year-olds will be putting on a special performance at the Michael Croft Theatre in Dulwich on Saturday 22 July.

The Saturday Theatre School and Sapphire Youth Dance Company will be presenting works based on stories by Roald Dahl; plus a brand new musical “M.A.D” written by the Monday Musical Theatre Company. The company told us: “We are so proud of the children and would like to thank all the local families and schools for supporting us over the years.”

For class information and holiday workshops, go to www.gemsperformingarts.com or call 07946 176452.

The Summer Reading Challenge 2017 The annual Summer Reading Challenge to children is simple. During the holidays they are encouraged to read six or more books of their choice - fact books, joke books, picture books or audio books - just as long as they are borrowed from the library. There are collectable incentives and rewards, plus a certificate for every child who completes the Challenge, which is run by independent charity The Reading Agency. Children can sign up at their local library from the end of June onwards and all materials are absolutely free.

This year’s theme is Animal Agents, introducing young readers to a variety of clever creatures, specially trained to use their skills and natural instincts to unravel mysteries. Animal Agents is illustrated by Tony Ross, illustrator of the hugely popular Horrid Henry series. He is published all over the world; his awards and nominations include the Roald Dahl Funny Prize, Kate Greenaway Medal, and the Smarties Prize.

The Summer Reading Challenge is open to all primary school children and is designed for all reading abilities. Schools work with local libraries and give out information to encourage children to take part, and most libraries run Summer Reading Challenge linked early years activity for pre-schoolers. Why not head to your local library during the summer holidays and enrol. It’s completely free and any child can take part. Read more at www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk.

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Babysitting and Flexible Childcare

SLYT - new classes South London Youth Theatre students are busy practising for their annual summer productions. The Dulwich-based theatre school offers weekly classes in Musical Theatre and Acting for children aged 7 - 19 years. The classes lead to three major productions a year at professional theatres in London, giving the students the opportunity to display the talents that they have developed throughout the year.

Following the success of last year’s INFANT Summer Workshop, SLYT is now very excited to be

running a weekly infant class for children in Reception to Year 2. 80% of the students that attend weekly classes with SLYT have also signed up to the Summer Workshops where they will present the live musical adaptation of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, over three separate courses for three age groups, meaning that the students really benefit from training tailored to their age and ability level!

For more info on the SLYT Summer courses, visit the website www.slyt.co.uk or call 0208 850 0516.

Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes in Blackheath - special offer Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes are launching new term time classes in Blackheath this September. The fun-packed music lessons teach not only the electronic keyboard to first grade, but also how to read and write music, making it a must for any enthusiastic young musician aged between 4-9 years.

There will be free trial classes running from 10am on 23 September at John Ball School.

To book a slot or find out more, go to www.funkymonkey.info or call 01732 457 100.

READER OFFER: Quote ‘Families SE’ when booking your free trial for 10% off your first term’s fees.

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W HAT’S NEW

Rice and easy When you’re back from a great day out and the children are roaringly hungry, a quick, healthy rice meal could be just the job.

Tilda Kids contributes to their ‘5 a day’ and offers a healthier - and cheaper - alternative to takeaways. Served on their own or as an accompaniment to their favourite meat, fish or vegetable dishes, Tilda Kids offers four child-friendly rice and vegetable meals. All recipes are gluten-free, vegetarian, and free from artificial colours and preservatives; and useful for fussy eaters as each pouch contains a blend of hidden vegetable puree as well as small pieces to sneakily boost your little one’s vegetable intake.

Choose from familiar classic flavour varieties: Cheese & Tomato, Sunshine Vegetable, Vegetables & Wholegrain and Mild Curry. 40 seconds in the microwave or a few minutes in a pan and you’re done. Tilda Kids is ideal for children who are weaned and happily eating solid foods, rrp £1.15 for a 125g pack in the toddler food aisle. For expert healthy eating advice, cook-along video recipes, and everything you could want to know about Tilda’s ethical sourcing of their basmati rice, go to www.tilda.com/kids.

classes held across SE London for more information and to book call Anne-Marie : 07973 982790 email: info@diddidance.com

SUMMER DIVING NOW BOOKING t XFFLT PG DPVSTFT t -FBSO UP EJWF XJUI UIF CFTU t +VNQ JO UIF CVCCMF TQJO JO UIF IBSOFTT t 'VO TUSVDUVSFE QSPGFTTJPOBM UVJUJPO t #BEHFT BOE DFSUJmDBUFT t &OHMBOE T UPQ KVOJPS EJWJOH DMVC t XPSME DIBNQJPO DPBDIFT Organised by World Champion Chris Snode Opportunity to be talent spotted by international coaches

Drive safely More than eight in 10 drivers are putting children’s safety at risk by failing to correctly fit child car seats, according to a new study

by What Car? Up to the age of 12 years old, when it is assumed that children will be able to use car seatbelts, the driver is responsible for ensuring that an appropriate child restraint is fitted and correctly used.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? editor, stated: “Unless the child car seats have ISOFIX attachments, there is confusion over how to correctly fit them and ensure your child’s safety. At best, drivers could land themselves with a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice, but at worst they are significantly increasing the risk of death or serious injury to their children.”

Child Seat Safety co-director, Julie Dagnall, added: “If you buy from a retailer with expert fitting knowledge, you’re paying for a service rather than just a seat. They will be happy for you to go back to them and get free advice as your child grows.”

Recommended retailers include Halfords (pictured), John Lewis, Mamas and Papas, Mothercare, Toys R Us and many independent retailers. For more advice and information, go to www.childseatsafety.co.uk.

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Dates 2017 Week 1 - 24th - 27th July (5 days) Week 2 - 31st July - 4th Aug (5 days) Week 3 - 8th - 11th Aug (4 days) Week 4 - 14th - 18th Aug (5 days) Week 5 - 21st - 25th Aug (5 days) Week 6 - 29th Aug - 1st Sept (4 days) Call for details

BOOK ONLINE or visit us at: Crystal Palace National Sports Centre London SE19 2BB

www.crystalpalacediving.co.uk Tel: 07776 284 651 july / august 2017 - families south east

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Holiday Workshops

Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes

South London Youth Theatre

SLYT MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOPS FUNKY MONKEY KEYBOARD WORKSHOPS 24 July - 4 August in HERNE HILL, BLACKHEATH and STREATHAM, 01732 457 100, www.funkymonkey.info Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes’ one and five day workshops for 4-8 year-old beginners have a different theme depending on the season and are a perfect opportunity to try out the keyboard and make music the fun way. Children learn in small groups how to write and play notes C-G and try some famous tunes using electronic keyboards.

It’s a wonderful, relaxed introduction to practical and theoretical music, and with the use of keyboard games, quizzes and art activities all based around music, you’ll be amazed how much they can learn in a short space of time. See website for full details.

INTENSIVE TOUCH TYPING School holidays and termtime classes in SYDENHAM, 020 7515 1707, www.yes-tuitionandtraining.co.uk Learn a new skill with a touch typing courses run by YES. Children find them fun, and they work - most children are tapping away proficiently in just ten hours. Sessions can be booked to fit around other holiday commitments so children can progress at their own pace.

The Strings Club

THE STRINGS CLUB’S AWARD-WINNING HOLIDAY CAMPS 17 July - 1 September in BROCKLEY, 0121 296 9204, www.thestringsclub.org/brockley The Strings Club’s Ofsted-registered Holiday Camps are perfect for both those who have never played an instrument before and those budding strings players!

Each day is wonderfully different and includes “Learn Together, Play Together” sessions in the morning where your child can learn to play the guitar, violin or ukulele. Each afternoon offers an interactive workshops, ranging from musical theatre to body percussion to beat boxing. Parents and friends are invited to a grand Strings Club concert on Friday afternoon where they can see what fun the children have had as well as how much they have learnt in such a short amount of time. Ages 4-11, bookable by half day, full day or full week, with wrap-around care available from 8.30am-5.45pm, childcare vouchers accepted plus 10% discount for siblings.

READER OFFER: Quote ‘FAMILIESSE2017’ for up to 10% off when you book.

Various dates in EAST DULWICH, 020 8850 0516, www.slyt.co.uk Now in its seventh year, South London Youth Theatre attracts students with a passion for theatre and acting, and many students have gone onto secure places at top London drama schools following SLYT summer courses and weekly classes.

The summer workshops take place in East Dulwich and culminate in a production for friends and family.

Early booking is advised to ensure places and roles for each child. Sibling discounts available.

Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, 7-19 August.

A cast of 40 teenagers will join together on a 10 day musical theatre course, working towards the performance of a Broadway musical at JAGS’ Prissian Theatre with full costumes, lighting, scenery, and a live orchestra. Ages 13-19, 10am 6pm daily, £325 per student for the 10-day course.

Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, 21 - 26 August. SLYT’s Junior workshop will cover all aspects of performance at this action-packed experience, led by professionals from the West End and designed to expose talented children to the thrill of live theatre. The course culminates in a performance at the Prissian Theatre in front of 200 guests of family and friends, with fabulous lighting, costumes and scenery that will give any budding thespian a taste of professional theatre. Ages 8-12, 9.30am - 4.30pm daily, £245 per child for the 6-day course.

SUMMER SCHOOLS AGES 3 TO 6

AGES 7 TO 16

TO BOOK YOUR CHILD’S SUMMER SCHOOL & FOR FULL INFORMATION INC. PRICES PLEASE CONTACTS US

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families south east - july / august 2017

www.freedomacademy.co.uk info@freedomacademy.co.uk w w w. f a m i l i e s s e . c o . u k

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Freedom Acadamy Stagecoach - Dulwich

Perform

PERFORM SUMMER COURSES

South London Youth Theatre Disney’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, 14 - 18 August. And let’s not forget the youngest cast members: children in years Reception to Year 3 can discover acting, singing and dancing, led by specialist teachers with a wealth of experience in working with this age group. An informal performance at the end will enable friends and family to enjoy what the children have learned.

Ages 5-8, 9.30am - noon daily, £125 per child for the 5-day course.

STAGECOACH DULWICH: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST 31 July - 4 August in DULWICH, 020 8949 4116, www.stagecoach.co.uk/dulwich Join Stagecoach’s talented team on the Monday and set about creating a wonderful show in just five days.

Costume, lights and sound are all provided and the players will perform for friends and family in the fabulous Michael Croft Theatre at Alleyn’s School, Dulwich at the end. Ages 8-18, £185 per child, sibling discount available

24 July - 11 August, John Ball Primary School, BLACKHEATH SE3 0TP, 020 7255 9120, www.perform.org.uk/holidays Perform courses are packed with dance, drama, singing and fun and are run by highly skilled trained actors. Prices start from £175.

BEAUTY & THE BEAST, 24 - 28 July. This summer, your child could be acting out the classic Beauty & the Beast fairytale on a five day course. Venturing into the Spooky Wood and exploring the grand Palace Of Dreams, they’ll learn songs, rehearse dances and put together scenes that tell the story of how Beauty met the Beast. Ages 4-7, 10am-3pm each day.

ZAK & ZARA’S CYBERSPACE ADVENTURE, 7-11 August. Dance, sing and join the fun this summer. In Perform’s five day course, the children will rehearse and perform a specially written funky show exploring online safety. Ages 7-12, 10am-3pm each day.

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FREEDOM ACADEMY SUMMER WORKSHOPS 14-25 August in SYDENHAM, 07530 061 658, www.freedomacademy.co.uk Four brand new summer workshops for 2017.

WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, 14-18 August. Become an explorer and go on an exciting adventure to track down a bear, with lots of songs, dances and a mask making session along the way.

Ages 3-6, 9am-12noon or 1-4pm each day.

ROOM ON THE BROOM, 21-25 August. Zoom away with the witch and her friends on a magical all singing, all dancing journey. The week will be filled with fun, games and themed arts and crafts sessions. Ages 3-6, 9am-12noon or 1-4pm each day.

POP ACADEMY, 14-18 August. Budding performers will be guided by expert coaches to write and create their very own songs, and choreograph an accompanying dance routine. Then it’s on to a professional recording studio in Forest Hill to make their very own music video to take home. Ages 7-16, 9am-3.30pm each day.

FILM SCHOOL, 21-25 August. Professional actors and directors will take children out on locations where they will shoot their own film, learning writing, filming, editing and directing techniques.

At the end of the course children will receive an online link to view their creations time and time again. Ages 7-16, 9am-3.30pm each day.

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Infinite Jest

Gems Performing Arts

INFINITE JEST SUMMER DRAMA CAMPS 24 July - 11 August in NUNHEAD SE15, 07971 827504, www.infinitejest.co.uk Infinite Jest produce one-hour adaptations of Shakespeare shows for young people. They also provide workshops, run by professional actors, for all ages and abilities. This summer they are introducing brand new summer holiday workshops, inspired by Shakespeare’s timeless classic masterpiece, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. A week of improvisation, physical theatre, costume design, puppetry, Shakespeare’s language and song and dance, with a performance at the end for friends and family. 10am-4pm each day, £160 per child includes a free pizza lunch from 400 Rabbits on the show day! Ages 5-8 years 24-28 July; ages 8-11 years 7-11 August.

GEMS PERFORMING ARTS SUMMER CLUBS 24 July - 1 September, SYDENHAM HIGH SCHOOL SE26, 07946 176452, www.gemsperformingarts.com Gems Summer clubs will be running throughout the Summer for all six weeks. Put on a show in just one week taught by local West End performers. Each week builds confidence and self-esteem in a fun and creative environment. Separate groups ages 4-14. £125 per week with sibling discount. See the website for details on the themes.

SPORTS AND DRAMA CAMP 24-28 July and 31 July - 4 August, JULIAN’S PRIMARY SCHOOL, Wolfington Road SE27 0JF, 020 3691 4576, www.moving-matters.org Moving Matters and Nutty’s Children’s Parties have joined forces to present a unique summer holiday camp. Each week will offer various sports, games, drama games, acting, arts & crafts and above all, fun! Ages 6-11, 8.30am-3.30pm, £25 per day, book on the Parents section at www.moving-matters.org. For more info on Nutty’s Children’s Parties, visit www.nuttyschildrensparties.co.uk.

Summer & After School After School Childcare Childcare Mini Champions is a comfortable, safe, friendly and stimulating environment for your child to enjoy after school.

Activities and trips: Offering Offering activities toenrich enrich Horse Riding, to Rock Climbing, activities young minds: Games, Sports, young minds: Games, Sports, Sports Days, Games, Trampoline Park Baking, Arts Arts & ITIT access, Baking, &Craft, Craft, access, Chocolate Museum, Theatre Trips, Study support support stations and Study stations and Museumlots Visits, Arts & Crafts, lotsmore! more!

Baking and much more!

SUPERCAMPS 10 July - 25 August, various venues including Blackheath High School in BLACKHEATH and St Dunstan’s School in CATFORD, 01235 467300, www.supercamps.co.uk Super Camps keep children active in body and mind, with a range of multi-activity camps and themed courses to suit everyone. The venues offer sports, water activities, outdoor and indoor games, arts and crafts. You can also rest assured knowing that your children are at the best camp in town after receiving yet another Outstanding Ofsted rating in 2016. Ages 4-14 years, 8am-6pm, bookings available by day or week.

SUMMER DIVING COURSES 26 July - 2 August, CRYSTAL PALACE DIVING, Crystal Palace National Sports Centre, Ledrington Road SE19 2BB, 07776 284 651, www.crystalpalacediving.co.uk A variety of week long courses for children who are new or fairly new to diving and want extra practice.

Jump in, swing in harnesses and work towards jumping off the top board. The courses are run by Swim 21 certified professional coaches, under the leadership of World Champion Chris Snode.

MINI CHAMPIONS HOLIDAY CLUB 25 July - 25 August, St MICHAEL’S CHURCH, Champion Crescent, Sydenham SE26 4HH, 078098 63083, www.minichampions.co.uk Mini Champions’ focus is to provide a stimulating environment for all children during the summer holidays and after school. A host of activities are provided for children to enjoy including Horse Riding, Rock Climbing, Sports Days, Theatre Trips, Museum Visits and much more. The club welcomes all children new and old, into the care of staff who have a wealth of experience of working with children in addition to first aid and safeguard training. The club is Ofsted registered and accepts children of primary school age. Open from 7.30am until 6pm during the summer holidays. The club provides breakfast and an afternoon meal. Children are required to bring a packed lunch. £19.50 per day, 10% sibling discount.

SOUTH EAST LONDON TENNIS CAMPS 24 July - 24 August, CATFORD WANDERERS TENNIS CLUB SE6, 0773 993 6999, www.southeastlondontennis.com Four day blocks of tennis coaching, games and other team events with a mini tournament on the last day, all run by enthusiastic, professional coaches.

Facilities are available for wet-weather activities if necessary. Beginners and improvers welcome.

The camps are split into age groups for 4 to 6 year olds, 7 to 10s and 11 to 15s. From £12.50 a day/ £37.50 for each four day week.

SPARK4KIDS CODING WORKSHOPS Summer Holiday coding workshops, 020 8090 1444, www.spark4kids.com Spark4Kids holiday workshops are designed to teach Computer Coding, Minecraft Modding, Robotics, Electronics, Games Design, and Touch-typing in a fun, engaging environment.

Ages 5-7 years, and 8+. See website for details.

MULTISPORTS AT JAGS 24 July - 25 August, JAGS SPORTS CLUB, Red Post Hill, Herne Hill SE24 9JN, 020 8613 6500, www.jagssportsclub.co.uk JAGS Sports Club run multi sports courses every school holiday to encourage children to participate in fun games centred on fair play and sportsmanship. The courses are designed to encourage youngsters to participate in new sports in a safe non-competitive environment. They learn new skills and play as part of a team, where they all contribute. 9am-3.30pm, Ages 4+, book by half day £20, day £32 or week £115.

MAGPIE DANCE SUMMER SCHOOL 24-27 July, CHURCHILL THEATRE, Bromley, 020 8290 6633, www.magpiedance.org.uk Magpie Dance enables young people with learning disabilities to explore creative movement and related arts in a supportive, safe and stimulating atmosphere. All Magpie Dance Youth Group activities are carried out in a clear, understandable, open and fair way, with the young people fully involved in their planning, execution and evaluation.

These creative sessions are fun, a way to make friends and no previous dance experience is necessary. Ages 8-18 and 19-25 years, £25 per day.

COMPUTER CODING FOR KIDS Games Coding, Robotics Drones, Websites, Minecraft

School holiday care provided

SCHOOL HOLIDAY HOURS 7.30am-6pm, 24th July - 25th August, Monday-Friday

Fun, engaging sessions a place for children to flourish

After school Summer Holiday day* £11 per day per £19.50 per day * warm meal, snack and drinks included * Warm meal, snack

Term/Holiday courses Ages 5 to 14+

and drinks included.

Tiny Tots age 2.5-3

Little Aces Junior Champs Grand Slammers age 3-4

age 5-7

age 8-11

fun filled tennis games and activities indoors with sponge balls and mini tennis rackets

FREE introductory session After School Hours 3.15 - 6.00pm HOURS: 3.15pm-6pm DAYS: Monday-Friday ADDRESS: St Michaels Church, Champion Road, Sydenham SE26 4HH ADDRESS: St Michaels Church, Champion Road, Sydenham SE26 4HH GET IN TOUCH: www.minichampions.co.uk info@minichampions.co.uk Tel: 07809 863082 Tel: 07944 477300

www.minichampions.co.uk

info@minichampions.co.uk Tel: 07809 863082 Tel: 07340 811109

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families south east - july / august 2017

Email hello@spark4kids.com Call 020 8090 1444 www.spark4kids.com

phone

07877 391005

www.tennis-4-kids.com email: gordon@tennis-4-kids.com

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For ages 5-8 from 24th-28th July 2017 and ages 8-11 from 7th-11th August 2017 Spark 4 Kids

£160 includes one free pizza lunch Nunhead venues • Early bird discounts

Fit for Sport

Crystal Palace Diving

Nimble Arts

FIT FOR SPORT 24 July - 1 September, various venues including GIPSY HILL, DOWNHAM, ELEPHANT & CASTLE and BERMONDSEY, 0845 456 3233, www.fitforsport.co.uk Fit for Sport’s Ofsted-registered holiday childcare activity camps are designed to engage and educate children through activity, with swimming, ballgames, active challenges and arts and crafts based on seasonal themes. Standard day 9.30am-4.30pm with extended hours available. Ages 4-12 years, bookable by half or full day, or weekly blocks - see the website for full details.

THE HIVE DAYCAMPS 10 July - 18 August, ELTHAM COLLEGE, Grove Park Road, London SE9 4QF, 020 3291 3791, www.thehive-kids.com Book a week of outdoor fun on a team-building adventure which will introduce children to new and different skills every day. Mixing nature exploration, story telling and mobile technology, The Hive Daycamps introduce children to such skills as foraging, geocaching, fire making, wildlife tracking, wild cooking, wood carving, whittling, bee keeping, gardening, nature film-making, and even potion making. Ages 5-11 years, 9.30am-4.30pm each day, with extended care available.

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TENNIS-4-KIDS 24-27 July and 31 July - 3 August in EAST DULWICH, 07877 391005, www.tennis-4-kids.com Rally round for a smashing time learning to play tennis with other children. Tennis-4-Kids run mini sessions giving children lots of fun learning basic to advanced skills. The friendly coaches run small groups for 3-11 year-olds from beginners to Grandslammers, with all equipment provided.

Term time sessions available too.

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Ages 4 – 6 : Peter Pan / Ages 6-9: Trolls Ages 10+ : A Midsummer Night’s Dream

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Education News

Sixth formers’ Charlton Manor Theatre Group winning kitchen idea is a chop above the rest Sixth formers from Sydenham High served up a top kitchen idea that’s a chop above the rest for their entry in this year’s Young Enterprise scheme.

Along with team colleagues from Dulwich College, six Year 12 Sydenham High students developed an innovative chopping board that solves the perennial kitchen problem of separating prepared food from waste. Made from antibacterial plastic, the ChopAway board has a detachable bowl to catch food waste for easy disposal. It fits neatly over the edge of any worktop and has non-slip feet to prevent movement.

Having come up with the idea, the team commissioned prototypes, conducted market research, and struck a deal with a supplier. The innovative board helped the team become Central London finalists in the national Young Enterprise competition. It also won the approval of Sydenham High’s catering team, who ordered four of the chopping boards to help them prepare the school’s meals.

“It’s been an amazing experience - from getting our initial funding to commissioning the prototypes and haggling with the manufacturer for the best deal, to pitching our product in front of top business people in the Young Enterprise heats,” said Lauren Hare, who is ChopAway’s joint-sales director.

“We’ve all learned a lot along the way including

The curtain’s gone up on another ground-breaking project at Charlton Manor primary school in Greenwich.

A weekly theatre group has been added to the school curriculum, hot on the heels of cooking classes for every age group, a secret garden, chicken and bee keeping, community farm and a news team that produces the school magazine, Manor LIFE! The course is being run by James Haddrell, artistic and executive director of Greenwich Theatre, in partnership with Serin Ibrahim, artistic director of CultureClash Theatre Company. “We’ve had a lot of contact with the school in the last two years and we’re very excited about working with a group of eight Year 5 pupils every week.

Assistant Headteacher Sean MacNamara said: “We place real learning experiences at the heart of our curriculum. The cooking kitchens and community farm are used to sell produce at local markets, restaurants and our own school shop, while the radio room and green screen provide opportunities for pupils to present their own radio shows and even interview celebrities such as Jamie Oliver. So when the opportunity arose for us to work with both Greenwich Theatre and CultureClash we were very keen. It was an ideal opportunity to take learning from the classroom into the real world. Now we’re all looking forward to the first show.”

For more on Charlton Manor Primary School, visit www.charltonmanorprimary.co.uk. working in a team. And we’re really proud of our product and seeing people use it.”

“I’m incredibly proud of the team and what they have achieved,” added Sydenham High’s new Headmistress Mrs Katharine Woodcock. “Not only have they come up with an exciting and marketable business idea, they have been learning key skills which will prepare them for future employment.”

From drawing board to kitchen sink, the ChopAway board is now on sale for a limited time, in a choice of four bright colours, priced £11.99 from www.chopaway.co.uk.

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families south east - july / august 2017

With proper tuition young people can learn to touch-type surprisingly quickly and, what’s more, enjoy the whole experience.

■ Improved speed and effectiveness in study.

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■ There are particular benefits for those with dyslexia or dyspraxia.

‘Great teaching, wonderful encouragement, a warm, friendly atmosphere: the results in ten hours were amazing.’ mother of 13 year old To find out more call: 020 7515 1707 email: info@yes-tuitionandtraining.co.uk or call Norman on 07961 427640 Visit our website: www.yes-tuitionandtraining.co.uk w w w. f a m i l i e s s e . c o . u k

Families june 2017_Layout 1 17/06/2017 12:49 Page 11

Education News

Seize the summer with Explore Learning Explore Learning are encouraging families to seize the summer, and have put together a jam-packed summer programme with creative ideas on how to keep your child’s brain active over the holidays, so they are ready to settle back into the new school year confidently.

Start a blog Learn some new skills, as a family, by creating a blog together. Give your child a little note book to jots ideas down whilst you are out and about, then write up what you’ve done. Take lots of pictures as these are a great tool to help children who find writing tricky. Encourage them to describe what is happening in the picture to get their creativity flowing.

Have a movie night Research carried out by Explore Learning highlighted that watching TV/ films is the number one thing children wanted to do over the summer.

Use this to motivate your child to read. Find a book that has been made into a film that your child wants to watch. Then plan a movie night far enough in advance so you can read the book together before enjoying the film.

holidays. If your child is reluctant to write, then why not try a postcard app like By Post? They can take their own pictures to make into postcards and type their message.

Read, read and read some more A study by OUP shows that just 10 minutes of shared reading a day can have a huge impact on children’s progress. Pop a book in your bag so you can use any opportunity to get in your daily 10 minutes. Explore will be uploading weekly activities that you can complete with your child to help keep them engaged with what they are reading. Visit www.explorelearning.co.uk/summer to find out more and download your first activity!

Play some games There are bound to be some rainy days this summer, so use this as a chance to get out some board games. These are great for so many reasons, from developing language to improving memory skills. Need some new games? Have a scavenger hunt in local charity shops to see who in the family can find the best game.

Send a postcard

Tuition

Let your friends and family know what you’ve been up to with a postcard. They’re only short so are a wonderful way to get a bit of writing going during the

To keep your children progressing over the summer, a tuition centre is a great option. Prevent the battle ground of getting children to do work at home and

get them along to a centre where there are lots of other children getting involved. Explore Learning runs maths and English sessions as well as a whole range of interactive workshops throughout the holidays to keep your child’s brain active. The best things is you can go along and try one of these for free, so get in touch today.

About Explore Learning Explore Learning offers tailored maths and English tuition from expert staff, and exam preparation workshops and parent information evenings throughout the year so that everyone feels confident at home.

There are local centres in Lewisham, New Cross Gate, Sydenham, Abbey Wood, Brixton and Greenwich - all of which offer FREE trial sessions, and are open throughout the summer holidays.

Book a place by calling 030 3003 4006, or online at www.explorelearning.co.uk.

EducationInvestor

Awards 2016

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From the deep dark wood to a whole farmyard of fun!

Julia Donaldson (The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom) is the UK’s No 1 selling author (more people have now purchased her books than those of JK Rowling and Dan Brown).

Julia talks to us about What the Ladybird Heard and the stage show it’s based on.

How did the idea for the story of What the Ladybird Heard come about?

I was walking in the countryside with my youngest son and we were reminiscing about when he was a little boy. At an age when children are just learning to read, his teacher had given the class an exercise matching up animal noises with animal pictures, but because most of the children couldn’t yet read, the activity went comically wrong. The hen hissed instead of clucking and the dog meowed and so on.

I thought it would be lovely to somehow use this idea of animals making the wrong noises in a story and my son, now a young man, suggested animals playing a trick on the farmer. Then I hit upon the idea of two thieves trying to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. So, it was quite nice how the story came about really.

What inspired you to work with Lydia Monks on this book? Is there anything about her illustrations and collages that particularly appeal to you?

I’d worked with Lydia before on a couple of books and I knew she liked drawing farm animals. She’s very good at it. I think Lydia’s work is very stylish really. She’s quite stylised and she’s got a tremendous sense of design. I see her very much as a designer in her work and that’s why I’m thrilled she was involved in the design of the stage show [Lydia is design consultant on the show] and I’m really pleased that the set and costumes are very truthful to her illustrations.

And how did you come up with the idea of the Ladybird? One wouldn’t ordinarily associate Ladybirds with farmyard animals.

I think the idea of a very little character outwitting bigger and brawnier ones really appealed. And probably the fact that Ladybird rhymes with heard.

[Rhyming is an integral part of Julia’s work].

This is fine of course until the book was published in America, where “Ladybird” becomes “Ladybug”.

I had to change quite a lot for the American version of the book; apparently, police cars don’t go NEE NAWH there.

Would you say the small [voice] outwitting the bigger and louder ones is a common theme in your books?

I suppose some of them yes, in The Gruffalo, What the Ladybird Heard and also The Snail and the Whale. I think it’s a very common theme in stories for children and adults. Often, it’s a rather nerdy detective that solves the crime and wins against gangsters or crooks. I did try in Zog though, to make him the biggest and clumsiest dragon there is, because I think there’s a bit too much little and clever out there.

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Did you ever consider a different ending for What the Ladybird Heard or did you have a very clear sense of the ending from the outset?

The ending is very important. As I was saying the initial idea revolves around the trick of the animals making the wrong noises, so the story had to lead up to that. I hadn’t thought up the duck pond initially. Usually, I let my villains off quite lightly. You see them being arrested and I really like the image in the show of the tiny police van leaving the farm, I’m delighted that was worked in.

How does it feel to see your stories come to life on stage?

Exciting and a little scary too. I have one eye on the stage and the other on the audience - to check that they are enjoying it.

Would you ever consider revisiting any of the characters from What the Ladybird Heard?

Yes, there is a sequel called What the Ladybird Heard Next!

Do you sometimes look back to the beginning, to your first book, A Squash and a Squeeze and think about the millions of books you’ve sold since?

A Squash and a Squeeze was published in 1993. I had written it as a song years before, when I was in my twenties and wrote for television. Around the same time as Playschool was on television, there was another Watch with Mother programme called Play Board. I wrote songs for the show based on Aesop’s Fables and then came A Squash and a Squeeze. It’s a traditional story and the song went on to be used a lot on children’s television. It’s on a BBC album of children’s songs and was heard by a book publisher who listened to it with her children.

Years later, she approached me to write it as a book.

So, that’s how I made the jump from writing songs for television to writing books. And now look where we are!

How important do you think it is to have live instruments in this production of What the Ladybird Heard?

I’ve done three books of my own songs with Macmillan publishers and I insisted on real musicians. With each song book, we held a performance - I was singing with about six musicians on stage - I loved that! I still do shows with my husband Malcolm, although he’s often the one persuading me onto the stage these days. I do really like live instruments; it’s a very nice feature of the show as it’s great for children to see and hear live music. In fact, when I started writing for Play Away and Playschool it was always with live musicians and with Play Away the band was visible on stage. Nowadays, you don’t see that so much.

What are your favourite parts of the What the Ladybird Heard stage show?

I love the songs, the farmer’s song at the beginning is wonderful and the lovely, lively acting set against Lydia’s [Monks] farmyard is a joy.

About Julia Donaldson Julia Donaldson is the outrageously talented, prize-winning author of some of the world’s best-loved children’s books. Her first picture book, A Squash and A Squeeze, was published over twenty years ago, and since then she has written over 160 books, including the modern classic The Gruffalo. Julia also writes fiction, including the Princess Mirror-Belle series illustrated by Lydia Monks, as well as poems, plays and songs - and her brilliant live shows are always in demand. She was the 2011-2013 UK Children’s Laureate, has an MBE from the Queen and you can even find a painting of her in The National Portrait Gallery.

Live on stage Suitable for ages 3+, What the Ladybird Heard is live on stage from 5 July - 10 September at the Lyric Theatre in Shaftsbury Avenue. For details, see our What’s On listings, or book online at www.whattheladybirdheardlive.co.uk

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The Bookseller Crow

is a fantastic, volume stuffed shop run by some of the most knowledgeable bookworms in the business.

Call in for the feel of a real bookshop, or if you’re too busy, pick up the phone or head to their website for a fast mailorder service. Justine Crow recommends this month’s best titles.

As a post-exam, post-election apocalypse treat, I took my boy down to Brighton for the day in the hope of broadening his South London-centricity, not to mention getting some sun on my shoulders. When he protested that he wasn’t a seaside kind of person - I had the only toddler in the world that hated the beach - I told him the place was jammed with counter-culture and he wouldn’t even know the sea was at the end of the road. One sceptical eyebrow remained at full mast, even as we reached the hipster district of North Laine to eat lunch. But then, surrounded by piercings and tatts, beards, bikes and bowler hats, he looked at the menu, loosened his top button and caved: “Okaaay. I’ll have the Unicorn Fries..”

AN A TO Z OF MONSTERS & MAGICAL BEINGS by Rob Hodgson & Aidan Onn - Laurence King rrp £12.99. Here we have a picture book that will no doubt assume the status of a respected natural history textbook among the freewheeling parents of Brighton, with many of the usual suspects present including B for Banshee, D for Dragon and H for Hobgoblin. We also have foreign exotica including J for Jinn and M for Minotaur, and a pleasing run of equatic rascals: K for Kraken, L for Leviathan and N for Nessie, all perfectly suited to a seaside environment and the unnerving of small boys (and larger ones), thereof. One thing resolutely excluded is U for Unicorns. That is because they are real.

SUN by Sam Usher - Templar rrp £6.99. I knew we’d see it eventually! After lunch, my son was even forced to take off his North Face overcoat (but not his hoodie, obvs). So far this is my favourite of the series - the other two are RAIN and SNOW - complete with a sparkling sandcastle on the cover. With Grandad as navigator and a selection of scientific provisions compass, telescope, sunhat and Jammy Dodgers man and lad set off for the park to discover a desert island and a cave full of pirates. As you do. What next in the meteorological sequence, I wonder? Wind?

Pardon me.

THE BIG BAD MOOD by Tom Jamieson & Olga Demidova - Bloomsbury rrp £6.99. Ah. The tantrum personified. Or, to be precise, monsterified. George is in an apparently inexplicably vast huff (see new-born sibling stage left) and is infecting everyone with his temper, when along comes another bundle of belligerence sporting legs and fangs and some very demanding ideas about what he wants to eat and how he wants to play. Eventually, having annoyed the entire universe together, George is exhausted and wants his friends back.

WHAT DOES BABY WANT? by Tupera Tupera Phaidon rrp £8.95. This made me laugh out loud. Take a lovely bonny (according to my Aunty Barbara, I was the second fattest baby in Croydon so I reserve the

right to own the word) infant phisog, round and pink and screaming, and offer it up some distractions to stop the tears. A nice round tambourine perhaps? Or a smiley teddy or even a bouncy ball? But none of that helps. There’s only one thing baby really wants, also round and pink and bouncy. And there are two of them.

Axel Sheffler’s FLIP FLAP OCEAN - Nosy Crow rrp £8.99. As my regular readers know - hands up at the back so we can see you - I am a sucker for Scheffler and find nothing more amusing than his signature perspicacious eyeballs. His interactive board-book series has been popular with the grown-ups on a Saturday morning in the shop. And why not? The analogue mix-and-match flap concept is a perennial favourite. In this boring, digital era you can conjure anything you like on a screen, from Malcolm Tucker memes to Mary Berry recipes, but can a tablet give you a shark with pink tentacles? Or indeed a turtle clacking his pincers? Just put the ruddy things back on the shelf when you’ve finished looking at them, please parents. Does my head in when you dump them in the Philosophy section.

MY HEAD-TO-TOE BODY BOOK by Okido Thames & Hudson rrp £8.95. I think this is the first ‘body’ book I’ve actually enjoyed looking at. I mean, customarily one isn’t exactly enchanted by the usual not-quite accurate lung dissections cheerily depicted in bright colours so as not to frighten the under tens (as well as the homesick au pair). Okido’s approach is more mischievous as the delightful Koko takes us on an adventure round our senses and functions, from our hair to our feet, via a collection of experiments that will be utterly seductive to your average four year-old, including breath-holding, running up and down stairs, stuffing yer gob with strawberries and pulling faces in the mirror. And in MY ANIMAL BOOK, same publisher and price, Koko gets to ask what happens if all the animals get tired of living on Plant Earth. A question for Mr Trump, I do believe.

NORMAN THE NORMAN FROM NORMANDY by Philip Ardagh - Little Gems rrp £6.99. Yet another from the invaluable Barrington Stoke imprint that aims to succeed in getting everyone reading (with the possible exception of the above president), here’s a terrific tale from an eminent author for those just beginning to get a grasp of history as well as chapter books. Naturally, with a family home in the same French region, I’m biased. Mind that arrow or you’ll have someone’s eye out.

THE GIRL GUIDE by Marawa Ibrahim, illustrated by Sinem Erkas rrp £7.99. Not talking the movement here (though did you know that they were created after a bunch of questing girls crashed a boy scout rally at

the Crystal Palace in 1909?) though their motto - “Be Prepared” (which I recall hissing through my teeth at Cassandra Casswell after she stole my toothbrush at camp on the Isle of Wight because, even though she was a sixer, she had forgotten hers - I’m still furious) is actually the theme of this clever book. Crucially appealing, issues such as periods, body shape, eating, exercise, sexuality, love, coping strategies and parents are all covered rather neatly and stylishly, without condescension or peeve (ahem, to use the parlance). Perfectly suitable for all growing girls in times of need (though not Casswell, lamest sixer ever).

I’M WRECKED, THIS IS MY JOURNAL by Shannon Cullen - O’Mara rrp £9.99. Hehe! Billed as an alternative baby book for the frazzled, I wasn’t quite sure if this was a parody of the famous Keri Smith set of self-helpers or a bone-fide de-stressing device designed to save parents from years of therapy. Importantly it is spookily realistic and also witty, as in: ‘make a list of things you can talk about with your friends that aren’t related to your child’ and, ‘draw your fantasy baby buggy here’ - mine would have a flip-out baby changing mat as well as gin bottle cooler and a loud-hailer for public apologising. Sarcastically, of course.

50 FESTIVALS TO BLOW YOUR MIND - Lonely Planet rrp £6.99. Possibly the subtitle should be “if you have lots of money.” I am partial to the odd festival myself. Partly because I carry the camping gene, a bizarre mutation that means I find the prospect of late night music, a sleeping bag and no housework for three days strangely attractive. Can’t think why. My eldest has inherited it but not the other two who’d rather clean the underside of railway trains than dance in a field full of witnesses. This is a guide to aspire to and we’re not just talking mud at Glasto.

From the hedonistic Burning Man to the World Air Guitar Championships, discover how hot air ballooning, aliens and even the Dead are celebrated with much panache (and dancing) around the globe.

No sign of our very own annual Fete de Carotte in Normandy but I’m sure it’ll be in the sequel.

Meanwhile, speaking of hedonism, on a Southern train that was miraculously in service, after a long day on the coast dodging jugglers and dream catchers, I asked my son how his Unicorn Fries tasted - afterall, topped with bacon, chicken, cheese and hot sauce, it looked like a hippie hangover brunch made in paradise. But he shook his head: “Mum, those chips were NEVER homemade.” You can take the boy out of East Dulwich, but you can’t take East Dulwich out of the boy...

The Bookseller Crow, 50 Westow St. Crystal Palace, London SE19 3AF Telephone: 020 8771 8831 email: info@booksellercrow.co.uk Twitter @booksellercrow www.booksellercrow.co.uk w w w. f a m i l i e s o n l i n e . c o . u k

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THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK

WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD

WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT

MONSKI MOUSE’S BABY DISCO DANCE HALL, Sundays until 24 September. Get your heads, shoulders, knees and toes wiggling and jiggling to a quirky inspired DJ set. Playing a selection of retro hits and children’s music, Monski Mouse and her dancers, encourage parents and carers to party and play hard with their little ones, while they are still young enough to not be embarrassed by ‘dad-dancing’ or the ‘mum-step’. Ages 0-5, tickets from £8.50, www.udderbellyfestival.com.

What’sOn THEATR E S HOWS WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD 5 July - 10 September, LYRIC THEATRE, Shaftsbury Avenue W1D 7ES, 0330 333 4812, www.whattheladybirdheardlive.co.uk Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun! Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. But they reckon without the tiniest, quietest creature of all: the Ladybird has a plan of her own! Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’ award-winning picture book bursts onto the West End stage with plenty of colour and verve. Ages 3+.

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE

UP CLUB, Saturdays to 31 July. Join the Unicorn Play Club most Saturdays for free drop-in activities from portrait painting and potato printing to giant rocket making and more! Just turn up to join or sign up online for e-news. All the arts and crafts are activities designed for you and your tiny human to create together. There will usually be cutting and sticking responsibilities for the grown-ups. 12noon - 2pm.

BABY SHOW, until 19 August. Time for a walk, better wrap up warm.

Poppers, buttons, zips. Scarf, hat, mittens. Inside out, upside down, back to front. This brand new show is a sensory performance with captivating images and intriguing sounds that will keep your little ones rapt. £10 per adult and child.

THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK 26 July - 2 September, VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, 404 Strand, WC2R 0NH, 0330 333 4814, www.snarkthemusical.com All aboard! The ship is departing! All children, animals and silly people welcome! The impossible voyage of an improbable crew to hunt an imaginary creature is brought magically to life in a sparkling musical comedy adventure for 4 to 94 year olds.

Enter the imaginative world of Alice in Wonderland creator, Lewis Carroll, in this brand new, highly original, ultra-modern adaptation inspired by his beloved classic poem. The show features five high-energy actors, a life-like puppet, fantastical characters, and lashings of daft humour.

Tickets from £12.50.

WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT LIVE ON STAGE 4 August - 3 September, CADOGAN HALL, 5 Sloane Terrace SW1X 9DQ, 020 7730 4500, www.bearhuntlive.com Michael Rosen’s award-winning book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt is brought vividly and noisily to the stage in director Sally Cookson’s fun-filled adaptation set to Benji Bower’s versatile lively score. Join the intrepid family of adventurers and their musical dog on their quest to find a bear; as they wade through the gigantic swishy swashy grass, the splishy splashy river and the thick oozy, squelchy mud! Expect catchy songs, interactive scenes and plenty of hands-on adventure! Ages 3+, tickets from £14.50.

WIN TICKETS! We have a family ticket to be won - see page 3 for how to enter.

UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7845 0580, www.unicorntheatre.com SENSACIONAL, until 17 July. A sound and light show in which the toddler audience are participants. Wearing a white suit, your child becomes part of a digital world of ladybirds, shapes, squiggles and squarks that won’t keep still, no matter how hard you try to catch them!

Ages 18 months - 3 years, tickets £10 include one child and one adult.

KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE 10 August - 3 September, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE, 77-85 Newington Causeway SE1 6BD, 020 747 0234, www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk Following a critically acclaimed sold out festive season, this magical live stage adaptation of the award-winning Japanese children’s book (which was also turned into an iconic film by leading anime company Studio Ghibli) is back and better than before for a limited summer season at the intimate Southwark Playhouse in SE1. Treat the whole family to the show which the critics said they ‘loved every minute of’ (*****Whatsonstage.com) Tickets £16 children, £20 adults, £64 family ticket.

SOUTHBANK SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX, 0844 847 9944, www.southbankcentre.co.uk AFRICA UTOPIA FESTIVAL, 15-16 July. A line up of some of the most exciting musicians, artists, performers and thinkers from across Africa, with an arts and crafts marketplace and an African inspired street food market with stalls of authentic cuisine and live music.

SUMMERTIME, from 28 July. Six weekends of fun with an outdoor music stage and art installations. Many free events will take place alongside dance and performance from an eclectic mix of national and international companies.

ADVENTURES IN MOOMINLAND, until 20 August.

The world of acclaimed Finnish author Tove Jansson and the Moomins is brought to life in the first UK exhibition devoted to the Moomins presenting new insights into Jansson’s life and the influences behind her work with rare archive objects and illustrations built into the experience.

The experience is augmented by a script written by children’s author Laura Dockrill and narrated by Sandi Toksvig. Tickets from £11.50.

THE ART OF THE BRICK, until 3 September. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a truckload of Lego making its way to the South Bank.

A purpose-built tent will pop-up by the London Eye this month for ‘The Art of the Brick: DC Super Heroes’, a collection of larger-than-life sculptures of iconic comic book characters constructed entirely in Lego.

17-19 Blackwater Street East Dulwich SE22 8SD

020 7720 1144 14

families south east - july / august 2017

KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE

Greenwich Office Norman House 110-114 Norman Road London SE10 9EH

21 New Globe Walk, Bankside SE1 9DT, 020 7401 9919, www.shakespearesglobe.com Learn about Shakespeare’s world and his plays through interactive activities and demonstrations. Ages 5+, £10 family tickets available for a limited period.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, 14 July - 15 October. Set in Mexico, in 1910, Shakespeare’s classic tale of antagonistic romance and madcap humour explodes on to the Globe stage with a fusion of Latin music, desert flowers and revolutionary politics in this bold new production. Tickets from £5.

SHAKESPEARE’S TELLING TALES, 28-30 July. Celebrate the fun of storytelling at the Globe’s family literary festival. From talks with leading children’s authors and practical workshops, to tales told by candlelight in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, there is something for everyone! For the full line up and booking discounts, see the website.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS 2 August - 2 September, CADOGAN HALL, 5 Sloane Terrace SE1X 9DQ, 020 7730 4500, www.80dayslive.com The mysterious and fabulously wealthy Phileas Fogg wagers his life’s fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe injust 80 days. Join Fogg and his loyal valet, Passepartout, as they voyage from the misty alleys of Victorian London to the exotic subcontinent and the Wild Westin a race against the clock. An ensemble cast of eight play over 125 characters in an imaginative and physically inventive high-spirited escapade including six trains, five boats,four fights, three dances, two circus acts and an elephant! Kenny Wax’s production returns to the stage for a major six month tour - catch it while you can! Tickets from £17.50.

PEACOCK THEATRE Portugal Street WC2A 2HT, 0844 412 4322, www.peacocktheatre.com MY FIRST BALLET: CINDERELLA, 18-23 July. Everyone’s favourite rags-to-riches story, in a beautifully adapted ballet version for children aged three upwards. With a narrator to help the young audience follow the story, and a shortened version of Prokofiev’s ravishing score, the production is a unique collaboration between English National Ballet and English National Ballet School. Tickets from £10.

LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE, 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street N1 2DN, 020 7226 1787, www.littleangeltheatre.com DOGS DON’T DO BALLET, until 16 July. Biff is not like ordinary dogs.

He likes moonlight. And music. And walking on his tiptoes. The sublime and the ridiculous combine in this hilarious story of a small dog with a big personality and even bigger dreams, brought to life using beautiful puppets, well-loved ballet music and dazzling theatrical comedy. Ages 2-7, tickets £10 children, £12 adults.

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THE ART OF THE BRICK - SOUTHBANK

MONSKI MOUSE

RED RIDING HOOD AND THE WOLF, until 16 July. You may think you know the story of Red Riding Hood, sugar and spice and all things nice.

But there are two sides to every story, so let’s hear it from the Wolf himself! Here’s the story never heard of a kind and hungry wolf who strayed from the path and lost his friends. Ages 5 to adult, tickets £10.50 children, £12.50 adults.

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS, 19-23 July. Join Mole and Ratty on their marvellous adventures, along with gruff old Badger and wild MrToad. A beautiful new adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s much loved classic by award winning theatre company Box Tale Soup, Wind in the Willows features handmade puppets, props and costume, and a charming original score. Ages 5-11, tickets £8 children, £10 adults.

MUCH ADO ABOUT PUFFIN, 11-13 August. Join Open Attic as they traverse stormy seas and reckless tides to bring you this funny tale about a man all alone, a friendly puffin, and a whole lot of fuss over nothing.

Using skilful puppetry, beautiful music, and good old fashioned storytelling, Much Ado About Puffin is about old habits, new friendships, and stepping out into the unknown! Ages 4-9, tickets £8 children, £10 adults.

ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND Until 3 September, THE VAULTS, 10 Leake Street SE1 7NN, 0844 248 1125, www.alice-underground.com Alice is missing in Wonderland and it’s up to you to find her. On entering Wonderland whether you ‘Eat me’ or ‘Drink Me’ will determine your unique path. Tumble with the Tweedle twins; follow the White Rabbit and take Tea with the Hatter at the Maddest Tea Party of all - but be careful not to lose your heads if the Queen catches you taking her tarts! Les Enfant Terrible’s critically acclaimed multi-sensory experience is created and directed specifically for children aged 5-10. Tickets from £15.50.

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE ROH, Bow Street, London WC2E 9D, 07304 4000, www.roh.org.uk FAMILY SUNDAYS, Last Sunday of each month. Explore the Royal Opera House, its artists and the world of opera and ballet. Sundays are packed full of creative and practical activities for all the family including informal performances from Royal Ballet dancers, plus interactive singing and dance activities. Ages 6+, 12-4pm, £5 adults, £3 children.

FIRST OPERA: WELCOME PERFORMANCES. Welcome Performances are for families who have never been to a ballet or opera at the Royal Opera House before. You don’t need to know anything about either - just come along and give it a try. Tickets £5-£20.

BACKSTAGE TOURS. The Backstage Tours include an introduction to the colourful history of the theatre, an insight into the redevelopment of the Royal Opera House and a look at aspects of current productions.

Each tour is a unique experience, and may include opportunities to see The Royal Ballet in class, or the magnificent backstage technology in operation. Suitable for ages 8+, book first.

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

CHURCHILL THEATRE BROMLEY CHURCHILL THEATRE, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA, 0844 871 7620, www.churchilltheatre.co.uk THE SCARECROW’S WEDDING, 10 July. Betty O’Barley and Harry O’Hay are excellent scarecrows (they scare a lot of crows). Harry loves Betty, and Betty loves Harry, so they decide to get married and Harry sets off to search for their wedding day essentials including a dress of feathers, a bunch of flowers and a necklace made from shells. This heart-warming adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s bestselling book is bursting at the seams with Scamp Theatre’s inimitable style, and promises wit, drama, and wedding bells! Ages 3+.

SING A-LONG-A FROZEN, 30 July. It’s the most popular Disney comedy-adventure to hit the big screen and, with the fairydust of Singalonga added, you are guaranteed a great time. Come on an epic journey to find Anna’s sister Elsa, the Snow Queen and put an end to her icy spell. Ages 5+, tickets from £11.50.

THE TIGER WHO CAME TO TEA, 7-9 August. The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummy are sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be? What they certainly don’t expect to see at the door is a big, stripy tiger! Following a smash-hit West End season, the tea-guzzling tiger is back on the road in this delightful family show; packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos - expect to be surprised!

Ages 3+. Tickets from £11.50.

ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND

POLKA THEATRE POLKA THEATRE, 240 Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB, 020 8543 4888, www.polkatheatre.com THE BORROWERS, until 20 August. The timeless classic bursts onto Polka’s main stage this summer with dazzling puppetry, original music, stunning design and plenty of suspense. Join a fantastical adventure as the heroic Arrietty and her family embark on an action-packed journey to find somewhere new to call home. Age 5-11, £15, children £10.

HATCH, 7 July - 27 August. With a sparkling musical score by Brazilian percussionist and composer Adriano Adewale, Polka and The Royal Opera bring you the perfect introduction to music and theatre. Follow the extraordinary journey of an egg through different sensory worlds, each bursting with a mesmerising blend of sights and sounds. From flowing water and whistling winds, to the beautiful call of a bird and a voyage through the clouds, discover new sounds in unlikely places. Ages 2-5, tickets £9 children, £12.50 adults.

SUMMER FESTIVALS & THE GREAT OUTDOORS SYDENHAM ARTS FESTIVAL

LEWISHAM PEOPLE’S DAY

6-16 July, in and around SYDENHAM SE26, 020 8778 6463, www.sydenhamarts.co.uk

8 July, MOUNTSFIELD PARK, Stainton Road, Catford SE6 1AN, www.lewisham.gov.uk Lewisham’s longest running community festival boasts an eclectic mix of artists to entertain young and old, alongside community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises, and when your stomach starts growling, big top tea rooms, a real ale tavern and local food suppliers. 12noon-8pm, entry free.

This year’s celebration of visual art, comedy, words, music and dance and artists’ trails will ensure that Sydenham is buzzing this summer.

The programme includes events for children and adults alike; workshops, daytime and evening performances and even the London’s largest ever barn dance in Mayow Park. Pick up a programme from local independent stores and eateries, or see the website for the full line up and booking details. Child-friendly highlights include: FOXTOTS BOPS, 9 July. Rock your socks off in an afternoon show featuring a full live band alongside pop up stalls from Brown & Green and Ignition Beer. 12noon and 3pm, Mayow Park. Tickets £6.50.

PADDINGTON BEAR, 16 July. A special film screening with the chance to meet Paddington during the interval. 2.30pm, Sydenham Community Library, family tickets £5 on the door.

LAMBETH COUNTRY SHOW 15 + 16 July, BROCKWELL PARK, Herne Hill SE24 9BJ, www.lambethcountryshow.co.uk The countryside in London - why not? Enjoy two days of sheep dog and owl displays, a mini farm, home grown vegetable and flower competitions, and rural retailers. There’ll be plenty of music too; dub, afro-beat, disco, folk, ska, soul and pop. Wander through the arts and culture village, and refresh yourself from one of the many food and drink stalls. 12noon - 8pm, admission free.

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THE PERFECT SUMMER TREAT ! july / august 2017 - families south east

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LAMBETH COUNTRY SHOW

TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS

MoreWhat’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesonline.co.uk then click What's On

ELTHAM PALACE

SINESTESIA

ELTHAM PALACE, Court Yard, Eltham SE9 5QE, www.english-heritage.org.uk/eltham Travel back in time from Art Deco modernity to a medieval masterpiece.

First recorded in the Domesday book, Eltham estate was presented to King Edward II in 1305. It developed into one of the most favoured royal palaces with 1,000 acres of deer park on its doorstep.

GRAND MEDIEVAL JOUST, 8-9 July. Feel the heat of the contest as magnificent knights on horseback clash at the greatest event of medieval England. Cheer on your favourite in this thundering battle of bravery and honour. Soak up the medieval way of life in the colourful encampments and be entertained by the naughty court jester while your budding young knights test their strength in the field. 10.30am-5pm, non-member tickets from £10.10.

TRAIN THE TROOPS, 31 July - 3 August. Become a Home Front hero and be put through your paces at Eltham Palace. Fall into step and polish your shoes or it’ll be basic rations for you. Discover Eltham’s wartime past with this hands-on experience of soldiers on the front line.

11am-5pm, family tickets £37.40 available on arrival.

12 August, GIFFIN SQUARE, Deptford SE8, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk Jaw-dropping hip-hop theatre, contemporary dance and acrobatics come together in this atmospheric outdoor show presented by Barcelona-based dance company, Iron Skulls Co. Set in a postapocalyptic world, Sinestesia follows the journey of survivors to a ‘safe-zone’. To make it, they must live and move like animals, creating a strangely beautiful new world order in which humans and nature become one. Each show will be kicked off by a short ‘curtain-raiser’ performance by young people from Albany’s Street Dance and Outdoor Arts course.

1 and 2.30pm, free.

SYDENHAM HILL WOOD SYDENHAM HILL WOOD and COX’S WALK SE26 6LS, www.wildlondon.org.uk Sydenham Hill Wood is part ancient woodland, one of the largest remaining fragments of the Great North Wood which once stretched from Deptford to Selhurst. Now managed by the London Wildlife Trust and volunteers, it is a wildlife oasis in urban south London, with the remnants of a Victorian railway line to explore, and many species of plants, birds and bugs.

BAT, MOTH AND OWL PROWL, 7 July. Tawny owls are known to breed in the Wood and the local area and can be heard calling in daylight hours as well as in the deep of night. Join the site warden and volunteers, armed with bat detectors to discover nocturnal wildlife.

9-11pm, meet at the Crescent Wood Road entrance. Free, minimum £2 donation recommended. Not suitable for young children (they should be in bed!)

BUTTERFLY WALK, 23 July. Join Sydenham Hill Wood volunteer Emma Pooley for a guided walk looking at the range of butterflies that can be found in an urban woodland. Wear suitable footwear for uneven paths and gentle inclines. 2-4pm, free; minimum £2 donation recommended.

Book first dgreenwood@wildlondon.org.uk.

BUG DAY, 27 July. Celebrate the amazing invertebrates that are so vital to our world by exploring the weird and wonderful insects that live in Sydenham Hill Wood. Try pond dipping, search for beetles and creepy crawlies under logs, identify butterflies and bees. 11am-2pm, suitable for ages 5-15, free.

OPEN DAY, 10 September. Celebrate 35 years of nature conservation with London Wildlife Trust. Volunteers will be holding guided walks and pond dipping events, local folk musicians will add the music, slices of cake will be available, and a tombola to raise money for the Woods’ wildlife. 11am-4pm, free.

THE CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE GARDENING 28 Marsden Road SE15 4EE, 020 7252 9186, www.wildlondon.org.uk WILDLIFE ON SATURDAYS, Drop in to free, fun family activities run by London Wildlife Trust on Saturdays at the Centre for Wildlife Gardening.

The sessions are jam packed with fun activities including pond dipping, bug hunting, wild crafts, stories, games, songs, making wildlife habitats and bushcraft. 10.30am - 12.30pm for younger children (up to 7); 1.30pm - 4.30pm for older children (7 and up), all courses for parents/ children together.

BROCKWELL PARK COMMUNITY GREENHOUSES BROCKWELL PARK, Dulwich Road SE24 0PA, www.brockwellgreenhouses.org.uk FAMILY WORKSHOPS, 5-30 August. A programme of fun, family workshops learning all about Bees, Butterflies, Dragonflies and Herbs.

Eat, make, learn and explore.

LET’S GO BATTY, 26 August. Join the volunteers for a bat evening while exploring the garden. Find out more about these elusive mammals and how they live. Children aged 8+, 6pm-9.30pm.

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TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS 1-6 August in SOUTHWARK PARK, 9-19 August in GREENWICH PARK, 020 7237 4434, www.londonbubble.org.uk Well known for their family friendly theatre, the iconic London Bubble creates theatre that is inspirational, inclusive and involving - sharing stories that animate the spaces of the city and the spirits of its citizens.

Tales from the Arabian Nights was the Bubble’s first promenade production when Farhana Sheikh’s play was staged in 1994, and is now being reimagined for summer 2017. Everyone is welcome - the whole family including babes in arms or children in buggies, plus any pets who might enjoy a trip to the park. Tickets from £17, reductions for groups of 6+.

HALL PLACE AND GARDENS Bourne Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 1PQ, 01322 526574, www.hallplace.org.uk Hall Place is a stunning Tudor house with magnificent gardens sitting on the banks of the River Cray in Bexley. Admission free for under 5s, £8 children, £10 adults.

FAIRY SCHOOL AT FAIRY HALL, 7-9, 14-16 and 21-23 August. Dress up and enter a house of enchantment this summer as Hall Place is transformed into Fairy School at Fairy Hall. Step into a world of wonder and excitement, dance in the majestic Great Hall and take refreshments in Elf Garden. Fairy teachers will have you laughing with stories and amaze you with fairy crafts to take home. plus all those magical fairy moments we guarantee you will have. 10am-12noon or 2-4pm, £10 per child, adults free, book first on 01322 621238.

JANE AUSTEN DAY 16 July, PAINSHILL PARK, Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey KT11 1JE, www.painshill.co.uk Take a trip back in time and celebrate the life of Jane Austen on the bicentenary of her death. A day of fun for all the family, with Georgian themed activities, games, delicious Georgian treats and a selection of exciting readings in the follies from Jane Austen’s classic novels.

10am-4pm.

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN 66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea SW3 4HS, www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk GARDEN SAFARI, 2 and 15 August. Explore the hidden secrets of the Garden including the jungle room and the animals of the garden (bees, worms, birds, snails and more). There will be a chance to pond-dip and to use microscopes and magnifiers to observe familiar objects as well as creatures that live in a drop of pond water. 10.30am-12noon and 1-2.30pm, ages 4+, tickets £10 includes garden entry.

MAKE CANDLES AND SOAP, 8 August. Learn about these traditional crafts, enjoy experimenting with your own choice of fragrances and take home your hand-made keepsakes. A family activity day, 10.30am-3pm, £13 includes all materials and garden entry, book first.

DINNER WITH DINOSAURS, 17 August. An exciting family workshop exploring how the evolution of plants shaped the world of dinosaurs.

Amongst the living fossils of the Chelsea Physic Garden you’ll find out how these amazing animals survived for so long and what their daily lives would have been like. 10.30am-2.30pm, ages 7+, tickets £13 includes garden entry.

WWWT LONDON WETLAND CENTER

ART OF THE GARDEN, 22 August. Take a journey around the world to see vampire plants, spiky cacti, tropical treasures, medicines, worms, tadpoles, birds, vegetables, perfumes, seeds and ferns. Try out printing, painting, sketching, model and mobile making using natural and recycled materials. There will plenty to take home - including new-found skills. 10.30am-2.30pm, ages 6+, £13 ticket includes garden entry.

BATTERSEA PARK CHILDREN’S ZOO BATTERSEA PARK, Chelsea Bridge Gate SW11 4NJ, www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk HOLIDAY FUN DAYS, 25 July - 22 August. Themed discovery days include Hedgehog Day, Snake Day, Snail Day, Big Bug Bonanza Day and much more; with arts and crafts, quizzes and stories.

WOODLANDS FARM TRUST 331 Shooters Hill, Welling, Kent DA16 3RP, 020 8319 8900, www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org Woodlands Farm is an 89-acre working city farm, run predominantly by volunteers. Find out about farming life and farm animals as well as a chance to experience the countryside on London’s doorstep. Open 9.30am-4.30pm Tuesdays to Sundays, entry free - donations welcome.

WWT LONDON WETLAND CENTRE Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes SW13 9WT, www.wwt.org.uk DUSTY DUCK’S WILDLIFE RANGERS, 22 July - 3 September. Take up the challenge and become a Wildlife Ranger this summer. Grab a net and try pond dipping, join their warden to discover more about the wildlife, build a bug hotel or learn how to use binoculars.

KEW GARDENS Royal Botanic Gardens, KEW, Surrey TW9 3AB, www.kew.org Just 30 minutes from central London, Kew Gardens boasts landscapes, glasshouses, historic buildings and a vast range of rare and beautiful plants.

KEW SCIENCE FESTIVAL, 4-6 August. Don your lab coat and dig out your goggles for this year’s Science Festival - three days of exciting activities, workshops and tours that will inspire children and adults alike, celebrating the incredible discoveries and pioneering work of Kew scientists. From conserving the world’s seeds to identifying and saving exotic endangered plants, visitors will be able to get stuck into some of the ground-breaking science work that takes place behind the scenes at Kew.

BST HYDE PARK OPEN HOUSE 2017 3, 4, 5 and 7 July, Parade Ground, HYDE PARK, W2 2UH, www.bst-hydepark.com/openhouse British Summer Time Hyde Park’s Open House returns for a week of summer activities, in-between two weekends of legendary musical line-ups. Enjoy outdoor movie nights, tennis screenings live from Wimbledon, street food stalls, pop up bars, live music, and entertainment for all ages including Chicken Shed performances for children. Admission free - see the website for the full line-up.

HAMPTON COURT PALACE East Molesey KT8 9AU, www.hrp.org.uk/realtennis THE MAGIC GARDEN, throughout July and August. Discover something new around every twist and turn in an immersive world populated by mythical beasts, including a 25m dragon! Take the family to become Tudor Knights, besiege the battlements, storm the Tiltyard Towers and explore a mysterious secret grotto. Included in palace admission.

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BST HYDE PARK OPEN HOUSE

REAL TENNIS CHAMPIONS TROPHY, 11-16 July, Hampton Court Palace plays host to a new annual international Real Tennis event celebrating Henry VIII’s favourite sport, bringing together the world’s top players on the palace’s historic court. Didn’t get tickets to Wimbledon?

Then discover the game’s centuries-old roots as players battle it out to take home the trophy. Ages 12+, tickets from £25.

TUDOR JOUST, 11-16 July. The grounds of Hampton Court will ring out with the sound of charging horses hooves and the clash of cold metal, as King Henry VIII and his court take up residence for that most Tudor of royal sports, the joust. Recreating all the pomp and ceremony of a lavish court entertainment, visitors will be immersed into the sights, smells and sounds of the Tudor court.

HAMPTON COURT

HEVER CASTLE & GARDENS

JOUSTING TOURNAMENTS, July weekends from 15th, August weekends from 12th. The Knights of Royal England will once again delight crowds at Hever Castle with the annual Summer Jousting Tournament. Take a blanket or watch the joust in style from the medieval spectator stands, then choose which knights you support and cheer them to glory.

SUMMER SUNDAY EXTRAVAGANZA

HEVER CASTLE & GARDENS

23 July, MYCENAE HOUSE, 90 Mycenae Road, Blackheath SE3 7SE, 020 8858 1749, www.mycenaehouse.co.uk A family festival of fun with live music, dance, theatre, arts and crafts and a packed programme of workshops and activities. Of course there will be lots of food and drink and a heavy focus on children and families.

12noon - 5pm, free entrance.

HEVER, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG, 01732 865224, www.hevercastle.co.uk Surrounded by award-winning gardens and dating back to the 13th century, historic Hever Castle provides a picturesque setting for a fantastic day out. Children will love the new adventure playground bigger than a four bedroom house, it has its own moat, drawbridge and three turrets. Hever admission from £14.20 adults, from £9 children (5-15); family ticket £38.90.

Wisley Lane, Woking GU23 6QB, 01483 224234, www.rhs.org.uk/wisley ARTS FEST, 15-16 July. Live music performances, poetry and craft stalls.

BIRDS OF PREY, 5-6 August. Meet birds of prey up close and learn all about them, with agility displays at 11am and 2pm.

RHS GARDEN WISLEY

ON BLACKHEATH

THE FAMOUS FIVE ON A GARDEN ADVENTURE, 22 July 3 September. Celebrate the 75th anniversary of Enid Blyton’s Famous Five as you follow a self-guided trail and help Uncle Quentin uncover more about the mysterious Robo Bees, take part in den building, garden games and storytelling. On 11 August Enid Blyton’s birthday will be celebrated with a themed picnic party.

ON BLACKHEATH 2017 9+10 September , BLACKHEATH SE3, www.onblackheath.com Created in partnership with John Lewis, OnBlackheath was created as the perfect festival for unwinding and putting a smile on your face; showcasing the best in local and international artists, serving up amazing food, and offering a world of fun for all ages.

This year’s musical line up includes Travis, The Libertines, KT Tunstall, Jake Bugg, cracking dance acts and world-famous Djs. There will be adventures, stories and craft activities for children, plus a village green sports day. Also joining the children’s line-up will be Children’s Laureate (2007-2009) novelist, poet and author of the enduring classic We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Michael Wayne Rosen. Other key highlights include an appearance by the BBC CBeebies show Mister Maker, teaching and entertaining pre-schoolers in fun and imaginative ways.

Open noon to 10.30pm Saturday, to 10pm Sunday. Day tickets £49.50, weekend £90, under 5s free, children’s tickets from £10.

MUSEUMS AND EV ENTS GREENWICH MARKET

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM

GREENWICH MARKET, 5b Greenwich Market, Greenwich, London, SE10 9HZ, 020 8269 096, www.greenwichmarketlondon.com WICKED WEDNESDAYS, throughout the summer holidays.

Stretch your children’s minds and muscles at yoga workshops, or burn off bags of energy hoola hoop sessions. Budding artists can get crafty the traditional way with designer makers and enjoy the satisfaction of making something themselves. Step aboard the Pink Sewing Bus and make something beautiful with Miss Libby Rose. There’s face painting and balloon fun too and lots of giant games to play, like skittles and board games.

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R, 020 7601 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Examine intricately-designed banknotes, feel the weight of a genuine gold bar and see the pikes and muskets that were once used to defend the Bank.

Children’s activity sheets provide fun for younger visitors. Open 10am5pm Mondays to Fridays, admission free.

STORIES FROM THE CITY, from 19 July. A new exhibition explores the Bank’s literary connections and celebrates the launch of the new Jane Austen £10 note. Find out more about the new £10 note and learn about its high-tech security features. The exhibition also takes a look at the life of Jane Austen, and in particular the theme of money that runs throughout her work.

BANKNOTE DETECTIVES, 24 July - 1 September. Calling all banknote detectives; the museum needs your help this summer!

Could you tell a real banknote from a fake? Use your detective skills to solve puzzles, and pick up some tips at the interactive talks on banknotes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1pm.

THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM HORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk Museum open 10.30am-5.30pm daily, general admission free, charges apply for special exhibitions and the aquarium. The museum’s music gallery and hands-on base, regular weekend and holiday drop-ins and workshops allow family visitors to explore the collection through arts and crafts, music, stories and hands-on sessions. All this within 16 acres of beautiful green space which has the oldest nature trail in London, an animal corner and a Farmers’ Market every Saturday.

INDIAN SUMMER, 9 July - 3 September. Outdoor festivals and live performances will celebrate the diversity and influence of Indian music from the traditional and classical to the electronic and urban.

There will also be dance, screenings, displays and crafts inspired by the region, and the programme will conclude with a spectacular Horniman Mela from noon - 6pm on Sunday 3 September.

ROBOT ZOO, until 29 October. Come face to face with a robotic rhino, a squid with 18-foot tentacles and a huge housefly with a vacuum cleaner for a mouth. Robot Zoo houses larger-than-life robot animals made from familiar machine parts and gadgets, in an exciting hands-on family exhibition revealing some of nature’s most amazing adaptations.

Interactive games and challenges explain how a chameleon changes colour, what makes grasshoppers leap so high, and why a platypus looks so strange. Children £4.40, adults £7.70, families £18.70.

SOUTH LONDON BOTANICAL INSTITUTE 323 South Norwood Road, Herne Hill SE24 9AQ, 020 8674 5787, www.slbi.org.uk VERTICAL VEG, 29 July. Learn how to grow lots of food in a small space without a garden! To include seed sowings to take home.

Beginners and the more advanced welcome. 1-5pm, book first; £5 refundable deposit.

CYANOTYPE POSTCARDS WITH FRUIT AND VEG, 15 August. Learn how to make blueprints from the sun in a holiday workshop for children. 10am-12noon and 2-4pm, £2 per child, £5 for three children, book first.

THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM 40 Brunswick Square, Camden Town WC1N 1AZ, 020 7841 3600, www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk Britain’s first home for abandoned children and London’s first public art gallery reveals the stories of the Foundling Hospital’s founder Thomas Coram, the artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel.

It houses significant collections of eighteenth-century art, interiors, social history and music. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and from 11am Sundays. Admission free for under 16s, £8.25 adults.

PICTURING HETTY FEATHER, until 3 September. Since the first Hetty Feather book was published in 2008, Dame Jacqueline Wilson’s series of novels has delighted young audiences with the adventures of the spirited Victorian foundling Hetty Feather. The exhibition features props and original costumes from the CBBC Hetty Feather television set, alongside unseen treasures from the Foundling Hospital Collection and archive. Try on costumes made for the CBBC production and take part in a range of interactive activities.

HETTY FEATHER & CLOVER MOON DAY, 15 July.

Join the author of the Hetty Feather series as she reads from Hetty Feather and Clover Moon, and signs books. Throughout the day drop in to a free art workshop and visit the Picturing Hetty Feather exhibition to experience what life was like for Hetty growing up at the Foundling Hospital. Tickets £7 children, £10 adults - book first.

MISS SMITH’S BOOKS, 25 July. Use traditional bookbinding methods to create Hetty’s journal or Clover’s sketchbook, given to them

by Miss Smith. Then make marbled paper to cover your notebook in the style of Victorian marbled books. 10.30am-12noon, 1-2.30pm and 3-4.30pm, suitable for age 5+, free for children and up to two accompanying adults.

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HETTY FEATHER

PERFORMING WITH HETTY, 2 August. Celebrate national Olayday in a free family drama workshop based on characters and scenes from the Hetty Feather books. 10.30am-12noon, 1-2.30pm and 3-4.30pm, ages 5+.

HETTY FEATHER: USING HISTORY CREATIVELY, 22 August. Jacqueline Wilson talks about the writing of Hetty Feather, alongside some of the creative people involved in transforming the books into a TV series. Find out how the Foundling Hospital’s story has inspired artists of all kinds, and take the opportunity to ask those burning questions. 2pm start, tickets £3 children, £5 adults.

HETTY’S SHADOW PUPPET THEATRE, 29 August.

Taking inspiration from Nick Sharratt’s silhouette illustrations in the Jacqueline Wilson’s book Hetty Feather, create a shadow puppet theatre featuring characters from Hetty Feather, Diamond and Clover Moon.

10.30am-12noon, 1-2.30pm and 3-4.30pm, suitable for age 5+, free for children and up to two accompanying adults.

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INDIAN SUMMER AT THE HORNIMAN

SENSATIONAL BUTTERFLIES

MoreWhat’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesonline.co.uk then click What's On

SCIENCE MUSEUM

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM

SCIENCE MUSEUM, Exhibition Road SW7 2DD, 0870 870 4868, www.sciencemuseum.org.uk Aiming to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science, the Science Museum makes sense of the science that shapes our lives, sparking curiosity, releasing creativity and changing the future by engaging people of all generations and backgrounds in science, engineering, medicine, technology, design and enterprise. Open daily 10am-6pm except 24-26 December.

WONDERLAB: THE STATOIL GALLERY. The UK’s biggest interactive science gallery is filled with specially-commissioned exhibits and artworks, live science shows, explosive demonstrations and immersive experiences led by the museum’s talent team of science communicators. Day pass £8 adult, £6 child, £22.50 families.

OUR LIVES IN DATA. Information about our lives is increasingly being captured, analysed and used, transforming the world around us. From toys that can understand a child’s personality and smarter public transport planning to new genomic technology that is helping uncover the causes of rare diseases and cancer, big data’s invisible revolution has begun. Ages 8 to adult, free.

V&A MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 2RL, 020 7942 2000, www.vam.ac.uk/families Pick up a family trail from the Information Desk and explore the museum through puzzles, drawing and observation. Suitable for 7-12 year-olds.

There are also hundreds of exciting hands-on exhibits containing plenty to touch and try out. Museum open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.

BACK-PACKS, Saturdays. Pick up a back pack and explore the museum with fantastic jigsaws, stories, puzzles and games. 10.30am5pm.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 5BD, 020 7942 5000, www.nhm.ac.uk Dinosaurs, volcanoes, precious gems and creepy crawlies - discover the diversity of the natural world through the nation’s finest collection of natural history specimens. Fascinating exhibitions display up to 70 million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals, with a hands-on education centre where you can meet real scientists at work. Museum open 10am-5.50pm, admission free.

INVESTIGATE FOR FAMILIES, every weekend. Get a feel for how scientists work by having a go yourself. Explore hundreds of real nature specimens that form the evidence Museum scientists use in their daily work. Drop-in, ages 3-11, 11am-5pm.

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR Enjoy the world’s best nature photography revealing the astonishing diversity of life on our planet, from urban foxes to mountain hares.

SENSATIONAL BUTTERFLIES, until September. Escape into the tropical butterfly house in the Museum grounds and get up close to these incredible creatures, usually found in the tropical forests of Central and South America, Africa and Asia. Tickets from £5.85.

COLOUR AND VISION. Discover the earliest life on Earth and trace the evolutionary history of colour and vision. Find out how early interactions gave rise to the wide variety of colours that we now see in the natural world.Adults £12, children £6.

DINO SNORES, once a month on Saturdays. Discover what really happens at the museum when the staff and visitors have gone home. Children aged 7-11 years, from 7pm to 9.50am the following day.

Tickets £60.

T.REX GRILL. A fun dinosaur-themed restaurant, primarily aimed at families with children aged 12 and under, transports visitors back millions of years to dine with dinosaurs. The animatronic velociraptors are a big hit alongside a dinosaur themed menu which includes T.rex burgers, fish and stone-baked pizza and dino topped ice creams.

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, Warehouse 1, West India Quay E14 4AL, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands Find out more about London’s history, through displays covering events such as the Great Plague, Londoners’ jobs and occupations, and Roman life. Open daily 10am-6pm, admission free. On Sundays, museum hosts help visitors explore the galleries through fun, hands-on activities at 11am and 2pm.

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CROSSRAIL, until 3 September. See the most complete range of archaeological objects unearthed by the Crossrail project, and discover the story of this great feat of engineering. All ages, free.

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V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, www.museumofchildhood.org.uk This gem of a museum houses dolls, dolls’ houses, puppets, teddy bears, games, childcare, clothing, furniture and art and photography.

Everyday drop-in activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, and trails.

There’s dressing-up, role play and an under 3’s area, an indoor sandpit, and regular special events. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.

MICHAEL MORPORGO: A LIFETIME IN STORIES, 22 July - 25 February 2018. An exhibition celebrating the life and exceptional writing power of one of Britain’s best-loved storymakers. Exhibits include draft manuscripts, photographs, notebooks and correspondence that chronicle Michael’s creative and writing career, including the writing of War Horse, Kensuke’s Kingdom and The Butterfly Lion, as well as artwork loaned by some of Britain’s greatest illustrators, including Sir Quentin Blake, Patrick Benson and Michael Foreman. Explore an atmospheric soundscape and learn about Morpurgo’s themes of war, farming, and friendship as well as seeing inspiring original material for famed works like War Horse. Free.

SUMMER FESTIVAL, 23 July. The Museum grounds will come alive with a buzzing programme of live music, dance, walkabout acts, designer stalls, food, face paints, henna, rickshaw rides, games and lots for children to make and do. 11.30am-4.30pm.

STORYTIME WEAVING FAMILY DAYS, August Fridays and 1 September. Inspired by the Michael Morpurgo: A Lifetime in Stories exhibition, enjoy a series of fun family days celebrating children’s literature and storytelling this summer. Join in throughout the holidays with five themed days led by artists, writers, musicians and more. 11am-4pm, all ages, free.

OUTDOOR SUMMER GAMES, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 22-31 August. Run, jump, hop and skip! Great outdoor fun for active families. Join the race, get to the top of the leader board or simply let of steam in the Museum grounds (weather permitting). 2-4pm, all ages, free.

ARCHAEOLOGY OF CROSSRAIL

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, Greenwich SE10, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk Royal Museums Greenwich holds the world’s largest maritime collection.

It is housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House, and Cutty Sark. The Museums works to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people, and is also a major centre of education and research. On Saturdays and Sundays free performances and workshops entertain family visitors, while on Tuesdays preschoolers can make music and play with parents and carers. Open 10am-5pm daily. General admission is free; some buildings, special exhibitions and events have an admission fee.

DEATH IN THE ICE, from 14 July. Explore the mysterious fate of Sir John Franklin and his crew on their final expedition - a mystery that still remains unsolved today. With over 200 objects on display, alongside finds from HMSE rebus- whose resting place was only discovered in 2014 - the exhibition begins to answer questions about what may have happened to those men on their fateful journey to the Arctic all those years ago.

THE GREAT EXPLORER is an interactive game for families.

Borrow a tablet device and set sail across The Great Map to explore distant lands and discover treasures from all around the world. Where will you visit and what will you find? Take a photo and share your adventure. 11am-4pm, free.

CHARACTER ENCOUNTERS, Saturdays. Join an exciting performance and journey bringing maritime history to life. 12noon, 1, 2 and 3pm.

CUTTY SARK CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698, www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark The world famous 19th century tea clipper offers visitors four levels to explore. Take in the views from the main deck and steer at the ship’s wheel, meet the crew who worked on board, explore the various cargoes from wool to whiskey, and see how tea was loaded on board through interactive displays, props, information boards and animations. Family friendly events run at weekends and during school holidays. Open 10am5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £7 children, £13.50 adults, from £24 families. Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal Museum Greenwich attractions.

THE ROYAL INSTITUTE

THE BRITISH MUSEUM

ROYAL INSTITUTE, Albemarle Street, Mayfair W1S 4BS, 020 7409 2992, www.rigb.org The RIGB puts on a number of events each year in the theatre specially designed for family groups and a teenage/ young adult audience.

Brought to life with demonstrations and audience participation, the talks cover a wide range of topics from the science of fireworks to the mathematics of winning games. Events listed are for ages 7+, 6-7.15pm, tickets from £10.

THE FIRE OF LIFE, 7 July. See how the body generates its own heat, using liquid nitrogen, explosions, a thermal camera and more.

21st CENTURY MATERIALS, 28 July. Learn about the future of the world, and the crazy materials which will build it.

BRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8181, www.britishmuseum.org The British Museum was founded in 1753, the first national public museum in the world. Each year nearly 6 million visitors pour through the doors to see the museum’s collection of ancient and historical artefacts including the ever-popular Egyptian mummies, or to take in the latest block-buster exhibition. Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free, charge for some exhibitions.

HOKUSAI: BEYOND THE GREAT WAVE, until 13 August. Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) is widely regarded as one of Japan’s most famous and influential artists. He produced works of astonishing quality right up until his death at the age of 90. This new exhibition leads visitors on an artistic journey through the last 30 years of Hokusai’s life - a time when he produced some of his most memorable masterpieces. Admission free for children, £12 adults.

DIGITAL DISCOVERY CENTRE, weekends. Learn, discover and create in the Museum’s digital centre. Free activities and workshops using the latest Samsung digital equipment, enabling children to bring the world’s history and cultures to life through advanced technology.

THE TURNER TWINS - WORD FIRST ADVENTURERS, 11 August. Hugo and Ross Turner have travelled to extremes in the name of science: across the Atlantic Ocean, up 5000m peaks and over the Greenland polar ice cap. As identical twins, they are uniquely able to test how the body survives in these extreme environments, and how new materials, diet and technology can help. Hear about their incredible journeys, and see the equipment they needed to survive in these wild places.

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V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD

HOKUSAI - THE BRITISH MUSEUM

CHIDDINGSTONE CASTLE

THE MAKING OF HARRY POTTER

Hill Hoath Road, Chiddingstone, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7AD, 01892 870347, www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk Step inside the castle to explore original Victorian rooms including the large kitchen and servants’ quarters, and learn about the late owner Denys Eyre Bower, whose collections include Japanese, Egyptian, Buddist and Stuart treasures. Open Sundays to Wednesdays until the end of October. Admission free for under 5s, children £4.50, adults £9.50, familles £25.

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN DAY, 13 August. There will be something for all ages on Egyptian Day including handling 3000 year-old objects and listening to talks by a Professor of Egyptology. Meet Irethoreru - that’s the newly-discovered name of the 2600 year old mummy that would have been inside the Castle’s Ancient Egyptian coffin lid exhibited on the Great Hall Gallery. Take part in a workshop to make a clay mummy and find out what Irethoreru would have eaten for breakfast.

11am-5pm, activities included with admission price.

WARNER BROS. STUDIO TOUR LONDON, Studio Tour Drive, Leavesden WD25 7LR, 0345 084 0900, www.wbstudiotour.co.uk The Forbidden Forest may be strictly off-limits to Hogwarts students, but for the first time this March, visitors to Warner Bros. Studio Tour London are invited to defy Professor Dumbledore’s orders and follow the footsteps of Harry, Ron and Hermione deep into the grounds of the Forbidden Forest. The unique attraction offers visitors the ultimate chance to get up close to authentic sets, discover the magic behind spellbinding special effects and explore the behind-the-scenes secrets of the Harry Potter film series.

GEFFRYE MUSEUM EVENTS GEFFRYE MUSEUM, Kingsland Road E2 8EA, 020 7739 9893, www.geffrye-museum.org.uk Special workshops and quizzes inspire creativity and provide amusement for accompanied 5-11 year-olds on the first Saturday of each month and during school holidays. Places allocated 30 minutes in advance of each workshop. Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, from noon Sundays.

UPCYCLE IT! 25 July - 4 August. Use your favourite patterns from the museum and gardens to create stunning stained glass, wacky wallpaper and patterned prints. 10.30am-12.30pm and 2-4pm, ages 5-16 years, free on a first-come, first-served basis.

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM St THOMAS’S HOSPITAL, 2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7EW, 020 7188 4400, www.florence-nightingale.co.uk Known as ‘The Lady with the Lamp’, Florence Nightingale was a pioneering nurse, writer, and noted statistician. The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates her life and work, through personal material associated with Florence Nightingale, items relating to the Crimean War and nursing artefacts. Open 10am-7pm daily, admission £7.50 adults, £3.80 children.

FULHAM PALACE Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA, 020 7736 3233, www.fulhampalace.org The Museum of Fulham Palace charts the long history of the palace site, from Prehistoric times and Roman settlement, through Medieval, Tudor, Georgian and Victorian bishops to the present day. The museum collection includes paintings, archaeology and artefacts. Open noon4pm Sundays, 12.30-3.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, admission free.

PALACE EXPLORERS, Mondays and Tuesdays in July and August. Fun and creative facilitated sessions geared specifically to 2-4 year olds and their adults. Each week offers the chance to explore and learn together through a specific theme, with arts and crafts, storytelling and dressing up, games, gardening, singing and whole host of other delights! 9.30-10.30am, £4 per child includes a drink and healthy snack; book first.

UP AT THE O2

ART MARQUEE, 23 July, 2, 9, 16 and 23 August. Visit the outdoor Art Marquee on the main lawn and learn an exciting new technique - from paper marbling and working with clay, to puppetry and pop-ups. 1-4pm, £3 per child.

VEGETABLE TRAIL: AN EDIBLE ADVENTURE, 5 August. Eat your way through the Palace’s walled garden and see how your favourite greens grow. Getting your 10-a-day has never been so fun.

11am-11.45am and 2-2.45pm, free but book first.

THE 02 02 ARENA, Peninsula Square, Greenwich SE10 0DX, www.the02.co.uk/events UP AT THE 02. Dressed in full explorer attire, climb onto the roof of the 02 on a journey to the viewing platform where spectacular views of the city await. Ages 9+, tickets from £30, booking recommended.

STAR WARS IDENTITIES, Until September. Rediscover the unforgettable characters of Star Wars in a whole new way, through an exclusive collection of 200 props, models, costumes and artwork from the Star Wars films. Explore what makes the characters of Star Wars who they are, and take on an interactive identity quest to discover your own personalised Star Wars character. Tickets from £10 children, £20 adults, £48 families.

SPADDLES AND SORBETS: A HISTORY OF ICE CREAM IN BRITAIN, 16 July. Prepare to be have your taste buds tickled as television’s Annie Gray takes your family through the delightful ins and outs of ice cream through the ages. This interactive demonstration includes the opportunity to sample fresh ice cream and learn how to create your own inventive flavours at home. 1-1.45pm, £3.50, booking recommended.

HANDS ON ARCHAEOLOGY, 23 July. Get up close and personal with archaeology at Fulham Palace, and learn more about the rich and varied history of this ancient site. A drop-in session for archaeology enthusiasts of all ages. 1-3pm, free.

A R T A C TI V ITIES DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, 020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends and bank holidays. Admission free for accompanied children, £8 adults. Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child.

SARGENT: THE WATERCOLOURS, until 8 October. Renowned as the portraitist of his generation, Anglo-American artist John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) also devoted time to developing his talent in watercolour, undertaking several painting expeditions to Europe in the early twentieth century. This exhibition brings together 80 paintings from private and public collections, revealing Sargent’s idiosyncratic view of the world and the scale of his achievement.

PARENT AND BABY YOGA, 16 July. Enjoy a relaxing experience with your baby, using yoga to tone, stretch, strengthen, relax and release. No previous yoga experience is necessary to enjoy this new form of bonding with your child. 10.30-11.30am, £10 per parent and baby.

FAMILY YOGA, 30 July. Join this special family yoga session for plenty of laughter and fun! This class is open to everyone - toddlers to teens, mums, dads, grandparents and carers. You don’t need to be an accomplished yogi, just ready to give it a go. 10.30-11.30am, £15 per parent and child.

ART PLAY, first and last Sunday of each month. Creative drop-in workshops for adults and children, with a different activity each session. Make anything and everything from bunting to block printing and all things in between. 2-3.45pm.

FREE FAMILY TRAIL. Ask a gallery assistant or stop by at the Gallery Friends desk for a free trail; updated frequently and available for the permanent and temporary exhibitions.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk The gallery features thousands of portraits of the most famous people in British history, from the 16th century to the present day. Open 10am-6pm daily.

DROP IN FAMILY SUNDAYS. On the third Sunday of every month, families are invited to drop-in with children aged 3+ to take part in portrait-related events.

THE WALLACE COLLECTION THE WALLACE COLLECTION, Hertford House, Manchester Square W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500, www.wallacecollection.org The Wallace Collection displays wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, in their main London townhouse. Family multi-media tours and trails bring the exhibits to life for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission free.

FIGURES IN ACTION, 27-28 July. Make your own figurative sculpture in this two-day workshop with artist Alex Hirtzel. £40, ages 9-12, 10.30am 3.30pm THE LITTLE DRAW, 6 August. Meet artist Niamh Aherne as she explores the Wallace Collection through drawing, observation and plenty of creative experimentation. Free drop-in, 1.30-4.30pm.

ART AT SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSE SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3PB, 020 7440 4263, www.soane.org Tucked away in Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the heart of London, this magical, mysterious museum encourages young visitors to explore Soane’s treasures and develop new skills with specialist guidance. Sir John Soane (1753- 1737) was an inveterate collector, filling every nook and cranny of his beautiful home with items that fascinated him. From fossils to classical fragments from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and from contemporary paintings to architectural models, drawings and literature, he intended that after his death both his house and its extraordinary contents should be used to educate and inspire. Free drop-in activities run on the third Saturday of every month, with activities for all ages and families can take part together from 1.30-4.40pm.

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SARGENT - DULWICH GALLERY

SOMERSET HOUSE SOMERSET HOUSE, Strand WC2, 020 7845 4600, www.somersethouse.org.uk Art and culture in the heart of London in a stunning riverside setting.

Open daily, admission free with a charge for some exhibitions. Free family workshops run on occasional Saturdays - check the website for details. Children aged 6-12 years must be accompanied by an adult.

PERFUME: A SENSORY JOURNEY THROUGH CONTEMPORARY SCENT, until 17 September. Discover a vibrant new scent scene through multi-sensory installations and workshops. Among fragrances of greatest interest for children is Killian Wells’ Dark Ride which simulates the scent of a water park, and Lyn Harris’s Charcoal which, as you might expect, somewhat resembles the aromas of a summer barbecue. Admission £9 children, £11 adults.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2N 5DN, 020 7747 2885, www.nationalgallery.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, Fridays to 9pm, admission free.

With over 2,300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the gallery, along with free hands-on art workshops and magic carpet storytellling for families at weekends and during school holidays.

No need to book, but places are limited and allocated on arrival up to one hour before the start.

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Families South East Tel: 020 8699 7240 Email: info@familiesse.co.uk Contact: Robina Cowan MAGAZINE DESIGN: Lancasters 020 8658 9975 www.lancasters.co.uk Printed on paper from sustainable forests. www.russellpress.com

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