Families Upon Avon Issue 23 Nov-Dec 2011

Issue 23 z November/December 2011

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Local News The latest from your region

Inexpensive Inspiration Great gifts under £15

Help! where’s my ‘off’ switch?

Happy Holidays!

Great family games

What’s On Your guide to local events and activities The FREE Magazine for families in Bath & North East Somerset, North Wiltshire & Bradford on Avon FuA Issue 23.indd 1

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What’s Inside?

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Local News

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WIN a family ticket on Santa Steam Special

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Great Family games for the holidays

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Inexpensive Inspiration

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Go to sleep, please

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Battling with the bullying

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Help! Where’s my ‘off’ switch?

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Getting to grips with Sensory Play

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What's on

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FREE Child Swim Cover image courtesy of Oscar & Rose Photography www.oscar-and-rose.co.uk, 07828 683129

Next Issue: January/February 2012 – Issue 24.

Copy Deadline: 8th December 2011.

Distribution: 1st Week of January 2012 13,500 copies of Families upon Avon are available through nurseries, schools, libraries, selected shops and other points throughout Bath and North East Somerset, North Wiltshire and Bradford on Avon. If you would like some free copies for your organisation please let us know.

Call 07921 257992 or email editor@familiesuponavon.co.uk Designed and Printed by: Ridgeway Press Ltd. 01256 885821. © Families upon Avon November 2011.

Disclaimer: Any original materials submitted for publication are sent at the owner’s own risk; whilst every care is taken neither Families upon Avon nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. We take care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers, nor the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

Families Group: Families upon Avon is part of a group established in 1990 and headed by Families South West (London). All magazines in the Group are independently owned and operated under licence.

Wishing you and your family all the wonderful sights and sounds, joy and general happiness for the holiday season.

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Local News

BBC AUTUMNWATCH COMES TO SLIMBRIDGE!

A RARE ACCOLADE FOR SOUTH WEST SCHOOL Following its recent inspection, The Paragon has been awarded the best inspection results possible for a prep school, achieving the highest ISI grade in every area of school life.

A school inspection report, published in Sept by the Independent Schools Inspectorate, awarded The Paragon School the top grade – ‘Excellent’ - in all nine categories of school life. The Paragon (Junior School to Prior Park College) was inspected during the summer term 2011. The inspectors’ judgments were made in areas such as the quality of Teaching, Academic Achievement, Pastoral Care, Leadership and Pupils’ Personal Development.

The Paragon is the only school in Bath to have achieved a ‘clean sweep’ of top ISI grades. Very few prep schools across the country enjoy this honour and there is only one other in the whole of the South West.

The Paragon Early Years department (Nursery and Reception classes) was also inspected and earned the highest grade.

Head Teacher, Titus Mills, is delighted with the report results: “All of us at The Paragon are over the moon. The inspectors recognized the enormous effort made by the whole team - staff, children and parents alike.”

For a copy of the inspection report, further information or to arrange an interview with the Head Teacher, please call 01225 310837. www.thepriorfoundation.co.uk

Autumnwatch will be tracking the very best of wildlife action from Slimbridge Wetland Centre in November.

Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Severn Estuary in Gloucestershire, Slimbridge is one of Europe’s finest wetlands and boasts some wonderful wetland species. The second half of the eight week series will be broadcast from Slimbridge and will include coverage of the arrival of the Bewick's swans which loyally return to the site each winter.

Autumnwatch Live will be on air from Friday 7 October at 8.30pm on BBC Two, once a week for eight weeks.

Presenters Chris Packham and Martin Hughes-Games are joined by Michaela Strachan and take to the road visiting some of our most iconic wild places and revealing the surprising and the startling in the natural world as they happen.

The series started at the Forestry Commissions’ National Arboretum at Westonbirt where it has been based for the first four weeks, capturing the ravishing autumn colours.

Autumnwatch Unsprung on air at 9.30pm after the main show, returns with its eclectic mix of viewer contributions and expert opinion and encourages viewers to ring and text in with questions they want answering, what photos they are taking and what amazing video footage they have captured.

MUSIC, FOOD AND FUNDRAISING

NEW BUSINESS – THE PARTY PIRATE If the thought of organising your child’s birthday party fills you with dread, fear not!

Gone are the days of traipsing from one shop to another or trawling website after website looking for paper plates, decorations and party hats.

The Party Pirate is your knight in shining armour! From invitations and birthday cards to fancy dress and the coolest party bags in town, you will find it all in one place at www. thepartypirate.com.

Set up by Tamara Sturtz-Filby, former beauty editor, journalist and first time mum, The Party Pirate is a cool, fun and funky one-stop party shop. “I loved organising my daughter’s first and second birthday parties, but was fed up with spending hours looking for all the bits and pieces I needed”, she explains. “I wanted to create a website where you could find everything in the one place, but also pick up unusual and one-off items too”.

To help busy mums (and dads) arrange the best party in town, Tamara has also compiled The Party Pirate’s Secret Party Address Book. It includes the best venues, entertainers, face painters, party organisers etc. and inspiring party blogs and websites.

For further information, please visit www.thepartypirate.com or contact Tamara by Email: info@ thepartypirate or Tel: 07964 874129. www.thepartypirate.com You can also follow The Party Pirate on Facebook and Twitter (@thepartypirate)

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Lots of wonderful fun was had by all at Music Bugs and Crafty Cooks fundraising session for Humphrey's Pyjama Week raising awareness and money for The Children's Trust.

Supported by The Wyvern Club, Devizes, the children took part in an interactive Music Bugs session, made Humphrey's favourite jam tarts with Crafty Cooks and took part in the raffle all to raise money for this fantastic charity. Bugsy the Music Bugs bear also came along to join the fun and dancing!! Franchisee for Music Bugs, Jacqui, admitted "It was a fantastic opportunity for 2 great groups to join forces and raise money for the charity, the children had an amazing morning and the jam tarts smelt amazing!" For further details about Music Bugs sessions visit www. musicbugs.co.uk or Crafty Cooks sessions www.craftycooks.co.uk z

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Editorial inclusion in the local news pages is always FREE

A GIRL FOR ALL TIME® A Girl For All Time® is a series of six beautifully crafted dolls, thrilling novels and customizable keepsake books that encourage girls in imaginative and social play.

The product provides the perfect opportunity for girls aged 8 to 12 to immerse themselves in fun, exciting and age appropriate play. Stylish, intelligent and stimulating, the characters reach out to the sophisticated tastes of the older girl who still wants to play, but has grown out of childish toys.

There appears to be increasing interest and press coverage on dolls for older girls, and yet A Girl for All Time® goes far beyond the traditional toy offering and will fill a large gap in the market: dolls and books that give young girls a positive, intelligent role model in the form of a "playmate". A Girl for All Time® is about encouraging imaginative play and allows girls to explore - and express - their thoughts and feelings in an empowering way.

The historical aspect of the girl’s lives is aligned with the relevant coverage in the Key Stage 2 school curriculum that the girls follow. Matilda, the first doll of six to be launched will help bring the Tudor period to life for the girls.

The products at this stage are: • A 16" heirloom quality, articulated, vinyl doll, the first in the series, is Matilda, Your Tudor Girl™ • A 174 page novel that tells of Matilda's time in Henry VIII's court (authored by Sandra Goldbacher) • An 80+ page, full colour, customizable keepsake book that re-creates the world of Matilda for girls to enjoy and imagine The next doll is already in development and will be out after Christmas.

For more information visit: www.agirlforalltime.com or Email: info@ agirlforalltime.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/AGirlForAllTime

SANTA STEAM SPECIALS Every weekend in December including Christmas Eve plus Sunday November 27 and Monday December 5, Father Christmas will be on the steam train at the Avon Valley Railway in Bitton.

Accompanied by his helpers, he will make his way along the train, stopping to talk to the children and, providing they have been good, give them each a present. Parents are not neglected as everyone will receive a delicious Anstees' mince pie or festive biscuit.

The Santa Special Experience takes approximately one hour during which time all the family can enjoy the views of the Avon Valley on a six mile round trip from the old fashioned carriages and experience the unique sights, sounds and smells of a bygone age when steam was king.

Train times range from 10.30am to 4.45pm depending on the day with prices ranging from £9 to £12.

The heart of Avon Valley Railway is Bitton Station an original Midland Railway station, which like the locomotives, carriages and track, has been restored by a team of dedicated volunteers.

Without the volunteers, the locomotives wouldn’t operate or be restored, tickets wouldn’t be sold and the site wouldn’t be maintained – but thanks to them and those that visit, the railway is being restored for the delight of current and future generations.

For more information or to book your trip to Santa visit www.avonvalleyrailway. org or call 0117 932 5538

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WIN a Santa Steam Special

family ticket For your chance to win tell us the date of Christmas Day, send your answer with your Name, Address and Tel Number by post to: Wendy Best Families upon Avon Santa competition Avon Valley Railway, Bitton Station, Bath Road, Bitton, BS30 6HD Closing date for entries is Friday 18th November 2011 One entry will be drawn at random after the closing date and the winner will be notified.

The prize offered is a family ticket 2 adults, 2 children - to be used on or before December 9 for a Santa Steam Special - subject to availability.

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If you have some interesting news, email: editor@familiesuponavon.co.uk

KIDS THRIVE IN THE NORLAND 'FAMILY' NORLAND NURSERY in Bath provides a unique experience for the children in its care. Unlike other nurseries, the children, aged from four months to five years, are given the freedom of the nursery deciding what to do and when. In this way they become more independent in their learning, making choices and taking suitable risks. This ‘free flow’ system is complimented by a family structure with a key person taking care of, and having responsibility for, children in mixed age groups. This structure is extremely effective in encouraging vital life skills such as negotiation, cooperation and turn-taking.

It allows the older children to show care and responsibility to the younger children and to role-model new skills. The family structure ensures that brothers and sisters are not split up but share experiences throughout the day, as they would if they were at home.

Each child remains with the same key person and the same ‘family’ for the duration of their time at the nursery.

These strong relationships provide a wonderful feeling of security to the child enabling them to grow in confidence and learning.

This month on Families Online: www.Familiesonline.co.uk WIN Christmas board games!

Christmas is truly the time of year for quality family time and what better way for families to interact than playing a game that brings you all together. The games include Jungle Speed and Take Me Out as well as the ‘Nostalgia’ titles such as Risk and Cluedo.

To enter, go to www.FamiliesOnline.co.uk/competitions Terms and Conditions apply.

Closing date for the competition is 1st December 2011.

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

Closing date for the competition is 3rd January 2012.

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Great family game Christmas is truly the time of year for quality family time and what that brings you all together… whilst also stimulating that competi can play with their parents and (possibly) beat them! Here are

Jungle Speed Age: 7+ RRP: £14.99 In Jungle Speed, you must rely on your keen sense of observation and quick reflexes. It requires a steady hand – which can be hard to maintain during the many fits of laughter!

The wooden Totem sits in the middle of the table, waiting for the player with the fastest reflexes to snatch it up and win the game. Each player is dealt a hand of cards. In order to win you must be the first player to get rid of all of your cards. Each turn, all of the players reveal one of their cards. If two cards are identical, those players must make a grab for the Totem. The faster player then gives their cards to their unfortunate adversary.

“My family has played for hours on end with Jungle Speed. Fits of laughter guaranteed! Any age can play.” – Pascale Gravell, editor, Families South West Jungle Speed is available from Amazon.co.uk.

Dobble D Age 6+ A R RRP: £12.99 D Dobble is a visual perception card game in which players race to find the one matching symbols between one card and another. The pictures may be different sizes or hard to spot. The cards are bet round and feature an assortment of colourful images of items like insects, plants, symbols, and smiley roun faces. Ev Every card is unique, and has only one picture in common with each card in the deck. The game is very portable portab and includes a deck of 55 cards in a round, tin container to take the game anywhere.

Dobble is available a from Waterstones.

Khet 2.0 The Laser Game Age 9+ RRP: £29.99 Ready for mind blowing laser strategy action? Khet combines lasers and classic strategy all on one board. Player’s alternate turns moving Egyptian themed mirrored pieces, after which they fire their real laser with the goal of illuminating their opponent’s pieces and winning the game.

Khet is the only laser board game on the market with the easiness of checkers and the endless possibilities of chess. The rules can be learned in minutes and players from 9-99 can enjoy the excitement of Khet.

Khet 2.0 is available from Firebox.com

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mes for the holidays at better way is there for families to interact than playing a game etitive streak in you! Children love games, particularly ones they are a number of great family games available this Christmas:

Nostalgia Titles N A 8+ Age RRP: R R £29.99 – £34.99 Focussing on high manufacturing standards, the ‘Nostalgia’ titles are back in stores this year and FFo consisting of classic board game titles Monopoly, Cluedo and Risk. cco The Monopoly set comes in a beautiful wooden box to safeguard your vintage-looking components and cards and making it the ideal gift for friends or family. Original artwork is a com co constant theme on the box and board from one of the very first editions of the world’s most con popular board game. po Inside the wooden box you will find a built in banker’s tray and a visual history of the decades.

Lovely little wooden houses and hotels give it a unique feeling of quality whilst everybody’s Lo favourite pieces are made from brass. fa Risk is also part of the collection, back in full vintage glory with real wooden armies, the classic map from 1959 and original game play; making conquering the world possible once again. ccl Additionally, nation’s favourite ‘whodunit’ is back in true 1950’s form with the recreation of the 1949 version of Cluedo. Solve the murder case using original style pieces and traditional o detective work, another classic nostalgia title. de e The Nostalgia editions of Monopoly, Cluedo and Risk are available from John Lewis Th

Take Me Out Age 12+ RRP: £24.99 Prove your single man is the perfect match by performing a series es of fun tasks to win Fernandos vouchers.

Will the single girls guess “what you do” from your drawing? How will they react to your spare time activity and little known secret? Willll you use the power wisely? Whatever happens, you’re guaranteed to havee lots of laughs along the way.

Just like the TV show, Take Me Out comes with its very ownn electronic “POOM POOM!” sound generator and there’s Paddy’s ’s voice shouting out his familiar catchphrases!

So what are you waiting for?

In the words of our host, “It’s time to let the players see the game!”

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Inexpensive Inspiration If you are on the hunt for beautiful but inexpensive gifts for an ever growing list of children you need to buy for, then perhaps it’s time to call in an expert for inspiration!

So, we asked Dawn from My Small World to wrack her brains and grab what she thinks would make the perfect under £15.00 pressies for children under 6, and here’s what she came up with!

ONE YEAR PLUS

TWO YEARS AND UP

THREE YEARS

Little Beasts Puzzle £12.99 Sporty Car £7.25

Tree Puzzle – £10.95 Things That Fly Ball – £6.99

Floral Hobby Horse – £14.99 Tin Wind Up Express Train – £11.99

FOUR YEARS

FIVE YEARS

SIX YEARS AND BIGGER

Ballerina and Pirate Puzzles – £9.99 each

Great Big Fish Kite – £11.95 Princess Marguerite Jewellery Set – £12.99

Fancy Dresses – £6.99 Spacecraft Paper Toys- £5.99

UNDER 1’S Beetle Anton & Beetle Trixie – £7.95

All these and more are available from My Small World either online at www.mysmallworld. co.uk or visit their store at 18 Little Southgate, Southgate Shopping Centre, Bath BA1 1AS. For more info Tel: 01225 938338 or Email: sales@mysmallworld.co.uk

1) Always carry treats. Travelling with children minus treats is like walking through a vampire-infested grave-yard after midnight without a wooden stake.

You might survive, but why take the chance?

2) Enthuse your kids about where you’re going. Although never oversell the destination as we did visiting the Wensleydale Cheese Visitor Centre.

On the strength of a Yorkshire Tourist Board leaflet featuring Wallace and Gromit sticking their thumbs up, we rashly promised life-size models of the cartoon characters wandering around. The only thing Wallace and Gromit related was a chalk outline of them on the café’s specials board.

We’d driven two hours to a working cheese factory, where the kids had little interest in the processes of milling and tipping 3) Forget I-spy. It’s over in seconds as there’s nothing consistent to see from a speeding car window except the road, others cars and the sky.

Instead play I-don’t-Spy, as in ‘I don’t spy with my little eye something beginning with P,’ where the p is then capable of being anything in the known universe unobservable from your car. Our kids once spend two hours guessing the word gnu.

4) Adapt well-known children’s stories into tales involving your children themselves. You can do this by replacing the main character’s name in a classic fairytale with your child’s name so that for us it became, for instance, Phoebe and the Three Bears (‘And then Phoebe tried the medium-sized bowl of porridge…..’) or Hansel and Phoebe (‘And the wicked witch told Phoebe, I will eat your brother be he fat or thin.’).

The thrill of an ego-centric toddler hearing themselves thrust into unlikely adventures involving beanstalks, glass slippers and evil witches buys valuable time.

5) In-car DVD players are a must. They’re available for under £100 but don’t buy the cheapest. We did and it kept disconnecting from the

TEN TIPS FOR TRAVELLING WITH YOUNG CHILDREN

BY BEN HATCH

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cigarette lighter and returning the film to the beginning. Consequently despite watching Finding Nemo 10 times during our 8,000 mile trip round Britain the kids are still unaware Nemo was eventually reunited with his father.

6) Lie about how far it is. As a rule of thumb under 50 miles is always “round the corner.” How far dad? “Round the corner.” Over 50 miles then divide how long it will take to get there by 4. Thus an hour becomes 15 minutes. You must divide by 4 again if this stills meets with disappointment. In fact repeat this division by 4 until your child says, “That’s around the corner.”

7) Colouring-in books and pens provide a welcome distraction. Although be careful - our daughter, protesting about an arduously long drive through the Pennines after a day out at Ostrich World once employed the toddler equivalent of self-harming. She drew all over her face and arms in black felt tip. Indelible pens are a bad idea!

8) Not to have a sat-nav today is a bit like being a sailor in the 14th century trying to round the Cape of Good Hope without a nautical chart. It’s insane. Put it this way, if I had a choice – my brakes or the sat-nav - I’d gladly drill a hole in the driver’s footwell and start using my feet to slow down. Having a sat-nav means brain cells required to remember to turn right or left at particular junctions are more usefully re-directed towards establishing just who in the back was the first to slap the other one round the face with the Corfe Castle activity sheet.

9) Finally, if all else fails, and it probably will, we suggest turning Classic FM to maximum volume and kidding yourself you aren’t muffling the kids’ din with an even louder one, but that you’re actually educating them about Haydn.

10) Good luck.

ARE WE NEARLY THERE YET? - 8,000 MISGUIDED MILES ROUND BRITAIN IN A VAUXHALL ASTRA by Ben Hatch is published by Summersdale www.summersdale. com. For more info about Ben, his book and to purchase a copy visit http://tinyurl.com/3uedwvk

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Go to sleep, please…

From an original article by Joanna Parry Getting baby to sleep is a common issue for new parents so here are our top tips to encourage your baby to sleep.

How can I get my baby to sleep through the night?

3 minutes, then comfort them but don’t pick them up. Let them cry for 5 more minutes and return again.

Extend the time you wait before returning each time and your baby will learn to soothe itself and fall asleep without assistance. It’s difficult listening to your baby cry but this method does usually work, although it may take a few days Stay by the cot. Some parents choose to stay with their child as they fall asleep but unless you want to do this forever, gradually move further away.

If your baby is upset, go to them and say “night, night”, then go back to your place in the room Be consistent. Whichever approach you take, it’s no good doing it one night and not bothering the next You’re not just doing it for you.

‘Training’ your baby to self-settle at night will have positive effects on their general outlook during waking hours.

Letting your baby settle themselves gives independence, confidence and security.

Remember the advice on cot death.

SIDS is rare and the exact cause isn’t known, but researchers think there are likely to be a number of factors that can affect a baby at a vulnerable stage of development.

Read up on important advice here http://fsid.org.uk

Every baby is different. Some sleep through from the start, others won’t sleep more than an hour or two at a time. Although there’s no way to force a baby to sleep through the night, there are steps you can take that can help.

• Establishing a bedtime routine. A routine provides babies with security and comfort and can encourage them • to sleep for longer spells. Establishing a routine can be tricky with a newborn, but try to get a loose schedule started, especially at bedtime. Your baby will be more relaxed if they know what’s coming, and the more relaxed they are, the more likely they’ll fall asleep easily.

• • Learn the signs that your baby is tired. If they’re fussing, grizzling, crying, pulling their ears, rubbing eyes or is especially • clingy, they’re probably sleepy • Teach the difference between day and night. In the daytime, play with your baby. Chat and sing to them, keep their room light and bright. Don’t try to cut out the radio or washing machine. At night, stay quiet when you feed, keep • lights and noise low and hopefully your baby will work out that night-time is for sleeping!

• Give your baby a security object, blanket or stuffed animal. A great way to make teddy a favourite is keep it near you so it becomes mum-scented.

Stretch one of your t-shirts over baby’s mattress – when they startle awake the Once you’ve got it sorted, smell of mum can calm them it goes wrong…

• Put your baby down awake. If they’ve Sometimes when a baby is around six to become sleepy on the breast or bottle, nine months old, even if they’ve never had rouse them slightly before putting sleep problems, they may start waking them in their cot. How to put your up at night. This could be because of baby to sleep is a matter of debate but separation anxiety, teething or reaching whether you use controlled crying or milestones in physical and mental co-sleeping, it’s important to find development. the way that works for you.

Get • The sudden burst in I suggest giving your baby development isn’t the a chance to fall asleep in the same as a growth on their own, if in the professionals spurt, so feeding first few weeks your If nothing’s working it might be them during the baby is allowed to fall time to call in the cavalry. Sleep night won’t help asleep during a feed deprivation can seriously affect the them sleep better or stroked until they health of both mother and baby are asleep, they’ll soon • They may sleep and there are agencies that depend on it through if you move offer specialist help with • Teach your baby to bedtime earlier, as sleep problems. settle itself. If your baby well as moving their cries, allow them to cry for afternoon nap earlier and

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making it shorter • Install blackout blinds if your baby wakes early. If they still wake early, don’t turn on the lights, settle and leave them as if it was still the middle of the night. It might take a while but they’ll get the message!

Top tips • make the last feed of the day a big one • don’t rush to baby at every whimper – many of their noises are attempts to fall asleep • incorporate baby massage into your bedtime routine • make sure baby’s room isn’t too hot • place a warm towel on the sheets to warm baby’s bed, remove it just before putting baby down • tank up your baby during the day – feed them at least every 3 hours • learn a few reflexology points to massage

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

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Battling with the bullying ying From an original article by Elisabeth Dolton

With anti-bullying week approaching, we take a look at what steps we, as parents and carers, can do to stamp out bullying.

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ullying can take the form of physical attack, psychological control or verbal insults. For example, popular groups or cliques often bully people by excluding them or gossiping about them (psychological bullying). They may also taunt or tease their targets (verbal bullying). Unfortunately bullying like this is made easier today due to the accessibility of new technology.

Cyberbullying via email, Facebook and mobile phone text messages, is easier and can be done anonymously.

Whatever form it takes however, the effects are devastating.

Studies have shown that being bullied increases the risk of low self-esteem, stress and depression or anxiety. Bullies themselves are also at risk. Bullies often become rejected by their friends and fail to achieve at school. Their violent behaviour often increases, and it is estimated that 1 out of 4 elementary-school bullies have a criminal record by the time they are 30. So what can we do to help stamp out this behavior?

Equip your child with the skills to help them avoid being bullied Get your child to identify teachers and friends that would help them if they were worried about being bullied. Encourage them to buddy-up and avoid places where there are no other pupils

or teachers – go to the bathroom with a friend, eat lunch in a group, sit at the front on the bus, etc.

Explain to your children about cyberbullying and not to respond or forward threatening emails. “Friend” your child on Facebook and set up proper filters on your computer. Limit their social media friend requests to only those people with whom they have a positive relationship offline. Make the family computer the only computer for children, and have it in a public place in the home.

If you decide to give your child a mobile phone, let them know you will be monitoring their text messages, and insist that phones are also kept in a public area, by a certain time at night, to eliminate night-time bullying and inappropriate messaging.

Keep talking to your children and work with them to handle any bullying. Tell them not to fight back, just calmly tell bullies to stop or walk away. Practice scenarios at home where your child learns how to ignore them and/or develop assertive strategies.

Tell them not to take any of it personally and remind them of their worth and value.

Spotting a bully and helping them stop Studies indicate that most bullies are motivated by the pursuit of status and affection. They gain status by dominating their victims, and choose children who are not well-liked to ‘win’ friends. One of the most effective ways to help them stop bullying therefore is to report their actions and tell them about it. Give them consequences and set boundaries, e.g. tell them if the behaviour doesn’t stop then you will report them. Encourage them to talk to an adult and help them find better ways to deal with their anger such as sport, a hobby or developing positive friendships.

Tell them to put themselves in the shoes of their targets and ask how they would feel. Try to get them to understand the impact of their actions and to change them.

Whilst we cannot erase bullying, we can equip ourselves with the skills to spot it and tackle it, thereby preventing further damage and torment amongst our young children. Preventing and stopping bullying helps us achieve a safe environment where children can thrive without being afraid.

Common signs of bullying to watch out for: • Your child coming home from school with cuts, bruises or torn clothing.

• They are hungry or have walked home, when you know they had lunch money and bus fare.

• Their work at school starts to slide.

• They are reluctant to go to school or pretend to be unwell.

• Their eating habits change or they don’t sleep well.

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

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Help! Where’s my ‘Off’ switch?

By Helena Foss

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’m not sure mothers ever really switch off. Being a mother is, as they say, a life sentence; our care provider services can be called on at any time of the day or night and interrupt every single activity (like important phone conversations) and bodily function.

But being busy mothering our children does not mean we should forget to mother ourselves too.

All very well, but where, I hear you ask, do I find the time? Life is so busy; there are emails to reply to, piles of laundry, tax forms, scraped knees, runny noses and dirty floors screaming for attention – and that urgent report to submit yesterday.

Prioritise Soul Food If, like me, you regularly find yourself arriving breathlessly at Overwhelm Central, running like fury to escape the clutches of the Things To Do monster (the one that gnaws away at you during occasional idle moments or jolts you anxiously awake at 3am), then it is time to prioritise your Soul Food. Your rational mind will not think that Soul Food is necessarily ‘important’ nor ‘productive’, but your body and heart will recognise it immediately; by feeling warm and relaxed. It could be half an hour alone under a favourite tree, lunch with a close friend, singing, painting or writing just one paragraph of that novel inside you. These things nurture us – and nurturers need nurturing. Simple as that.

When I need to get my priorities straight, I use the ‘rocks and sand’ analogy. The really important things are a mix of pressing Things To Do and Soul Food – meeting an article deadline, a spot of tree hugging, my boy’s urgent dental appointment, a dance around the living room, dinner, regular exercise – are the rocks, the rest is gravelly stones or grains of sand. Pour sand in a metaphorical jar first and only a few rocks fit on top. But pop the rocks in first and all the itty bitty stuff will fit in around it. My sandy items sit on a list and will easily get done once my rocks are in place.

One of my rocks is regular meditation. I actually cannot function properly without it.

Get out of your mind In the West we have become so identified with our minds, that we believe our rabid collection of thoughts is who we actually are. According to Zen Buddhism, the mind is a great servant but a terrible master. A frightened or stressed mind will hassle you endlessly with judgements, opinions, ‘what if’s’, ‘if only’s’ and ‘coulda, shoulda, wouldas’. It was the controversial mystic and meditation master Osho who once held up his hand and said: ‘You see my five fingers? Ordinarily you will not see the gaps [between them], you will see five fingers. But the gaps are more real. Fingers come and go. Gaps will remain.’

Woah. My whole being reeled on the spot and my mind momentarily shuddered to a halt when I first heard this statement.

The gaps are more real – more real even than my thoughts? Who would have thought it?

Mind the Gap There is plenty of scientific evidence today to prove that meditation and mindfulness are effective antidotes for our epidemic levels of anxiety-fuelled binge-thinking, not to mention compulsive perfectionism, beating the clock and triumphing over the panting Things To Do beast. ‘Yes,’ my epitaph might read, ‘she got things done, but did she enjoy any of it?’ It is like using every ounce of energy to scale the world’s highest peak and then keeling over at the top, too exhausted to enjoy the view. What, then, really is the point?

The point of meditation is to become mindful; to simply be

Photo: www.oscar-and-rose.co.uk

aware of your thoughts, to notice them coming and going, moving through like clouds in the sky. This means you can actually choose whether to believe them or not (I’m too fat, my neighbour hates me, I’ll never be a good enough mother, you know the kind of thing). Like the British weather, some days the inner landscape of the mind is overcast, but with regular practice (it is called meditation practice for a reason), you will get moments of dropping out of the mind into the vast, expansive blue sky of nothingness, which, paradoxically, is teeming with life, creativity and potential.

Inspiration is something that arrives out of nowhere, like those light bulb moments that go ‘ping!’ above our heads. The trick is being empty and receptive enough to allow them in. So, doing nothing can actually be incredibly productive. It is during meditation that much of the ‘sand’ of my life quietly settles down and sorts itself out.

Switch yourself back on In fact, once you can switch compulsive thought patterns off – or at least be aware of them enough so that they calm down – you get switched on to the present moment, which is, so the sages tell us, the only thing that actually exists. When I am really present, time itself slows right down; I am able to respond rather than kneejerk react to situations. The lights are on. There is someone home.

You are able to truly ‘be there’. You become, in the best sense of the word, a rock – both for yourself and your family.

Mummy downtime, therefore, is good for everybody.

Scheduling it onto your calendar is no longer a luxury. It is a duty.

Just like that darned tax form. www.helenafoss.co.uk

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Getting to Grips with Sensory Play From an original article by Sue Gascoyne (BA, MA, MRTPI) Most children are hardwired to get the most from resources like mud and water, but as adults we can struggle to appreciate their appeal and embrace the mess and dirty clothes! According to the Sensory Play Research project over 60% of adult’s most vivid childhood play memories involving sensory-rich play outdoors, making mud pies, building dens and climbing trees. Nowadays, adult-free experiences like these are harder to offer, but if we make time for sensory-rich play it reaps rich rewards, being hugely satisfying and good for children as each sensory experience creates vital connections in the brain.

Treasure Baskets ...

A sensory feast

Treasure Baskets – a sensory feast Offer sensory-rich experiences doesn’t just mean play outdoors. A Treasure Basket, quite literally a basket of household and natural objects, can happily engage young babies through to six year olds (and older). The secret lies in the fact that this collection of what adults may see as just everyday objects, becomes a basket of awe and wonder with limitless possibilities. As there are no actual toys, a spoon can be a wand or microphone and a purse a dolls bed, rocket, boat or host of possibilities!

You will need a collection of interesting objects, e.g. rubber plug, spoons, napkin ring, shell, large pebble, etc. Pick objects for child-size hands and include a mix of wood, metal, cardboard, fabric, shapes and colours to appeal to all the senses. Simply sit and watch to discover interests and developmental milestones. (Adult supervision is needed.)

How children benefit?

• Increases concentration and focus.

• Develops muscle strength and skills.

• Gives meaning to words, e.g. soft, heavy, cold, rough.

• Encourages problem-solving and creativity.

• Develops connections in the brain.

Try this activity with your little one(s): Bury some treasure-like objects, e.g. a smooth stone (for a dinosaur egg), miniflower pot, necklace or chain (for treasure) in a container of sand to be discovered in a mini-archaeological dig. Simply saying “I’ve heard that there’s a fossilised dinosaur egg in here” can be enough to get them playing! Provide various brushes and spoons for children to experiment with discovering the treasure.

What else can I do?

Once your child/children have had plenty of opportunities to explore the Treasure Basket, you could offer some of the objects next to a container of sand or water to see if and how this changes play.

Tips for adding sensory interest • Add dried rice, glitter or sequins to sand to change its texture or appearance.

• Add natural seedpods and clean recycled pots to give children’s imagination a free reign.

Tips for minimising problems • Where possible play outside so that mess isn’t an issue. This increases sensory appeal and scale, particularly for boys.

• Provide a dust pan and brush for the children to help tidy-up.

• Wear old clothes, so that stains aren’t a problem.

The great thing about sensory play is siblings play happily together, each in their own age-appropriate way: A baby will enjoy the feel of sand and objects. A toddler may accidently create patterns and use containers for pouring and transporting. An older child will mix ‘delicious’ concoctions or develop their own games.

In our time-stretched lives the biggest boost we can give to play is giving children the time, space and ‘permission’ to discover and explore simple and natural ‘treasures’ like these.

Play Snapshot A three year old boy plays outside with sand, a plastic digger and toy cement mixer. After a few minutes he draws a Treasure Basket near and begins using some of its objects for deeply focused play. In just one hour he explored cause, effect and gravity (the sand falling through the tea strainer holes); problem solving (discovering that if he speeded up the action he could catch some sand); the pattern-making potential of sand (pressing a bath plug into a mini-bucket of sand); big and small and volume (transferring the sand to different sized containers). Meanwhile the digger and cement mixer were left untouched.

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Sue Gascoyne (BA, MA, MRTPI), has designed and run workshops nationally and internationally to help practitioners introduce learning through play. She is a published author who focuses on embedding sensory play experiences in the learning environment. Play to Z provides the Playscope range of quality playful learning resources, award winning training and research.

For more information please visit www.playtoz.co.uk

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Please always phone before setting out in case details have changed since our press deadline.

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS @BRISTOL Anchor Road, Harbourside, Bristol, BS1 5DB 0117 909 2000 www.at-bristol.org.uk Autumn night sky Planetarium show 20th Sep – 2nd Jan Immerse yourself in the wonder of the Universe as you are led on a magical tour of the Autumn night sky.

The Boggling Brain Show!

5th-6th Nov, 12th -13th Nov, 19th-20th Nov, 26th-27th Nov Discover the mysteries of the brain in our new show! Usually 12.30 and 3.30 weekends and holidays (subject to availability) Storytelling 5th-6th Nov, 12th-13th Nov, 19th-20th Nov, 26th-27th Nov Let yourself get swept up in a story! 11.30 am weekends and holidays Little Stars Planetarium show 12th-13th Nov, 19th -20th Nov, 25th Nov Get star struck in our brand new Planetarium show Little Stars, especially for under fives Toddler Takeover – Colour spectacular!

26th-27th Nov Toddlers take over At-Bristol in this fun-filled day for little ones!

LACOCK ABBEY, NEAR CHIPPENHAM The National Trust 01249 730459 www.nationaltrust.o6rg.uk/lacock Christmas Tree Festival at Lacock Abbey Sun 4 to Sun 18 December Experience hundreds of twinkly lights and the joy of seeing over 20 Christmas trees in the medieval Cloisters. View the handiwork of local community groups who have decorated their own tree.

Normal admission applies, NT members and under fives FREE. Call 01249 730459 or see www. nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock Pantaloons present ‘A Christmas Carol’ Tuesday 20 December Join Pantaloons for a fantastically festive performance of this Dickens classic. Brought to you with added fun, puppetry and songs.

Suitable for all ages and performed in the Abbey’s Great Hall.

Timed shows at 16:00 – 17:00 and 19:00 – 20:00. Tickets: Adult - £12.00, Child - £6.00 (Matinee). Adult - £12.00, Child - £6.00 (Evening Performance) Booking essential – 0844 249 1895 or online – www.nationaltrust.org.uk

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BRUNEL’S SS GREAT BRITAIN BS1 6TY 01179260680 www.ssgreatbritain.org

Photo: David Norton

What’s On

Winter Wonder-Land This December unwrap the science behind Christmas in AtBristol.

Visitors will arrive at the stunning new visitor centre, before stepping back in time to experience the hustle and bustle of a ship preparing to embark on a two-month voyage to Australia.

‘The Incredible Journey’ Until 31st December Turn back the clocks and listen to the memories of those who rescued the ship from the Falkland Islands and witnessed her return, and view the stunning new animated film.

Victorian Christmas storytelling 6th, 10th & 11th December Enter a magical Victorian Christmas with traditional tales from professional storyteller Sarah Mooney Mr Brunel visits 10th & 11th December Meet Britain’s greatest engineer, in festive mood, plus readings from ‘A Christmas Carol’.

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Christmas lunch 15th & 16th December Enjoy a three-course Christmas lunch in the First Class Dining Saloon. £34 for a three course lunch in the first class dining saloon.

Contact the events team to book or download a menu here.

Trails for children (under 8’s, and 8 to 12 years) NEW Steamship galley Explore the ship’s Victorian kitchen, and meet the residents … a cat plus rats Brunel Institute Discover the National Brunel Archive.

Check website for opening times and events brunelinstitute.org WESTONBIRT, THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM Tetbury, Glos, GL8 8QS T: 01666 880220 www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt Enchanted Christmas illuminated trail 25 November – 18 December The spectacular Enchanted Christmas event will return to Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, managed by the Forestry Commission, this November and December.

Families will also be able to enjoy a new winter wonderland in the education centre.

Amongst a snowy setting, children can meet Westonbirt’s green Father Christmas and make festive crafts with the arboretum’s learning team. For over ten years Westonbirt, The National Arboretum has thrilled winter visitors with the Enchanted Christmas illuminated trail. The one mile trail highlights the striking structures of Westonbirt’s trees in winter. A new route through the trees is created each year to take in different specimens, paths and vistas in the tree collection. The illuminated trail is accessible for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, both of which can be booked for free in advance by calling 01666 881218.

Westonbirt’s Enchanted Christmas takes place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from 25 November to 18 December, from 5 to 8.30pm, with the last entry at 7.15pm.

Admission is adults £9, concessions £8 and children £5. Discounted entry is available for pre-booked groups over 10 people and Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum members

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receive half price entry on Fridays.

Advance tickets can be booked online from 1 October at www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirtchristmas.

Reindeer Trail – family activity Thursday 1-Saturday 24 December 10am-4pm Discover the reasons behind many of our winter traditions and help Westonbirt’s green Father Christmas find his missing reindeer. This is a self led trail, available from the Great Oak Hall. Free after admission.

Wood sales Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 December 10am-1pm.

Take home a piece of Westonbirt wood!

Garden bench kits, bird boxes and all manner of native and exotic wood and sawn timber is available, produced from the routine pruning and thinning of the arboretum’s trees.

Proceeds go to the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum, so cash or cheques only please.

Follow signs from the car park on arrival. Call 01666 880220 or email anthonypearce427@ btinternet.com Free after admission.

FLEET AIR MUSEUM Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset BA22 8HT www.fleetairarm.com Christmas Concert Thursday 8th December Christmas Concert under Concorde with mulled wine and mince pies. Listen to HMS Heron Royal Navy Volunteer Band. A great way to start the festive season. Tickets available online from the Museum’s website or in person from the Museum Shop during normal opening hours from Oct/Nov. BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3HA www.bristolzoo.org.uk Bangless Bonfire Friday 4 and Saturday 5 November Now in its fourth year, we are excited to welcome you back for two evenings of unique, family-friendly entertainment. Be entertained by an enchanting display of low-noise fireworks that will light up the night sky.

‘Gardeners of the Forest’ – One day symposium on primate ecology and forest conservation Thursday 1 December This symposium brings together experts on both primate and forest conservation, to assess the role of primates for ecosystem functions and forest regeneration, as well as the nature and speed of global deforestation.

Bristol Zoo’s Fantabulous Christmas Mon 19 & Tues 20 Dec, 5.30pm – 8pm Following on from last year’s wonderful event is Bristol Zoo’s Fantabulous Christmas 2011.

Featuring live ice sculpting demonstrations, carol singing, feed the reindeers and of course, Santa’s Grotto*, it promises to be a magical event for the whole family. *Please be aware that demand is likely to be very high and there is an extra charge for Santa’s Grotto Winter treats 1 November – 10 February Come to Bristol Zoo Gardens for some Christmas fun this winter! We’re offering halfprice entry, from just £2.90, to all pre-school

and primary school children across Bristol.

Please be aware that photos taken during events may be used for promotion THE HOLBURNE MUSEUM Great Pulteney Street, Bath BA2 4DB 01225 388588, holburne@bath.ac.uk www.holburne.org Our workshops for pre-school children are in the Gardener’s Lodge To book or for further information please contact us Tel 01225 388576 or email s.homes@bath.ac.uk Brilliant Babes – 0-8 months Tuesdays, 1-3pm £8 Make your own art whilst your baby explores a safe and colourful environment. Meet other adults for a chat, coffee and to share new creative experiences.

Yearlings – 8 to 24 months Monday and Tuesdays, 10.30am-12pm £7.50 Relax with singing and multi-sensory activities for children and their adults.

Toddlealongs – 2 to 5 years Fridays, 10.30am-12pm and 1-2.30pm £7.50 Enjoy singing, storytelling, making things and being together in a relaxed atmosphere.

Story Time for Under 5s Wednesdays, 11am Free Come with us on a magical carpet ride and hear a real Museum object or painting reveal its marvellous story. Meet near our reception desk.

Saturday Art Club – 5 to 11 years In the Clore Learning Space Sat 5, 12, 19 November, 10.30am12.30pm £8 Explore a variety of different techniques and materials with our experienced and friendly team of artists.

Christmas at the Holburne Field of Light at the Holburne Museum 26 November 2011 to 8 January 2012 4pm to 7pm FREE Bruce Munro’s famous Field of Light is an ethereal and uplifting experience to lighten the darkest time of year. 1000s of tiny fibre optic lights will spread out from the Museum’s new extension, their reflections twinkling in the glass, and out into the back garden. In the grounds they form pools of light which shimmer and change colour to provide a spectacle of sheer magic. Bath’s very own answer to the Northern Lights. Seasonal refreshments available.

Sponsored by the Roper Family Charitable Trust The Framing Workshop benugo The Holburne Museum’s annual Lantern Procession is a family favourite. Join us to make your lantern in our workshops, or collect a kit to make a lantern at home, before the magical procession on 8 December.

Monday 5 to Wednesday 7 December Lantern Workshops Make your own willow lantern for the Holburne Museum Lantern Procession.

10.30am to 12noon, 2 to 5 year olds in the Clore Learning Space 3.30 to 5pm, School Aged Children in the Gardener’s Lodge

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Family Event £1 for each lantern kit (Lantern Making kits are available from the Museum Information Desk from Monday 28 November to Wednesday 7 December for £1) 4.30pm Thursday 8 December The Holburne Museum Lantern Procession Meet at the Museum, Procession sets off at 5pm Bring your lantern and meet under the Museum Portico before we set off for our annual Lantern Procession along Great Pulteney Street to Bath Abbey where we gather outside for carols.

FREE Art Workshops at Bath’s Christmas Market

Friends Meeting House, York Street, Bath These artist-led workshops, provided by the Holburne Team, offer families a creative break from Christmas Shopping at the Market.

Children can participate in a series of activities with their families. One craft option is the chance to make a lantern that can be paraded at the Holburne Museum’s Lantern Procession on Thursday 8 December.

Saturday 26 November, Sunday 27 November, Sunday 4 December, Saturday 10 December, Sunday 11 December 10am to 4pm Free Drop-In Workshops for families Christmas Art Club – 5 to 11 years Saturday 26 November, Sunday 27 November, Saturday 3 December, Sunday 4 December, Saturday 10 December, Sunday 11 December 11am to 1.30pm and 2 to 4.30pm £10

Leave your children at the Holburne to enjoy making Christmas crafts while you visit our exhibition or shop at the Christmas Market.

THEATRE ROYAL BATH Sawclose, Bath B&NES BA1 1ET Tel:01225 448 844 Dick Whittington Thursday 15th December to Sunday 22nd January NAOMI WILKINSON, one of children’s television’s best-loved presenters, and MARK MORAGHAN, well known for his longrunning role in Holby City, will star alongside Dame extraordinaire CHRIS HARRIS and Bath’s own JON MONIE in this year’s family pantomime DICK WHITTINGTON at the Theatre Royal Bath. Pantogoers both young and young at heart can look forward to a truly traditional show packed with comedy, slapstick, singing, dancing, beautiful costumes and plenty of audience participation. The cast will also feature the delightful young dancers from Bath’s DOROTHY COLEBORN SCHOOL OF DANCE. To book tickets contact the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 or online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk the egg theatre at the Theatre Royal Bath Sawclose, Bath B&NES BA1 1ET Tel:01225 448 844 Box Office: 01225 448844 or 01225 823 409 20 Stories High presents BLACKBERRY TROUT FACE Tuesday 1st November and Wednesday 2nd November Winner of The Brian Way Award for the UKs best new play for young people 2010.

Performances: Tuesday at 1pm & 7pm, Wednesday at 11am. Age range: 13 years and over. Tickets: £7 / £5.50 children & students Mind the Gap presents STIG OF THE DUMP A tale of a unique friendship.

Friday 4th November & Saturday 5th November Performances: Friday at 10am & 1pm, Saturday at 11.30am & 3pm Age range: 8 years and over. Tickets: £7 / £5.50 children & students TPO Company and Tom Dale present DANCE PLEASE! Saturday 12th November to Tuesday 15th November An interactive playground of movement, light and sound.

Performances: Saturday & Sunday 11.30am & 3pm. Monday at 10am & 1pm, Tuesday at 10am. Age range: 5-10 years. Tickets: £7/ £5.50 children Horse and Bamboo presents RED RIDING HOOD Friday 18th November & Saturday 19th November The story that everybody knows – or do they? From the mask and puppet company that has previously brought Storm in a Teacup and Little Leap Forward to the egg. Performances: Friday at 10am & 1pm, Saturday at 11.30am & 3pm. Age range: 4 years and over. Tickets: £7/£5.50 children.

Unpacked presents ROBIN AND THE BIG FREEZE Wednesday 23rd November to Saturday 26th November A wintery feast of a show with fantastic puppets, live music and bird-watching for everyone who is going away for Christmas or staying at home! A great alternative Christmas show for the little ones. Performances: Wednesday – Friday at 10am & 1pm, Saturday at 11.30am & 3pm Age range: 4 years and over. Tickets: £7/ £5.50 children YPT Acting presents (I THINK) I LOVE YOU… Directed by Lucy Cassidy Thursday 24th November to Saturday 26th November It’s about being in and (more usually) out of love. It’s about teenagers. It’s about sending a text to the wrong person. It’s about falling for someone.

It’s about finding out your boyfriend is cheating on you. It’s about seeing someone at a party but not having the courage to speak to them. It’s about feeling like you’re the only one that doesn’t have a girlfriend. And tonight, it’s about you: this audience, this space and these performers. It’s part choreographed and part improvised, no night will be quite the same.

This performance takes place in the Roper Room. Performances: 7.30pm & 9pm. Age range: 13 years and over. Tickets: £7/ £5.50 children THE FRENCH DETECTIVE AND THE BLUE DOG by award-winning writer Hattie Naylor to be staged at Bath’s egg theatre Friday 9th December to Sunday 8th January.

This Christmas, the egg theatre stages the world premiere production of a brand new musical comedy, The French Detective and the Blue Dog by award-winning writer Hattie Naylor, whose recent work includes the Olivier Award nominated play Ivan and the Dogs (London, New York).

Times: Morning, Afternoon and Evening Performances – various times daily. (No performances on Mon 12, Mon 19, Sun 25 December, Sun 1 & Mon 2 January.) Age range: 6 years and over. Tickets: £10 & £ 12 – Children, £15.50 & £17.50 – Adults, Schools group discount available BRISTOL HIPPODROME www.bristolhippodrome.org.uk Groups 10+ 0844 871 3032 (Mon-Fri 10-6) Booking Line 0844 871 3012. Open 24 hrs – seven days a week PETER PAN Saturday 10th December 2011 – Sunday 8th January 2012 Starring David Hasselhoff as Captain Hook, Andy Ford as Smee, Robert Rees as Peter Pan & Janine Esther Cowell as Wendy.

Performances are 2.00 pm & 7.00 pm except Sundays, Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve at 1.00 pm & 5.00 pm. No mat 10 Dec. No performances 12/19/25 Dec & 1/2 Jan Tickets: £20.50 £24.50 £28.50 £33.50 Family Ticket: 1 child half price with every full paying adult Concessions available at certain performances

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