Families SW London May/June 23 DIGITAL issue

Now the weather is getting better and the evenings longer, you can get the kids outside to play. We’ve provided some tempting activity ideas for outdoor fun. It’s also a great time for eating outside –from family barbeques to street parties. Check out our simple outdoor dining ideas. Meanwhile, if you’re planning some time under canvas this summer, you may be interested in our top picks for UK camping destinations.

And as we head towards the end of term, don’t forget Father’s Day or a thank you gift for your child’s teacher – we have plenty of ideas for you in this issue.

There are some great giveaways for you in this issue too, including your chance to win a holiday from Away Resorts, tonnes of Orchard Toy Little Shopping Lotto games and much more! Apply inside and also ensure you receive every issue of our digital magazine with lots more content and goodies on offer.

In this issue

Coronation downloadable

Education

Outdoor play

Father’s Day gifts

Parties

Food Giveaways

Days out

Health

Craft

Travel

Get in touch

Competition winners from our January/ February issue

Congratulations to all our winners. You can find a list HERE

What is the CPA approach in maths?

By Jemma Z Smith

CPA (concrete, pictorial, abstract) is a maths teaching approach that has grown in popularity in recent years. It involves using tangible objects for children to add, subtract, multiply or divide. They then progress to using pictorial representations of the objects and ultimately, abstract symbols.

This way of learning is one of the foundations of Singaporean maths, now being adopted in the UK.

Concrete

The tangible, ‘handling’ stage uses physical objects to solve problems. For example:

There are four buttons in the pot. Stanley has two buttons in his hand. How many buttons are there altogether?

In this problem, the children might first count out actual buttons before moving on to non-related objects such as counters.

Of course, almost anything can be used to help a child master this stage from pencils to plastic pots, to counting beans and coins. You don’t need to spend money on concrete resources to support learning.

Pictorial

The next step is for learners to move on to making their own representations.

Returning to the buttons example, these could be drawn as four circles on one part of the paper and two more on another part, representing the pot and the hand. Kids can then count each small circle, getting the same answer as with the buttons

Hape Nature Fun Detective Sets

17–18 JUNE 12.00–18.00

Celebrate how awe and wonder can inspire science and the arts with a weekend of free events for all ages.

Register now for free www.exrdfestival.com

@ExRdFestival

Teacher gift ideas

It’s approaching the end of term again…here are some great ‘thank you’ gift ideas for your child’s teacher, both hand-crafted and shop-bought.

Make a photo frame

Simple, fun project. Requires three materials and a photo memento.

Make a terrarium

Terrariums of all shapes & sizes look great on a desk!

Make DIY hot chocolate bombs

Encased in chocolate & filled with mini marshmallows.

Make pebble class art

Decorate pebbles marking out members of your class and your teacher.

Teacher’s Tin

A novelty desk tidy for the teacher who likes to be organised. £11.79

School backpack charity gift

A charity gift your child’s teacher will love. £11 ActionAid

Keep Calm & Pretend coffee mug

Fun quality mug for the teacher who enjoys a joke. £9.45

Thank You Teacher chocolate gift box

For a teacher with a sweet tooth! £10

Personalised

Teacher’s Survival Kit

Fill with essentialstissues, paper clips, tea bags £7.87

Burntwood is a thriving Academy for Girls which has an established tradition of academic success, providing a relevant and challenging education which enables all members of our school community to reach their full potential.

'Pupils understand that leaders and staff want them to be successful. They know that high expectations are set. Pupils respond to this challenge by achieving well in their studies'

YEAR

Open Morning Thursday 6th July 9-11am

For more information or to register your place at an event, visit www.burntwoodschool.com

‘The best education today for the women of tomorrow’

Forest School at Wandsworth Prep

Wandsworth Prep school is committed to providing opportunities that enable their children to become healthy, well-rounded individuals with a strong sense of independence and compassion. Over the years, they have found that one of the best ways to teach these qualities is through weekly Forest School sessions.

Forest School caters for all children from Reception to Year 6 and enables the pupils to gain hands-on experience in the natural environment. The sessions are designed to increase confidence through problem-solving, as children learn how to manage risks. The children take part in natural exploration, building dens, games, imaginative play, natural crafts, scavenger hunts, and adventure games. Each session ends with plenty of free time to explore further and enjoy a hot chocolate!

As it is such a resounding success, Families SW caught up with Katie Brown, Wandsworth Prep’s Enrichment Coordinator and Forest School Lead to learn more:

Q: How long have you worked at Forest School? Were you here when the school first implemented it? If so, what was it like?

When I joined the team, I implemented our own Forest School curriculum based on the outcomes that we wanted the children to achieve. We combine a mixture of traditional Forest School skills, such as using tools for purpose with activities to real-life experiences.

Q: How much time do your early years children spend in the Forest School, and what do they do there?

The children in Early Years spend a full morning each week in a natural environment. They usually focus on an imaginative hook which provides a problem for the children to solve or a specific skill focus. During di erent seasons we use the environment to enrich our learning. Spring for example is the perfect time to explore wildlife and identify di erent plants and trees.

Q: Why teach outdoors?

Taking learning outside can improve attainment, increase engagement, and develop a wide range of skills including problemsolving, communication and resilience. Linking our Forest School with the wider curriculum also provides endless opportunities for experiential, contextual and applied education.

Q: Which parts of your training are the most important to you and why?

The most important aspect of my training encompassed learning how to teach specific skills to children across a large age range. This included learning the correct tool and fire protocols and how to work with children safely. Through my training, I learnt a lot about how to apply these skills to many areas of the curriculum and how much children benefit from these life skills.

Q; How can we bring the principles of outdoor education indoors?

It is more about what learning outdoors can do to equip children with skills that then transverse into their indoor lives. It is particularly important to give children the opportunity to connect with and build a love for the outdoors. Not only so they can regulate themselves as they mature but so they treat the natural environment with the respect that it deserves and needs. Aside from this, risk management, problem-solving and resilience skills can be applied across every walk of life.

Q: Do you have other plans for the Forest School program or exciting things happening in the future?

We are currently adapting our Forest School program for the older children in our school to ensure that the learning experience they have is challenging and provides a new experience for them each year. This could involve them taking part in a whole new range of life lessons such as the opportunity to train as lifeguards.

Read more about Wandsworth Prep and the Forest School at www.wandsworthprep.com

To book a private tour with the Head, Laura Nike, email o ce@wandsworthprep.com

Developing independent learning

By Zuzu Jordan

How handwriting affects self-esteem

By Catherine Loble and Lisa Wander

Big family celebrations occur when our children display independence by taking their first steps or riding their bike without stabilisers.

So how do we then help children develop independence in their learning?

READ MORE

Toys

Kids who struggle with handwriting are often at a disadvantage in the high-paced classroom setting. According to the Dyspraxia Foundation, they are usually aware of their difficulty and their untidy writing can make them feel uncomfortable and frustrated.

READ MORE

Is it time to rethink school attendance?

By Catherine Lynch

During the pandemic, school absence was understandably high with anxiety about sending children to school and many children absent with Covid 19. However, throughout the past year, problems with school attendance remain ongoing.

READ MORE

A creative and progressive prep school for girls, always nurturing and proud to be non-selective at Reception.

Co-educational

Scan

Principal: A Faccinello MA (OXON) PGCE

We are proudly celebra ng our Sixth Formers’ fantas c successes in gaining places at top universi es including two at Cambridge University.

From Year 7, their Trinity educa on was grounded in our academic, knowledge rich curriculum.

2023 YEAR 7 OPEN DAYS

Open Mornings

Tuesday 3rd October 9am

Wednesday 4th October 9am

Tuesday 10th October 9am

Open Evening

Thursday 5th October 5pm

Registered charity No. 271012

Top children’s literature festivals

Children’s literature festivals are springing up all over the country and offer great entertainment for families. Here’s our selection.

Barnes Children’s Literature Festival

London’s largest festival. Big-name authors, shows & activities. 24-25 Jun

Appledore Book Festival (North Devon)

A dedicated children’s programme. 15-24 Sep

Edinburgh International Book Festival

Hundreds of events for families. 12-28 Aug

Cuckfield Children’s BookFest (Sussex)

Spectacular one day event with author ‘meets’ & talks. 7 Oct

Bath Children’s Literature Festival

Europe’s largest dedicated children’s literature festival.

29 Sep-8 Oct

llkley Literature Children’s Festival (Yorkshire)

Top authors, free dropin events, storytelling, workshops. Oct

Wokingham Children’s Book (Berkshire)

Festival with author

‘meets’ & talks. 15 Oct.

Hay Festival (Wales)

Extensive programme & section for toddlers & parents. 25 May-4 Jun

Great Malvern Festival of Stories (West Midlands)

Storytellers, authors, theatre. 24-29 Oct.

Creative garden play

Water

Plastic water bottle guns – use old squeezy detergent bottles for squirty fun.

Water balloon pinata - make with balloons, water, string and a stick.

DIY Slip n Slide - spread out a long tarp and apply hose for slippery, slidy fun. Ice play – freeze water overnight in empty cartons for building, sculpting and slipping.

Mix & stir

Leaf tea – infuse a variety of leaves from the garden in an old teapot or saucepan. Cappuccino – help them carefully froth a muddy watery mix with a whisk.

Mud ice creams – use ice cream cones, dirt and flowers for decoration.

Garden perfume – using sealable bottles, add water and best smelling flowers and herbs.

Make a cheap & easy mud kitchen

Sand & mud

Mobile mud patch – convert your wheelbarrow into a mud pit. Natural sand pit – dig a shallow hole. Line using plastic with rock edging. Add sand.

Sand wall – attach old, upsidedown cartons and bottles with ends removed for pouring sand. Muddy car wash – get the toy cars really muddy, then wash them in a soapy water bucket.

Creative garden

Small world garden play –connect with the natural world with these imagination zones. Soil art – use an ancient method to make paint from the garden. Paint a mural – let imaginations flow using a washable chalk paint recipe.

Ice excavation – freeze interesting items inside blocks of ice for your children to release.

Make seed bombs

Transform an old chest of drawers into a kid’s kitchen using household junk.

Two simple ways to spread colour and biodiversity in your garden.

Led by an experienced, certified native french speaking primary teacher (école française). FLAM. De 3 à 14 ans. Niveaux maternelles, primaires et collèges. Cursus scolaire des écoles françaises. Bibliothèque, activités et évènements culturels francophones. Awarded Gold Supplementary school.

Where

Fun French October, February, Easter and Summer Holiday Day Camp 2023

• 30 hours of french per week. • Frenchprimaryteacher (école française) and fully trained French native teachers. • Number 1 London French Day Camp goes live! The French immersion programme. • Monday to friday: Drama-Singing -Dessin-Sport-Music all in French!

3 ages groups 4-6, 7-10 and 11-16 year olds

BATTERSEA 07956 288928 battersea@stagecoach.co.uk stagecoach.co.uk/battersea

FULHAM 07498 213142 fulham@stagecoach.co.uk stagecoach.co.uk/fulham

PUTNEY 020 8099 9861 putney@stagecoach.co.uk stagecoach.co.uk/putney

WIMBLEDON 020 8946 3400 wimbledon@stagecoach.co.uk stagecoach.co.uk/wimbledon

Great gifts for the dad in your life

Don’t forget to show dad how much he’s appreciated on Father’s Day on Sunday, 18 June. Check out our gift suggestions for something he might like – all for £20 or less.

FOCO Moccasin slippers

Comfy suede slippers with your dad’s team logo. £15.

Reversible belt

Wardrobe versatility with this reversible black/tan belt. £20.

Dad’s Toblerone

Personalised Toblerone bar for a special treat. £17.

Stormtrooper decanter

For the Star Wars lover. Stores spirits, decants wine and serves. £19.99.

I Love My Daddy picture book

Spend special time with dad with this joyful, rhyming picture book. £6.64.

Tile Mate

Keeps track of Dad’s keys, wallet and phone. £15.99.

V&A Italian hot chocolate

Rich, mouth-watering hot chocolate from Italy in a keepsake arty tin. £10.

Hotel Chocolat

Milk Chocolate Old Fossil Smooth, mellow and from the prehistoric era (remind you of anyone?).

Personalised face cooking apron

Great for the cook who can’t get too much of himself! £19.99.

Upcycling your child’s party

Be kind to the planet with these ideas from Ice Cream and Jelly

Party bags

Store shopping bags can make perfect gift/party bags. With a little imagination, crafty materials and glue, these branded shop bags can be transformed into unique, personalised bags. Or make your own: there are some easy video instructions on making a paper bag in the tutorials section on Instagram.

Tablecloth and napkins

Party bag

fillers

Make time to make these rather than buying new. Here are some ideas to get you started: scrunchies made from leftover fabric, painted rocks or shells found on the beach, bracelets made from beads from your local scrap store or crayons made from all your kids’ broken crayons.

Wrapping presents

Old bed sheets work well refashioned into tablecloths - paint, tie-dye or appliqué in order to tailor them to the party theme. It’s a great activity to get the kids involved in! If you already have a tablecloth, make placemats or a table runner from scrap fabrics to match the theme of your party.

There are many household items that you can use for wrapping gifts: magazine pages, old maps, pieces of sample wallpaper, your kids’ paintings or leftover packing paper. If you can sew, you could make a drawstring bag from leftover fabric scraps. Alternatively, reuse an old pillowcase or wrap with fabric, like the Japanese art of Furoshiki.

GIVE THEM A HEAD START IN MUSIC

www.londonyouthconservatoire.org.uk

A carefully devised and engaging music curriculum for ages 4-5

Book a free trial online

Kindergarten music classes

for babies,toddlers and children 0-5 years

Young babies eagerly respond to music when given the opportunity to experience it and the sooner, the better. These classes are high-quality, structured and creative, based on the Colourstrings Kodaly model run by a professional performer and teacher with a very wide range of experience.

Five separate classes: 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, 3-4 and 4-5 years.

30 minutes for £10 per child.

Tuesday or Thursday mornings

Held in Central Streatham.

Parents or carers attend with the child.

Three week trial period.

A wonderful foundation on which to prepare for instrumental tuition.

Songs, rhymes, movement and live music-making.

For further information, please visit www.angelaeast.co.uk/education or contact Angela on eastangela@gmail.com.

With music, one's whole future life is brightened … Music should belong to everyone. Zoltán Kodály

Simple outdoor eating

Take your pick of these great recipes and create meals to eat outside which the family will love.

Roast chicken garden salad

Sweet & sticky chicken wings with classic slaw

Super easy Spanish tortilla

Quick grilled pizza

Lamb meatball pitta pockets

Salt & pepper tofu skewers

Vegetable tartlets

Roasted banana & cinnamon ice cream

Lemon sherbet ice

Win a family holiday with Away Resorts!

Win a four night stay for a family of up to six people at an Away Resort of your choice.

Experience one of Away Resorts’ fabulous UK locations, from countryside to coast, all within areas of natural beauty. Your accommodation will be off-thescale amazing and new experiences await at every turn. Jam-packed with activities, entertainment, fantastic facilities and events, every member of the family will be grinning from ear to ear.

Explore The New Forest, Hampshire, Tattershall Lakes Appletree or Cleethorpes Pearl in Lincolnshire, Mersea Island in Essex or Golden Sands in North Wales –or perhaps somewhere else will take your fancy.

Full list of locations HERE.

APPLY HERE by 30 June 2023 T&Cs.

6 Available

Sustainable toy for curious little explorers

Eco family days out

Entertaining and inspiring places with a conscience that also offer bags of adventure for a family visit.

Bewilderwood

Environmentally-friendly adventure parks in Norfolk and Cheshire.

The Centre for Alternative Technology

Snowdonia, Wales. Interactive displays, ecodemonstrations & family activities.

Cornwall. Rainforests, Mediterranean zones & outdoor gardens.

The Living Rainforest Berkshire. Tropical rainforest adventure with plants & animals.

Award-winning indoor and outdoor adventure park in North Norfolk.

Award-winning family fun park in Gwynedd, Wales.

Essex. Ancient woodlands, arboretum & The Wild Wood play area.

Kent.

Set in 40 acres of ancient woodland & holds over 200 British animals in natural enclosures.

London.

Land train, nature play area, the Hive & the Children’s Garden.

Wildwood Trust

Greenwood Family Park

Kew Gardens

Pensthorpe

The Eden Project

Markshall Estate

Tackling summer ailments

Summer is fun but it’s good to be prepared for the common ailments your child may suffer that are peculiar to the season. Here are our tips.

Sunburn

* Stay in shade from 11am to 3pm;

* Cover up with suitable clothing and sunglasses;

* Use at least factor 30 sunscreen;

* Reapply frequently.

Insect bites

Most improve within hours. * Remove the sting; * Wash affected area; * Apply cold compress to any swelling; * Avoid scratching/bursting any blisters.

Dehydration

Thirst/dark yellow, strong smelling wee, weeing less, lightheadedness, dry mouth, lips & tongue – if untreated, can become serious. * Give extra fluids gradually.

Asthma

*Keep taking preventer inhaler;

* Take reliever inhaler everywhere; * Use your action plan; * Go outside earlier - air quality better; * Drink plenty of fluids.

Heat exhaustion

Dizziness/nausea/ headache/fast breathing or heartbeat. * Move to cool place; * Remove clothing; * Give sports drink/water;

* Cool skin; * If still unwell after 30 minutes, call 999.

Tick bite

* Cover skin walking outdoors; * Use insect repellent;

* Check for ticks on clothes and skin;

* Remove quickly;

* If rash appears or child become unwell, see GP.

Eczema

Itchy, red, dry, cracked skin.

* Dress in thin cotton layers; * Use light cotton blankets or sheets; * Apply moisturising cream;

* Keep out of the heat.

Swimmer’s Ear

eczema

Painful ear/itchiness/reduced hearing/noises inside ear/discharge from ear. * Use drops from pharmacist.

* If symptoms after a week, see a GP.

STEM craft activities

Stimulate your child’s interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics with these inspiring craft ideas.

Create salt dough fossils

Fun activity which shows kids how fossils are made.

Paper straw rockets

Experiment with propulsion and flight with these easy downloadable templates.

Gravity action art

A super-easy way of seeing science and art working together.

Magnetic slime

Discover how to create magnetism with this fun activity.

Paper building blocks

Simple craft demonstrating engineering with paper.

Fruit Solar System

A fruity way to grasp the planet sizes in our Solar System!

Invisible ink art

Fascinating art project where science plays a big role.

Make a volcano

A safe miniature eruption!

Robot Hands

Discover the mechanics of robotics and how everything works together.

Best travel games for kids

Perfect for stashing in a corner of the suitcase or car when you head away this summer!

Mixups

Compact card game for Snap or creating fantastical beasts.

Ages 4+. £5.94

Othello on the Move

Pint-sized version of this classic strategy game.

Ages 7+. £9.95.

Mini 4 in a Row

Classic game. All-in-one folding compact design. Ages 3+. £5.59

Articulate!

Compact version of this classic fast-talking description game.

Ages 6+. £10.19

Cluedo Grab & Go

All the thrills of the classic detective game in a mini set.

Ages 8+ £5.

Battleship Grab & Go

Compact, mobile version of the Battleship game. Ages 7+ £5.

Dino Dump

Speedy card game featuring kids’ faves: dinosaurs and poo!

Ages 6+. £9.99

100 PICS Riddles

Family Travel Card Game

Pocket sized, full of family-friendly brain teasers. Ages 6+. £6.99.

Rummikub Travel

Fast-paced game of tile manipulation. Ages 8+ £15.99.

Top UK camp sites for families

Looking for a family-friendly camping experience? Take a look at our top picks.

Catgill Farm

Camping to glamping in Yorkshire Dales. Outside village of Bolton Abbey.

Burnbake

Woodland campsite/ luxury lodges in Dorset, close to coast & Corfe Castle.

Kelling Heath Holiday Park

Surrounded by Norfolk woodlands/trails, indoor/ outdoor pools, steam railway.

Sherwood Pines Campsite

Acres of Nottinghamshire woodland, walk to adventure playgrounds, Go Ape, bike hire.

Gwithian Farm

West Cornwall. Close to beach & pub, goats & guinea pigs to feed.

Glenmore Camping

On the shores of Loch Morlich, Scottish Highlands. Hiking, swimming, kayaking.

Fforest Fields

Set on family run farm in Wales; green hills, woodland trails, lakes.

Red Shoot Camping Park

Ideal base to explore New Forest, attractions nearby, family friendly pub.

Heathland Beach

Walk to Suffolk beaches. Heated pools, fishing lake, tennis, family restaurant.