Families Herts Mar-Apr 2013

FREE Issue No. 49 Mar/Apr 2013

Spring

Inside Out Win a free

summer week at What to do if your child is 'different' How childcare is changing

It's Chocs Away: all the local Easter fun & frolics!

The Herts magazine with the information young families want

2

From your Editor…

In this issue:

It’s Spring and we’ve brought you some seasonal flavours.

Our Spring Inside Out feature offers a selection of places to go in either clement or inclement weather.

The What's On listings focuses on Easter Camps and events (especially those that include oval objects made with something brown and sweet!). If you want to save cash on the cost of children's clothes and equipment there is a listing of local NCT Nearly New sales.

Our Childcare Feature, by Joanna Moorhead, considers the possible impact of the Government's recently proposed changes to childcare provision.

What do you do if you suspect that your child may have special needs? Gabriel Starkey's article on page 6 gives guidance on where to get the support that you and your child might need.

There are over twenty prizes to be won on our Competition page, including a free week for one child at a Barracudas Activity Camp, a Quizonics game and a Cord Lock Away Child Safety Wand.

To enter just go to www.familiesherts/comps and answer the question, complete the form and click ‘submit’; what could be simpler?

Have a lovely ‘chocolatey’ Easter, whatever the weather, and we will be back in May with our Party feature and more ...

- What to Do if Your Child is ‘Different’

Competitions: 7 Childcare Feature: 8 - How childcare is changing

Education: 10 Luca & Maya make ... 12 - an Easter egg tree

Easter Fun & Facts: 13 Spring Inside Out: 14 What’s On: 16 - Easter egg hunts & Events

Shelley Where are we? Baldock, Bishops Stortford, Borehamwood, Chorleywood, Harpenden, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Hitchin, Kings Langley, Knebworth, Letchworth, Radlett, St Albans, Stevenage, Ware, Welwyn GC. Pick it up from cafes, playgroups, nurseries, schools, activity groups, selected shops, surgeries, leisure centres and libraries. Get in touch to request copies for your venue.

News & Views: 4 Parenting Special Needs: 6

- Holiday Camps & Activities

Don’t miss a copy. Families Herts by post for just £9.30 for 6 issues (1 year) or £18 for 12 issues (2 years). Call or email for a subscription form.

Families Herts, PO Box 434, Pinner, HA5 9AH Tel/Fax: 020 8428 6384 editor@familiesherts.co.uk www.familiesherts.co.uk

Say you saw it in

May/June deadline: 5th April Next Issue: Children's Parties Front cover image courtesy of Inspire Studio Portraits www.inspirestudioportraits. co.uk

3

News & Views Have you booked your summer holiday yet?

If not, and you’re not sure where to go, how about a summer holiday with a difference in the French Alps? Morzine, just on the French side of the Swiss French border and south of Lake Geneva, offers families a special experience. Morzine’s tourist office is bursting with ideas for sporty or relaxed days out and family activities – and they don’t have to cost the earth. Take advantage of the summer Multi Pass (two euros a day) and you can enjoy free mountain lifts, shuttle buses and other travel between resorts, and free entry to many local attractions including Aquariaz, the

new water park up in Avoriaz. From walking to a day out in a hot-air balloon or white-water rafting, Morzine has it all.

To experience the area at its best, call Paul and Francesca Eyre at Chilly Powder (www. chillypowder.com). With the main chalet (Au Coin du Feu) plus two chalets next door, choose between self-catering or your own chef – or join the party at Au Coin du Feu for dinners that you usually only dream of. With drinks in the bar – or in the Jacuzzi on the terrace – early evening meals for the children and a daytime crèche for little ones not quite

Labels4Kids launches New Website

Train them up

This March sees the launch of the Labels4Kids new look website. The new website makes ordering much easier and you can even try designing your labels on the site prior to ordering. The website sells labelling for your children, your sport requirements, camping, corporate and care home items. Labels4kids also has a full personalised clothing site with a separate checkout to produce high quality clothing in both climacool and normal ranges.

Ann-Maree Morrison, the founder and Managing Director, commented “This website has been a massive investment for us … and I am very proud to be able to show it off to the world at last. The new Labels4Kids site will make ordering so much more pleasurable, with faster load times and better images, as well as allowing on site design and easier access to our social media hints and advice.”

“We are not the cheapest labelling company [but] what we do, we do well and WE LISTEN. We have, I believe, the best quality labels for a reasonable price. We have a very high level of customer service with a money back guarantee, a free returns policy and a free 1st class delivery option.” See the full range at www.labels4kids.com/fam.

Health and Safety training company Aid Training has set up a petition to make first aid training compulsory in schools. St. John Ambulance reports that 140,000 people in the UK die each year in situations where first aid could have saved them and Aid Training intends to reduce this number. First Aid is a mandatory subject for Welsh and Northern Ireland pupils, but in England and Scotland it is only an option within the curriculum, and in a survey of more than 1,500 schoolchildren, 7/10 said they would not know how to help in an emergency and 8/10 said that they would feel safer if they had some first aid knowledge.

Over 400,000 children are injured each year at school and compulsory first aid training can save lives and ensure minor injuries don’t become major ones. “97% of young people said they believed first aid education would improve their skills to act in a crisis,” said Paul Hosking, Managing Director at Aid Training.

“Training in schools would give people the confidence to respond to emergency situations; it is a fundamental life skill, literally!" www.aid-training.co.uk/news

so active as you, you won’t want to go home at the end of your stay. For more information visit www.chillypowder.com, www.morzine.com, www.morznet.com.

Quit Smoking to be Quids In! The theme of this year's No Smoking Day (13 March) is Swap Fags for Swag. It highlights what smokers will gain when they quit: improved health and more cash in their pocket!

If you have tried to quit smoking but never managed it, 2013 is the time to give it a go!

Give your health and your bank account a boost by giving up. People who are trying to stop are being encouraged to contact the Hertfordshire Stop Smoking Service.

A trained stop smoking advisor can help find the right medication for you, which is available for the cost of a prescription –cheaper than buying over the counter. If you don’t pay for a prescription, medication is free! Smokers are four times more likely to give up with the support of a friendly, trained advisor.

The programme takes up to 12 weeks of weekly support – but most clients complete their quit attempt after 8 weeks.

Call the service on 0800 389 3998 / 01442 453071 or text ‘Quit’ 07800 001 337 to get a call back. .Email hertfordshire. stopmokingservice@nhs.net or go to www.smokefreehertfordshire.nhs.uk.

World Book Day (7th March) and beyond …

To mark World Book Day, school children are entitled to receive a World Book Day £1 Book Token. The token can be exchanged for one of eight specially published World Book Day £1 Books, or is redeemable against any book or audio book of their choice costing more than £2.99 at a participating bookshop or book club. The World Book Day £1 Book Token will be valid from 25 February to 24 March 2013. To find out more go to www.worldbookday.com

4

Fifteen of the Best!

Best Theatre Arts is about to celebrate its 15th birthday.

As part of its celebrations it is trying to contact as many of its ex-students as possible.

“Hundreds of children of all ages have been through our doors over the years, either for term time classes or our popular holiday courses,” says

Perform Easter Holiday Course: Hansel and Gretel

The class of '99. Where are they now?

Best’s co-founder, David Bevan. “Some have stayed with us for many years (14 years is our record) whilst others come and go - and often come back! We’ve already had our first ‘second generation’ Best student and we know our students have gone onto all sorts of interesting things. We want them to get in touch to let us know what they are up to now and what their favourite memory of Best is. Then, when we’ve got everything together

Owing to popular demand, this Easter, Perform will be running spring holiday drama courses in St Albans. From the 3rd to 10th April children are invited on a magical adventure meeting wonderful characters including the Poor Woodcutter and the Gingerbread Witch who tricks the children into her home. This three day Experience has all the excitement of the original fairytale, with a hazardous journey, and eventual triumph taking in the dark and distant forest and the wicked cottage of cakes.

With unique games, specially written music, energetic dance and improvisation, Perform’s enthusiastic and experienced team of actors, musicians and dancers will help bring this tale to life. Inspiring and encouraging the children every step of the way so that they’ll have a half term to remember forever.

Perform St Albans is at Fleetville Junior School, 228 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW from 10am-12pm daily.

To find out more call 0845 400 1272

Say you saw it in

we’ll put all these memories into a special booklet for everyone to see.”

If you are a Best ex-student and want to get in touch go to facebook.com/besttheatrearts, tweet @besttheatrearts, call 01727 759634 or email bestarts@aol.com. David and Annette would love to hear from you!

Best are already taking bookings for their 2013 holiday courses and term time classes, with the new Best School of Acting having taken off with real promise. The Easter holiday course, The Island of Secrets, runs from 8-12 April, 10-4 pm daily.

Call 01727 759634 or go to www.besttheatrearts.com to find out more and to book.

Take your seats at the first

St Albans Film Festival!

Screenings, workshops, talks, events and filmthemed fancy dress will be part of a packed programme of family events at the first St Albans Film Festival from 8th to 10th March.

The festival kicks-off with day-time screenings for pre-schoolers at Waterstones on 8 March, where face painters will create film-themed face paints for the children. After school on the Friday there are workshops on acting for camera at Verulamium Museum for 8-15 year olds.

Saturday’s programme commences with feature film: The Prince’s Quest to be followed by stop-frame animation workshops, a programme of kids’ short films and a beginners’ guide to editing.

There’s lots more on offer during this packed weekend. For full information go to www.stalbansfilmfestival.com

5

Parenting: Special Needs What to Do if Your Child is 'Different'

by Gabrielle Starkey

When I became pregnant, I felt like I’d stepped through the looking glass.

I’d been focusing on my career and never paid too much attention to family life, but suddenly it was everywhere, and I’d unwittingly joined a new club. There were new rules, and I was playing catch-up, but I soon began to feel at home in this warm, welcoming world of bumps and babies. But when my child’s behaviour started to go off the rails, at just 18 months, it stretched the welcome of my new world to the limit. I was forced, eventually, to step through another looking glass – into the world of Special Educational Needs (SEN).

I decided to write this article to help other parents to access the services they may need right at the start of their SEN journey. Every child is different and will need their own, personal help, so one solution doesn’t fit all. But the SEN system can be a maze, and finding the right people and organisations to help you through it is all-important. I hope that if you’re struggling with the fact that your child seems different from his or her peers, you’ll find some helpful suggestions here:

See your doctor Your first port of call is your GP. If you feel something is wrong, you don’t need to wait for the nursery or school to tell you (although they will, if they feel your child is struggling). Depending on your child’s symptoms, your GP can refer you to CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service), a Speech and Language therapist or a paediatrician.

Don’t be ashamed Your child’s disability is not your fault, you didn’t ask for it and beating yourself up about it won’t help anyone. It’s natural to feel sad that your high-flying dreams for your child might not now come true, but he/she is still your child and needs you. Think positive.

Keep talking to your child’s school/nursery If your child is at nursery or school, liaise with the nursery manager or head teacher about your child’s progress and behaviour, and keep them informed of any changes outside school/nursery. This can help to build up a full picture of the child’s environment, which might shed some light on the problem. Don’t get defensive – they will be trying to help you and your child, not judging you.

Get reading Once you have received a diagnosis – or even before – read up on the problem, or what you think it is. I have amassed quite a library on Attachment Disorder, Autism, Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, inflexible children and special diets! Be aware, though, that it’s all too easy to misdiagnose your child from a book or the internet – many symptoms overlap different diagnoses, and some behavioural problems actually have their roots in physical or emotional difficulties. For instance, a child who is dyslexic might act badly through frustration, or a child with hearing problems might switch off in class because they can’t hear the teacher. It’s important to see the professionals to get a proper diagnosis.

Reach out and make connections Join a support group, even before diagnosis. This might be controversial, but having a child with an SEN can be isolating, and meeting others in a similar situation – whatever their children’s difficulties – can help you feel less alone. It’s also true that there is help out there that can’t normally be accessed before diagnosis, and you can find out about it at these groups.

Become a “Velvet Bulldozer” Sandy Row, a mother of four adopted children with autism, has written a book called The Velvet Bulldozer about her determined battle with the authorities to get her children properly diagnosed and supported.

If you feel you’re not getting appropriate support, don’t just give up – sometimes you have to fight for the best for your child.

Useful contacts: Herts Additional Needs Database: www.hertsdirect.org/hand Cross Herts Community Counselling for Young People: www.checc.org.uk Herts Parent Carer Involvement: www.hertsparentcarers.org.uk British Dyslexia Association: www.bdadyslexia.org.uk Facebook Page: Special People www.facebook.com/specialpeopleuk 6

Enter all these competitions at www.familiesherts.co.uk

Competitions

Win a Free Summer Week at

Barracudas, the UK’s No.1 multi activity day camps for children offers FUN, action packed programmes during the Easter & summer holidays. Operating at 29 venues in 2013, Barracudas offers a varied choice of exciting activities including archery, motor sports, swimming, fencing, football, art, drama, dance and circus skills to name but a few! In addition, there are some fantastic roaming activities, including a climbing wall, dance mats and some amazing inflatables.

Hertfordshire Camps: Abbots Hill ( Hemel Hempstead), Bishops Stortford College (Bishops Stortford), Haileybury (Hertford), Queen Elizabeth School (Barnet), Sherrardswood School (Welwyn), Watford Grammar School for boys ( Watford) Closing date: 31st May

Win 1 of 10

Quizonics Games Zoobookoo’s ‘Quizonics’ is a general knowledge multiple choice quiz game for younger children. The quiz is available in two levels: for age 5+ (300 questions) and age 7+ (400 questions).

Quizonics is a fun twist on flashcards. The player rolls the dice to determine their question, they answer by choosing one of the pictures on the card. If they are correct they win the card which equals one point. Players can win extra bonus points too. The player with the most cards/points wins the game.

The game is great for general knowledge, reinforcement, vocabulary and spelling. Seeing the word with the picture will build their knowledge as they play.

Closing date: 21st April.

For another opportunity to win a Quizonics game. Just 'Like' ZooBooKoo on Facebook. Quizonics can be purchased at www.zoobookoo.com and www.amazon.co.uk. RRP: around £6.99.

Win 1 of 10 Cord Lock Away Child Safety Wands Many parents don’t realise the risks posed to toddlers and mobile babies by looped blind cords.

Cord Lock Away doesn’t need screwing into the wall and still raises the cord out of harm’s way, without affecting operation of the blind. It can be fitted in minutes by anyone.

No DIY skills are needed!

Cord Lock Away fits all continuous looped cords and beaded chains and is recommended for every window blind in the home.

Sold by John Lewis it comes in two sizes, one for windows and one for patio doors.

Closing date: 21st April

Say you saw it in

7

Childcare Feature across its 213 nurseries, but others may find they can work within the new ratio guide lines. She welcomes changes that put the decisions in the hands of childcare experts and trusts that they will make the right choice for their children, parents and business. Marg continues: ”The important issue for Busy Bees is childcare vouchers. Currently, employers are allowed to give employees up to £55 a week in tax-free vouchers to pay for childcare; raising this to £75 a week would make a real difference to parents. In comparison, the saving to families if the Truss proposals go through would amount to less than £3 per week.”

What about tax breaks?

© Alliance - Fotolia.com

How childcare is changing

By Joanna Moorhead

Childcare in Britain costs more than childcare almost anywhere else in the world. According to recent figures, 27% of the income of families with young children is spent on the costs of a nanny, a childminder or a nursery.

Everyone agrees it would be better if childcare was more affordable; especially for parents with two or more children, many of whom say it doesn’t make financial sense for them both to work.

How can childcare be made cheaper without compromising on quality? That’s the question everyone, from government ministers to childcare providers, is grappling with at the moment.

What the government is saying In late January the government announced a new plan to change child:staff ratios for childminders and nurseries, in a move it says will cut costs for parents and raise pre-school standards.

Early years minister, Elizabeth Truss, is proposing that:

• Childminders, who are currently restricted to looking after three children aged one to five, should in future be able to look after four.

• They would also be allowed to look after two children aged under one, instead of being restricted to one child under one.

• Nurseries will be allowed to increase their

staff-to-child ratio from 1:4 to 1:6. For under-

8

ones, the ratio will rise from 1:3 to 1:4.

• Qualifications would be raised for new nursery staff, who will need to have GCSE grade C or above in English and Maths.

Other changes proposed include the introduction of a new graduate-level early years teaching qualification Truss points out that her proposals would leave England with higher staff-to-child ratios than those for child carers in France, Denmark and Germany; three countries that are often cited as providing high-quality care for preschool children.

Her argument is that the current relatively tight ratios have two main effects; they mean higher costs for parents and lower pay for staff. Truss believes that her suggested changes would lead to lower fees for parents and higher pay for staff, and that over time this would improve the quality of childcare workers.

Labour’s shadow education secretary, Stephen Twigg, holds a different view. He thinks that the plans would undermine the quality of the UK’s childcare and he says, “I think this is one area where we’ve got something to teach other countries… If you look at France, there’s quite a big public debate about whether they’ve got this right.”

Marg Randles, managing director of Busy Bees, the UK’s largest childcare provider, says: “This flexibility already exists within settings for 3-5 year olds where providers can choose to adopt a 1:13 ratio where there is a qualified teacher or EYP working directly with the children.”

She believes Busy Bees baby ratios of 3:9 and toddler (2-3 yrs) ratios of 3:12 works best

Childcare vouchers are one form of tax breaks for parents paying for childcare. Before the recent Truss announcement, however, it had been hoped that the scheme would be reformed and extended, allowing more parents to benefit from the scheme, and those already using it to save more. For now these hopes have come to naught. Ms Truss has said changes are in the pipeline, but that they will take some time to come to fruition.

So, the details of the scheme are still being worked out and as we wait for another announcement, it is being reported that the scheme under consideration could be worth thousands of pounds – sources close to the government have said working women with children aged under five could become entitled to claim a flat rate tax allowance of £2,000 a year to pay someone to look after their children.

If that’s the good news, the bad news is that the plan could take some time, though some experts still believe it could be introduced before the next General Election.

How to cut your childcare costs in the short term Right now there’s not much happening at government level to cut your childcare costs.

So, if you need to get them down, it’s up to you to find a way. Here are a few ideas we’ve come up with:

• Change your working hours. Parents with children aged under 16 years can request flexible hours from their employer, provided they have been employed over six months.

Asking to fit your work into fewer but longer days could cut childcare bills.

• If you work part-time and use a nursery, ask if the fees are lower on certain days of the week (sometimes they are) and then try to switch the days you work.

• Team up with a friend who’s also working part-time and has a child of a similar age. So you look after her child with yours while she’s working, and vice versa.

• When you’re choosing a childminder, check whether she can access the free 15 hours’ childcare a week that all three and four-yearolds are entitled to – not all childminders can do this, and it can be worth up to £180 for 38 weeks of the year.

Julie Hall owner of Hawthorne Nanny Agency comments: Any plans to raise the quality of childcare should be welcomed, although at the moment it is not clear how the new proposals will work in practice.

When looking at child care parents might also want to consider a nanny. Here the children will be in the comfort of their own home and parents have ultimate choice in who cares for their children. Childcare vouchers can be used for an Ofsted registered nanny and a nanny share may be another option to reduce costs.

Ruth Martin, Headteacher and owner of Artisans Kindergarten in Harpenden comments: “The changes in the staffing ratios are meant to make childcare more affordable but it remains to be seen whether it will, or whether those, who are dedicated to nurturing the next generation will, finally, be paid a salary which reflects the importance of their work.

The countries sited by Truss in her statement are all countries where everyone pays very high taxes to subsidise childcare and where childcare workers are treated as professionals in relation to training incentives and salary levels.

The bigger question is how much do we want to outsource those precious and formative years of our children’s development to others? Rather than acting as parent replacements and babysitters, consideration of how childcare settings can enhance and enrich what parents offer could reap benefits. Perhaps the focus should be on how to give parents more opportunities to access part time and flexible work. For example, by having purpose built nurseries with office units attached so that parents could have remote access to work."

More Nannies recruited online Research from Nannytax (nannytax.co.uk), the payroll service for nanny employers, has revealed a drastic change in the way nannies are recruited. There is more reliance on the internet, including the use of unregulated web adverts. One in five of the 1,145 UK families surveyed said they would look at an ‘unregulated’ internet advertisement on sites such as Gumtree to recruit their nanny. One in five (22%) also found their current nanny online, with one in ten UK families recruiting their current nanny having seen an internet ad. A third (31%) of nanny employers said they would search for their next nanny using a specialist professional nanny recruitment site. A quarter of those surveyed found their nanny through recommendations from friends, although half of those surveyed said they would ask for friends' recommendations in future. Nanny agencies remain the most popular recruitment route, with nearly half finding their current nanny through an agency (a figure that has remained stable year on year).

© Tatyana Gladskih - Fotolia.com

Top Tips from Nannytax 1. Thoroughly interview any prospective nanny and check all paperwork and qualifications

2. Necessary checks are the enhanced

DBS check and ask for at least two written references, which you should follow up with a phone call or preferably a face-to-face chat

3.

Child based first aid is a must for all nannies, get to see their certificates and check they are up to date and make sure the nanny you recruit keeps her qualifications up to date

4.

Allow plenty of time to look at a range of nanny recruitment sources and build in time for the recruitment process, don’t just rely on word of mouth. If you don’t have the time to thoroughly check references, make sure you use a nanny agency.

Say you saw it in

9

Education

It's Party Time!

To advertise or to be listed in our May/June Party Feature contact us on 020 8428 6384 or email editor@familiesherts.co.uk Booking deadline: 4th April 10

Say you saw it in

11

Luca & Maya make an Easter egg tree

12

Easter Fun & Facts Try our Easter wordsearch E E O C H N B A Y C

G S Y G H O E Y H P

O B U E C I G O T S

H U N T B S C K T P

R N E O G O P K L R

E N S Y L Y N C Y I

K Y B A S O E N H N

C K T P N R T K E G

R E A S T E R P G T

A S I R O H S N G L

Bonnet Bunny Chick Chocolate Easter Egg

The hop-egg is an Easter game in which the goal is to dance among eggs laid out on the floor without breaking them.* It is thought that the game was brought to England by the Saxons in the 5th Century. *Don’t try this at home!

Egg rolling, which symbolises the rolling away of the rock in front of Jesus’s tomb, was traditionally played with hard-boiled eggs being rolled down a hill.

Eggs are a symbol of rebirth in most cultures and had already been given as springtime gifts before Easter was first celebrated by Christians.

See What’s On (pages 17 & 18) for the best Easter Eggstravaganzas.

Hunt Spring

Children and adults love to indulge in a Chocolate Easter Egg but did you know that …

A new Guinness World Record for the most entrants in an egg hunt was set in London last Easter after 12,773 entrants took part in The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt.

The charity event also broke another World Record when a giant chocolate egg, created for the competition, became the most expensive non-jewelled chocolate egg ever, selling at auction for £7000.

Eggs are coloured brightly to symbolise the sunlight of spring.

In Medieval times, masters often gave eggs to their servants as Easter gifts.

About 10% of Britain’s annual spending on chocolate is on Easter eggs.

The most ornate Easter eggs are probably the jewelled and enamelled eggs that Fabergé made for the Russian tsars.

The first Cadbury’s Easter egg was made in 1875, in dark chocolate; milk chocolate didn’t arrive until 1905 with the launch of Dairy Milk.

The average time for children to start tucking into their first chocolate Easter egg is 11am on Easter Sunday, with 30% of children eating their chocolate egg instead of breakfast!

Say you saw it in

13

Spring Inside Out After a long winter it’s a blessing when the spring sun shines again. It signals that it is time to get out and about and enjoy what the season has to offer. Of course, sunshine is not guaranteed and a rainy day can put paid to a planned woodland walk or family picnic. Here are some ideas that will be useful whatever the spring weather has in store…

Get

Physical Inside:

At your local leisure centre children can take part in lots of different sporting activities either as a one off on a rainy day or they may want to sign up to a regular session. Many leisure centres will also offer organised holiday camps which are great if you have a sporty child. In Herts we are fortunate to have some venues that offer activities that are not what you might expect to do indoors.

The XC Centre: Experience caving in the 150m long artificial organic caving system which is one of the longest in the world or try climbing on the 14m wall or perhaps bouldering if height is not your thing. There is also an impressive skate park for Skate-boarders and BMXers as well as a challenging ropes course.

Amazingly, it’s all undercover in a state of the art building in Hemel Hempstead. The XC caters for children from age 5 up to adults. www.thexc.co.uk / 01442 507100

Aquasplash: An indoor water park on the same site as Planet Ice. Aqua splash has flumes, slides, rapids and a lazy river. They offer a combined skate’n’swim ticket which includes skate hire. www.hemel-aquasplash.co.uk/

It does what is says on the tin! Soft play centres will have a large play frame that has been especially designed for children up to the age of 12 years. The play frames are basically large indoor mazes on several levels that contain a variety of fun slides, climbing structures and ball ponds. They are designed so that children can run, jump, balance, climb and slide safely. All the equipment is covered in a soft padding and is surrounded by strong netting so children cannot fall out. There is likely to be a section that is reserved for toddlers. Parents can also negotiate the frame with younger less confident children so go prepared! Socks and long sleeved tops may be required apparel. Parents can retreat to the cafe where they can relax with a coffee whilst keeping an eye on their child. Some centres may have regular craft activities on offer or may have a bouncy castle. Entry fees vary and no booking is required although you may want to call ahead to avoid the busiest times.

Try these:

RollerCity: A purpose-built roller-skating rink in Welwyn Garden City. They offer sessions for all ability levels for young children, teens, adults and family sessions. Roller skates can be hired from the venue when booking your session. www.rollercity.co.uk / 01707 357117 Planet Ice: Ice skating from tots to adults in Hemel Hempstead. www.planet-ice.co.uk

Indoor Soft Play Centres

Big Space - (Harpenden) www.bigspace.biz

DJs Jungle Adventure (St Albans) www.djsjungleadventure.co.uk

Partyman World (Stevenage) The Snow Centre: As well as skiing on real snow they also offer 30 minute sledging sessions from April-November no experience is required but booking is advised. www.thesnowcentre.com / 0845 2 589 000

www.partymanworld.co.uk

All of these venues offer party packages.

www.360play.co.uk

Tumble Tent (Letchworth) www.tumbletent.co.uk

360 Play (Stevenage)

Museums There is a local museum in almost every town.

Most of them will offer a varied programme of activities for children and families. These may be free or have a small charge. Some activities may need to be booked in advance whilst others are ‘drop-in’ session so you can just turn up. Activities that are offered include craft sessions and story sessions and these will often be linked to current exhibitions so children will have fun and be learning without realising.

If you are familiar with your own local museum why not go further afield and

14

discover what another town has to offer? St Albans Museum has Sunday Stories every week between 3 and 4 pm for under 7s. Also in St Albans is Verulamium Museum (www. stalbansmuseums.org.uk), dedicated to the Roman History of the city. Here children can get hands-on in the discovery areas and see recreated Roman rooms. Further afield there is a major exhibition at the British Museum ‘Life and death in Pompeii and Herculaneum’ from 28 March - 29 September. (www. britishmuseum.org)

O Parks u t s i d e : Rye-Assic Get down with the Dinos at

On a lovely day what could be nicer than your local park? Take some snacks or a full-scale picnic. Take bats, racquets, balls, skipping ropes for some wholesome outdoor fun. If you are a family with wheels (bicycles and scooters) the park is a good destination.

Depending on the size and location of the park there may be attractions to enjoy. Even the smallest park will have a playground for kids to let off steam. Some larger parks have sailing lakes (Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage and Stanborough Park, Welwyn Garden City). As the weather warms, generally from May, there are paddling pools and splash pools (Cassiobury Park, Watford; Verulamium Park, St Albans; Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage; King George Playing Fields, Bushey; Gadebridge Park, Hemel). If you’re not a ‘picnic ‘ person there may be a park café/ restaurant (The Inn on the Park, Verulamium Park, St Albans; Costello's Cáfe, Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage; Terranova Restaurant, Stanborough Park, WGC). Fairlands Valley Park also has a mobile climbing wall and the new ‘So Challenging’ ropes course. On offer at Gadebridge Park in Hemel is crazy golf, croquet, petanque, giant chess and draughts and a bowls green.

Adventure Park this Easter To get down with the dinos, head to Rye-Assic Adventure Park at Rye House Kart Raceway, Hoddesdon. The park has been designed for 1-9 year olds and features the prehistoric creatures from the Cretaceous Period.

Visitors can see Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Rex in full life-size. There are six ‘activity zones’ with different rides and games to enjoy. Activities include an adventure playground, trampolines, crazy maze and bouncy castle. In addition there is crazy golf (£3.50pp). There are also racing boats, water cannon and ‘quad-zilla’ electric quad bikes suitable for children of 3 years plus; these activities are all coin operated.

There’s even more on offer during the Special Easter Eggstravaganza Weekend on 30th & 31st March. Follow the egg-citing trail and hunt for the eggs the dinosaurs are hiding … if you dare! Open 9:30am - 5:30pm. Easter weekend special admission price only £2.50 per child with adults and under 1's free. www. ryehouseadventurepark.co.uk / 01992 460895 Ext 1. Contact to check availability and to book.

To find out more:

Childrens Farms

Outdoor Adventure For the more adventurous child there is the Lee Valley White Water Centre (www. visitleevalley.org.uk), one of the venues built for the London 2012 Olympics, where young people can experience rafting on this Olympic Competition Course (minimum age 14 years).

White water rafting, canoeing and kayaking are all offered. Herts Young Mariners Base (www.hymb.com / 01992 628403) offers exciting outdoor activities to children from age 9. Choose from sailing, climbing, canoeing, windsurfing, paddling and caving. HYMB offer parties and a holiday programme. The Easter Holiday programme is from 2nd to 12th April and you can book half-days or whole days.

Children’s farms are loved by little ones and they are a great place to go on a gorgeous spring day. Take a picnic or eat in the on-site restaurant. Most farms will have a ‘petting’ zoo where children can stroke rabbits and guinea pigs. Some may also sell animals so are worth a visit if you are thinking of sharing your home with your own furry friend. The size and number of attractions offered varies from farm to farm. Willows Farm Village in St Albans has lots of rides and activities such as tractor rides on Tristran the Runaway Tractor, fun fair rides, Captain Chicken’s Egg Dodge, Farmyard Games, a huge build’n’play sandpit, bouncy castles, tree house adventure play, an under fives play area, lakeside walks, an animal feeding area and much more. Willows have seasonal special events throughout the year and from 23rd March to 14th April 2013 they have their Easter Eggstravaganza. www.willowsfarmvillage.com / 0870 129 9718

Try these: Lee Valley Park Farms www.visitleevalley.org.uk Langleybury Childrens Farm (Kings Langley) 01923 270603 / www.langleyburyfarm.co.uk Standalone Farm (Letchworth) 01462 686775 / www.standalonefarm.com Mead Open Farm (Leighton Buzzard) 01525 852954 / www.meadopenfarm.co.uk Woodside Animal Farm (Luton) 01582 841044 / www.woodsidefarm.co.uk

Say you saw it in

Gadebridge Park, Hemel Hempstead www.dacorum.gov.uk

Fairlands Valley Park, Stevenage www.stevenage-leisure.co.uk

Verulamium Park, St Albans www.stalbans.gov.uk/verulamiumpark

Stanborough Park, Welwyn Garden City www.finesseleisure.com www.hertsdirect.org

Skiing and Snowboarding The dry ski slope at Gosling Sports Park in Welwyn Garden City has a 160m main slope and a 70m training slope with two ski lifts.

It offers lessons for all abilities and children’s parties. Plus, fun activities during school holidays as part of Camp Gosling, including a variety of skiing courses for children from age 7-16 years. If learning to ski isn't for you but you like a bit of speed go for the Fun Rings. These are large inflatable rings that you sit on and then launch yourself down the 70m training slope. It's fun, fast and furious!

Choose 30 minutes or 1 hour.

Call 01707 384384 to check availability or to book. www.goslingsports.co.uk

15

Spring What’s On THEATRE ABBEY THEATRE Westminster Lodge, Holywell Hill, St Albans, AL1 2DL www.abbeytheatre.org.uk The Wiz 4-6 Apr – 2.30pm & 7.30pm A funky retelling of The Wizard of Oz. Tickets: £10, £9 concs ALBAN ARENA Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3LD 01727 844488 www.alban-arena.co.uk Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom 26 Mar – 1pm & 4pm 27 Mar – 10am & 1pm Ben and Holly have fun and games helping Gaston the Ladybird.

Tickets: £13.50, £11.50 concs, £45 family Living the Dream 13 & 14 April 7.30pm Talented students dance, act and sing. Live music.

Tickets: £12, £8 concs THE ARK THEATRE Thrift Farm Lane Borehamwood WD6 1TS 0208 2387288 www.thearktheatre.co.uk Pinocchio 23 Mar – 2pm & 6pm Tickets: £10, £6 concs Unmythable 18 Mar – 2pm & 7.30pm All the Greek myths in one show.

Tickets: £12, £10 concs BROXBOURNE CIVIC HALL High Street, Hoddesden, EN11 8BE 01992 441946 www.broxbourne.gov.uk Moscow Ballet presents Coppelia 10 Mar – 7.30pm Tickets: Terrace £23, Stalls £21, under 16s and Friends of Broxbourne 10% off Chinese State Circus – Yin Yang 14 & 15 Mar 30 incredible Chinese artistes.

Prices from £18 High School Rocks 2 Apr – 6pm Tickets £12.50, £40 family Bringing Down the Moon 3 Apr – 2.30pm This is a tale of friendship and adventure with a bit of mischief too. Ages 3+ Tickets: £8, £28 family GORDON CRAIG THEATRE Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre, Lytton Way, Stevenage, Herts SG1 1LZ 08700 131030 www.gordon-craig.co.uk

16

Peter Pan: The British Musical 11 & 12 Apr – 1.30pm & 4.30pm 13 Apr – 1.30pm, 4.30pm & 7.30pm 14 Apr – 2.30pm & 6pm Tickets: £18, £1.50 off concs, £56 family HAWTHORNE THEATRE Campus West, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6BX 01707 357117 www.welhat.gov.uk/campuswest Cinema: Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (PG) 2 & 3 Mar – 10am The Life of Pi (PG) 2 Mar (3D) & 3 Mar – 1pm Ice Age 4 9 Mar – 10am Frankenweenie (PG) 17 Mar – 10am Paranorman (PG) 24 Mar – 10am I Wish (PG) 26 Mar – 7.45pm Hotel Transylvania (U) 30 Mar – 10am Theatre: High School Rocks 10 Apr – 2pm & 6pm All the hits from High School Musical, Hannah Montana, Camp Rock and Glee!

HERTFORD THEATRE The Wash, Hertford, SG14 1PS 01992 531500 www.hertfordtheatre.com The Gospel of Matthew 28 Mar – 7.45pm An intense and humorous version of the first Gospel. Age 8+ Tickets: £15, £13 concs Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales 30 Mar – 4pm Tales from the sea, the farm and the jungle. Ages 3+.

Tickets: £12, £10 concs, £40 family Wow - This is Magic!

13 Apr – 6.30pm Live magic and illusion. Ages 6+ Tickets: £13, £11 concs THE OLD TOWN HALL THEATRE High Street, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AE 01442 228091 www.oldtownhall.co.uk My Brother The Robot 23 Mar – 2.30pm Bobbie lives with her inventor dad. One day, Bobbie says that she’d love to have a little brother.

Age 4+ Tickets: £5.50, £4 concs The Sea Show 20 Apr – 2.30pm Meet Morwenna the mermaid and salty seadog Captain Pemburthy. Ages 5+ Tickets £5, £4 concs

THE RADLETT CENTRE 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett, WD7 8HL 01923 859291 www.radlettcentre.co.uk Dogs Don't Do Ballet 19 Mar – 1.30pm & 4pm Biff is small dog with a big personality who likes moonlight, music and walking on tiptoes.

Ages: 2-6.

Musical Theatre Workshop 2-5 Apr – 9.30am-4.30pm (Wed until 6pm) Sing, dance and act. Ages 8-16.

Cost: £115 for four days The Wind in the Willows 10 Apr – 11am & 2pm Age 5+ Tickets: £9.50 The Gruffalo's Child 30 Apr – 1.30pm & 4.30pm 1 May – 10.30am & 1.30pm One wild night the Gruffalo’s child tiptoes out into the snow.

Age: 3+ RHODES ARTS COMPLEX South Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG 01279 651746 www.rhodesbishopsstortford.org.uk Sid's Show 23 March – 11am Join Sid from CBeebies in a funfilled adventure. Age 3-7. £10 Hey Diddle Diddle 12 Apr – 11am It’s the annual Jumping over the Moon contest in Rhyme Town £10, £8 concs TRESTLE ARTS BASE Russet Drive, St Albans, AL4 0JQ 01727 850950 www.trestle.org.uk Aesop's Fables 3 Mar – 2.30pm Aesop’s Fables told with song, puppets, four people and lots of silliness! Age 4+ £11, £9 concs, £36 family Blown Away 7 April - 11.30am & 2.30pm A small boy is whisked away on an unforgettable journey. £11 Adult / £9 Conc / £36 Family Ages 3 – 6 years THE WESTON AUDITORIUM University of Hertfordshire De Havilland Campus, Hatfield AL10 9EU 01707 281127 www.herts.ac.uk/ artsandgalleries Saturday Morning Pictures with Arts and Crafts Workshops Monthly. Age 5+ Film: £2.50 child (up to two adults free) Workshop: £3.50 child

EASTER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES CATHEDRAL AND ABBEY CHURCH OF ST ALBAN Family Discovery Morning Let's Build a Church 11 Apr – 10am-12.30pm How do you build a Church?

Meet in the North Transept.

Ages 3-11. Children must be with an adult.

FREE, donations welcome BARRACUDAS ACTIVITY DAY CAMPS 0845 123 5299, www.barracudas.co.uk Various locations around Hertfordshire 2-5, 8-12 Apr – 8.30-5.30pm Huge range of exciting activities including swimming, motor sports, archery, fencing, mad science, arts and crafts and lots more. Extended hours available.

Ages 4 1/2-16 years.

BEST THEATRE ARTS bestarts@aol.com www.besttheatrearts.com 01727 759634 Sandringham Academy, The Ridgeway, St Albans AL4 9NX The Magic Castle 8-12 Apr – 9.45am-12.30pm First class holiday course.

Age 4-6.

The Island of Secrets 8-12 Apr – 10am-4pm Develop a show to perform on the last day. Age 6-16.

BIRCHWOOD LEISURE CENTRE PLAYSCHEME Longmead, Hatfield, AL10 0AN 01727 270772/3; 01707 262023 (bookings) 2-5, 8-12 Apr – 8.30am-6pm Bouncy Castle, Badminton, Karaoke, Face Painting, Netball, Arts & Crafts, Cooking, Football, Kids Funzone. Age 5-7 Cost: Hatfield Resident -£14/day, Non-Resident -£20.50/day CAMP GOSLING Gosling Sports Park, Stanborough Road, Welwyn Garden City, 01707 331056 www.goslingsports.co.uk 2-5, 8-12 Apr – 9am-3.30pm Tennis, athletics, football, trampolining.

Mini Venture Camp (3-4 yrs – a.m.), Junior Venture Camp (5-6 yrs), GSP Venture Camp (7-10 yrs), Sporting Sensations (11+).

Daily: Mini: Members £10, Non Members £13, Venture Camps: £17.50, £21.50, Sensations: £21, £25

COURTYARD ARTS CENTRE Port Vale, Hertford, 01992 509596 www.courtyardarts.org.uk admin@courtyardarts.org.uk Art & Clay workshops 9-19 Apr Assorted clay workshops, details to be confirmed. Ages 5+ From £9/class EVERYONE ACTIVE HARTHAM LEISURE CENTRE 2 Hartham Common, Hartham Lane, Hertford, SG14 1QR 01992 584000 www.everyoneactive.com Swimming, including daily fun swims. Timetable online.

Cost: £3.90 - Adult, £1.90 – Child, under 3s free HATFIELD SWIM CENTRE Lemsford Road, Hatfield, Herts, AL10 0EB Tel: 01707 276276 Fun Sessions Sat and school holidays 1.30-3pm Fun sessions with inflatables and floats. £3.20. Ages 8-15 HERTFORDSHIRE SPORTS VILLAGE University of Hertfordshire, De Havilland Campus, Hatfield Business Park, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9EU www.hertssportsvillage.co.uk Kids Village Sports Camps 2-5, 8-12 Apr – variable times A range of sport camps for all abilities. Qualified coaches.

Age: 5-17 Prices vary depending on the camp.

KOOL KIDZ CAMPS St John Fisher School, Hazelmere Road, St Albans AL4 9RW 0845 6032858 or 07966 483508 www.koolkidzgroup.co.uk 2-5, 8-12 Apr – 9am-4pm 3 Apr – Eggstravaganza 10 Apr – Animal Fun Activities include arts/crafts, sports, go karts, Bouncy Castle, radio-controlled cars and more.

Extended sessions available.

Ages 4-11.

Cost: £30 per day, except Wed, a special themed day, £35 LEGO EASTER CAMPS BY HG EDUCATION www.hg-education.com 0800 4118 999 / 01923 608 637 info@hg-education.com These Easter camps are a must for Legoholics of all ages!

Daily activities include, LEGO Robotics, LEGO Science, LEGO Green City, LEGO First, LEGO League tournaments. Participants

can choose to do any activity they like each day.

The Lego Easter Camps are lots of fun. HG Education also offer Lego parties, afterschool clubs, Lego robotics (where children can build and program a Lego robot!)

Locations: Hatfield, St Albans and Barnet.

These popular camps do get booked up fast so contact HG Education to find out more and to book.

PERFORM DRAMA WORKSHOPS 0845 400 1272 www.perform.org.uk, enquiries@perform.org.uk Hansel and Gretel Fleetville Junior School, 228 Hatfield Road, St Albans AL1 4LW 3-5 Apr – 10am-12pm Specially designed to encourage creativity, confidence and communication skills and to be a kaleidoscope of fun! Ages 4-8.

Book in advance.

Cost: £93 ROLLERCITY Campus West, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6BX 01707 357117 www.rollercity.co.uk Easter Holiday Skates 2-5 April 8-12 April 1-2.30pm - 11s and under 3-4.30pm - All ages All sessions: £5.25

WILDCHILD ACTIVITIES 0845 3717099 www.wildchildactivities.com Wild Fashion Designers 11 Apr – 10am-3pm St Albans Girls School (STAGS), St Albans Produce a unique item. Age 8-12 £25 Wild Animation 4 Apr – 10am-3pm St Albans Girls School (STAGS), St Albans Make your own animated film.

Age 8-12 £25 Wild Archery 3 Apr – 10am-12pm St Albans Girls School (STAGS), St Albans. Learn the art of archery. Age 7-12. £15

EASTER EGG HUNTS & EVENTS ASHRIDGE ESTATE Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre, Moneybury Hill, Berkhamsted, HP4 1LX 01494 755557, 01442 851227 (visitor centre and box office) www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Easter Egg Trail 29 Mar-1 Apr – 10am-4pm £2.50 BLETCHLEY PARK The Mansion, Bletchley Park, Milton Keynes MK3 6EB 01908 640404 www.bletchleypark.org Eggstravaganza 1 Apr Family trails, craft activities and chocolate!

Family Fun Days Wednesdays in Easter Holidays Special guided tours for children, spy workshops, trails, and quizzes.

CAPEL MANOR GARDENS Bullsmoor Lane, Enfield, Middlesex EN1 4RQ 08456 122 122 www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk Easter Egg Hunt 30 Mar – 11am-4pm Egg and spoon races, stories, face painting,arts & crafts, traditional Punch & Judy show.

SUPER CAMPS www.supercamps.co.uk 01235 832222 Heath Mount School Woodhall Park, Watton-at-Stone, Hertford, SG14 3NG Multi-Activity 25 Mar-5 Apr St Francis' College Broadway, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3PJ A Passion For... Invention 1-5 Apr Multi-Activity 1-12 Apr The Royal Masonic School for Girls, Rickmansworth Park, Rickmansworth, WD3 4HF A Passion For... Arts & Crafts 1-5 Apr Multi-Activity 1-12 Apr Westbrook Hay Prep School London Road, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2RF RAW Adventure 1-5 Apr Multi-Activity 1-12 Apr

Say you saw it in

17

Spring What’s On THE FOREST CENTRE & MILLENNIUM COUNTRY PARK Station Road, Marston Moretaine Beds MK43 0PR www.marstonvale.org Easter Trail 31 Mar & 1 Apr -- 11am-4pm Follow the Easter Trail and complete the quiz to get a small prize. Just turn up! £2 per child HATFIELD PARK FARM Hatfield House and Park Hatfield AL9 5NQ 01707 287010 www.hatfield-house.co.uk Easter Trail on the Farm 30 Mar & 1 Apr Complete the trail and get an Easter Treat. Tractor rides. Bottle feed the lambs. Live lambing March, April , May. Opens 9th March. Tues - Sun & BH Monday.

10am - 5.30pm.

Normal Farm Admission prices apply, £4.50 Adult, £2 Child, Under 3’s free.

HERTFORD MUSEUM 18 Bull Plain, Hertford, Herts, SG14 1DT 01992 582686 www.hertfordmuseum.org Spring has Sprung!

2-4, 9-11 Apr – 10.30am-3.30pm (last entry 3pm) Celebrate springtime traditions with two weeks of family craft activities. £1.50 per child, drop-in HIGHFIELD PARK West Lodge, Hill End Lane, St Albans AL4 0RA 01727 847242 Easter Bunny Hunt 3 Apr – 10.30am-2.30pm Find all the hidden bunnies to claim your Easter egg. £2, Parking free LEE VALLEY PARK FARMS Stubbins, Hall Lane, Waltham Abbey, EN9 2EF 01992 892781 www.leevalleypark.org.uk Easter Eggstravaganza 29 Mar-1 Apr – 10am-5pm Enjoy the Easter Egg trail, see the meerkats, husky dogs, pigs, goats, llamas, sheep, giant rabbits and chinchillas. Play in the tractor barn, piglets' paradise, the soft play area, the Jumping Pillow, climb the Spider Tower and brave the toboggan run! Eat at The Orchard Café.

Adults £8, £6.50 concs MEAD OPEN FARM Standbridge Road, Billington, Nr. Leighton Buzzard 01525 852954 www.meadopenfarm.co.uk

18

Easter Bunny Bonanza 29 Mar-14 Apr – 10am-6.30pm Prices vary, see website for details.

RYE-ASSIC ADVENTURE PARK Rye House Kart Raceway Rye Road, Hoddesdon EN11 0EH enquiries@rye-house.co.uk www.ryehouseadventurepark.co.uk 01992 460895 Ext 1. Contact to check availability and to book.

Special Easter Eggstravaganza 30 & 31 March - 9.30am 5.30pm.

Follow the egg-citing trail and hunt for the eggs the dinosaurs are hiding … if you dare!

See life size dinosaurs. Explore the 6 activity zones with rides and games. Including: an adventure playground, trampolines, crazy maze and bouncy castle. Plus, crazy golf (£3.50pp), racing boats, water cannon and ‘quad-zilla’ quad bikes (from 3+); these activities are coin operated.

Ages: 1-9 Cost: Special price this weekend only £2.50 Child / Adults & under 1's free.

THE ROALD DAHL MUSEUM AND STORY CENTRE 81-83 High Street, Great Missenden, Bucks, HP16 0AL, 01494 892192 www.roalddahlmuseum.org Extra-usual Easter Egg Hunt 29 Mar-1 Apr – All day Free for Museum visitors.

Secret Scrumdiddlyumptious Sweet Box 29 Mar – 11am-12pm, 1-2pm, & 2.30-3.30pm £2.50 Crackling Easter Crafts 30 Mar – 11am-12pm, 1-2pm & 3-4pm £2.50 Delumptious Easter Egg Decorating 31 Mar – 11.30am, 1pm, 2.30pm & 3.45pm £12 SHEPRETH WILDLIFE PARK Station Road, Shepreth, SG8 6PZ BunnyLand Easter Egg Hunt 29-31 Mar & 1 Apr – 12pm Normal entrance fee into the Wildlife Park applies. Free to take part in the Easter Egg Hunt.

ST HELENS SCHOOL Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, AL4 8AN Easter Craft Fair 16 Mar – 2-4pm Children’s craft activities plus delicious tea/coffee shop.

ST JOHN'S HOSPICE Moggerhanger, Bedford.

Bedfordshire MK44 3RJ www.sueryder.org/events Easter Egg Hunt 24 Mar – 2pm Egg hunt, stalls, raffle, games, cake decorating, face painting.

Adults Free, Children £3 STOCKWOOD DISCOVERY CENTRE London Road, Luton LU1 4LX 01582 548600 www.stockwooddiscoverycentre. com Stockwood Country Fair 31 Mar & 1 Apr – 11am-4.30pm Rural life demos, craft stalls, animal petting farm, bouncy castle, farmers’ market, children’s activities.

Adults £3.50, £3 concs, £2.50 children Easter Fun 2-14 Apr Face painting, trail packs, bouncy castle, rides, craft activities.

WILLOWS FARM VILLAGE Coursers Road, London Colney, St Albans 0870 129 9718 www.willowsfarmvillage.com Easter Eggstravaganza 23 Mar-14 Apr – 10am-5.30pm Hunt for the bunnies hidden around the Farm in the Willows Bunny Hunt then join the Easter Bunny in the Easter Garden for Willows’ Easter Egg Hunt – with chocolate treats. Later, ‘egg on’ your favourite team in Captain Chicken’s Egg Dodge. Plus, there’s all the regular acres of adventure play, fun fair rides, children's shows and adorable animals,

PLACES TO GO ADEYFIELD ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND Turner Hill, Adeyfield, Hemel Hempstead, AP2 4LD 01442 242852 Term time: Mon-Fri 3.306.30pm, Sat-Sun 1-5pm School Holidays: Mon-Fri 9.30am-5.30pm, closed weekends and bank holidays Arts & crafts, cooking, sports, free play, pool table, table tennis, computer games. Outside: enclosed play area, football pitch, zip wire, nest swing.

Free ALDENHAM COUNTRY PARK Aldenham Road, Elstree, WD6 3BA 0208 953 9602 info@aldenhamcountrypark.co.uk Walk, picnic and play then explore Pooh Bear’s '100 Aker Wood' .

BEKONSCOT MODEL VILLAGE Warwick Road, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 2PL, 01494 672919 www.bekonscot.com Open mid-Feb to end-Oct from 10am to 5pm daily.

Little ones can marvel at being bigger than everything else!

HEARTWOOD FOREST Sandridge AL3 6JE www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/ heartwood Community Tree Planting 16 March 10am – 3pm Plant a tree. Trees and spades provided but take your own spade if you can. Refreshments on sale all day. Wear wellies or sturdy boots and dress sensibly for the weather conditions.

Heartwood’s car park is off the B651, the Sandridge to Wheathampstead road.

LEE VALLEY ATHLETICS CENTRE Meridian Way, Edmonton, N9 OAR, 020 8344 7230 www.visitleevalley.org.uk Lee Valley Minithon, 23 Mar – 12-6pm An athletics competition for children aged 8 to 12. Take part in 3 different sports including hurdles, high jump and shot putt. School Years 3-7, booking required £8.50 per entry LEIGHTON BUZZARD STEAM RAILWAY Pages Park Station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 4TN 01525 373888 www.buzzrail.co.uk Opens 17 March WOBURN SAFARI PARK Woburn, Beds MK17 9QN 01525 290407 www.woburn.co.uk/safari Open daily (Winter hours) – 10am-6pm (last entry 5pm) Entry: Adult £19.95, Child £14.95 WOODSIDE FARM AND LEISURE PARK Slip End Village, Luton, LU1 4DG 01582 841044 www.woodsidefarm.co.uk Open every day Weekend entry: Adult £3, Child £5 (midweek discounts apply)

MUSEUMS BRITISH SCHOOLS MUSEUM 41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin, Herts SG4 9TS 01462 420144 www.hitchinbritishschools.org.uk

Dragons & St George 21 Apr – 2-5pm All kinds of dragon related fun & games to celebrate St George’s Day. Normal admission charges apply

Fabulous Pharaohs Holiday Club 8-12 Apr – 10.30am-12.30pm Ages 6+.

Call 01727 751810 to book £5 per session, £20 for all sessions.

HERTFORD MUSEUM 18 Bull Plain, Hertford, Herts, SG14 1DT 01992 582686 www.hertfordmuseum.org Stay and Play Saturdays 2 Mar & 6 Apr – 10.30 am – 3.30 pm Play with traditional toys, make something crafty and read a book.

Free entry, just drop in Hertford Museum Model Railway Day 16 Mar – 10.30am-3.30pm (last entry 3pm) Working model railways!

Free, donations welcomed Toddler Tuesdays: Themed craft activities with play and a story! Age 2 – 4.

Easter Bunnies 19 Mar – 10.30am April Showers 16 Apr – 10.30am £1.50 per child including refreshments for all – please book in advance.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM Cromwell Rd London SW7 5BD 020 7942 5000 www.nhm.ac.uk/ Sensational Butterflies 29 Mar - 15 Sept – 10am-5.50pm Step into the tropical butterfly house.

Entry: £4.50, £4 concs

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM Duxford Airfield, Duxford, Cambridge, CB22 4QR 01223 835000 www.iwm.org.uk Children’s Tour: Historic Duxford 30 & 31 Mar – 11am The Time Commander will take children on a journey through time to meet characters from IWM Duxford’s past. Look out for WW1 bombs, see aerobatic aeroplanes and bravely undergo training with the accident-prone Flying Training School.

Child ticket: £5.10 MUSEUM OF ST ALBANS 9a Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 3RR 01727 819340 www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk Sunday Stories National Science Week – Washing Day stories 24 Mar – 3-4pm – £1 The Rabbit Problem 28 Apr – 3-4pm £1 Magical Mayhem Holiday Club 2-5 Apr – 10.30am-12.30pm Ages 6+.

Call 01727 751810 to book. £5 per session, £15 for all sessions.

RAF MUSEUM Grahame Park Way, London NW9 5LL, 020 8205 2266 london@rafmuseum.org, www.rafmuseum.org.uk Easter Airlift 28 Mar-5 Apr – 11am-1pm & 2-4pm Make a parachute and origami supply box.

Eagles at Easter 6-12 Apr – 11.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm Free displays on the Museum’s Helipad.

DIARY DATES MAD HATTER'S PARTY St Luke’s School, Redbourn www.eastcommonproject.co.uk 9 Mar – 8pm-12am Wear a fab hat, crazy wig, mad hair… live band playing 70s, 80s, 90s music, licensed bar. Tickets from Redbourn Post Office, Crown Pharmacy and Parish Centre. £15 per person.

NCT NEARLY NEW SALES Everything for children aged 0-5 years including: clothing, equipment, toys, books, videos, maternity wear.

St Albans & District Branch Nicholas Breakspear School, Colney Heath Lane, St Albans, AL4 0TT 17 Mar – 10-11.30am Watford Branch Rudolf Steiner School, Langley Hill, Kings Langley, WD4 9HG 23 Mar – 11am-1pm For more information contact nearlynewsale@nct-watford.org. uk or 0844 2436315 Cheshunt & Broxbourne Branch Cheshunt School, College Road, EN8 9LY 24 Mar – 11am-12.30pm (10.30 for members) Contact 0844 243 6083 / nnsnctcheshunt@gmail.com

Hertford & Ware Branch Presdales School, Hoe Lane, Ware, SG12 9NX 13 Apr – 11am-1pm (10.30 for members) Please note there are steps into the hall.

Contact 0844 243 6162 / nctsale.ncthertfordware@gmail. com Entry £1 per person or free with a cake donation.

Harpenden & District Branch Harpenden Public Halls, Southdown Road, Harpenden, AL5 1PD 20 Apr – 10am-11.15am (9.30 for members) Welwyn Garden City Branch Stanborough School, Lemsford Lane, Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6YR. 21 Apr – 10.30am-12pm (10 for members) Entry: £1.

Hemel-Berkhampsted Branch Longdean School, Hill Common, Hemel Hempstead HP3 8JH 27 Apr – 2-3.30pm (1.30 for members) Entry: £1.50 minimum donation SPRING INTO TIME BANK North Herts College Community Hall, Monkswood Way, Stevenage, SG1 1LA 9 Mar – 10am-12pm Time Bank is a way for people to give their time and share their skills within the community helping others and receiving help in return.

To find our more call 01462 689400. / training@nhcvs.org.uk org ST ALBANS FILM FESTIVAL www.stalbansfilmfestival.com 8-10 March Lots of events for families and children at the first Film Festival in St Albans.

ST ALBANS & DISTRICT FAMILY FAIR 2013 Alban Arena Civic Centre, St Albans, AL1 3LD 01727 844488 www.alban-arena.co.uk 20 Apr – 11am-5pm Experience some of what St Albans has to offer families at this lively event.

Free STORTFORD MUSIC FESTIVAL St. Mary's School Field, Bishop's Stortford www.stortfest.com 4 & 5 May

Say you saw it in

SMALL ADS PARTIES

WEST HERTS BREASTFEEDING PEER SUPPORT NETWORK www. westhertsbreastfeedingpeer support.com Running daily drop-ins for breastfeeding support across Dacorum.

Free.

WHERE'S YOUR HEAD AT? Hosted by: The Children's Trust, Tadworth, KT20 5RU. 01737 365 000 www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk Venue: Holiday Inn at Chessington World of Adventures Resort 28 Apr This event is for people aged 14-19 with a brain injury. Young people and their families can meet others in similar situations, and hear from inspirational people.

Admin charge of £15 per young person. Refreshments, lunch and entry to the theme park are provided.

19

Spring What’s On

Printed by Warners Midlands Plc, Bourne, Lincs., PE10 9PH. Copyright Families Herts 2013. Any original materials submitted for publication are sent at owner’s own risk and, while every care is taken, neither Families nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Families Herts is part of a group, established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under license. We take care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers, nor for the accuracy of the contents or for any consequences.