Families Thames Valley West Issue 76 March-April 2015

FR EE

Thames Valley West

March/April 2015 Issue 76 • www.familiestvw.co.uk

Try before you buy!

01628 660 893

www.justoutdoortoys.co.uk BIGGEST Display in the Thames Valley (just 5 mins from M4 J7) Abbey Rose Nursery, Nashdom Lane, Burnham SL1 8NJ

Easter Fun Childcare Dance & Drama

UNCAPPED EARNING POTENTIAL

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Giving the gift of confidence since 1988!

Parents have been trusting us for over 25 years to help their children develop in a safe, supportive, Call your local Stagecoach to Enrol nurturing, Reading East 0118 371 2996 Bracknell 0800 707 6684 inspiring Reading North 01189 111135 Bracknell North 0800 915 0199 environment.

Reading West 0844 800 9482 Henley 01494 533 203 Newbury

0870 061 3526

www.stagecoach.co.uk

Wokingham

01183 712 998

Brand new building opening Summer 2015 DISCOUNT FOR TODDLERS!

This summer, after more than 20 years we are moving to a brand new, state of the art, purpose-built nursery If your child is between a year and two and a half years old and you register with the Rocking Horse Nursery before the end of April 2015, you will enjoy a 25% discount on three months’ fees* (quote ‘FAMILIES MAGAZINE’ when enquiring)

Contact us on: 01635 48969 or visit our website

rockinghorsenewbury.co.uk *Children must be registered by 31 April 2015 and take up their place by 1 June 2015. Discount payable in months six/seven/eight.

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Thames Valley West

MARCH/APRIL 2015

inthisissue

ISSUE 76 • March/April 2015

Visit us now at www.familiestvw.co.uk

4 News & Views 8 Dance & Drama Local class news 10 Education Tuition, Learning holidays 15 Easter Activities Holiday clubs, camps and workshops 18 Childcare Feature Choosing your childcare, what is the EYFS 21 Competitions Lots of great prizes up for grabs 22 What’s On Diary dates for the coming months 28 Easter Fun Ideas for places to go and things to do 31 Thames Valley Walk

Enjoy a family stroll at Aldermaston Wharf

To advertise: Tel: 0118 954 6893 adverts@familiestvw.co.uk Contact us: editor@familiestvw.co.uk Designed by: Graphic Resolutions 01438 871600 Next issue: May/June – Parties!

Booking Deadline – 1 April

Editor’s Letter Springtime is nearly here and our pages are overflowing with Easter egg hunts, cheeky chicks and adorable lambs, Mother’s Day events and much, much more. We have some great ideas for family days out plus holiday clubs and camps galore to keep the children busy over the holidays.

It’s also time for us to say goodbye as we hand over the magazine to its new owner. We are sure, in her very capable hands, it will continue to grow ever bigger and better in the years to come.

Before we sign off for the last time we would just like to say an enormous thank you to all our wonderful readers, to our advertisers without whom there would be no magazine, to our fantastic team of distributors who go out in all weathers to make sure you get copies of the latest issue, to Shareef for his dazzling designs, to our lovely Families neighbours Allison and Claire, to all at Riggindale Road, and to Alison for setting the magazine up in the first place.

Wishing you all a very Happy Easter!

Karen and Jane Front cover photo courtesy of www.roomseven.com

Don’t miss these great offers and competitions 25% DISCOUNT at Rockinghorse Nursery – page 5 FREE 4-week trial with Reading Egg – page 13 WIN a term of Bilinguasing classes – page 21 WIN a term to the Abingdon Air Show – page 21 WIN tickets to Eddie Catz Newbury – page 21 WIN tickets to Manydown Family Fun – page 21 Special OFFER with GO-KART Party – page 26 Manydown Family Fun ticket OFFER – page 30

Competitions Winners from Jan/Feb issue Look Out Discovery Centre tickets: Linda Philpott Regal Picturehouse tickets and lunch: Elizabeth Aalders River & Rowing Museum tickets: Lynn Brown

Confidence Building Fun

Call 0845 400 1283 or visit perform.org.uk to find your nearest venue.

Try a Free Drama Class Thames Valley West

PAGE 3

News & Views Try some Easter cooking

www.familiestvw.co.uk/ Easternests

Enjoy a local family walk

www.familiestvw.co.uk/ buckleburywalk

Create a haven for wildlife www.familiestvw.co.uk/ wildlifestack

New distributers wanted!

We are looking for two new distributers to cover the central Reading area and the Caversham/ Sonning Common/Woodcote/Goring area. If you would like to earn a little extra cash and can spare a couple of days every two months to distribute Families magazine to nurseries, schools, libraries etc., please email us at editor@familiestvw.co.uk to find out more.

Artspiration to open in Bracknell After running successfully in Maidenhead, Wokingham, Langley and Reading, Artspiration – School of Drawing and Painting is now expanding to Bracknell with new classes starting soon!

Artspiration’s structured lessons are designed to take your child on an artistic journey from an early age of 3½ years to 12 years and older. Their curriculum is geared towards providing an holistic approach to the subject of drawing and painting. Children not only learn to draw and paint skilfully but also hone many life skills such as: ‘Ways to see the visual world around us’, ‘To experience and explore’, ‘To connect and recreate’ and ‘To focus and self-engage’.

A vast range of art materials is introduced from a very early age, as Artspiration believe in providing all the tools needed to allow children to explore many possibilities. Within a wholesome artful environment children can explore, expand and express themselves.

Spaces are limited so book your taster session now by calling 0789 616 5819. To find out more go to www.artspiration.co.uk Surreal ‘Croc-Shoe’ by Amy Denton, Age 8 yrs

CEM-style 11+ mock exams at Winnersh and Slough

Children’s Party Planners www.popinparties.co.uk

• Bear Making Parties • Fabric Painting Parties • Theme Parties Visit our website for current prices. or call us on 07764 849828 or e-mail: popinparties@tiscali.co.uk

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Thames Valley West

Since last year the Berkshire grammar schools have started using an 11+ test which is provided by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitor® (CEM®). Both the content and the way in which CEM tests are administered is markedly different to the ‘old’ 11+.

CEM tests include Verbal Reasoning, Numeracy and Non-Verbal Reasoning questions. CEM’s interpretation of Verbal Reasoning includes comprehension and vocabulary and the Numeracy (Maths) element includes problem solving questions.

Sections of the tests are individually timed and typically last 6-20 minutes. The instructions for each question and the example(s) are announced by a CD audio recording. There are two test papers on the same day, separated by a short break.

Parents should ensure that the teaching and practice materials they buy for their child, and any tuition or mock exams their child attends, are suitable preparation for the CEM 11+.

Susan Daughtrey Education hold four CEM-style 11+ Mock Exam Sessions (May, June, July and August) in Winnersh and Slough that have been developed specifically for CEM 11+ candidates and include all of the features of the real CEM 11+ tests mentioned above.

Mock tests are a good way of assessing your child’s performance and providing exam practice. Together with suitable teaching preparation, mock exams should help your child feel relaxed, confident and ready to do their very best ‘on the day’.

For more information and to book online, visit: www.sde11plus.com/mock-exams/cem

MARCH/APRIL 2015

News & Views A cultural lesson at the breakfast table?

Newbury’s Rocking Horse Nursery is on the move!

The Rocking Horse Nursery at Newbury Racecourse has been established for over 20 years. This summer it is moving to a brand new building, just round the corner from its present location.

“Creating a state of the art facility is incredibly exciting”, they told us.

“Once complete this tailor made nursery will be the most advanced child care option available to families living in and around Newbury. “ Children are currently cared for in six rooms, each with secure outdoor spaces and age appropriate toys. The new nursery will have the same number rooms, improved outdoor spaces and the addition of a library and a sensory/ soft play room.

The team at the Rocking Horse Nursery has extensive experience. Many of them have been working there for over 10 years and Rosina Reynolds, a founder member, has been manager for more than 20 years. The commitment of the team offers the consistency in care we all crave for our little ones.

The nursery is already popular, but there is currently availability for toddlers and those children close to pre-school age. To ensure your child is one of the first to enjoy the new Rocking Horse Nursery call Rosina Reynolds on 01635 48969 or see www.rockinghorsenewbury.co.uk to download a brochure.

The UK remains one of the most popular destinations for international students in search of a prestigious and reputable education. Foreign students flock to our boarding schools to achieve their goals and expand their horizons.

Bright World Guardianships is a long established Guardianship organisation, charged with offering care to those brave and bright scholars who come to this country alone. When boarding schools close for short school holidays it is the goodwill of their trusted host families that Bright World, as guardians, calls upon.

Although the Host Family role is a paid one and does provide a valuable extra income, it is much more than this. Hosting a young international student can make their entire experience in the UK a happy one. If you welcome a student into your home they will actually look forward to exeats and half terms and their overall experience and impression of the UK will be enhanced. Your children will also benefit from this exposure, simply by sharing their home for a week or so.

During this time they will learn about new cultures and countries and will have the invaluable opportunity to interact with a young person from a completely different culture and background. Think of it as a geography and culture lesson at your breakfast table.

“Hosting an international student from my child’s school has been such a rewarding experience. We love providing a home from home when they can’t return to their families at half terms. It has given lots of fun and cultural experience for us all and is one that we will remember always.” Bright World Host Family For more information on becoming a host family for Bright World Guardianships, please contact Lindsay Gayler, Host Family Recrutiment Manager lindsay@brightworld.co.uk Alternatively you can visit www.brightworld.co.uk and complete the online enquiry form.

If your child is between a year and 2½ years old and you register with the Rocking Horse Nursery before the end of April 2015, you will enjoy a 25% discount on three months fees (T&Cs apply).

Quote ‘FAMILIES MAGAZINE’ when enquiring.

K E E P O N DA N C I N G !

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PAGE 5

News & Views

Calling all Ice Princesses and Warriors Due to public demand, Kids’n’Action, the popular Play and Party Centre at Winnersh Triangle, has opened a brand new Ice Kingdom Party Room. Children can enjoy a banquet feast fit for royalty in the frosty wonderland themed setting and have fun with a party host dressed as an Ice Queen or an Ice Warrior. There’s even a throne for the birthday boy or girl. Parents can relax and enjoy the fun – and there’s no clearing up after the party!

There are plenty of other themes to choose from including Pirate, Superhero, Football and Royal Princess, so why not book online now at www.kids-n-action.com or by calling 0118 968 0983.

You don’t have to be walking to start Tumble Tots!

www.harrisonclinic.co.uk

Osteopathy Physiotherapy Acupuncture Cranial Osteopathy Sports Massage

Exceptional care in a friendly, relaxed environment 0118 976 2253

PAGE 6

Thames Valley West

Gymbabes is a fantastic introduction to the Tumble Tots programme for babies from 6 months old who are sitting unaided to when they are walking confidently.

The atmosphere is gentle - starting with a light exercise session on the mats including rhymes and massage and an action song to get the babies warmed up. The Tumble Tots’ equipment is laid out informally with many special items exclusive to this age group such as walking aids, mirrors and gymnastic ball as well as the ladders, beams and tunnels which will help to encourage the babies from sitting to crawling to pulling themselves up and cruising and finally launching out on their own two feet! The session ends with more gentle songs.

Helen Davey of Tumble Tots told us: “The babies benefit from contact and interaction with other babies of the same age and it’s nice for Mums and Dads to meet other parents too! Our 4 trained staff will help you and your baby get the most out of the various pieces of equipment and make suggestions about all the fun they can have - but this is also about you finding out how much even the youngest ones can get out of new sensations, heights and angles and challenges.�

Gymbabes sessions run weekly at Rivermead Leisure Centre, Reading; FBC Centre, Finchampstead; and Woodford Park Leisure Centre, Woodley. So contact Helen on 0118 973 6711 or email helen.davey@tumbletots.com to book your free trial session.

Visit www.tumbletots.com/reading to find out more or see www.facebook.com/tumbletots.reading

MARCH/APRIL 2015

want to make a difference?

then become a host family for Bright World

“My children benefit from the cultural experience of hosting as well as providing a valuable extra income to my family.”

Tracey Welding

we are looking for families to offer a welcoming home to our students in their short holidays

Bright World Host Family

enquire online at

www.brightworld.co.uk email: lindsay@brightworld.co.uk

Thames Valley West

PAGE 7

Dance & Drama

A busy year for Stagecoach Wokingham Stagecoach Wokingham has had a busy year and it looks set to get even busier!

Last September, they opened a new Saturday school at St. Crispin’s in Wokingham which has gone from strength to strength. Having full use of the School’s performing arts block really has allowed the students to develop and grow in a professional setting.

In January of this year, Principal Claire and her partner Chris Rosser took over the Reading East branch of Stagecoach, now reaching out to over 300 students in the west of Berkshire.

They have already offered their first joint venture with the school and West End casting director, Jo Hawes will be visiting the students in March to offer audition technique.

Wokingham students are now rehearsing for their performance at Her Majesty’s Theatre (home of Phantom of the Opera) along with 16 other Stagecoaches in a West End gala where they will perform a ‘Legally Blonde Medley’. There are also students auditioning professionally for the ‘Annie’ and ‘Shrek’ UK tours, and even sharing the stage at the Opera with the recent production of ‘La Traviata’ at the Hexagon Theatre.

Stagecoach Wokingham runs an Easter and Summer Workshop every year, so contact Claire if you are interested in these or about a 2 week trial to join the school. Just call 0118 371 2998 or email wokingham@stagecoach.co.uk

Berzerk launches ‘Little CharActors’ classes Berzerk Productions is now running new ‘Little Char-Actors’ classes for 4 to 6 year-olds in Pangbourne.

The 40-minute sessions are designed to bring out the best in young minds with exercises based around imagination, listening, observation, movement, speaking, vocal and social skills. Later in the year the new classes will also be coming to Tilehurst, Caversham and Woodley.

For many years Berzerk have been running classes for this age group within local schools and have developed a syllabus that will focus on self-development and speech. There will also be projects and events to inspire the children.

For full information please email info@berzerkproductions.com or visit the website www.berzerkproductions.com

...for kids who love to ACT! Ages 5 to 16. Established 2008.

T: 0118 933 3791 M: 07721 565898 jackie@berkshire.stageability.co.uk www.berkshire.stageability.co.uk TILEHURST | WOKINGHAM | BURGHFIELD | EARLEY PAGE 8

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Dance & Drama

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Get kitted out at Dancia International The Easter holidays are a great time to check whether your child needs new dance shoes or uniform. It’s so important that shoes in particular are fitted correctly, and that’s where a specialist store comes in.

Both the Reading and Crowthorne branches of Dancia International have staff who are trained to fit ballet, tap, jazz shoes and ballroom shoes. They hold the uniform lists for most of the dance schools within their respective areas, and so can advise you on what your child will need to wear for the style of dance they are doing and the grade at which they are working.

Do let the staff know if your child will be taking a ballet exam soon. If that’s the case, then the ballet shoe fit will need to be as snug as possible, and the teacher may require you to remove the elastics and replace them with ribbons.

If your child does gymnastics or trampolining, then why not treat them to a holiday trip to Dancia, where they can choose from a fantastic range of gymnastics leotards, shorts and crop tops. It is also worth noting that Dancia Reading is the official uniform stockist for Kennylands Gymnastics Club.

Both branches of Dancia International are open Monday to Saturday throughout the year.

For more information go to www.dancia.co.uk Dancia Reading: 36-38 Prospect St, Caversham. Tel: 0118 947 8123 Dancia Crowthorne: 235 High St, Crowthorne. Tel: 01344 286 884

High energy drama classes with StageAbility StageAbility caters for children aged 5-15 and is drama-led. With after-school centres in Lower Earley, Tilehurst, Burghfield and Wokingham, the part-time stage school has been quietly enjoying steady growth and acclaim since its launch in Berkshire in 2008.

Classes are for the budding superstar as well as those who need to build confidence and increase their self-esteem. There is no pressure to perform, but musicals and a pantomime are staged throughout the year outside of the classes (Sundays) for those who are ready to take to the stage!

High energy drama classes mean that your youngster never gets bored, can’t wait to get to class and develops a cross section of life skills including teamwork, confidence, clarity and self-discipline, through a mixture of drama, song and movement.

Success is measured by personal development; for some it is about being cast in films or West End shows, and for others it is about being able to put their hand up in class.

Come and join in a Free Taster Session to see what StageAbility is all about. No pressure, just lots of fun with like-minded friends. Ages 5 and 6 just £6 per hour (paid termly).

To arrange a taster session, email Jackie Stuart, Principal of StageAbility with your child’s name and the class you would like to attend. They’re looking forward to meeting you!

Email: jackie@berkshire.stageability.co.uk Tel: 0118 933 3791 or 07721 565 898

For classes of pure MADness, Birthday join MAD Academy Parties too!

Call Trish on 0118 977 0050 or trish.nawacki@madacademy.com

Earley, Woodley, Caversham, Burghfield, Purley and Arborfield

Call Amanda on 07714 202951 or amanda.chivers@madacademy.com

Wokingham, Bracknell, Crowthorne, Sandhurst, Finchampstead, Winnersh and Binfield

Call Emma on 07935 248749 or emma.hester@madacademy.com Maidenhead, Marlow, Henley, Charvil and Twyford

Movement • rhythms • songs • instruments • games

madacademy.com Music And Dance and a whole lot of fun!

Saturday 11th April 2015 4pm and 7pm. Tickets £10/£8 Bearwood Theatre, Winnersh BOX OFFICE: 0118 933 3791 or stageability.ticketsource.co.uk

Award winning music classes for babies & young children NEWBURY,

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Thames Valley West

PAGE 9

Education

Maths & English tuition centre For 5 to 14 year olds of all abilities • Courses mapped to the National Curriculum.

• Adapts to the individual needs of your child.

• Convenient for families - Open 7 days a week.

• Award-winning tuition - voted Education Investor Supplementary Education Provider of the Year.

“Explore Learning members’ improvement in maths was 30% higher than that of the comparison group after controlling for gender, age, year group and special educational needs.”

Independent Efficacy Study by the Institute of Education at Reading University (2013). See www.explorelearning.co.uk/efficacy.

are s c ild her ! h C uc pted Vo acce

‘OUTSTANDING’ - Ofsted An independent day school for boys and girls aged 4 to 11 years

Open Mornings:

Thursday 19th March 9.30am - 12pm If you would like to arrange an alternative time to visit us, please do get in touch

The Cedars School, Church Road, Aldermaston, Berkshire, RG7 4LR www.thecedarsschool.co.uk Tel: 0118 9714 251

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Thames Valley West

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Education

Can tutoring help your child?

Paying for extra tuition has become very popular over the last few years, says Hannah Hunter.

According to a poll last year by the Sutton Trust, nearly one in four 11-16 year olds at state schools in England and Wales said that their parents had paid for them to have extra help with their lessons.

So should you hire a tutor? If you don’t, will they be at a disadvantage when it comes to tests like the 11+ or Common Entrance exam, if everyone else seems to be sending their children for extra lessons?

Why get a tutor?

With stress on getting good grades now starting at KS1 and 2 with SATs, children are expected to achieve from a very young age. Schools cannot provide the one-to-one support, which can provide valuable help in some instances.

If a child is struggling with a subject area, or missing knowledge that is holding them back (e.g. after time off school), then a tutor is a great idea. If your child has additional needs, like dyslexia or ADHD, a tutor can provide valuable targeted support (if they have a statement, your child may be entitled to one-toone support in school).

Perhaps your child is having trouble getting the C-grade in Maths/English GCSE that they need for further education. Maybe they want to study a subject not offered at their school. Interview preparation for University is also a popular reason to hire a tutor, particularly for Oxbridge interviews.

However, if their problem is lack of motivation, then a tutor might not be the best idea – if they don’t want to work, you’re just wasting your money! Tutoring very young children can also be a problem – they can be so tired after a full school day and adding tutoring on top can wipe them out completely. There’s a lot of pressure on high achievers too - if they are doing well at school, why add needless stress?

When is it best to get help?

It’s best to start sooner rather than later. For example, if you’re hiring someone to help after the GCSE mocks in February there’s a limited amount they can achieve - if you think tuition will benefit your child, start from September of Year 11 onwards.

How to find a good tutor If you can get someone who is personally recommended, then obviously that is the best option. Make sure you check their references and DBS checks, and interview them before you hire them. It sounds obvious, but they need to get along with your child, as well as looking good on paper. Study centres and tuition agencies will ensure that their staff are safety checked and appropriately qualified, with some agencies only employing graduates in key subject areas.

- children learn in small groups, and they often accept childcare vouchers toward payment. For example, Explore Learning centres cost between £98-119 per month for 2 sessions a week, with reduced fees for siblings.

Help for Free Your child’s school may already offer older revision classes – make sure you’re aware of what’s available. There are excellent online resources to support at home learning – for example the BBC Bitesize website has games and revision subjects up to GCSE level. Perhaps you know someone who is a teacher, or has language or music skills, who may be able to informally help your child – you could do a childcare swap or similar in lieu of payment.

Visit www.familiestvw.co.uk/ schoolsupport for details of local tutors.

How much will it cost?

Other useful websites

According to the Good Schools Guide, an hour’s tuition can cost parents anything from £30 to well beyond. If this is beyond your budget, you could team up with friends for group tuition. Study centres may be more affordable

www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk/tutors www.suttontrust.com www.explorelearning.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/

VOCABULARY FLASH CARDS

11+ VERBAL REASONING VOCABULARY FLASH CARDS Expand your antonym and synonym knowledge Recommended by tutors for the verbal reasoning element of the Durham CEM test

www.vocabularyflashcards.co.uk

xxx www.familiestvw.co.uk/xxx More on education at www.familiestvw.co.uk/education

Thames Valley West

PAGE 11

Education

Learning holidays The Abbey School The independent day school in Reading for girls aged 3–18

“Pupils grow into self-confident and independent young people.”

ISI inspection, October 2014

Senior School Open Morning Friday 1 May 9.00-10.30am Junior School & Nursery Open Morning Friday 8 May 9.15-11.00am For times of Head’s talks and for more information please visit our website. For enquiries contact Admissions on 0118 987 2256 or email admissions@theabbey.co.uk

www.theabbey.co.uk ST EDWARD’S SCHOOL PreParatory School for boyS aged 4-13

WE ARE A SMALL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL FOR BOYS WITH SMALL CLASS SIZES AND A CARING FAMILY ENVIRONMENT THAT FOCUSES ON THE INDIVIDUAL BOY’S ACADEMIC, MORAL & PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. LOCATED IN THE HEART OF READING, WE ARE A SCHOOL WITH A GOOD REPUTATION THAT STRIVES TO BRING VALUE FOR MONEY FOR PARENTS.

OPEN MORNING:

Friday 68thth Feb May2015 20159–11am 9-11am Friday to register call

Andrea Cottle on 0118 957 4342 64 Tilehurst Road, RG30 2JH T: 0118 957 4342 F: 0118 950 3736 or visit

www.stedwards.org.uk PAGE 12

Thames Valley West

Of course a vacation is a time to laze around and do nothing; but they’re also bursting with opportunities to find out something new, and chasing those chances could give you the most fun of all. Joanna Moorhead reports.

“A learning holiday?” said one of my daughters, when I suggested we could combine going on a trip with supplementing her education. “Have you gone completely bonkers?”

I hadn’t; but what I did realise, at that moment, was the folly of being upfront in my views about how holidays could be an opportunity to impart knowledge. The trick is never to mention it, and not under any circumstances to admit or volunteer that you are aiming to weave a thread of anything educational through your spring or summer break. But the truth is, holidays are one of the best learning opportunities a parent has - and finding out new things that complement what’s happening in school can be a whole lot of fun when it’s far from the classroom and a long way from home.

In terms of focus, there are two possibilities. Either pick up on a child’s existing passion — for art, perhaps, or for airplanes or fashion or whatever it is — or try to give them a new perspective on a subject they’re finding difficult to engage with. In my own experience, I’ve always taken the former (easier) route; but I do sometimes think I should do more to help my kids with the parts of the curriculum they find hardest, and holidays could be the perfect time to do that.

Where to start? Here are some ideas.

Art Children start learning about individual artists from nursery school. Pick an artist your child has talked about at school, or has seemed drawn to when you’ve looked at his/her work together. Easily-accessible artists who use a lot of bright colours are ideal - think Van Gogh, Hockney, Georgia O’Keeffe.

It’s easy to make any holiday art-orientated, since art galleries are everywhere: but if you want, you can make it about more than just museums.

Try a trip to Arles in the south of France where you can see copies of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings set up on permanent easels in the exact spot where he painted them, and dine at the Starry Night Café; or have a trip to Cornwall and find the landscapes and fishing village scenes made famous by the Newlyn School. Or holiday in Pont-Aven in Brittany, once home to Paul Gaugin; or head for Italy and one of the numerous artists’ trails there such as the Piero della Francesca trail in Tuscany.

Science and nature The simplest way to introduce nature into your holiday is to go for a walk in an undeveloped area, and to explore the green space around you. Look for bugs, birds, small animals and their habitats; if you’re not very knowledgeable about

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Education

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Reading Eggs provides a comprehensive range of online reading lessons and eBooks that teach children aged 3-13 the literacy skills needed for lifetime reading success. The reason why over 90% of parents using Reading Eggs report a noticeable improvement in their child’s reading skills is because the programme makes learning phonics and basic reading skills fun.

With hundreds of reading lessons and activities to explore, sign up for our special 4 WEEK TRIAL* and see first-hand how your child’s reading can improve in just 4 weeks!

Living history at Apsley House, London

these things yourself, head for a park or arboretum where there are trails and leaflets with advice on what to look out for.

Star gazing is another great way to weave science into your holiday.

You can see the stars from your back garden on a clear night, but a camping holiday is often the key to the most impressive display of the constellations. Wetlands centres and natural history and science museums are more great ways to introduce the subject into your vacations in an exciting way.

Literacy Literacy isn’t just about books: taking your children to the places associated with characters from, and authors of, their favourite books will show them a whole new side to reading. For younger children, theme parks such as Thomasland (www.draytonmanor.co.uk) or Peppa Pig World (www.peppapigworld .co.uk) bring their characters to life in a new way and will prompt even more interest in the books; older children will enjoy a trip to Haworth in west Yorkshire, home of the Brontes and their heartrending true story. Or head to the Jane Austen attractions in Hampshire, or to the Thomas Hardy museum in Dorset; or the Lake District for a taste of Wordsworth.

History You can’t go wrong with history: in fact, it’s hard to have a holiday without it straying onto the margins even if you don’t try. Castles, National Trust houses, museums, cathedrals, palaces; the world is heaving with history, and it only takes a tiny bit of imagination to put it into action on holiday.

For something different, try taking your kids along to an event at an English Heritage or National Trust property designed to bring the history to life.

Or join a child-friendly guided tour of a palace or cathedral - good guides will be full of interesting stories that spark the imagination of even the child who might think history is boring in school.

And don’t forget to enjoy learning on holiday yourself!

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4 WEEK TRIAL* Hurry, offer ends 30th April 2015.

Register today at

www.readingeggs.co.uk/tvmarch *Free trial only available for new customers who sign up at the above address.

The multi-award winning online reading programme!

xxx www.familiestvw.co.uk/xxx More on education at www.familiestvw.co.uk/education

Thames Valley West

PAGE 13

Education

Catholic independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged 2 to 13

Open Morning Saturday 7 March 10.00am – 12.30pm

Goring Heath, South Oxfordshire, RG8 7SF tel: 0118 984 4511 email: office@oratoryprep.co.uk website: www.oratoryprep.co.uk

We’re looking for boys with great potential Our Foundation Awards can provide up to 100% of the fees for boys who are currently in state education.

Candidates should show strong academic potential and, ideally, be keen contributors to music, art, drama or sport. Radley is a leading boys’ boarding school set in beautiful grounds just 4 miles south of Oxford.

Awards are open for boys at 11+ or 13+. If your son shows great potential and would enjoy boarding school life, we’d love to hear from you.

Entry and assessment details can be found online. radley.org.uk 01235 543174 33242-RC-Found-Families-TVWest-AW.indd 1

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Thames Valley West

02/02/2015 16:20 MARCH/APRIL 2015

Easter Holiday Activities

Holiday Fun! There are lots of camps, holiday clubs and workshops running over the school break. Here are a few of our favourites but you can find more at www.familiestvw.co.uk/easteractivities adventurous activities for 8-18yrs. Book for a day or a week. There’s also a Junior Sailing Scheme course for 8-13yrs. Gain qualifications, keep fit and active, develop self-confidence and have fun. 0118 974 6343, www.wokingham.gov.uk/dac

Star Hotshots Multi Activity Sports Camps run at St Joseph’s

College, Reading; Reading Blue Coat School, Sonning; and St Pirans, Maidenhead staffed by qualified PE teachers. For ages 5-10yrs there are games and activities to develop sports skills plus specific sessions including swimming which is available every day. Ages 11-14yrs can enjoy a variety of new sports such as archery, golf, handball, street dance and Taekwondo. Open 7-10 April and 13-17 April from 8am-6pm (half days also available).

OFSTED registered. 0845 301 0450, www.star-hotshots.co.uk

The Apollo Holiday Care Club,

close to Reading town centre is open from 7-17 April for 4-11yrs. 8.30am5.30pm. £18 full day, £9 half day.

Closing date for registration is Monday 23 March. Childcare vouchers accepted.

Need to bring packed lunch. Activities include cooking, drama, special trips and arts & crafts. 0118 916 8416, www.apolloyouthclub.org.uk

Barracudas Activity Day Camps

at The Holt School, Wokingham is running from 7-17 April. For 4½-16yrs, the camp offers a varied choice of fun and exciting activities including archery, motor sports, fencing, football, art & crafts, dance and circus skills to name a few! They offer fun at a fair price and the great option to use childcare vouchers as payment. The camp runs from 8.30am-5.30pm with 8am-6pm extended day available. 0845 123 5299, www.barracudas.co.uk

Berzerk Productions are running an Easter theatre school at South Street Arts Centre in Reading from 7-10 April, 10am-4pm. ‘Let it Go’ is a fun-filled four-day theatre course for 6+yrs based on Frozen with games, mime, music, singing, dance, team work, make-up, costume and crafts. Work on a script, songs and dances from the Disney extravaganza, meet new friends and go berzerk! 07976 652 742. Book online at www.berzerkproductions.com Bulmershe Gymnastics Club in

Woodley has holiday sessions for children from walking to 12yrs from 10am-2.30pm on Tuesdays 7 and 14 April. £6.50 per hour session, £13 for two hours. 0118 926 3686, admin@bulmershegymnastics.co.uk www.bulmershegymnastics.co.uk

Dinton Multi-Activity Centre at

Dinton Pastures near Hurst is running its popular Wild Days weekdays during the school holidays. These multi-activity days offer sailing, rock climbing, map reading, raft building and other

Eddie Catz Newbury is running a

range of workshops over the holidays with something for everyone. Take a look at their website for details and to book.

0203 475 5268, www.eddiecatz.com

Energy Kidz Holiday Club Quality, fun and affordable holiday clubs, from 7th-17th April in, Crowthorne, Spencers Wood, Wargrave, Woodley, Caversham, Addlestone, Maidenhead, Windsor and Wokingham. Activities include arts & crafts, sports and specialist activities for 4-11yrs. Energy Kidz are Play Champions recognised by NCDUK. Prices: (10am-4pm) £22.50 per day, Extended Day (8am-6pm) £26.50. 0845 519 4470, www.Energy-Kidz.co.uk Explore Learning centres provide maths and English tuition to 5-14 year olds of all abilities. Explore fits easily around family life; the centres are open 7 days a week, with children able to attend up to twice a week on a drop-in basis. On 31 March or 14 April, the Explore Learning centre in Calcot Sainsbury’s will be hosting a day of free workshops for children ages 5-14.

Spaces are limited so call to reserve your place or to book a free trial. 0118 942 4002, www.explorelearning.co.uk

Waverley Preparatory School and Day Nursery 15 AY 0 D 4/2 pm

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Jubilee Jets Holiday Club

Jubilee Jets Holiday Club runs at

Ark House, School Rd, Padworth Common, RG7 4JA from 7-17 April for 5-11yrs. Enjoy woodland adventures, animal care, quad biking, football, team challenges, arts, crafts and much more.

8am-6pm. Day or Morning sessions available. Book and pay online. Childcare vouchers are also accepted. 0118 983 4108, www.jubileejets.co.uk

Kids’n’Action will be running various Easter themed activities throughout the holidays, such as egg hunts, face painting, arts and crafts and a visit from the Easter Bunny! More details will be announced nearer the time via their Facebook page so for more information please visit www.facebook.com/kidsandaction

From Day Nursery through to Preparatory School, “pupils thrive in this warm and friendly community” – (ISI Inspection)

0118 973 1121

info@waverleyschool.co.uk | waverleyschool.co.uk Waverley Way, Finchampstead, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 4YD

|

educating the individual

xxx www.familiestvw.co.uk/xxx More on education Easter camps at www.familiestvw.co.uk/easteractivities www.familiestvw.co.uk/education

|

Thames Valley West

PAGE 15

Easter Holiday Activities

H C A O C E STAG HAM G N I K O W Easter Workshop at

St. Crispin’s Secondary School Musical in a Week

From Film to Stage

7th - 10th April

7th - 10th April (4-6 YEARS)

(7-18 YEARS)

everyday, 9.30-12.30pm th 12.30pm on 10 performance Cost £90 ol, condary Scho St. Crispin’s Se Wokingham , London Road RG40 1SS tumes or ra costs for cos (no hidden ext etc. siblings £70) tickets

10 - 4pm every day, performance 4pm on 10th Cost £120 St. Crispin’s Se condary Scho ol, London Road , Wokingham RG40 1SS (no hidden ext ra costs tickets etc. sibl for costumes or ings £90

) Stagecoach W okingham okingham Stagecoach W 0118 37

0118 371 2998

1 2998

wokingham@s tagecoach.co .uk .uk www.stageco tagecoach.co ach.co.uk/wok wokingham@s m .uk/wokingha .co T h e a t r e A r t ing s S cha h o om ls ach eco www.stag

Stagecoach

Energy Kidz Holiday Clubs

Kings Camp is running a choice of

Easter Camps at Queen Anne’s School, Caversham. 7-17 April. Multi-Active for 4-14yrs, Rookie Sports Leadership Camps for 14-17yrs and International Soccer Schools, a specialist football programme, for 5-10yrs. 0114 263 2160, www.kingscamps.org

Perform Wokingham is running

another exciting drama, dance and singing course for 4-7yrs. It features a swashbuckling royal adventure for brave pirates and fearless princesses with costumes, live music, scripts, improvisation and dance. Children can meet new friends and develop their social skills along the way. Runs from 13-15 April, 10am-12noon, and costs £100 (sibling and group discounts available).

0845 400 1283 www.perform.org.uk

Reading FC has various soccer schools running between 7-17 April for boys and girls aged 6-14yrs, including goalkeeping and girls-only courses. Locations include the Dome at the Madejski Stadium; the Goals Centre in Woodley; Henwick Playing Fields in Thatcham; Palmer Park, Reading (for 5-12yrs); Ruscombe; and Church Crookham. 0118 968 1460, www. readingfc.co.uk/club/community Reading Museum has the Huntley & Palmers Easter Biscuit Bake Off on 9 April. Create your own biscuit mix which will then be baked by resident French chef, Loic Gautier. Find out more about Reading’s own biscuit making firm and create a special H&P box to take your biscuits away in. 2-hour sessions for 7+yrs starting at 10am & 1pm. £10, booking essential. This session will be repeated on 16 April if there is enough demand. There are also lots of drop in family workshops running, see our What’s On pages for details. 0118 937 3400.

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

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

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

01235 467300 www.supercamps.co.uk PAGE 16

Thames Valley West

The River & Rowing Museum in Henley has several workshops running over the holidays, as well as the drop in events to be found in our What’s On pages, 01491 415 600, www.rrm.co.uk: • 1 April Secret Theatre - a unique session exploring set design and theatre production. Discover behind the scenes at the Kenton Theatre and create your own set at the Museum.

11-15yrs. 10am-1pm. £10.

• 7 April Pom Pom Chicks - learn new skills to create Pom Pom chicks and paper posies in a little basket for spring time. 4-7yrs. 10.30am12.30pm. £8.50.

• 8 April Caterpillar Crazy - make a crazy model to show how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. 4-7yrs.

10.30am-12.30pm. £8.50 per child.

• 8 April Gargoyles Galore - get expressive and explore the world of gargoyles, grotesques and green men. 7-11yrs. 2pm-4pm. £8.50.

Rivermead Leisure Complex is

running a Holiday Play Scheme for over 8s, from 7-10 April and 13-17 April, 8.30am-

6pm. Cost is £17 per day. Drop in sessions are available daily. For more information and to book call 0118 901 5039.

South Hill Park in Bracknell offers the

following workshops, 01344 484 123, www.southhillpark.org.uk • 7-12 April Little Danny Easter School - young performers will create their own version of Danny, The Champion of the World to perform on the professional Danny set; • 14 April Easter Play with Clay explore the exciting possibilities of pottery for 8-12yrs, 10am-12noon; • 16 April Easter Art Factory - spend the morning using clay, collage, drawing and sculpture, 4-11yrs, 10am-12noon. Both these workshops cost £18/£17 members; • 17 April Easter Parent & Child Play with Clay Workshop - explore and learn about pottery together, 10am12noon, £36/£34 for parent and 1 child, £16 per extra child.

Stagecoach Wokingham is running Easter Workshops at St Crispin’s School in Wokingham from 7-10 April. ‘From Film to Stage’ workshop for 4-6yrs runs daily from 9.30am-12.30pm and ‘A Musical in a Week’ for 7-18yrs from 10am-4pm. Spend a fun-packed time preparing and rehearsing for a final production to friends and family at the end of the course. Open to all regardless of experience or ability. 0118 371 2998, wokingham@stagecoach.co.uk Super Camps are running Multi-

activity Camps from 7-17 April at Trinity School, Newbury and Hurst Lodge School in Ascot. These offer over 40 different sports, arts and crafts activities for 4-14yrs, from archery to quad bikes.

There are also Passion for Food Bake-Off courses for budding Berrys and young Hollywoods aged 7-13yrs running from 7-10 April at Hurst Lodge and 13-17 April at Trinity School. Hurst Lodge School also has a RAW Adventure camp for 7-14yrs, offering the chance to reconnect with nature, mastering skills like orienteering, shelter-making, fire-lighting and archery.

All camps offer optional extended hours from 8am-6pm. 01235 467 300, www.supercamps.co.uk

The Watermill Theatre in Newbury

has a Play in a Week workshop from 1317 April for 8-11yrs (mornings) and 1216yrs (afternoons). Create, rehearse and perform a play. No experience necessary. £95. 01635 570 934, www.watermill. org.uk/take-part

Waverley School Holiday Club

based at Waverley School in Finchampstead is open on 2 April and from 7-17 April for 3-11yrs. Themed weeks with arts, crafts, cooking, sports, dance, music and Forest School. Open 7.30am-6pm, half days available.

Call 0118 973 1121 or email info@waverleyschool for more information. Booking forms available at www.waverleyschool.co.uk

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Easter Holiday Activities

Barracudas Barracudas are gearing up for another holiday full of fun and exciting activities in Wokingham this Easter. With over 80 activities on offer to all 4½ - 16 year olds, you can be sure your children will have such an amazing time they can’t wait to come back!

Barracudas is the only camp that offers all children a CHOICE every hour.

Their high staff ratios, Outstanding OFSTED grades and long standard hours of 8.30am-5.30pm make Barracudas an easy choice for parents too (8am-6pm available too).

Call 0845 123 5299 or visit www.barracudas.co.uk for full details.

Energy Kidz Energy Kidz Holiday Clubs offer your child a fun filled, action packed school holiday, delivered in a safe and supervised environment by qualified staff.

Energy Kidz, who are ‘Play Champions’ recognised by NCDUK, understand that children have different interests, and ensure that each day is filled with a wide range of activities. Sports, arts and crafts, dance, construction projects and themed parties are just a few of the activities on offer.

The locations offer the very best environments for a holiday club, alongside modern, well equipped indoor space there is extensive outside space, featuring adventure playgrounds and large grass areas for sports and activities.

Energy Kidz Ofsted registered clubs are available in many locations including Reading, Wokingham, Caversham, Windsor, Addlestone, Maidenhead & Wargrave. Clubs are open from 8am-6pm daily, early booking discounts are available and childcare vouchers accepted.

For more information and to book visit their website www.energy-kidz.co.uk

Mini Mudder Challenge You may have heard of Tough Mudder. You may even have been brave (or mad) enough to have taken part in one of their hard-core obstacle course challenges. Well now your children can join in the fun too, when the first ever Fruit Shoot Mini Mudder challenge comes to Henley.

Organisers hope that the event will inspire the next generation to explore their adventurous sides and have fun together whilst getting muddy - very muddy!

The Mini Mudder event will take place on the Culden Faw estate, just outside Henley, running alongside the adult version on 2 and 3 May, not quite the Easter holidays but we thought it was too much fun to miss out. It features a course devised by a group of mini mud experts who were asked to come up with the wildest and most adventurous obstacles they could imagine. The result is a 1-mile challenge full of delights such as The Tunnel of Terror, Gooey Shoes, Secret Agent Squeeze and the grand finale Mount Mud Hill which ends with an exciting Fruit Shoot slide into the mud to claim your headband after finishing the course.

Suitable for children aged 7 to 12 years and 1.1m tall and above, the event is untimed to encourage children to focus on trying new things, building friendships and working as a team.

So if you would like to get your child off their games console – and your washing machine can take it – sign them up now at www.toughmudder.com

Energy Kidz Holiday Clubs Energy Kidz Holiday Clubs offer your child a fun filled, action packed school holiday, delivered in a safe and supervised environment by qualified staff.

Energy Kidz who are ‘Play Champions’ recognised by NCDUK, understand that children have different interests, and ensure that each day is filled with a wide range of activities. Sports, arts and crafts, dance, construction projects and themed parties are just some of the activities we offer.

Our locations offer the very best environments for a holiday club, alongside modern, well equipped indoor space we have extensive outside space, featuring adventure playgrounds and large grass areas for sports and activities.

OUR PRICES THIS EASTER

DAILY

Standard Holiday Club Day - 10.00am to 4.00pm

£22.50

Extended Holiday Club Day - 8.00am to 6.00pm

£26.50

Energy Kidz Ofsted registered clubs are available in locations including, Reading, Wokingham, Caversham, Windsor, Addlestone, Maidenhead & Wargrave.

Visit our website for more details. Sibling discounts available and childcare vouchers accepted.

xxx www.familiestvw.co.uk/xxx More on education Easter camps at www.familiestvw.co.uk/easteractivities www.familiestvw.co.uk/education

Thames Valley West

PAGE 17

Childcare Welcoming our Woodpeckers to Jubilee Day Nursery We have greeted the New Year in with the opening of Woodpeckers, our new baby/toddler area. This exciting new play space has been specifically designed for our oldest babies.

Woodpeckers gives them space to explore and to discover, in a safe and secure environment.

With our experienced professional caring team close at hand to encourage and support their individual, play learning and developmental needs.

In addition, Woodpeckers have their own outdoor play area, which is easily accessible, along with their much loved trips to our woods and farm. The children also enjoy a variety of activities, including toddler sensory, helping them gain skills in rhythm and beat.

Other exciting plans at Jubilee Day Nursery and Jubilee Gems for 2015 include the opening of our Summer School for all pre-school children. Booking forms and information will be available after May half term.

At Jubilee Gems Our term-time nursery for 2 year olds to school age children continues to grow and develop. With lots of new and exciting activities planned, including more adventures exploring the local environment in our Jubilee minibus.

As the weather continues to improve and spring arrives we will be spending more time creating new and exciting areas within our outdoor play spaces. We are all looking forward to the spring and the arrival of lambs, chicks and ducklings.

If you would like your child to be part of the Jubilee experience or would like to become part of our growing team then please contact us today.

Call Lesley on 01189 701 600 Email info@jubileedaynursery.co.uk or visit our website www.jubileedaynursery.co.uk

Call Sian on 01189 834 018 Email info@jubileegems.co.uk or visit our website www.jubileegems.co.uk

Childcare quiz: What’s best for me?

There are a whole host of factors to take into account when working out what type of childcare is going to be best for you and your children. Joanna Moorhead guides you through the questions you need to ask yourself - and offers a key to what kind of care your answers might point towards.

1. How many children do you have?

y child where everriv can th e

Different forms of childcare suit different sizes of family, primarily for cost reasons. For example, even though some nurseries offer reductions for a second child your bill for two children is still going to be a lot more than it will be for one, whereas with a nanny the cost is the same whether it’s one child or three, because you pay for the nanny’s time.

SCORE 1 per child; plus 1 if there’s a high chance you’ll be pregnant again in the next 18 months

2. What ages are your children?

The younger your youngest child is, the more individually-tailored care you’re likely to need.

SCORE 3 if your youngest is under a year, 2 if he/she is under two years, and 1 if he/she is three-plus We are an independent, co-educational setting for children aged 3 months 11 years. All our children are nurtured and encouraged to learn and develop in a warm, caring and happy environment and to grow into self assured and confident young people.

Pre-Prep and Prep School • Reception – Year 6, transparent inclusive fee structure of just £500 per month.

• Onsite teacher-led wrap around care.

51 weeks at no extra cost.

• Small class sizes of 20 children or less.

• Specialist teachers for 3 languages (French, Spanish, Mandarin), Forest School, swimming, cookery, music and football.

Nursery and Pre-school • Children from 3 months to 5 years on a full or part-time basis, operating from 8am until 6pm, 51 weeks of the year.

Activities include: Forest School, Jo Jingles, 3 languages, crafts, story time and messy play, whilst incorporating Early Years Foundation learning goals.

Our Lady’s School & Day Nursery

The Avenue, Crowthorne, Berks RG45 6PB ~ Tel: 01344 773394 E: office@olps.co.uk www.ourladysprep.co.uk Open Days throughout the year. Parents may view the school at any other time by appointment.

PAGE 18

Thames Valley West

3. Do you live in a rural or an urban area?

The more populous your area, the more childcare options there will be available, in terms of more nurseries, and a higher number of childminders. If you live somewhere really remote, hiring a nanny might be the only option.

SCORE 3 for a rural area, 2 if you live in the suburbs, 1 if you’re an urbanite

4. Are you a single parent?

If so you’re likely to have less back-up, but also a lower disposable income.

SCORE 2 if yes

5. How much disposable income do you have?

The money you spend on childcare is less about what you’ve got left over and more about investing in your career for the future. But you still need to have some spare income to pay for it.

SCORE 3 if you have what you’d consider a high disposable income; 2 if medium; and 1 if low

6. Is your work predictable?

Knowing you’re going to start and finish work at the same time each day makes nursery a much more realistic option than if you’re likely to be called in to your workplace at the drop of a hat, or in the middle of the night, or if you might end up staying till the early hours with little or no warning.

SCORE 1 for yes, 3 for no MARCH/APRIL 2015

Childcare

© golovianko - Fotolia.co m

7. Do you have a long commute?

You need to add travel time to your working hours, and if you’re commuting a long distance a nursery or a childminder might be trickier.

SCORE 3 for yes

8. Do you have a spare bedroom?

A live-in nanny needs a place to sleep; though if you don’t have the space, you can still consider sharing a nanny who lives in the other family’s home.

SCORE 3 for yes

9. Does your child have an allergy or health issue of any kind?

A health issue could make a nanny the best bet, because her care can be concentrated on your child and all activities/meals/outings can be planned with your child at the centre.

SCORE 3 for yes

Book a Kids’ Club party at the Regal • • • • • • •

Kids’ Club film ticket Decorated party area Baby popcorn and fruit shoot Party food and birthday cake Helium balloon for birthday child Goody bags for each child Party host to s et up and clean up

… all for just £13.50 per child 2 Boroma Way, Henley RG9 2BZ 0871 902 5738 www.picturehouses.co.uk/henley

Party Time!

10. Are you a ‘laissez faire’ or a ‘controlling’ parent?

If you’re the kind of parent who’s going to be happy to leave your childcarer to make decisions on your behalf through the day, you’re probably going to be happier with a childminder or nursery setting than if you want to be able to lay down exactly what you want to happen while you’re at work.

SCORE 1 for laissez faire, 3 for controlling

SCORES Up to 10 Could a nursery be the right choice for you? Look round some of the nurseries in your area and see what your instinctive feel about them is.

Nurseries provide more structured care that can suit many families, though it’s harder for them to cater for parents who work very long or unpredictable hours.

10-20 Are you the perfect fit for a childminder? For families who like the idea of childcare in a different setting from home, with other children but with some flexibility on timings, this can be a perfect option - and childminders tend to be lower-cost than nurseries or nannies.

20-30 If you have the space and the income, hiring a nanny means you can provide care that’s tailored precisely to your child or children. Plus if your family is still expanding, a nanny can be a cost-saver in the long term.

We hope you enjoyed this quiz, it’s just a bit of fun and it may not provide the correct answer for you. Hopefully though it will at least make you think about your options in a different way – and maybe help you to come to your own decision about what is right for your family.

More on childcare at www.familiestvw.co.uk/childcare

Thames Valley West

PAGE 19

Childcare

What to expect from your child’s nursery education

We’ve all heard about the importance of early years education. Apparently a child who has gone to pre-school has more chance of getting better exam results and ultimately earning higher wages, according to new research undertaken by academics at the Institute of Education.

So you send your child to nursery, in the hope that it will improve their education prospects. But what are they actually going to do there all day? They’re not going to tell you!

Teenagers struggle enough to recall what’s happened a few hours before, so you can’t expect detailed information from a 3-year-old.

To give you some idea of what will happen, you can look at the legal requirements for nurseries in the UK. The Early Years Foundation Stage framework is a document that sets out the statutory welfare and developmental goals for children 5 years and under. It gives guidelines for safety and learning and development for all early years providers - all nurseries, child minders, playgroups, preschools and reception classes

The EYFS explained The EYFS framework document can seem daunting, but it’s there to ensure that all children receive a suitable level of care.

It sets out the legal requirements that keep your child safe and promote their welfare.

This includes: • Basic checks, such as staff security checks • Setting the number of children each member of staff can look after • Ensuring the facilities and equipment are safe and suitable • Checking the quality of the environment, e.g. recommending access to outdoor space

PAGE 20

Thames Valley West

Robert Kneschke - Fotolia.com

It’s an exciting time when your little one goes out into the big wide world for the first time – whether it is to nursery, preschool, a childminder, or reception class. Hannah Hunter tells us more about what they will be doing when they are there.

It also covers the seven areas of learning and development. These are: • communication and language • physical development • personal, social and emotional development • literacy • mathematics • understanding the world • expressive arts and design The activities they will do at nursery, to support their learning and development will be unique to your child’s needs. They will learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. There is a requirement for ‘continuous provision’, which in layman’s terms means that there needs to be high quality resources and activities available all of the time, so your child can learn through play in lots of different ways.

Assessment The EYFS also lays out guidelines for assessment of your child’s progress. Soon after your child turns 2, you will get a written summary of how your child is progressing in communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Any areas where they need extra help or support will be highlighted at this stage.

The next written assessment will come when your child is 5, usually at the end of their reception year, which is the last year they are classed as being in early years education. This will include assessment of skills such as writing their name, reading and talking about a favourite book, speaking to people your child is not so familiar with or their understanding of numbers. The school will give you a progress report including some of this information.

How will I know how my child is doing?

Your child will have a ‘key person’ at nursery, preschool or reception class, who is responsible for putting together information on how they are developing. This person will be your main point of contact, and it’s important that you work together and communicate well. Any worries about your child should be discussed with their key worker, and they will be able to build on what your child is learning at home.

For a detailed parent’s guide to the EYFS go to: www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2014/08/ EYFS_Parents_Guide-amended.pdf For more general advice for parents visit: www.ndna.org.uk/parents

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Great Competitions from

To celebrate new classes in Wokingham and Reading, BilinguaSing are offering readers the chance to win a term (6 weeks) of bilingual music classes. BilinguaSing is a class for Mums, Dads and little ones to learn another language together in a fun and engaging way. Familiar nursery rhymes are learnt in both Spanish or French and English and are accompanied by a variety of fun movements and lovely props. 'Baby Loves Spanish/French' classes are suitable for babies 1mth+ and 'We Sing Spanish/French' sessions are for toddlers/pre-schoolers.

For more information or to book a FREE TRIAL CLASS call 07810 751645 or visit www.bilinguasing.com To enter just visit www.familiestvw.co.uk/competitions today.

Closing date April 10.

The Abingdon Air and Country Show on Sunday 3 May, held in support of the Thames Valley and Chiltern Air Ambulance, has something for everyone – air displays, vintage vehicles, steam engines, static aircraft, falconry and sheep dog demonstrations, music, dance, children’s amusements, tank rides, craft and trade stalls and plenty more. One lucky reader will win a family ticket worth £32 for this fantastic event.

For more information and ticket prices visit www.abingdonairandcountry.co.uk To enter just visit www.familiestvw.co.uk/competitions today. Closing date April 10.

WIN a fun-packed Birthday Party Eddie Catz Newbury is offering one lucky winner a birthday party of their choice for up to 10 children aged 0-10 years including a themed Eddie Catz chocolate fudge cake and a visit from Eddie Catz himself!

You can choose from an Eddie Party, a Toddler Party, a Make a Bear Party or a Laser Tag!! Eddie Catz offer fun-packed, exciting parties where your guests can enjoy all the play equipment, multi sports pitch and disco room.

Plus, everyone who enters will receive an offer voucher.

For more information call 0203 4755268 or visit www.eddiecatz.com

To enter just visit www.familiestvw.co.uk/competitions today. Closing date April 10.

MANYDOWN FAMILY FUN

WIN a day out with the animals

on ti ti pe m Co

WIN a family day out

on ti ti pe m Co

ABINGDON AIR and COUNTRY SHOW

EDDIE CATZ

on ti ti pe m Co

WIN a term of Music Classes

on ti ti pe m Co

BILINGUASING

It’s exciting for all the family at Manydown Family Fun. Come and experience Spring on the Farm from 28 March! See newborn lambs being fed, handle chicks and rabbits, experience the tractor ride, and watch the sheep racing. Enjoy the 'rabbit warren’; the giant inflatables; and the new crazy golf course! Plus, one lucky reader has the chance to win a day pass for a family of 4.

For more information call 01256 220398 or visit www.manydownfamilyfun.co.uk To enter just visit www.familiestvw.co.uk/competitions today. Closing date April 10.

Thames Valley West

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What‘s On EC 87 x 130 02/02/2015 10:08 Page 1

Diary Dates Ongoing events Weekly – BIG SCREAM, TODDLER TIME & KIDS’ CLUBS at The Regal Picturehouse, Henley, RG9 2BZ, 0871 902 5738, www.picturehouses.co.uk/Henley Big Scream Club runs on Fridays at 11am exclusively for parents with babies under 1yr so you can catch the latest film releases. For pre-school children Toddler Time on Tuesdays at 11am offers special 30-minute shows designed to introduce little ones to the big screen and for older children there’s Kids’ Club every Saturday showing a classic film at 11am plus prescreening activities.

Softplay • Playframe Padded Toddler Area • Video Games Kiddie Rides • Disco • Café Baby & Toddler Classes

Birthday Parties Laser Tag Make a Bear Parties Holiday Workshops

Until 4 May – TOYS IN TROUBLE SHOW at The Look Out Discovery Centre, Bracknell, RG12 7QW, 01344 354 400, www.bracknell-forest.gov. uk/thelookoutdiscoverycentre Whilst visiting the exhibition, why not also enjoy this fun show which takes a light-hearted look at the science behind toys. Eric the owl has a very naughty sister called Erica and she has messed up all of Eric’s toys, will you help sort them out? Shows run at weekends and during Bracknell school holidays (subject to minimum numbers) and entrance costs just £1.85 per person in addition to the main admission price.

NEWBURY Northway House, York Road Newbury RG14 7NF Tel. 0203 4755268

Berkshire Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire

Easter Holidays Fun at the

SILLY SCIENCE: Rocket Chicks & Paper Plate Bunnies

Wednesday 8th April - Sessions throughout the day Pick a session of rocket chicks in the morning or paper plate bunnies in the afternoon and enjoy silly science this Easter!

Or book for both and spend the day with us. Sessions will involve a practical science activity with an Easter theme. £3.00 per child, adults free, booking essential

POND DIP & BUG HUNT DAY

Friday 10th April - Sessions throughout the day Join the ranger and search our pond, woodland and meadow areas to discover the bugs that live on the reserve. £5 per family, booking essential

RECYCLED ARTS WORKSHOP: Map book windmills

Friday 17th April - 11am-4pm Drop in throughout the day to make a windmill from old maps with ingenious recycler Jill Nicholas. £1 per item, drop in event Contact us to book or for more info: ■ 01635 874 381 ■ ndc@bbowt.org.uk ■ www.naturediscovery.org.uk

Thames Valley West

Opening Times 10.30am – 5pm Tuesday – Sunday Closed Mondays

Managed by the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Wildlife Trust on behalf of:

Photos by: Jon Cruise, Amy Lewis, Dave Appleton, Rachel Hudson

Nature Discovery Centre

PAGE 22

11-14 March – THE BIG BANG FAIR at the NEC, Birmingham, www.thebigbangfair.co.uk The largest celebration of science and engineering for young people in the UK. Designed to inspire 7-19 year olds to make the link between the classroom and great careers, it allows them to meet some of the country’s leading scientists and engineers and to see interactive exhibits and explosive live theatre shows.

The event and shows are all free but you do need to register on the website.

March Weekends during March – WILD & WACKY ENTERTAINERS at Odds Farm Park, 01628 520188, www.oddsfarm.co.uk The crazy entertainers return to Odds Farm Park with a mix of magic, fun, entertainment and more with performances throughout the day. Free with entrance fee.

www.eddiecatz.com

The Nature Discovery Centre Muddy Lane, Lower Way, Thatcham RG19 3FU

We take great care in compiling these listings but please always contact the venue in advance to check details are correct.

6 March – TODDLER TIME ON THE MOVE at The Museum of English Rural Life, Redlands Rd, Reading, RG1 5EX, 0118 378 8660, www.reading.ac.uk/merl As MERL is closed until early 2016 for redevelopment, the Toddler Time sessions have moved next door to the Learning Hub, Building 24 on the London Road Campus. MERL staff and volunteers will be joined by Institute of Education staff for singing, stories and craft inspired by the MERL collections.

Suitable for families with children aged 2-4. Park and meet at MERL. 10-11am. £2 per child, no need to book.

7 March – FAMILY FUN DAY at Cliveden, Taplow, Maidenhead, SL6 0JA, 0844 249 1895, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden Have lots of fun as you help the rangers make charcoal, clear woodland and toast marshmallows. Suitable for 6+yrs.

10.30am-3pm. A free event but booking essential as places are limited.

7-8 March – DAYS OUT WITH THOMAS at Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, OX11 7NJ, 01235 817 200, www.dayoutwiththomas.co.uk/didcot Ride behind ‘Thomas’, see the Troublesome Trucks in action, find out about Duck’s Dilemma and meet Diesel and the Fat Controller. Plus a variety of children’s entertainment including magic shows, Punch & Judy, balloon modelling and a circus workshop. 10am-5pm, with entrance from 9.30am. Tickets: £14, senior £12, family (2+2) £42. Tickets available on the day or book in advance either online or by phone.

13 March – LEGOLAND RE-OPENS at LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, 0871 2222 001, www.legoland.co.uk New for 2015 is LEGO® Friends Heartlake City due to open in early summer. This new area will feature a mix of character meet and greets, a live action music show featuring all five friends, a Heartlake City Mall themed area, and new attractions.

The LEGO® City area has been improved too with a bigger and better Driving School and enhanced Boating School.

LEGOLAND will be closed some midweek days in low season.

13-22 March – BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK at various locations, //britishscienceweek.org This annual event features a programme of science, technology, engineering and maths events and activities across the UK for people of all ages. Visit the website for the full programme of local events.

14-22 March – HENLEY YOUTH FESTIVAL at various venues around

Henley, www.hyf.org.uk A varied programme on the theme of ‘Me in my world’ which includes performance arts, sports, competitions, events and exhibitions. Lots of free workshops on offer including hockey, judo, Taekwon-do, ukulele playing, Storytime, arts & crafts, fencing, Disco Divas & Dudes and cricket. Visit the website to find out more and to book.

14 March & 11 April – NICK COPE: FAMILY MUSIC at The Corn Exchange, Market Place, Newbury, RG14 5BD 0845 5218 218, www.cornexchangenew.com Enjoy a delightful hour of songs and fun from singer/songwriter Nick Cope about everything from counting and animals to how plants grow. Suitable for under 9s.

Tickets: £4. NB The 14 March event is a special Relaxed performance designed to welcome people with particular needs and disabilities.

MARCH/APRIL 2015

What‘s On NT Arnhel de Serra

Mother’s Day Events 14 March – GET READY FOR MOTHER’S DAY at Basildon Park, Lower Basildon, RG8 9NR, 0118 984 3040, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/basildonpark Enjoy making an extra special handmade gift for your mum.

Drop in between 12noon-4pm. Free with admission price.

15 March – FAMILY FUN: MOTHER’S DAY at The Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Lower Way, Thatcham, RG19 3FU, 01635 874 381, www.bbowt.org.uk Come along as a family and treat mum to an afternoon of wildlife discovery. Find out more about your local wildlife and make a gift for mum to take home. 2-4pm. £1 per child.

15 March – MOTHER’S DAY CRUISE leaving from Hobbs of Henley Ltd, Station Rd, Henley, RG9 1AZ, 01491 572 035, www.hobbs-of-henley.com Treat your mum to a unique Mother’s Day lunch and cruise aboard The New Orleans. 12.30-3.30pm. Tickets cost £39 pp which includes an arrival drink, 3 course lunch and live entertainment. A children’s menu for under 10s costs £12.

15 March – MOTHER’S DAY at Cliveden, Taplow, Maidenhead, SL6 0JA, 0844 249 1895, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden Celebrate Mother’s Day by visiting Cliveden. Mums go free and can enjoy the beautiful grounds plus a free wine tasting between 12noon-3pm (while stocks last).

19 March- 1 April – SPRINGTIME FUN STORY & CRAFT SESSIONS at Wokingham Libraries, www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries/events/ Springtime stories, rhymes and craft for the under 5s.

Just drop in. £1.50 charge.

• 19 March Spencers Wood Library at 10.15am11am; • 23 March Lower Earley Library 10.15am-11am; • 24 March Finchampstead Library 2pm-2.45pm; • 27 March Wargrave Library 2pm-2.45pm & Twyford Library 10.15am-11am; • 31 March Woodley Library 10.15am-11am; • 1 April Wokingham Library 10.15am-11am.

21-22 and 28-29 March – LAMBING WEEKENDS at Earth Trust Centre, Little Wittenham, Oxon, OX14 4QZ, 01865 407 792, www.earthtrust.org.uk Visit a real working farm for their annual lambing weekends. See some lambs being born and enjoy craft activities and refreshments. 10am-4pm. Entry: adult £6, child £3, family £15. No need to book.

22 March – RECYCLED ARTS WORKSHOP at The Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Lower Way, Thatcham, RG19 3FU, 01635 874 381, www.bbowt.org.uk Join recycling enthusiast Jill Nicholas and make Frisbees using laminated posters. Drop in between 11am-4pm. £1 per item.

15 March – MOTHER’S DAY at The Savill Garden, Wick Lane, Englefield Green, TW20 0UU, www.theroyallandscape.co.uk Mums enjoy free entry for the day into The Savill Garden. Enjoy the beautiful gardens, the Savill Building with gift shop, plant centre, restaurant and art gallery.

Horse drawn carriage rides will also be available (weather permitting). Normal parking charges apply.

15 March – MARVELLOUS MOTHERING SUNDAY CRAFT FAIR at The Vyne, Vyne Rd,

Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, RG24 9HL, 01256 883 858, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/vyne The Vyne’s bijou craft fair treats mums to a lovely day of delectable gifts, from jewellery to skincare. Younger visitors can join in with craft-making activities and create something special for mums. Don’t forget to visit the 16th-century Brewhouse restaurant for edible treats, including cream teas and freshly baked cakes.

11am-4pm. Normal admission charges apply.

15 March – MOTHER’S DAY at Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Chinnor, OX39 4ER, 01844 353 535, www.chinnorrailway.co.uk Mums travel free when accompanied by a fare paying passenger and receive a complimentary posy of flowers. Trains at 10.15am, 11.45am, 1.30pm, 3pm and 4.30pm. Cream teas available but must be prebooked.

Easter Holidays Over the holidays – EASTER ACTIVITIES at Eddie Catz Newbury, RG14 7NF, 0203 475 5268, www.eddiecatz.com There will be something for all the family over the Easter holidays at Eddie Catz, from special events, toddler activities, drop-off workshops and character visits. See 3 April entry for Family Fun Day. Check the website for other events and to book. *Enter our competition on page 21 to win tickets to Eddie Catz.

28 March- 12 April – EASTER EVENTS at The River and Rowing Museum, Mill Meadows, Henley, RG9 1BF, 01491 415 600, www.rrm.co.uk Easter Egg Hunt - follow the Easter Bunny’s trail, solve a puzzle and enjoy a mini Easter egg. 10am-5pm. Free with admission. As well as lots of Easter workshops (details on page 17) the following special events are also running: • 31 March Mad Hatter’s Tea Party - fancy dress competition, biscuit decorating, mad hat making and magic all included in admission price. 11am-3pm.

• 1 April Taylor Tugs Holiday Happenings - join Taylor Tug for lots of creative springtime fun based on beautiful Museum objects. Make, sing and play the morning away.

For 18 months-5yrs. 11am-12.30pm. £6.50, must book.

• 9 April Feathers and Fleeces - donkeys, rabbits and chicks take over the Museum! Meet the animals from Mill Cottage Farm Experience and enjoy lots of great craft activities. 10.30am-4pm. Free with admission.

28 March-19 April – FARMING FUN AT EASTER at Manydown Family Fun, 550 Worting Rd, Basingstoke, RG23 8PU, 01256 220 398, www.manydownfamilyfun.co.uk Come and experience Spring on the Farm! See newborn lambs being fed, handle the chicks and rabbits, experience the tractor ride, and watch the sheep racing. Enjoy the ‘rabbit warren’; the giant inflatables; and the new crazy golf course! Fun for all the family. Season tickets now available for 2015 events (£110 for family of 4).

28 March-19 April – EASTER TRAIL starting from The Savill Building, Wick Lane, Englefield Green, TW20 0UU, www.theroyallandscape.co.uk Easter family trail through Windsor Great Park, starting from outside The Savill Garden, suitable for all ages. £3.50 per trail with a chocolate treat at the end! Enjoy the spring plant collections and fine floral displays of The Royal Landscape, which provide the perfect backdrop for a great family day out. Normal parking charges apply.

28 March – A WORLD OF HEROES: THESEUS at The Ure Museum Of Greek Archaeology, University of Reading, RG6 6AA, 0118 378 6990, www.reading.ac.uk/Ure/ Find out about Theseus, heroic King of Athens, known for defeating many monsters and criminals on his journey to Athens. Relive his encounter with the Minotaur by creating your own mythical maze puzzle. Suitable for accompanied children aged 6-12yrs. £3 per child. Sessions at 10.30am12.30pm and 2-4pm. Booking essential.

Amners Farm Lambing Days Open 25th & 26th April and 2nd, 3rd & 4th May 2015 11am – 6pm (last entry 5pm)

6.00 Adults: £ £4.50 n re Child 0.00* es Family £2 lud ticket inc *(Family s) n, 2 adult 2 childre

Pregnant women are advised not to attend the Lambing Days.

No dogs allowed.

• Seeing lambs being born • Steam train rides • Pets Corner • Straw play barn • Crafts & refreshments • Archery • Tractor and trailer rides • Pony rides • Falconry and more...

t!

A Great day ou

Find us between Junction 11 and 12 south of the M4. Follow the signs on the day.

For more information go to

www.amnersfarm.co.uk

or call us on 01189 833 437 Amners Farm, Burghfield, Reading, Berkshire RG30 3UE

Find more events at www.familiestvw.co.uk/calendar

Thames Valley West

PAGE 23

What‘s On 29 March – THE AMAZING BUBBLE MAN at The Corn Exchange, Market Place, Newbury, RG14 5BD, 0845 5218 218, www.cornexchangenew.com Explore the breath-taking dynamics of bubbles as the Bubble Man conjures square bubbles; bubbles inside bubbles; fog-filled bubbles; giant bubbles; bubble volcanoes; tornados and even people inside bubbles.

Suitable for all ages. Tickets: £10, conc. £8.

29 March – PRINCE’S COUNTRYSIDE FUND RACEDAY at Ascot Racecourse, 0844 346 3000, www.ascot.co.uk Superb racing plus a host of countryside inspired activities and free family entertainment that includes pony rides, a family farm, falconry, traditional country games and pursuits, and the Lamb National.

Advance tickets from £21, under 18s free.

29 March-20 April – EASTER ACTIVITIES at REME Museum of Technology, Isaac Newton Rd, Arborfield, RG2 9NH, 0118 976 3375, www.rememuseum.org.uk Join in the Easter Egg Hunt and spot all the eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny with a prize for the winner, plus a small prize for all entries. Workshops will also run on certain dates at 11am, 12noon & 2pm.

Advance booking is available: • 7 April Eggstravaganza Egg Painting - fun and messy egg painting. Suitable for 4-10yrs; • 15 April Kit Bag Workshop - explore the old and new uniforms REME soldiers have used over the years.

Suitable for 3-8yrs; • 16 April Flight Workshop - planes, helicopters and parachutes are all a part of this workshop suitable for 7-12yrs.

All activities are included in the admission charge.

30 March-19 April – EASTER FAMILY FUN at Odds Farm Park, Wooburn

3-6 April – EASTER FAMILY FUN DAYS at Didcot Railway Centre,

Green, High Wycombe, HP10 0LX, 01628 520 188, www.oddsfarm.co.uk Youngsters can solve the Spring Trail around the farm and get a yummy treat.

From the Easter holidays children can bottle feed lambs daily. The lambs are specially trained to drink from bottles, and children will love to get extra close to them with this great hands-on experience. Plus, with the return of tractor and trailer rides (weather permitting) and fun in the Giant Indoor Playbarn, there’s so much to do.

Didcot, OX11 7NJ, 01235 817 200, www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk There’s plenty for all ages to enjoy over Easter at this fascinating railway museum.

See the GWR steam engines, coaches, wagons and buildings; and a recreation of Brunel’s broad gauge railway. Plus lots of special children’s entertainment including a magic show, balloon modelling and activities in the Science, Learning and Railways carriages. An Easter treasure hunt will also be running.

3 April – EASTER FAMILY FUN DAY at Eddie Catz Newbury, RG14 7NF, 0203 475 5268, www.eddiecatz.com There will be Easter themed games, competitions, face painting plus lots more running all day in the centre! Visit the website for more details and to book. *Enter our competition on page 21 to win tickets to Eddie Catz.

3-6 April – CADBURY’S EASTER EGG HUNTS at various National Trust properties, www.nationaltrust.org.uk National Trust properties will be running special Easter Egg trails in their beautiful gardens over the Easter weekend. Trails cost £3 per child. Don’t forget to claim your Cadburys Egghead at the end.

Normal admission charges apply.

Local properties taking part include: • Basildon Park, Lower Basildon, RG8 9NR, 0118 984 3040 • Greys Court, Rotherfield Greys, RG9 4PG, 01494 755 564 • Nuffield Place, Huntercombe, Oxon, RG9 5RY, 01491 641 224 • Cliveden, Taplow, Maidenhead, SL6 0JA, 0844 249 1895

3-4 April – GREAT BIG TREE CLIMB at The Vyne, Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, RG24 9HL, 01256 883858, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/vyne Learn how to enter a tree’s canopy using ropes, knots and karabiners, whilst being securely attached in a harness. Once at the top of the tree you will gain an experience which can’t be found on the ground and if you’re feeling brave take the zip wire back down. 11am-4pm. Suitable for ages 6+yrs. £18.50, please book.

3-6 April – EASTER SPECIALS at Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway, OX39 4ER, 01844 353 535, www.chinnorrailway.co.uk Steam train rides with Easter eggs for children and hot cross buns for adults, plus Easter chick hunt. Trains at 10.15am, 11.45am, 1.30pm, 3pm and 4.30pm.

3-6 April – EASTER EGG HUNTS & TREASURE TRAILS at Dinton Activity

Centre, Dinton Pastures, near Hurst, 0118 974 6343, www.wokingham.gov.uk/dac Join in the Easter fun and hunt for Easter eggs around the park trails between 11am4pm. £3 per map and prize. No minimum age. On 4 and 5 April you can also take to a boat for an ‘On the water’ hunt with sessions between 10.30am-4.30pm for 4+yrs (under 8s must be accompanied), adult £8, child £6, must book. Be sure to

look out for the Easter Bunny to redeem your chocolate surprise.

3-6 April – EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA at Bucklebury Farm

Park, Bucklebury, RG7 6RR, 0118 971 4002, www.buckleburyfarmpark.co.uk Enjoy the fun down on this popular local farm park. Come and help bottle feed the baby lambs and go on a great Easter egg hunt through the woods!

3-6 April – WILD EGG HUNT at Marwell Zoo, Winchester, SO21 1JH, www.marwell.org.uk Take part over the Easter weekend and collect your very own chocolate egg. Don’t forget to meet the Easter Bunny too.

Admission charges apply.

3-12 April – DAYS OUT WITH THOMAS at Mid Hants Railway (Watercress Line), Alresford, 01962 733 810, www.watercressline.co.uk Ride with Thomas and meet some of his friends including The Fat Controller, plus magic shows, bouncy slide, face painting, miniature railway and Thomas DVDs showing. Advance booking recommended: £18 adult, £12 child, under 2s free.

3-19 April – EASTER EVENTS at Beale Park, Lower Basildon, RG8 9NW, 0844 826 1761, www.bealepark.co.uk 3-19 April Easter Trail - there will be an eggstra special Easter trail at the Park over the holidays. Just complete the trail, hand it into the Park’s restaurant and you will get an Easter treat in return (while stocks last). 10am-4pm. Cost: 50p plus normal admission charge. Plus: • 8 & 15 April Meet the Bugs - Animal Keepers will give visitors the chance to get up close to some of the residents that live in the Park’s newest area, ‘Bertie’s Bugs and Beasts’. So, if you

Open daily from 10am-6pm

0118 971 4002 info@buckleburyfarmpark.co.uk Latest research shows that just five minutes of exercise in a “green space” such as a farm park can boost physical and mental health.

Researchers at the University of Essex looked at evidence from 1,250 people in 10 studies and found fast improvements in mood and self-esteem from exercise in a green space

r doorstep ou y on t h g ri , y a It’s a world aw

At Bucklebury Farm Park, you can run, jump, swing, go-kart, ramble and relax in the fresh air all year round.

You can feed our friendly farm animals and watch the deer in the park.

www.buckleburyfarmpark.co.uk Sat nav postcode: RG7 6RR

PAGE 24

Thames Valley West

MARCH/APRIL 2015

What‘s On 4-5 April – MAPLEDURHAM AT WAR at Mapledurham House,

Reading, RG4 7TR, 0118 972 3350, www.mapledurham.co.uk Step back in time to World War 2. Taste the atmosphere of army and civilian life with the opportunity to see vehicles and equipment, meet the re-enactors and see static displays and battle re-enactments.

4-6 April – IVOR THE ENGINE at Cholsey & Wallingford Railway, 01491 826 303, www.cholsey-wallingfordrailway.com A full size Ivor the Engine locomotive will be steaming between Cholsey and Wallingford over the Easter weekend. Take a ride and meet favourite characters such as Jones the Steam.

Build a Mini Bug Home at Beale Park, 8 or 15 April would like to experience the amazing world of giant insects, meet a snake, stroke a Giant African Snail or get close to a tarantula, then pop along to the Park from 1.30-3.30pm. Free with admission.

• 8 & 15 April Mini Bug Hotel Workshop - build your very own mini bug hotel to take home. At a cost of £5 per hotel, it’s a great, fun way to help eco-systems and habitats in your own back yard.10.30am-12.30pm. This event is operated on a first come, first served basis and parental supervision is required.

Normal admission charges apply.

3-19 April – EASTER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES at Wellington Country Park, Riseley, RG7 1SP, 0118 932 6444, www.wellington-country-park.co.uk Alongside all the normal attractions there are lots of special events running at the Park over the Easter period. All activities are included in the normal admission price.

• 3-6 April The Baby Big Top Circus Roll up, Roll up … The circus is in town. Back by popular demand, come and be amazed by these super family shows.

• 5 April Mega Egg Hunt - calling all ‘Eggs’plorers! Become a chocolate detective for the 4th annual Mega Egg Hunt Trail. Meet the Easter Bunny and hunt down some chocolaty treats plus much more.

• 8-9 April Crazy Bikes - test yourself on an assortment of bikes including unicycles, bicycles and even tricycles.

• 11-12 April Magic Shows - come and be dazzled with Dave Croft’s ‘Mystical Magic Shows’.

• 15-16 April Circus Skills - try your hand at a host of activities including tight rope walking and even a trapeze!

• 18-19 April Big Foot the EntertainerBig Foot is back with his silly shows.

Join him for 3 shows a day in the big top circus tent.

4 April – EASTER EGG TRAIL at Caversham Court Gardens, Caversham, Reading, RG4 7AD, www.fccg.org.uk A nature trail will be running in these lovely riverside gardens for younger children, all to be accompanied by an adult. Free but donations welcome. 2pm-4pm. The Tea Kiosk will be open for refreshments all afternoon.

4 April – THE BOY WHO BIT PICASSO at South Street Arts Centre, Reading, RG1 4QU, 0118 960 6060, www.readingarts.com/southstreet An interactive show with storytelling, music and lots of chances to make your own art, this hands-on family show introduces one of the 20th century’s most influential artists through the eyes of a young boy. Most suitable for 4-8yrs and their families. Tickets: £8.70.

5 April – NAOMI HOUSE EASTER EGG HUNT at Highclere Castle, Nr Newbury, RG20 9RN, www. naomihouse.org.uk/events/ Help raise funds for Naomi House at this annual event held in the grounds of Highclere Castle - home of TV’s Downtown Abbey. As well as the Easter egg trail enjoy a bouncy castle, petting farm, an Easter bonnet parade with prizes, vintage cars, face painting, live music and refreshments.

Plus a guest appearance from Elsa from Frozen. Tickets on gate: £5 pp (does not include entry to the house). 10am-4pm.

5-6 April – EASTER EGGSTRAVAGANZA at The Vyne,

Vyne Rd, Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, RG24 9HL, 01256 883858, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/vyne Follow in the footsteps of Henry VIII and his hunters on your search around the grounds for a Cadbury chocolate egghead.

Every child gets a chocolate prize (while stocks last). £2 per trail. Normal admission charges apply. 10am-4pm.

5-10 April – EASTER HOLIDAY FUN at Earth Trust Centre, Little Wittenham, Oxon, OX14 4QZ, 01865 407 792, www.earthtrust.org.uk Activities cost £4 per child, accompanying adult(s) free unless stated otherwise. No need to book unless stated.

• 5 April Outdoor Easter Fun - join in an Easter bunny hunt, bring an egg to boil on the fire, then paint it and roll it down the Wittenham Clumps. 10am-2pm.

• 8 April Woodland Adventure - an expedition for 5-8yrs to use their detective skills to discover the secret destination where they will explore, build and play. 10am-12noon. Arrive before start time.

• 10 April Discover & Play - Forest School for pre-school children offering hands-on learning experiences in a natural environment. 10am-12noon.

Arrive before start time.

• 10 April Family Bushcraft - bring the whole family and explore the woods, make shelters and learn about fires. 10am-4pm.

Adult £20, child £15, must book.

7 April – WILDLIFE WATCHING THAMES CRUISE leaving from Hobbs of Henley Ltd, Station Rd, Henley, RG9 1AZ, 01491 572 035, www.hobbs-of-henley.com Join the Chilterns Conservation Board and Hobbs of Henley for a wildlife watching voyage of discovery with an expert guide to spot hidden natural treasures between Henley and Hambleden. 3pm-4.15pm.

Adult £9, seniors £7.50, child £5.50.

7 April – WILD ONES: BUG BUILDERS at Jennett’s Park, off Swift

Fields, Bracknell, RG40 3DG, 01344 354 441, www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ parksandcountrysidevents Build a stag beetle home in the woods, hunt for bugs and learn more about our amazing mini-beast engineers. 10am12noon. Free but booking required.

7 April – SHH BANG at South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell, RG12 7PA, 01344 484 123, www.southhillpark.org.uk ‘Quiet’ lives in a muffled world of clouds and softness. Right next door ‘Loud’ collects more and more noises and wild sounds. How can Quiet and Loud possibly find a way to listen to each other? A dance-theatre performance for children and their adults, playfully exploring silence and noise. Suitable for 3+yrs. Tickets: £10, child £6.50.

7-15 April – EASTER ACTIVITIES at Reading Museum, Town Hall, Reading, RG1 1QH, 0118 937 3400, www.readingmuseum.org.uk/events The museum will be open on Good Friday and Easter Monday 11am- 4pm. Enjoy a range of free craft activities with the Activity Cart. See page 17 for bookable holiday workshops. The following drop in events for families are also running: • 7 April Painted Pebble Creatures use glass paint to create your own small but perfectly formed glass creatures, 5+yrs. 1-hour sessions starting at 10am, 11.15am, 1pm and 2.15pm, £3.

• 7 April Victorian Schoolroom Experience - meet a Victorian schoolteacher and re-learn the ‘3Rs’. A 45-minute experience for adults and 5+yrs in the Museum’s unique Victorian classroom. Sessions at 11.30am, 1.15pm & 2.30pm.

• 8 April Make & Take: Crazy Spring Headdresses - families can make a fun paper headdress using curls, springs and flying insects. Half-hour sessions between 10.30am-12.30pm & 1.303.30pm. £1.

• 14 April Fishing on the River - make a mini magnetic fishing game, complete with two tiny poles, to celebrate the Museum’s new exhibition Thames Stories, 5+yrs. 1-hour sessions starting at 10am, 11.15am, 1pm and 2.15pm. £3.

• 15 April Make & Take: Simple Sailboat Craft - make a little boat to sail on the river. Half-hour sessions between 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm. £1.

NB Drop in sessions are very popular and numbers are limited so arrive early.

7-17 April – EASTER CRAFTS at Reading libraries, www.reading.gov.uk/libraries There are lots of free craft activities taking place in Reading libraries over the holidays.

No need to book unless stated.

• Battle Library: 10 April Make your own door sign & 17 April Flutterbys craft session, 3-4pm.

• Caversham Library: craft event every Thursday during school holidays, 2.15pm-3.15pm.

• Palmer Park Library: 13 April - make Easter Chick Boxes, for 5+yrs, limited places so arrive early, 10-11am.

• Reading Central Library: 10 & 17 April - Springtime crafts, 5-9yrs, 10.30am-11.30am.

• Southcote Library (0118 901 5109): 9 & 16 April, make springtime pictures, 6-10yrs, must book, 10.30-11.30am.

• Tilehurst Library: 7 April Tissue paper flowers & 14 April Sun masks, for up to 10yrs, 3-4pm.

• Whitley Library (0118 901 5115): 10 April Spring flowers & 17 April Butterflies & Birds, for 5+yrs, 10.30am-11.30am, please book.

8 April – WILD ONES: EASTER TREASURE HUNT at Lily Hill Park,

Bracknell, RG12 2RX, 01344 354 441, www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ parksandcountryside Can you solve a series of clues by walking around the park and earn yourself a

Find more events at www.familiestvw.co.uk/calendar

chocolate prize? The course takes about an hour to solve. Booking required (prizes only available for those who have prebooked). Meet at the giant picnic bench.

1pm-3pm. £2.

8 April – SILLY SCIENCE: ROCKET CHICKS & PAPER PLATE BUNNIES

at The Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Lower Way, Thatcham, RG19 3FU, 01635 874 381, www. bbowt.org.uk Enjoy silly science this Easter with a practical science activity. Sessions of rocket chicks in the morning or paper plate bunnies in the afternoon. Or book for both and spend the day. £3 per child, adults free, booking essential.

9 April – BEHIND THE SCENES FAMILY TOUR at Museum of English

Rural Life, Redlands Rd, Reading, RG1 5EX, 0118 378 8660, www.reading.ac. uk/merl An exciting chance to see the museum and garden in the latest stage of redevelopment, followed by an activity and refreshments. Visit areas now ‘out of bounds’ to the public and find out what has been happening in recent months.

You’ll also get to see plans for the new galleries. Don’t miss this opportunity to see MERL as you’ll never see it again!

10.30am-12noon. Suitable for families with children aged 5+yrs. Booking essential. £2 per child.

9 April – PICK UP A POT at The Ure Museum Of Greek Archaeology, University of Reading, RG6 6AA, 0118 378 6990, www.reading.ac.uk/Ure/ Handle some real Ancient Greek pots, learn about the different styles and designs and have a go at making your own pot to take home. 2pm-4pm. Suitable for accompanied children aged 6-12yrs. £3 per child. Booking essential.

9 April – WILD ONES: EASTER TREASURE HUNT at South Hill Park, Bracknell, RG12 7PA, 01344 354 441, www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ parksandcountryside Solve a series of clues and earn yourself a chocolate prize. The course should take about an hour to solve.

Booking required. Meet in gazebo on rear field. 1pm-3pm. £2.

9-16 April – HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES at Wokingham Libraries, www.wokingham.gov.uk/libraries • Manga Drawing Workshop for 8-16yrs, £2 charge, please book: 9 April Lower Earley Library 10-11.30am.

• Quirks Animal Roadshow will take you on a journey through different animal habitats, allowing children to interact with the animals that live there.

For families with children 4-12yrs. £3.50 per child, must book: 9 April Woodley Library 9am-10am; Spencers Wood Library 11am-12noon; Maiden Erlegh Library 1pm-2pm; Winnersh Library 3pm-4pm.

• Monsters Love Underpants drop in story and activity sessions, £1.50 charge: 9 April Wokingham Library 10.30-11.15am; 13 April Twyford Library 2pm-2.45pm & Wargrave Library 3.15-4pm; 15 April Finchampstead Library 9.45am10.30am.

• Get Arty drop in craft sessions for under 12s, £1.50 charge: 16 April Lower Earley Library 2-3pm; 17 April Wokingham Library 10.30-11.30am.

• Illustrator event with Steve Antony, the author of The Queen’s Hat and other fun picture books, including a drawing activity, for families with under 9s, £2, must book: 16 April Wokingham Library 10.30-11.30am and Woodley Library 2-3pm.

Thames Valley West

PAGE 25

What‘s On Toddler Time on the move!

Friday 6th March

• Drop-in • £2 per child • Families with children aged 2 to 4 Enjoy stories, songs and craft activities inspired by the countryside.

Due to redevelopment, sessions take place next door. Meet at MERL.

For details, call 0118 378 8660, email merlevents@reading.ac.uk or visit www.reading.ac.uk/merl

10 April – POND DIP & BUG HUNT DAY at The Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Lower Way, Thatcham, RG19 3FU, 01635 874 381, www.bbowt.org.uk Join the ranger and search the pond, woodland and meadow areas to discover the bugs that live on the reserve.

Sessions throughout the day. £5 per family, booking essential.

10-12 April – DINOSAUR ZOO at The Hexagon, Reading, RG1 7UA, 0118 960 6060, www.readingarts.com/thehexagon This live show presents dinosaurs for 3+yrs as you’ve never seen them before up close and personal.

11 April – ANNIE JR at Bearwood College Theatre, Winnersh, 0118 933 3791, www.stageability.ticketsource.co.uk This popular show is produced by Stageability Stage School in association with Jumpin’ Jack’s Theatre Productions.

Performances at 4pm and 7pm. Tickets: £10, conc. £8.

14 April – OCTONAUTS CHARACTERS at The Oracle, Reading, www.TheOracle.com/events/ Captain Barnacles and Kwazii from the Octonauts will be appearing at the Minster Street Entrance for meet and greet sessions throughout the day. Free tickets will be available to book online prior to each event and a limited number will also be available on the day. Check the website for details of when you can book online.

15 April – WILD WEDNESDAYS at Cliveden, Taplow, Maidenhead, SL6 0JA, 0844 249 1895, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden Get stuck into some fun outdoor adventures, ideal for accompanied children aged 4-11, drop in between 11am-3pm, £2 per child. Normal admission charges apply.

‘n’ s KiAction P la y

a nd Par ty C e n t r

www.kids-n-action.com Laser Tag parties and 8 Themed party rooms including:

Ice Kingdom Glow in The Dark Pirate Superhero Princess Football Under the Sea

South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell, RG12 7PA, 01344 484 123, www.southhillpark.org.uk Join Danny and his father William as they embark on the adventure of a lifetime, taking on a greedy businessman and thwarting his plans to buy their land by poaching his game pheasants. Adapted from Roald Dahl’s famous story and suitable for 5+yrs.

16 April – SPRING FAMILY WILDLIFE DAY at The Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Lower Way, Thatcham, RG19 3FU, 01635 874 381, www.bbowt.org.uk Come along as a family and enjoy a day of free wildlife activities. Join in with pond dipping, wildlife crafts, bug hunting and much more. 11am-4pm.

Free, drop in event.

New for # 2015

# Ice

#

Kingdom # Party room #

680 Eskdale Rd, Winnersh Triangle, Berkshire, RG41 5TS T: 0118 968 0983

Thames Valley West

15-19 April – DANNY THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD at

e

Berkshire’s BIGGEST and BEST Indoor Play & Party Centre

PAGE 26

See Annie, 11 April at Bearwood Theatre

Take a ride at Odds Farm, see 30 March-19 April entry

MARCH/APRIL 2015

3 May – ABINGDON AIR & COUNTRY SHOW at Abingdon

Airfield, Dalton Barracks, Oxon, OX13 6JQ, www. abingdonairandcountry.co.uk A great family day out with something for all ages from top flying displays, such as the Breitling Wing Walkers, to on-the-ground attractions including live music, re-enactment groups, vintage and classic vehicles, tank rides, falconry, trade and craft stalls, refreshments and children’s amusements.

10am-5.30pm. Free parking.

Discounts for online booking. *Enter our competition on page 21 to win tickets to Abingdon Air Show.

Nearly New Sales 14 March – BINFIELD TODDLER

GROUP’S NEARLY NEW SALE

at Binfield CE Primary School, Benetfeld Rd, Binfield, RG42 4EW, www.binfieldtoddlers.co.uk Nearly new toys, children’s clothes, maternity wear and equipment.

2.30pm-4pm. Admission £1. Cash purchases only.

Lambing Days at Amners Farm, 25-26 April & 2-4 May

21 March – HENLEY, TWYFORD

HEDGEHOG FUN CRAFT at

Sandhurst Community Hall, Sandhurst Memorial Park , Yorktown Road, Sandhurst, GU47 9BJ, 01344 354 441, www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ parksandcountrysidevents Enjoy a creative afternoon making spiky hedgehogs from recycled materials and clay and learning more about these secretive animals.

2-4pm. Best suited for 5-11yrs. Cost: £4 for materials. Booking required.

16-19 April – ROOM ON THE BROOM at The Corn Exchange,

Newbury, RG14 5BD, 0845 5218 218, www.cornexchangenew.com A kindly witch and her cat give a ride on their broomstick to a dog, bird and frog who have found the witch’s lost things. But this broomstick’s not meant for five and it snaps in two.

When a hungry dragon appears, who will save the poor witch? And will there ever be room on the broom for everyone? Join in the songs, laughs and scary fun of this magical musical stage adaptation. Suitable for 3+ yrs.

17 April – RECYCLED ARTS WORKSHOP at The Nature Discovery Centre, Muddy Lane, Lower Way, Thatcham, RG19 3FU, 01635 874 381, www.bbowt.org.uk Choose a map and turn it into a windmill. A drop in workshop with Jill Nicholas using things the less creative just throw away! Drop in between 11am-4pm. £1 per item.

18 April – DUBAI DUTY FREE DAY at The Racecourse Newbury, RG14 7NZ, 01635 40015, www.racecoursenewbury.co.uk A day of top quality racing, as well as a host of entertainment for all the family. Gates open at 11am with first race at 1.20pm.

22-23 April – TODDLER DAYS: UNDER THE SEA at The Look

Out Discovery Centre, Bracknell, RG12 7QW, 01344 354 400, www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ thelookoutdiscoverycentre Alongside the fun to be had in the hands-on science and nature exhibition, special themed activities will also be running just for toddlers. Activities include art and craft, play dough, face or hand painting and storytelling.

22-23 April – BEN AND HOLLY’S LITTLE KINGDOM at The Hexagon, Reading, RG1 7UA, 0118 960 6060, www.readingarts. com/thehexagon Live stage production of the popular TV show featuring elves and princesses. Join Ben and Holly, and their friends on a musical adventure packed full of games, songs and laughter on a journey through the Magical Kingdom.

Tickets: £16.50, child £14.50, family (of 4) £58.

25 April – A WORLD OF HEROES: JASON at The Ure

Museum Of Greek Archaeology, University of Reading, RG6 6AA, 0118 378 6990, www.reading.ac.uk/Ure/ Learn all about Jason, hero of the Golden Fleece and leader of the Argonauts, and his adventures on the Argo. Make your own fearsome dragon, like the one who guarded the Golden Fleece.

Suitable for accompanied children aged 6-12yrs. £3 per child.

Sessions at 10.30am-12.30pm and 2-4pm. Booking essential.

25-26 April and 2-4 May –

LAMBING DAYS at Amners

Farm, Burghfield, RG30 3UE, 0118 983 3437, www.amnersfarm.co.uk See lambs being born and have a very ‘hands on’ experience with lots of farm animals and their offspring. Sheep shearing demonstrations, pet’s corner, falconry, straw play barn, tractor and trailer rides, crafts, refreshments and lots more fun.

Pony rides and steam train rides available at extra charge. 11am6pm. NB Pregnant women are advised not to attend. No dogs.

2-3 May – MINI MUDDER near Henley, www.fruitshoot.com/minimudder Sign up now for the first ever UK Fruit Shoot Mini Mudder event for 7-12yrs. The 1-mile course is made up of four untimed laps and features 10 exhilarating obstacles including The Tunnel of Terror, Mount Mud and Gooey Shoes.

See page 17 for more details and visit the website to book a place.

& DISTRICT NCT NEARLY NEW SALE at Christ Church Centre,

Reading Rd, Henley, RG9 1AG, www.nct.org.uk/nns Children’s and babies’ clothes, toys, maternity wear and equipment. 10.30am12noon. (10.15am for NCT members).

28 March – MEGA BABY & CHILDREN’S MARKET at

Nuffield Fitness & Wellbeing Centre, The Racecourse, Newbury, RG14 7PN, www. babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk Over 40 stalls bursting with top quality near to new baby and children’s brands from birth to 8 years at up to 90% off the full retail price.

Free parking, onsite cafe, kids and buggies are welcome. 2pm-4pm. £2 entry (2pm to 2.30pm) then £1 entry (2.30pm to 4pm). Kids go free! Visit website for more info.

Britain’s leading physical play programme for babies and children from 6 months to 7 years

FREE TRIAL SESSIONS AVAILABLE Contact Helen Davey for more details 0118 973 6711 helen.davey@tumbletots.com www.tumbletots.com/reading

25 April – BABY & CHILDREN’S MARKET at Finchampstead Baptist Centre, Gorse Ride North, Finchampstead, Wokingham, RG40 4ES, www. babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk Lots of stalls bursting with quality nearly new and new baby and kids items from birth to 8 years. 2-4pm.

Contact Nicki Mitchell - nicki@ babyandchildrensmarket.co.uk or call 07809 628701.

26 April – WOKINGHAM NCT NEARLY NEW SALE at St Crispins School, Wokingham, RG40 1SS, www.nct.org.uk/nns Top quality baby and children’s clothes and equipment at bargain prices. 11.15am-12.45pm (11am for members). Cafe with a selection of cakes on site. £1 entry. Sorry no buggies or prams. Sellers Registration opens late February.

26 April – BRACKNELL NCT NEARLY NEW SALE at Hilton Hotel, Bagshot Rd, Bracknell, RG12 0QJ, www.nct.org.uk/nns Doors open at 11.45am (11.30am for members) -1.45pm. £1 admission.

If you would like details of your production or event to appear in the What’s On pages, please email us at editor@familiestvw.co.uk The deadline for the May/June issue is 1 April.

Find more events at www.familiestvw.co.uk/calendar

Join Thomas & Friends™ as you experience a ride on a real steam engine and take part in Thomas-themed activities at

7th & 8th March 2015 Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 7NJ Telephone: 01235 817200 Celebrating 70 years of friendship

www.dayoutwiththomas.co.uk/didcot Day Out With Thomas ™ Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends ™ Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W. Awdry. © 2015 Gullane (Thomas) Limited.

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas & Friends and Day Out With Thomas are trademarks of Gullane (Thomas) Limited. © 2015 HIT Entertainment Limited.

Classified

16 April – WILD ONES:

Thames Valley West

PAGE 27

Family Fun

Eggs-cellent Easter Ideas!

What’s not to love about Easter? That heady combination of fun, fresh air and chocolate!

We’ve come up with a few of our favourite things to do over the holidays but you’ll find lots more in our What’s On pages.

It’s a farmer’s life for us!

The bulbs are starting to pop up... Spring is on its way!

It has felt like a long winter and my kids can’t wait until they can get outside to play more. The local farm attraction Manydown Family Fun (near Basingstoke) opens daily for its Easter Lambing event from 28 March until 19 April. At Manydown children can have lots of fun and also experience the countryside ‘up close’.

Energetic activities include racing in and out of the ‘rabbit warren’ and up the tractor tyre mountain; bouncing on the giant trampolines and inflatables; and winning on the new crazy golf course or at the sheep racing! There are also educational areas where you can meet new lambs, learn about the lambing season, and an animal-handling area where you can hold chicks and rabbits. All activities are included in your ticket. My kids can’t wait!

Manydown Season tickets for unlimited entry to all four of this year’s events; Easter Lambing, May Half-Term, Summer Maize Maze and Pumpkin-Carving Event, are available from the website (£110 for a family of 4).

For more information visit www.manydownfamilyfun.co.uk or find them on Facebook.

Enjoy the grandeur of Blenheim Palace If you fancy a bit of stately pomp and glamour mixed in with your Easter fun how about heading up the M40 to Blenheim Palace. Birthplace of Winston Churchill, this spectacular palace is a world heritage site and sits among grand formal gardens and more than 2,000 acres of beautifully landscaped parkland, home to historical monuments such as The Column of Victory and the Grand Cascade.

The Pleasure Gardens are the place to head for family fun. Here you’ll find a miniature train, the ever-popular Children’s Shop and a tropical butterfly house, and children can run off some steam in the giant maze and adventure playground.

An Easter Egg Hunt will be running from 3 to 6 April with clues to be solved and prizes to be won. Other family activities will include a bouncy castle, crafts, Punch & Judy shows, Circus skills workshops and traditional Victorian fairground rides.

On Easter Sunday and Monday the Easter Bunny will join in the fun and Peter Rabbit will be appearing during story time sessions held throughout each day. www.blenheimpalace.com

The spectacular gardens at Blenheim

Easter family fun at Odds Farm Park Guaranteed to give you the Ahhhh factor, there’s plenty of family fun this Easter at Odds Farm Park. From 30 March until 19 April, children can solve the Spring Trail around the farm and earn a treat, bottle feed lambs and board the daily Tractor & Trailer Rides (April-Oct, weather permitting) for a fun tour of the farm. Plus, with plenty of ewes due to lamb, you may be lucky and see one born!

Elsewhere, you’ll love to meet the farmers and get extra close to the animals in the Undercover Animal Barns. Stroke bunnies, hand feed goats and sheep, meet cheeky pigs and take part in the daily animal activities programme.

Within the Giant Indoor Playbarn, you’ll find a massive adventure play area including a 4 lane Astra Slide, 2 large drop slides, a netted area with zig zag chicanes & tunnels, swinging ropes and much more. With special Toddler and Under 5’s areas, there’s bags of fun for all ages. And adults can relax too with a delicious speciality coffee from the fantastic Espresso Bar! Combined with the outdoor play, including the Adventure Maze, Go-Karts, Log Play Areas, Sand & Water Play and Crazy Golf, there’s so much to do.

Award-winning Odds Farm Park is located just minutes from Junction 2 of the M40, near Beaconsfield. For full details, call 01628 520 188 or visit www.oddsfarm.co.uk

Meet the Easter Cuties From Baby Lambs to a fun Spring Trail, join in stacks of Easter fun

OPEN DAILY 10AM – 5.30PM

T:01628 520188

Enjoy the latest films with baby

Trac & Tra tor il Rideser Retur n!*

NR BEACONSFIELD, HP10 0LX (M40, J2)

Join us EVERY FRIDAY with baby at 11am for our pick of the week’s releases

*Weather permitting

2 Boroma Way, Henley RG9 2BZ

0871 902 5738 www.picturehouses.co.uk/henley

PAGE 28

Thames Valley West OFP-AM-15-007 – 118x70-FM.indd 1

MARCH/APRIL 2015

02/02/2015 15:59

Family Fun

The National Trust and Cadbury are once again joining forces to bring chocolate-flavoured fun to the Easter holidays throughout the country.

This year, families are invited to become a Cadbury Eggsplorer by unleashing their inner explorer and following adventurous trails to win a chocolate Egghead prize.

Hundreds of Cadbury Easter Egg Trails are taking place at National Trust attractions around the country. Each is unique to its location so your young Eggsplorers will be finding out about each special place as they take part in the trails.

There are loads of locations to choose from in this area alone, from the magnificent large-scale gardens of Cliveden, to intriguing places like The Vyne and Greys Court. Turn to our What’s On pages to find details of events running over the long Easter weekend.

What’s more, every single trail will help support special places looked after by the National Trust for future generations to explore. Normal admission prices apply. Entry for National Trust members is free.

Find out more at www.eastereggtrail.com

Explore the Royal Landscape with an Easter Trail

NT Rob Stothard

Be a Cadbury Eggsplorer with the National Trust

58101 Beale Park Generic Ad 87x130.indd 1

05/02/2015 11:04

Copyright: The Crown Estate

Situated in the south-east corner of Windsor Great Park, The Royal Landscape covers an area of a thousand acres of gardens and parkland.

It includes Virginia Water Lake and its surrounding Georgian landscape of woodland, glades and forest rides, the Valley Gardens and the worldfamous Savill Garden.

Over the holidays why not explore some of this beautiful area with an Easter Trail starting from The Savill Garden. The trail runs from 28 March to 19 April with fun clues for all ages taking you around the colourful spring woodland surrounding The Savill Garden. Look out for the ducks and take in the fun children’s play area suitable for under 8s.

There are things to look out for as well as clues to solve, with a chocolate prize at the end. The trails are £3.50 each (one prize per trail), purchased from The Savill Building from 10am to 5pm. (Normal car parking charges apply).

Complete your day out with a visit to The Savill Building, and enjoy a delicious lunch or a hot chocolate and home baked cake from their award-winning restaurant.

For more information about The Royal Landscape and Savill Garden visit www.windsorgreatpark.co.uk

Lots more days out at www.familiestvw.co.uk/daysout

Thames Valley West

PAGE 29

Family Fun

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UP

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*

As Eddie Catz prepares to celebrate ten years since it opened its first venue in Putney, it has also been 4 years since its founders, parents Darren and Maria, took over what was the famous Fantasy World, refurbishing and transforming the venue into Newbury’s most popular centre.

Today it offers not only ‘drop in and play’ but also pre-school classes, dropoff holiday workshops, party rooms and a multi-purpose sports pitch. It also runs evening lasertag parties after closing where children have use of the entire venue with disco lights, music and smoke.

“We had the idea for Eddie Catz when we had 2 children under the age of five and saw the need for an upmarket play facility,” explains Maria. “We wanted a space that was more than just a play centre, a place where children could have an enriching experience by playing and learning in a safe and clean environment.”

Transforming the Newbury site was a labour of love and involved a whole team and family effort. “We all pitched in”, remembers Maria, “every time I walk under the blue tunnel of the playframe I remember my kids painting it one weekend (see below)!” The work took 2 months during which they re-wrapped the entire play structure, took up all the flooring, replaced the windows and bought a whole new kitchen, making a lovely space now enjoyed by the children of Newbury and the surrounding areas.

There’s lots happening at Eddie Catz Newbury over the Easter holidays including special events, toddler activities, drop-off workshops and character visits, so why not go to www.eddiecatz.com to find out more.

th

28 March - 19 April 2015 OPEN DAILY 10AM - 4PM

y out

A great family da

Eddie Catz Newbury for indoor fun!

Easter B

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Before

le fun

Inflatab

Newborn

Lambs

Newborn lambs bottle-feeding demonstrations Crazy Golf Sheep Grand National Chicks & Bunnies - animal handling Tractor and Trailer Ride Adventure Play Under 3's Play Area Inflatable Fun On-site Cafe Free Car Parking

After

Season tickets for ALL 2015 events available NOW from our website

www.manydownfamilyfun.co.uk Become our friend on Facebook for the best offers through the season!

Find us:on the B3400, Scrapps Hill Farm, 550 Worting Road, Basingstoke RG23 8PU. Tel: 01256 220398 Activities and events are subject to change without notice.

UP

VE £5 SA TO

*

*Save £1.25 off a child or adult day ticket, for up to 4 admissions with this voucher.

Terms & Conditions: 1. This voucher entitles the holder to £1.25 off a child or adult admission price, for up to 4 admissions per voucher. 2. Children must be accompanied by an adult. 3. This voucher cannot be used in conjunction with any other special offer, online tickets, vouchers or promotions. 4. A maximum of four adult or child admissions per voucher in one transaction. 5. This voucher must be given up at the time of use.

6. There is no alternative offer or cash alternative. 7. Photocopies, downloads from electronic versions of publications, forged or defaced vouchers are not accepted.

8. This voucher is only valid 28th March – 19th April 2015.

CODE: EA15/FTVW

PAGE 30

Decorate your own eggs Painting and decorating eggs can be a fun activity to do together.

Either hardboil some eggs or perhaps blow them; this can be a bit messy but it’s quite good fun. Just get a sharp needle or scalpel and make two holes in either end of the egg, making sure one is bigger than the other; puncture the yoke, then put a straw in the smaller hole, place egg over a bowl and blow until the egg contents have come out; wash and get the shell egg dry.

Decorate with paints, glitter or set your children the challenge of finding things outside to use as decoration. You could also hunt for a tree branch to bring inside and hang your decorated eggs on to make an Easter tree.

MARCH/APRIL 2015

Walks in the Thames Valley

Aldermaston Wharf Walk Why not enjoy some fresh air over the Easter holidays with this lovely walk along the Kennet and Avon canal? Opt for a pushchair-friendly stroll or try the slightly longer route that takes you alongside the tranquil River Kennet.

Start/parking: Car park (free) at the Kennet and Avon Canal Visitor Centre, Wharfside off the A340 just north of the lifting bridge (Nat Grid Ref 41/603672, Postcode RG7 4JS). Alternative parking in nearby Station Road (roadside) and at Aldermaston station (pay & display).

Public transport: Aldermaston rail station; Reading to Newbury buses along the A4.

Distance: 1 mile (1½ km) or 2 miles (3¼ km).

Refreshments: Tea Room at the Kennet and Avon Canal Visitor Centre (open Weds-Sun from 10am); Aldermaston Wharf Marina shop (open 8.30am-5pm daily); The Butt Inn (www.thebuttinn.biz) Public toilets: On north bank of the canal, about 20 metres upstream of the lifting bridge.

Toilets also at the Visitor Centre Tea Room and the Butt Inn for customers.

boats tied up at the wharf where on the left is a marina shop selling cold drinks and ice creams. The towpath leads to Padworth Lock with seats and further opportunities for watching folk ‘messing about in boats’! Then re-trace your steps along the canal towpath to the start.

Paths: Footpaths and roads; level and suitable for pushchairs on the shorter walk. The paths on the longer (River Kennet) walk are unsuitable for pushchairs and liable to be muddy after wet weather.

The routes: The Canal Visitor Centre has a tea room and garden, and by the gate is an information board about the history of the canal . From the Centre, turn right along the canal towpath to the lifting bridge and walk across the bridge. Then carefully cross the main road (A340) and take the towpath opposite to nearby Aldermaston Lock , usually busy with boats in spring and summer.

After watching any lock activity, re-trace your steps to the road and carefully cross it to Mill Lane. On the right, near the road sign, a path leads to a park with a playground for primary and pre-school children, an ‘outdoor gym’ for adults, seats and plenty of space for a picnic. The Butt Inn is nearby, on the other side of the A340.

3

1

2

For the shorter walk, re-trace your steps to cross the lifting bridge and turn right on to the canal towpath. After the Visitor Centre, pass the

This walk was taken from Weekend Walks West of Reading, written by local author and Pangbourne resident, John Prior.

John and his wife Anne have spent many happy years exploring the beautiful countryside and villages of West Berkshire and South Oxon with their 3 children and, more recently, grandchildren. Now John has produced this handy book featuring 12 of their favourite short, scenic strolls designed for families of all ages to enjoy.

The walks lie within the Reading, Newbury and Didcot triangle and all contain a playground and somewhere to stop for a spot of refreshment!

Priced at £5.95, Weekend Walks West of Reading is available from local Waterstones and WH Smith branches, Garlands in Pangbourne, Newbury TIC, The Nature Discovery Centre, WordPlay in Caversham and through Amazon.

More days out ideas at www.familiestvw.co.uk/daysout

For the longer walk along the River Kennet, from the park return to Mill Lane and turn right into it. This stony, single track road leads past Alder Bridge School and cottages on your left.

Continue through some trees to the end, ignoring a footpath to the right, to reach the timber-clad buildings of Padworth Mill. Here, take the footpath to the left to reach a tranquil stretch of the River Kennet. This path runs between the river on the right and a lake (former gravel pit) on the left. Shortly, there are glimpses of Padworth House, built in the late 1700s and now an independent secondary school, on the hillside to the right.

Cross the stile by Padworth Bridge and turn left on to the road (care is needed, as there is no footpath). Follow the road to cross another bridge, then turn left down to the canal towpath.

This leads past Padworth Lock to Aldermaston Wharf (with a marina shop selling cold drinks and ice creams) and the start of the walk.

3

© 2014 John Prior

Thames Valley West

PAGE 31

OPEN MORNING

Open Mornings Early Years Centre and Prep School

Thursday 5 March Tuesday 24 March

9am to 11.30am. Headmaster’s welcome at 9.15am

Visit www.crosfields.com to register online in advance.

Open Mornings run from 9.15am to 11.00am

Shinfield Road, Reading, RG2 9BL | (0118) 987 1810

Our Early Years Centre is open to pupils all year round, welcoming children from the half term in which they turn three.

www.sjcr.org.uk

FamiliesOpenMorningAdvert87x130Jan2015V1.indd 1

Tuesday 12th May 2015

APPLY NOW FOR BURSARIES Available for Years 7 and 8 Only

27/01/2015 02:01 pm

Hemdean House School Independent Day School for Girls (3-16) and Boys (3-11)

Open Morning for all age groups Friday 6th March Exceptional pastoral care, individual attention, family orientated, excellent results Hemdean Road, Caversham, RG4 7SD Tel: 0118 947 2590 Email: office@hemdeanhouse.co.uk Website: www.hemdeanhouse.co.uk Printed by Warners Midlands Plc. Copyright Families Thames Valley West February 2015. Families Thames Valley West is part of a group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West London. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. We take care in preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.