Families West London Issue 78 March/April 2012

ISSUE 78: March/April 2012 www.familieswest.co.uk

FREE • Childcare: Your options • The benefits of drama for your child • Olympics update • Dealing with tantrums • What's On

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March/April 2012

News & Views Changes at the Park Club

Cover Picture: Room Seven Spring-Summer 2012 www.roomseven.com

We are back with a bumper issue this Spring, bursting with ideas for you and your family in West London. We continue the Childcare theme and the key things that you need to be on the lookout for when making your choice.

Spring means the Easter holidays and bigger, better events have been planned this year.

We simply didn't have enough space to list them all so do go onto our website for more ideas. If drama classes are something you may be contemplating for your child, have a look at our tips. Again full listings of classes available in West London in the website directory.

Back in May with all things to do about parties. Until then, enjoy the longer, more cheerful days.

Contents News & Views 3-4 Childcare 6-10 Drama classes for children 11 What’s On 12-20 Easter Holiday Workshops 20 Education News 21 Education 22-23 Olympics: Get ready to celebrate the London 2012 Games 24-25 Parenting: Tantrums 26 Classifieds 27

The Park Club already has a reputation for being a family friendly health club with great facilities; they have now just added a four tennis-court size indoor sports dome and redeveloped their indoor swimming pool. In addition to offering OFSTED approved onsite crèche and day care, mother and baby swimming, a myriad of after school activities for children including cricket, tennis, ballet and gymnastics, The Park Club is a perfect place to develop your child’s sporting talents in a safe and secure environment.

The Club has a 25-metre outdoor swimming pool (heated all year round), over 100 studio classes for adults per week, inclusive personal training (you get five one-on-one hour long personal training session included in your first month of membership), indoor swimming pools, plus a Jacuzzi and steam rooms. It is set in 27 acres of private land, with a café, restaurant and bar, beauty therapy and Clinic. Membership is currently open with no tie-in membership contracts and a wide range of membership options available.

Call them on 020 8740 4599 for further information or to arrange a Club tour.

New choir for Mums and babies launches in Kensington Big Little Singers is a new singing group for mums, dads, grandparents and babies that launched earlier this year. The sessions are run by professional singer and conductor Hannah Brine who says: “Singing has many proven health benefits and the emphasis with Big Little Singers is offering a relaxed environment where the whole family can be involved in singing together. A mixture of pop gospel, jazz and world songs will be taught in two part harmony allowing adults to enjoy singing whilst still caring for their baby, and making a lovely sound with others. You don’t need to have any previous singing or choir experience and it doesn’t matter if your baby cries or needs to be fed or changed during the session. These sessions will be a way to relax and meet others who also love to sing”. Big Little Singers meet on Mondays at St Philips, Earls Court Road from 10 – 11:30am. The cost is £70 per term.

For more details contact info@biglittlesingers.co.uk or visit www.biglittlesingers.co.uk

Buttons Day Nursery School re-qualifies as an Investor in People Organisation ‘Buttons’ has always prided itself on its approach to its staff teams personal and professional development. This commitment was recognised many years ago when the nursery originally qualified as an ‘Investor in People’ organisation in October 2005. Since then the nursery has re-qualified twice with the most recent re-qualification being in February 2012. Proprietors Satnam and Julie Parhar say “It is really important to care for the staff team as well as the nursery children as the two are so closely linked and lead to a consistent staff team and a happy nursery school”.

Contact Buttons Day Nursery School on 020 8840 3355 e:info@buttonsdaynursery.co.uk www.buttonsdaynursery.co.uk

www.FamiliesWest.co.uk Like us on Facebook Families West Magazine Follow us on Twitter @FamiliesWest Families West is designed by Natalie Schmidt of www.matobodesign.com and printed

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by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

March/April 2012

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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News & Views Autism redefined Concerns are growing within the autism community as proposed changes to the criteria used to diagnose autism threaten services, benefits and future research.

The definition of autism is due to be tightened to exclude many of those who are presently diagnosed with what are considered to be milder forms of the condition, such as Asperger syndrome, and the new criteria could have far-reaching implications for families, says Gillian Loughran, editor of Autism Eye. “The exclusion of people who don't meet criteria in the new definition is being seen within the autism community as a way for governments to curtail the sky-rocketing rate of reported cases of autism worldwide, and with it the need for services and benefits.”

Currently, autism cases are reported to be running at around one in 100 children. www.autismeye.com/news

Safety first As more and more children are going online, the UK National Centre for Child Protection (CEOP) is calling on parents in a new campaign to help keep their children safe. Four reports are received each day by CEOP of instances of a child finding themselves in immediate danger, with many linked to internet abuse.

“Have fun online and enjoy the benefits the internet can bring,” says Peter Davies, CEO of CEOP, “but we ask parents to talk to their child and make sure their online safety is built into everything they do. Every day we see the effects on children's lives when things do go wrong, so please work with us to help keep your children safe and empower them to know what to do if things go wrong”.

Club Petit Pierrot French lessons at home Club Petit Pierrot are now offering private French tuition at your home during term time and in the holidays. The lessons will follow the Club Petit Pierrot programme with fun exercises (reading and writing for older children), games, songs, stories and puppets as well as Creative activities in French with music, theatre, role-play, cooking, sports games, salt-dough, arts and crafts or even making Christmas/Easter decorations during the holidays. Tutors can also help with school work and revising for exams, or put together a fun crash course on your child's favourite topic (fashion, football, food etc). They have teachers qualified to work with children of all different ages and levels, including adults. Early booking is advised to ensure that they can accommodate your preferred dates and times.

Call 020 7385 5565 or e-mail admincpp@btconnect.com www.clubpetitpierrot.co.uk

NCT K and C activities

Awards announced

If you live in Kensington and are looking for activities for you and your baby or toddler, then the NCT group based there may be the answer. There are several groups that meet up during the week locally and are free! These include a buggy walk in Holland Park every Monday at 10am, followed by tea and time in the playground for those who have toddlers, a bumps and babies meet at St Peter's Church in Notting Hill on Thursdays at 2.30pm or in the snug room at Maggie and Rose in Kensington on Fridays at 10am. The room is stocked with picture books, play mats, toys, a mini trampoline, foam blocks, bean bags and a couch.

The shortlist for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2012 has been announced, celebrating the best authors and greatest reads for children. This year’s shortlist includes a fact book about the 2012 Olympics, a treasure trove of information about the extremes of the planet, a novel that investigates those strange howls in the night, and a tale of time travel and tragedy.

The shortlisted books will be judged by more than 200 young Blue Peter viewers from 10 schools across the UK, and this year the winner will be announced on a special edition of Blue Peter to coincide with World Book Day in March.

To find out more call them on 0844 243 0007 or email nctkensington@yahoo.co.uk www.nct.org.uk/branches/ kensington-chelsea/parent-support

www.booktrust.org.uk.

WWF’s Earth Hour

Giving out personal information, posting inappropriate photos and befriending people they don't know can put children at risk of bullying or even contact from people who may cause them harm.

Whether you’ve taken part in WWF’s Earth Hour before or not, don’t miss it on Saturday 31 March at 8.30pm. A chance to get involved in a global phenomenon, join hundreds of millions of people turning off their lights for one hour on the same night, all across the planet. But it’s not just to save an hour's electricity – Earth Hour is about people coming together to celebrate the planet and focus on how we need to protect it, not just for an hour but every day.

www.clickceop.net.

Sign up at www.wwf.org.uk

A Paella party brought to your doorstep Jonathan Weeks, partner of one of our fellow editors at Families Magazine has set up a paella company, Paella Inc. He can put together authentic and modern paella and tapas for weddings, parties, events and special occasions. It’s an ideal food solution for an event; paella is cooked in big paella pans for up to 250 people. Paella Inc are completely mobile so they can travel to most places in England to cook paella in gardens, fields, in your street, in marquees, on beaches or wherever you have your event.

Call them on 01273 881106 or 07973 483674 www.paellainc.co.uk info@paellainc.co.uk 4

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

Building strong foundations Better parenting starts from birth and is central to the life chances of every child.

A new book, Building Strong Foundations: What Montessori Can Offer Your Family takes a fresh look at family life to help parents put the child at the heart of the home and unlock their amazing potential. The book starts out exploring the first year of a baby's life as a time of extraordinary growth and development. It stresses the key roles played by attachment, movement and communication.

It explains what the Montessori philosophy of 'follow the child' means and discusses key elements of the approach which embraces child-led, natural and favourable home environments. There are lovely personal insights from parents on how to promote a child's independence through the daily routines of everyday family life: from getting dressed, personal hygiene, eating, and packing a bag to ideas on how to adapt a living space around the needs of the child.

Building Strong Foundations is launched this month, priced £6.99.

For a copy or more information, go to www.montessori.org.uk or call 020 7493 8300.

Say that you saw it advertised in Families West Magazine March/April 2012

March/April 2012

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Childcare

Nurseries – It’s your choice

by Sarah-Jane Butler and Ann Clare

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e all know that day-care exists but it is only when we become working parents that we have to make decisions about where our small children will be cared for. Today there is so much choice that the decision is all the harder to make.

So what are the choices; nanny, child-minder or day nursery.

Nannies and child-minders are for babies and children in a home setting and the care is on a much more personal basis.

Day nurseries, upon which this article will concentrate, care for babies and young children on a much larger scale. When looking for a day nursery it is important to have a clear idea of what you want for your child. I often suggest that you think about choosing a nursery as you would choosing a new home; what are the ‘MUST HAVES’ and what are your ‘DESIRABLES’.

All parents want their children to be happy and cared for, and when they are small babies the care aspect appears to be the most important. Care is important, and you need to look closely at the adults in the whole nursery who will be delivering this care. Remember to consider the whole nursery environment and all of the adults, not just the baby room or

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March/April 2012

Childcare whichever room your child is starting in. Your baby will grow quickly and as a consequence will move through the rooms in the nursery. You don’t want to keep changing settings so look at where your baby is heading.

Your adults need to be caring but they also need to be mindful of the role that their interactions and challenge have in helping your baby to learn through first hand experiences and opportunities for exploration and investigation. It is these experiences which help develop the brain during those formative years.

Research has clearly demonstrated that babies and young children make progress when supported by knowledgeable and skilled adults. When visiting a nursery ask about the qualifications of the staff. Many good nurseries are now employing graduates who have gone on to gain Early Years Professional Status (EYP). Ask whether these adults work in all areas of the nursery and not just with the children aged 3+. Remember the majority of brain development occurs within the first 2 years of life and it is important that high quality staff is caring for our very youngest children.

The environment that a nursery creates is of crucial importance to parents and children. When visiting a nursery look beyond the physical environment to the babies and children already in the setting. Do they appear to have high levels of well-being; look at the body language that babies and children display. Do they look at ease? Are they comfortable and cosy with the adults in the room? Are they showing levels of excitement and stimulation? In babies is there excited movement of the limbs?

When choosing a day nursery for your baby, parents want somewhere which is safe and secure, not just from a safeguarding perspective but importantly for emotional wellbeing. You want play experiences for your young child, not hot house pressure to produce a prospective genius but an emotionally secure individual who has had the opportunities to develop the valuable learning skills that are learnt through play.

After all, 'a child's play is his work' Friedrich Froebel Sarah-Jane Butler and Ann Clare, founders of Parental Choice, the essential “onestop shop” to help you make the right decision on your childcare needs.

For more information on your childcare options, see the Parental Choice website: www.parentalchoice.co.uk.

“Creating a Learning Environment for Babies and Toddlers”, by Dr Ann Clare to be published in February 2012 by Sage Publications.

All of these are indicators that the babies and young children feel safe and secure in a setting. Research has shown that when babies and children display high levels of well-being and involvement then learning will take place. “Well-being” indicates that the basic needs of the child are satisfied and refers to the degree to which children feel at ease, act spontaneously, show vitality and self-confidence. “Involvement” is evident when children are concentrated and focused, interested and fascinated and when they are operating at the very limits of their capabilities.

March/April 2012

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Childcare

How love changes childcare

By Joanna Moorhead Joanna Moorhead reveals the secret ingredient in childcare – and explains how Ofsted has caught on to it as well

I

f 18 years of organising childcare for my children taught me anything at all, it’s this: you can pay someone to look after your kids, but you can’t pay someone to love them. What this means – or at least, what it means to me – is that when and if someone comes along who actually does love your kids, hold onto them for all you’re worth; because they are literally priceless in your family’s life.

For me, the wonderful carer who really did love my daughters was Linda, who looked after them (and sometimes me as well) for eight years. She arrived in our family’s life when my eldest child was two, and she stayed until the birth of my fourth.

When she left, she said it was because she didn’t want to fall in love with another of my babies – because then it would be too hard to leave, and during the time she’d been working for us, she and her husband had moved further out of town.

Across the years I reckon I’ve paid at least 20 different carers to look after my children – and I still occasionally have to find childcare for my youngest daughter, who is nine. I’ve searched for – and found – carers for tiny babies, and for older (and not always very easy) pre-schoolers. I’ve found nurseries for some of my children, and I’ve had au pairs from time to time.

None of the carers in our family were as much a part of our team as Linda was, and none of them loved my children as much as she did (she still comes back to see them, several years on); but the more the carer engaged with, and enjoyed, whichever child or children she was looking after, the happier the children were. So I have no doubt at all what matters most in choosing a childcarer. Look for someone who makes your child happy, pure and simple. Look for someone your child looks forward to being with, and is happy to share his or her days with.

Often – or so it has sometimes seemed to me – parents are too ambitious in their hopes for a childcarer; and ironically, this means they end up getting a raw deal for their child. They want a carer who, as well as looking after their child, will also manage to make the beds and iron the laundry and leave the kitchen spotless at the end of the day. And of course, if you’ve been out at work since dawn and you’ve got another tough day tomorrow, tidiness does matter – because in order to enjoy a bit of time with your child, you don’t want to have to start ploughing through the washing up. But expecting too much ‘round the edges’ from a carer means your child can miss out: because it’s that primary relationship between the nanny, or mother’s help, or childminder, that matters more than anything else.

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March/April 2012

Childcare Bilingual education since 1996 The Kensington Gardens Nursery School Bilingual Nursery School French/English Group of International nursery schools W2 SW7 SW1

Lancaster Gate • Bayswater • Notting Hill Gate Queen’s Gate Knightsbridge

All schools have native language teachers, excellent facilities and lovely outside playground/garden

Interestingly, Ofsted recently came to the same conclusion. In recent years, the main thrust of an Ofsted check on a nursery or childminder has been on safety issues, especially safeguarding ones. But under new plans, inspectors will concentrate instead, in the future, on whether children feel loved and emotionally secure while they’re in the nursery or childminder’s home, and will look at children’s personal development, such as how ready they are to share and to take turns, and how well they engage with the other children around them.

• • • •

For children from 1 to 5 years old Morning and afternoon sessions Full time sessions Summer school in July and August

The Spanish Nursery School Bilingual Nursery School Spanish/English • • • •

For a brochure please call Marie-Laurence Edmonstone 020 7259 21 51 marie-laurence@edmonstone.com

For children from 1 to 5 years old Morning and afternoon sessions Full time sessions Summer school in July and August

The plans are out for consultation until April, but they’ve already received a warm welcome – because of course they make perfect sense.

I’d also say, looking back over my many years of employing childcarers, that – strangely enough – the carers the kids would have chosen were unfailingly the ones who were most successful in our family. The litmus test of a childcarer’s abilities is, at the end of the day, whether your child would choose to be with that person (assuming you aren’t available which, of course, you’re not).

For this reason, it seems a bit odd to me that parents sometimes report feeling jealous of the feelings their child has for their childcarer. No carer is ever going to replace a parent, but surely the very best accolade for the choice you’ve made for your children is if your replacement is the next-best person in their life? Ideally, a carer should resemble a much-loved family member – depending on what sort of carer they are, and what sort of age they are. So in my family, Linda was a ‘granny’ figure (although she was only ten years older than me, and a very glamorous granny when she first arrived at our door, aged just 40); we’ve had Czech and Polish au pairs, usually shared with other families, who have had a big-sisterly relationship with my daughters; and we’ve had carers in nurseries who have been like favourite aunties.

And all in all, my daughters have laughed a lot, and enjoyed their time, and improved their social skills through their attachments and their relationships with the people who’ve cared for them.

Like every working mother, I owe all these people who’ve backed me up through the years a huge debt of gratitude: because we all need to know our kids are safe and happy in order to do our jobs. So, follow your instincts is what I’d say: find someone your child really likes being with, and a carer who clearly enjoys being with your child. If you’re very , very lucky, you may even find someone to love him, or her; and then you’ll truly have hit the jackpot.

March/April 2012

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Childcare If you are looking for childcare in West London, then a great place to start is our directory on www.familieswest.co.uk We have a comprehensive listing of local nurseries and the age groups of children that they cater for.

Childcare: your options There’s lots to think about when you’re weighing up which sort of childcare to go for. Do you want your child looked after at home, or somewhere else; with other children, or one-to-one with a carer? You’ll also need to consider what sort of care will dovetail with your working hours; plus (and all-importantly) your budget.

A nursery: usually open long hours, typically from 7am to 7pm. You need to think about how you’ll get your child to and from nursery; also, if you intend having another child soon, remember that having two children at nursery will double (or almost double, if there’s a sibling discount) the costs. Expect to pay: £30-50 a day A childminder: looks after up to six children (three of whom can be under five) in her own home. Childminders can often be flexible about working hours. Expect to pay: between £3 and £8 an hour A nanny: looks after your child in your own home, and may live in or live out. You can cut your costs, and give your child a playmate, if you share a nanny with another family with a similar-aged child. Expect to pay: between £7 and £10 an hour, plus you’re responsible for your nanny’s tax and NI contributions.

An au pair or mother’s help: au pairs or mother’s helps tend to come from other EU countries, and may or may not live in your house. They’re often not trained, but will need to have some experience of childcare; they look after your children, and may do some housework as well. Expect to pay: between £6 and £8 an hour for a live-out, less if they’re live-in and you’re providing food.

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Childcare pitfalls ■ Don’t be vague with your carer about what you want/ need. But once you’ve spelt out what you need, be prepared to trust her to provide what your child needs when she’s in charge, within the boundaries you have set ■ Don’t enter into a childcare arrangement unless you’re certain that the logistics work. Any niggle about practicalities is likely to grow much, much bigger as time goes by ■ Don’t forget to trust your instincts. Never ignore any nagging doubts about a carer’s suitability – explore the doubts instead, because you need to be completely sure that all is well when you’re not around

March/April 2012

Drama

Drama classes for children

Making the right choice 1) THE TEACHER – The teacher is the key to the success of the class. Find out if they are qualified to teach the subject and experienced. Does the teacher relate well with her class? Are their instructions clear? Would they inspire your child? Go along and watch the first class to check you and your child are happy.

© Allsorts Drama

2) SIZE OF CLASS – Ideally, there should be no more that 8 to 10 pupils per teacher. Will your child be an important member of the group or just a number?

Why? "I like acting and pretending to be someone else and learning songs and dances with my friends," says five-year-old William, who has attended a children's performing arts club for nearly a year. For boosting the confidence of shy or reserved children, drama can't be beaten. And the skills that a child learns through performing arts classes will stand them in good stead throughout their lives – twenty years down the line, they'll thank you when it comes to addressing a meeting room or chairing a conference.

Performing arts classes are not only for children with starry aspirations. Theatre arts bring literature to life, and build self-confidence. Learning to perform in front of an audience can help children with public speaking; role playing and improvisation give their minds freedom to develop while developing empathy for other people's feelings.

For most students, drama classes lead naturally from the dressing up role-play games they've enjoyed at home.

At an all-round theatre school they'll come away with singing, dancing and acting skills.

It introduces them to music beyond the standard chart scene, and teaches them to express themselves in other ways than just shouting. Some find they 'have a voice' and go on to join a choir or take up an instrument. They may be invited to get involved with charity performances or semi-professional engagements like TV and radio appearances.

Choosing a drama class If you are new to drama you may wonder “aren’t they all pretty much the same?” Does it really matter where you enrol? The answer is a resounding “Yes!” Don’t simply make a decision based on a phone book ad or flyers posted around town. Here are some useful points that can make a huge difference in the quality of instruction that your child receives and the quality of service that parents can expect. Spend some time searching for the perfect school. Drama schools differ in many ways, so make an informed choice.

4) LENGTH OF CLASS – The class should not be too long for very young children – they can usually concentrate for about 30 minutes.

5) DRESS CODE – Each school has it own requirements for uniform/ dress code.

6) REPUTATION – What do the parents of the children in the class think of the lessons?

Ask friends what they have heard about the classes.

7) OPPORTUNITIES – Does the school offer performance opportunities and/or exams in a recognised board eg RAD, ISTD or LAMDA?

We have a list of drama classes available for children in West London on our website directory.

Look at www.familiesonline.co.uk/ LOCATIONS/London-West/ Directory/Activities-Clubs-andClasses-in-West-London/ Performing-Arts

Holiday Courses in Drama, W5 10th-13th April 2012

After the success of the last four years of drama summer schools, Yourspace is delighted to announce the launch of their new Easter course Yourspace Project for 6-16 year old children.

The course will take place at St Augustine’s Priory, Hillcrest Road Ealing W5 from Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th April 2012. This four-day course is a chance for children to work together in a company devising an original piece of theatre. The piece developed through the week will be performed for parents on the Friday evening at 6pm.

Summer courses also available 13th – 17th August 2012.

Website: www.yourspacedrama.com Email: info@yourspacedrama.com Tel: 07580 474638 March/April 2012

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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© The National Army Musuem

What's On

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

DIARY DATES MOVE IT 2012 9-11 Mar A dance celebration for all levels-Join in with masterclasses, watch professional performers and browse hundreds of exhibition stands stalls for dancewear, academies and more. Open 10am-7pm Friday and Saturday, to 5pm Sunday, tickets from £10.50 children, £13.50 adults, £44 families. Olympia, Hammersmith Road, Kensington W14 8UX www.moveitdance.co.uk IDEAL HOME SHOW 16 Mar-1 Apr at Earl’s Court, Warwick Road SW5 9TA. Over 600 exhibitors showcase the latest products and innovations in interiors.

Exhibits include three full-scale show homes, show gardens, a 'how to' home improvement theatre, celebrity chef kitchen theatre, beauty bar and catwalk. Open 10am-6pm daily; until 9pm Thursdays, tickets free for accompanied under 15s, weekday adults £16.50 on the door, weekend adults £18.50 on the door, less for concessions, pre-booked tickets and groups of 10 or more. www.idealhomeshow.co.uk 0844 858 6763 ST PATRICK’S DAY 17 Mar Celebrate all things Irish at the parade in Trafalgar Square on 18 Mar- there will be a colourful array of floats, marching bands and groups representing the Irish Counties proceeding through central London from Green Park to Trafalgar Square starting at 12 noon.

NEARLY NEW SALE IN GREENFORD 17 Mar Sale of second hand baby and childrens items at All Hallows Church, Greenford UB6 0PD. Entry is 20p and tables cost £5 to sell items. All table charges go to the cost of the hall hire. Any unwanted items will be collected and donated to FARA children's charity shop in Ealing. For more information call Andrea on 07799 333019 e:drea_chic@yahoo.co.uk MOTHERING SUNDAY 18 Mar Lots of treats to be had in West London. Check out our website for spa offers, suggestions for afternoon tea or a day out with the family.

MOTHERS OF INVENTION 19 Mar An evening talk from a group of inspirational and pioneering female entrepreneurs including founders Sophie Cornish from Not on the High Street, Kamal Basran from The Authentic Food Company, Tatty Devine, and retail branding expert Christina Richardson giving great insight into the secrets of business success and how to effectively juggle a healthy work-life balance. 6.15-9.30pm, book first. Business and IP Centre, British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB, 020 7412 7901, www.bl.uk/bipc/ WORKING MUMS LIVE 27 March, Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington N1, 020 8432 6094, www.workingmumslive.co.uk/london. A free exhibition where you can meet employers face to face, pick up expert advice on retraining, working for yourself, and brush up your CV and interview skills. There will be seminars on a range of subjects and up to date information on childcare options and business funding. Exhibitors include large employers, banks and colleges. The event is free and there are crèche facilities if you pre-book. 9am-4pm, register first online and book your seminar places.

THE HAPPINESS WEEKEND 30 Mar - 1 Apr Based on the knowledge gained from over ten years of research in positive psychology, this intensive course will teach people how to develop their thinking patterns, their actions and their relationships so that their lives become happier and more fulfilled. £395 per person includes a two-night stay plus food and wine. Wellington College, Berks, 01628 513707 www.thehappinessconsultancy.co.uk NATIONAL LEARN TO PLAY DAY 31 Mar Organised by Music for All, musical instrument shops will open their doors and offer free instrument “taster” sessions supported by music teachers. A great opportunity to find the right instrument for your child.

Many shops in West London taking part- see www.learntoplayday.com for venues and details.

158th OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY BOAT RACE 7 Apr Best places in West London to watch are Chiswick Bridge and Duke’s Meadow, W4. Starts at 2.15pm in Putney. www.theboatrace.org VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON 22 Apr Look at www.virginlondonmarathon.com for an interactive map showing the best places to cheer on the runners.

ST GEORGE’S DAY 23 Apr Details of free festival in Trafalgar Square yet to be confirmed.

Check on http://www.familiesonline.co.uk/LOCATIONS/London-West/What-sOn where we will post details as soon as they are available.

March/April 2012

What's On SCIENCE MUSEUM

GALLERIES AND MUSEUMS

Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD. Info & bkg 0870 870 4868 www.sciencemuseum.org.uk

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

Open 10am-6pm. Adm is free but charges apply to some special exhibitions, IMAX cinema and simulator rides

Cromwell Road, London SW7 020 7938 9123.

Info: Mon-Fri 020 7942 5000.

Sat & Sun 020 7942 5011 www.nhm.ac.uk

To 11 Mar. VEOLIA ENVIRONMENT WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 10am-5.50pm. More than 100 images and interactive stations with explanations. £4.50/£9, family £24.

To 2 Sept. SCOTT’S LAST EXPEDITION Explore Robert Falcon Scott’s epic Terra Nova expedition to Antarctica- Powerful tales of endurance and celebrating the many scientific achievements. £9/£5.50, family £26 DAILY FAMILY ACTIVITIES: Weekends and school holidays 11am-5pm. Free. Full listing on www.nhm.ac.uk/whats-on FILM – WHO DO YOU THINK YOU REALLY ARE? Take part in a virtual journey back through your evolutionary past to where extinct creatures appear to roam around

March/April 2012

© Natural History Museum

Mon-Sat: 10am – 5.50pm Sun 11am-5.50pm. Free.

Until 13 Apr. STEPHEN HAWKING: A 70TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION Objects and papers primarily sourced from Hawking’s own archives, audio specially recorded by Professor Hawking for the exhibition and a projection of photographs from his life and career. you in the studio. Every weekday at 3.30pm, weekends at 11am.

INVESTIGATE CENTRE - explore hundreds of real natural history specimens, ranging from a shark jaw to a meteorite. Age 7+ Weekends and holidays 11am-5pm.

HANDS-ON NATURE – DINOSAURS Explore some interesting specimens with the help of the science educators. Weekends and holidays 2-5pm.

ANIMAL VISION FOR FAMILIES featuring live animals, demonstrates that there is a world only visible to certain animals.

7 Mar-30 Apr. ME IN 3D A study investigating the structure of different faces. Visitors can have their photograph taken in 3D and explore what they look like in another dimension. The photographs will form part of a database of 3D images. This will be the largest database of its kind in the world and could help treat patients with facial disfigurement in the future.

Until 13 May DISPLAY OF FENIX 2 - The Chilean rescue capsule that rescued the 33 miners who were trapped underground at the San Jose mine.

From 2 Apr PALACES A participatory artwork made from thousands of milk teeth donated by children around the UK. Standing two metres high, the sculpture resembles a coral castle under water.

It aims to raise questions about consent and the reuse of human tissues in medical research, and the sources of stem cells in the body.

ANTENNA LIVE SCIENCE – an ongoing programme where people can volunteer to take part in cutting-edge experiments conducted by visiting scientists.

Free. Suitable for ages 7+ A COCKROACH TOUR OF THE MUSEUM Visitors take on the form of cockroaches, dressing up in realistic costumes to explore the impact on the climate of scientific and technological developments from the perspective of one of the oldest, most resilient life forms on the planet. Every Saturday and Sunday. Book on 0870 870 4868.

FREE FAMILY EVENTS: include DESIGN A HERO drop in workshop at 11am (Agriculture gallery) A STAR IS BORN talk at 1.30pm (Energy Gallery), LAUNCHPAD SCIENCE SHOWS for ages 8-14 and gallery tours on FLIGHT (1pm) and MAKING THE MODERN WORLD (3pm) for ages 13+

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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What's On LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM Covent Garden Piazza , WC2E 7BB 020 7565 7299 www.ltmuseum.co.uk Open Sat-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 11am-6pm. £13.50 adults (for 12 months), children under 16 free.

EASTER HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS - Story Telling and Easter Bonnets. Travel back to a time when ladies wore bonnets and men in top hats rode through the City of London in horse drawn vehicles. Discover the story of Victorian London by taking the ‘time machine’ lift up to the 19th Century London gallery to explore the history of the river, steam and what the city was like before buses and the Underground.

2-6 and 9-13 Apr STORYTELLING: MONTY MAKES HIS WAY TO LONDON 11am and 1.30pm.

2-6 Apr CRAFT WORKSHOP: TIP TOP HATS AND BONNETS 12-1.30pm, for ages 5+ 2-6 Apr CRAFT WORKSHOP: TICKETS PLEASE 2-3.30pm, for ages 5+

NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM Royal Hospital Road, London SW3 4HT 020 7730 0717 www.nam.ac.uk Daily 10am-5.30pm. Free EXHIBITIONS: To 30 Apr. DRAW YOUR WEAPONS – THE ART OF "COMMANDO" COMICS. A colourful and dynamic exhibition exploring the history of the war comic from its initial conception and subject matter to its continuing popularity. Free To 31 Aug. WAR HORSE: FACT & FICTION A new major hands-on exhibition exploring the history behind the hugely popular “War Horse” novel by Michael Morpugo. Free.

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FAMILY EVENTS: 30 Mar. WAR HORSE LATE – EVENING EXHIBITION VIEWING Visitors can unwind and enjoy a fun evening at this exciting equine exhibition or indulge in a range of delicious drinks and food at the Museum Café until 9pm. Free.

4, 5 & 6 Apr. THE BIG SPRING CLEAN Captain Clean will be identifying the “Agents of Decay” such as woodworm and mites and revealing the ways in which you can defeat them and ensure the Museum’s objects are here for visitors to enjoy for years to come! Hunt for clues and solve puzzles, pick up tips for looking after your family heirlooms. Free.

ACTIONS ZONES – VICTORIAN SOLDIERS ACTION ZONE Quizzes, games and hands-on activities help you learn about life as a Victorian Soldier and the part they played in the shaping of Britain’s Empire. Free, in “Changing the World Gallery”.

KID’S ZONE Daily 10.10am-5.15pm. This new children’s play area explores aspects of army life from camping to clothing and includes a dedicated soft play space for babies, plus art and crafts, dressing-up costumes, books, interactive toys and panels. Adm charge applies. www.nam.ac.uk/kids

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS Clive Steps, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AQ www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms 9.30am-6pm £9.60/£12.80/£15.95, children under 16 free.

Located in the heart of Westminster, visitors to the Churchill War rooms can view this complex of historic rooms left exactly as they were in 1945.

17/18 Mar. BRITONS AT WAR – 1938 Drop-in 11am-12.30pm & 2pm-4pm. Visitors are encouraged to consider the fear felt by Britons before war even broke out. This engaging session explores the motivations and preparations involved. As well as discussing the topic with experts, visitors will have the chance to examine genuine objects relating to the topic. Entry included in general adm price. Suitable for all ages with parental supervision.

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM Threadneedle Street, London EC2R 8AH 020 7601 5545 www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm. Free.

To 23 Mar. SECURE BY DESIGN – THE BOULTON & WATT £50 NOTE To mark the introduction of the new £50 note, this exhibition will explore the design of the new note and its security features. Using a powerful microscope camera, visitors can examine the intricate design details and security features on the new note, including the new motion thread, holograms and fluorescent inks. For children, answering 3 questions correctly about the new note will reveal a code to open a safe containing a prize.

ENLIGHTEN Enlighten offers play therapy for children, counselling for teenagers and parent support.

For further information see www.enlighten-therapy.co.uk.

Email us at: enlighten.therapy@yahoo.co.uk or call

07888 004 241 14

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March/April 2012

What's On NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk/events Mon, Tue, Wed, Sat, Sun 10am-6pm. Late opening Thu, Fri 10am-9pm.

FAMILY EVENTS: Free, tickets available one hour before event and limited to 20 per workshop.

STORYTELLING - suitable for ages 3+, no ticket required, free, session lasts for 45 mins.

ART WORKSHOPS - suitable for ages 5+, free, tickets required and available one hour before event. Session lasts 90 mins.

17 Mar/ 21 Apr STORYTELLING Followed by art activity. 10.30am and 1.30pm.

17 Mar/ 21 Apr FAMILY ART WORKSHOP 11.30am and 2.30pm. Explore portraits in the Collection, followed by art activity.

FAMILY AUDIO GUIDE £6 up to 5 audio players, £4 for 2 audio players (one adult and one child) Explore amazing facts and stories about people in the collection with a specially designed recorded tour and interactive touch-screen players 7-11yrs.

2-6 Apr EASTER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES 11am-4pm, daily. FAMILY ART WORKSHOPS Horrible Histories is coming to the GalleryMeet the cast of Barmy Britain and come face to face with portraits of the famous historical figures who star in the show.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DN 020 7747 2894/2885 www.nationalgallery.or.uk and for family events www.nationalgallery.org.uk/whats-on COLOUR LIGHT AND LANDSCAPE. Drawing from themes of the exhibition “Turner Inspired: In The Light of Claude” 14Mar-5 Jun, this season of family events celebrates colour, light and landscape.

For families with children aged 5 to 11: DRAWING SUNDAYS: 11am & 2pm. Young artists explore how National Gallery paintings can be used as inspiration. Take place in the Gallery only. Families can feel free to drop in and out.

STUDIO SUNDAYS: 11am & 2pm. Hands-on workshops that start in the Gallery followed by a studio session.

FOLD, CRUMPLE, TWIST Discover new and old ways of using paper to make new ideas and create textures through collage and drawings.

FAMILY TOUR: 12.30pm-1.30pm. A themed journey through the collection where families can walk, talk and bring paintings alive! Suitable for all ages.

4 Mar Theme: COLOUR AND LIGHT 1 Apr Theme: SEASONS 11 Apr Theme: LANDSCAPES

Join our popular classes at:

Rivercourt Church, Dance Studio, W6.

Fridays:

Children

4.15pm & 4.45pm

Sundays:

Adult

2.30-3.45pm

(Beginners & Improvers)

Taught by Betty Cid an experienced Professional Bettycidflamenco.co.uk Dancer & Spanish Dance 07833 195 361 Society Qualified Teacher

MORE GALLERY FUN: TRAILS AND AUDIO TOURS can be printed from www.nationalgallery.org.uk/families or pick one up at Information Desks. No need to book for workshops, talks or story sessions but places are limited and allocated on arrival. Children must be accompanied by an adult to all events.

Extra sessions of all workshops during the Easter holidays, check the website for details.

THE WALLACE COLLECTION Hertford House, Manchester Square, London W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500/ 9551 www.wallacecollection.org 10am-5pm. Free. Unless otherwise stated, booking is essential for family events on 020 7563 9527 or booking@wallacecollection.org. Children must be accompanied.

FAMILY SUNDAYS Fun activities designed especially for families to enjoy and learn together.

Free hands-on art workshops at 11am & 2pm every Sunday. Meet in the Education Centre Foyer-Orange St Entrance. (No session on Easter Sunday 8 Apr)

EVENTS FOR FAMILIES: DAILY SELF GUIDED ACTIVITIES – NO NEED TO BOOK FAMILY MULTIMEDIA TOUR with interactive games. Make the Laughing Cavalier grumpy, match the dogs to their owners and find a dragon in the galleries. Small fee. FREE ARMOUR HANDLING Daily. Find out what a brigandine is and how heavy a bullet-proof breastplate really was. FAMILY TRAILS available from the information desk at the front Entrance.

For children aged 2 to 5: MAGIC CARPET STORYTELLING 10.30am-11am & 11.30am-12noon. Fly away on the magic carpet, which comes to land in front of a different painting each Sunday.

11 Mar and 1 Apr THE LITTLE DRAW 1.30 -4.30pm. Free drop-in drawing workshop for all ages. Learn about looking, drawing and interpretation using the rich wealth of objects and architecture on display. www.drawingpower.org.uk

March/April 2012

Flamenco for Fitness & Fun

Cooking Parties!

• Fun, cooking parties • For boys and girls aged 5-16 years • Cooking classes

Give your child the best party ever! whisking, baking, giggling, rolling, making, laughing, turning, licking, joking

A great way to learn while having fun!

Call for details:

0208 876 9912 email: info@cookiecrumbles.co.uk www.cookiecrumbles.co.uk

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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What's On 24 Mar FAMILY PUBLIC TOUR 2.30pm Free, drop-in tour by young curators from St. Vincent’s Primary School.

2 Apr LOUD DAY! Round the World in One Museum. 10.30am-12.15pm and 2-3.45pm. Discover unexpected treasures from around the world and join in with map reading, post card making and more in this relaxed workshop run by artists, where families can make as much noise as they like.

3 Apr MAD HATTERS EASTER TEA PARTY! 10.30am-12.30pm and 2-4pm. £7 per child, ages 6+ Discover fanciful fashions and Easter imagery. Try on historical replica hats and helmets and then create your own headwear.

Celebrate with tea and biscuits!

13 Apr JEWELS OF SPRING: WATERCOLOUR PAINTING WORKSHOP 10.30am3.30pm £14 per child, ages 9-12. Learn the main techniques of watercolour painting, including weton-wet, glazes, dabbing and mixing tones.

An all day workshop with artist Alison Kusner.

SOMERSET HOUSE Strand, London WC2 1LA 020 78454600, www.somerset.org.uk

UNDER 5’S ZONE Open during gallery hours.

Free for 5 yrs and under. Children can go on a creative, physical and sensory exploration of themes inspired by cubist art works.

CHILDREN’S MULTIMEDIA GUIDE TO THE TATE MODERN Available daily- £4, for 5yrs and over. The fun and interactive multimedia guide keeps children captivated and animates artworks through music, video clips and entertaining games – a sensory experience for all the family to enjoy.

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL 020 7942 2000 www.vam.ac.uk 10am-5.45pm & until 10pm on Fridays. Free.

IMAGINATION STATION: 31 Mar-15 Apr - Zoom around the museum to get ideas and use your endless imagination to invent a new way to travel around the city.

FREE FAMILY WORKSHOPS 2-3.30pm. For ages 6-12. Limited spaces.

DROP-IN DESIGN: Sundays 10.30am-5pm, free.

3 Mar MARBLING MARVELS Learn the craft of paper marbling, and create luxurious decorative papers for your books or gifts.

4 Mar ARCHI-VENTURES Be transported to a magical world where you have special powers to create buildings made of any material, any shape and any size. Search the collection for interesting objects that could be used to make a building and design a model of the funniest building in the universe.

10 Mar PARALLEL LINES Discover the daring abstract art of the 20th century to expose the beauty of the simplest of shapes.

17 Mar BEING GREEN Observe green-hued paintings to find out how shades can be combined to create different effects. Then mix colours of your own to paint a lush landscape.

24 Mar FLOWER POWER Make your own carpet of crafted floral delights, inspired by the installation in the courtyard.

31 Mar DREAMTIME TREASURES After a tour of Wendy Ramshaw’s works, create your own designs based on your favourite story.

For under 5's: 4 Mar MINI MAKE BELIEVE WORKSHOP-MAD MARCH HARES! 11.30am-12.30pm. Songs, stories and bouncy hats! Collect your free ticket at 11am - Limited spaces. For ages 2-5 although younger siblings are welcome.

TATE BRITAIN Millbank, London SW1P 4RG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/britain Open daily 10am-6pm, until 10pm every Friday.

FOR FAMILIES: ART TROLLEY: WEEKEND SESSIONS Every Sat & Sun 11am-3pm. Tate Britain, Rotunda, Adm free. Activities for children and parents to look and create together while visiting artworks in the collection displays. All ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

TATE MODERN Bankside, London SE1 9TG 020 7887 8888 www.tate.org.uk/modern Open Sun-Thu 10am-6pm, Fri & Sat 10am-10pm.

FOR FAMILIES: OPEN STUDIO: WEEKEND SESSIONS Every Sat & Sun 11am-4pm. Tate Modern, Clore Studio. Drop-in sessions to explore, experiment, play and create with ideas and materials from artworks in the collection displays. All ages.

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WHAT’S GOING ON THERE? Every Sat & Sun 11am-4pm. Tate Modern, Welcome Room. Pick up free new activities, display your own creation, build a plinth for a very small sculpture.

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

11 Mar LIVELY LETTERS Search the Museum for unusual letters, you will find them on lots of surfaces including glass, tapestry, ceramics and marble, as well as in old hand-written books. Then create your own marvellous monogram masterpiece!

18 Mar FANCY FASHION Families are invited to Camilla Prue Tinklebottom’s fancy dress party. Choose your favourite outfit in the V&A collection to wear and design a fancy accessory to complete the outfit.

25 Mar PARADE OF THE ANIMALS Search the museum for animal features that you can use to make a mask, headdress or cape. Use the large ears of an elephant, a tigers bold stripes or the long curly whiskers of a cat.

LITTLE LIGHTS THEATRE: Every Sat at 11am, 1 and 3pm, free - The Boy Who Sat on the Dragon Throne. Find out about Pu-Yi, the 2 year old emperor who ruled over china in the Forbidden City.

BACK-PACKS Families can pick up an activity Back-pack, get creative at Drop-in-Design or go on a gallery adventure trial. Packs are filled with jigsaws, stories and games to explore the collection.

Free, drop-in, 4-11yrs.

AGENT ANIMAL BAG: A sensory activity bag that has been developed especially for under 5s. Each bag contains an audio map and fabric cubes. Free.

There are lots more things to do in the 'What's On' section of our website.

Go to www.familieswest.co.uk

DAYS OUT WWT WETLAND CENTRE Queen Elizabeth's Walk, Barnes SW13 9WT. 020 8409 4400. www.wwt.org.uk Daily 9.30am - 5pm £4.95/ £8.95, under 4s free, family £25. 31 Mar-15 Apr. EASTER EXTRAVANGANZA Two interactive duckling shows every day: Find out more about the fluffy ducklings and join in with some special duckling games. Watch the newly-hatched ducklings taking their first swims in their very own pool. The team will be on hand to explain how the ducklings have developed and about their behaviour and habitats.

April is the time when wild ducklings start to hatch.

Also-Fun pond dipping sessions: see what you can find swimming around under the surface of the water. - Easter trail (£1) with a prize.

BATTERSEA PARK CHILDREN’S ZOO Battersea Park, Chelsea Bridge Gate, London SW11 020 7924 5826 www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk 10am-4.30pm. Adult £7.95, children (2-15) £6.50, family £26. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Entrance fee applies for activities.

18 Mar. MOTHER’S DAY TREAT Mums get a free hot drink when you visit the zoo today! Collect voucher from entrance shop upon paying entry.

31 Mar – 8 Apr. EASTER EGG HUNT! Around the zoo, animals are guarding Easter Eggs, purchase a quiz sheet upon entry and use the clues to work out where they are. £1.50 (includes prize) Entrance fee applies.

3/ 5 Apr. MAKE AN EASTER CARD 11am-12.30pm & 1.30pm- 3.30pm. Drawing, colouring and sticking fun! £1.

10 Apr. RABBIT DAY! Help the keeper to feed the rabbits. Rabbit Story-Time: 11.45am & 3.15pm.

Free. Rabbit Badge & Mask Making: £1. Drop-in sessions: 11am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-3.30pm.

12 Apr. CHICKEN DAY! Chicken Portrait drawing, colouring & feather sticking fun! £1.

Chicken Story-Time: 11.45am & 3.15pm. Free.

Drop-in sessions: 11am-12.30pm & 1.30pm-3.30pm.

ODDS FARM PARK Wooburn Common Road,Wooburn Common, High Wycombe, Bucks HP10 0LX 01628 520188 www.oddsfarm.co.uk Open every day 10am-5.30pm, £9.50 adults, £8.50 children, under 2’s free. Get up close to a range of rare breed farm animals, play in the heated barn with haybales to climb, a soft play park, indoor sandpit and games area. EASTER FUN baby lambs, kid goats, cute bunnies, fluffy chicks and plenty more baby animals to meet. Bottle feed the lambs, meet the residents in "Funny Bunnies" and follow the Spring Trail around the farm to win a yummy treat.

OSTERLEY PARK Jersey Road, Isleworth, Middlesex 020 8232 5050. www.nationaltrust.org.uk Opening hours: Gardens are open every day from 8am-6pm; house and café are open Weds to Sun 12.30-4.30pm. Cost: £3.80 per adult, £1.90 per child for gardens. £8.70 per adult, £4.35 per child, £21.75 family for entry to Osterley House. A spectacular mansion surrounded by gardens, park and farmland makes this an ideal place to come with the family.

Lovely place to walk followed by a cup of tea and a cake in the café.

March/April 2012

Gym

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St. John John’s Church, Mattock Matto Lane, Ealing, Ealing W13 9LA

From Toddlers to Teenagers: ers s:

We welcome children of all abilities

Pete Church, St. Peter’s Southfield Road, Chi h i k L Chiswick, London W4 5JU

Photography by melaniemoss.com

Gymnastics, Ballet, Dance Dra Drama, ma, ma Street Jazz/Tap, Boys Street Dance and Art..

For Adults: Stretch Workoutt and Body Blitz. z.

TWISTERS classes es n. are stimulating and fun.

We are well known for our ur patience and understanding. g g.

For more information call: Hermione on 0208 933 9997 or Louise on 0208 840 4452 Email: twisters@btinternet.com

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Ealing and Uxbridge 0203 092 1313 or gware@littlekickers.co.uk Chiswick and Hammersmith 07792503571 or bbrownlie@littlekickers.co.uk www.littlekickers.co.uk

March/April 2012

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

17

What's On

Say that you saw it in Families West Magazine.

To advertise phone 020 8930 4707

© The National Gallery, London

Have a look at our website www.familiesonline.co.uk/Locations/London-West for more ideas of things to do Out and About

25 Mar MAKE MUM’S DAY Make her a special spring time posy with a little help from the flower team. Mums also get free entry!

12-4pm.

25 Mar and 29 Apr FAMILY DISCOVERY DAYS Arts, crafts, storytelling and hands-on activities for families. 1-4pm.

5 and 12 Apr OSTERLEY CRAFT CART Visit the craft cart on the Front Lawn for trails and simple craft activities for families.

8 and 9 Apr EASTER AT OSTERLEY - Where has Easter Bunny hidden his eggs? Follow the clues on the Easter trail in the park with a chocolate prize for every child. 12-4pm.

15 Apr TREE TALES If trees could talk, what would they tell us?

Join the Warden for a walk in the park taking in some of Osterley's rare and veteran trees at two contrasting times of the year.

2-3.30pm, Adult £5, Child £2.50 29 Apr BLUEBELL WALK Take a guided walk with one of the wardens through the Bluebell woods within the Garden. 1:30 pm - 5pm 2 tours: 1.30 - 3pm & 3.30 5pm. Adult £6 (Does not include garden admission), Child £3 (Does not include garden admission).

SNAKES AND LADDERS Syon Park, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 8JF 020 8847 0946 www.snakes-and-ladders.co.uk 18 Mar. WE LOVE MUMS Mum can relax with a free tea or coffee whilst children have a blast.

Download your facebook voucher from www.facebook.com/ snakesandladdersbrentford 6-9 Apr. EASTER EGG SCRAMBLE On Easter Saturday children are invited to race around the playframe for hidden Easter Eggs. Plus throughout the Easter weekend they can earn a sweet treat by following the Easter Trail.

TOWER OF LONDON Tower Hill, London EC3 0844 482 7799 www.hrp.org.uk Mon-Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 10am-5.30pm. £10.45/£17.05/ £19.80, family £55, under 5 free.

Until 28 Mar. TWILIGHT TOURS Every Wednesday evening.

Yeoman Warders will lead exclusive 18

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

tours of the Tower, taking in some of the gruesome sights and spooky stories which make it world famous.

FIT FOR A KING. Discover 500 years of spectacular arms and armour worn by kings and royal princes in this stunning exhibition on the first floor of the White Tower.

Learn about the personalities, power and physical size of our nation's kings, from the Tudors, and the notorious Henry VIII, to today's royal family through the historic collection.

POWER HOUSE. Discover the stories and personalities behind the major organisations of state, who took care of royal business behind the mighty Tower walls, from 1100 to the present day. The exhibition showcases the roles of the major organisations that provided the bedrock of England's power throughout the centuries.

ROYAL BEASTS. Find out about the Tower's imperial Royal Menagerie. Founded during the reign of King John in the early 1200s, it became a regular feature of the Tower for over 600 years. Visitors can encounter a diverse cast of former Tower residents through arresting modern animal sculpture by artist Kendra Haste and new interactive sensory displays. The recently restored north wall walk and the never before opened Brick Tower will host some of the displays, including sights, sounds and smells of some of the animals.

29 Mar. CROWN JEWELS RE-DISPLAY The Jewel House will be opening after a refurbishment and will explore the importance of the Crown Jewels to the British Monarchy, the role of the Tower in protecting these treasures and the long and fascinating tradition of coronations in England.

KENSINGTON PALACE Kensington Gardens, London W6 4PX 0844 482 7777 www.hrp.org.uk/kensingtonpalace 26 Mar. RE-OPENING Kensington Palace will be re-opening to the public after £12 million conservation project of the State Apartments. There will be a couple of exhibitions and displays happening: - DIANA: GLIMPES OF MODERN PRINCESS - VICTORIA REVEALED March/April 2012

THEATRE, CONCERTS AND BALLET PUPPET THEATRE BARGE Little Venice, Blomfield Road, London W9 2PF 020 7249 6876 www.puppetbarge.com RICHMOND THEATRE The Green, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1QJ 0844 871 7651 www.ambassadortickets.com/richmond WATERMANS 40 High Street, Brentford TW8 0DS 020 8232 1010 www.watermans.org.uk PEACOCK THEATRE Portugal Street, WC2A 2HT 0844 412 4322 www.sadlerswells.com UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street London SE1 2HZ 020 7645 0560 www.unicorntheatre.com INSTITUT FRANCAIS 17 Queensbury Place, SW7 2DT www.institut-francais.org.uk/kids-and-teens/ cavatina-family-concerts SOUTHBANK CENTRE Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX Ticket Office: 0844 875 0073 www.southbankcentre.co.uk TWO FOUR SIX EIGHT! 3 Mar Craig has been invited to a birthday party. There is an invitation to read, a cake to buy and a house to find.

Find out how fun numbers can be with music, balloons and far too much wrapping paper. For ages 4-7.

11am and 1pm, messy play session after each show.

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH CAVATINA FAMILY CONCERTS - GALEAZZI ENSEMBLE 3 Mar 10.45am, Formed in 1995, the Galeazzi Ensemble has a wealth of experience in providing entertaining, informative and interactive classical concerts for children. The programme will include pieces by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Jadin and Eler. Tickets: £7, children and concessions £5 (including a fruit juice). Ages 4+ INSTITUT FRANCAIS THE FLIGHT OF BABUSHCHA BABOON 3, 4,10,11,17 & 18 Mar A baboon wants to fly to the moon in a hot air balloon. She meets an elephant whose life is threatened by ivory hunters. Can the baboon save the elephant? 3yrs+ PUPPET THEATRE BARGE RED RIDING HOOD 4 Mar A re-telling of the classic girl-andthe-wolf tale. Great visuals blend with pantomime-style silliness and spooky moments to create an enchanting piece of theatre. Free post-show chat to meet the puppets.

For ages 4+ WATERMANS

March/April 2012

ME AND THE SEA 10 Mar A magical and mysterious journey takes us far out to sea, down into the undergrowth and up into the starry sky. This brand new tale is especially for older children and combines beautiful live music and storytelling.

For ages 6-11. 11am and 1pm, messy play session after each show.

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER 11 Mar Elvis Schumacher, cobbler and craftsman, has worked all his life creating the most beautiful footwear.

But now he’s hit hard times….

Everyone’s buying boring shoes from the evil businessman, Bunyan Sole-less.

Time is running out for Elvis. With one piece of leather left and Bunyan’s factory growing, can anyone help him?

The classic fable using magical puppets, intricate design, and original music. For ages 3-9. WATERMANS ONE LITTLE WORD 17 Mar Two little friends are playing together, dressing up and taking turns, but there’s trouble when one of them wants to be the only Captain of the ship. An enchanting story about friendship and sharing.

For ages 3-7. 11am and 1pm, messy play session after each show.

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH

ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT TOTS 17 Mar & 13 Apr A series of events for the very youngest music lovers! Suitable for ages 2-6 and their parents. £9 adults £1 tots SOUTHBANK CENTRE PURCELL ROOM FUNNYBONES 18 Mar Meet three skeletons, Big, Little and Dog, as they go adventuring to find fun, frights and friendship. Spooky houses, dancing clocks, dinosaurs and skeleton pets all make an appearance as well as that darned Black Cat. A wordless, wonderful puppet show full of music, song and illustrated adventure. For ages 3-7.

WATERMANS GOLDILOCKS 24 and 25 Mar When Goldilocks wanders into an empty house she finds much more than three bowls of porridge. With musical influences from around the world, this production brings a children’s classic to life with a twist.

For ages 2-6. Sat 11am and 1pm, Sun 12 and 2pm, messy play session after each show.

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH

BRER RABBIT VISITS AFRICA 24, 25, 31 Mar & 1-15 April daily.

A contemporary story adapted from the original stories by Joel Chandler Harris, featuring the traditional folk character of Brer Rabbit.

Performances 11am & 3pm, or 3pm depending on schedule, please check the website.

PUPPET THEATRE BARGE A ROO IN MY SUITCASE 25 Mar When Rosie Harris arrives in the UK from Down Under, she discovers she’s brought a suitcase full of stowaways! Kangaroos, koalas and other Australian animals join her as she tries to find where she really belongs. But will Rosie and her animal pals fit in? Can they make new friends, as they share amazing stories about wildlife, Aussie-style? For ages 3-6, with arts and crafts workshop after the show. WATERMANS THE LEGEND OF CAPTAIN CROW’S TEETH 30 Mar-15 Apr Will is nine. And as family holidays go, this one isn’t very promising. I mean, would you want to spend three weeks in a cramped caravan by the sea with your four brothers? But this is not an ordinary seaside town.

Hundreds of years ago it was terrorised by the legendary Captain Crow, a cut-throat pirate who lured innocent sailors to their certain deaths in search of treasure. Until, that is, he was killed – by a nine year old cabin boy. Today the fearsome pirate’s spirit still haunts the area and has a particular grievance against nine year old boys. Suddenly Will’s holiday is looking a bit too exciting. For ages 7+ Eoin Colfer will talk about his work after the 2pm performance on 4 Apr. Pirate Hat Making Workshops on 1 and 15 Apr from 12 noon. Spend the night on stage on 13 Apr from 7pm- £50, no parents allowed!

UNICORN THEATRE LITTLE BO PEEP 31 Mar With magnificent puppets, fantastic scenery and your favourite nursery rhymes, can you help Little Bo Peep and Little Boy Blue find their lost sheep? For ages 2-7. 11am and 1pm, messy play session after each show.

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH SCIENCE MUSEUM – LIVE ON TOUR 1 Apr Unleash your inner Einstein – Experience spectacular science, dangerous demonstration and extraordinary experiments as the Science Museum takes to the stage with a fantastic live show. 4pm. £13.50/£15.50 RICHMOND THEATRE

THE THREE BILLY PIGS 1 Apr A blend of two classic fairy tales The Three Little Pigs and The Three Billy Goats Gruff with beautifully crafted puppets, light hearted storytelling, live music and a little bit of eco-awareness in a pig-style.

For ages 3+ WATERMANS SPAMALOT – THE MONTY PYTHON MUSICAL 2-7 Apr. The legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table with hilarious songs starring Todd Carty. Mon-Sat eves 7.30pm, Wed & Sat Mats 2.30pm. £19.50/£35 RICHMOND THEATRE GOLDILOCKS 3-7 Apr. Using table-top puppetry and musical influences from around the world, this production brings the classic story to life with a twist. For ages 2-5. UNICORN THEATRE RUBY RED TELLS TALES 4-5 Apr Once upon a time Ruby and her friend Ella were waiting impatiently for something to happen. They squabble, they sing, they playfully tell tales. Join them in a magical fairytale world where they meet a timid tiger, a slightly scary spider and laugh with surprise as the gingerbread man meets a sticky end! With humour, live music and the real words of small children. For ages 3-5. UNICORN THEATRE

EGG AND SPOON 10-15 Apr Join our magic circle as we celebrate spring to autumn and back again. Let Percy guide you through the four seasons, make some friends while you play peek-aboo in our puddles and dance at the butterfly party. This is a highly interactive production for children under 5 and their families, where you can rock and roll around the clock to our lullaby or crawl into the middle and be a star.

UNICORN THEATRE THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE 14 Apr A tiny snail hitches a lift on the tail of a huge humpback whale and together, they go on an amazing journey. But disaster strikes as the whale becomes beached in a bay.

Can the tiny snail save the day? For ages 4-10. For ages 2-7. 11am and 1pm, messy play session after each show. LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THE UGLY DUCKLING 15 Apr The tale of the unhappy duckling who grows into a beautiful swan.

This new version is told with lashings of catchy tunes, magical storytelling and a whole heap of farmyard fun! For ages 2+ WATERMANS

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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THEATRE, CONCERTS AND BALLET cont...

A LITTLE PRINCESS 19-22 Apr London Children’s Ballet original ballet adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s book tells the story of Sara Crewe, a charming and kind little girl who is left by her very wealthy father in boarding school in England after her mother dies in India. When Sara’s father is killed and Sara is left penniless, Miss Minchin the headmistress casts her into the freezing attic and treats her like the school slave. Sara’s fortunes change suddenly when through chance it is discovered that Sara’s father left his daughter and sole heir a diamond mine. PEACOCK THEATRE KID CARPET AND THE NOISY ANIMALS 21 Apr Follow the adventures of a singer and his animal band as they make friends, play games and rock out at a grand dance contest.

This lively performance combines a unique mix of comedy, animation and original live music. For ages 3-8. 11am and 1pm, messy play session after each show. LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THE OLD WOMAN WHO SWALLOWED A FLY 22 Apr One of the world's best loved nursery rhymes brought to life for the very first time. Games, sing along songs and heart-warming family fun for ages 4+ WATERMANS THE MAN WITH THE DISTURBINGLY SMELLY FOOT 25 Apr-20 May Based on Philoctetes, by Sophocles. The Trojan War.You’ve heard of Achilles and Odysseus, but have you heard of Philoctetes? Probably not, because although Philoctetes signed up to go and fight, he never made it: his shipmates abandoned him on an island on the way. And why? Because he had a disgustingly, terribly, disturbingly smelly foot. Fast-forward ten years and Odysseus needs something Philoctetes has... will Philoctetes forgive and forget, and help the Greek armies win the Trojan war? Or will his need for vengeance overcome him?

Ages 7-10. UNICORN THEATRE CIRCUS MINIMUS 28 and 29 Apr A circus that puts you in the ring and brings the everyday to life.

For ages 2-5. Sat: 10:30am, 12, 1:30 and 2:30pm, Sun: 10:30am, 12, 1:30 and 2:15pm. Messy Play at 11:15am, 12:45 and 2:15pm.

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH THE PIED PIPER 29 Apr A puppet show with magical tricks, rascally rats, tap dancing cheeses, music and silliness. Craft workshop after the show. For ages 3-7. WATERMANS

CLASSICS WITH MY BABY CONCERT 15 Mar "This concert is brought to you by the letter "P". Featuring Miloš Milivojević (Classical Accordion), Philippa Mo (violin) and Miaomiao Yu (piano). Pieces by Paganini, Piazzolla and Prokofiev to enjoy with your baby at Notting Hill Community Church, Kensington Park Rd, W11. 10am - Eat cake and mingle, 10.30am Concert begins. Tickets are £10 for adults and free for children.

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Easter

Holiday Workshops

T

he holidays are a’ coming and the endless weeks of the Easter break loom ahead, long and empty. You’re bored of the park but don’t want your kids stuck in front of the TV, so why not enrol them in one of the many clubs and classes running during the holidays.

From drop-in groups to week-long camps, there’s a whole array of activities out there.

From football, rugby, tennis, horseriding, swimming, martial arts, archery, gymnastics and trampolining to ballet, drama, arts and crafts, pottery, design, leaning a language, cookery, science, music, chess, puppet making, clay modeling, princess camp and even beauty camp (a little scary!), there are more activities on offer than ever before.

Holiday activities can be a great experience for children: classes can play a big role in children’s physical and intellectual growth, whilst working with others helps them learn cooperation and teamwork. Activities can give children confidence and while they learn their new sport or instrument they are having fun and, most importantly, making friends.

Top tips ■ Deciding which activity to choose can be hard - consider your child’s interests and temperament but try not to label them too rigidly. Just because your child is shy doesn’t mean drama should be off the menu ■ Don't limit yourself to the familiar – try something new.

Even if your child shows a special talent and interest in one activity, make sure they get exposed to others too, although if you do find something your child is passionate about, don’t hesitate to encourage it ■ Check the fees involved – there may be hidden costs such as uniforms or costumes ■ If your child is a reluctant joiner, find out what activities their friends are doing. With some children, who is more important than what ■ It’s important that children have at least some unstructured time at home to play, relax, even get bored. Remember that a little boredom can be the fountainhead of exploration and creativity

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

There are heaps of activities going on in West London. Here is a selection. (more on our website…)

SCIENCE MOTHER NATURE SCIENCE CAMP 2-5 and 10-13 Apr In celebration of the London 2012 Olympics, the fun, hands-on activities will explore the fun science behind Olympic sporting events. Children make their own take home science experiments every day, understanding how and why Olympians prepare their bodies, investigating the effect of friction, air resistance, Newton’s 3rd law, forces and motion and even having a go at building boats and racing friction sprinters and more!

Places very limited. Call 020 863 8832, or e:info@mnature.co.uk www.mnature.co.uk. Group discounts available.

HOLLAND PARK ECOLOGY CENTRE 2-13 Apr Outdoor and craft activities for ages 5-12 www.rbkc.gov.uk/ecology

DRAMA PERFORM DRAMA is going to Wonderland to chase the White Rabbit, have tea with the Mad Hatter and play croquet with the Queen of Hearts. Three-day workshops for ages 4-8 at the following venues: 2 – 4 Apr - Richmond: The Russell Primary School, Petersham Road, Surrey TW10 7AD 10am – 12noon, Ealing: St Barnabas Millennium Hall, Pitshanger Lane, Ealing, W5 1QG 2.30 – 4.30pm 3 – 5 Apr - Kensington: Baden Powell House, Queen’s Gate SW7 5JS 10am – 12.

11 - 13 Apr - Fulham: Christchurch, 67 Studdrige Street SW6 3TD 10am – 12noon, Notting Hill: St Peter’s Hall.

59A Portobello Road W11 3DB at 2.30 – 4.30pm, Chiswick: St Michaels Hall, Elmwood Road W4 3DU at 10am – 12noon. www.perform.org.uk 0845 400 4000 e:enquiries@perform.org GUNNERSBURY PARK MUSEUM 1 Apr Discover what life was like for working class Victorian children, dress up in period costume and role play. For all ages. 11.30am, 12noon, 1.15pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm.

Venue: Gunnersbury Park W3 8LQ Cost: £1 per child. Advance booking essential on 020 8992 2247.

MONSTER CAT THEATRE 11-13 Apr 10am-3pm for ages 5-12.

020 8567 5276 e:monstercat@monstercat.plus.com

Art KITE STUDIOS 2-5 and 10-12 Apr Art workshops for ages 4-7 from 10-11.30am and for ages 8+ 12-4pm at 2B Bassein Park Road, Shepherds Bush, London, W12 9RY 020 85766278 or e: info@kitestudios.org

DANCE INNOVATION DANCE STUDIO 3 Apr Dance workshop for ages 5-10. 10am - 3pm - Learn fun street dance routines, and perform to family and friends at the end of the day. Venue: Innovation Dance Studio Ealing, 96 Pitshanger Lane, Ealing W5 1QX 020 8998 2283 £25 for the day. Booking available at Dance shop in Pitshanger Lane W5.

SPORT FIT FOR SPORT 2-5 and 10-13 Apr Sports Camps for ages 3-12 in Chiswick, Acton, Ealing and Kensington. www.fitforsport.co.uk MENACE TENNIS 12-14 Apr: Ravenscourt Park, Hammersmith, and Kensington Memorial Park, Notting Hill. 07788 486469 www.menacetennis.co.uk

A BIT OF EVERYTHING CHISWICK COURSES 2-5 Apr Offering a wide range of creative workshops including Pottery, Robots with Lego, Art Detectives, Mosaic Madness, Life skills, Gardening, Cookery and Craft, Creative Writing and Inventors’ Workshop. www.chiswickcourses.co.uk 020 8742 3936 CREATIVE WIZ KIDS 2-6 and 9-13 Apr Art, music, dance, imaginative play, cake decorating and lots of fun for ages 3-9 in NW6. www.creativewizkids.com PAINT POTS HOUSE 2-5 and 16-20 Apr Easter Art, music and crafts for ages 18 months to 5 years in SW10. www.paintpotshouse.com March/April 2012

By Joanna Parry

Education

Schools face no-notice Ofsted inspections From Autumn 2012 schools will face inspections without being given notice, Ofsted chief announces. Sir Michael Wilshaw, HM chief inspector, said the move was a “logical” progression, adding that it was vital the public had confidence in inspections and that inspectors must see schools “as they really are in the corridors, classrooms and staffroom”. Interviewed by the Press Association, Sir Michael said the introduction of new guidelines offered a “good opportunity” to cut the notice period given to all schools, not just those causing concern. This comes after new worries that some schools were using tactics such as sending less successful teachers and unruly pupils home when inspectors were visiting. The “great majority of schools conduct themselves properly”, Sir Michael said, but added that if there is any thought that a school is not, Ofsted must address it. However, school leaders revealed they had “real doubts” that the move would improve inspections, raising concern that the change had been announced without consulting headteachers. Brian Lightman, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “We welcome moves to improve the effectiveness of inspection, but I have real doubts that no-notice inspection will accomplish this. An effective inspection system is based on mutual trust and respect, not the premise that schools are trying to 'cheat' and need to be caught out.”

Raise limit of class sizes?

The government has been told to raise the limit on infant class sizes in primary schools after a report showing that Sefton council on Merseyside paid £274,00 to hire extra teachers to keep classes below the legal threshold. In 1998 the then Labour government legislated to limit infant classes for five- to sevenyear olds to a maximum of 30 pupils, but some councils in London are now calling for this to be raised to 32 when it was revealed that Sefton council spent the cash on extra teachers for just 8 extra pupils during the past 2 years. “The problem is that the '30' class size limit for infant classes is completely rigid,” said Liberal Democrat councillor Simon Shaw in a report. “Surely, a bit of flexibility could be introduced? A common-sense solution is to change the law so that schools have the flexibility to go up to 32 children in an infant class, if they wish, but only so long as they have a qualified, full-time teaching assistant as well as a teacher.” Liberal Democrat-controlled Sutton Council is asking for support from other London councils to urge Education Secretary Michael

March/April 2012

Gove to change the legislation, while a Department for Education spokesperson said the government's position was unchanged: “The law remains clear that it is illegal for infant classes to exceed 30 pupils – no parent would want their child taught in a huge class.” Government figures show that nearly half a million extra primary pupils in England will need places by 2015.

Parent peer mentors get thumbs-up More parents are likely to be recruited to work as volunteers in early years settings such as Sure Start centres after a study showed it saved money and reached more families in need.

Under a pilot project in Reading, 17 volunteers trained as peer mentors to support new parents – and an evaluation found that 120% more families could be reached while at the same time making savings of between 13% and 38%. There have been worries that the project and others like it are driven by the need to sack staff working with families and slash costs – but at a time when more has to be done with less funding, this sounds like it’s a winner.

Ealing pupil’s award winning story takes her to meet Peter Andre Avenue House School pupils’ shone in the “Welcome to my Borough” writing competition, organised by the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) The competition was part of the Big WoW encouraging children to walk to school on a regular basis and to take an interest in their local surroundings at the same time. All London schools were invited to take part, writing stories inspired by local landmarks to welcome the spectators of the London Olympics to their borough. Stories were submitted to the Borough of Ealing and staff and pupils at Avenue House School were thrilled to have two of their stories chosen when the top five stories for the whole of Ealing were sent on to TfL. Georgia’s entry, inspired by the ornate and turreted Drayton Court public house, placed her in the top 20 for entries from all the schools in London. Winners were awarded a glass plaque at London's City Hall by popstar Peter Andre before having the chance to hold past Olympic Torches.

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Education

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Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

March/April 2012

Education

March/April 2012

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

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Olympics

Get ready to celebrate the London 2012 Games

By Rebecca Carr

This summer, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be an amazing festival of sport and culture: a breathtaking event that the whole nation can get excited about.

You will get to see the very best athletes in the world, the fastest runners, the highest jumpers and the strongest swimmers. Here’s how you too can get involved and be a part of the greatest sporting event in the world.

Be a Local Leader

School’s out

The Local Leader programme is an opportunity for people in communities across the UK to be at the heart of the London 2012 Games and celebrate them in your local area. Millions of people will be celebrating and at the heart of every celebration will be the one person who makes a difference, an organiser or someone who makes things happen. So if this sounds like you, why not become a London 2012 Local Leader and plan an activity that can include the whole family.

Every week during the school holidays keep the family busy during the holidays with the toolkit from London 2012. Packed with ideas and learning opportunities.

All you need is an idea of how you will celebrate the Games. You can create your own events or use the ideas communities across the UK suggested to London 2012. From Gardening for the games to planning a sports quiz or an opening night in or a super Saturday family BBQ, get your friends, family and neighbours ready to celebrate the greatest sporting event in the world.

Ideas to get you started and involve the whole family:

Let’s get gardening Dig out your trowel and get planting! Use your window pots, garden or community allotment to celebrate through all things floral. You can use Olympic colours or Union Jack themes.

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Design a flag Why not design an Olympic flag to wave when the Olympic Torch passes through your town or village.

For more information and to register visit: www.london2012.com/localleaders

Youth and Family Gold Challenge The Youth and Family Gold Challenge is the charity challenge where you take on Olympic and Paralympic Sports to raise money for charity. Everyone aged 5 and over can take part either as an individual, as part of a team, or with your family and fundraise money for one of Gold Challenge’s 125 charities.

March/April 2012

Olympics The Family Activity Challenge This challenge is all about doing sports together and is perfect for families. Learn one new sport and or try a family run, walk, cycle or swim. It’s accessible for younger children or those who want to involve elder members of the family too.

The Youth and Family Gold Challenge offers three challenge options to choose from. This is your challenge and you can choose how you do it: • • •

Complete your challenge indoors or outdoors Choose new sports, or push yourself further in your favourite sport Complete it as an individual or as a family

1. The 2012km Challenge Celebrating the Olympic year, choose your target distance at 2,012, 201.2 or 20.12km and then complete this in your preferred sports. You need to be aged seven or over to register.

Cover your chosen distance via one or more of the following sports (for families or groups this is an aggregated total): • • • • • • • •

Running Walking Cycling Swimming Canoeing/Kayaking Horse-riding Rowing Sailing

2. Olympic Sport Challenge This challenge is for those of you who want to try out new sports. Pick five Olympic or Paralympic sports to learn or improve on, then coach or take part in a competitive event to complete your challenge. You need to be aged seven or over to register.

3. The Family Activity Challenge This is a two part challenge, perfect for families as it's all about doing sports together, regardless of age or ability.

Firstly, choose one new sport to learn then do two of the following as a family: • • • •

Swim 500 metres Run 1,500 metres Walk 5,000 metres Cycle 10,000 metres

The Family Activity Challenge can be done anywhere you choose but you must complete it together as a family.

More information is available at: www.goldchallenge.org March/April 2012

Renting your home for the games For those lucky enough to live near to the Olympic park, there’s one bit question you might be thinking; can I rent my house to visitors for the games? Some London letting agents have reported a serious interest from those looking to rent their homes near to the action this summer. Reports suggest some homeowners are asking between £3,000 and £5,000 per week to rent their home.

If you are thinking of renting your home, there are two options available: pay an agent who specialises in short-term lets or do it yourself! Agents will typically charge commission of 10 – 15% and the advantage being they provide a contract and crucially collect the money for the rent.

If you wish to avoid paying commission, then there are a variety of websites such as rentduringthegames.com where you can list your property for a small insertion free.

Considerations for letting your family home • • • • •

All your cupboards, wardrobes and draws will need to empty and all personal possessions removed from your property.

You will need to have a spotlessly clean house There will be a cost associated with finding somewhere for your family to stay while your home is rented You will pay tax on the income you generate from the rent Your home insurance will not cover you for commercial lets so you will need to organise additional cover.

Useful websites to help you decide whether to rent your home during the Olympics www.accommodatelondon.com/olympics www.londonrentmyhouse.com www.2012homerentals.com www.rentduringthegames.com

Carry on camping!

There is also the opportunity for garden owners of London to fill the accommodation gap with an affordable alternative – renting your garden to campers!

Campinmygarden.com launched in April 2011 is an online advertising site for private garden owners to rent their garden to travellers as a low cost short-term alternative to expensive hotels. The London 2012 Olympic games offers homeowners the opportunity to rent their garden as a micro-campsite for two weeks, providing an accessible, affordable and fun alternative to traditional accommodation that might otherwise be very costly.

Campinmygarden.com allows garden owners to be open about the facilities they can provide and the pricing they offer. The rating and reviewing system also allows campers to provide a review and a rating, which can provide an insight for the next visitor. Why not rent your garden this summer and earn yourself some extra cash whilst allowing visitors to experience the “real” London with a warm welcome and friendly stay.

For more information visit: www.campinmygarden.com

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

25

Parenting

Tantrums

expert Professor Tanya Byron at the helm. The theory is great; but practically speaking, I had no idea how tough it would be to draw that all important line without resorting to threats, bribery or a big stick.

With the jigging motion of sitting on the back seat of that bus starting to calm us both down and normalise my blood pressure, I noticed that my internal dialogue was sounding horribly judgemental: ‘After all I have done for you,’ my inner embittered doormat moaned, ‘you ungrateful little...’ Cue the scratchy sound of a needle veering off an old vinyl record. ‘Noooooo!’ I yelled inwardly, sitting up with a jolt as if waking up out of a nightmare.

This was not the person I ever wanted to be.

The Blame Game See, I know that blame is the easy option. The popular American family therapist Dr Phil insists that you have to teach people how to treat you. In fact, it is your job to point out when people are taking you for granted. But this takes courage, tenacity and, importantly, respect for oneself. It means giving up the niceness and need-to-be-needed so prevalent in the female conditioning.

Lying in bed that night, still stunned at just how hellish my afternoon had been, it dawned on me that I had been giving into everyone’s wants apart from my own – and lost my sense of self in the process. It was indeed mortifying to mentally assess just how resentful towards my family I had become; how relentless everyone’s needs felt upon me. My son had given me the gift of reflecting back just how secretly angry I was at myself, for relentlessly ignoring my own needs.

By Helena Foss

Setting Boundaries Relentless: That is the word I tend to mutter when I’m stomping around in a grumpy haze, steadying myself on walls and furniture, hand clamped onto forehead, begging the powers that be for strength as I surrender to the teeth-clenching exasperation that sometimes constitutes motherhood.

‘It’s just relentless.’ I hiss to myself. ‘Relentless! Why did no-one tell me just how damn hard this parenting thing was going to be?’

Actually, mothering is only really relentless when I am not quite rising to the challenges it is chucking at me. And the last few months, dear readers, I have mostly been struggling with: boundaries. Ah yes, that old brick wall that children just love kicking against, for as long as they possibly can, until their little metaphorical feet hurt too much to keep going. What is it with little ones? Why do they give us such a hard time? I mean, where is their respect?

Losing It Not long ago I found myself in that awful position of being the kind of mother I thought I would never be, losing my rag as I attempted to manage an all-guns-blazing tantrum, smack bang in the middle of town, at rush hour. Reasoning was not getting anywhere. Neither was shouting. In the end, I had to grab my boy by the scruff of the neck and yank him onto a bus, holding him at arms length to avoid his attempts to scratch me.

Determinedly ignoring the bus full of tut-tutting commuters, I pulled him and his flailing limbs upstairs and mercifully found a place right at the back for him to howl himself into exhaustion.

Not my finest hour.

I really thought I knew about boundaries. Not only do I have a background in therapy, hey, I watched almost every episode of BBC3’s ‘The House of Tiny Tearaways’ with child psychology 26

Families West PO Box 32231 London W5 1JR

The art of good taking good care of oneself, as well as our children, I have found, is being able to set ground rules as a matter of fact. ‘This is Mummy time’ has to be said in the same straightforward manner as ‘the grass is green’. It is just how it is; no need to defend it with barbed wire and machine guns. As a friend of mine likes to say, ‘once everyone in the family knows their place, even the dog and the cat, we can all relax.’

Cute Tantrums ‘You know, when I think back to those days of tantrums,’ a mother of several teenagers reminisced to me recently, ‘I actually think it was really cute.’

Cute?! It took me a while to get my head round that one.

Children’s little brains, I have to remind myself, are not wired for considered, rational behaviour. If they want something they want it. Now. Not having it can bring on a full-blown grief reaction.

As overt as they are with their sadness, they are with their happiness and love too. There is nothing quite like my son running up to fling his arms around me when I walk through the door, after nipping to the corner shop.

The other week, my son’s school nursery teacher told me she had asked the class if anyone knew what a tantrum was. My boy’s hand, apparently, shot up. ‘A tantrum,’ he said solemnly as he stood in front of the class, ‘is when you just pry and pry and pry.’

(He hasn’t got the hard ‘c’ sound nailed in that particular word just yet). The discussion opened up and, one by one, the faces of his nursery chums lit up. ‘Oh yes,’ they chimed, ‘I do that sometimes too!’ And: ‘So do I!’ A four-year-olds tantrum support group! Awwwww. Now that really is cute.

Helena is a hypnotherapist and writer about all things holistic and spiritual.

See: www.helenafoss.co.uk March/April 2012

Classifieds Parties

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Member of the Incorporated Society of Musicians

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Services

This March on www.familieswest.co.uk

WIN!

A Yourspace Project Easter Holiday Drama Course worth £150 Closing date: 22 March 2012

Education Blueberry Playsongs Parties!

Wonderful musical parties for 1-6 year olds.

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020 8677 6871

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