FamiliesSouthEastMarApr2020

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:13 pm Page 1

FR EE

TAKE M E

HOME

South East IN THIS ISSUE Lewisham - 2021 Borough of Culture Waste-free Shopping What’s On Listings

Issue 202 March April 2020

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:13 pm Page 2

Our London streets are starting to look leafy, Mother’s Day is on its way, the clocks are going forward - hurrah - and there are school hols to look forward - we do love it when the schools give back our children to play with!

Happy Easter everyone.

Robina Cowan, editor

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

Lewisham - Borough of Culture 2021 IN THIS ISSUE 2-3

Local News and Views Lewisham’s going extra-cultural next year, Crystal Palace is set to explode with colour, tea with the Horniman Walrus anyone? and Camp Bestival 2020 is coming

4

Education News The power of opening up conversations - how a ‘coaching culture’ can support your child’s future

5

Learning a New Language New skills and an appreciation of different cultures - the many benefits of foreign language learning

6-7

Clubs and Classes Easter holiday camps and workshops, and building confidence through performance art

8

Motivating Good Behaviour The ‘naughty step’ is out - bring on reward charts

9

Waste Not, Want Not The growth of greener shopping in southeast London

10

The Book Page Justine Crow’s Spring book choices for small people and their grownups

11-15

What’s On Our pick of the best events, shows and workshops to see you up to and into the Easter holidays

Lewisham has won the accolade of being voted London’s Borough of Culture in 2021, bringing in £1.35m to deliver a year-long programme of activities.

Lewisham’s bid championed themes of climate change and diversity, with planned activities set to include an artist-led tribute to the Rock Against Racism movement, and a climate change carnival. Watch this space! www.iamlewisham.uk

New nursery in Bellingham Kindergarten Forest Hill is opening a new branch in Bellingham Green.

The Kindergarten offers a bilingual (English/ German) Early Years curriculum which includes a Forest School programme to support young children to become confident and responsible personalities. Founder and director Kristine von Bebenburg explains: “The indoors and outdoors are equally important as inspiring environments where children can immerse themselves into carefully devised activities. Free flow between our beautiful group room and inspiring garden is an important part of the concept. We speak German to the children during the daily routines and free play, and English in our group activities. We are passionate about healthy eating so have banned refined sugars from our lunch boxes; and make delicious smoothies and snacks from the herbs and vegetables growing in our garden.

Furthermore, our gentle behaviour management creates an atmosphere of fun, engagement and exciting things to do. Children can enjoy themselves and feel part of a group where they develop social skills, empathy and respect for each other and their environment.”

Both Kindergartens are open for 2-5 year-olds for 44 weeks a year.

Children from all backgrounds are welcome; there is no need to speak German. Read more online for a prospectus, applications and to book a visit.

EARLY BIRD OFFER: claim an Early Bird no application handling fee (£40) and no registration fee (£120) on enrolling until Easter 2020. www.kindergartenforesthill.co.uk

Next issue May-June out 8 May, Booking deadline 17 April

Families South East PO Box 11591, London SE26 6WB 020 8699 3958, editor@familiesse.co.uk

www.familiesse.co.uk for back issues and our media pack

Families South East London

@FamiliesSELon

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 Families South East. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families South East, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

2 Families South East

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:13 pm Page 3

The Color Run is coming to southeast London The Color Run is coming to Crystal Palace this autumn get ready to make magic and share your get up and glow at the happiest 5K on the planet!

Back in the UK, the global phenomenon is looking for dreamers, believers and magic-makers who want to add some real colour to their lives in celebration of healthiness, happiness and individuality.

Now in its eighth year, The Color Run offers a rainbow of fun with family, friends or colleagues as you shake and shimmer your way along the 5km route - with a colour explosion at every kilometre - followed by a huge colour throwing party at the finish line where you can dance off any extra energy to some cool DJ tunes.

The event will take place on Saturday 19 September and registration is already open online. www.thecolourrun.co.uk

The Great Walrus Tea Party The Horniman Museum’s stuffed walrus is a great (big) visitor favourite - and now the centrepiece of a new fundraiser to help the museum inspire future generations of London’s families and schoolchildren.

The Great Walrus Tea Party will run throughout June and is open to individuals, workplaces, nurseries and schools. Registration is now open for inspiration, recipes and fundraising materials, with a fabulous range of Horniman prizes available for top fundraisers. Find Great Walrus Tea Party on the museum website for all the details. www.horniman.ac.uk

Camp Bestival 2020

Join Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Liam Payne, Friendly Fires, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Becky Hill, Dick and Dom, Max & Harvey, Brainiac Live, The Sugarhill Gang, Sam & Mark, The Sherlocks & so many more at Camp Bestival. Taking place at the start of the school holidays (30 July - 2 August) at Lulworth Castle in Dorset, this family adventure offers hundreds of things to see and do from music and shows to tree-climbing, woodland workshops, spoken word, arts, science and circus for all.

Parents are particularly spoilt at Camp Bestival; well, they do buy the tickets! Amazing live acts and DJs, raves, discos, parties, comedy, literary talks, cocktails, award-winning street food, likeminded people all in a big old field by a castle and the sea. Kick-start your summer holidays with a 4-day family festi-holiday - voted Best Family Festival in the UK Festival Awards. For line-up, info and tickets head to www.campbestival.net

Earth Hour 2020 Many London landmarks, offices, schools and homes will ‘go dark’ for an hour on 28 March, to mark the 13th year of WWF’s Earth Hour.

Held every year on the last Saturday of March, Earth Hour engages millions of people in more than 180 countries and territories, switching off their lights to show support for our threatened planet.

Be part of it by switching off your lights at 8.30pm on 28 March and leaving them off for an hour, and read about the movement online. www.wwf.org.uk/earthhour

Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddle Walk Nurseries, early years groups, families and children up and down the country are invited to take part in Peppa Pig’s Muddy Puddle Walk to raise money for Save the Children.

Running from 11-17 May this year, to date the annual family fundraiser has seen over 500,000 children from across the UK take part, raising an incredible £622,000 for Save the Children’s lifesaving work. Whether you splash in puddles along a trail at the park or get creative and make your own puddles indoors from paper and foil - your Muddy Puddle Walk will be a fun day to spend together that little ones won’t forget. Free fundraising packs and sign up details are available online. www.muddypuddlewalk.org familiesonline.co.uk

Families South East 3

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:13 pm Page 4

E D U C AT IO N N E W S

Developing confident, considerate communicators - how a coaching culture can support your child’s future

By Gillian Panton, Deputy Head of Sydenham High Prep School GDST “How was your day, darling?” Following an action-packed afternoon of geography fieldwork, netball squad and computer coding, a small voice utters a frustratingly underwhelming: “Fine.” This familiar response follows us into adulthood and often belies a need to “keep on keeping on” despite how we feel inside. When children show reluctance to expand on their day, share the worries or the challenges they face, how do we as parents and educators prise open these channels of communication to promote a safe space to converse, without judgement?

The power of opening up such types of conversations has seen a remarkable development in the communication skills of pupils at Sydenham High School. Creating a coaching culture, actively chosen to extend beyond the walls of the staff room and into the hands of our pupils in the playground and classrooms alike, has seen a sharpening of focus on the meaning of interdependence.

For every pupil to flourish within our school gates, the resolve to respectfully listen to one another, and be heard, is the cornerstone of our pastoral care. As educators, we delight in knowing that the learning has truly ‘stuck’ when we witness the pupil-come-mini-teacher in action, regaling in the joy of sharing their

knowledge and supporting others to access the task in hand.

It is with this power of the peer, that “KidCoaching” was devised. Using a structured coaching question model, pupils and staff alike have been developing an awareness of the far-reaching impact of the coaching conversation to support positive growth and self-reflection. The introduction of the ‘Inner Coach’ concept has proved powerful in raising the self-belief and confidence of our pupils.

Children are always eager to help their friends in times of need and offer supportive words of advice. It is with this in mind that we encourage the pupils to talk to themselves as they would their best friend.

A coaching culture equips children with the interpersonal skills to develop their questioning and listening. It also challenges children to reflect on, and uncover, thoughts and considerations they have within a safe space.

Communication skills are the bedrock of the future. Being creative, adaptive, and in equal measure, resilient, is no mean feat; however, with the support of family, teachers and peers, unlocking the power of open-ended questioning and self-reflection, through tools such as the Inner Coach, the outcomes for

pupils can be far-reaching. By remembering the power of the space between the question and response, perhaps we can support children to take ownership of their choices about how they manage their feelings and respond in moments of challenge leading to the ever-elusive, “Aha!” moment of clarity.

Top tips to open up a coaching style conversation with your child: • When listening to your child talking about their emotions or worries, try to suspend any reaction to the behaviour they may display and instead focus on the emotions they exhibit.

• Try to support your child to recognise and label their emotions or worries as this will help them to build a greater understanding of what it is they are feeling.

• Encourage your child to be kind to themselves, rather than critical. Model how they could speak to themselves more positively and compassionately.

• Embrace the pauses in the conversation as this may be the space your child needs to find the way forward with their problem.

Start your story...

Nothing should hold a girl back.

Discover more about our expertise in educating girls at our open events and taster days throughout the year.

Book online at www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net admissions@syd.gdst.net | 020 8557 7004 Prep, Senior & Sixth: 15 & 19 Westwood Hill, London SE26 6BL

4 Families South East

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 5

ED UC AT I ON N EWS

The benefits of learning a new language We live in an amazing multicultural, multi-national society. In London alone, where over 300 different languages are spoken, countless families speak their mother tongue at home and English away from it.

It’s so sad to think of a future where people only communicate by holding phones in front of each other using a translation app! There are so many benefits - both short and long-term - to learning new languages: It’s fun Learning a new language really can be lots of fun. Classes with native speakers, tailored to different age/ ability groups are best, typically including games alongside interactive teaching methods. At the very least, there are plenty of teaching apps out there if you have the discipline to log in regularly. Meanwhile, many people practise their accent and pronunciation by watching popular TV shows in a different language.

It promotes culture When your child is learning Spanish, French, German, Greek, Mandarin, Polish or Japanese (the list is endless), they will be able to communicate with a wider range of people once they have crafted their new skill. This will give them an appreciation of different cultures and a better understanding of the world.

It is enriching While we already know that it can go far in sprawling cities like London, your child will also find it enriching when they go abroad. Even just starting with please, thank you, good morning or hullo, in my experience hotel and restaurant owners appreciate our efforts to use their language, and are particularly charmed by children’s attempts. This means that holidays aren’t just about sun, sea and sand but another

adventure where young ones can hone their skills.

It helps with education Studies have shown that foreign language learning improves the function of the brain, which can benefit other school subjects too.

In particular, problem solving is one area that should develop, making it easier for your child to excel in other ‘pattern’ subjects such as maths.

people from overseas. Essentially, multi-lingualism is just another skill that will (one day) make your child’s CV stand out.

Start young for success It is known that as we become older, it becomes harder for the brain to absorb new information like it once could. Eager young brains are well suited to taking in and understanding new languages, so the sooner the better! While most children will be able to grasp the skill from as young as three, the majority will still benefit by starting their linguistic journey before they reach secondary school.

Your child’s English can improve In many cases, your child’s grasp of English will improve after they have learnt a new language. This is because they will understand root words, syntax and grammar. In turn, this will boost your child’s vocabulary and writing skills, which should be noticeable when they get older and start taking important exams such as GCSEs and A-Levels.

Other languages come more naturally Once your child knows an additional language, they will find it easier to learn a third language in the future. There’s no telling how many languages your child could know by the time they are in their twenties.

It can lead to wider career options Many employers take notice of foreign language qualifications because they reflect selfdiscipline. Meanwhile, some jobs will even specify that they require a bilingual candidate because it means they can do business with

GERMAN/ENGLISH KINDERGARTEN FOR CHILDREN 2–5 YEARS

KINDERGARTEN FOREST HILL BELLINGHAM GREEN

Following the success of our well-established Kindergarten Forest Hill (Ofsted rated Outstanding), we are excited about the opening of our new branch in Bellingham Green in January 2020

Early Bird o er: no application handling fee (£40) and no registration fee (£120) until Easter 2020

• Bilingual approach to learning • Highly trained and dedicated staff • We prioritise the emotional wellbeing of our

children by strengthening their development of confidence, empathy and respect for others

• Our on-site Forest School program inspires

children to connect with nature and develop respect for their environment

• We foster the imagination and creativity of

“language learning improves the function of the brain”

our children with carefully devised indoor and outdoor activities

• In our beautiful and spacious garden, we grow vegetables and herbs — we are passionate about healthy living and nutrition

8am—6pm Mondays—Thurs 8am—6pm Mondays—Thurs 8am—4.30pm Fridays 8am—4.30pm Fridays

Kindergarten Forest Hill

Kindergarten Forest Hill United Reformed Church United Reformed Church 15aBellingham Bellingham Green SE6 3HQ 15a Green SE6 3HQ Kristine@KindergartenForestHill.co.uk Kristine@KindergartenForestHill.co.uk KindergartenForestHill.co.uk KindergartenForestHill.co.uk KindergartenForestHill.co.uk facebook.com/BellinghamGreen facebook.com/BellinghamGreen

Kindergarten Forest Hill Ltd. Registered in England and Wales company number 8261327. OFSTED Registration No EY456852

familiesonline.co.uk

Families South East 5

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:44 pm Page 6

C LU B S A N D CL AS S E S

Invisible goodness wrapped up in fun Perform founder, Lucy Quick tells us more.

“Perform classes are a bit like a pasta sauce that’s filled with hidden vegetables: kids think it’s really tasty and don’t realise that it’s full of healthy nutrition. I see our classes like this invisible goodness wrapped up in an hour of games, role-play, dance routines and songs.

The children think they’re enjoying an hour of fun but they’re also being equipped with essential confidence-building social skills.

We all want our children to be happy, feel confident enough to try new things and interact well with others. Taking part in regular drama activities encourages confident and fluent speaking, boosts reading and writing abilities and enhances coordination and spatial awareness. Rescuing a mermaid from a pirate ship might seem like just imaginative improvisation for 6 year-olds, but it’s teaching problem-solving and teamwork too.

Early drama, dance and singing lessons changed my life and helped shape my vision for Perform - to deliver classes with a specific focus on developing a child’s confidence and social skills - not to create just another drama school.”

Jigsaw Performing Arts summer term

Try a FREE no-obligation drama class in Beckenham, Blackheath, Brockley, East and West Dulwich, Etham, Forest Hill, Greenwich, Herne Hill or Hither Green.

READER OFFER: Quote LSE300420 for an introductory £40 discount when you enrol for classes by 30 April. www.perform.org.uk/try

Jigsaw Performing Arts Schools offer drama, singing and dance classes for 3-18 year-olds.

Hannah Potter runs weekend classes in Deptford Bridge and Plumstead. She told Families: “Our classes are an excellent way to build confidence and social skills and are a huge amount of fun! With three terms throughout the year: spring, summer and autumn, there are plenty of opportunities for students to take to the stage with us and learn a variety of techniques. Students are divided into age appropriate groups, ensuring they receive the right level of focus, material and attention in drama, singing and dance.”

INTRODUCTORY OFFER: Two week trials are available to all new students - call 020 8003 3275 or book online. www.jigsaw-arts.co.uk

LET'S DRUM!

Jigsaw Performing Arts Schools

Established 2001 Forest Hill & Penge Drum School

dr ama singing dance

6 Pro Drummers coaching adults & children

SCHOOLS IN

7 days a week/ 10am - 10pm

Deptford Bridge

including all holidays

Saturday mornings Summer Term: 2 May –11 July

*100% success for Trinity College and Rock School Grades 1-8 - mostly with merit or distinction!

Plumstead

NEW group lessons on E-Drums.

Sunday mornings Summer Term: 3 May –12 July

discover the joy of creation...

3–18 years

Enrol NOW!

Contact us on 07930 415185 www.schoolofrhythm.com

TWO WEEK TRIAL AVAILABLE. BOOK NOW!

.

T: 020 8003 3275 W: Jigsaw-arts.co.uk

May-June Issue Out 8 May Booking deadline 17 April email info@familiesse.co.uk or download our ratecard online www.familiesse.co.uk

South East

6 Families South East

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 7

CLUB S A ND CLAS SES

Holiday Camps & Workshops SUPERHEROES WITH PERFORM 6-8 April in BLACKHEATH and 15-17 April in EAST DULWICH, 020 7255 9120, enquiries@perform.org.uk, www.perform.org.uk/superheroes Fly with Perform to Superhero School this April for an action-packed Top Secret Mission to save the world. Your child will discover their own special powers as they zoom towards a supercharged showcase for family and friends. Filled with brilliant music, funky dances and fabulous costumes, this three-day course is a real Easter treat. 10am to 3pm each day, ages 4-10 years.

HOLIDAY DROP OFF MULTI SPORTS CAMPS From 30 March and every school holiday at DULWICH COLLEGE SPORTS CLUB SE21, www.holidaydropoff.com Your children will have a blast at HDO’s fantastic multi-sports camps! Children from age 5+ can take part in a whole range of incredible indoor and outdoor sports to keep them happy and active through the school holidays, including swimming pool inflatable sessions and many new exciting activities www.holidaydropoff.com. If your children simply can’t wait for the holidays, you can book one of their amazing weekend party packages www.eventdropoff.com.

STAGECOACH DULWICH EASTER WORKSHOPS 14-17 April at ALLEYNS SCHOOL, East Dulwich SE22, 020 8949 4116, www.stagecoach.co.uk/dulwich Join the all singing, dancing and acting fun at the annual Easter holiday workshop with Stagecoach Dulwich. Costumes, lighting and sound equipment are all provided - it will be fast and furious but promises to be lots of fun! Children do not have to be a regular Stagecoach student to attend and no previous experience is required - just enthusiasm! Ages 4-7 9.30am-12.30pm each day with a performance for friends and family lunchtime on Friday; ages 8-18 10am-4pm each day with a performance for friends and family on Friday evening. All included from £150 per child; sibling discounts available.

‘CHEEKY CHICK’ MUSICAL WORKSHOPS 6 April in HERNE HILL, 9 April in SYDENHAM, 01732 457 100, www.funkymonkey.info Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes bring fun-packed group electronic keyboard workshops for complete beginners. There’ll be Easter-themed art, music-making and fun and games aplenty! Ages 4-8 years, 10am-2pm each day, £35 for first child, £30 siblings.

ALPHA HOLIDAY CLUBS School holidays in ELTHAM SE9, 020 8469 1888, www.thealphaclub.co.uk Alpha Holiday Club offers safe and professionally-run daylong childcare where children play, learn and explore a variety of creative activities, games, physical activities and local trips out.

Ages 3-11 years, open from 8am to 6.30pm, with earlier drop-offs available on request.

COMPUTER CODING WORKSHOPS IN DULWICH 6-9 April, 020 8090 1444, www.spark4kids.com Spark4Kids run all-day holiday workshops that introduce children to computer coding through the medium of games. Available are courses on Minecraft Modding, Roblox Coding, Robotics, Games Design, MicroBit & Arduino coding, Python, HTML/CSS, JavaScript and Unity/C# in a fun, engaging environment. Ages 5-7, 8-12 and 13-16 years.

GLOBAL CAMPS School holidays in SYDENHAM SE26, www.globalcamps.co.uk Global Camps combine language learning and sports coaching with outdoor and creative play during school holidays. Ages 4-11 years, £25 per day/ £120 per week. 9am-3pm with extended hours available. 10% discount for siblings.

ONCE UPON A MUSICAL 14-18 April at BLACKHEATH HALLS SE3, www.blackheathhalls.com Using songs from musicals inspired by books, Youngstars’ Once Upon a Musical will create a brand new piece to be performed on the theatre’s main stage for family and friends on the last day.

Industry professionals from the West End and beyond bring five full days of singing, dancing, acting, theatre making, creating, devising and stage craft. 10am-4pm each day, ages 8-16, course fee £160, 15% sibling discount.

MARY POPPINS HOLIDAY CLUB 6-9 April, THE GREEN COMMUNITY CENTRE, Nunhead SE15, 020 7965 7247, www.margaretsmusicltd.com Four-day drama workshops with singing, dancing, acting and art, building up to a performance for parents and carers on the final afternoon. The holiday club will be run by Margaret Omoniyi of Margaret’s Music and LAMDA teacher Liz Chambers. Ages 4-14 years, £180 per child, 9.30am-3.30pm each day; wraparound care available.

Helping children believe they can do anything Singing, dancing and acting classes for 4 - 18 year-olds GREENWICH 0207 112 8242 stagecoach.co.uk/greenwich DULWICH 0208 949 4116 stagecoach.co.uk/dulwich FOREST HILL 0208 949 4116 stagecoach.co.uk/foresthill UPPER NORWOOD 07442 532386 stagecoach.co.uk/uppernorwood SYDENHAM 0208 949 1116 stagecoach.co.uk/sydenham BROMLEY 0203 780 4893 stagecoach.co.uk/bromley

Stagecoach Performing Arts is the trading name of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Limited. Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools are operated under franchise and are independently owned by their Principals. Stagecoach and Creative Courage For Life are registered trademarks of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Limited.

familiesonline.co.uk

Families South East 7

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 25/02/2020 10:59 am Page 8

FA MI LY L I F E

Motivating good behaviour what’s the secret?

By Gabrielle Nash @thelondonishmum If you’re lucky enough to find bedtime a breeze, or have a cooperative child who eats all their vegetables, then you are indeed one of the fortunate and few.

However if you regularly find yourself battling bath times and mealtimes, and gentle (and not so gentle) admonishment of your child just doesn’t work, then it might be worth introducing a system to motivate good behaviour.

Reward-based systems such as sticker charts are popular and effective tools because they’re positive - and they work.

“It’s a straightforward concept,” explains Dr Sarah Rose, a child psychologist at Staffordshire University; “children learn through association, so if a behaviour is associated with something nice happening they will be more likely to repeat that behaviour in future.”

As every child is wired differently, plan for what motivates your child. Reward charts can work well, as can marbles (or pasta pieces or buttons - be creative - in a jar). The idea here is that your child earns marbles for completing a task or behaviour. Once the jar is full they earn an activity or treat.

Your child’s age is also a factor. For toddlers a reward chart during potty training is great.

A simple concept like “do a wee in the potty and you can have a sticker” is easy to understand. But anything more complicated and a toddler will struggle because they don’t fully understand the idea of consequence yet.

Once you’re using a reward chart, it’s important to be reliable and consistent. Ideally, you’re working towards your child simply wishing to behave well without needing the chart as motivation any more. The best way to encourage this along the way is to combine the reward with plenty of praise.

Top tips for making reward systems work Keep it specific. Pick a few areas that need work and explain to your child why they’re important. For example, if your child struggles to go to bed without a fuss, try a reward chart for good behaviour at bedtime. Explain what that means (eg stay in bed) and why it’s important (eg if you don’t get plenty of rest, you won’t have the energy for more fun tomorrow).

Be clear about your expectations. For example, if your child consistently ‘acts up’ in public, on your next outing make it clear what the boundaries are for their behaviour: “I would like you to walk nicely on the pavement with me”, or “I would like you to sit and read with me while we wait at the doctors.”

Consider what it is reasonable to ask of them.

This will be dependent on age, personality and energy levels. A tired

or hungry child is considerably less cooperative!

Praise is essential. A child who feels good when praised develops the desire to be ‘intrinsically’ well-behaved and needs rewarding less. Focus on effort, when giving praise. Be immediate and be generous, combining your words with eye contact, smiles and a cuddle.

Whenever discussing your child’s good behaviour, never confuse them by also introducing a criticism or caveat.

So what about the ‘bad’ behaviour?

Children learn to repeat actions that gets the desired effect - attention from a parent, carer or teacher. It could be that your child is behaving badly because they feel they need more of your time, so giving them plenty of attention when they are behaving well may alleviate negative behaviour. The once-popular ‘naughty step’ and ‘time-out’ options are no longer well thought of because they are based on punishment. When used judiciously, however, those methods can still offer an opportunity for both parent and child to calm down before tantrums or tempers explode.

We are all human. Finally, while motivating your child to behave well is important, children need to be able to make mistakes without negative consequence. Your child will slip up now and then - don’t we all? Gently point this out and encourage them to try again.

Remember all children learn by observation too.

So model good behaviour towards them and others whenever you can.

Make it work for you.

Email info@familiesmagazine.co.uk for Families’ FREE, printable Colour-in Animal Reward Chart - which comes with a competition to win family-of-four tickets to a UK zoo or wildlife park of your choice - now there’s an incentive worth working towards!

Leading Specialists in Family & Criminal Law Please call 020 7277 0110 to arrange an appointment.

We look forward to meeting you.

213 Camberwell Road , London, SE5 0HG | 020 7277 0110 7a West Street, Reigate, Surrey, RH2 9BL | 01737 229 610 www.venters.co.uk

8 Families South East

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 9

FA MILY LI FE

Waste not, want not - greener living in southeast London

Little local gems Bring Your Own on Evalina Road in Peckham sells quality, organic grains, pulses, nuts, dried fruits, pickles and spices by weight, plus household goods including cleaning products and body care essentials, all in reusable containers without the plastic wrapping. www.bringyourownuk.com

Abel & Cole launches Club Zero Following a hugely successful trial, Abel & Cole has gone national in delivering popular pantry items in returnable, refillable pots. The service slashes reliance on single use packaging in grocery shopping, as well as waste in homes, and really marks a shift in how grocery delivery companies can and should be getting their products into customers’ homes.

Abel & Cole has been the organic homedelivery pioneer since the ‘80s. Nowadays there’s a whole lot more than just spuds on offer, from seasonal fruit & veg boxes to eco-friendly cleaning bits and bobs and everything in between. It has saved approximately 55 million single use plastic bags from landfill and week on week it reduces single use packaging waste by 88%, in comparison to an average supermarket shop.

The new refillable pot initiative - called Club Zero, is the next bold step in its journey. www.abelandcole.co.uk

Beetroot & Beans on Dartmouth Road in Forest Hill is a zero waste greengrocer stocking plant based food - fresh juices, smoothies and salads in glass jars, glass bottles and paper boxes for take away. Fill your own packaging with beans, grains, rice, and pasta, pickles, vegan products, plus veggie and vegan meals.

The Store Cupboard at Crystal Palace Food Market sells unpackaged organic whole foods, herbal teas and spices sold by weight, @StoreCupboardCP on Twitter.

FareShares in Elephant & Castle’s Crampton Street is a not-for-profit co-op stocking mostly organic grains, beans and pulses, fresh bread, fruit and veg, dried fruit and nuts and other food and household products. Stock is bought in bulk and sold to the community as cheaply as possible. www.fareshares.org.uk

Roots and Cycles in Haynes Lane in Crystal Palace sells eco household refills and locally hand-made natural products, @rootsandcycles on Twitter.

Naked Larder in Herne Hill also bulk-buys to offer customers dry goods and eco-friendly cleaning products to fill your own re-usable containers. Register for free to access the online shop, then place your order for monthly collection. www.nakedlarder.co.uk 161 Food and Drink on Sydenham’s Kirkdale specialises in organic and low-intervention wine, sold in their popular bar alongside home-cooked, often foraged food.

Find 161 Food+Drink on Facebook for menus, events and wine tasting dates. The owners have a direct relationship with many of the growers whose wines they sell through their sister company Wines Under The Bonnet, www.winesutb.com SWOP on Burnt Ash Road in Lee Green sells packaging-free organic, vegetarian and vegan food, baked goods, groceries and household products. Stock is Fairtrade, and where possible locally sourced. www.swop.market

Baby food pouches made from plants Piccolo has become the first baby food company in the UK to launch a bio-based pouch, made from 80% plant-derived materials. Offering more sustainable, lower carbon packaging, each pouch is packed with the organic and Fairtrade, Mediterranean-inspired meals that the brand is so loved for.

Available as Mango Pure, Plum Pure, Red & Go, Purple & Go and Green & Go, Piccolo’s bio-based pouches are available from all major supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons nationwide. www.mylittlepiccolo.com/purpose

Ho li Arts & Crafts Face Painting

17-19 Blackwater Street East Dulwich SE22 8SD

020 7720 1144 familiesonline.co.uk

Cooking & Baking

da y

Clu b

s

Woodland Walks

Cinema Trips

Visit to Local Parks

Eltham CofE Primary School

Deansfield Primary School

Contact us now 020 8469 1888/ 07951 720737 email info@thealphaclub.co.uk Children from 3 years to 11 years.

Open 8am (ask for earlier start if needed), finish 6.30pm - Mon to Fri

Families South East 9

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 10

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.

I can’t help myself - no sooner has the backside of winter exposed itself, than I’m dreaming of escape.

Not that it would be too difficult to run away right now thanks to the recent storms flattening our fence.

Our garden hosts a vortex into which the whole neighbourhood’s detritus gets sucked causing much consternation on my part. What with all the rubbish swirling around, including the odd picnic chair and greenhouse panel, nextdoor’s dog barking like the apocalypse is imminent (when actually it’s foxes), outside resembles an episode of Doctor Who. Though where’s the ruddy tardis when you need it, eh? To whisk me off somewhere for tidiness and peace and quiet.

THE GO-AWAY BIRD by Julia Donaldson & Catherine Rayner - Macmillan rrp £6.99. Can’t think why I’m drawn to this, ahem. Apart from the fact it is written by one of our greatest and illustrated by another. With trademark excellent verse, and believe me, in the world of children’s picture books there are some atrocious couplets out there - nepotism knows nothing about wit, let alone iambic pentameter - this particular feathered friend has no desire for crowds.

Preferring her own company to the facile fun and games of her avian neighbours (or possibly just the plain old peace and quiet above), she sends them all off with a dismissive flap. Until the Get-You Bird appears. And suddenly safety in numbers is preferable to being carried off alone by neatly manicured talons. Though possibly I personally might give it a go...

A RABBIT CALLED FOX by Margaret Sturton Andersen rrp £12.99. Herbert is obsessed by foxes.

He is a regular fox fanboy. Once upon a time, my youngest wouldn’t go anywhere without his ragged Spiderman top (it was already third hand and the kid that handed it down is now a qualified electrician), and Herbert is no different. Except he wears a glossy red tail and sly pointed ears and makes a right mess of the dustbins. Maybe that’s the problem with nextdoor’s dog. He actually wants to be a sleek and handsome fox, full of freedom and KFC. As opposed to just a pug.

NINE LIVES NEWTON by Alice McKinley Simon & Schuster rrp £6.99. Here’s another pooch with attitude. The not so appropriately named Newton decides that he has infinite luck and therefore can bark loud enough to wake a bear and dig deep enough to break into the dinosaur museum to get the biggest bone. Danger is just a dumb sign afterall. Or is it...?

THE DIDDLE THAT DUMMED by Kes Gray and Fred Blunt - Hatchette rrp £12.99. The premise of this had me laughing from the start - all Flinty’s diddles have lined up nicely, except for one that keeps going “DUM,” the little beggar. This author has the magic touch, if not a tuneful one.

THE PROBLEM WITH PROBLEMS by Rachel Rooney & Zehra Hicks - Andersen rrp 12.99.

Getting in a pickle is a concept that all toddlers encounter but because they can’t get a handle on it, a tantrum is the result rather than the solution. So what if we tackle the notion of predicament head on?

Drag the beast out from under the bed, get real about needing a pee at awkward moments, accept that the expensive thing we ordered in the café we now don’t feel like eating, fess up to the mess we have just somehow inexplicably made... Well, pop the problem in someone’s ear. It may just help.

POEMS ALOUD by Joseph Coelho and Daniel Gray-Barnett - Wide Eyed Editions £11.99. This best-selling poet is determined that we all use our voices. No, I mean really use our voices. The contents page is bursting with chapter-headings such as Tongue Twisters and Action Poems and Making People Laugh and also has Mexican menu style chilli icons to denote poems with heat, plus EXTRA heat. So much for my peace and quiet.

THIS ROCK, THAT ROCK by Dom Conlon & Viviane Schwartz - Troika rrp £7.99. An altogether cooler rhyming prospect here with a celebration of all things lunar in haiku and sonnets, acrostics and slang, as well as traditional verse, all illustrated by bookshop favourite of ‘There Are No Cats in This Book’ renown.

ROUND AND ROUND THE GARDEN by Russell Punter - Usborne rrp £4.99. For babes, a great value board book that basically describes what happens in my back yard when the wind blows.

It also my go-to ditty when it comes to taming small grumpy children. Still works on my own son.

Especially the tickley under there bit. Even when Palace have lost. Which is often.

MY FIRST TOUCH & FIND: EMERGENCY

by Tiago Americo - Macmillan rrp £6.99. Another in the Campbell board book canon (by an author whose name I would steal in a trice), tackling another underrated concept. Given that a siren is probably the first thing a baby born in London hears (after their mother has whimpered “Thank god that’s over. Pass the gin...” of course), I think it’s a perfectly sensible

subject for toddlers. Not to mention the ideal opportunity to introduce them to the finest Morecambe & Wise gag ever.

THE SILVER SPOON: RECIPES FOR BABIES by Amanda Grant - Phaidon rrp £19.95.

From ice-cream (see what I did there) through to pizza and pasta, Italian cuisine is the most child-friendly grub on the planet so it’s about time the Silver Spoon tradition is applied to the bambini in our lives. And it promises to be stress-free. The finest cooking ingredient ever.

TWISTED by Tom Jackson & Harry Bamber Hodder rrp £20.00. With sections on ubiquitous staples such as pasta and wraps as well as sauces and seasonings “you can’t live without,” from the naughty boys whose career began subverting standard dishes in a small Brixton kitchen and then taking glorious photos of the results - and if you haven’t heard of them yet, that’s because either you are on the wrong social media or have been away fishing an unmapped tributary of the Mekong delta comes a cookbook that looks as indulgent as it tastes. And I guarantee the kids will love the dish called Hungover Saturday Breakfast.

POSTNATAL PILATES by Anya Hayes Bloomsbury rrp £16.99. There is no doubt about it, for a pelvic floor of steel, there is nothing quite like zipping up, putting that ring between your knees, floating those legs into table-top and giving it ten pulses. Alternatively, forget the notion of giving birth completely and remain leak-free for pretty much the rest of your life. The alternative therapy!

IN HER FOOTSTEPS - Lonely Planet rrp £17.99.

What do George Sand, Rosa Parks, Patti Smith and Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt have in common? Well, apart from featuring in this pleasant distraction complete with colour photos and a bunch of fascinating facts, against all the odds the actions of these “trailblazers” have impacted other lives far beyond their own. Here you get to take a touristic excursion around their worlds, their creative landscapes, their political contexts, all from the safety of your own messy and disappointing living room. Thus, staring into the abyss of dirty laundry, clearly there will be no tardis arriving to magic me away so I’ve decided to take a trip to George Sand country to do the washing in French instead.

Time for a little trail blazing Crow style. A bientot!

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 10 Families South East

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 11

WHERE’S WALLY FUN RUN

THE GRUFFALO AT KEW

SPRING INTO EASTER, 2-15 April. Say hello to new faces, help with bottle feeding of lambs and goat kids and meet Easter chicks and piglets! From Friday 10 to Monday 13 April, the Easter Bunny will be popping up with some yummy treats! 10am-5pm, family admission £33.95.

What’sOn

SPRING FAMILY RACEDAY AT ASCOT

T H E G RE AT O UT D OO RS WHERE’S WALLY FUN RUN 15 March, QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK E20, www.literacytrust.org.uk Follow in the footsteps of sporting legends as the Olympic Park turns red and white in the name of literacy. Choose from a 5km or 10km course - or the 1km route for little legs. Fundraising packs include a Where’s Wally? costume, collectible medal, chip timed results and an exclusive goody bag. On the day spot prizes and family entertainment include the chance to meet supporter Konni Huq, face painting, and food stalls. Every penny raised from this event will support the National Literacy Trust, helping transform the life stories of children in some of the most deprived communities across the UK, by giving them the literacy skills they need to succeed in life. 8.45am-2pm, entry from £10.

ELTHAM PALACE AND GARDENS Court Yard, Eltham SE9 5QE, 0370 333 1181, www.english-heritage.org.uk/elthampalace EASTER ADVENTURE QUEST, 4-19 April. Crack the clues to join the hunt for dragon eggs on a legendary quest through the Eltham Palace gardens. Intrepid adventurers who track down the dragon egg will get a certificate and delicious treats from Hotel Chocolat. £1 per child in addition to normal site admission.

10am-5pm drop in.

HEVER CASTLE & GARDENS Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NGm www.hevercastle.co.uk/whats-on Explore the historic childhood home of Anne Boleyn - spring offers a great chance to explore the stunning gardens and enjoy dazzling daffodil displays. Work up an appetite with a wander around the stunning 125 acre grounds and let your little ones run off some energy in the Tudor Towers adventure playground or the Acorn Dell natural play area. Open 10.30am, castle and gardens admission £18.80 adults, children £10.70, family of four £50.10.

MOTHER’S DAY, 21+22 March. Children can take part in a free workshop to make a keyring, plus one free face paint per paying child. Book first and treat mother to afternoon tea in the Pavilion Restaurant, complete with a glass of fizz.

HOP INTO EASTER FUN, 2-19 April. Hunt for colourful carrots and the Hever bunny in a fun free Easter trail, take part in an Easter egg hunt in the grounds, and create an egg shaped tree decoration. Each child will receive a chocolate for completing the trail and a mini chocolate egg for each Easter egg they find.

KEW GARDENS KEW TW9 3AB, www.kew.org GRUFFALO ADVENTURES EASTER ACTIVITIES, 4-19 April.

Take a journey through Kew Gardens’ Arboretum to encounter Fox, Owl and Snake. With a map and face-painted whiskers, children will discover the animals’ hiding spots, andinteractive activities at each stop.

CHIDDINGSTONE CASTLE LITERARY FESTIVAL 7-10 May, CHIDDINGSTONE CASTLE, Hill Hoath Road, Chiddingstone, Kent TN8 7AD www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk Established in 2016, the 2020 Festival takes place over the VE Day Bank Holiday Weekend. See the website for the full line up of authors, performers and workshops including the 9 and 10 May Adult Days.

FAMILY DAY: VE DAY, Friday 8 May. Best-selling children’s author Michael Morpurgo kicks off a whole day of events for families. With VE Day in mind, he is joined by children’s authors Anna Fargher and Lucy Strange talking about their novels The Umbrella Mouse and Our Castle by the Sea. There will be 1940s wartime songs from the Beech Green Singers, Lindy Hop dance demonstrations, a 75th year celebration of superhero Pippi Longstocking, a Tiger Who Came to Tea party for little ones, clay modelling with Aardman Animations and many more creative workshops, dance and musical entertainments. All this and a street party with trestle tables to picnic at.

KENT LIFE HERITAGE FARM PARK Lock Lane, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent ME14 3AU, 01622 763936, www.kentlife.org.uk Kent Life provides plenty of fun activities for children of all ages. Meet farm animals large and small, take a tractor or land trail ride, run wild in the outdoor play area, burn off steam on pedal tractors, leap on the bouncy castle or take a ride on adorable donkeys.

BUGS AND GRUBS WEEKEND, 14+15 March.

Get up close and personal with nature with the Kent Life bug hunter, visit critter corner or make a mini-beast house to take home. Special guest the Gruffalo will be appearing at intervals throughout the day. 10am5pm, family admission £33.95.

E V E N T S AN D M U SE U MS DEPTFORD LITERATURE FESTIVAL 14 March, in and around DEPTFORD SE8, www.spreadtheword.org.uk/projects/deptford-literature-festival Celebrating the diversity and creativity of southeast London, the festival will feature performances, readings, workshops and more, with activities led by local writers and creatives: Inua Ellams, Ella Frears, Jamie Hale, Jay Bernard, TOKEN Magazine and Round Table Books. Younger festival-goers can enjoy comic book writing, readings, art workshops, storytelling and more with children’s writers including Alexandra Sheppard, Mayamada, Nathan Bryon, Dapo Adeola and Hannah Lee. Books will be available to buy at the festival. All events are free but book first online. 10am - 4pm.

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 10am-5pm daily, admission from £6.30 children, £12.15 adults, from £24 families.

Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal Museum Greenwich attractions.

familiesonline.co.uk

KENT LIFE

HEVER CASTLE

Dick and Dom ---------------------------------------------Brainiac Live ---------------------------------------------Mr Tumble ---------------------------------------------Mister Maker & Rebecca Keatley ---------------------------------------------Sam & Mark ---------------------------------------------BRIT SCHOOL & STAGECOACH ---------------------------------------------ART, SCIENCE, DANCE, & CIRCUS WORKSHOPS

29 March, ASCOT, High Street, Ascot, Berks SL5 7JX, www.ascot.co.uk/ascot-for-families A day of fantastic Jump racing and a host of countryside themed entertainment for the whole family. Expect great entertainment, including fairground attractions, pony rides, face painting and engaging workshops for kids of all ages. Buggy parks, changing and feeding facilities are also available on-site. Adult tickets from £26, children have free entry, free entertainment and eat for free on Family Racedays.

CAMP BESTIVAL 30 July - 2 August, LULWORTH CASTLE, Dorset BH20 5QS, www.campbestival.net Amazing live acts and DJs, raves, discos, parties, comedy, literary talks, cocktails, award-winning street food, like-minded people all in a big old field by a castle and the sea. At Camp Bestival there are hundreds of things to see and do from music and shows to tree-climbing, woodland workshops, spoken word, arts, science and circus for all.

Join Fatboy Slim, Groove Armada, Liam Payne, Friendly Fires, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Becky Hill, Dick and Dom, Max & Harvey, Brainiac Live, The Sugarhill Gang, Sam & Mark, The Sherlocks and so many more. Kick-start your summer holidays with a 4-day family festi-holiday - voted Best Family Festival in the UK Festival Awards.

Fatboy Slim GROOVE ARMADA --------------------------------------------------------------------LIAM PAYNE --------------------------------------------------------------------Friendly Fires ---------------------------------------------------------------------

(Special Guests) ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Sophie Ellis-Bextor Ft. Sink The Pink ---------------------------------------------------------------------

BECKY HILL

---------------------------------------------------------------------

SON ET LUMIÈRE FIREWORKS FINALE ---------------------------------------------Cirque Bijou’s High Wire Spectacular ---------------------------------------------DAZZLE & FIZZ STUDIOS ---------------------------------------------FULL MOON CINEMA ---------------------------------------------DJ YODA PRES. FILMSTOCK ---------------------------------------------SOLAR POWERED CINEMA

LEVEL 42 MAX & HARVEY ---------------------------------------------------------------------

The Selecter SARA COX ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Jo Whiley’s 90s Anthems

--------------------------------------------------------------------THE Sugarhill Gang - Furious 5 ft Grandmaster Melle Mel & Scorpio --------------------------------------------------------------------Heather Small The Sherlocks THE BIG BUILD, --------------------------------------------------------------------Adam Kay WATER SLIDES & ZIPLINES DAVID RODIGAN Reef SPACE ---------------------------------------------WITH WOODLAND TRIBE --------------------------------------------------------------------Irvine Welsh ---------------------------------------------Biig Piig SelF Esteem Georgia ---------------------------------------------SPINNEY HOLLOW --------------------------------------------------------------------Steve Davis Norman Jay MBE S CLUB PARTY CRAFT VILLAGE & Kavus Torabi --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Cuban Brothers Hortisculpture Scummy Mummies --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Jaguar Skills Dub Pistols MOSSY CROW Man Vs. Baby TheDadLab -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Wurzels Tim Burgess (DJ) BUSHCRAFT, BIVOUAC -----------------------------------------------------------& FIRE BUILDING LTJ Bukem Gengahr ---------------------------------------------INTERACTIVE & MANY THEATRE MORE! ------------------------------------Yoga, Breathwork, CALM SPACES THE FEAST COLLECTIVE Meditation, WITH LIVE FIRE DEMOS Sound Healing, ---------------------------------------------Richie Bostock, NEIL RANKIN Ayurvedic workshops, ---------------------------------------------Sleep Retreat, ALL HAIL KALE Will Williams ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DJ BBQ FIZZ BAR FIT CAMP: WILD RUNS, ---------------------------------------------HIIT & FAMILY BOXING MOTHER EARTH’S ---------------------------------------------OPEN KITCHEN HOLISTIC TRIATHLON

FULL LINE-UP & TICKETS

CAMPBESTIVAL.NET

Families South East 11

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 12

CHIDDINGSTONE CASTLE - LITTLE MERMAID

HORNIMAN MUSEUM

MoreWhat’sOn 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, admission free, charges apply for special exhibitions and the aquarium.

STAGES OF MAKING, until 19 April. Step into an immersive exhibition where all the artworks have a story to tell about design, techniques and time. Inspired by the history of the Horniman and its collections, Stages of Making is produced by a collective of local community members working with artist Katie Schwab.

Works include painted walls, table tops made from yoghurt pots and a giant rag-rug created from used t-shirts by members of the public. Free.

PERMIAN MONSTERS: LIFE BEFORE DINOSAURS, until 25 October. Meet extraordinary creatures from 250 million years ago - fearsome sabre-toothed predators, giant insects and bizarrelooking sharks. Come face to face with fossil skeletons, full-size models and animatronics that bring the Permian period back to life. In this fascinating, family-friendly exhibition you can sift through interactive dig pits, follow an adventure trail around the show, and get creative in an art area as you discover more about this mysterious time period, which ended with a mass extinction, paving the way for the Earth’s next great rulers... the dinosaurs.

Tickets available online.

GREEN TURTLE, until May 2021. A magnificent taxidermy mount of a male Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas, on loan from the Natural History Museum is on display in the Natural History Gallery. Over 100 years old, this impressive animal was collected off the coast of Nicaragua in Central America and presented to the Natural History Museum in 1906. This small display will showcase the challenges facing Green Turtles and other marine life today and what we can do to protect it.

LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM COVENT GARDEN PIAZZA, WC2E 7BB, 020 7379 6344, www.ltmuseum.co.uk Museum open 10am-6pm daily, adult tickets from £16.50 valid for a whole year; under 17s free.

Handyman For all your household repairs and odd jobs.

I offer a professional and courteous service www.shaunthehandyman.co.uk 020 8249 3264 or 07913 656 502

France with the Family in house in friendly house family friendly Justine’s family Justine’s rent. to rent. available to is available Normandy is rural Normandy rural equipped, fully equipped, 6+, fully Sleeps 6+, Sleeps location beautiful location beautiful Justine@Justinecrow.co.uk Contact Justine@Justinecrow.co.uk Contact thenormandienest.wordpress.com thenormandienest.wordpress.com

12 Families South East

DUB LONDON

BODY WORLDS

HIDDEN LONDON. Experience an ‘abandoned’ Tube station underworld and discover secrets beneath our busy streets. The exhibition takes visitors on an immersive journey of some of London’s most secret spaces belonging to the oldest subterranean railway in the world. These ‘forgotten’ parts of the Tube network have incredible stories to tell about Britain’s wartime past such as the Plessey aircraft underground factory which had 2,000 members of staff, mostly women, working in the two 2.5 mile-long tunnels on the eastern section of the Central line during the Second World War. BILLY BROWN OF LONDON TOWN, 4-19 April. Pick up a hunt card at the Family Desk to help you track down Billy Brown,

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, Greenwich SE10, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk Housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House and Cutty Sark work to illustrate the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people. 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.

AHOY! Drop into NMM’s brilliant children’s gallery for a boatload of fun and adventure. Stoke the boiler of a steamship, land a fish and work in the interactive boatyard. Polar exploration, pirates and a host of other maritime themes are brought to life in this playful and immersive gallery, which also has a buggy park and easy access to all the facilities you need to have a stress-free visit. Ages 0-7, free and open daily (sometimes pre-booked for schools groups).

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.

PAINTING & DECORATING Interior / Exterior Experienced, Reliable, Clean Fully Guaranteed / Insured FREE ADVICE AND QUOTE John:- James & Lamont

GREENWICH MARKET GREENWICH MARKET, Greenwich Peninsula SE10 9HZ, www.greenwichmarket.london Dating back to 1737, the historic indoor market is brimful of stalls for art, clothing, antiques, tasty bites and more, open 10am5.30pm daily.

MOTHER’S DAY CRAFT WORKSHOPS, 14 March. Children are invited to join Arty Party and make a paper flower that will look beautiful all year round. 11am-3pm, all materials and lots of help provided.

EASTER BUNNY TRAIL, 4-10 April. Solve the puzzles and find the Easter Bunny in his nest. 10am-4pm, certificates and chocolate for all.

EASTER FUN, 10-13 April. A weekend of fun for everyone with the Bunny Trail, chocolates, crafts and cakes. Join in with free Arty Party chocolate painting workshops for children from 11am-3pm on Good Friday; watch the dancing Blackheath Morris Men from 3pm on their annual Easter Monday visit.

SPRING FUN, 9-11 May. Get creative and help colour in a giant Greenwich mural. Snap and share your artwork.

BODY WORLDS THE LONDON PAVILION, 1 Piccadilly Circus W1J 0DA, 0330 233 3233, www.bodyworlds.co.uk Anatomist Dr Gunther von Hagens’ renowned exhibition of real human bodies - using his unique ‘plastinating’ technique - allows them to be displayed in a variety of active positions, providing fascinating insights into the inner workings of the human body.

It’s a fantastic educational trip for curious children, with interactive elements throughout the museum including a CPR station, a ‘know your numbers’ blood pressure display, an anatomical mirror, a body composition station plus a family trail to follow.

Open 9.30am - 7pm Sundays to Thursdays; to 9pm Fridays and Saturdays. Ages 6+ recommended, single and family tickets available in advance or on the door.

JUNIOR DOCTOR PROGRAMME, alternate Sundays and school holidays. Budding young scientists can don white coats and stethoscopes and go on a bespoke three-hour exhibition tour with a real life doctor answering all their questions on anatomy and the human body. Participants ‘graduate’ at the end with a special certificate. Ages 8-12 years (without parents), tickets £25, book first.

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM BANK OF ENGLAND, entrance on Bartholomew Lane EC2R 8AH, 020 3461 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk Open 10am-5pm Mondays-Fridays. Admission free.

Calling all Baby Scientists!

Help us discover how babies & kids learn!

We’re recruiting infants from birth to school age to take part in fun studies at the Birkbeck Babylab in central London. Our prime location is easy to reach via public transport and we refund travel expenses.

020 7631 6258 • babylab@bbk.ac.uk www.cbcd.bbk.ac.uk

020 8462 4646 - 07802 535695

revitalise your website

jamlam.john@btinternet.com

lots of fresh ideas for websites, blogs & shops

020 8658 9975

www.lancasters.co.uk

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

Tel: 020 8480 8176

www.amigosmagic.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 13

EASTER EGGS-PEDITION, 6-9 and 14-17 April. Follow an Easter trail to find brightly decorated eggs placed around the museum. Make a note of the letter you find on each egg. Then unscramble them to find a hidden message. You can also enjoy Easter crafts with rabbit, sheep or chick masks and finger puppets to colour in. 10am-4.30pm, free drop in.

RELAXED EARLY OPENING, 15 April. The museum’s early openings - from 8-10am, are suitable for children and adults with sensory and communication difficulties including autism and dementia. Visit for an Easter Trail, colour in animal masks and finger puppets. Free.

325 YEARS, 232 OBJECTS, until 29 May. From Roman relics to a nuclear fall-out calculator from the Cold War, the exhibition features a variety of fascinating artefacts to celebrate the bank’s 325th anniversary. Discover how money and the way we pay for things has transformed since the Bank of England was established in 1694.

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 noon-4pm Sundays, 12.30-3.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, admission free, donations welcome.

FAMILY FUN DAY, 22 March. From bud to blossom Spring has arrived. Discover and celebrate new life.

LITTLE GREEN FINGERS, 4 April. Gardening workshops, morning or afternoon sessions. £10.50 per child EASTER TRAIL, 10-13 April. Hunt around the house and garden this spring to solve an Easter trail. Free.

SPRINGTIME AT THE PALACE, 13 April. Help bring spring to the Palace at an Easter Sunday family activity day. 11am-3pm.

MUSEUM OF LONDON MUSEUM OF LONDON, 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN, www.museumoflondon.org.uk From specially-designed interactive children’s galleries, free activity bags and stimulating online games, as well as all-important details like high chairs and baby-changing spaces, the Museum of London is a perfect fun family venue. Open 10am-6pm daily, admission free.

THE CLASH: LONDON CALLING, until 19 April. Go behind the scenes on the making of The Clash’s groundbreaking London Calling - an album that rocked the music scene, serving as an anthem for London, Londoners and music lovers globally. Free drop-in.

DUB LONDON, 8 May - August. Celebrate Dub Reggae music and culture in the capital, from its roots in Jamaican reggae to how it has shaped communities and culture over the last 50 years.

From food, dub poetry, community, fashion and spirituality, the display will examine how dub is a varied thread that runs through its entire community. Highlights will include a speaker stack from one of London’s leading reggae sound systems, a working custom-built record shop and images, memories and voices from the world of Dub Reggae music and culture both past and present. Admission free.

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.

ADVENTURES AT THE DOCKS: FAMILY QUEST, 21 + 22 March. Are you and your family up for a challenge? Travel around the museum solving puzzles as you go, gather the stories of incredible characters and earn special cards to complete the quest. You can also take part in workshops with games and mini challenges too in this exciting weekend at the museum. You might even discover a mythical beast! Ages 5+, 11am-4pm, free drop-in.

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE Bow Street, Covent Garden WC2E 9DD, 020 7304 4000, www.roh.org.uk FAMILY SUNDAYS, 29 March, 26 April, 24 May. Discover everything you didn’t know about the Royal Opera House in these fun-packed Sundays, full of creative activities - ideal for all the family. Tickets from £8.

OPERA DOTS, 16 March, 20 April, 4 and 11 May. Discover the world of opera through fun participatory 45 minute workshops for children and adults, full of singing, music and stories. Tickets £10.

BALLET DOTS, 9 and 30 March, 27 April. Explore the repertory of the Royal Ballet with your babies and children. The 45 minute creative movement and dance workshops are accompanied by live piano music. Tickets £10.

familiesonline.co.uk

DANCE WITH THE ROYAL BALLET, 20 March, 17 April, 1 and 15 May. Whether you’re an aspiring dancer or taking your first ballet steps, try out with workshops led by a member of The Royal Ballet team. Ages 14+, 2.15-3.30pm, £10.

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, www.vam.ac.uk/moc 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 3s area, an indoor sandpit, and regular special events. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.

PLACE (VILLAGE), RACHEL WHITEREAD. Rachel Whiteread’s celebrated, large-scale artwork is an assembly of vintage dolls’ houses in a variety of architectural styles and averaging around one metre high. The houses sit on stepped platforms, evoking a sprawling hillside ‘community’. The houses are lit from within, but deserted, their emptiness evoking haunting memories and melancholy.

MAGICAL MUSEUM SLEEPOVER, 4-5 April. An evening of enchanted exploration, magical mayhem, exploding potions (and wands), and a musical bedtime story. Ages 6-12 (accompanied by an adult), tickets £40.

ST GEORGE’S DAY CELEBRATIONS, 19 April. Stomp your feet to a dynamic and anarchic ceilidh and get dizzy in a Maypole dancing workshop in a day of music and dance for all ages.

11.30am-4.309pm, free.

IWM LONDON Lambeth Road SE1 6HZ, 020 7416 5000, www.iwm.org.uk IWM London tells the stories of those whose lives have been shaped by war through the depth, breadth and impact of museum galleries, displays, interactives and events. Open 10am-6pm daily, admission free.

SPIES AND DISGUISE, 4+5 April. Take a crash course spy school inspired by real life spies from the Second World War to the present day. Created in partnership with Puffin and their new children’s book ‘Find The Spy’, this secret mission involves dressing up to look the part, an assault course with Commando Joes, object-handling, immersive theatre elements and gallery activities. 11am-4pm, free drop in.

STORY SEEKERS, 6, 8, 10-13, 13, 15 and 17-19 April. Learn about the global impact of conflict, from the First World War and Second World War to today. Get hands-on with real artefacts and explore some of the most interesting and unusual stories of conflict, from people who braved shark-infested waters to ingenious nurses and those who built new machines for conflict.

Free drop in.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM BRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8181, www.britishmuseum.org Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free, charge for some exhibitions.

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.

SAMSUNG GREAT COURT GAMES, 8 March - 4 April. Visit the Great Court with your family to play digital games, solve challenges and explore trails that will lead you to unexpected places in the Museum. Ages 5+, free drop in.

FUN FAMILY PHOTOS, 15 March - 5 April. Develop your photo editing skills and use a green screen to create a picture of your family interacting with some of the Museum’s most fascinating objects. Ages 5+, free drop in.

HMS BELFAST The Queen’s Walk SE1 2JH, 020 7416 5000, www.iwm.org.uk HMS Belfast tells the story of life on board and explores how war affects and impacts on the morale, resilience and determination of a ship’s community. Take a journey though the ship’s nine decks and see what life was like for the 950-strong company, through the real-life stories of the people who served on her. Open 10am6pm, admission £19 adults, £8.55 children; 10% off for pre-booked tickets.

SEA LEGS, Sunday to Tuesdays 5-14 April. Take charge of HMS Belfast in this interactive family activity and complete fun tasks around the ship.Hop on the balance board to test how steady you’ll be on choppy seas. Figure out just how to feed 950 men on board with limited rations and even find out what kind of supplies you’ll need along the way. Get to grips with the science and skills needed to survive on HMS Belfast, solve nautical puzzles and discover for yourself what life was like for the ship’s company during the Second World War. 11am-3pm, included in admission price.

D-DAY FAMILY MISSION, 4-19 April. Pick up a Kit Bag and learn more about the crew who served on board HMS Belfast during Operation Neptune in 1944. Teams will work together to find hidden messages, predict the weather for sailing, discover ship life and crack Morse code. Created in partnership with KIT Theatre and Kirsty Harris, this interactive storytelling experience is based on personal stories from those who took part in the biggest invasion in history. 10am-2pm, included in admission price.

SHIP SHAPE, 4, 11 + 18 April. The whole family is invited to help keep the iconic warship, HMS Belfast, in tip-top condition.

Find out what it takes to conserve HMS Belfast and put your learning into practice by working through specially assigned tasks searching for hungry insect pests and caring for fabrics with specialised tools. 11am-1pm and 1.30-3.30pm, included in admission price.

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM St THOMAS’S HOSPITAL, 2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7EW, 020 7188 4400, www.florence-nightingale.co.uk The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates the life and work of ‘The Lady With The Lamp’, through personal material associated, items relating to the Crimean War, and nursing artefacts. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission £9 adults, £5 children, families £20.

NIGHTINGALE IN 200 OBJECTS, until 7 March 2021.

Two centuries after her birth, this new exhibition provides a fully-rounded picture of a visionary reformer, tireless campaigner and inspirational world leader in her field. While exploring Florence’s heroic role during the Crimean War, which saw her worshipped by suffering soldiers and propelled to fame, the exhibition shines a light on the next thirty years of her life, during which she revolutionised nursing with boundless determination, all while suffering physical illness and depression. Key exhibits include Florence Nightingale’s medicine chest, her highly decorated writing case, a family album, nursing uniform and an audio recording of Ms Nightingale’s voice. Free with museum admission.

MUSIC A ND T HE AT RE THE SEVEN VOYAGES OF SINBAD THE SAILOR Saturdays and Sundays from 7 March to 5 April, upstairs at THE SYDENHAM CENTRE, 44a Sydenham Road SE26, tickets from Kirkdale Bookshop 020 8778 4701 and online. www.spontaneousproductions.co.uk/sinbad A new, magical version of the famous Arabian Nights tale whisks you off on a voyage of discovery around the world. Featuring songs, dance routines, madcap chases, special effects, video animation, shadow puppetry, giants, sultans, princesses, an amorous mermaid and two dancing camels, this is a spring treat for families, adapted from The Arabian Nights by Jonathan Kaufman with original songs and music by Paul Tornbohm.

Performances 2 and 4pm, tickets £10 adults, £5 children, reductions for parties of five children or more, and under 3s on laps are free.

GREENWICH THEATRE Crooms Hill SE10 8ES, 020 8858 4447, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk MARK THOMPSON’S SPECTACULAR SCIENCE SHOW, 14 March. Designed for children and adults alike, Mark’s Spectacular Science Show explores the strange and magical properties of matter with exploding elephant’s toothpaste, vortex-generating dustbins and even howling jelly babies! 2pm, ages 3+, tickets £9.50 children, £18 adults.

THE BEAR, 15 March. The story of a little girl who befriends a mischievous polar bear, this playful, funny and heart-warming tale is one of imagination and growing up. Ages 3+, tickets £9.50 children, £18 adults.

PAPER MOON, 22 March. The moonlight is beautiful, shining across the bedroom floor as Poppy Diddle dozes off. But is all as calm as it seems? Poppy wakes to discover that the MoonMoo (the cow that jumped over the moon) has got stuck on the Moon: she really needs your help to rescue MoonMoo! Ages up to 5, tickets £7 children, £13 adults.

RAPUNZEL, 9+10 April. Featuring loveable characters, a colourful set and costumes, plus an opportunity to meet the characters after the show, this new musical adventure promises to be entertaining for all the family. Ages 5+, tickets £9.50 children, £18 adults.

WOLF! 11 April. Find out what happens when Jack cries “WOLF”, in an adventure featuring original music, puppetry and a tale you thought you knew. Tickets £9.50 children, £13 adults.

MEET ME A TREE, 14 April. With beautiful singing and relaxing music, Meet Me a Tree is an interactive, multi-sensory first opera 0-2 for year-olds and their grownups. Tickets £7 children, £13 adults.

MIDNIGHT, 15+16 April. In the hours when most people are sound asleep in their beds, Midnight the cat rules the roost. She has the ability to see and to understand all the dreams of the people sleeping in their beds below. This dream-like show about time, the night and dreaming combines beautiful puppetry, music and storytelling. Ages 5+, tickets £9.50 children, £18 adults.

Families South East 13

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 5:23 pm Page 14

CANADA WATER THEATRE

SINBAD

MARK THOMPSON

PUSS IN BOOTS

GULLIVER’S TRAVELS

MoreWhat’sOn GULP! 18 April. Join Maya as she finds out about the beauty, fun and challenges of water in an age of plastic and climate change.

The audience is invited to make the soundtrack with live beatboxing and watery sound effects - watch out for the water pistol fight! Ages 7+, tickets £9.50 children, £18 adults.

CIRQUE ENFANT, 19 April. Rock out to great music as this interactive show brings amazing acrobats, jugglers, clowns, sing-along and more. All ages, tickets £9.50 children, £18 adults.

BLACKHEATH HALLS 22 Lee Road SE3 9RQ, 020 8463 0100, www.blackheathhalls.com RUMPELSTILTSKIN & THE SNAIL OF DESTINY, 14 March.

Rumpelstiltskin has got to be the most mixed up of fairytale characters. He is helpful yet demanding; secretive yet nosy; short yet owning a name as long as his beard. Not surprisingly, this story of transformation will make you laugh and gasp at the same time! Age 3+, tickets £8.50.

FROM BLACKHEATH TO BAGHDAD, 15 March. Step onto a musical magic carpet to explore the enchanting world of the tales of the Arabian Nights. Dive into the powerful and energetic sound world of Rimsky-Korsakov’s orchestral fantasy Scheherazade, performed by Trinity Laban Symphony Orchestra. Ages 6+, tickets £6.

WILD WORDLY WONDERS, 5 April. The Cinematic Syncopations Orchestra is back with more movie magic and this time they’ve gone WILD with all things animal! Treat your child to an unforgettable interactive musical learning experience as a live presenter will take you through the jungles, savannahs, seas and skies of our beautiful planet and beyond. Ages 4+, tickets £6 children, £9 adults.

THE ALBANY Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk THE LEGENDARY, 29 March. Local young people from Love2Dance perform a brand new hip-hop dance theatre show, combining physical theatre and original beats, twisted into a story about overcoming the odds. 2 and 6pm, all ages, tickets £5.

DUST, 14 April. When Little Titch arrives at her new home it’s not what she expected. It is cold and unwelcoming, until she meets Nelly, a flamboyant and loveable hoarder, and together they discover that friendship can heal hidden wounds. Written by award-winning children’s author Laura Dockrill, with music by Hugo White of the Maccabees. 1 and 3pm, ages 4+, tickets £7, family tickets £24.

PUSS IN BOOTS, 26 April. With a host of puppets, a working windmill and an avalanche of fruit and nuts, this classic furry tail is the cat’s whiskers! Find out how one sure-footed feline fools both the King and the Ogre to take his master all the way to the top.

1 and 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £7, families £24.

21 Surrey Quays Road SE16 7AR, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS, 15 April. The best comedians from the UK and the world circuit do what they do best for an audience of children and their families - without the rude bits. It’s just like a normal comedy club, but with a higher than usual chance of heckles like “why is that your face!?” 1 and 3pm, ages 6+, tickets £7, families £24.

PUSS IN BOOTS, 9 May. With a host of puppets, a working windmill and an avalanche of fruit and nuts, this classic furry tail is the cat’s whiskers! Find out how one sure-footed feline fools both the King and the Ogre to take his master all the way to the top.

1 and 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £7, families £24.

SLIME, 23 May. Slug and Caterpillar are starving, and the only leaf left in the garden is out of reach. Slug thinks they should work together, but Caterpillar has other ideas.

Enter the undergrowth to squish and squelch your way through this hilarious show, told with a handful of words and lots of slime!

A relaxed and BSL interpreted performance, 12noon and 2pm, under 5s, tickets £7, families £24.

ROALD DAHL AND THE IMAGINATION SEEKERS, 16 May. A thrilling story told through performance, games and creative play that explores Roald Dahl’s extraordinary stories, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The BFG and The Twits. 1 and 3pm, ages 5+, tickets £7, families £24.

FAIRFIELD HALLS Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG, 020 3292 0001, www.fairfield.co.uk DONKEY DOTS WITH THE MUSICAL BALLOON BAND, Mondays until 30 March. Meet Cecil ‘The Balloon’ Donkey and make some new friends in a free music and movement class for under fives. The unique and highly interactive live music sessions include junk percussion, voices, bodies and imaginations every Monday supporting early years development. 10.30am under 6s with their grownups, free.

IN THE NIGHT GARDEN LIVE, 9-12 April. Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, MakkaPakka and friends are back in their fun-filled live show Igglepiggle’s Busy Day. Join Igglepiggle as he looks for his friends in the Night Garden by following their funny sounds until he finds them all! Tickets £17.75.

EPIC JUMPS NOW IN MINIATURE SPRING FAMILY RACEDAY SUNDAY 29TH MARCH Endless fun for all the family with dog agility, The Shetland Pony Grand National, and the chance to meet Peter Rabbit™ and the Gruffalo*.

Fine Dining packages from £122 + VAT | U18s go free Tickets from £26 | Book now at ascot.co.uk

*at intervals

14 Families South East

familiesonline.co.uk

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 15

CHURCHILL THEATRE High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA, 020 3285 6000, www.churchilltheatre.co.uk OI FROG & FRIENDS, 1-4 April. Puppets and songs bring together Kes Gray and Jim Field’s bestselling and award-winning picture books Oi Frog!, Oi Dog! and Oi Cat! Packed with more laughs and more rhymes than you can shake a chime at, ages 3+, tickets from £15.

LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE, 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street N1 2DN, 020 7226 1787, www.littleangeltheatre.com THE BED, until 22 March. Take a journey sprinkled with fantasy and escapism, where you will meet elephants, macaws and parakeets - without ever leaving the comfort of your own bed. This enchanting poem by Sylvia Plath, written for her own children, is brought to life in a special show for babies and toddlers. Ages up to 3 years, £9 children, £11 adults.

THE PAPER DOLLS, until 18 April. When a little girl cuts out a string of paper dolls she takes them by the hand and together they go on a fantastical adventure whirling through their home and garden. Adapted from the acclaimed book by Julia Donaldson, this magical tale is brought to life through puppetry and music.

Ages 3-8, £12 children, £14 adults.

THE WOLVES IN THE WALLS, until 26 April. When Lucy hears noises from behind the walls, she tries to warn her family that there are wolves lurking inside their house, but her family doesn’t believe her. Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean’s spooky and hilarious tale comes to thrilling theatrical life in this frenzy of puppetry, songs, and shadow-play. Ages 7+, tickets £15 adults, £13 children.

PINOCCHIO, 24 April - 21 June. Step inside Geppetto’s workshop and hear the tale of a puppet that wants to be a real boy, and a puppet maker who wants to be a real father. Puppetry, shadows, illusion and original music combine to create a show that is inventive, witty and has a big heart. Ages 5-11, £12 children, £14 adults.

PEACOCK THEATRE Portugal Street, Holburn WC2A 2HT, 020 7863 8222, www.ballet.org.uk/my-first-ballet-cinderella/ MY FIRST BALLET: CINDERELLA, 9-18 April. English National Ballet and English New Ballet School bring a new version of the much-loved fairy-tale in a series created especially for children as young as three. Adapted to an hour in length and with a narrator to help young audiences follow the story, this is the perfect introduction to the magic of ballet. The My First Ballet series is performed by students of English National Ballet School, providing them with valuable rehearsal and performance experience within a professional touring company. Tickets from £10.

SOUTHBANK SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX, 020 3879 9555, www.southbankcentre.co.uk AMONG THE TREES, weekends 7 March - 17 May and 4-19 April. To celebrate Hayward Gallery’s monumental Among the Trees exhibition, join the Family Tree Trail and set off on a leafy adventure. Pick up your activity sheet from Hayward Gallery and make your way around the Southbank Centre site discovering wonderful trees and nature. Free.

COMEDY CLUB FOR KIDS, 4+5 April. The best stand-ups and sketch acts from the international circuit to do their thing for an audience of children and their families - but without the rude bits.

Age 7+.

TIDDLER AND OTHER TERRIFIC TALES, 7-11 April. Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s terrific tales are retold with music and puppetry. Age 7+.

PEPPA PIG: MY FIRST CONCERT, 14 April - 31 May. Sing and dance along with everyone’s favourite Pig family in an interactive introduction to live orchestra for the whole family, taking in Mozart and ‘Muddy Puddles’. Your little piggies can join in with Peppa and her family, and make their very own Oinkestra! Tickets £20 adults, £16 children, under 5s.

BIG UP! 15-19 April. A perfect show for little people who want to be big, and big people who just might have forgotten how to play.

INTO THE CLOUDS, 16+17 April. A highly visual experience for babies and young audiences, including performances for children with sensory needs. Ages 6 months to 11 years. Tickets £12 per adult and child.

UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7645 0560, www.unicorntheatre.com GULLIVER’S TRAVELS, 15 March - 3 May. Using cameras, projector and props, Gulliver’s adventures of brutish Yahoos, belligerent Lilliputians, giant Brobdingnagians and wise Houyhnhnms are vividly brought to life. Blending film and live performance, this playful, funny and highly inventive production uses Jonathan Swift’s biting satire to view our own world from a very different angle. Ages 7+, tickets from £8 children, £12 adults.

WILD, 17 March - 3 May. Wild’s home is the forest. Bears teach her how to eat, birds help her to speak, and foxes show her how to play. She is irrepressibly wild. Adapted from the glorious picture book by artist Emily Hughes, Wild is told with atmospheric sound, movement and puppetry, celebrates the free spirit in all of us.

Ages 2-6, tickets from £12.

A RT AC T IVI T IES THE DESIGN MUSEUM

DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY

DESIGN MUSEUM, 224-238 Kensington High Street W8 6AG, www.designmuseum.org The museum offers a programme of regular events and activities with plenty of opportunities to get creative, offering free and ticketed workshops and gallery experiences for adult visitors and families with children aged 5-11 years. Open 10am-6pm daily.

CREATE AND MAKE, once a month on Sundays and during school holidays. Be inspired by the museum and its exhibitions through informal drop in sessions focusing on light-touch design and making. Ages 5-11.

GET INTO DESIGN workshops and courses run for families and young people. Led by specialist tutors, they include input and inspiration from some of the rising stars in contemporary design. Check the website for dates and details. Ages 8-11.

DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, 020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

SAATCHI GALLERY Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Rd, Chelsea SW3 4RY, 020 7811 3070, www.saatchigallery.com TUTANKHAMUN: TREASURES OF THE GOLDEN PHAROAH, until 3 May. This exhibition commemorates the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, and is the final chance to see these glittering world heritage artefacts before they return to Egypt forever.

Explore the life of King Tutankhamun, and the storied discovery that captivated the world through more than 150 authentic pieces from the tomb. Tickets from £16.50.

Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends and bank holidays. Artplay workshops on the first and last Sunday of each month offer a different family workshop each session. Gallery admission free for accompanied children, £8 adults. Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child.

BRITISH SURREALISM, until 17 May. The first major show to explore the origins of surrealist art in Britain explores British Surrealism as a fundamental movement in the history of art over a fascinating 170 year period, pre-dating the international movement’s beginnings in the early 1920s. The exhibition brings together over 30 artists including Eileen Agar, John Armstrong, Francis Bacon, Edward Burra, Leonora Carrington, Henry Moore, Paul Nash and Graham Sutherland, featuring 70 eclectic works, from paintings and sculptures to prints and etchings.

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.

MUSHROOMS: THE ART, DESIGN AND FUTURE OF FUNGI, until 26 April. Explore the fascinating world of mushrooms through the work of over 40 artists, designers and musicians, celebrating the rich legacy of mushrooms and their relationship with society and the planet. An extensive events programme accompanies the exhibitions, including a mushroom-inspired pop-up dining experience.

1 4/2/2013 5:05:13 PM

1 4/2/2013 5:05:13 PM

Book your TASTER SESSION

Football & Gymnastics for children age 2 to 11

Saturday & Sunday morning

Saturday & Sunday morning

Sydenham School, Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill, SE26 4RD Ark Greenwich Free School, 403 Shooters Hill Road, SE18 4LH

Sydenham School, Ark Greenwich Dartmouth Road,OR GO TO www.minisportstars.co.uk Free School, CALL 07966571080 Forest Hill, SE26 4RD 403 Shooters Hill Road, SE18 4LH CALL 07966

571080

www.minisportstars.co.uk OR GO TO

familiesonline.co.uk

Improve your child’s study skills

Kumon’s maths and English study programmes work to improve your child’s skills, develop their confidence and inspire a passion for learning.

Contact your local Instructor for a free assessment.

Herne Hill Study Centre Juhi Prasad 020 8819 3857 This centre is Ofsted Registered. kumon.co.uk Fees vary. Please refer to your local study centre.

Tiny Tots

age 2.5-3

Little Aces

age 3-4

Junior Champs age 5-7

Grand Slammers age 8-11

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

FREE introductory session phone 07877 391005

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

Families South East 15

Families march april 2020.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 4:14 pm Page 16

Spring into Easter at

!

CA

S 14 MA R C H

BUNNY TRAIL ES AT OL C O

+ M ORE !

Ruby’s of London

FRIDAY 3 APRIL 6-10 PM

GMT Greenwich Printmakers

MARKET

ARTS&CRAFTS MARKET ANTIQUES&COLLECTABLES Nearest Station DLR Cutty Sark

Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays & Weekends Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays

#greenwichmarket www.greenwichmarket.london

February – May 2020 Includes Half Term & Easter Events!

The best in theatre, activities and entertainment for families at

the Albany, Canada Water Theatre and Deptford Lounge Most tickets £7 Book online thealbany.org.uk Box office 020 8692 4446

16 Families South East

3 for 2 across the season familiesonline.co.uk

Families South East Tel: 020 8699 3958 Email: info@familiesse.co.uk Contact: Robina Cowan Website: www.familiesse.co.uk MAGAZINE DESIGN: Lancasters 020 8658 9975 www.lancasters.co.uk Printed on paper from sustainable forests. www.ridgewaypress.co.uk

CH

KE