Families London South West November 2011 by Families Magazine

November 2011

Issue No. 211 ISSN 1354-9553

Est. 1990

SouthWest FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk

• News • Reviews • Theatre / Pantos • Competitions! Win visit to Shrek

all inside…

Picture credit: www.Oililyworld.com

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Families SW – useful information for parents of 0-12 year olds in SW London TUMBLE TOTS At Tumble Tots we endeavour to provide the opportunities, through a challenging environment of active physical play, for children to explore fully and develop their physical capability, especially their motor skills of balance, agility and co-ordination, whilst at the same time stimulating the imagination and having fun. Classes also include music, songs and rhymes, and are split into different age groups starting at six months up to 7 years.

Venues: Contact: Times: Ages:

Clapham, Dulwich, Blackheath & Battersea. Julia Forrest. Tel: 020 8464 4433 julia.forrest1@ntlworld.com Various—phone for details in your area. 6 months to 5 years.

November 2011

Complete

Contents

Santa's Grottos listing published in the 15th Nov What’s On Newsletter!

04-05

Local news & information

06-07

Community Spirit Families takes a look at the green and ethical events and issues that are shaping where we live

Subscribe to our FREE What’s On email Newsletter To receive it go to

10-11

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NOVEMBER 2011

La Sylvaine

4-6

We CAN heal our children, part 2 Caring for your child’s Psychological Health

SouthWest

Children’s health Concentrate on the problem

Education

Children’s health

Do you say ‘SSSS’ or ‘SUH’ for snake?

Families® South West All content ©Families 2011

www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk Tel: 020 8696 9680 Fax: 020 8696 9679 Editorial: editor@familiesmagazine.co.uk News: news@familiesmagazine.co.uk Adverts/artwork: adverts@familiesmagazine.co.uk Personal ads: personalads@familiesmagazine.co.uk Events, diary dates, whats on info: whatson@familiesmagazine.co.uk

16-17

Go to sleep please...

We take every care preparing this magazine, but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence. Paper used to print Families is from fully-managed sustainable sources — meaning trees which are felled are continuously replaced. Inks are soya-based, which can be re-cycled.

Picture credit: www.Oililyworld.com

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November 2011

Parenting A dad’s point of view

Next issue: December 2011 Deadline: early November • “Families® South West” heads a group of magazines. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. • There are over 36 UK local editions with a print run of more than 600,000 copies in all, in which you can advertise too. Oh, and we have a big website… familiesonline.co.uk • MOVING? Families® magazines can be be franchised in new areas. Read initial franchise information on the website or call. • Printed by Ridgeway Press Ltd, Tadley, Hants

The baby page

Top tips for family skiing

COMPETITIONS

Battling with the bullying

Book reviews

Make Christmas decorations

Ice Rinks

27- 33

What’s On • Pantomimes • Theatres, exhibitions, • Events, • Galleries, • Diary dates and much more

Go to sleep please...

Chilly Powder

New Wimbledon Theatre Dick Whittington

16-17

32-37 ®

local news

compiled by Joanna Parry

Get creative The Pottery Café has proudly opened its brand new studio & shop on the Northcote Road, SW11. The new store, which has a large pottery decorating studio where you can decorate your own hand made pottery, also retails the entire range of Emma Bridgewater pottery. You can personalise your pottery by painting free hand or by using the Pottery Café’s unique range of easy-to-use decorating sponges – everything from hearts & stars to cupcakes, dinosaurs & fairies. Customers’ pottery is then fired for collection a few days later. Check out their popular ‘Baby’s Wednesday’, during which parents painting baby’s footprints on pottery receive a complimentary tea or coffee. All inclusive party packages are also available. 153, Northcote Road, Battersea SW11 6QB tel 020 7223 3388 www.pottery-cafe.com

Children have a quacking time A nursery in Wimbledon has celebrated its new look and name with a special visit from some ducks from Deen City Farm and the Deputy Mayor of Merton, Councillor Chris Edge. The children at the Co-operative Childcare Nursery made new friends when three ducks came along to their revamped Wimbledon nursery. The Nursery, formerly the Buffer Bear nursery, has sponsored the ducks at Deen City Farm as part of its commitment to link with community organisations. "The children really entered into the spirit of the day with some amazing fancy dress outfits,” says Nursery Manager Julie Latham. “They loved seeing the ducks and will be able to follow their progress at the charity-run community farm in Merton Abbey.” www.thecooperativechildcare.coop

Inclusion in these pages is always FREE

Books to treasure forever Are you looking for a magical gift for the little angel in your life? Send them off to fly with dragons and save a kingdom in the pages of their very own adventure. Guaranteed to delight parents and children alike, the personalised tales from Snapdragon Books have all the charm of a traditional storybook. Imaginatively rewritten for each child, each book can include siblings, friends, grandparents, pets and a host of other personalised details. For tiny tots or developing readers, this is a unique gift that makes reading even more fun and will become a treasured family keepsake. £17 including delivery, www.snapdragonbooks.co.uk or call 01271 378444.

10% off toys at Just Williams DATE FOR THE DIARY: Christmas Shopping Day -1st December 2012: 10% off all items and lots of fun and activities for children (10am - 3pm) and late night shopping till 9pm! Just Williams - Clapham South, 8b Balham Hill (adjacent to The Bathstore), SW12 9EA www.justwilliamstoys.com - 020 3538 6798 info@justwilliamstoys.com

Climbing the walls Hornsby House playtime now has a new dimension, with the arrival of a traverse climbing wall in the playground. An immediate hit with children of all ages, the climbing wall is not only hugely popular at playtime at the Wandsworth Common school, but also makes great use of a formerly blank wall. The hand and footholds are specially designed so children can climb across the wall while staying a safe distance off the ground, meaning that no ropes or special equipment are required, while a carpet of artificial grass provides a soft landing area. The climbing wall was funded by the Friends of Hornsby House Association, as well as donations from families of Year 6 children who left the school in summer 2011. www.hornsby-house.co.uk

visit www.familiessouthwest.co.uk for more ...

Dancing stars It’s been another successful year for La Sylvaine and Wendy Bell Schools, with a 50% Distinction to RAD Upper Grade Results, and two of their students now training professionally. Their end of year show was also a great success, with profits of the show going to fund the education of Aissatou Bah from Guinea, who is now entering Year 3 at medical school, and also to the Chelsea Theatre where a new wooden stage is being built and dance studios are being refurbished. www.lasylvaine.co.uk

November 2011

local news

send to news@familiesmagazine.co.uk

Looking for part-time work?

Keep it traditional

3P is a new west London based Search and Selection agency that are looking for part-time and flexible work in the west London. Launched by two working mums, ‘3P Part-Time Professional People’, aims to take the trend for part-time working and build a successful business out of it. 25% of the population works part-time but the traditional associations with low paid, low status roles are disappearing. Employers are realising that there is a huge pool of talent that can be tapped into if they are prepared to offer flexibility in more senior roles. Owned by experienced Recruitment Consultants, Amanda Reuben and Samantha Hibbert, 3P serves the business communities of west London and along the M4 corridor. 3P taps into a huge talent pool of accomplished senior professionals who are based in west London and looking for a better work/life balance. 3P’s candidate pool is handpicked and based locally. Call them on 020 8248 3088 www.3psearchandselection.co.uk

If you’re looking for the highest standard of care in the finest of premises, look no further than Blundells Traditional Teaching Nursery. A private day nursery, housed in a charming period building, Blundells provides good quality day care for children aged 18 months to five years. Primarily a teaching nursery, Blundells is committed to the aim of providing a friendly caring environment in which children can learn through instruction, encouragement and lavish amounts of praise, resulting in a sound basis for future schooling and a security and confidence that will hopefully remain with the children throughout their lives. And just as importantly, Blundells will ensure your child has fun! • The Old Court, 194/196 Sheepcote Lane, Battersea SW11 5BW, 020 7924 4202, www.blundellsnursery.co.uk

Samantha Hibbert

Amanda Reuben

Dance for the little ones Would your pre-schooler like funky dance classes? Learn co-ordination, rhythm and great moves with new Diddi Dance classes all over South West London. Appealing to both girls and boys, the classes are fun, relaxed and explore a range of different styles of dance from Bollywood and tap to Charleston, hip-hop and ballroom, and now you can try before you buy with a free trial session. Diddi Dance parties are also available. FSW readers get 20% off a Diddi Dance party booked before 31st May 2012 and/or 20% off a 4 or 8 week block of classes booked before 31st January 2012. For more information call Clair on 07877 664809. www.diddidance.com

Do you know who loves you? A local mum has put a new twist on traditional children’s flash cards to help kids get to know their family members better. Lucy Morley from Balham has launched Who Loves Me? making personalised cards for babies and young children to help them recognise and learn about their extended family. “The days of living down the road from your family are largely gone, with many children only seeing grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins a few times a year,” says Lucy. “I created these cards after I realised it was more important for my son to be able to identify his grandparents as opposed to a ball or sheep!” A great Christmas gift. Individual cards cost £1.99 or packs of 8 for £11.99 or 16, £17.99. www.wholovesme.co.uk

Meeting their heroes Boys from local school Northcote Lodge met James Cash and Bertie Portal and their wonderful boat this autumn, before they leave the UK on 4th December to row across the Atlantic to raise money for Raising The World charity. The boys have already raised £15,000 for the charity, which helps children from the world’s poorest countries with extreme facial disfigurements, such as conjoined twins Rital and Ritag Gaboura who recently underwent four operations at Great Ormond Street Hospital to successfully separate them. The boys from Northcote Lodge were amazed by the boat, which has the school crest and a boy’s name on the side. For more information visit http://facingtheatlantic.com and www.facingtheworld.net www.northcotelodge.co.uk

November 2011

To advertise Call 020 8696 9680

Ethopia school Thriving pre-preparatory and prep school Broomwood Hall raised £63,400 for charity Kid’s Company last term. Now its attention is turning to founding and running a school in Ethiopia, with all funds raised throughout the year to be used for this new and exciting project, and the Parents Association has lots of events planned from cake sales to Gift Fairs. “We are very excited about starting a school in Ethiopia,” says Katharine Colquhoun, Joint Principal. “It is to be built and run by local staff and we hope to start links between the children in Africa and our pupils in south west London.” www.broomwood.co.uk

Catch the express Check out fun pre-school music classes in Southfields, Putney and Wimbledon with Musical Express. Classes for under and over 2s run Monday-Thursday at Southfields Methodist Church, and a drop-off class for over 3s is on Wednesdays at St Luke’s. The classes are a time for parents and children to learn new songs and rhymes using a mix of puppets, action songs and percussion instruments. Under new ownership of local Mum Ali Palmer, the classes are expanding to two new venues: Friday mornings 10.15-11am for under 2s and 11.15am-12pm for over 2s at Harrington, 154 Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6, and Wednesday mornings 9.45-10.30am for under 2s and 10.45-11.30am for over 2s at Eddie Catz in Colliers Wood. Email alison@musicalexpress.co.uk or call 07808 587606 to book a free trial session. www.musicalexpress.co.uk

Community spirit

How to make a positive impact on local life Compiled by Samantha Chippindale

Feeding the birds It’s getting colder, and the birds are hungry…

Bill Oddie cooking

Instead of an after school muffin-baking session with your children, why not cook something up for the birds? It looks set to be another bitingly cold winter, so the birds need all the fattening up help they can get. Keen birdwatcher Bill Oddie offers a fun introduction to bird feeding on his website www.billoddiesbirdfood.co.uk, with tips on what different British birds need and what species you might see in your garden or outside your kitchen window. Recipes are easy and effective, such as Bird Honey Sticks. You could also visit the RSPB site, www.rspb.org.uk for a comprehensive selection of seed mixes, suet balls and even live mealworms – not for the fainthearted – which are favoured by sparrows, robins and tits.

Curtain’s up! Take a role in the next exciting chapter of the Tara Theatre’s development

Picture credit:WTPL Jane Corey

The Independent on Sunday called Tara Theatre “The most culturally open minded troupe in Britain,” and since it opened in Earlsfield in 2007, it has been offering audiences engaging and thought-provoking shows. It has a strong line in children’s theatre, often with an East/West cultural focus. This December, for example, the classic pantomime gets revamped in Hardeep Singh Kohli’s Bollywood Cinderella (December 1st–24th). Tara depends on volunteers to help with anything from set painting to front of house roles (helpers get to see the productions for free!) It also offers work experience for school leavers keen to see how a theatre is managed and marketed. To be part of the on-going productions at Tara, or to offer donations towards its planned expansion, visit www.taraarts.com. And remember, the best way to support a local theatre is simply to go to it.

Good woods Help stop our ancient woodland being built on What connects Wandsworth Common, Clapham Common Woodland and Ravensbury Park? They all have five-star ratings on the Woodland Trust’s VisitWoods page, so when it comes to protecting our woodlands, we aren’t just talking about the countryside. The Woodland Trust’s ongoing campaign to make the government rethink the current National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has forced a key shift in policy. However, a loophole in the NPPF has allowed the loss of ancient woodland in almost half of the Trust’s designated ‘threat cases’ in the past decade. While consultation papers are being considered in parliament, you have the chance to lobby your MP directly and find out where he or she stands on the issue. Visit www.woodlandtrust.org and follow the campaign link.

visit www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk

November 2011

Community spirit Credit: Bay Hippisley

Mums know best A Fulham play centre shows determined parents are a force to be reckoned with Ray’s Playhouse in the Sands End area of Fulham, a daily drop-in centre for under-fives and their carers, is an inspiring success story, and evidence that parent-power can make a real difference. When the existing Playhouse was threatened with closure, it took only days to secure some 800 signatures in protest. After a year of petitioning and vigorous fund-raising, the centre, now known as Ray’s Playhouse in acknowledgement of the bequest from the local Bender Family Trust, is again full of happy children painting, playing, glueing and making sandcastles. To remain open, Ray’s Playhouse, now a registered charity, relies on raffles, grants and bequests. Special fundraising events are great for raising money, but require volunteers as well as donations. If you think you can spare some time and energy, or have some good quality jumble to offer, contact Ray’s Playhouse to get involved. Diary date: children’s toys and clothes sale, November 5th, 10.30am–1.30pm. Visit www.raysplayhouse.org

Rays Playhouse

Growth spurt Get in trim for a moustached fun run in Battersea Park Readers have until November 27th to grow a fine, bushy moustache. If that’s not possible – the girls might be challenged – then a pencilled in one will do for the Mo Run through Battersea Park in aid of The Prostate Cancer Charity. The 5km run is flat, scenic and manageable – even with a handlebar moustache weighing you down. Costumes are encouraged, and £2 from every £16 entry fee goes to the cancer charity. Registration is by November 24th; visit www.morunning.com.

November 2011

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

07787 821525

速

November 2011

Little Rascals Your local traditional toy shop for ages 0-6 Soft and wooden toys from brands including:

•Jellycat, •BigJigs, •John Crane, •Wheelybugs, •ShooShoos, •Grobags©, •Greeting Cards, and more! Visit our enticing shop at 140 Merton Road South Wimbledon SW19 1EH 020 8542 9979 Open Tues to Sat 9-5.30 (Between Polka Theatre and South Wimbledon Tube)

Cygnets Swim School children's swimming lessons with a difference...

Lessons for children from birth to 7 years old. Park Walk, SW10 and Queen's Park, NW10 Karen Benson 020 8840 3010, 07742 573099 karenbensonh2o@hotmail.com

November 2011

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

We CAN heal our children- Part 2

Caring for your child’s Psychological Health By Helena Foss

Picture credit: © tlorna - Fotolia.com

As parents, we all hope we will not end up with a ‘problem child’. Yet, by their very nature, children are susceptible to emotional distress; so some will, inevitably, ‘have problems’.

According to Young Minds, the children’s mental health charity, one in ten school-age children (five to 16) has a diagnosable mental health disorder (like anxiety, depression or challenging behaviour). This figure, the charity points out, accounts for about three children in every classroom.

Things that go bump in the night

Creating a Protective Bubble

Children often develop irrational fears, such as of the dark or imaginary monsters under the bed. The parenting support charity Family Lives, suggest asking your child to list their fears and then together explore each one, gently and nonjudgementally. It is important to avoid trivialising or laughing off your child’s fears; for in the child’s mind, they are very real indeed.

If your child is feeling nervous and having trouble sleeping (or even if they are not), Marygrace Anderson suggests the protective bubble technique. Before sleep, ask them to rub their hands together quickly, generating heat. Next, have them take a deep breath and as they exhale, suggest they imagine a protective bubble around them so nothing can get in and they will sleep all night with wonderful dreams. You can help them create the bubble (rubbing your hands together too for dramatic effect) starting at the head and working down. Ask them what they would like in their bubble (favourite toys, people or story characters) to help them feel safe and protected.

Different eyes

Because children do not have the maturity to express what is happening to them emotionally, the first warning sign to look out for, says Dr Murfett, is a change in behaviour. If a child is struggling academically for example, they might start clowning around in class to cover up feelings of shame, maybe not wanting to disappoint their parents or to avoid being teased as ‘stupid’. Simple behavioural changes like this, if not picked up in time, can lead to bigger problems later on. One of the best preventative measures, says Dr Murfett, is making a set time each day when you are available to talk with your child about anything at all, as part of your daily routine. Of course, if you have several children and a job too, this requires commitment. The important thing is that they know you are there for them and will listen.

Picture credit: © Julija Sapic - Fotolia.com

“It is good to remember that children see the world through very different eyes to adults,” explains Dr Alison Murfett, an NHS child psychologist who also has a private practice at the Maple Psychological Services clinic in Chelsea. “Situations that to us are normal, are completely new to young children, and so can seem strange and frightening.” As an adult, big life transitions like a new baby or moving house might be stressful, but manageable. To a child, however, even changing teachers can be overwhelmingly hard to adjust to.

“Some children learn irrational fears – like a spider phobia – from noticing their parents’ or others’ behaviour,” says Putney hypnotherapist Marygrace Anderson, who is often asked to treat children. “They might see something scary on TV or have a frightening experience, like being pawed by a large, barking dog, which can then get blown out of proportion in the vivid imagination of their minds. This can then lead to sleeping problems, phobias and anxiety.” “The plus side to children’s wonderful imaginations is that they come up with the most brilliantly creative solutions,” Marygrace adds. “In fact, their openness and receptivity make them a delight to work with. One little boy put together a hybrid of his favourite superhero characters to help him create his own unique strength to overcome a phobia of flying.”

November 2011

Family dynamics

Hidden conflict

If the problem is persistent however, there may be deeper set causes within the family system itself. “If there is a ‘black sheep’ in the family, or one child who seems to be going off the rails,” says local family constellations therapist, Chris Williams, “then it is possible they are ‘carrying’ something unresolved within the family, holding some pain that has not been fully felt.”

It seems our British tradition of keeping a lid on emotions, leaving conflict brewing and unspoken, does not bode well for future generations. One case Chris encountered was that of a divorcing couple, whose children effectively ‘divorced’ each other too (the daughter went to live with the mother and the son with the father). The boy was displaying very difficult behaviour at school. What the mother found most upsetting though, was that shattered sibling relationships appeared to be something of a family tradition. She herself, had not spoken to her sister in decades and a similar conflict preceded it in her parents’ and grandparents’ generations.

Constellations work is a cutting edge and rapidly evolving branch of psychotherapy that uncovers subconscious dynamics within family systems. It is based on the premise that any unresolved emotional pain from previous generations does not simply disappear into the ether, but gets passed down ancestral lines as a kind of burdensome psychological inheritance. Within a workshop group, a client will choose different people to play the role of each family member (living or dead), either in their birth family, or their own current family. Moving the ‘representatives’ around like large chess pieces, the client is asked to intuitively place them in a pattern or constellation, in relation to each other. How the process actually works remains something of a mystery, but, once in place, the representatives typically report strong physical or emotional sensations. Through this, subconscious family dynamics can be revealed with startling clarity. One couple who approached Chris for help with their own relationship, were also concerned for their young daughter, their fourth child, who was struggling at primary school, seeming unable to ‘find her place’: “When we set up the constellation, the couple remembered they had lost a baby at just two weeks old, before their daughter was born. It transpired that rather than grieve this tragedy, they focused on having another child straightaway. In effect, their daughter was carrying their grief, she was in both her and her dead sibling’s ‘places’ at once. So, we brought in a representative for the dead child, giving them their rightful place in the family. Back at home, the couple made sure they spoke about their children’s forgotten sibling and I later heard that the troubled daughter – who was really their fifth child – became much more settled.”

Clapham Family Osteopath Cranial specialist Julia Finlay B.Ost M.Sc (Paed Ost), Registered Osteopath

Babies Children (inc special needs) Mothers pre and post natal All the family Contact: juliafinlayosteopath@gmail.com Tel: 07779 017965 www.claphamfamilyosteopath.co.uk

“It was a long and intensely emotional piece of work,” Chris says of the constellation. “But we were able to work through the generations and bring the conflict to resolution. Afterwards, the mother was able to take responsibility for her part in her divorce. Within weeks her children were speaking and within months, court cases had been dropped and the legal and financial difficulties had been settled. The family have established amicable relations and the boy is now doing well at school.” We all know that children do indeed pick up on adults’ stress, but this takes the phenomenon to a whole new level. “The so-called ‘problem child’ is often performing a very loving act,” Chris adds philosophically, “by remembering what has been previously excluded and carrying the burden for the family, carrying what others couldn’t bear to look at.” Further information • Dr Alison Murfett, child psychologist: www.maplepsychology.com • Marygrace Anderson, hypnotherapist: www.mghypnosis.co.uk • Chris Williams, family constellations therapist. Tel: 07905 623330. Email: chris@bradwill.wanadoo.co.uk • Young Minds: www.youngminds.org.uk Young Minds Parents’ Helpline (free and confidential): 0808 802 5544 • Family Lives: www.familylives.org.uk Family Lives ‘Parentline’ (free and confidential): 0808 800 2222

Visit 345 Nursery where “The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding” (Ofsted 2008). Children become independent inquisitive and motivated in this rich and vibrant learning environment. Great outdoor space! Options include Afternoon School, Lunch Club and Early Bird Club. www.345nurseryschool.co.uk Please contact us on 020-8870-8441 or dixonannab@aol.com Fitzhugh Grove, Trinity Road, London SW18 3SA

November 2011

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

Children’s health

Concentrate on the problem Learning difficulties therapist Usha Patel talks to Families South West about Auditory Processing Disorder

Auditory Processing Disorder, also known as APD, is a condition where those with normal hearing constantly mishear what is said. Whilst APD is of a neurological nature and may be inherited or caused as a result of developmental problems, research has also shown that early childhood ear infections can be a significant contributory factor in causing it. Most importantly, ADP is a new condition and the longer it is left the more compounded the problem can become.

When ADP can develop Children develop critical language skills between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. Language centres within the brain learn to map out sounds and store it for language processing, and when a child starts reacting to words with a smile or starts speaking its first words, it is effectively associating these sounds with meanings.

Recognising the problem

Where to get help

APD is often difficult to diagnose in children as they may have other learning difficulties such as dyslexia, attention deficit disorder or dyspraxia which may mask the condition. ADP also cannot be established with standard hearing tests but can only be diagnosed using specialist audiology testing.

Some of the ways in which help for APD can be offered, as suggested by National Institutes of Health, are:

Children with APD have also been observed to: • Have trouble paying attention to and remembering information presented orally • Have problems carrying out multi-step directions • Have poor listening skills

If a child suffers from constant middle ear infection during this critical period then the ability to process language and speech can be affected. Sounds which normally become imprinted in the brain’s memory and language centres are not properly established. The mishearing happens because the brain recognises aural information differently to what they actually are. A good example is found when children can't differentiate between the words thirteen and thirty - whilst hearing can be perfectly normal their brain cannot process those sounds accurately due to their similarity. This inability of the brain to process what is heard results in the Auditory Processing Disorder condition.

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• Environmental modifications such as classroom acoustics, seating and placement • Auditory memory enhancement, a procedure that reduces detailed information to a more basic representation. Informal auditory training techniques can be used by teachers and therapists to address specific difficulties • Exercises to improve language-building skills can increase the ability to learn new words and increase a child's language base

• Need more time to process information • Have low academic performance • Have behaviour problems • Have language difficulty (e.g. they confuse syllable sequences and have problems developing vocabulary and understanding language) • Have difficulty with reading, comprehension, spelling and vocabulary Without proper intervention, those with APD can find it confusing to interpret verbal information. This problem is further exacerbated when in a noisy environment or when there are competing sounds around. In a classroom situation, if the child is not at the front of the class or paying full attention, distracting sounds can make learning incredibly challenging.

The Raviv Practice London, a practice committed to providing innovative therapies for both children and adults experiencing problems with learning, offers a structured language programme called FastForWord to help with ADP. FastForWord is a computer-based earning program based on 25 years of research, and can be used any where in the UK as the results can be monitored by the therapist remotely. Go to www.ravivpracticelondon.co.uk or email info@ravivpracticelondon.co.uk for more information. The practice is also investigating a new series of exercises for parents, teachers and therapists working with ADP, known as Bal-A-Vis-X. The programme is already used in the United States and is specifically for those looking to make a difference to children with conditions such as APD, AD(H)D, Aspergers’ and children with concentration problems. Find out more at http://www.bal-a-vis-x.com/About.htm or go to our website www.familiessouthwest.co.uk to watch a You Tube clip.

• Latest Families mag online • Archive of past issues online • Competitions, book reviews...

• The Raviv Practice London, Northolt Village Community Centre, Ealing Road, Northolt UB5 6AD. 07766 837 616, www.ravivpracticelondon.co.uk

To read How to choose a school or other education articles go on www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk

November 2011

Education

Do you say ‘SSSS’ or ‘SUH’ for snake?

Focus on phonics

By Tami Reis-Frankfort, Reading Specialist and Director of Phonic Books

A new report has been published with MPs claiming that the focus on phonics in schools will turn reading for children into a “dull exercise”. They are concerned that children will be turned off reading by the Government’s new literacy drive and the Coalition policies that have been designed to make schools use back-to-basics teaching methods. In order to improve literacy in England, the Government want primary schools to use synthetic phonics, with children sitting a ‘phonics

This conversation is taking place all over the UK. Children are learning to read with Synthetic Phonics and learning a new way of saying the letter sounds. Whether learning through Jolly Phonics, Letters and Sounds (the DFE programme), or other phonic programmes, a whole new generation is growing up on ‘mmmm’ and ‘nnnnn’ and ‘ssssss’. Children are learning ‘pure sounds’ or ‘precise pronunciation’. This may leave parents somewhat bewildered as they were not taught to read in this way. It is a fact: saying separate sounds in words does not come naturally to us. But in any classroom today you will hear a funny ‘robot talk’: ‘c’ ‘a’ ‘t’ for cat and ‘d’ ‘o’ ‘g’ for dog etc. So why are teachers insisting on teaching the ‘precise pronunciation’ of the sounds of the alphabet? Why is this important? In Synthetic Phonics the letters on the page prompt sounds which are then pushed or ‘blended’ together. In order to recognise a word when you are ‘blending’ sounds together, you need to hear them as they appear in the word. Take the word ‘mat’: the sounds in the word are not ‘muh’ ‘a’ tuh’. If you push the sounds ‘mu’ ‘a’ ‘tuh’ together - you get ‘muhatuh’ (not ‘mat’). The sounds in the words are ‘mmmm’ ‘aaaa’ ‘t’. We need to say the sounds precisely to recognise the word ‘mat’.

Street Jazz, Tap Musical Theatre

The reverse process happens when children are taught to spell. First they need to ‘segment’ (isolate) the sounds in the word and write letters that represent those sounds. Again, if they pronounce them inaccurately they are likely to misspell them. A classic example is when a child spells the word ‘jumper’ as ‘jump’. If they pronounce the letter ‘p’ as ‘puh’ they may think they don’t need to add the ‘er’ at the end of the word. So precise pronunciation is at the very core of Synthetic Phonics. How can parents get to learn precise pronunciation? Where can they hear these new sounds? The best place to look this up is on You Tube. Search ‘Sounds of the English Phonic Code’ and you will be able to hear me say the sounds. This video clip is specifically designed to help parents practice the sounds that children are taught in school. Visit www.phonicbooks.co.uk you can download a free chart with the corresponding spellings for the sounds. You will also see books that your children can read independently and successfully when learning to read with Synthetic Phonics. The best time to do it would be when the kids are in bed – then you won’t have them looking over your shoulder correcting you! •www.phonicbooks.co.uk enquiries@phonicbooks.co.uk

Picture credit: © Matthew Cole - Fotolia.com

Picture credit: © sdenness - Fotolia.com

“One does not say ‘suh’ Mummy! Miss Kay says it should be ‘SSSSS’. We must say it properly.” Another parent stands corrected.

test’ after only one year at school. However, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Education is claiming in its report that too much emphasis on this method could affect pupils’ learning and lead to a decline in literacy. They also claim they are joined in this opinion by the education establishment. According to the latest figures, around 16 per cent of children leave primary school without being able to read to an acceptable level, with one-in-10 boys having only the reading skills of a seven-year-old. “Literacy is the key to the curriculum,” said Fabian Hamilton, Labour MP and chairman of the Parliamentary group. “Pursuing phonics without considering whether pupils can comprehend what they’re reading, and without paying any attention to whether children enjoy reading, will switch children off. Learning to read – especially a complex language like English – cannot be reduced to a mechanical process.” However, Nick Gibb, the Schools Minister, has rejected the group’s conclusions, saying “High-quality evidence from across the world shows that the systematic teaching of synthetic phonics is the best way to teach basic reading skills, and especially those aged five to seven.”

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Dawmouse Montessori Nursery Schools WWW.DAWMOUSE.COM There are now two established Montessori Nursery schools in Fulham bearing the Dawmouse name. The original Dawmouse Brunswick in Haldane Road, SW6 7EU and Dawmouse St Peter’s at St Peter’s Terrace, SW6 7JS. Both schools offer a wide range of Montessori equipment and have outdoor play areas. They will offer a safe, stimulating and active environment in which children can have fun and achieve. The broad curriculum covers all areas of the Early Learning Goals and includes science, drama, cookery and music lessons. Project work will give the children scope for creative development as well as an increased understanding of their world. We insist on our staff being Montessori trained teachers. For a prospectus and a visit to view the schools please contact : www.dawmouse.com or speak with Miss Emma 020 7381 9385

November 2011

速

Baby page

Go to sleep, please… By Joanna Parry

It’s the first question new mums ask – how can I get my baby to sleep? “The moment I put him down, he just howls!” We have all, at some time or other, rocked our baby to sleep, pushed them up and down the hall, put them in the pram and pounded the pavements to get them to sleep. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Here are our top tips to encourage your baby to sleep.

Picture credit: Night Nannies

• The settle-and-leave method. If you don’t want to leave your baby to cry, pick them up and talk to them until they stop screaming (or try to settle them without picking them up, which is even better). If they cry again pick them up again. It might take 100 goes, but you’ll get there!

How can I get my baby to sleep through the night? Every baby is different. Some sleep through from the start, others won't sleep more than an hour or two at a time. Although there’s no way to force a baby to sleep through the night, there are steps you can take that can help baby not only sleep through sooner, but also establish healthy sleep habits for life. • Establishing a bedtime routine. A routine provides babies with security and comfort and can encourage them to sleep for longer spells. Establishing a routine can be tricky with a newborn, but try to get a loose schedule started, especially at bedtime. Your baby will be more relaxed if they know what's coming, and the more relaxed they are, the more likely they’ll fall asleep easily. Before bedtime let your baby get any pentup energy out of their system with tummy time or a kickabout, then follow it up with a bath and lullaby. Dim the light when you’re feeding and put on a CD of children's favourites. Whatever you do, do the same thing every night. • Learn the signs that your baby is tired. If they’re fussing, grizzling, crying, pulling their ears, rubbing eyes or is especially clingy, they’re probably sleepy. • Teach the difference between day and night. In the daytime, play with your baby. Chat and sing to them, keep their room light and bright. Don't try to cut out the radio or washing machine. At night, stay quiet when you feed, keep lights and noise low and hopefully your baby will work out that night-time is for sleeping!

• Give your baby a security object, blanket or stuffed animal. A great way to make teddy a favourite is keep it near you so it becomes mum-scented. Stretch one of your t-shirts over baby’s mattress - when they startle awake the smell of mum can calm them. • Put your baby down awake. If they’ve become sleepy on the breast or bottle, rouse them slightly before putting them in their cot. How to put your baby to sleep is a matter of debate but whether you use controlled crying or co-sleeping, it’s important to find the way that works for you. I suggest giving your baby a chance to fall asleep on their own. It might be OK to rock them to sleep in the middle of the day but not so much fun at 3am! If in the first few weeks your baby is allowed to fall asleep during a feed or stroked until they are asleep, they’ll soon depend on it. • Teach your baby to settle itself. If your baby cries, allow them to cry for 3 minutes, then comfort them but don't pick them up. Let them cry for 5 more minutes and return again. Extend the time you wait before returning each time and your baby will learn to soothe itself and fall asleep without assistance. It’s difficult listening to your baby cry but this method does usually work, although it may take a few days.

• Stay by the cot. Some parents choose to stay with their child as they fall asleep but unless you want to do this forever gradually move further away. After a week you're sitting by the door and, finally, you need no longer stay. If your baby is upset, go to them and say "night, night", then go back to your place in the room. • Be consistent. Whichever approach you take, it's no good doing it one night and not bothering the next. • You're not just doing it for you. 'Training' your baby to self-settle at night will have positive effects on their general outlook during waking hours. Letting your baby settle themselves gives independence, confidence and security. Remember, your child won't love you any less in the morning! • Remember the advice on cot death. SIDS is rare and the exact cause isn't known, but researchers think there are likely to be a number of factors that can affect a baby at a vulnerable stage of development. http://fsid.org.uk advises placing baby on their back to sleep (not on the front or side). Don’t let your baby get too hot, and keep their head uncovered. Place your baby with their feet to the foot of the cot or use a baby sleeping bag. Don’t use a duvet or pillow until baby is over one year old. Never sleep with your baby on a sofa or armchair and don’t let anyone smoke in your home.

Ensuring your baby stays asleep Now that you’ve got your baby to sleep, the next step is to get them to sleep all night long. Swaddling often helps with younger babies, while older infants like to sleep "loose," with coverings that allow freedom of movement. Some babies wake easily at sudden noises so make sure their cot doesn’t squeak and turn the phone to silent! Also, try playing repetitive sounds such as tape recordings of waterfalls or the ocean. If you’re concerned about your child's health seek advice from a doctor. Sometimes there are medical causes of nightwaking, such as gastroesophageal reflux (GER) or allergies.

November 2011

Baby page Once you’ve got it sorted, it goes wrong…

Top tips • make the last feed of the day a big one

Sometimes when a baby is around six to nine months old, even if they’ve never had sleep problems, they may start waking up at night. This could be because of separation anxiety, teething or reaching milestones in physical and mental development. • If your baby wakes in the night to practise their exciting new skill of sitting up, teach them how to lie down again. Then stick to your chosen routine for getting them back to sleep. The sudden burst in development isn't the same as a growth spurt, so feeding them during the night won't help them sleep better. • They may sleep through if you move bedtime earlier, as well as moving their afternoon nap earlier and making it shorter. • Install blackout blinds if your baby wakes early. If they still wake early, don’t turn on the lights, settle and leave them as if it was still the middle of the night. It might take a while but they’ll get the message!

Get in the professionals If nothing’s working it might be time to call in the cavalry. Sleep deprivation can seriously affect the health of both mother and baby and there are agencies that offer specialist help with sleep problems. Sometimes referred to as ‘sleep trainers’, these night nannies will observe sleep patterns and implement routines to help baby sleep. Local companies include www.ginasnannies.com www.ghchildcare.com www.nightnannies.com www.nappyvalleynannies.co.uk www.abbevillenannies.co.uk www.nannyagencylondon.co.uk www.bespokenanny.com www.childcarespecialists.co.uk www.likeminders.com

Sleepy time products If you need a boost, check out these fantastic products: • Grobag Baby Sleep Bag www.gro.co.uk, £26. Dream bag www.thedreambag.co.uk, £14.99 • keep your baby snug in SwaddleMe www.summerinfant.co.uk, £9.95, Grobag Swaddle, £11.95, or Swaddlepod, £12 • night light from Slumber Buddies, £20 • Grobag Egg room thermometer, £22.50 • Gro Anywhere Blackout Blind, £29.99, or the Magic Blackout Blind, £35.99. Wish I’d had one! • Cuski Baby Comforters stimulate the awareness of familiar scents. Sleep with your Cuski, pass it on to your little one and they’ll drift off to sleep feeling the closeness of you. Officially approved by the NHS. £16.25, www.cuski.co.uk • put a few drops of Sleepytime Room Aroma into a bowl of warm water in baby’s room. Developed by Jo Tantum, one of the UK’s leading baby sleep specialists, it fills the nursery with lavender, roman chamomile and other calming essential oils and soothes into a restful sleep. £7.99, www.4little1.com Available at www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk, www.mothercare.com, www.babiesrus.co.uk.

• don't rush to baby at every whimper - many of their noises are attempts to fall asleep • incorporate baby massage into your bedtime routine • make sure baby’s room isn’t too hot • place a warm towel on the sheets to warm baby’s bed, remove it just before putting baby down • tank up your baby during the day – feed them at least every 3 hours Remember, a happy mother equals a happy baby. Learning good sleep habits early on will stand both of you in good stead for the future, and your baby will appreciate the consistency and predictability. Don’t expect miracles right away, but persevere and be consistent. Good luck!

Helpful websites For support call the Cry-sis helpline on 08451 228669 (9am to 10pm, seven days a week). www.nhs.uk www.contentedbaby.com www.4little1.com www.babycentre.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/health

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November 2011

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Parenting

A dad’s point of view By Lee Bates, www.superdads.co.uk, no nonsense advice for parents.

1. There’s no such thing as quality time

5. Best friend or best parent

I learned early on in my parenting that the oftenquoted notion of “Quality Time” was bunk. The only thing that matters to our children is “Quantity Time” since the only time they will open up is when they are good and ready. You can’t schedule time with your children the way you might with a business appointment and the moments that will surprise you the most are when you least expect it. There is no such thing as quality time, only quantity time.

The job of being a parent is not being our children’s best friend, yet too many parents confuse the two and try to be their children’s buddy. To achieve this buddy status, they forego being their best parent. That may mean not being strict, not holding high standards, or relaxing them when their children pout or throw a tantrum. Being the best parent you can be may sometimes mean your son or daughter doesn’t like you at a given moment. So what. Being liked isn’t your job. Being their best dad or mum is!

2. Gratitude About five years ago, I survived a car crash that should have left me dead or worse. A man I greatly respect, Dennis Prager, has often said that the single most important ingredient to happiness is gratitude. That accident reinforced, very dramatically, his words to me. Too often we are living our lives waiting for that something we think will make us happy rather than counting the blessings right in front of us.

3. My kids aren’t me, in spite of sharing the same DNA I learned a valuable lesson about parenting before I became a parent, when I was a Big Brother to a little girl. We shared nothing in common. I learned to bond with her in spite of our differences and found that experience to be the best prep course for parenting my own two boys, who also turned out to not fully share my interests. Too many parents think that just because their children share their DNA (which of course is not the case in adoption) that their children should share their same interests. All this does is set a pattern of hurt and disappointment for both child and parent. Don’t do this. Support what your child is interested in rather than push him or her to do what you want them to do.

4. Words that hurt, words that heal The power of words can be as harmful as the power of a fist. With the advent of modern technology, we’ve seen the damage that a simple text can do to a middle school child when something hurtful is spread around about him or her. And, like a leaf blown in the wind, it can’t be retrieved. It is incumbent upon us as parents to teach our children to watch what we say, what we write, and what we text and to model good behaviour in this regard and not gossip and not disparage others with casual disregard.

Picture credit: © sdenness - Fotolia.com

To celebrate writing his hundredth “A Dad’s Point-of-View” column for superdads Lee looked back at the previous 99 and choose ten strong ideas among them and briefly share them with you. Is he great?

6. Do women need men?

9. The family dinner

A popular feminist slogan of the 1960’s and 1970’s went something like: “A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle.” “We’ve come a long way, baby” is another slogan, I believe, from a cigarette that was marketed to women during the same general era. More bunk. Women need men just as much as men need women. It was foolish to think otherwise back in the hippie days and it’s foolish to think so now. The fact that women now can earn as much and can do what men can do just levels the playing field but doesn’t change our inherent natures.

I read somewhere that the children from families that share meals together suffer fewer problems than those that don’t. The family dinner is essential glue for my family and something that belongs as a ritual in every family. As our children grow older and their friendships and extracurricular activities intrude more and more upon their lives, it is easier to allow the family dinner to drift away. We parents must insist on having a family dinner at least once a week, period.

7. A story of giving

Empathy is a simple but very important word. How often do we pass a homeless person without a thought or glance? Or hear a friend’s problem and promptly forget about it? Until you really do as the song says and walk a mile in someone’s shoes, you can’t really know what he or she may be going through. Too often we are caught up in our own problems, big or small, to pay attention to someone else’s problems, which I suggest, are usually bigger than ours. A little reflection upon someone else is a good thing to do now and then.

One of the blessings of my writing and radio show is meeting people from all over the world. I met a group of children from a girl’s school in Ghana, Africa, through my “A Dad’s Point-of-View” Facebook page. My family began sending them books and soon my readers and radio show listeners were also sending them books, toys, and other things. We all learned the blessings of giving and charity and how when we give, we get so much more than we ever could expect.

8. There are no perfect friends My mother taught me this basic lesson and I kept on forgetting it as I kept on wanting my friends to be perfect. Just like me. Ha! I also saw how my own boys got into spats with their friends over silly and unrealistic expectations of their friends. My mom always said that if you wanted perfect friends you wouldn’t have any.

10. Walk a mile in my shoes

It is good for your soul. I hope these short reflections from these columns give you some pause to consider the blessings in your lives, maybe to think what you might do to help a friend or neighbour, or to simply hug a loved one and offer a kind word or thought. For me, it’s on to the next hundred. • Article courtesy of www.superdads.co.uk Superdads, helping men everywhere make the transition into fatherhood and beyond !!

November 2011

Chilly Powder

Competitions WIN a Meccano Motorised Tool Box! Perfect for little builders aged 5+, they can lift, dig, scoop and sit back and watch their machines move around their building yard. Flip open the handy tool box and they can create all the vehicles they’d find on a building site including a digger, bulldozer and excavator so the fun can just keep on going! www.meccanouk.co.uk To enter, go to: FamiliesOnline.co.uk/competitions Terms and Conditions apply. Closing date for the competition is 3rd January 2012.

Top tips for family skiing holidays Paul and Francesca Ayres moved to Morzine 18 years ago, started a family ski company (Chilly Powder) and had 3 children. We asked them to tell us about the most important things you should consider when taking your family on a ski holiday.

Win exclusive £1,000 SHREK prize! see page 7

Enter our competition to win a bundle of toys from WOW worth over £100!

Don’t rush to high altitude resorts because children can sometimes get altitude sickness. It’s also unsafe for babies under the age of 1 to go up in high cable cars because of the air pressure. Finding a resort with an easy, short airport transfer will be a blessing! Also check that your airport transfer company is properly licensed and has the child car seats you’ll need. While your on your transfer vehicle from the airport to your holiday accommodation, try to sit as near to the front of the bus as possible - then there’s less chance of the windy roads making your children sick. It’s pointless wasting money on expensive ski clothes for your children - they’ll only outgrow them by next year! Borrow what you can from friends or try TK Maxx in September and October! Libby De rougemont, in Clapham, has the most amazing stock of nearly new or end of range ski clothes, goggles, hats, gloves, après ski the lot! See Diary Dates. If your children are attending ski school or childcare, make sure you sew their names in to their clothes so they don’t get mixed up with others. If you’re taking a pushchair to use during your holiday, take one with large wheels. Standard chairs will be impossible to push in the snow but it might be that your holiday company has a stash of them for you to borrow. Don’t forget that sun block is just as important on a winter holiday as it is in the summer. Take sun block rather than spray so that you don’t have to take your gloves off to rub it in!

Families South West top tip? Being in the mountains is so amazingly beautiful: go for long walks in the snow, enjoy the scenery and .. regular hearty snow ball fights ! •For more details about Chilly Powder see www.chillypowder.com

November 2011

WOW would like to give away a bundle of seven toys worth over £100 to one lucky winner in time for Christmas. There will be 7 exciting toys in the prize bundle suitable for children from 18 months to 5 years: To enter, go to www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk/competitions Terms and Conditions apply. Closing date for the competition is 1st December 2011 Eddie Catz soft play centre in Putney will be the first place in the UK to try out new WOW Toys in a purpose built play area. Under 5’s are able to play freely with a selection of WOW’s battery-free, high quality, Britishdesigned, developmental toys, which are guaranteed favourites with all pre-school children. London-based WOW Toys is one of a new breed of toy companies totally committed to innovation, design and quality in the pre-school area. You can visit Eddie Catz Putney seven days a week from 9.30am6pm. There is no need to book and you pay admission at the door. www.eddiecatz.com

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

WOW toys at Eddie Catz ®

Battling with the bullying By Elisabeth Dolton

Picture credit: © nuryudijes - Fotolia.com

As our children grow and take part in more activities, they will come into contact with a great number of diverse people. Unfortunately, as this happens, bullying seems to be on the rise. With anti-bullying week approaching, we take a look at what steps we, as parents and carers, can do to stamp out bullying.

ullying occurs when a person is picked on repeatedly by an individual or a group with more power, either in terms of physical strength or social standing. Bullies pick on the people they think don't fit in, maybe because of how they look, how they act (if they are shy or withdrawn for example), their sexual orientation, race or religion. Bullying can take the form of physical attack, psychological control or verbal insults. For example, popular groups or cliques often bully people by excluding them or gossiping about them (psychological bullying). They may also taunt or tease their targets (verbal bullying). Unfortunately bullying like this is made easier today due to the accessibility of new technology. It is far easier to bully via email, facebook and mobile phone text messages, and do it anonymously. It even has its own name – Cyberbullying. Whatever form it takes however, the effects are devastating. Studies have shown that being bullied increases the risk of low self-esteem, stress and depression or anxiety. Bullies themselves are also at risk. Bullies often become rejected by their friends and fail to achieve at school. Their violent behaviour often increases, and it is estimated that 1 out of 4 elementary-school bullies have a criminal record by the time they are 30. So what can we do to help stamp out this behavior?

Equip your child with the skills to help them avoid being bullied

Spotting a bully and helping them stop

Get your child to identify teachers and friends that would help them if they were worried about being bullied. Encourage them to buddy-up and avoid places where there are no other pupils or teachers - go to the bathroom with a friend, eat lunch in a group, sit at the front on the bus, etc.

Studies indicate that most bullies are motivated by the pursuit of status and affection. They gain status by dominating their victims, and choose children who are not well-liked to ‘win’ friends. One of the most effective ways to help them stop bullying therefore is to report their actions and tell them about it. Give them consequences and set boundaries, e.g. tell them if the behavior doesn’t stop then you will report him or her. Encourage them to talk to an adult and help them find better ways to deal with their anger such as taking up a sport, a hobby, and developing positive friendships. Tell them to put themselves in the shoes of their targets and ask how they would feel. Try to get them to understand the impact of their actions and to change them.

Explain to your children about cyberbullying and not to respond or forward threatening emails. “Friend” your child on Facebook and set up proper filters on your computer. Limit their social media friend requests to only those people with whom they have a positive relationship offline. Make the family computer the only computer for children, and have it in a public place in the home. If you decide to give your child a mobile phone, let them know you will be monitoring their text messages, and insist that phones are also kept in a public area, by a certain time at night, to eliminate night-time bullying and inappropriate messaging. Keep talking to your children and work with them to handle any bullying. Tell them not to fight back, just calmly tell bullies to stop or walk away. Practice scenarios at home where your child learns how to ignore them and/or develop assertive strategies. Tell them not to take any of it personally and remind them of their worth and value.

National Anti-Bullying Week is from 14th to 25th November 2011 Visit www.antibullyingweek.co.uk for a collection of free resources helping to combat bullying.

Whilst we cannot erase bullying, we can equip ourselves with the skills to spot it and tackle it, thereby preventing further damage and torment amongst our young children. Preventing and stopping bullying helps us achieve a safe environment where children can thrive without being afraid. Common signs of bullying to watch out for: • Your child coming home from school with cuts, bruises or torn clothing. • They are hungry or have walked home, when you know they had lunch money and bus fare. • Their work at school starts to slide, • They are reluctant to go to school or pretend to be unwell, • Their eating habits change or they don’t sleep well,

November 2011

Book reviews

Reviewed by Louise Turner

The Good Green Christmas

Winter Nature Activities for Children

By Christina Goodings Published by Lion Children’s Books ISBN: 0745961797. Paperback. RRP £5.99

By Irmgard Kutsch and Brigitte Walden Published by Floris Books ISBN: 0945803850. Paperback.RRP £12.99

With this book, the green effect touches Christmas and helps children to understand the importance of recycling while making a selection of fun, easyto-assemble Christmas crafts and decorations. Using natural materials, leftover materials and recyclable materials it includes simple instructions to make cards and tags, boxes, bunting, baubles, sweet treats, stockings and an eco-star. There are 16 traditional items to make in all and each colour page is clearly illustrated with easy-to-follow, stepby-step instructions and a photograph of the end product (always useful when trying to explain to children what they are making!). Families Rating: 5 out of 6

This book focuses on traditional handicraft techniques using materials drawn from nature. Amongst other things, children learn how to dye and spin wool, weave willow baskets, carve wood, mold clay and press juice encouraging them to keep traditional processes alive and helping them to preserve nature. Each page has colour photographs of children taking part in the activities as well as sketches to show you what to do. The chapters are monthly so December focuses on Advent crafts, January covers wool and February includes woodworking and clay. It’s best for older children (as tools are used!) and the practical activities are designed to be done indoors and outdoors. Families Rating: 5 out of 6

Christmas Tunes by Anthony Marks Published by Usborne Publishing ISBN: 0746095880. Spiral Hardback. RRP £12.99 If you haven’t got any Christmas music yet, then this is the perfect book for your children to start with! It includes 37 simple to play Christmas carols, songs and other seasonal music. The pieces have been arranged for voice and piano but can be played by many other melody instruments such as recorders, flutes violins and guitars. There is also a metronome mark telling you what speed to sing and play and each song comes with a short paragraph explaining its musical background. You can listen to the pieces on the Usborne Quicklinks Website at www.usbornequicklinks.com and type in “Christmas tunes”. Families Rating: 6 out of 6

Dear Santa By Amy Husband Published by Meadowside Childrens Books ISBN: 1845395026. Paperback. RRP £5.99 Designed as an envelope addressed to Santa with bright colours, fun pictures and clear text this book is perfect for 4-6 year olds. It starts with a letter from Santa asking children whether they’ve been good and what they would like for Christmas. The rest is a series of funny letters from a little boy called Michael to Santa asking for presents and trying to explain the various mishaps involving his pet dog Bruno. What Michael can’t explain is why his mother is painting the nursery pink and is feeling tired all the time, will there be a mysterious addition to Christmas? Families Rating: 5 out of 6

Reviewed by Jan Deykin

From Trash to Treasure Papermaking By Arnold E. Grummer Published by Storey Publishing ISBN: 9781603425476. Paperback. RRP £12.99 I like the idea of making paper but have never tried, so was keen to get going. It transpires that you need quite a lot of equipment but we bravely cobbled together enough to have a go and eventually produced our first red sheet. We were impressed: this really is a complete handbook for papermaking with very clear instructions and lots of photographs. There are different effects to experiment with and projects to make with your paper. It is quite complicated though, so something for the creative teen rather than younger children. Families Rating: 4 out of 6

Let’s Make Some Great Art By Marion Deuchars Published by Laurence King Publishing ISBN: 9781856697866. Paperback. RRP £12.95 This was pounced on by my eleven year old arty daughter and whisked away. Similar in appearance to the ‘Doodle’ series, which we love, it has lots of suggestions for what to draw (what are these people dreaming about?). The huge difference is that it is also packed with information about artists and shows you how to recreate their style: for example, taking a line for a walk like Klee or painting your own Pollock. It also has excellent strategies for drawing things including birds, bicycles and 3-d shapes, with space to experiment. Families Rating: 6 out of 6

November 2011

Making ”stained glass” decorations Sewing School By Amie Petronis Plumley & Andria Lisle Published by Storey Publishing ISBN: 9781603425780. Spiral Bound. RRP £12.99 We love this book! It starts with sewing lessons that include choosing fabric, cutting out patterns and types of stitches. Next are 21 appealing sewing projects for children such as soft ‘stuffies’, ‘hold-my-stuff’ bags and present ideas. It also shows how to mend clothes, toys and recycle fabric. My eight year old daughter made (with a little help) a ‘friend’ for herself and an apron as a present and we were really pleased with the results. Very nicely presented with step by step photographs, it promises to keep us busy for some time. Families Rating: 6 out of 6

Doodleday By Ross Collins Published by Gullane Children’s Books ISBN 9781862338166. Hardback. RRP £10.99 Harvey ignores his Mum’s vague warning about not drawing on Doodleday and draws a huge fly. It comes to life and wrecks the kitchen. How could he stop it? By drawing a spider of course, but unfortunately the spider prefers Harvey’s Dad to the fly. He wonders if a drawing could eat you? Harvey draws increasingly bigger things but they cause havoc until his Mum draws something more terrifying. A fun idea with clever wordplay, this is a nicely illustrated picture book with Harvey’s drawings shown as crayon outlines. Families Rating: 5 out of 6

November 2011

Starting school? Tips to make it easy See www.familiesSouthWest.co.uk

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November 2011

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

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Christmas activities, ice rinks, Santas’s Grottos and more…

Picture credit: © Monkey Business - Fotolia.com

Ice Skating

Where is Santa? We know how important Father Christmas is for a toddler— Joanna’s Grotto Listing will be published in our What’s on newsletter on 15th Nov. To subscribe go to www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk/ subscribe

With prominent London landmarks providing spectacular backgrounds, ice skating is fast becoming a ‘must do’ family festive activity and rightly so! Don’t wait for December to have some good old fashioned fun. Hampton Court Ice skating rink • Natural History Museum 4 Nov 2011 – 8 Jan 2012 Set within the historic Victorian grounds of the Natural History Museum, the Ice Rink has become an integral part of London’s winter scene since it first opened in 2005. Attracting beginners and advanced skaters alike, as well as those simply wanting to bask in the beautiful atmosphere, the impressive 1,000 square meter ice rink is one of London’s must-see winter attractions. Decorated with 76,000 twinkling fairy lights that adorn the surrounding tall trees and with a backdrop of one of London’s landmark locations, the Natural History Museum Ice Rink adds a touch of romance to a crisp winter’s night. www.nhm.ac.uk 0844 847 1576 • Canary Warf 13 Nov 2010 – 20 Feb 2012 The Canary Wharf Ice Rink, returns for its sixth year and transforms Canada Square Park into the perfect winter destination. Private lessons are available for newcomers so whatever your level of experience, you can confidently take to the ice. www.canarywharficerink.com • Tower of London 19 Nov 2011 - 8 Jan 2012 Nearly 1000 years after William the Conqueror founded the Tower of London, the dry moat beneath the Outer Curtain Wall of the Tower will once again host a breath-taking ice rink Combine Christmas activities and London sightseeing with a quick spin on the ice by purchasing Visit the Tower of London ice rink Moat Cafe for food and drink when you’re not gliding around the ice rink, or take advantage of special free viewing galleries to watch the skaters. www.toweroflondonicerink.com 0844 871 8814

Our Holiday activities Listing will also be available in our What’s on newsletter. Organise your shopping around your child’s art & craft workshops, camp or sporting activities.

To receive our What’s on newsletter go to www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk/ subscribe

• Somerset House 22 Nov 2011 - 22 Jan Skate at Somerset House presented by Tiffany & Co. returns for its annual season with a spectacular programme of activities on ice for everyone – skaters and spectators, families and friends. The Somerset House Ice Rink in The Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, will be a setting for entertainment, on and off the ice, in the most beautiful open-air space in London all day and into the evening – making Somerset House the ultimate winter destination in London. www.somersethouse.org.uk 0844 847 1520 • Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park 18 Nov 2011 - 03 Jan 2012 The famous London landmark welcomes once again the ever-popular Winter Wonderland. With a stunning new ice rink surrounding the Victorian Band Stand, Zippos Circus and the Giant Observation Wheel there’s something for everyone. Walk round the 100 chalets of the Angels Christmas Market, experience thrilling rides and keep warm with winter food and drink in one of the many bars and restaurants. Plenty of activities to do and free admission! www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com • London Eye 20 Nov 2010 - 05 Jan 2011 Set in one of the prettiest settings in London, on the South Bank, London Eye ice rink is only available to those that buy tickets to the London Eye itself. www.londoneye.com Log on to www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk to see recently updated listings. Download a copy of Families South West should you fail to pick up your regular copy.

• Hampton Court 26 Nov 2011 - 3 Jan 2012 The historic red brick palace at Hampton Court provides an impressive festive background for London ice skating this Christmas and New Year. Enjoy festive refreshments from the Frost Fayre Cafe, serving seasonal food and drink throughout the ice skating season - perfect for when you've worked up an appetite on the outdoor ice rink at Hampton Court. Hampton Court ice rink will be surrounded by authentic historic decorations. See how the festive season was celebrated from 1550 to 1950. www.hamptoncourticerink.com. 0844 871 8815

November 2011

NEW: What’s on Newsletter - See ad page 23 Please send info to our editor to be considered: whatson@familiesmagazine.co.uk (inclusion is free)

Compiled by Sophie M-C. Please always phone before setting out in case details have changed since press deadline or we got it wrong...

DIARY DATES EVENTS FOR CHILDREN WILDLIFE WATCH CLUB -WIMBLEDON COMMON. Meet on the first Sunday of each month at the information Centre, Wimbledon Common, near the Windmill. 10am-12pm. 8-14yrs. £1 registration fee and £2 per session. 020 8540 6154 4 Dec. NATURAL SEASONAL DECORATIONS OASIS CHILDREN’S VENTURE Larkhall Lane, London SW4 6SP (5mns walk from Stockwell Tube) 020 7498 2329 or naturegarden@oasisplay.org.uk UNDER 5s NATURE PLAYGROUND Friday 10.30am12noon during term time. Games, singing, building, exploring and play. All in a safe and natural setting. Each week has a theme: growing, minibeasts, habitat, recycling..Sessions run in all weather – indoor area available when wet. Parent supervision required. No need to book. Donation much appreciated. £1 per child. THE BEE’S KNEES AT BATTERSEA ART CENTRE Lavender Hill, Battersea, London SW11 5TN 020 7223 2223 www.bac.org.uk Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. A MAGICAL INDOOR GARDEN CAFÉ for parents and under 5s filled with free activities and games. Sit and relax over lunch or tea & cake while your children explore and discover. Free. Babies facilities. Available to hire for birthday parties. Eddie Catz PUTNEY 68-70 Putney High Street, London SW15 1SF 0845 2011268, www.eddiecatz.com Playframe, Toddler & Baby area, Café, free WiFi, classes for under 5’s, Holiday Camps, free video games 9.30am-6.30pm Mon-Sat & 10am-6.30pm Sun. Eddie Catz WIMBLEDON 42 Station Road, Merton SW19 2LP 0845 2011268, www.eddiecatz.com Playframe, toddler playframe & play area, indoor multisports pitch, Disco, Café, free WiFi, holiday camps, video games, kiddie rides 9.30am-6.00pm Mon-Sun. SMILEY TIME NURSERY RHYMES & STORY TIME THE BOWLER, 20 Bellevue Road Wandsworth Common, London SW17 07540 990133 www.smileytime.co.uk Mondays & Thursdays 10am. £5 per child (sibling discount £3), drop-in sessions. Babies to under 5s. ST BARNABAS CHURCH, Lavenham Road, London SW18. Tuesdays 10am

THINGS TO DO EN FAMILLE CAPOEIRA WORKSHOPS 078 5176 4628 www.capoeiramundo.com A fusion of fitness, acrobatics, self-defence, dance and music. Also samba dancing and drumming/percussion workshops on request. All instructors are CRB checked and have years of experience working with children and young adults- from nursery to 18 yrs. 6th Nov, 10.30-4.30pm. MIDWIFE LED CARE OPEN DAY, The Portland Hospital. For parents planning their second or subsequent baby. 205-209 Great Portland St, London W1W 5AH. Goodie bag worth £50. Maternity Services Advisor 020 7390 6068 Numbers are limited book your place at www.theportlandhospital.com Saturday 12 Nov (1-4pm) Kensington & Chelsea Women’s Club ANNUAL NEARLY NEW SALE. Brompton Oratory Church Hall, Brompton Road, SW7 2RP (next to V&A Museum) One of London’s biggest sales for gently used children’s clothing up to age 12, toys, books, games, puzzles, DVD’s, baby equipment, maternity wear etc www.kcwc.org.uk or email nearlynew@kcwc.org.uk

November 2011

What’s on

Thurs 17 Nov. PARKGATE HOUSE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS BAZAAR. The Grand Hall, Battersea Art Centre, Lavender Hill, London SW11 4pm-8pm. Thurs 17 Nov. CHRISTMAS CARD SIGNING AND CHRISTMAS BAZAAR. Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village, London SE21 020 8693 4786 www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk 6pm-9pm. Artist Paula Rego will be signing her Dulwich Picture Gallery Christmas cards, plus stalls with a wide choice of gifts made by local artists. Free. Sat 19 Nov. THE ST MICHAEL STEINER SCHOOL ADVENT FAIR. St Paul Community Centre, 23 Inner Park Road, SW19 6ED. 11am-4pm. 50p/£1.50. Exciting stalls selling a wide selection of gifts, children craft activities, storytelling and puppet shows, a parent-run café, homemade cake and biscuits and an holistic corner offering massage. Sat 19 Nov. ST MARGARET’S CHRISTMAS FAIR St Margaret’s Church, Putney Park Lane, London SW15. 1.30pm-4pm. 50p adults, free for children. Wheelchair access and free parking. Supporting Wandsworth and St Margaret’s Church Centenary Appeal. Sat 19 Nov. CHRISTMAS GIFT FAIR Linden Lodge School, 61 Princes Way, London SW19. Enquiry: 07802615769 10.30am-3.30pm. Solve all your Christmas gift dilemmas with a wide range of exciting stalls. You will be supporting the multi-disabled visually impaired pupils of Linden Lodge School. £2, under16s free. Sat 19 Nov. ST MARY’S CHARITY FAIR St Mary’s Church and Kitson Hall, Barnes SW13. www.stmarybarnes.org 10am-4pm. Fantastic gifts for friends and family, all-day café, luxurious clothing and beauty products, children’s activities, homemade cakes and jams, stocking fillers, jewellery, RHS calendars and plants and a fabulous raffle. Free. Sat 26th Nov 11-5pm The Waldorf School of South West ADVENT CRAFT AND GIFT FAIR Riggindale Road Methodist Church, corner of Mitcham Lane, Streatham, SW16 1QH. Children's activities, great wholesome food and homemade goodies. www.waldorflondon.com Sat 26 Nov. PARISH OF PUTNEY CHRISTMAS FAIR St Mary Church, Putney Bridge, London SW15 07788452429 www.parisofputney.co.uk 10.30am-1.30pm. Christmas gifts from original jewellery to handcrafted keepsakes for all the family. Mulled wine and mince pies, father Christmas, face-painting and Splat the Rat games. Raffle and tombola. Free. Proceeds to charity. Sat 26 Nov. ST PAUL’S CHURCH CHRISTMAS FAIR St Paul’s Community Centre, 25 Inner Park Road, London SW19. stpaulcommunity@btconnect.com 11.30am-3.30pm. Stalls, raffle, activities for children and a visit from Father Christmas. 24-27 Nov. WIMBLEDON ART STUDIOS WINTER SHOW Thurs & Fri 2pm-10pm and Sat & Sun 11am-6pm. Riverside Yard, Riverside Road, London SW17 89471183 www.wimbledonartstudios.co.uk Over 130 emerging and established artists including painters, jewellers and photographers display their artworks. A great opportunity to find that unique gift for Christmas present. Free entry & free parking. VENN STREET MARKET Clapham Common, London SW4 www.vennstreetmarket.co.uk This much loved market aims to encourage flower, plant and food production, better reflect the seasonal nature of food and plants, reduce produce mileage and packaging and support the local economy. WEEKLY: Saturdays 10am-5pm: FRESH FOOD MARKET. Sundays 12pm-5pm: FOOD, GARDEN PLANTS &CRAFTS.

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

HILDRETH STREET MARKET Food Market, Balham SW12 11am-4pm. First Sunday of EVERY month. This market brings a fantastic range of artisan food producers to Balham.

EVENTS FOR ADULTS 8 & 9 Nov. HUGE SALE OF NEW AND SECOND HAND SKI CLOTHES 22 Northbourne Road, London SW4. 020 7720 4871 www.skiderouge.com libbyderouge@hotmail.co.uk 9am-7.30pm. For adults and children, big reductions on last year’s stock plus this year new collection. 16-20 Nov. IDEAL HOME SHOW AT CHRISTMAS Earl’s Court London. 0844 209 7330 www.idealhomeshowchristmas.co.uk Latest trends, home interiors advice, technological advancements, and design innovations featuring a Christmas twist and with more gadgets, shopping and gifts for all the family. Celebrities Christmas ambassadors will be: Gino D’Acampo, Olly smith and Laurence Llewelyn Bowen. 14 Nov. MUMPRENEURS NETWORKING CLUB MEETING 10.30am-12noon. Third Door, 16 Point Pleasant, Wandsworth, SW18 1GG. Contact: Dawn Gracie 01243 513 822 dawng@agoodgossip.co.uk www.agoodgossip.co.uk THE PARENT PRACTICE WORKSHOPS 68 Thurleigh Road, London SW12 8UD and 5 Gwendolen Ave, London SW15 6EU 020 8673 3444 www.theparentpractice.com Tue 8 Nov. BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN BOYS 10am-12.30pm (Clapham) Thurs 17 Nov. HOW TO LISTEN SO KIDS WILL TALK 7.30pm-10pm (Putney) All £45 pp, £75 per couple or £80 for two friends booking together. INTERIOR DESIGN WORKSHOPS IN BALHAM Info & booking: www.londonpropertymakeover.com INTERIOR DESIGN MASTERCLASS 19 Nov. 1pm-4.30pm BBC Bar, Balham SW12. £60. You’ll get a hands-on guide to decorating with lots of insider knowledge. HANDMADE HOME CLASSES Why not fill your home with things you have customised yourself? 12 Nov. DECORATIVE PINBOARD 1pm-3pm. St Luke community Hall, Balham. £20. 26 Nov. CHRISTMAS DECORATION 1pm-3pm. St Luke community Hall, Balham £20. POSTNATAL YOGA AND BABY MASSAGE Gooseberry Bush Café, Wimbledon SW19. Call Annabel 07817931571 or hargrave.family@blueyonder.co.uk Mondays 12 noon. A lovely class for new mothers to bring their babies to. An introduction to baby massage followed by restorative yoga for the Mum’s. FIRST AID COURSES With Emma Hammett, Qualified Nurse, First Aid Trainer and local Mum. HSE and Qualsafe approved. Over 20 years of healthcare and teaching experience 020 8675 4036 emma@firstaidforlife.org.uk or www.firstaidforlife.org.uk Weekday courses are in Balham and weekend in Westminster. PEDIATRIC COURSES FULFILLING OFSTED CRITERIA Thurs 10 Nov, Fri 18 Nov, Sat 26 Nov, Thus 1 Dec & Fri 16 Dec. EMERGENCY COURSES/FIRST AID FOR BABIES Sat 12 Nov, Fri 25 Nov, Sat 3rd Dec & Wed 7 Dec. Courses in small groups, certificates awarded on the day. Saturday courses available. Numerous dates and courses available and Emma, Jess or Piers will teach at your house too. Contact Emma or visit the website. R.E.D.I Training 1 U2 Cooper House, 2 Michael Road, London SW6 2AD 020 7348 7117 www.redi-training.co.uk EMERGENCY CARE This includes the care of an unconscious baby or child, mouth-to-mouth, chest compressions, choking and the recovery position. 15 Nov. 7.30pm-9.30pm. TREETOPS NURSERY in Fulham 16 Nov. 10am-12noon. THE POTTERY CAFÉ in Fulham ACCIDENT AND ILLNESSES (First Aid Training) ®

What’s on

Please send info to our editor to be considered: whatson@familiesmagazine.co.uk (inclusion is free)

from page 29 covers the treatment of common illnesses and accidents with easy-to-use assessments methods. 22 Nov. 7pm-9.30pm. TREETOPS NURSERY in Fulham 23 Nov. 10am-12.30pm. THE POTTERY CAFÉ in Fulham THE PAPER PARLOUR – PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS 7, Prescott Place, London SW4 6BS 020 7627 8703 www.thepaperedparlour.co.uk Sat 26 & Sun 27 Nov. CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY WITH SAM ROBERTS & LOUISE HALL. £165 (incl final print +refreshments) Head out to Clapham common to complete a series of engaging miniprojects focusing on colour, them, and depth of field as you shoot London in the autumn sun.

24 & 25 Nov. THE EARLSFIELD MYSTERIES 7.30pm. Tara Arts’ Young People Theatre Company mark the 400th anniversary of the King James bible, by fashioning their own version of the mysteries, drawing on stories from the Old and New Testament for another Christmas themed production. £7.50/£8.50 26 Nov. GRETEL & HANSEL 10.30am. With beautiful puppets, magical tricks, silly singing, and super Sanddancing, this fast-moving production features music from the Humperdinck opera. £7.50/£8.50. CHRISTMAS SHOW 1 – 24 Dec. BOLLYWOOD CINDERELLA PANTOMIME (check the website for details of schedule) Hardeep Singh Kohli cooks up his own inimitable brand of fun for all the family – spicing the much loved Christmas classic with Indian colours, smells and sounds. £10/£12.50.

THE LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THEATRE

DRAMA POLKA THEATRE

Credit: Teresa Murfin

240 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB 020 8543 4888 www.polkatheatre.com MAIN THEATRE To 18 Feb. THE UGLY DUCKLING This brand new adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale promises to be a playful and tender production, brought to life with delightful music, movement and puppetry. 3-5 yrs and special Charlotte’s Web. performances for 1-5yrs. Please check the website. £7/£9. 11 Nov-4 Feb. CHARLOTTE’S WEB This show promises to delight the whole family. 5-11yrs. £8/£16.

UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street, Southwark, London SE1 2HZ 020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com 22-27 Nov. BLACKBERRY TROUT FACE Kerrie sets about her daily task of preparing Mum’s heroin. Jakey has had just enough of life in a gang. Cameron is too scared to step outside the front door. One morning they discover Mum has abandoned them – they’ve been left alone. A bold, gritty and funny play that explores family, loyalty and ambition. 13yrs+. £9/£11, family £32. CHRISTMAS SHOWS 23 Nov-8 Jan. THE SNOW QUEEN A brand new version of Hans Christian Andersen’s magical tale, transported to a land rich in colour, music and unforgettable imagery. 7yrs+. £16/£22, concs £10/£5, family £44/£64. 3-30 Dec. RING A DING DING Join us for an epic, though tiny, table-top voyage of discovery, where your fingers and noses will never be far from action. An immersive, interactive and multi-sensory show for children aged 3-6 and their families.

TARA Studio 356 Garratt Lane, London, SW18 4ES 020 8333 4457 www.tara-arts.com 9 & 10 Nov. WAKE UP DON QUIXOTE An innovative and inspirational experience for children based on Cervantes famous book “Don Quixote”. The show will feature giant puppets, dance, music and film and will allow the audience to have a look into a world of dreams and fantasy with a touch of comedy and a large helping of magic! 8yrs+. £7.50/£8.50

visit www.familiessouthwest.co.uk

Lyric Square, King Street, London W6 0OL 0871 22 117 20 www.lyric.co.uk 19 Nov-31 Dec. ALADDIN The Lyric’s traditional Pantomime is back and this year East meets West (London) in Aladdin. With a flying carpet, a magic lamp, a monkey and, of course, Widow Twankey. A festive treat for the whole family! 6yrs+. £12.50/£30, under 16s £15, family £60. Bkg: 0871 221 1729.

THE COLOUR HOUSE THEATRE Merton Abbey Mills, Merantun Way, SW19 2RD 020 8767 8886 www.colourhousetheatre.co.uk Sat & Sun 2pm & 4pm both days. £7/£9. To Sun 13 Nov. ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Alice disappears down that famous rabbit hole again for some truly mad adventures in the strange and magical world of Wonderland. The show promises to be a true classic for the whole family to enjoy! 3yrs+. £7/£9 CHRISTMAS SHOW 26 Nov-29 Jan. ALADDIN Poor Aladdin is tricked by his evil “uncle” to enter a dangerous cave and look for a magic lamp. Soon he is trapped inside. Will poor Aladdin escape, find love and make his fortune? Of course he will! It’s pantomime time again at the Colour House. Come and boo, hiss and enjoy this wonderful new adaptation with the whole family!

PUPPET THEATRE BARGE Little Venice, Blomfield Road, London W9 2PF 020 7249 6876 www.puppetbarge.com From 3 Dec. MR RABBIT MEETS BRER SANTA A tale of a wily fox and a mischievous rabbit. Opens 3 Dec at 3pm. 3/4 Dec, 10/11, 17 to 23 daily at 3pm. 27 Dec to 2 Jan daily at 3pm. 7/8 Jan at 3pm. Additional performances on Sat mornings at 11am throughout the season. £8.50/£10.

HALF MOON YOUNG PEOPLE’S THEATRE 43 White Horse Road, London E1 0ND 020 7709 8900 www.halfmoon.org.uk All tickets £6. Sat 12 Nov. LIANG AND THE MAGIC PAINTBRUSH 11am & 2pm. Liang dreams of being a painter, but is too poor to buy himself a paintbrush. A magical adventure to find out if dreams can come true. The show combines puppets, origami, live painting and video images to bring this well loved Chinese tale to life. 3yrs+ Sat 19 Nov. HARE AND TORTOISE 11am & 2pm. Tutti Frutti Productions brings you this much-loved story brimming with ideas, characters, live music and wonderful physicality. 3yrs+ Sat 26 Nov. SNOW PLAY 11am & 2pm. When Mr Green comes back from holiday to find Mr white in his house, it’s the start of a brrrrrrilliant series of adventures. A delightful story with an opportunity to join in and make your very own snowman. 3-7yrs. CHRISTMAS SHOWS Sat 3 Dec. THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 11am & 2pm. A magical festive treat for all the family! 3yrs+ Sat 10 Dec. CIRCLE OF TALES 11am & 2pm. How and when did the first story come to be told? A fable told using African language and English, wood and wire puppets, video projection and live music played on traditional instruments. Lyric Theatre

November 2011

Pantos and Christmas shows LYRIC THEATRE SHAFTESBURY AVENUE Wed 23 Nov – Sun 15 Jan THE GRUFFALO. The smash hit show returns by popular demand! Bookings 0844 412 4661 www.gruffalolive.com

NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG 0844 871 7646 www.ambassadortickets.com/wimbledon Tue 15-Sat 19 Nov. DAVID ESSEX STARS IN “ALL THE FUN OF THE FAIR” Dodgems and motorbikes, crafty cons and candy floss, fairground horses and fights, along with romance and rock and roll mean you’re sure to go on a rollercoaster of a ride! £17/£38 Tue 22-Sat 26 Nov. RHINESTONE MONDAYS ( A Country Music Comedy) A funny tale of love, life and line dancing! £10/£31.50.

PUTNEY ARTS THEATRE Ravenna Road, Putney SW15 6AW 020 8788 6943. http://www.putneyartstheatre.org.uk/welcome Thurs 24-Fri 25 Nov. YOUNG DIRECTORS Group 64’s talented young people return for another round of the Young Directors. They will rehearse, produce and direct exciting and challenging scripts to be performed in the Anthony Bridges Studio. £5/£7/£10. CHRISTMAS SHOW Thurs 8-Sun 11 Dec. THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE by CS Lewis, dramatised by Adrian Mitchell. 7.45pm Sat and Sun matinee 3pm, no Sun eve show. An exciting, magical and wonderful journey! £7/£10, family £30

family Christmas show based on Raymond Brigg’s book “the Snowman”. £12/£32, family £95. Tue 6 Dec-Sun 22 Jan. MATTHEW BOURNE’S NUTCRACKER Sadler’s Well. Bkg: 0844 412 4300 or online. A resident Company of Sadler’s Wells, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures has produced some of the most successful dance productions of the last two decades! A new “Must See”. £10/£60, family £140. Tue 13-Sat 31 Dec. BOING! Lilian Baylis Studio. Bkg: 0844 412 4300 or online. An energetic and enchanting piece of dance theatre combining comedy, acrobatics and breakdance. Set on Christmas Eve, BOING! Captures the delirious excitement of waiting for Santa to arrive. £7/£12.

PANTOMIMES GREENWICH THEATRE Crooms Hill, London SE10 8ES www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk 24 Nov-9 Jan. ALADDIN A fast paced family pantomime. No wooden stars just great actor/singers who know their business, a great rocking live band and a great Dame in Andrew Pollard who has been writing and starring for 7 years. A gem!

MILLFIELD ARTS CENTRE Silver Street, Edmonton, London N18 1PJ www.millfieldartscentre.co.uk 24 Nov-8 Jan. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST A beautiful Panto full of beastly good fun!

HACKNEY EMPIRE 291 Mare Street, London E8 1EJ www.hackneyempire.co.uk 26 Nov-8 Jan. CINDERELLA Join beautiful Cinderella, two hideous sisters, one mean stepmother, one huge pumpkin, a glitzy Palace Ball and lots of very cute mice. A knockabout comedy.

SOUTH LONDON THEATRE 2a Norwood High Street, London SE27 9NS www.southlondontheatre.co.uk 6 Dec-17 Jan. BABES IN THE WOODS The sheriff of Nottingham has just learned that his wards, the eponymous Babes of the story, are worth more to him dead than alive! Then, the adventure begins!

CAMBRIDGE THEATRE

RICHMOND THEATRE The Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1QJ 0844 871 7651 www.ambassadortickets.com/richmond 9 Dec-15 Jan. CINDERELLA Jenny Éclair is making her pantomime debut and will be joined by the legendary star Gary Wilmot. Stunning sets, glittering costumes, wonderful songs, dazzling dances and hilarious family-friendly comedy, it’s the perfect ideal Christmas treat for all ages!

THE BROADWAY THEATRE Catford, London SE6 4RU 020 8690 0002 www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk 10 Dec-2 Jan. JACK AND THE BEANSTALK A traditional pantomime with spectacular scenery, colourful costumes, creative choreography accompanied by live music and a talented cast who promise plenty of magic!

THE RYAN THEATRE Harrow School, 5 High Street, Harrow On The Hill, Middlesex HA 3HP www.hillplayers.co.uk 17 Dec/18 Dec. ALI THE BARBER Ali is a barber, Business is not good. Luckily he stumbles across a robbers stash & helps himself to a few quid. However Ali’s brother, Cassim, hearing of Ali’s fortune, is intent on taking the lot.

WWT WETLAND CENTRE

New Wimbledon Theatre: Dick Wittington.

SHAW THEATRE 100-110 Euston Road, London NW1 2AJ www.shawtheatre.com 6 Dec-31 Dec. JACK & THE BEANSTALKS Starring Linda and Maureen from THE NOLANS with Devon Anderson (Billie Jackson from Eastenders) Chris Stanton from CBBC’s M.I.HIGH.

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

404 Strand, London WC2R 0NH www.pottedpanto.com 18 Dec-8 Jan. POTTED PANTO From the makers of Potted Potter comes seven classic pantos in 80mns! With CBBC’s Dan and Jeff. Following a Best Entertainment nomination in the Olivier Awards and a West End run of their original show Potted Potter, this year Potted Panto features eight classic pantomimes in just eighty minutes! A spectacular, silly and splendid celebration of a truly great British theatre tradition—eight shows for the price of one! Excellent reviews! Box Office – 0844 482 9675

WINSTON CHURCHILL HALL THEATRE Pinn Way, Ruislip, HA4 7QL www.argosyplayers.org.uk 19 Jan-22 Jan. Following last years critically acclaimed PETER PAN, Aropsy are back with West London’s biggest and best pantomime “Cinderella”. Hilarious jokes, laughs, music and magic. All for £10!

Cont. pg 30

November 2011

The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG 0844 871 7646 www.ambassadortickets.com/wimbledon Fri 9 Dec- Sun 15 Jan. DICK WHITTINGTON Dame Edna Everage will be starring as the Saviour of London in this year’s spectacular family pantomime. £15.25/£37.50.

VAUDEVILLE THEATRE

Earlham Street, London WC2H 9HU 0844 412 4652/0844 800 1110 www.matildathemusical.com To 12 Feb 2012. MATILDA THE MUSICAL The Royal Shakespeare Company’s world premiere of Roald Dahl’s magical story about a girl with extraordinary powers. £20 to £59.50.

Two Theatres in Islington: SADLER’S WELL THEATRE and the LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO. Rosebery Avenue, London EC1R 4TN A West end Theatre: The PEACOCK THEATRE. Portugal Street, London WC2A 2RT. Kingsway, near Holborn. www.sadlerswells.com Three wonderful CHRISTMAS SHOWS offering something for all the family. Wed 30 Nov-Sun 8 Jan. THE SNOWMAN Peacock Theatre. Bkg: 0844 412 4322 or online. London’s favourite

NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE

Queen Elizabeth's Walk, Barnes SW13 9WT. 020 8409 4400. www.wwt.org.uk Sat 17-Tue 20 Dec. WHICH WITCH IS WHICH? A magical pantomime full of Wetland animals and magic spells. The Wetland animals need your help..There are Wicked Witches about! 11.30am & 2.30pm each day. £6 and do not include entry to the centre. Bkg: online or 020 8409 4400

Unicorn Theatre: The Snow Queen.

SADLER’S WELL

Vaudeville Theatre: Potted Panto

What’s on FOR ADULTS AND CHILDREN SKISUITS, JACKETS, SALOPETTES, GLOVES, SNOWBOOTS, GOGGLES, HELMETS, ETC. BIG REDUCTIONS ON LAST YEAR'S STOCK PLUS THIS YEAR’S NEW COLLECTION

ORLEANS HOUSE GALLERY

from page 29

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NEW: What’s on Newsletter - See ad page 23

Tuesday November 8 and Wednesday November 9 9.00am-7.30pm At 22 Northbourne Road, Clapham, SW4 7DJ

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Any enquiries ring Libby de Rougemont on

020 7720 4871 / 07939 051220 libbyderouge@hotmail.co.uk Do come and bring friends

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EVENTS THE 2011 LORD MAYOR’S SHOW Sat 12 Nov. 11am. A 3 miles procession from Mansion House to the Royal Courts of Justice, then, the procession sets off on the return journey from Victoria Embankment to Mansion House at 1pm and returns to Mansion House at about 2.30pm. At 5pm, expect a wonderful firework from a barge moored in the Thames between Blackfriars and Waterloo bridges. For info, maps, timetable go to www.lordmayorsshow.org

BFI SOUTHBANK

Wigeon James Lees

THE DISNEY 50 AT THE BRITISH FILM INSTITUTE 020 7928 3232 www.bfi.org.uk/southbank £6.75/£9.50, family £20. Every weekend throughout 2011, the Disney heritage will be gloriously showcased, spanning seventy years of films that combine beautiful artistry, masterful storytelling and ground breaking technology. Sat 12 Nov. DINOSAUR (USA 2000. PG) 1.30pm Mon 14 Nov THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE (USA 2000. U) 6.20pm & Sat 19 Nov 2.15pm.

WetlandCentre

WWT WETLAND CENTRE Queen Elizabeth's Walk, Barnes SW13 9WT. 020 8409 4400. www.wwt.org.uk Daily 9.30am - 5pm £4.95/ £8.95, under 4s free, family £25. Every Day in Nov. LIVE ‘N’ DEADLY. DEADLY SCENE INVESTIGATION There’s a broken nest box high in a tree, with some fur around the box, as well as some tracks. Suspicious characters have been seen nearby..CBBC’s “Live ‘n’ Deadly: DSI involves puzzles, clues and activities. Sat 5-Sun 11 Dec WINTER FAMILY WEEKEND ACTIVITIES -STORYTELLING: HIBERNATION Listen to some great hibernation stories and make a hibernating hedgehog to take home. Under 7s. Voluntary donation. -PAPERMAKING: Join us to make your own real recycled paper by hand, adding seeds and other natural materials found in the Wetlands. 7yrs+. £1. -MIGRATION WALK: This is a fun look at migration: why birds migrate, where they go, and how do they do it? 7yrs+ Free with adm to the Centre. Visit www.wwt.org.uk/london for dates and times.

Riverside, Twickenham, TW 1 3DJ 020 8831 6000 www.richmond.gov.uk/orleans_house_gallery FAMILY EVENTS: Every Friday: SEESAW 10.30am-12.30pm Stables Gallery. £4 per child and carer. No bkg required. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Learn, play and explore together in a multi-sensory session designed to encourage creativity, curiosity and develop skills in communication, co-ordination and social interaction. SUNDAY AFTERNOON AR. Free drop-in workshop for families, 2pm-3.30pm. 4yrs+ Children must be accompanied by an adult. No bkg required. Sun 6 Nov. FLYING MACHINES. Sun 4 Dec. CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS RICHMOND UPON THAMES LITERATURE FESTIVAL Visit www.richmondliterature.com for the full programme and to book any events. 3-27 Nov. 2011 marks the 20th anniversary of the Richmond upon Thames Literature Festival and to celebrate, there is a superb line-up of authors, artists, thinkers and speakers. Although it’s an fantastic and exciting and unmissable event for adults, there’s something the teens and the children as well with the “Young People’s Festival and the “Young Writers Festival” Check the website for full details Some highlights: Sat 12 Nov. IAN BECK 11am-12noon. Orange Tree Theatre. £4 020 8940 3633 or www.orangetree theatre.co.uk Prepare to be spooked by award-winning author Ian Beck as he introduces his new book “The Haunting Of charity Delafield”. 8-11yrs. Sat 19 Nov. CHARLIE DARK: THE Dr OCTOPUS SHOW 10.30am. Clarendon Hall. £7. A Hip-Hop adventure deep beneath the sea with an original sound-track for babies and little people. 1-5yrs. Sun 27 Nov. JANET CRONIN: WORLD OF HAPPY 10.30am. Ham House. £6. Come and meet illustrator Janet Cronin for stories and crafty activities to celebrate the new books and the CBBC TV series. 3-5yrs.

CINE LUMIERE/ INSTITUT FRANCAIS 17 Queensberry Place, London SW7 2DT 020 7073 1350 www.institut-francais.org.uk CINE-KIDS Sat 12 Nov. TITEUF, LE FILM. 2pm, £5. Sat 27 Nov. A CAT IN PARIS 4pm, £5. FAMILY CONCERTS Fun and interactive. Sat 19 Nov. THE THORNE TRIO 10.45am, £5/£7. AU THEATRE THIS SUNDAY This series is perfect for primary school children who want to progress further with French language and culture. Sun 20 Nov. HOW TO MAKE A GOOD LITTLE RIDING HOOD 3pm, £8/£10. BABY FRENCH TALES With games, songs and music, professional storyteller and librarians will make the babies familiarise themselves with French language and their parents with age and level-appropriate books. 12 Nov. LE ROYAUME DE LA FORET 11am. Adapted from “Le petit Chaperon rouge” by Perrault. £5/£7 SPECIAL EVENT: Thurs 24-Sun 27 Nov. SOUTH KEN KIDS FESTIVAL

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk/events Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun 10am-6pm. Late opening Thu, Fri 10am-9pm. FAMILY EVENTS: Meet in the Ondaatje Wing Main Hall Sat 19 Nov. STORYTELLING FOR FAMILIES 10.30am or 1.30pm An exciting story-telling session followed by a fun art activity. 3yrs+ Sat 19 Nov. FAMILY ART WORKSHOP 11.30am or 2.30pm. Explore portraits in the Collection, followed by an art activity. 5yrs+ FAMILY AUDIO GUIDE £6 up to 5 audio players, £4 for 2 audio players (one adult and one child) Explore amazing facts and stories about people in the collection with a specially designed recorded tour and interactive touch-screen players 7-11yrs.

KEW GARDENS Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AB 020 8332 5655 www.kew.org

visit www.familiessouthwest.co.uk for What's On

November 2011

Please send info to our editor to be considered: whatson@familiesmagazine.co.uk (inclusion is free)

9.30am-6pm £11.90/£13.90, free for children under 17 (with an adult) 1 Dec-31 Jan WINTER EVERGREEN WALK. Daily from 12noon and starts from the volunteers desk (Victoria Plaza) Join this guided walk with Kew’s expert guides, and discover the Christmas plants that shine throughout winter in Kew’s 300 acre site. 3 Dec-2 Jan. If you prefer to go at your own pace, why not pick up a leaflet at the gates and try a self-guided ‘Winter Walk’.

What’s on

children £3.00. Tickets available on the night or available from www.quaytickets.com and the Visitor Centre at Syon Park. For more info and special offers contact the Estate office on 020 8560 0882 or info@syonpark.co.uk. Refreshments will be available for purchase each evening from The Refectory in the Garden Centre. Warm clothing and stout footwear is advisable. Photography is encouraged. Free parking. Please note: with the exception of guide dogs we regret dogs are not allowed onto the trail. RHS membership not valid as this is a special event.

THE WALLACE COLLECTION Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500/ 9551 www.wallacecollection.org 10am-5pm. Free. EVENTS FOR FAMILIES Sun 6 Nov. THE LITTLE DRAW 1.30pm-4.30pm. Free drop-in drawing workshop for all ages. Meet Artist Julia Iwasz, whose work explores the connections between photography and drawing. Sat 12 Nov. FAMILY PUBLIC TOUR 2.30pm. Free, drop-in tour. An exciting, creative, thrilling and interactive journey led by the young curators from St Vincent’s Primary School. Daily Self Guided Activities- no need to book! -FAMILY MULTIMEDIA TOUR with interactive games. Small fee. - FREE ARMOUR HANDLING Daily. Find out what a brigandine is and how heavy a bullet-proof breastplate really was. - FAMILY TRIALS Themed family trails available from the information desk at the front Entrance

Ham house: Literary Festival. Janet Cronin illustration for “World of Happy”

SOMERSET HOUSE

Photo by Manuel Harlan

Strand, London WC2 1LA 020 78454600, www.somerset.org.uk SATURDAYS FREE FAMILY WORKSHOPS: 2pm3.30pm. Free Family Workshops. Collect tickets from 1pm from the information desk in the Seamen’s Hall on the day. Children 6-12yrs must be accompanied by an adult. Sat 12 Nov. SKETCHES OF SPAIN Take inspiration from the Courtauld Gallery’s exhibition “The Spanish Line” and create bold drawings in dramatic charcoal and chalks. Sat 19 Nov. BEHIND THE MASK Learn the history of the masquerade at Somerset house and construct a costume for your own masked ball. Sat 26 Nov. FANTASTIC FIESTAS Discover how to create vibrant masterpieces in pastels and paint after exploring “The Spanish Line” exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Roald Dahl's 'Matlida The Musical'

HAMPTON COURT PALACE East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU 27 Nov – 8 Jan. ICE RINK Located in-front of the Henri VIII’s stunning Tudor Palace, the ever-popular outdoor ice rink will be making a welcome return for 6 festive weeks. Bkg: www.hamptoncourticerink.com £8 to £12, family £32/£34.

SYON PARK

November 2011

Ham Street, Ham, Richmond upon Thames TW10 7RS 020 8940 1950 www.nationaltrust.org.uk The National Trust’s 17th century Ham House is helping the RICHMOND UPON THAMES LITERATURE FESTIVAL to celebrate its 20th anniversary with an entertaining and inspiring line-up of talks and workshops for both children and adults. Sat 26 Nov. FOOD AND DRINK 3pm. With Penelope Vogler , the Penguin’s “Great Food” series Editor. Join her to discuss food, ingredients and cooking through the ages, recreate recipes and try cakes and biscuits from the past. £8.50/£10. 8pm. With Ex Head Chef at River Cottage Canteen and the founder of “Eat Real Food” Campaign through which he passes on his knowledge via bespoke cookery, wild food and foraging. £8.50/£10. Sun 27 Nov. SALON DE THE- AN INTERACTIVE EDWARDIAN TEA PARTY 2pm & 4.30pm. Be entertain by the butler, the maid, even the Lady of the Manor, while enjoying a sumptuous tea provided by specialist bakers Lily Vanilli. £26. Sun 27 Nov. FOR YOUNGER VISITORS: MEET JANET CRONIN, illustrator of modern classic and now of the new series “World of Happy” 13 books of joy and loveliness about different animals doing extraordinary things. Janet’s interactive workshop includes storytelling and craft activities. 10.30am, £6. 3-5yrs.

WINTER WONDERLAND IN HYDE PARK 0844 858 6755 www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com 18 Nov-3 Jan. 10am to 10pm everyday (18 Nov opens at 5pm) , seven days a week across 20 acres of historic parkland. Closed on Christmas day. Featuring: - The biggest outdoor rink in the UK, stretching over 1,350m2 it will surround the Victorian Band Stand, creating a beautiful centre piece for Winter Wonderland - 50m Observation wheel - Zippo’s Christmas Circus in its very own heated big top with its special show. - Cirque Extreme, a jaw dropping show. - Wider variety of themed ride for children - Angel Christmas Market - Festive catering from around the world - Indoor and outdoor bars - Santa: Father Christmas will be at the Hyde Park

...cont page 32

Brentford, Middlesex TW8 8JF www.syonpark.co.uk 18, 19, 20 Nov, 25, 26, 27 Nov & 2,3,4 Dec. THE ENCHANTED WOODLAND 5.00pm to 9.00pm, last entry at 8.00pm. Let thousands of lights illuminate your way as you take a magical stroll through Syon Park. Adults £7.00,

HAM HOUSE

visit www.familiessouthwest.co.uk for What's On

bandstand along with his elves everyday. Free to enter, with tokens for all rides and attractions available for purchase on the day, but bkg is recommended for Ice Rink and the Wheel.

Credit: Simon Kane

from page 31

What’s on

8-11Youth Theatre Shakespeare Globe

NEW: Get our What’s On Newsletter by email — See ad page 23. It’s free and gives you the latest for SW London.

display explores the past of Wandsworth Prison, its inmates and the changes that have taken place in the prison system, from punitive measures to the changing condition of an inmate’s cell. FAMILY WORKSHOP Sat 19 Nov. CREATION IN CAPTIVITY Drop-in event 11am-1pm. Make your own Prison Art! 5yrs+. Free with Museum adm. No bkg required.

THE MUSEUM OF FULHAM PALACE Bishop’s Avenue, London SW6 6EA 020 7610 7165 www.fulhampalace.org The Museum: Open five afternoons each week: Sat, Sun, Mon, Tue & Wed 1pm-4pm Drawing room Café: Weekdays 10am-4pm and weekends 9am-5pm Gardens: Open daily from dawn to dusk.

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE Bank Side, 21 New Glove Walk, London SE1 9DT 020 7902 1400 www.shakespeares-globe.com Thurs 8 Dec. A CONCERT FOR WINTER 1pm. Will provide a banquet of music, song and festivity which will celebrate the work and creativity of Southwark community groups and schools. Adm is free but tickets must be booked in advance by emailing: community@shakespearesglobe.com

ROYAL ALBERT HALL Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP 0845 401 5045 www.royalalberthall.com SPECIAL EVENT FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN: Tue 15 Nov. JUNIOR IGNITE:TOMORROW’S WARRIORS BIGGISH BAND 12om. Café Consort. Tomorrow’s Warriors is a leading UK organisation for jazz music education and professional artist development. Part of the programme “Junior Ignite” in association with Music for Youth. Free entry. More info: www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/ignite/biggishband.aspx

EXHIBITIONS & MUSEUMS WANDSWORTH MUSEUM 38 West Hill, London SW18 1RX 020 8870 6060 www.wandsworthmuseum.co.uk Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. £3/£4, under 5’s free. EXHIBITION To 31 Dec. SEPARATION AND SILENCE: WANDSWORTH PRISON From an execution box to a letter from Oscar Wilde’s wife Constance, desperate to see her husband, the

Museum Of Fulham Palace. Sun 27 Nov. FAMILY DROP-IN DISCOVERY AFTERNOON. 2pm3.30pm. Try on period costumes, handle artefacts and learn about the history of the Palace. Free. Suggested donation £2 or £5 per family towards upkeep of the costumes. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

THE DE MORGAN CENTRE West Hill, London SW18 1RX 020 8871 1144 www.demorgan.org.uk Tue-Fri 1pm-5pm & Sat 10am-5pm. Adult £4, children free. Refurbished, re-configured restored and re-hung, visitors will once again be able to experience the stunning collection of William De Morgan’s ceramics and Evelyn De Morgan’s paintings – the largest collection of each anywhere in the world! - Activity trail for children, which leads them around the gallery, encourages them to find answers to questions and offers the opportunity for some drawing and tile design.

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

- In the shop, visitors will find amazing books with children’s crafts activities, as well as child friendly goodies including a De Morgan tile puzzle.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Cromwell Road, London SW7 020 7938 9123. Info: MonFri 020 7942 5000. Sat & Sun 020 7942 5011 www.nhm.ac.uk Mon-Sat: 10am – 5.50pm Sun 11am-5.50pm. Free. EXHIBITION To 11 Mar 2012 VEOLIA ENVIRONMENT WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 10am-5.50pm. More than 100 images uniquely combines the work of talented photographers and gifted amateurs. Interactive stations provide insight into what the judges, scientists and the photographers think about each photograph, while encouraging visitors to participate and not just vote for their favorite, but also join the debate surrounding the hot topics of conservation and green issues. £4.50/£9, family £24, ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES Full listing on www.nhm.ac.uk/whats-on Mon-Fri in term time. 11am-5pm. DAILY FAMILY ACTIVITES. Free. Younger visitors can pick up an Explorer backpack and take a mini adventure around the Museum. Don’t miss the Dippy floor puzzle, perfect for under 8’s. Complete the puzzle of the 26-metre long “diplodocus” and you’ll get a funky Dippy sticker! 12 Nov. ANIMAL VISION : CAN YOU REALLY SEE EVERYTHING? 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm £ 1.30pm. Discover how eye adaptations in animals such a snake, iguanas and chameleons allow individuals to escape and locate prey. 7yrs+ ICE RINK Opens 4 Nov. Set within the historic Victorian grounds of the Museum, the Ice Rink has become an integral part of London’s winter scene. Other on-site attractions include a children’s rink and beautiful fairground carousel. Booking and info 0844 847 1576 or www.nhmskating.com

NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HT 020 7730 0717 www.nam.ac.uk Daily 10am-5.30pm. Free EXHIBITIONS DRAW YOUR WEAPONS - THE ART OF "COMMANDO" COMICS. A colourful and dynamic exhibition exploring the history of the war comic from its initial conception and subject matter to its continuing popularity. Free WAR HORSE: FACT & FICTION A new major exhibition exploring the true history behind the hugely popular “War Horse” novel by Michael Morpugo. Free. FAMILY EVENTS 5, 12 & 26 Nov. DRAW YOUR WEAPONS ART WORKSHOPS 2pm3.30pm. Budding artist of all ages will learn new techniques, design their own storyboard and hear the tales behind the artwork. Hosted by popular comic illustrators and by acclaimed war artists. £3.50 3 Dec. BLITZ CHRISTMAS- A FAMILY DAY OF ENTERTAINMENT AND DISCOVERY 10am-5.30pm Visitors of all ages can enjoy a festive 40s panto, live music and songs, take part in an authentic drill with the Home Guard and scan the skies for Santa’s sleigh with the Royal Artillery. Free. 3 Dec. JINGLE BELL JIVE 7.30pm till midnight Jitterbug through the doodlebugs with the professional dancers and celebrate the season at the annual 40s dance night. £7.50/£12.50/£15. ACTION ZONES – VICTORIAN SOLDIERS ACTION ZONE Quizzes, games and hands-on activities help you learn about life as a Victorian Soldier and the part they played in the shaping of Britain’s Empire. Free, in “Changing the World Gallery”. KID’S ZONE Daily 10.10am-5.15pm. This new children’s play area explores aspects of army life from camping to clothing and includes a dedicated soft play space for babies, plus art and crafts, dressing-up costumes, books, interactive toys and panels. Adm charge applies. www.nam.ac.uk/kids

November 2011

Please send info to our editor to be considered: whatson@familiesmagazine.co.uk (inclusion is free)

What’s on

HMS BELFAST Morgan’s Lane, Tooley Street, City of London SE1 2JH 020 7940 6300 www.hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk Daily 10am-5pm. Adults £13.50, under16s free, concs for Senior/Student/Disabled/Unemployed £6.75 to £10.80. 16 & 27 Nov. KYE HISTORY Find out more about story of HMS Belfast and the Company that sailed her on her various journeys around the world and have a sip of warming naval hot chocolate. 2Kye” is a naval term for grated cocoa. Entry included in general adm price. All ages but with parental supervision.

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, www.vam.ac.uk/moc Daily 10am-5.45pm. Free. EXHIBITIONS To 26 Feb 2012. THE STUFF OF NIGHTMARES. This exhibition explores the darker side of traditional fairy tales. The gallery has been transformed into a creepy forest, an installation based on the Brothers Grimm tale Fundevogel made with the help of local schoolchildren. To 4 Mar 2012. MAGIC WORLDS The exhibition will delve into the captivating world of magic, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the imaginary and fantastical realms of witches, wizards, fairies, elves, dragons, magicians and illusionists. On display will be costumes, tricks, paintings, ceramics, beautifully illustrated books and posters, games optical toys and dramatic puppets. Free. EVENTS 26 & 27 Nov. UP, UP IN THE AIR 12noon-3pm. Aerial dance performances by dancer IIona Jantti. She will be suspended from the beams of the main hall, performing 15mns slots. Drop-in. All ages. 26 & 27 Nov. MRS SANTA’S CRAFT CORNER 12noon-4pm. Christmas decoration-making but there will be also knitted teddy bears, jumpers and mittens on sale. All proceeds will go to the community Service Volunteers charity for children in need. Drop-in. all ages.

Horniman Museum by a professional local artist. £3 per child, accompanying adult free. 3yrs+ Every Sat until 17 Dec. HANDS ON FAMILY WORKSHOP 11.45am & 1pm. You can touch real museum objects from around the world in these family sessions. Every Sun until 11 Dec. DISCOVERY FOR ALL. 2pm Drop in to explore our Hands On Base and the thousands of real objects from around the world that it holds. 27 Nov. NZINGA DANCE ENSEMBLE CONCERT 3pm. Move your feet to rhythms from Africa and the Caribbean. Nzinga students and professionals will dazzle you with their drumming and dancing. 3 Dec. TALES FROM THE HORNIMAN – A WORLD OF STORIES 2.15pm & 3.30pm Our popular storytellers bring our collections and gardens alive with enchanting stories from around the world. 4 Dec. RAISE THE ROOF CONCERT 2.30pm. Enjoy songs from around the world with “Raise the Roof Choir”. The MUSEUM OF LONDON and MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS Please visit the websites for full details of children activities. www.museumoflondon.org.uk and www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands

HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY MUSEUM Horse Guards, Whitehall, London SW1A 2AX 020 7930 3070 www.householdcavalrymuseum.co.uk Sat 26 & Sun 27 Nov. CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS CRAFT WEEKEND 11.15am & 2.15pm Children will have fun making their own cards, advent calendars, decorations, gift wrapping and other homemade gifts for their loved ones. Everything has a Household Cavalry theme and during the weekend you can also have a go at candle making, clay modelling and sewing. 5-11yrs. Free for children with fee paying adult. Small charge for material. Bkg essential.

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8AH 020 7601 5545 www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Free. 12 Nov. LORD MAYOR’S SHOW 11am-5pm. Face painters bring Ratty, Mole, Badger and Toad to life. Professional make-up artists will turn young visitors into the well-known characters from The Wind in the Willows, whose author, Kenneth Grahame was secretary of the Bank from 1898-1908.

HORNIMAN MUSEUM 100 London Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3PQ 020 8699 1872 www.horniman.ac.uk Daily 10.30am-5.30pm, £1/£2, family £5. LOTS OF CHILDREN’S AND FAMILY ACTIVITIES. Some highlights. Check the website for a full programme. Wed & Fri until 16 Dec. BUSY BEE’S 10.30am, 11.15am and 12pm. Lively sessions for under 5’s Every Sat until 10 Dec. ART MAKERS 1.30pm & 2.45pm. Have fun with art skills and exciting techniques to create something fabulous to take home. Sessions are led

November 2011

MUSEUM OF LONDON London Wall, EC2Y 5HN 020 7001 9844. Open daily 10am-6pm Sun 13 Nov MUSEUM EXPLORED 11.30am-13.30pm & 2pm-4pm and Sun 27 Nov 11.30am-1.30pm & 2pm-4pm. Join one of the Museum’s Hosts and explore the galleries through fun, hands-on activities, suitable for the whole family. Free. Sun 20 Nov. ENTER A VICTORIAN PHOTOGRAPH 12.30pm13.30pm, 2pm-3pm & 3.30pm-4.30pm. Create fictional Victorian characters..then using blue screen technology, dress up and enter a photograph from the time. 5yrs+. Free: tickets on application.

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS West India Quay, E14 4AL 020 7001 9844. Open daily 10am-6pm. Sat 12 Nov. ANIMALS IN WARTIME 12.30pm-1pm, 2.30pm-3pm & 3.30pm-4pm. Did you know that many creatures including glow-worms, pigeons, cats and dogs supported British and Allied forces during the two world wars? Hear the remarkable, true story of just a few of those animals. 5yrs+. Free: tickets on application. Thurs 24 Nov. UNDER 5S STORYTIME 3pm-3.30pm. Stories, music and fun on the last Thurs of the month, then playtime in Mudlarks. Free.

Information for What’s On send to whatson@familiesmagazine.co.uk

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

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HOUSEKEEPING/CHILDCARE

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• I have 24 yrs experience in child caring, based in Wandsworth and looking to secure a position working 4-5 days (new-born - 12 years). At present I job share for 12 yrs for one family and 6 yrs for another family. First Aid, CRB check, Ofsted registered. I can be contacted on 07930 223 789

• Want to enjoy the river and escape London at weekends? A familyfriendly speed boat with great outdoor space and a 240 horsepower engine. Dieselpowered and suitable for sharing by two families. No licence required. Convenient, central mooring with free car park. Full service historysee further details at fletcherzingaro.blogspot.com £11,500 ONO

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• Small freezer, excellent condition, 19" square, £40. Brand new, brown, furry cat bed, £10. Tel: 07990 580 578 • Nintendo DS games (£8 each) + Harry Potter DVD game (£5); bike helmet, (£5). Boden anorak 11-12 yrs, £18 ONO; Peter Storm waterproof trousers, (XS adult short length), £18 ONO; ‘Skins’ brand sport layer top (adult small), excellent condition with Canterbury brand sport layer shorts, both for £25 ONO. Please call 020 8769 6400

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November 2011

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AMITY COMPUTER SERVICES Home and business computers repaired & managed. Consultancy and tuition also available. Phone Danny on

E-mail: acs@amitygrove.com

PIANO TUITION Friendly, experienced and qualified teacher of children 6+ and adults. Take exams or learn purely for pleasure.

Handyman

SERVICES Reliable Handyman

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

020 8462 4646 - 07802 535695

PLUMBER

BATHROOM, TOILET, RADIATORS, WASHING-MACHINES REPAIR LEAKING PIPE, TAP CALL MARK 07851 260371

Different styles covered. Home visits possible. Mark Lester MA, CT ABRSM

020 8870 7830 www.marklester.biz

SPEECH SPECIALISTS Individual Tuition Public Speaking, Confidence Building, Interview Technique, Speech & Drama

SW8 & SW19 Studios Clare Price. LGSM, ALAM, SRD.

(020) 7735 3156 Come all the family and learn Spanish with Pedro. Group and individual lessons. Call Pedro on 07956 699963

PAINTERS & DECORATORS General Building Maintenance

"The perfect painters" Family-friendly painters, decorators, plasterers, household jobs… Call Tony for a reasonable quote. 07930 348095

HOLIDAYS HOLIDAY FLAT IN PROVENCE Vaugines (Luberon), 30 min from Aix/ Marseille. In the centre of an historical village a flat on the first floor, accommodation for 2 to 5 people. One room with double bed, and mezzanine two small beds. Huge living room looking on to the Durance valley. Perfect pied a terre to visit and discover this part of Provence. Price 400 Euros/week Dep 250 Euros. Please contact l.metge@hotmail.com Ring us 00 33 474 67 59 17 fax 00 33 474 67 50 29.

2 cottages in Cornwall

Please phone for details 01483 282471 or e-mail nancyshafee@tiscali.co.uk.

BUILDING AND HANDYMAN SERVICE

Cots, highchairs etc can be arranged too!

Painting, decorating, carpentry, plastering. Fit lights, switch, sockets. Change a lock, hang blinds, picture. Assemble furniture, putting up shelves. CALL MARK 07834 069943

Traditional Cornish cottage in beautiful village of St Tudy, north Cornwall.

Learn to massage your child CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANERS Est. 25 years

020 8741 4242 Prompt reliable seven day service for deep down cleaning, removing dust, mites, dirt & stains

November 2011

Massage is relaxing and brings loving closeness. Learn simple techniques in your own home or your friend's. Hands-on parent and child workshop by qualified massage therapist and aromatherapist. Call Lorraine on 079101 14153

To advertise call 020 8696 9680

www.familiesmagazine.co.uk

- including sports facilities and indoor & outdoor pools.

JAMES ALLEN

adverts@familiesmagazine.co.uk

• Garden maintenance and building work (fences, patios, sheds, etc..) • Jobs around the house (carpentry, painting, fitting furniture, etc…) • Computer maintenance (repair, teaching) £20/hour or packages possible. Call Brian: 0774 513 6424

Reliable, skilled and tidy General home maintenance, including: • Carpentry and painting • Garden clearance and fencing • Flatpack assembly and fitted kitchens Please call Nigel Fletcher for further details or free quotation. 07988 983273

PAINTING & DECORATING

MUSIC

020 8696 9680 Fax: 020 8696 9679

8944 0681 or 07961 428 596

Excellent Tutor Successful 11+ results for Francis Holland & Queen’s Gate. Cambridge graduate, References available. Contact: Paula Vanninen 07754-059854

Fifteen minutes from stunning sandy beaches of Polzeath, Trebarwith, Rock etc. Surfing, sailing & masses to do for all the family. Reasonable rent; cottage has 4 bedrooms, 1 bath, sitting/dining room, kitchen, parking, garden. Near pub & shop. Enquiries: susanconnolly@aol.com.

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To advertise call 020 8696 9680 ÂŠFamilies Magazine

November 2011