Families Solent West

Issue 45: March/ April 2015

Issue

45

FREE T

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a c opy

SOLENT WEST Easter holiday activities What's on in March & April Tips to get children to drink water

Confidence Building Fun

Call 0845 400 1304 or visit perform.org.uk to find your nearest venue.

Try a Free Drama Class Local information and events for parents with 0 - 12 year olds in Hampshire

March/ April 2015

www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

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totton@stagecoach.co.uk

Speak to us about adoption and fostering

Age 4-18

Fun, confidence-building, educational classes in acting, singing and dance.

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ESTABLISHED 1988 600 SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE

ONE NATION. ONE NAVY. HMS ALLIANCE Only surviving WW2 era submarine

RN SUBMARINE MUSEUM, GOSPORT

THEIR STORIES HMS VICTORY Nelson’s flagship

HMS WARRIOR 1860 The Victorian Powerhouse

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2March/ April 2015

www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

®

Solent West Magazine Editor: Rebecca Carr 07789 882467 editor@familiessolentwest.co.uk Advertising: Claire Clarricoates 07789 882467 ads@familiessolentwest.co.uk Next issue: May/ June 2015 Booking deadline: 3 April 2015 40,000 readers per issue Printed by Bishops www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

© Families Solent West 2015 Data Protection: if you send us your name and address in order to win a prize in a competition, we may supply your details to the company offering the prize.

Disclaimer: Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at the owners risk and whilst every care is taken, neither Families Solent West not its agents accept liability for loss or damage. We take 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 consequence.

In this issue....

4

News & views

6

Easter days out

9

What's on during March and April

10

Local days out: Bursledon Brickworks Museum

12

Baby play is not just for fun

13

Mum and baby news

14

Learning with nature

15

Tips to get your child to drink water ®

een

S As

TV & FILM ACTING SCHOOLS

on TV

Weekly TV acting Classes - Star in a Drama Series for TV New! Saturday Academy Classes for Dancers, Actors & Singers Free Top UK Agency for Television & West End Theatre CLASSES IN HEDGE END, WEST END, BITTERNE, REDBRIDGE & EASTLEIGH

Call or email for your free trial or more info: 023 80 477717 info@youngstar.tv

March/ April 2015

see our website:

www.youngstar.tv www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

3

News & views

News &Views Set sail this Easter with Perform's Pirates and Princesses holiday courses Perform Drama School is back with another exciting Easter Holiday Course for Winchester 4-7 year olds.

From 13 - 15 April at Holly Trinity Parish church, Winchester give your child a treat to remember with a drama, dance and singing holiday course. They’ll be going on a swashbuckling royal adventure for brave pirates and fearless princesses. Whether running down the palace steps to defeat the fiery dragon or setting sail for treasure on the high seas, it’s going to be the best fun of their holidays.

Children will enjoy an entertaining three days with our experienced workshop leaders. The tailored approach enables all children of all ages to participate and they all get the chance to take part in a final performance for friends and family. With costumes, live music, scripts, improvisation and dance, they'll have an amazing time making new friends and developing their social skills along the way.

The cost of the course is £100 (with a 25% discount for siblings and reductions for groups) and a 10% discount for Families readers by quoting FamiliesEaster2015. www.perform.org.uk/classes-courses/holiday-courses/ piratesprincesses

April is world autism awareness month Autism Hampshire is a local charity working hard to provide support and services that help transform the lives of people living with autism. They provide a range of services including education, residential and community access. Throughout April, join in the fun and celebrate World Autism Awareness Month to raise money and awareness for Autism Hampshire.

For more details visit: www.autismhampshire.org.uk/getinvolved

Hampshire parent fundraising for Autism Hampshire My life changed forever the day my daughter Alexa was born; she has eyes that will melt your heart and a smile that lights up any room. Alexa was diagnosed with Autism at age three and with help from those around us including Wildern Pre School and Townhill Park Infants she is making lots of friends and enjoying life.

Autism Hampshire are a great charity and I will parachuting out of a plane at 15,000 feet on 23 May 2015. If you would like to support this amazing charity please donate at www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/Conno and mention Families Magazine in the description and for every £10 donated Families Solent West Magazine will donate £1 4

March/ April 2015

World book day This spring, delve deep into your bookshelf and read something you’ve never read before, in honour of World Book Day. Throughout March and April schools, libraries and bookshops across the country are holding exciting events and workshops for young readers, plus you can register online for your free book token and choose from titles including Michael Morpurgo’s Best Mates and A Pirate’s Guide to Landlubbing

by Jonny Duddle. You can also design your very own National Book Token and have your design distributed to bookshops nationwide in time for Christmas. The competition closes 17th April, visit www.worldbookday.com to register your entry.

It’s also International Children’s Book Day on 2nd April, the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen himself. The Day aims to inspire a love of reading from an early age, so check out the website to find out more about all of the events across the country, including writing competitions and talks from famous authors and illustrators.

Mothering Sunday It’s Mother’s Day on 15 March, so why not put your thinking cap on early and come up with something special for your mum?

Or you could start dropping hints for your partner and children to treat you. A day out with the people dearest to you can hit the spot perfectly, so why not check out the many museums, stately homes, farm parks, theme parks and National Trust properties across the country that are running special Mother’s Day events. At many of them Mums go free, so it’s worth doing your research. Top that off with a lie-in and breakfast in bed, and you’ll have the perfect day!

Wear a hat day for Brain Tumour Research Join in for Wear A Hat Day on Friday 27th March. The Premier Brain Tumour Awareness event in the UK; helping to support long-term, life-saving research. There are so many ways to get involved. Register now to receive your free fundraising pack, then visit the Hatter’s Workshop for all your hatty extras; from posters to quizzes, hat-templates to merchandise order forms. It’s all there and ready to help you, help us make 2015 the hattiest yet! www.braintumourresearch.org/wearahatday

Does Your Child

Love to Dance?

Classes for Children: - Ballroom & Latin - Musical Theatre - Freestyle - Street/Hip Hop

facebook.com/dmdance

ge: From A 14yrs 3yrs to

twitter.com/dmdancing

www.dmdancecentre.co.uk

Tel: 02380 554192 Email: info@dmdancecentre.co.uk 10 Spring Crescent, Portswood, Southampton, SO17 2GA www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

News & views

Searching for a star!

Become a foster carer

Youngstar TV & Film Acting School are searching for budding actors singers and dancers aged 6-18 years that want to grow in confidence and learn communication skills for life to join their classes, with the opportunity to star in new BBC pilot Born Famous, about a performing arts school by BBC MI High Writer Adrian Hewitt.

The start of the year is the most popular month for foster carer applications, so why not make 2015 the year you join them?

New research highlights that one child is taken into care every 15 minutes in England, and independent fostering agency Fostering Solutions is encouraging people across the UK to make a positive change in 2015 and become a foster carer.

They are launching the Foster15 campaign specifically to highlight the shortfall. ‘The shortfall in foster carers is only set to increase,’ said Gareth Walton of Fostering Solutions, becoming a foster carer is one of the most rewarding steps you can take – these children are likely to have had a challenging start to their lives and you can be the person who makes the priceless difference to their life by offering them a home and care.’

If you would like to find out more about being a foster carer with Fostering Solutions call 0800 160 1605 or go to www.fosteringsolutions.co.uk

Emz Portraits and crafts - fine portraits of your loved ones drawn by local artist Emz Portraits and Crafts, has over ten years experience of creating hand-crafted, one of a kind pieces.

Specialising in portraiture, each piece is created by eye to the customer’s specifications. Suitable for all occasions including family and friends, wedding couples or baby and children's portraits, all created from free-hand.

For something unique that cannot be found on the high street, why not have a custom portrait and contact Emma by email: emzportraitscrafts@gmail.com or emzportraitscrafts.wordpress.com March/ April 2015

With a modern approach to drama, students take part in their own films, music videos and TV dramas which are screened at their local cinema as their renowned premieres (pictured above).

Our classes allow students the chance to form strong friendships outside of their school social circle, gaining a massive confidence boost when they attend a red carpet premiere of work made in our classes. Youngstar also have an agency linked to the school which is free, as unlike other stage we have students appearing in well paid commercials and feature films. Plus casting directors like Nina Gold (Paddington Bear) regularly visit our classes.

Youngstar professional production company create broadcast drama Darton High, available on local TV (Solent freeview channel 8). Youngstar coaches are highly trained actors and TV directors who work with professional crews to make films. Youngstar will be holding free TV acting workshops at Wildern School in Hedge End, Crestwood School in Eastleigh or Redbridge School in Southampton.

Book your place today! Call Youngstar TV on 02380 477717, email info@youngstar.tv or visit: www.youngstar.tv

Young writers award Announcing the 5th year of the prestigious Wicked Young Writers’ Award! Get scribbling now for your chance to enter this competition, championed

by Patron Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and judged by a panel including Cressida Cowell, the hugely popular author of the How to Train Your Dragon series. The competition recognizes excellence in writing, while encouraging creativity and developing writing talent in young people aged between 5-25. ‘I am delighted to be asked to be a judge on the Wicked Young Writers’ Award,’ said Cressida Cowell. ‘As an ambassador for the National Literacy Trust it is wonderful to be involved in an award which celebrates young people’s writing and creativity.’ The deadline is 18 April 2015, find out more at www.WickedYoungWriters.com

Spring fun for children at the Theatre Royal Winchester Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs will be running on 25 and 26 March. When Flinn discovers a pirate hiding in the school supply closet, it’s all aboard me hearties for a real live pirate adventure. Based on the award-winning book by Giles Andreae andf Russell Ayto, this action packed theatrical experience with live music, puppetry, physical performance and dastardly dinosaurs will ignite your child’s imagination through the magic of theatre and story-telling.

The ever popular Stickman returns to Theatre Royal Winchester on 11 and 12 April for some more adventures in the family tree, with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three. Touching, funny and utterly original, the award-winning production features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs and funky moves.

To book tickets call the box office on 01962 840440 or book online at www.theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

5

Easter days out

Local days out

Spring onto the farm at the Countryside Education Trust

www.nationaltrust.org.uk

3 - 12 April The Watercress Line

© CET

Come and have a fun-filled family day out and support your local charity on Thursday 9 April from 10am - 4pm.

With something for everyone including: animal petting, goat milking, eggcollecting, have-a-go archery, falconry, traditional woodcrafts and local crafts, climb the spider tower, bouncy castle, farm trails, seed-sowing, raffle with fantastic prizes and much more.

Adults: £4 Children: £2 (Friends £3.50/£1.50) with free car parking.

Dogs are welcome on leads. A variety of food and refreshments are available throughout the day or bring your own picnic. Call 01590 612401 or email: mail@cet.org.uk

Events @ The Brickworks

The Railway Station, Station Road, Alresford, SO24 9JG www.watercressline.co.uk Thomas and Friends return to the Watercress Line for more family fun!

Shake hands with the Fat Controller, meet Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends, take part in Thomas themed activities and ride the big steams trains all day! Free Thomas sticker and certificate for every child! Free Thomas activities, bouncy slide, tea cup ride, children’ entertainer and Thomas tattoos! Free rides with Thomas, Toad and Diesel! It’s a great value family day out, not to be missed!

Make their day a Day Out With Thomas and book your tickets online at www.dayoutwiththomas.co.uk Don't forget to say you saw these advertised in

Big Spring Steam Up 12th

Sunday April 2015 11.00 – 4.00

Bursledon Brickworks Industrial Museum

Solent West Magazine

Easter holiday fun self-guided family trail 3 - 19 April - 10am - 4pm Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

Adult £6, Conc £5 Child £3 Family £15 Trains- separate charges apply

Something for everyone – inside and out!

A: Bursledon Brickworks. Swanwick Lane, SO31 7HB T: 01489 576248 W: www.bursledonbrickworks.org.uk E: admin@bursledonbrickworks.org.uk

6

March/ April 2015

© National Trust

Day out with Thomas

This Easter, Cadbury is teaming up with the National Trust to offer families the ultimate day out, with their popular Eggsplorer Easter Egg Trails. Kids can unleash their inner explorer with adventurous trails taking place in some of the most amazing locations across Hampshire.

All Eggsplorers will receive a delicious Cadbury chocolaty treat at the end of each completed trail, and every single Cadbury Easter Egg Trail will help support special places looked after by the National Trust for future generations to explore.

For Eggsplorer Easter Egg Trails visit:

3 – 19 April - 10am – 5pm Mottisfont

Mottisfont Lane, Romsey SO51 0LP

3 – 6 April - 11am - 4pm Hinton Ampner

Petersfield Road, Hinton Ampner, Bramdean, Hampshire SO24 0LA

3 – 6 April - 10am – 4.30pm Winchester City Mill

Bridge St, Winchester, SO23 0EJ Includes Easter baking demonstrations

5 – 6 April - 11am – 4pm Foxbury

The Walled Garden, Burgate Manor, Fordingbridge, SP6 1EF

Jermyns Lane, Ampfield, Romsey, Hampshire SO51 0QA www.hants.gov.uk/hilliergardens The Easter bunny has left a trail of clues and fun around the gardens. Join in and receive a chocolate surprise. Suitable for all the family. No booking needed. £1 entry for the trail. Children must be accompanied.

Normal admission price applies for adults.

© National Trust

Out of Town Centre, Palace Lane, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Hampshire SO42 7YG www.cet.org.uk

3 - 19 April The National Trust © Thomas Beere

9 April - 10am - 4pm Countryside Education Trust

Be an eggsplorer with the National Trust and Cadbury

www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

Easter days out

Critter Creek is new this Easter at Paultons Park

Spring onto the Farm

Throughout March & April

Paultons Park, Off Exit 2, M27, nr Romsey, The New Forest, SO51 6AL www.paultonspark.co.uk Paultons Family Theme Park is a great value family day out with over 60 wonderful rides and attractions including big rides, small rides, play areas, entertainments and a collection of exotic birds and animals all set within 140 acres of the beautiful New Forest National Park. Paultons is of course also home to Peppa Pig World, with 7 amazing Peppa-themed rides! Discounted tickets and official packaged short breaks are only available at the official website.

Thursday 9 April 10am – 4pm Come and have a fun-filled family day out at the Countryside Education Trust in Beaulieu and support your local charity. l

Animal Petting l Goat Milking l Egg-Collecting l Raffle l Falconry l Traditional Woodcrafts & Local Crafts l Climb the Spider Tower l Bouncy Castle l Farm Trails l Seed-sowing l Have-a-go Archery

The Trust relies on fundraising events to enable us to continue our work of educating children and adults about the countryside and how to preserve it for the future. Come along and see for yourself - we would love to share the unique CET experience with you.

01590 612401 l mail@cet.org.uk www.cet.org.uk

Opening at Easter is the exciting and new mini-land, Critter Creek.

Critter Creek is a fully themed world of strange mixed-up creatures known as the ‘Curious Critters’!

Please see the website for opening days and times.

**** WIN a family ticket to Paultons Park **** Enjoy a family day out to Paultons Park this spring. We have a family ticket to giveaway for one lucky reader. To enter, simply go to our website www.familiessolentwest.co.uk/competitions. You will need to register to enter. The ticket is valid for 2 adults and 2 children. Terms and conditions are available on our website. Only one entry per household.

The closing date for entries is 31 March. Good luck!

UN DE R

3s Are

Free!

EASTER EGG TRAILILY!S FUN FOR ALL THE FAM 3rd - 6th Apr il

00 EASTER Sunday Only. Just £5.

Entry FOR ANY CHILD WEARING THEIR OWN EASTER BONNET*

PLUS: Hands-on farm activities run throughout Easter and the school holidays. 10am - 5pm. Indoor and outdoor play areas.

Off A35 • Ashurst • New Forest Tel. 023 8029 2837

For event details & much more click onto:

www.longdownfarm.co.uk

SF

* Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer

Magma at Paultons Park

Peppa Pig World at Paultons Park

Easter Egg Hunt

3 - 19 April Itchen Valley Country Park Allington Lane, West End, Southampton SO30 3HQ www.eastleigh.gov.uk

Take part in our hunt for the Easter eggs, get the answers right and win a prize. Anytime between 10.30am and 4pm. £1.75 per trail

Easter holiday fun at Manor Farm

3 - 19 April - 10am – 5pm Manor Farm Country Park Pyland's Lane, Bursledon, Southampton SO31 1BH www.hants.gov.uk/ manorfarm

Celebrating spring on the farm with lots of newborn lambs and chicks. Could you be the first to meet and name one of the new lambs? Come and explore - try the Easter trail or help with the milking. Normal farm admission price applies.

Easter egg hunt

3 -19 April - 12 - 4pm Manor Farm Country Park Can you complete the Easter egg hunt and claim your prize?

Details from the Kiosk in Barnfield. £2 per person.

March/ April 2015

Open 7 days a week

100 Hands-on exhibits & the UK’s largest stand-alone planetarium Events for children & adults Planetarium-only tickets available

www.winchestersciencecentre.org An independent educational charity - Registered charity n° 294582

www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

7

Easter days out

Local days out

Easter holiday activities at Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium Winchester Science Centre

Winchester Science Centre & Planetarium is an under-cover, allweather visitor attraction. There are over 100 hands-on exhibits each one on a different aspect of science and technology, So you can operate cranes, compose electronic music, build electrical circuits and see your body’s hot spots with a thermo-imaging camera. The sport activity zone is full of unusual interactive exhibits, like moving a ball with just your brain waves, wheelchair basketball and a short race track with a photo of your start.

The Science Centre also has the UK’s largest capacity Planetarium. This is a cinema with a vast dome screen.

The image is all around you so that the effect can be like floating in space.

The planetarium uses state of the art digital images and a cinema standard sound system. It is a unique experience.

Planetarium shows run seven days a week.

There are two new fulldome films recently added to the planetarium schedule: Back to the Moon: For Good is about the private teams around the world competing for the $40 million prize from Google to land a robot on the moon. In The Life of Trees follow Dolores the ladybird and Mike the glowworm as they explore how trees live and their importance to our environment.

Perfect for children up to 11 years. This show has won many awards for its beautiful imagery.

During Easter, there will be additional activities running including live science shows daily and extra planetarium shows. www.winchestersciencecentre.org for more details and opening hours.

8

March/ April 2015

Easter Egg Trail at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum

Marwell Zoo

7 - 9 April, 11am – 3pm

Royal Navy Submarine Museum HM Naval Base (PP66), Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3NH www.nmrn.org.uk The ever popular Easter egg trail for children will be available again this year; solve the eggy clues to claim your chocolate prize. The event is free with a valid Museum ticket Explosion Museum

Wild Egg Hunt at Marwell Zoo 3 – 6 April

Easter Puzzle Trail At the Explosio Museum of Naval Firepower 3 - 19 April, 10am – 5pm

Explosions Museum Heritage Way, Priddy's Hard, Gosport, PO12 4LE www.explosion.org.uk Can you see all the egg shaped clues in the museum galleries and discover what word they spell? Pick up a trail sheet at the front desk and take part in this self-guided activity. Running every day throughout the Easter holidays. The event is free with a valid Museum ticket.

Marwell Zoo Thompson's Lane, Colden Common, Winchester SO21 1JY www.marwell.org.uk Embark on our popular Easter egg trail over the Easter weekend and collect your very own chocolate egg. Plus, meet the Easter Bunny too.

Easter holiday fun at Longdown Activity Farm 3 - 6 April

Longdown Activity Farm Deerleap Lane, Ashurst, SO40 7EH www.longdownfarm.co.uk

Celebrate Easter at Longdown Farm surrounded by chicks, lambs and Easter bunnies! Join in with the fabulous Egg trail and receive a chocolate treat at the end.

Also keep a look out for the very special golden eggs: ten will be hidden around the Farm at the beginning of each day, you’ll get a special prize if you find one! On Easter Sunday only any child arriving in their own Easter bonnet will be charged a special concessionary rate of just £5 each (under 3s are free).

Longdown Activity Farm

Royal Navy Submarine Museum

Chocolate Easter Egg ‘Bombs’ At the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower 3 & 6 April 11am - 3pm

Explosions Museum Heritage Way, Priddy's Hard, Gosport, PO12 4LE www.explosion.org.uk Come and make a chocolate Easter egg ‘bomb’ with a popping candy center. The event is free with a valid Museum ticket.

Running throughout the school holidays will also be a full schedule of activities including bottle-feeding the kid goats and calves, meeting the pigs and hand-feeding ducks.

Children can collect real newly laid eggs, hold fluffy yellow chicks and cuddle baby bunnies. Plenty of indoor and outdoor play areas. www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

What's on

What's on

@Familiessolentw

Facebook.com /Familiessolentwest

Before setting out please check details with the venue in case they have changed since we have gone to print ..and don’t forget to tell them you saw them in Families Solent West Magazine! Visit our website www.familiessolentwest.co.uk/whats-on for an updated list of local events.

5 March

14 March

National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

World Book Day

Portsmouth PO1 3LJ. 11am – 4pm - Free A day of fun for little book worms.

Come along to the museum to celebrate World Book Day with sea themed art and craft and of course storytelling. Drop in activity throughout the day with story times at 11.30am 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm Historic Dockyard

Luxury Chocolate Making Workshop Romsey, SO51 0QA 10am – 12.30pm & 1.30pm – 4pm Price applies. Booking is essential, call 01794 369318 During this amazing workshop you will be tutored in making your very own delicious chocolates using our fine range of ingredients.

High quality Dark, Milk and White chocolate infused with your own created flavours will make your own unique chocolates for you to decorate, box and take home.

Run by professional chocolatiers from Chocolate Craft, we'll show you how to make your finished chocolates look as good as the professionals.

7 - 8 March

Sunday 15 March

Action Stations, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

World War II Weekend

Portsmouth PO1 3LJ. 10am - 5pm WWII military and model boat displays, Love Southsea Vintage Market, Highbury College fashion show or performance, hair & fashions inspired by 30’s & 40’s, cooking with rations display, sing-along performance, costumed characters, family challenge activity and special interest tours.

Please contact the venue for booking information.

March/ April 2015

Mother’s Day Lunch in Jermyn’s House

Romsey, SO51 0QA 12 – 5pm (last order 3.30pm) £17.50 pp (two courses), £22.50 pp (three courses). Booking is essential, call 01794 369319.

Treat the special ladies in your life to a superb home cooked two course or a three-course meal in the splendour of Jermyn’s House.

With a beautiful venue & delicious food what more could your amazing Mum want?

24, 25 & 26 March Little Foresters

Itchen Valley Country Park

Southampton SO30 3HQ 10am - 11.30am. £4 per child.

Booking is essential. Call 023 8047 5080. An outdoor session for pre-school children age 2+ with woodland activities, games, campfires and stories.

25 & 26 March

Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs

Theatre Royal Winchester

Winchester, SO23 8SB When Flinn discovers a pirate hiding in the school supply closet, it’s all aboard me hearties for a real live pirate adventure.

Based on the award-winning book by Giles Andreae andf Russell Ayto, this action packed theatrical experience with live music, puppetry and physical performance will ignite your child’s imagination through the magic of theatre and story-telling.

Jermyns House at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

28 & 29 March

Woodland Craft Weekend

Manor farm

Southampton SO31 1BH See woodland craftsmen in action including hurdle making and willow weaving. Children can try their hand at willow weaving or maybe making a wooden rake.

Activities for children and grown ups. Normal Farm admission charge with a small charge for some activities.

www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

9

What's on

3 - 19 April

Easter Egg Hunt in the Country Park Manor Farm

©depositphotos.com

Southampton SO31 1BH 12 - 4pm - £2 per person Can you complete our Easter Egg Hunt and claim your prize?

Details available from the Kiosk in Barnfield.

Woodland Activity Day

Itchen Valley Country Park

3 - 4 April

3 - 19 April

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

On board HMS Warrior 1860, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

Easter Egg Dyeing

Romsey, SO51 0QA 1pm – 4pm Decorate an egg using dyes and wax crayons and your imagination, then make a basket to carry it in.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. £1 per child.

3 – 6 April

Wild Egg Hunt Marwell Zoo

Winchester SO21 1JY Embark on our popular Easter egg trail over the Easter weekend and collect your very own chocolate egg. Don’t forget to meet the Easter Bunny too.

Family Activity Area

Portsmouth, PO1 3NH 10am - 4.30pm Once the lower deck mess and schoolroom for young officers, Warrior’s Gun Room is now somewhere you can bring your young “sailors” for R&R. Enjoy themed art and craft activities, costumed role play as sailors swabbing the decks and colouring and quiz sheets.

3 - 12 April

Southampton SO30 3HQ Any time between 10.30am and 4.00pm. £1.75 per trail pack Take part in our hunt for the Easter eggs. Get the answers right and win a prize.

Easter holiday fun Ashurst, SO40 7EH Free Fun Easter Trails with a Little Chocolate Treat and Prizes Available. See page 12 for further details.

March/ April 2015

Spring Egg Cups

Itchen Valley Country Park

Southampton SO30 3HQ Any time between 10.30am and 12.30pm. £2 per cup Why not make a cardboard cup decorated as a bunny or chick to hold your chocolate egg?

Manor Farm?

Longdown Activity Farm

Itchen Valley Country Park

9 April

Fun on the farm

3 - 6 April

Easter Egg Hunt

Southampton SO30 3HQ 9.30am - 3.30pm. £20 per child.

Booking essential please call 023 8047 5080. A day of outdoor activities for 6 – 11 years, including dens, fires, woodland crafts and games.

3 - 19 April

10am – 5pm We are celebrating spring on the farm with lots of newborn lambs and chicks. Will you be the first to meet and name one of our new lambs? Come and explore - try our Easter trail or help with the milking. On weekdays Pony Magic will be at the farming offering pony rides for a small extra charge.

On Easter Sunday the Café will be serving Simnel Cake and Easter cakes for children.

3 - 19 April

10

8 April

Day out with Thomas The Watercress Line Alresford, SO24 9JG See page 6 for details.

10 & 11 April

James and the Giant Peach The Berry Theatre

Southampton, SO30 4EJ 7.30pm on 10 April 2pm on 11 April Tickets Adults £7, Children £5.

Box Office on 023 8065 2333 The classic tale of James and the Giant Peach is retold on The Berry Theatre stage this spring. This adaptation of Roald Dahl’s muchloved, fantastical tale is packed with tongue-twisting rhymes, original music and unforgettable characters to tell the story of how James Henry Trotter, came to live in a very special house in Central Park. Ages 5+

10, 15 & 17 April

Introduction to Archery

Countryside Education Trust Palace Lane, Beaulieu, SO42 7YG 10am - 11.30am & 2 - 3.30pm £15 per person or £12 per Friend of the Trust.

Learn the basics of bare bow shooting and take part in some archery games. Booking is essential, call 01590 612401

11 – 12 April

11 April

Winchester Theatre Royal

Itchen Valley

Stickman

Family Forest School

Winchester, SO23 8SB Call 01962 840440 to book The ever popular Stickman returns to Theatre Royal Winchester for some more adventures in the family tree, with his Stick Lady Love and their stick children three. Touching, funny and utterly original, the award-winning production features a trio of top actors and is packed full of puppetry, songs and funky moves.

Southampton SO30 3HQ 10am - 12noon £10 per child (parents free).

Booking is essential please call 023 8047 5080 The first in a series of monthly, weekend sessions for families with children aged 5 to 10 years. Over the months we will be looking at dens, Kelly Kettles, Campfire Cooking, woodcrafts, knots, coppicing and much more.

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Project3_Layout 1 01/12/2014 17:38 Page 1 What's on

Sir Harold Hillier Gardens

Romsey, SO51 0QA 1.30pm – 3.30pm £10 per child (includes 1 adult) Booking is essential, call 01794 369318 Come and explore some common plants & herbs and their medicinal & edible uses.

Suitable for children 7 – 14 yrs.

14 – 15 April

Woodland Activity Days

Itchen Valley Country Park Southampton SO30 3HQ 9.30am - 3.30pm. £40 per child. Booking is essential, call 023 8047 5080 Two days of outdoor activities for 6 – 11 years including dens, fires, woodland crafts and games.

Beaulieu, SO42 7YG 10am -12 noon A family event of crafts, trails and even the chance to cuddle a bunny! £4 per person or £3 for Friends of the Trust. Booking is essential, call 01590 612401

Online

What’s On The best family-friendly events

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Family Bushcraft – Medical & Edible Use of Plants

Southampton, SO30 4EJ 1.30pm & 4.30pm on 14 April 1.30pm on 15 April Box office 023 8065 2333 The team behind the stage productions of the Gruffalo and Room on the Broom are coming to the Berry Theatre in April with their latest show. Tall Stories are proud to present their latest exciting collaboration with Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler The Snail and the Whale. A tiny snail longs to see the world, so she hitches a lift on the tail of a humpback whale. But when the whale gets beached, how will the snail save him? Storytelling, live music and lots of laugh are promised in a show for everyone aged 4+.

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13 April

The Berry Theatre

Countryside Education Trust

Bouncing Bunnies

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Swanwick Lane, SO31 7HB 11am - 4pm Family fun day with steam trains and children's activities.

Admission price applies.

16 April

The tale of the Snail and the Whale

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Bursledon Brickworks Museum

14 – 15 April

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Big Spring Steam Up

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12 April

finder!

We have more events and things to do for children than anyone else!

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17 April Big Owls

Countryside Education Trust

Beaulieu, SO42 7YG 10am -12.30pm Get going in the Garden!

Planting potatoes and sunflowers, playing the sunflower game and butterfly I-spy! Adult and Child £6.50 or Friends of the Trust £5.50.

Booking is essential call 01590 612401

28, 29 & 30 April Little Foresters

Itchen Valley Country Park

Southampton SO30 3HQ 10am - 11.30am. £4 per child.

Booking is essential, call 023 8047 5080. An outdoor session for pre-school children age 2+ in woodland activities.

• • • •

• Children's shows by date • Museums and galleries by age • FREE events by category • across the UK per area

www.Familiesonline.co.uk

Events info for here and across the UK

PLEASE EXCUSE THE UNUSUAL APPROACH! A successful international company, operating in the Health and Nutrition Industry, is looking for openminded, positive people to work part-time or full-time, from home, without compromising your current career or commitments. If you work in the Health and Fitness Industry, or have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or self-employed background, or feel you would like a balanced and flexible lifestyle then we would like to hear from you.

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Join Thomas & FriendsTM at a heritage Railway near you.

Experience a ride on a real steam engine and take part in Thomas-themed activities.

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3RD - 12TH 2015

www.dayoutwiththomas.co.uk

Day Out With ThomasTM Thomas the Tank EngineTM. Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W. Awdry. © 2015 Gullane (Thomas) Limited. Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas & Friends and Day Out With Thomas are trademarks of Gullane (Thomas) Limited. © 2015 HIT Entertainment Limited.

March/ April 2015

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11

Birth & Babies

Baby play is not just for fun

By Lynne Murray

This is a stage when body games, like ‘pat-a-cake,’ or ‘round and round the garden’ come into their own. Babies quickly become familiar with the different steps of such games, and most of their pleasure comes from the sense of anticipation and climax. These games, and supporting babies play with toys, represent a new form of social relating for the baby - one where play is about a ‘topic’ that baby and parent share together.

Although babies and parents enjoy these body games and toy play, they can also feel something of a ‘one-way-street’ for parents, since the baby typically doesn’t show great interest in the parent themselves. This situation changes from around nine months, as relationships shift from being ‘topic-based’ to being more genuinely two-way and connected. Now, babies notice more of what their parents are doing, and will typically want to join in and even, in their own way, ‘help.’ They start to follow simple suggestions, and swap roles with their parent in games like ‘peeka-boo.’ With this change, parents sometimes feel as if their baby has now become a ‘real’ person, and play can become easier and more satisfying.

Whilst playing with your baby can be fun, it is not at all trivial.

It is one of the main ways in which babies engage with other people, and a fundamental means of developing their social understanding.

How babies play, and the way in which parents can support their play, changes dramatically during their first two years of life.

Babies generally become playful from around six weeks, when they start to smile, vocalise and show deliberate facial movements and expressions.

Parents typically find themselves imitating these baby signals, or reacting to them with stereotyped, exaggerated expressions called ‘marking’. These responses are largely automatic, and they help the baby maintain his positive mood and stay engaged. These early exchanges are like ‘conversations,’ and they are a very basic way for babies to sense the connection between their experience and that of someone else - one of the basic building blocks of social understanding.

By around four or five months, a baby’s vision has improved and he or she can focus on things at a distance, and also start to reach out and grab things. These developments mean that a baby’s interests expand, and the previous, purely social, face-to-face play loses its attraction. This can be disconcerting for parents, as they search for new strategies with which to engage their baby.

This more connected phase culminates in the development of genuinely co-operative behaviour and more mature social understanding from around eighteen months, when babies can appreciate that other people have different experiences from their own, as well as different likes and dislikes. These developments are assisted when parents engage in pretend play, which can support the baby in thinking about the experience of, say, doll characters. Talking about people’s experiences and their feelings, and the reasons for them, either during play or during activities such as sharing picture books, are also important ways for parents to support the growing social understanding of their baby.

So don’t feel that when you are playing with your baby that you are somehow wasting time. You are teaching your baby to become a sociable being!

a ExtrLynne Murray is Professor of Developmental Psychology

at the University of Reading, and author of The Psychology of Babies: How Relationships Support Development from Birth to Two (Constable & Robinson 2014), in which more information on play, as well as other aspects of babies’ development, is provided.

OPEN DAYS MARCH 4TH OR APRIL 1ST

Itchen Valley Country Park ol for An outdoor pre-schoing term nn ru s old 3 & 4 year 3.00pm time only 8.30am to Registered

Contact Kayleigh.kavanagh@eastleigh.gov.uk

www.eastleigh.gov.uk/littleowls 12

March/ April 2015

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Mother & baby

Open days at Little Owls Woodland Pre-school this spring This is Little Owls Woodland Pre-School in Itchen Valley Country Park – an outdoor facility for 3 and 4 year olds based on the Forest School ethos.

Children spend all session outdoors building up motor skills, self-esteem and social interaction whilst learning about the world around them.

Business is (baby) booming for homebirths and independent midwives New guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have confirmed that homebirths and midwifeled centres are ‘best for many mothers’. And, with evidence that giving birth at home is often as safe for babies as in hospital, it certainly looks to be the way childbirth is headed.

A home birth can give you the space and time to deliver they way you want, with evidence showing that homebirths and midwife-led births often have lower rates of intervention, as women are more comfortable in their environment and are assisted by midwives they know and trust. No wonder they are booming. As this boom continues the demand for midwife-led care and independent midwives, particularly where the service is not offered by the NHS, is growing. We all understand the importance of continuity of care, and dream of the same midwife accompanying us throughout our pregnancy, through birth and into the post natal period.

The College of Midwives is calling for more midwife-led units to be set up across the country so that all mothers-to-be can have the choice of a midwife-led or home birth, if they want one. At the moment 9 out of 10 babies in England and Wales are born in doctor-led obstetrics units in hospital, however the new guidelines say that 45% of women are at extremely low risk of complications and may be better off giving birth elsewhere – especially those who have already had at least one child. In the meantime, many women are turning to independent midwifes to get the birth and continuity of care they want, either at hospital or at home, and hiring one of these fully qualified midwives who work outside of the NHS to oversee everything.

The pre-school is OFSTED registered and covers the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There are only 12 children per session and these are available five days a week between 8.30am and 3.00pm during term time.

The pre-school will be running two open days on 4 March and 1 April. If you are interested and would like more information please contact the supervisor, Kayleigh Kavanagh.

Email Kayleigh.kavanagh@eastleigh.gov.uk or go to the website www.eastleigh.gov.uk/littleowls

TUMTUM, the multi award winning childrens brand launches two collections Featuring brand new characters. Introducing Scruff, a mischievous dog with glasses, a ladybird on his nose and a penchant for chocolate cake and Bluebell, a beautiful cat who likes to wear deely boppers, watch goldfish and hang out with her birdie friend.

Scruff and Bluebell are guaranteed to capture imaginations and make mealtimes a true enjoyment for tots. Bright, bold and charasmatic, the new collections not only look fantastic, all items are incrediblity functional too. The easy scoop dining sets with nonslip bases and scooping corners, innovative super stable cups with wide bases, easy scoop cutlery with bowl shaped forks, anti slip placemats and much more, tots will be mastering self feeding in no time.

Stockist: www.tumtumtots.com

Take a look at Independent Midwives UK to find out more. www.imuk.org.uk

Real Nappy Week 2015 Real Nappy Week takes place 20-26 April this year - the real nappy community's opportunity to celebrate everything fabulous about using cloth nappies. Up and down the country retailers, manufacturers, cloth nappy libraries, local councils (and of course real nappy fans) will hold giveaways and events aiming to spread the word about why we love real nappies. They are a great way to save money, avoid waste to landfill and reduce your impact on global warming, plus you can save upwards of £500 by using real nappies on one baby, and even more when siblings come along. They come in a wide choice of fabrics, styles and colours, or you can even buy bespoke and personalise them!

Make sure you discover the exciting things the real nappy community have planned, from nationwide events to local competitions, opportunities to meet people and get advice and a whole lot more at www.goreal.org.uk/real-nappy-week March/ April 2015

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Solent West Magazine Southampton Winchester The New Forest

Would your school or nursery like free copies of Families Magazine?

Just call us to arrange on 07789 882467 or email editor@familiessolentwest.co.uk

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March/ April 2015

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Holiday clubs

Top tips to get your child to drink more water

Easter holiday clubs

Star of CBBC’s Gastronauts Stefan Gates is sharing his tips to encourage children to drink more water, along with the Natural Hydration Council (NHC) and Children’s Food Trust.

The Wise up with Water campaign was launched after an NHC survey found significant gaps in children’s knowledge and behaviour about healthy hydration.

The survey revealed that one in 10 (9.4%) of the 7-9 year olds surveyed, believed that the body can survive without water. Only half (51%) of children questioned said they drank water at school, with four in ten (40%) having to be told to drink water by their parents.

More than a third (35.1%) do not drink water when thirsty and over 40% (42.4%) don’t whilst playing sport or exercising.

Stefan said, “Water is essential for life, but it’s clear from this research that most kids don't know or care about the right amount they need to be healthy and happy. And telling kids 'you'll be healthier if you drink more water' is doomed to fail, just like all adult finger-wagging.

“My job is to take boring, complicated but vital ideas like hydration and make them fascinating and inspiring for everyone age seven to 70. That’s why I’m dead excited about this campaign, and about teaching the nation’s kids some amazing things about the wacky world of water.”

Stefan’s tips for parents: Make water more fun 1. Help your children to decorate their own personalised water bottle, so they feel ownership over their own drinking habits.

2. Ask your child to count how many bottles or cups of water your family drink each day. They’ll be surprised at how the numbers rack up and it can turn something mundane into a fun game.

3. Fun ice cubes can make a drink of water into an adventure. Fill an ice tray with slices of strawberries, grapes, blueberries or raspberry before putting it in the freezer. Add to beakers of water when desired.

Experiment 4. Cut an apple and weigh the slices, leave them out on a plate for a week. Weigh the apple slices daily and record the weight. Ask your children to think about why it loses weight as it dries up and they’ll soon start thinking about the importance of water.

5. Demonstrate how a wilting plant, such as basil, will perk up once it has water to rehydrate its cells.

6. Make sure you get into the habit of drinking water in front of your children.

7. Develop their taste for it by adding ice, a slice of lemon or a curly straw.

Perform drama school Easter holiday course Pirates and Princesses will run from 13 - 15 April for 4 7 year olds. They’ll be going on a swashbuckling royal adventure for brave pirates and fearless princesses. Classes run in Winchester at the following venue: Holly Trinity Parish church, Upper Brook Street Winchester, SO23 8DG Call 0845 400 1304 to book or visit: www.perform.org.uk

Super Camps holiday clubs An exciting new programme is in place for 2015 featuring more than 40 sports, arts and crafts for children 4 - 14 years.

This Easter book your children into multi-activity camps at the following venues.

Sherborne House School Chandlers Ford 6 - 17 April

West Hill Park School Titchfield 6 - 17 April

Contact 01235 467300 for more information or see their website for details. www.supercamps.co.uk

Itchen Valley Country Park activity day Woodland Activity days for ages 6 - 11 years which include building dens, fires, woodland crafts and a variety of games.

Tuesday 14 & Wednesday 15 April from 9.30am - 3.30pm. £40 per child. Contact 02380 475090 to book a place or visit: www.eastleigh.gov.uk/forestschool

UK’s no.1 for childcare during the school holidays

Where the action never stops Monday-Friday • 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Activities for boys and girls ages 4-14 Rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted in 2014

For more information on the Wise up with Water campaign, visit: www.childrensfoodtrust.org.uk/schools/wise-up-with-water March/ April 2015

01235 467300 www.supercamps.co.uk www.familiessolentwest.co.uk

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March/ April 2015

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