CONTACT US:
EDITOR: Stacey Phillips
T: 07951 946736
E: editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk
THE MERMAID IPSWICH
Yarmouth Road, Ipswich IP1 2EN www.mermaidpubipswich.co.uk
to book Call: 01473 230278
Follow the Mermaid Ipswich on Facebook to stay up to date with all their family freindly events.
SATURDAY 1ST TO SUNDAY 16TH APRIL 2023
(CLOSED FRIDAY 7TH TO MONDAY 10th april inc )
AT THE GUILDHALL, GUILDHALL STREET, BURY ST EDMUNDS, IP33 1PR
10am - 4pm daily
A FREE EXHIBITION, EXPLORING LOCAL STORIES OF LOVE, LOSS AND LIFE IN WARTIME SUFFOLK
www.burystedmundsguildhall.org.uk
What activities are on offer within the HAF programme?
There are a range of activities available for children & young people to access from traditional sports camps, adventure activity camps, dance, football, arts & crafts, boxing, youth activities, and family cooking sessions.
The Department for Education (DfE) has once again for 2022 provided funding for its Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF).
The HAF programme offers free places to children and young people of school age (reception to year 11), who are eligible for means tested free school meals to be able to access enriching activities and healthy food during the Easter, Summer & Christmas Holiday periods.
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Charity Number: 1119059
How do I find out more about HAF?
You may receive information from your child’s school, advertised by activity providers locally and there will be further information available by following Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme | Community Directory (suffolk.gov.uk) or search Suffolk Infolink HAF
Where and when is HAF taking place?
There will be venues across Suffolk offering access to HAF activity from Ipswich to Newmarket, Lowestoft to Haverhill and Stowmarket to Sudbury with other venues in between.
The next HAF activities will be taking place during the Easter/Spring holiday period between 3rd – 14th April 2023.
Head to nationaltrust.org.uk/Ickworth to nd out more. Easter trail £3 per person, normal admission charges apply.
Friday 3 February - 18 June 2023 Free entry
Our latest free exhibition Suffolk’s Green Story: Reflect I Learn I Act explores several themes ranging from the natural environment to agricultural change, through to the impact of our domestic homes and what we can all do to slow down climate change and choose greener ways of living.
The exhibition will feature fascinating archive material including special loans from Britten Pears Arts, which include original scores from Noye’s Fludde, Benjamin Britten’s one-act opera, which took inspiration from the 1953 floods. Don’t miss this thought provoking and engaging exhibition.
www.suffolkarchives.co.uk/whatson @suffolkarchives
LET’S GET CRAFTY - EASTER
Suffolk Archives, Bury St Edmunds Wed 5 April and Wed 12 April, 10.30am - 12.30pm
LET’S GET CRAFTY - EASTER
Suffolk Archives, Lowestoft
Thurs 6 April, 10.30am - 12.30pm
Step back in the footsteps of the unsung heroes that helped win the Battle of Britain and become a Royal Observer Corps recruit. Stationed in our World War Two Operations Room, you will find out what it took to spot aircraft and track its movement on the plotting table. Then help re-enact genuine cases that took place in our 700-year-old Courtroom, using role-play and debate to discover the late 18th to 19th Century justice and penal system.
Date: Monday 3rd & Tuesday 4th April Times: Session Starts 10am | Ends 2.30pm
Suitable for: 8 to 12 years old (must be one accompanying adult per 2 children booking).
Tickets: Free Lunch for attending children and refreshments for accompanying adult included.
Come and enjoy a fun filled day of crafts in our 18th Century Courtroom; from clay badges to origami bookmarks and decorative memory boxes there is something for everyone! You will also get the chance to explore our beautiful walled garden whilst on a mini-Easter Hunt.
Date: Wednesday 5th & Thursday 6th April
Times: Session Starts 10am | Ends 2pm
Suitable for: 6 to 10 years old (must be one accompanying adult per 2 children booking)
Tickets: Free
Lunch for attending children and refreshments for accompanying adult included.
Make your own vintage World War Two postal art! Using recycled paper to make envelopes learn various folding techniques and customise your creations with an array of materials including stamps and inks. Then enjoy the fragrant tastes and smells of our sensory herb garden during a short tour where you will discover the medicinal use of plants throughout the ages.
Date: Tuesday 11th & Wednesday 12th April
Times: Session Starts 10am | Ends 2pm
Suitable for: 5+ years old (must be one accompanying adult per 2 children booking)
Tickets: Free
Lunch for attending children and refreshments for accompanying adult included.
Join Bring Out Your Dead for their humorous new production of Forewarned, Forearmed. A play which tells the story of Royal Observer Corps 14 Group and the vital role they played in World War Two. There will be a free workshop for children which will teach them about the Observer Corps through activities and games, followed by a free matinee performance for the families of attending children.
Date: Friday 14th April
Time: Workshop Starts 10am | Ends 1pm (Includes Free Lunch), Matinee performance Starts 2pm
Suitable for: 8 to 14 years old (workshop)
Tickets: Free
Tickets for all of these events will be available on The Apex website: www.theapex.co.uk
For more information about the Bury St Edmunds Guildhall please visit: www.burystedmunds guildhall.org.uk
Our PAWS-itivity fundraising art event will see colourful dog sculptures in each library and at the Suffolk Show too.
Visit your local library for fun, free and easy to access activities this year, Suffolk Libraries provides all this: Thousands of fantastic books for all ages
Singing, storytimes, arts and crafts, games, coding, LEGO clubs and more Baby and Toddler groups, where parents can chat while their little ones play
Free parenting resources, wi-fi, computers and low-cost printing facilities Visit our directory of low cost and free arts activities for families to enjoy across Suffolk at getcreative.suffolklibraries.co.uk
With a library card, parents and children can borrow up to 20 books at a time and if you can’t find what you need then you can reserve a book for free from any other library and pick it up from your nearest branch!
Ampton Racecourse, Ingham, Nr Bury St. Edmunds Follow the signs off the A134
SUNDAY, MAY 14th 2023
A Traditional Agricultural Show
Celebrating Country Life Featuring Bolddog FMX Motorcycle Display Team
performing death defying stunts as seen on Britain’s Got Talent plus Suffolk Gundog Displays, Farriery Competition, Ferretworld Roadshow, Terrier Racing, Food Demos, Chainsaw Carving Demonstration & Auction, and much, more! www.southsuffolkshow.co.uk
See website for discounted pre-show e-tickets and ticket retail outlets
Family life is busy and it can be difficult to stay active whilst still finding time for everything else – particularly spending quality time together. By making time to walk as a family, you can meet your exercise goals together. Try one of these three family walking challenges from PlanBee.
You are challenged to walk 30,000 steps 5 hours Or set your own challenge
DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE!
With KS1 and KS2 SATs approaching, your kids can have fun AND learn with these free resources.
CHECKLIST
Maths English ✓ ✓
Karate Cats
English
Fun BBC Bitesize game which prepares for Year 2 English SATs.
Year 2 KS1 SATs topic checklist
Use this to identify skills and gaps that need more practice.
Karate Cats maths And prepare for Year 2 maths SATs with Karate Cats too!
Year 6 KS2 2022 English SATs papers
Practise English using past papers.
CHECKLIST
Maths English ✓ ✓
Year 6 KS2 topic checklist
Use this to identify skills and gaps that need more practice.
Year 6 KS2 2022 Maths SATs papers
Review and practise maths using past papers (with answers).
Guardians
Defenders of Mathematica
Fun BBC Bitesize game which develops KS2 SATs maths skills.
KS2 Crystal Explorers
Join the adventure and improve grammar, punctuation and spelling.
KS2 SATs Online
10-Minute Tests
10-Minute Tests (and answers) - ideal for practice on-the-go.
A 2022 global report shows that boys are increasingly becoming left behind in education. Furthermore, recent school entry baseline assessments show over one million boys are already under-achieving by the time they enter Reception. So what are the reasons behind this?
READ MORE
Given eleven years of full-time schooling, it’s not surprising many children face difficulties that affect their learning and some switch off altogether. What are the reasons for this and how can children be helped to reengage?
READ MORE
Imagination
children think creatively and consider possibilities that may not be rooted in current reality. Imagination can be a powerful tool for problem-solving and innovation. So how can we encourage its maximum use?
READ MORE
5 signed copies of THIS IS ME! From George Webster, CBeebies presenter
Presented well, history can be enthralling for kids. If you want to encourage an interest, these books will really stimulate engagement.
Ages 6-8. Beautifully illustrated with facts explained in simple English.
Ages 4-8. The exciting Magna Carta story seen through Rupert’s eyes.
The Lion and the Unicorn
Ages 5-7. Powerful story about a child’s WWII experience.
Ages 3-6. An inspiring true story celebrating the Windrush Generation.
Ages 6-11. Explores the English navy’s defeat of the Spanish Fleet.
Ages 5+. Accessible re-telling of the plot to blow up parliament.
Ages 7-9. Exciting read bringing the plague and its impact to life.
Ages 3-9. How did the fire start and how did Londoners escape?
1066 The Norman Conquest
Ages 7-9. Exciting account of the military invasion of England.
Friday 14 April 2023 • 9.30am – 11.30am at Framlingham College Prep School, IP13 7AH
Spring themed art and play. Free of charge and suitable for children aged 3-5. Scan QR code to book. Places are limited. Email events@framlinghamcollege.co.uk
At some point during their primary school years, all children – even the very best behaved – are likely to find themselves in hot water after committing some sort of misdemeanour.
How these incidents are handled will vary from school to school and also within schools, depending on the severity of the behaviour.
And while many schools still use traditional punishments, such as keeping children in at breaktime or sending them to the Head Teacher, a growing number are adopting a method called restorative practice to improve the behaviour choices of their pupils.
Restorative practice is a set of principles and practice that encourages children to take responsibility for their behaviour by thinking through the causes and consequences.
‘In a rules-led system, the tendency is for the teacher to tell the child what they’ve done wrong and how they’re going to pay for it – for instance, by sending them out of the classroom if they’re disrupting the lesson,’ says Chris Straker, a former Head Teacher and interim Chief Executive Officer of the Restorative Justice Council.
‘The problem with this system is that children don’t learn about the responsibility they had in that situation and how it affected other people, because an adult has intervened and told them what they’ve done wrong.’
READ
Your garden is great or a local park if your group is large. Allow for weather. Have an indoor Plan B or take wet weather gear.
Avoid an area so large that it’s impossible to find the eggs! For younger kids, keep it simple. Scatter eggs about in obvious locations.
An outdoor hunt is an ideal way to incorporate outdoor learning. Use vegetation in your own garden or park as hiding spots. Instead of solving clues, complete a spring spotting sheet or scavenger trail along the way.
Collect items along the way instead to make a nature craft to win the prize.
Before you start, count the eggs. You’ll thank yourself later!
Make it fair with different colour eggs for different kids. Try treasure hunt style with clues and rewards along the way. Finish with a grand prize. Find age-appropriate hiding spots - too easy and it’s over in a flash; too hard, kids get upset.
Go healthy with less sugary offerings.
Personalise your own decorated eggs (name, date, place) to create keepsakes. Customise treats for your child - favourite pens, books, gift voucher.
Try tokens to collect and redeem for prizes or even cash.
A short 3-minute video which demonstrates how to easily decorate eggs for your hunt.
Try this readymade indoor hunt with clues and hiding spots suitable for most houses.
Choose your Easter eggs from the couch this year with our wonderful selection of treats.
Space Eggsplorer
Chocolate Egg
Decorated, hollow milk chocolate space shuttle with milk chocolate balls.
Chocolate Slab
Cheery milk chocolate slab with two white chocolate half-eggs.
Chocolate Dorset
Dinosaurs
Handmade shapes with milk, dark & white chocolate.
Percy Pig™
Easter Egg Hunt Bucket
Hollow milk chocolate eggs and a small bag of mini Percy™ Piglets.
Easter Eggtastic Easter bundle
A chocolate egg for every occasion in this eggtastic Easter bundle.
The Raspberry White Chocolate Egg
Belgian white chocolate, raspberry pieces and marshmallow chunks.
Giant Dinosaur Egg
Gargantuan 700g egg, 11+ inches tall, made of smooth, rich Belgian chocolate.
Extra Thick White Chocolate Easter Egg
A generous egg, piled with fun chocolate treats.
Chocolate Robots
Fabulous tin capsule filled with ten mini milk chocolate robots.
Get the kids crafting during the school holidays with this great selection of arty Easter and spring-themed ideas.
Burlap bunny bunting
Bunny scrunchies
Spring tin can animals
Easter biscuits
DIY Easter egg pinata
Easter bonnet
Easy button Easter egg
Mini Easter baskets
Easter egg weaving
From Neha Gandesha @squashedpickle
Easter hot chocolate
These frozen yoghurt treats are considered the best Easter cooking activity in our family. With a few simple ingredients, such as Greek yoghurt and food colouring, you can create a delicious Easter snack which the kids will run to the freezer to devour!
RECIPE VIDEO
Cinnamon Swirl bunnies
Kids can top these with their favourite chocolate eggs, sprinkles or even cookies and enjoy in a hot cup of milk. They make great Easter gifts when wrapped up too. Remember, marshmallows should only be given to kids over 5-years-old as they are a choking hazard.
RECIPE VIDEO
These bunnies are so fun for Easter and very easy to make, thanks to the ready-to-bake cinnamon swirl rolls made by Jus-Rol. The fun is in shaping the rolls so they turn into bunny ears! Kids can decorate the finished product with sprinkles and candy eyes and they make a really cute little Easter snack.
RECIPE VIDEO
These are another really fun Easter-themed treat to make with the kids and they use favourite chocolatey treats including Oreos, Milky Bar and yellow and orange Smarties. Other than that, all you really need are some lolly sticks and some candy eyes to really bring the chicks to life!
RECIPE
Word Window is a specially designed hand-held tool that helps children break down words to make them easier to read. It was invented by a mum with an extensive background in education who created it to help children that found reading difficult.
Words are built on letters, sounds and other words and Word Window gives children, parents and teachers the ability to highlight sections of the word so that fluency and comprehension can build over time.
Word Window is successful at helping children to bridge the gap between learning phonics and building these skills into reading as it engages the kinesthetic sense when reading, a sense which is often neglected.
Check out the website HERE or find on Facebook.
Special offer for Families readers using discount code FM10 at checkout.
A FAMILY TICKET TO THE EAST ANGLIAN GAME & COUNTRY FAIR
Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd April
Thetford, IP24 2QH
www.ukgamefair.co.uk
A FAMILY TICKET TO THE SOUTH SUFFOLK
Sunday 14th May
Ampton Racecourse, Bury St Edmunds, IP31 1HU
www.southsuffolkshow.co.uk
A FAMILY TICKET TO THE HADLEIGH SHOW
Saturday 20th May
Holbecks Park, Hadleigh, IP7 5PE
www.hadleighshow.co.uk
Type 1 diabetes makes up the vast majority (90%) of diabetes in children and young people. Type 1 diabetes causes the level of glucose (sugar) in your blood to become too high. It happens when your body can not produce enough of a hormone called insulin, which controls blood glucose.
You need to take insulin every day to keep your blood glucose levels under control.
It is not linked with age or being overweight-these things are linked with Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes symptoms can come on quickly, particularly in children. Therefore it is important to get diagnosed and see your GP if you have the following symptoms, including:
• Feeling very thirsty.
• Peeing more than usual, particularly at night.
• Feeling very tired.
• Losing weight without trying.
• Thrush that keeps coming back.
• Blurred vision.
Drawn by Otis aged 5 & Living with type 1 diabetes
• Good monitoring of blood glucose levels at home.
• Good monitoring of diet.
• Keep up to date with immunisations - Influenza (if child is over 6 months), pneumococcal infections.
• Keep a diabetes card, bracelet or watch.
• Cuts and grazes that are not healing.
• Fruity-smelling breath.
Your GP will do a urine test and might check your blood glucose level. If you are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, a diabetes nurse will show you the things you need to do to start managing it, such as testing your own blood glucose and how to inject insulin. Managing type 1 diabetes can take time to get used to, but you can still do all the things you enjoy.
Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune condition in which the body ʼ s own immune system attacks the cells in the pancreas which produce insulin. We do not know what causes Type 1 diabetes although it is not linked to lifestyle factors. There is currently no cure and it cannot be prevented. There are currently around 413,000 people living with type 1 diabetes in the UK and approximately 33,000 of them are children.
For more information visit: www.digibete.org
WWW.DIGIBETE.ORG
Use the QR code to find out more about how our status, as well as what we eat and drink can support our wellbeing.
We asked our friends at Kitchen Titbits for healthy ideas to satisfy our kids’ after-school hunger and to avoid spending a fortune on packaged snacks.
Energy-balls
Banana and blueberry muffins (vegan)
Banana ice cream
Butternut squash and feta scones
Oat pancakes
Yoghurt and fruit bark
Fruit smoothie
Courgette spinach cheese muffins
Snack mix
Get your little ones active and outdoors now spring is on its way. Here are some favourites from child psychologist and play expert Dr. Amanda Gummer, founder of The Good Toy Guide.
An easy-to-master 3-wheeled scooter which blows bubbles as you ride! RRP: £49.99
JR.Kidnoculars®
Extreme™
Magnify nature! 3x nofocus binoculars & builtin mic. RRP £26.50
Investigate different types of weather with this interactive lab kit.
RRP: £16.95
Tunnels
Lightweight, bright play tunnels for indoor or outdoor adventures!
RRP: £33
Quirky, lightweight and easy-to-manoeuvre early year’s ride-on.
RRP: £44.99
LockBox
Kids can explore waterway adventures with this canal-inspired playset. RRP: 39.99
The original backyard boomerang! Circles out 30 feet with ease.
RRP: £4.99
Encourage active play with a slide that doubles as a water-slide!
RRP:£69.99
Hands on problemsolving fun with this interactive water flow.
RRP: £99.99
Travelling abroad as a family is a wonderful experience but can be costly. Families asked Ashley Lutz at Travel Counsellors to recommend some destinations that offer excellent value for money.
Turkey
Warm, family-friendly and relatively cheap once you are there.
Portugal
A Eurozone destination where your cash can work harder.
Montenegro
Cheaper and quieter than neighbouring Croatia.
Mauritius
Something for all ages with prices almost half of the neighbouring Seychelles.
Jamaica
Named best value destination in the Caribbean (The Post Office).
Wildlife, exploration and relaxation – and easy-ish on the wallet once there.
Albania
Kids’ attractions, sandy beaches and a family 3 course meal for £20!
Relatively affordable food, transport and accommodation.
Thailand
One of the cheapest long-haul destinations to fly to. Cheap once there.
Attention dads! This is one for sharing with the kids before 19 March!
For the mum who loves pizza and chocolate! £11.75
Kick start mum’s collection with a few of your own items. £19.99
Photo cushion
Capture family memories on this multi-photo upload cushion. £19.99
Create something special with those drawings on the fridge. £20.99
SHO reusable drink bottles
For mums who are both eco and style conscious. From £12.49
Gift box of ten biscuits. Hand drawn illustrations of heart-warming messages. £20
Reusable coffee cup
Designed to last 10 years. 100% recyclable. £14.95
Choose a genre; they will choose a book for mum. £8.99
Gift wrapped botanical posy
Mini posy made up of seasonal flowers, foliage and herbs. £15.95
