Families Sussex Coast Jul-Aug 2012

Issue 24. JULY / AUGUST 2012

FREE www.familiessussexcoast.co.uk

Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing, Lewes and everywhere in between!

WIN Family tickets to Drusillas and other prizes!

What to do for FREE this summer in Sussex !

Take the Family Challenge !

Bumper summer holiday listings.

COVER PHOTO from Monsoon / Accessorize

The really useful magazine for families with children

2

Welcome!

What’s inside

4

News

Whats going on in Sussex?

Competitions

6

Win family tickets to Druisillas Win family tickets to summer skating at the Brighton centre Win Easy to Name back to school pack.

Win an Aquabeat MP3 player with new Metanium Everyday

7 8 10 13

Languages Abroad

I hope you all had a wonderful May and June, and enjoyed the extra bank holiday for the Diamond Jubilee. I had a lovely time with my family on Worthing Seafront enjoying the Party on the Prom – so many people turned up to enjoy picnics, pavement art and other festivities. Since my last issue, FamiliesSussex Coast has joined the 21st century and is now on Facebook and Twitter! I am really enjoying posting up news as so much seems to happen between issues that I just want to share! Please come and “like” Families Sussex Coast and follow @FamiliesSussexC on Twitter.This issue of Families Sussex Coast is jam packed full of useful ideas on how to enjoy your summer on the stunning Sussex Coast. Free activities, outdoor fun and my top places to visit with your brood. I hope you enjoy reading this issue, as much I have enjoyed working on it. Finally, many thanks for all the positive comments I have received about my first issue of Families Sussex Coast (May/June).

Your comments really count!

Have a lovely Summer

Vicki

Families Sussex Coast covers: Brighton, Hove, Eastbourne, Worthing, Lewes, Burgess Hill, Hassocks and everywhere in between.Next Issue September / October: Advertising and editorial deadline is 3rd August. You can contribute to Families Sussex Coast through advertising, editorial and our whats on pages.

Contact Families Sussex Coast 01903 506813 editor@familiessussexcoast.

Lucy Amos gives us a guide using language whilst on holiday in France or Spain

Free summer fun!

How to have fun at home and out in Sussex for free

Take the family challenge

Activities to do as a family this summer, including top days out reviewed.

What’s on?

Your essential guide to what’s on in Sussex, including summer holiday activities.

Printed by Warners Midlands Plc, www.warners.co.uk. Please recycle your copy

of Families Sussex Coast when you have finished with it.Copyright: Families Sussex Coast June 2012 Data protection: If you send us your name and address in order to receive free samples or to enter a competition, we may supply your details to the company offering the samples or prizes. If you would prefer us NOT to do so, please state this clearly on your entry.

Disclaimer: We take care preparing this magazine but the publisher and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers, nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

Families Group: Families Sussex Coast is part of a group established in 1990 and headed

by Families South West. All magazines in the Group are independently owned and operated under licence.

MY FIRST FRIENDS NURSERY BARN RISE, WESTDENE, BRIGHTON, BN1 5EE Community based nursery for children aged 18 months-5 years Open 8.30-3.30 all year round (except Bank Hols/Christmas) Situated within a walled playground with own enclosed area Located minutes from A23 & A27 Flexible Sessions available Early Years Funding for 3 & 4 year olds dĂŬĞ ƵƉͬĐŽůůĞĐƟ ŽŶ ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ ĨŽƌ tĞƐƚĚĞŶĞ WƌŝŵĂƌLJ OFSTED Registered Charity no: 1038631 Tel: 01273 541026 ǁǁǁ͘ŵLJĮ ƌƐƞ ƌŝĞŶĚƐŶƵƌƐĞƌLJ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ ĞŵĂŝů͗ŝŶĨŽΛŵLJĮ ƌƐƞ ƌŝĞŶĚƐŶƵƌƐĞƌLJ͘ĐŽ͘ƵŬ

Sussex Coast

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

4 News

Holiday Revision to Go!

Flash-sale site Casabu has launched!

Casabu transforms the way UK parents shop, with super hot daily deals.

The exciting and widely anticipated launch of daily deals website Casabu, the UK’s daily flash-sale website for mums, babies and children, is set to change the way that UK parents shop forever! After a year of scouring the UK and Europe to seek out the hottest and most stylish brands, Casabu will bring parents exciting ranges of fashionable baby and children’s clothing, designer toys, gorgeous maternity wear and treats for mums at unbelievable savings of up to 70%. Casabu is a one-stop shop providing everything a mum needs from pregnancy, throughout childhood and up to pre-teen.

Sales will feature UK brands such as, Their Nibs, Ben Sherman, Feu Follet and Koo-di as well as products totally new to the UK such as Swedish street clothes from Novastar.

Flash sales have rapidly become the biggest trend in retail and work very simply; once signed-up to Casabu, you will receive a daily email or mobile alert bringing you news of exclusive sales, each sale lasting for a limited time. You then simply browse, click to buy, and sit back and wait for your beautifully-packaged items to arrive at your door. Members can access Casabu.com via their computer, laptop, tablet or mobile phone and can also keep track of the daily sales by downloading the Casabu app for iPhone/android or by following the site on Twitter @ casabu_tweets.

To become part of the latest shopping phenomenon sign up for free at www.casabu.com.

Super Camps With 15 years’ experience under our belt we know just what it takes to run a FUN, ACTION-PACKED and STIMULATING activity camp, welcoming children aged 4-14. We are OFSTED registered and all our staff are CRB cleared.

Our programme brings together a balanced mix of Sports and Arts and Crafts, from Clay Modelling and Art Explosion to Grand Prix Karts and Archery, to ensure children are kept active, safe and happy. Whatever their age and interests, we’ve got something for everyone!

Book individual days or full weeks, take advantage of the FREE extended hours (8am-6pm) and pay with Childcare Vouchers. Take advantage of our Flexi-change option where, with 7 days’ notice and provided you stay within the same season, we give you the opportunity to change the dates you have booked.

For more information or to book one of our camps go to our website www.supercamps.co.uk or call Customer Services on 01235 832222

Sussex Coast

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

Boost your 11+, GCSE or A- results with intensive, small group courses in various subjects.

Our students experience fast paced and focused progress with the vast majority achieving an increase of at least 1 grade.

Students share the invaluable resource of an expert subject tutor and the benefit of having questions answered immediately, yet course fees are considerably less than most one-to-one sessions.

Summer 2012 courses will be held in West London and Farnborough, Hampshire.

Fleet Tutors: Live Online Tuition!

Fleet Tutors offers a Live Online Tutoring service delivered by the highest performing tutors across the country with established track records of tutoring online. The service is “gimmick free” and enables students anywhere in the world to have access to the UK’s leading private tutors, bringing the British education system and the National Curriculum to students anywhere.

For information and bookings call 0845 644 5452 or email Clientsupport@fleet-tutors.co.uk

Join Little Fidgets at Waterstones for European Languages Day.

On 22nd September Little Fidgets will be running free French and Spanish classes at Waterstone’s in Brighton to celebrate European languages day. The twenty minute sessions will include colourful puppets, visits to pretend shops, action songs, hide-and- seek games and – most importantly – chocolate tasting. The sessions will be run by Lucy Amos, a trained teacher and linguist who speaks five languages and has a sixth one in her sights - Mandarin! Lucy will be giving parents tips on how to encourage language learning at home. There’ll also be a selection of language books to look at and buy if you want other inspiration. The sessions are designed for children aged between 2 and 11; French for Fidgets will start at 11am and Spanish for Fidgets starts and 11.30am.

European Languages Day was created by the Council of Europe in 2001, to encourage language learning across the continent. The British Chambers of Commerce, made it clear that if we want our economy to grow, we need to export more and improve our foreign languages. In the current competitive job market, language skills are often used by employers to filter candidates.

The free sessions at Waterstone’s will give children and parents a taste of Lucy’s new approach to language learning and the aim is encourage as many families as possible to take up a language.

With nearly 20 million people visiting France from the UK every year it remains the most popular language to learn. Spanish is spoken by 400 million people worldwide and it is known to be an easy language to learn, which is why it is becoming more popular in schools.

So, why not pop along on 22nd September and find out how much fun language learning really can be? Lucy hopes you’ll get a real taste for French and Spanish!

To find out more about the free Little Fidgets at Waterstones call 01273 833340

or visit www.littlefidgets.co.uk

News

5

LABELS4KIDS.COM TOP TIPS FOR LABELLING

Online Retailer of the Year 2011 and 2010, Labels4Kids, sells personalised name labels for 0-12 year olds worldwide via the website www.labels4kids.com. Labels4Kids is the only labelling company we are aware of giving a 100% money back guarantee on all their products.

Labels4Kids top tips for getting ready for school in the Summer:

1 Label EVERYTHING. Yes, from hair bands to swimming googles BECAUSE

KIDS LOSE STUFF! 2. Better still, label it TWICE if you can afford to.

3. Don’t go for the traditional woven label for clothing unless it is compulsory at school or you particularly love them and cannot do without them. There are many more options available these days including a brilliant woven IRON ON. 4. Don’t rely on a marker pen that fades. Belongings are more expensive to replace if lost than the cost of labels.

5. ORDER EARLY. If you wait until August labelling is chaotically busy and you do not allow for anything you may have forgotten or the time lag for personalising your labels to your specification.

Lables4Kids have loads of different types of labels to suit every purpose from clothing to tags for school lunch boxes and bags to labels for the insides of shoes. Look out for the popular Selection Packs which have a range of labels to suit all your labelling needs Check out the website at www.labels4kids.com/fam Labels4Kids can prevent lost property and wasted time and money buying new uniform or belongings.

Give them a Party to remember!

Specialising in Go-Kart Fun indoors & outdoors Completely safe for children 3-9 years ARE WE UD TO UR O O PR UNCE O N N A

8IR6TH0DTYA!Y th

B AR P

CALL US TODAY: 01293 885454 www.go-kartpartyfun.co.uk

drum unity

offers drum and music activities to empower and re-energise all ages.

Sessions run in Eastbourne, Lewes, Brighton and the surrounding areas.

Activities are fun, stimulating, relaxing and develop skills as a musician. The school holiday drum clubs take place in Brighton (25th July), Eastbourne (26th July) and involve full drum-kit, samba band, drum circle. Visit drumunity.co.uk for full details of drum circle, pre-school drum group, drum-kit school.

A supervisor for Brighton and Hove Inclusion Project described drum unity as “A great introduction for children of all ages with different needs. The children really enjoyed the session”.

Drumming for all ages benefits the mind, body and soul. It strengthens self-awareness, human interaction and communication skills. Drumming reduces tension, anxiety and stress. It increases confidence, motivation and self-appreciation. Drumming accesses and permeates the entire brain and promotes cohesion, unity and belief.

The drum unity leader Adey has 20+ years of experience in music. He has an Enhanced CRB check, Public Liability Insurance, A* GCSE Music and a BA degree in Stage Management.

Adey is a vibrant, polite, thoughtful and positive male role model with great leadership skills. Visit drumunity.co.uk, call 01273 640656 or email info@drumunity.co.uk and get your kids involved.

“ Follow the Yellow Brick Road in Sussex this Summer “

Perform Drama Workshops

are back this Summer with another exciting Experience for Sussex Coast’s 4-8 year olds. Children are invited to take a trip down the Yellow Brick Road to discover the Ruby Slippers, brave the Haunted Forest and explore the strange and colourful world of their imaginations.

Frank L. Baum’s classic tale, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, has thrilled generations of children and yours will be equally captivated as they join Dorothy, The Scarecrow, The Tin Woodman and The Cowardly Lion for the adventure of a lifetime.

Principal Lucy Quick explains, “The children are going to have the best three days. Perform’s energetic young team of actors, musicians and dancers will be with them every step of the way to inspire and encourage. Using original live music, funky dance and quick-witted improvisation, they’ll take the children on a dazzling trip guaranteed to fire their imaginations.”

On the final day, family and friends are all invited to a magical mini-performance which will delight and enchant in equal measure. It’s the perfect spring-time treat!

WORKSHOPS WILL RUN ON 6 - 10 August: in HOVE at the St Andrew’s Old Church Hall: 10.00 – 12.00 6 - 10 August: in HORSHAM at The Brighton Road Baptist Church: 14.30 – 16.30 For more information and BOOKING please contact: Company: Perform Phone: 0845 400 4000 Email: enquiries@perform.org.uk Website: www.perform.org.uk

Sussex Coast 01903 506813

6

Competitions !

Easy2Name

Off to School set

We have 5 Easy2Name Off to School sets to give away, each set is worth £18.90 and contains 30 waterproof stickers, 30 iron on name tapes, 1 set of shoe covers, 1 bag tag and 1 shoe bag.

To enter the draw simply send a postcard to Easy2Name School Give Away, Malthouse Farmyard, Ecchinswell, Newbury, Berks RG20 4TT Please state clearly the name of your child and whether you require the shoe bag and labels in red, pink or blue.

The full Easy2Name range can be seen at

www.easy2name.com

Win an Aquabeat MP3 player with New Metanium Everyday

Exercising with your baby can be a great way to get and stay in shape, and listening to music can be just the motivator you need to get out there every day. New Metanium Everyday Barrier Ointment is giving away 2 colourful Aquabeat MP3 players (RRP around £70) which can store 1000 of your favourite tracks.

It’s waterproof so you can even use it while swimming.

3 runners up will receive a specially designed purple Metanium changing bag (RRP £30) – ideal for all those on-the-go baby essentials. Winners and runners up will also receive a tube of Metanium Everyday.

Protection for your baby and motivation for you – Every day!

Metanium Everyday RRP £2-99 for 40g and £5-49 for 80g is available from Boots, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, leading pharmcies and at www.boots.com Visit: www.metanium.co.uk to join the Metanium Baby & Toddler Club

We at Kingswood Law have agreed to offer One Free ‘Family Will’ to each and every reader. Why? You may be asking. Well just ask yourself the following questions to see if you need to take advantage of this generous offer: • Even if you have a Will in place does it reflect your current circumstances and wishes?

• Have you recently married or divorced or had a child?

On marriage most Wills are null and void.

Without a Will you cannot be sure those you would wish to benefit will actually do so.

• Your spouse / civil partner will not automatically inherit ALL of your estate.

• Minor children could be taken into care whilst Guardians are appointed.

• There could be lengthy delays for your beneficiaries.

Many readers of Families Sussex Coast magazine have a young family. When children are born we often give great consideration as to whom we would choose to be the God parents/ Guardians of our kids, should we die prematurely.

Unless this has been done in a Will, it has no real value in the eyes of the Law. A Will therefore is the perfect place to make this Legal and secure your family’s future.

We at ‘Kingswood Law’ care.

Show you care and simply give us a call on 01323 731166 or send an email to garrywhelan@kingswoodlaw.com to receive your Free Family Will.

For your chance to win one of 2 AuquabeatMP3 players or changing bags, answer the following question How many tracks can be stored on an Aquabeat?

Please email correct answers to

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk before 30th July 2012

Summer Skating at The Brighton Centre The coolest place to be this summer

The Brighton Centre is delighted to announce that they will be hosting the city’s only indoor ice rink this summer.From the 23rd July until the 19th August 2012, Summer Skating at The Brighton Centre will be open for all of the family to enjoy making it ‘The coolest place to be this Summer’.

Sponsored by Juice FM in Brighton, the rink will provide the perfect addition to the city’s main summer attractions and with skating sessions running from 11am-8.30pm on weekdays and 9am-10.30pm at the weekends, it will be open for visitors of all ages to enjoy.For more information visit www.brightoncentre.co.uk or

www.familiessussexcoast.co.uk

For your chance to win a family ticket please answer the following question: Who is sponsoring Summer Skating at The Brighton Centre?

Please send all correct answers to

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk before 30th July 2012 Competition T&C’s

Family tickets are for 2 adults and 3 children only and are valid from 23.07.12 – 19.08.12 for all sessions.

Winners will be asked to book in their chosen date

Sussex Coast

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

Make tracks to Drusillas Park and enjoy all the exciting animals, attractions and events on offer at the award winning zoo in East Sussex.

For 2012, Drusillas Park has unveiled their brand new Events Arena where visitors can enjoy a star studded line up. Along with the usual meet and greets, there will also be many live performances too, so check out the website www.drusillas.co.uk for full listings.

The zoo, which is already home to hundreds of fascinating and entertaining creatures, is also celebrating the arrival of some baby bundles of fur and feathers. Amongst the new arrivals is Adaeze a black and white colobus monkey, Tambo a Sulawesi black crested macaque and a funky lar gibbon. There are also 5 Humboldt penguin chicks, fennec fox twins and lots of baby monkeys to name but a few.

Plus there’s oodles of adventure play, an interactive maze and a Thomas & Friends™ train ride that runs daily. Located just off the A27, Drusillas is open daily from 10am. For more information please telephone 01323 874100 or visit the website www.drusillas.co.uk

For your chance to win a family ticket to Drusillas Park answer the following question: How many Humboldt penguin chicks have hatched at Drusillas Park?

Please email correct answers to editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk before 30th July 2012 Competition T&Cs Family tickets admit up to 4 people

Parlez Vous Anglais?

Languages Abroad

7

Taking a trip abroad can be a great opportunity for your child to put into practise the phrases they’ve learnt at language class.

Founder of Little Fidgets, Lucy Amos offers some tips.

If you’re off to France or Spain this summer it’s the perfect time to get your child learning languages.

A recent article in The New York Times was full of information about how important learning a second language is to boosting your brain power and it’s so much better and easier to start when the children are young - when their brains are much better at learning new words and picking accents.

photo supplied by Mothercare

When you book your holiday, if you can, try and stay in a small town or village – that way you’ve got a much better chance of using your French or Spanish. Big towns tend to have more English speakers and you want to get in as much practise as you can. People tend to be friendlier in small towns too, so you’re more likely to chat to people.

When you go shopping try to avoid the big anonymous supermarkets and buy as much as you can in the local market. This will give you and your child a fantastic opportunity to chat to the locals. People on the continent simply adore children and will welcome any efforts you make at speaking the language with open arms. After you’ve done your shopping treat yourself to a drink in a local café and get the children to do the ordering!

Bed and Breakfasts used to be the preserve of English villages but now there are plenty of French and Spanish ones. Although lots are run by British people you will also find the locals have seen how popular they are and have started running their own. If you stay at a B&B run by a French or Spanish person (called ‘Chambre D’Hôte’ in French and in Spain look for the words ‘Casa rural’) you’ll get more chance to speak the lingo and experience the local culture.

If you get the chance, pop into the local tourist office and find out if there are any events happening locally. We’ve seen some really lovely festivals in Brittany – with people in costume, local cuisine and great music. Sometimes you get local people demonstrating crafts such as pottery, lace-making and wood-turning and this can be a fantastic and inexpensive way to see another side of local life and hear the language.

To get yourselves in the mood it’s a great idea to buy some French or Spanish music; Francis Cabrel sounds typically French and for Spain we recommend the music of Joaquin Sabin.

To find out more about Little Fidgets language classes or to sign up for their really useful newsletter visit www.littlefidgets.co.uk or call 01273 83334

Little Fidgets Useful Phrases

French

English

Spanish

Bonjour Merci, madame Au revoir S’il vous plaît Pourriez-vous répéte?

Bed and Breakfast

Hello Thank you (to a lady) Good bye Please Could you repeat that?

Chambre d’Hôte

Hola Gracias, señora Adiós Por favor Me lo puedes repetir?

Casa rural

Charity family funday on Hove Lawns Make contact today and get your Free Will

Email: garrywhelan@kingswoodlaw.com Phone: 01323 731166 M 07779024340

Join Rockinghorse for its family funday on Saturday 28 July on Hove Lawns. The event will run from 10am until 4pm and will raise money for sick children across Sussex.

The fun-filled activities on the day will include: obstacle courses, school sports day games, a treasure hunt, wife/partner carrying races, bouncy castle, tombola, face painting, arts and crafts stalls, and much more.

The Brighton-based charity is best known for its work with the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital and the Trevor Mann Baby Unit, where it raises money for life-saving and cutting-edge medical equipment, while ensuring that children are treated in an environment that is better suited to their needs.

Entry is free, apart from the school sports day games, which is £3 per person and registration before the event is required in order to take part.

For more information or to register, please contact Lisa on 01273 330044 or visit www.rockinghorse.org.uk/ events. More detail can also be found at the Families Sussex Coast website www.familiessussexcoast.co.uk

Sussex Coast 01903 506813

8

Free Summer Fun

FREE things to do this Summer!

Original article by Editor London North West editor@familiesnwlondon.co.uk

Free days out on the Sussex Coast

Stuck to know what to do over the Summer without spending a small fortune?

At Families we have all put on our thinking hats and have come up with as many ideas as we can to help you have enjoy your family time…for free!

At home free fun

Whether the sun is shining brightly or it is bucketing down with rain, if you want to enjoy your own home for a period of time over the summer holidays here is our list of free and fun things to do at home!

1) Using a bucket of water and big (wallpaper) brushes get little ones to paint the garden fence, wall or patio. Simple and mess-free but great fun. Or get the paints outside and try hand/foot/finger painting on the largest paper you can find – try the back of unused old wallpaper.

Then get out the sprinkler hose to clean everyone off

We have many attractions in Sussex which are free for the whole family.

Hove Lagoon – Have a paddle or join in the many water sports on offer Brighton Pier – Fairground attractions, arcade, shops and food outlets Worthing Pier & Lido– Amusements with modern and traditional games, refreshments, souvenirs Tilgate Park – Farm, playground, café and beautiful woodland and open spaces

Mile Oak Farm – Take your family along to see and feed the animals, and stock up at the farm shop

Princes Park Eastbourne – mini golf, model boat racing and multiple play

2) Set up a treasure hunt with clues around the house.

areas

3) Water fight in the back garden with two teams – one guarding a base, and the others trying to get to the base and steal (their mission plans)

Shinewater Park Eastbourne – Purpose built recreation facilities within a country park atmosphere

4) Games day – challenge the kids to get through at least 10 board games, ping pong sessions etc in the day

Stanmer Park – Vast areas of open space to enjoy ball games and a picnic

5) Have a movie afternoon with popcorn and a good dvd 6) Camp out, pitch a tent in the garden, fill the paddling pool and sand pit, light the BBQ and make some fruity cocktails. Then pretend you’re in an exotic location and laugh at all the poor travellers stuck in airports or on motorways.

7) An outdoor blackboard will encourage all sorts of games and creativity. All you need is a piece of board, ideally marine plywood, cut to the size you require, and some blackboard paint, available from DIY or hardware stores. Once painted, the board can be fixed to your house wall, fence or shed. Keep chalks in a waterproof box, ready for drawing, writing, treasure hunt maps, instructions, scoring

The Beach!! – We are so lucky to all be within 45mins from our nearest beach (many of us are a stones throw away!) Editor’s favourites include Seaford Bay, Eastbourne Beach and Goring-by-Sea As you progress through the summer of free stuff or when it is over remember to visit the National Trust’s interactive website for kids with the list of the 50 things kids should do before they are 11 ¾. Kids can log in and tick off the things as they do them.www.50things.org.uk

Happy Holidays!

Tilgate Park

8) Take up the Reading Egg challenge (see p9 for more details)

Free family fun!

Tilgate Park

Build a den !

ea st s s Mi n i b Wil d A

rt !

Sussex Coast

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

afa ri

really is a hidden gem – vast expanses of open space, a huge lake, adventure playground and a Nature Centre, all found just outside Crawley. It is the sort of place you can spend all day, even if like us you are grabbing your raincoat to shelter from the occasional shower. If you need shelter, or for a treat you can go to the Smith and Western restaurant, which serves food and drink all day. There is also a snack bar located there, and an alternative café in the walled garden. Kids can have a great time playing in the adventure playground, with its impressive climbing equipment, and variety or swings, and slides. For those who enjoy walking you can walk around the lake enjoying the many shrubs and trees making this a real haven for wildlife. Families may enjoy the walled garden, with its many well established plants, and the maze. A very popular part of the park is the Nature Centre. In the past this was free, however they now charge a small fee (donations only in the winter). It is clear to see why, as over the years there has been a lot of time and money invested in improving this area, making what can only be described as a mini zoo/farm. Educational information is provided on the enclosures so that you can learn the origin and sustainability of the species.

There is much more to see at Tilgate Park, and it is apparent that developments are happening all the time. To park all day you need to pay £3, but it is very clear that this goes towards improving this fabulous attraction for all to enjoy. For more information please go to

www.crawley.gov.uk/tilgatepark or have a look at the new Nature Centre blog www.tilgatenaturecentre.co.

9

Online literacy resources Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress

Our unbeatable prices will have you returning to Sports Xtra time and time again. To receive a summer holiday course discount - just email

Learning to read is an important skill for all children, we wanted to make it an enjoyable experience for too. Children love working and playing on the computer and the Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress programs are all about bringing out the best in each child using unique worlds of interactive reading and writing activities.

The Reading Eggs program…

Reading Eggs includes 120 literacy lessons that take a child from foundation stage through to the end of key stage 1. In addition to the lessons there is Reading Eggs World which caters for children who already know the basics of reading but who still have much to learn about reading, writing, spelling, and comprehension. Children are able to choose their own adventure from a wide range of activities and places to go, including the following content: • The Story Factory – an introduction to creative writing • Driving Tests - has 15 sight word tests, 15 letters and sounds test and 15 content word tests.

• Puzzle Park - 32 word puzzles and practise sight word recognition.

• Skills Bank - 96 spelling lessons that take students up to the end of Key Stage1.

• Storylands - builds reading, vocabulary and comprehension skills.

• The Arcade - 24 arcade-style games used as rewards to motivate children to keep learning.

The Reading Eggspress program …

Using a highly engaging spinning island, children are instantly involved and interested. The range of activities motivates students to return regularly to complete lessons, compete against others, earn more rewards and improve their skills.

There are 4 areas of the Reading Eggspress world: Library - holds more than 1000 e-books including illustrated chapter books, fullcolour nonfiction books and a range of classics.

The Comprehension Gym - holds 200 interactive comprehension lessons over five broad levels from years 2 to years 6 with 40 lessons per year level.

The Stadium - tests skills in spelling, vocabulary, usage and grammar.

Apartment and Mall - children can use their golden eggs to buy avatar clothes and apartment furniture. Within the apartment all of the trophies, medals and trading cards children have collected can be viewed and children can also complete a 100-level quest-style game to expand and refresh learning and earn more golden eggs.

Both the Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress programs have a comprehensive reporting system that tracks progress so that students and their parents can clearly see each child’s achievements.

Sports Xtra Xperience courses are an action packed, fun filled way of combating children’s sedentary lifestyles and making the most of their time off school!

Using promotional code UKS24SSC you can trial the programs for free for an extended period of 5 weeks. Simply visit www.readingeggs.co.uk, register your email address and once your account has been set up you can enter the code on your parent dashboard.

Do your little ones aspire to be the next James Bond, Indiana Jones or Cristiano Ronaldo?

Sussex branch of Sports Xtra

provides children aged 5-12 with a range of action-packed and FUN activity courses, tailored to suit even the fussiest child.

Our range of traditional and non-traditional Xperiences includes Spy, Detective, Adventure, Sport, Dance, Martial Arts and Futsal!

Who are we?

Sports Xtra is the UK’s leading health promotion and sport development organisation. We are passionate about providing young people with physical activity opportunities. Our understanding is rooted in the belief that not all children enjoy traditional sports, so we have developed an innovative range of activities that incorporate movement, skill, confidence and most importantly, a positive all round experience.

Sports Xtra promises customers…

* Free Xtra Time The standard activity course runs from 9.30am to 4.30pm. To celebrate our 10 year anniversary we are currently offering a FREE “Xtra Time” service which will allows the flexibility of an extra hour either side of the drop off or pick up times. * Fun & Professional Staff With Sports Xtra there is no such thing as a dull moment. We pride ourselves in our enthusiastic and talented staff, who share a passion in coaching and helping children develop through physical activity. All Sports Xtra staff are fully trained in the delivery of our holiday courses & first aid, and are CRB checked.

Unbeatable Prices

alison.black@sports-xtra.com

Happy Eggsploring!

Sussex Coast 01903 506813

!

E G N E L L A H C Y L I M A F TAKE THE 10 Family Challenge

area and see if you can hire an instructor for a family session there instead.

There are many places you can climb both indoors and outdoors, for example 4th Dimension Climbing, Sharpthorne, West Sussex or Seriously Mountains Climbing, Worthing, West Sussex. For more information go to www.yumping.co.uk/climbing/west-sussex

3. Ride the tracks

4. Take an underground walk

by Joanna Moorhead Take the family challenge Summer 2012 is going to be all about active fun (it is the Olympics, after all) and getting out and about in the UK (which is, for all of us cash-strapped families, a lot cheaper than going abroad).

So what are the best activities to enjoy en famille? Joanna Moorhead investigates.

ST

UGH O R H GT SWIN

Ride the tracks

For a family with people who can’t get around very easily – elderly grandparents, for example, or other people with special needs – you can’t beat a trip on a steam railway. Most of these railways, preserved from Victorian times, are in areas of breathtaking natural beauty – the glorious Sussex countryside whisks by if you take the Bluebell Railway.

Prices from around £5 per adult, £2 per child. For more information see www.bluebell-railway.co.uk and Or see www.steamrailwaylines.co.uk for the lines across the UK

FORE THE

There’s something strangely thrilling about taking a walk through a cave, into the very inside of the earth – the atmosphere is quite different from anywhere else you’ll ever go, and the memories of what you see and experience stay with you for a long time. And, of course, every child needs to understand the difference between those stalactites and stalagmites. Some of the best caves in the country are at Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, the White Scar Cave at Ingleton in Yorkshire, where you can take an 80-minute tour through some of the country’s most awesome subterranean rock formations, and Wookey Hole near Wells in Somerset, home (apparently) to the Witch of Wookey. Not suitable, though, for a buggy or a wheelchair.

Tiickets from around £15 for adults, £10 for children, depending on how extensive the caves are and how much else there is to do at the attraction. For more information on the caves mentioned here see www.whitescarcave.co.uk;

www.cheddargorge.co.uk; www.wookey.co.uk

The closest example we have in Sussex to a cave walk is a visit to St Clements Caves, Hastings, East Sussex. www.smugglersadventure.co.uk

1. Swing through the forest

Climb the rocks

A tree-top adventure makes for an adrenalin-charged day out with the children – and while you’re up there, you get some brilliant views as well!

Personally, I’ve never been so happy to be back on solid ground as when I got down from the terrifying heights of the forest course I tried out with my kids... but on the upside, at least I did make it down, and relying on them to help me through the most white-knuckle parts of the course went a long way in terms of family bonding!

Until recently Go Ape! has been restricted to over-10s, but there’s now a new course designed for children as young as four at two of the company’s 27 centres nationwide – Thetford near Brandon, and Moors Valley Country Park near Bournemouth. Children need to be at least a metre tall, and the hour long course takes children (and their parents) through a network of looping obstacles five metres above the forest floor, including the spider’s web, log balance and jungle crossing, before finishing on a tree-to-tree zipwire. Our nearest Go Ape! is located at Bedgebury, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Prices: Go Ape! costs £30 for adults, £20 for 10-17 year olds. The new junior course costs £15 for any age. For more information see www.goape.co.uk

2. Climb the rocks

Rock-climbing is apparently one of the fastest-growing sports in Britain, and giving it a try makes for a great family day out. Like all the best family challenges it’s about supporting one another, learning new skills, encouraging people when they need it, and celebrating new-found abilities and courage! Family climbing courses are abound and most are for complete beginners and take children from about eight (although some specialise in working with younger children). Look for a course where you have a dedicated instructor: you’ll learn (amongst other things) how to belay (ie hold the ropes safely) and how to make the most of the rock’s features for your hands and feet. If you’re looking for a family challenge in a rainy period, look up climbing walls in your

Sussex Coast

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

5. Fly a kite Every family has a kite or three, usually given as birthday or Christmas presents and with fiendishly difficult-looking instructions. We sometimes thought about taking our children to fly them, but something always held us back – usually doubts about how to do it, and whether the area we were planning to kite-fly in was actually big enough. But a lesson from Kevin Baker of Southern Breeze, a kite-flying operation based at Baiter Park on Poole harbour, set us straight: Kevin showed us how to make sure we were in a suitable kite-flying area (you need to use your thumb to check the height of the surrounding obstacles, to make sure they’re far enough away), and you need to give the kite a forceful yank to get it into the sky. More adventurous families can progress to kite-buggying and kite-boarding, in which you use the power of an airborne kite to propel yourself along on a vehicle on the ground.

In Sussex we are very lucky as kite flying is very popular on both the South Downs and the beach.

For more information see www.westsussex.info/kites 6. Go mountain biking Like a lot of city families we have a houseful of bikes, but we tend not to do anything more adventurous than go to friends’ houses or the local shops on them. Mountain biking is a whole different experience from a short trip down the road: we went to try it on the South Downs, where the gentle (and not-sogentle) inclines make for great off-road cycling adventures. You don’t, of course, have to use an instructor to get to grips of mountain biking: but if you’re taking kids with you, and you want to get a real thrill out of your day (plus you won’t need to get the bikes there, because the instructor will provide them) then I recommend a course. Our teacher, Richard, gave us lots of confidence to try out manoeuvres we’d never otherwise have tried (cycling over logs, for example – and yes, it’s a lot scarier than it looks when you’re in the saddle!). He also revealed the number one rule of mountain biking, which is never look down.

You have to look straight ahead, focusing on the furthest point of the trail, because if you look down you’ll change your centre of gravity and fall off. We loved our day learning to mountain bike: the children (who need to be over about seven) were a lot better than the parents, but even the parents managed things they’d never have believed they could do!

Expect to pay around £40 per person for mountain biking tuition, including bike hire. For more information on mountain biking in Sussex see

www.sosussex.co.uk

Family Challenge 11

potholing

7. Try potholing

Potholing has a scary reputation, and it’s not for the fainthearted (or those with claustrophobia). But if you’re a brave clan and up for an adventure, it can be an extraordinary experience to journey into the underworld dressed in what resembles a miner’s gear, and to edge your way through spaces you didn’t believe you’d ever fit through.Coming across underground chambers is magical as is seeing the daylight come back into view when you finally make your way out!Potholing with an instructor costs around £40 per person for a session.

For information on where to find an instructor see www.caving.uk.com

metal detecting

www.westsussexscoutscaving.com

8. Find a geocache Geocaching is one of those things that sounds totally perplexing to anyone who’s never tried it, but is a huge hit with almost everyone who has. The idea is to find some ‘treasure’ – treasure that’s hidden in a box, and is findable using a hand-held satnav system (any will do). The treasure in question usually consists of a plastic box like a lunchbox with a whole host of miscellaneous bits and pieces in it – things like small toys, CDs, pens, anything. The rule is that when you find your treasure you’re allowed to take one thing out, and you must put one thing in – and sign the log book of course. The treasure is hidden everywhere and anywhere – in cities, in the countryside, even underwater.

For more information see www.geocaching.com

9. Go canoeing

canoeing

Canoeing centres up and down the country offer equipment hire and instruction for families who want to dip their toes in the water. Your instructor will help you learn how to paddle, how to turn and how to negotiate rapids – and he or she will also ensure that you’re canoeing in a suitable place, and in suitable weather, for the age of your children (which is crucial, because accidents can happen quickly in canoes). What’s especially lovely about canoeing is that, as well as the skills to learn, you can also have a day out that’s close to wildlife – look out for fish, water birds and dragonflies. If you’re lucky you might even spot an otter or a water vole. Hiring a canoe and instructor costs around £150 for half a day.

For more information see www.canoe-england.org.uk/go-canoeing or www.canoedaysout.comr . In Sussex we have both river and sea canoeing. Visit www.thestaralfriston.co.uk/canoeing 10. Get into metal detection Here’s something almost absurdly exciting about setting off with a metal detector and seeing what you’re going to turn up – even though it will, in all probability, be complete rubbish. Because there’s always that chance of finding treasure – or even, and this is almost as good, remnants of the way other people lived, in another age. To use a metal detector effectively, you need to use a sweeping motion – and it’s best to go somewhere with plenty of space, perhaps where other interesting finds have been made. Children are just thrilled with the idea of a machine that goes bleep the whole time, and which might lead to some discovery. Another big plus is that this is an adventure anyone can enjoy – great for families with small kids in buggies or anyone in a wheelchair (though you need to chose your terrain wisely). In Sussex we are blessed with fabulous beaches and the South Downs, both ideal for metal detecting.

For more information see www ncmd.co.uk

geocaching STUCK IN A RUT ?

Are you undervalued and hard working...?

Courageous enough to change your life and willing to learn new skills ?

I help people like you earn their worth in a rewarding and honest way.

I am expanding across Sussex and am looking for open minded, self-motivated, hard working individuals, to work from home with full ongoing training and support from a major international company. Ideally you will have supervisory, managerial, sales/marketing, recruitment, training or self employed background.

Maybe you have taken a career break to raise a family or want to develop a ‘Plan B in these uncertain times.

Start Small, Build Big. Join our team and see your life develop.

Call Ann now on 01243 430289 for a new start

Worthing Youth Theatre/Media Youth club specialising in drama and media Drama for all members & film making and pod casting for seniors

Meet at The Rosie, Littlehampton Road, Worthing 8-11yrs - 5.30 to 6.30pm 11-14yrs - 6.30-7.45pm 14-18yrs - 8.00 - 10.00pm info@worthingyouththeatre.org www.worthingyouththeatre.org

Sussex Coast 01903 506813

12

Family Days Out

Fantastic Family Days Out

reviewed by Vicki Hoarty and family!

A Family day out at no ordinary zoo!

Drusillas Park is a firm family favourite

with many Sussex Families, and after a recent visit is very clear why.

A day out at Paultons Park

Paultons Park is becoming a hugely popular place for Sussex families to visit, especially since the opening of Peppa Pig world. Having children who avidly watch Peppa Pig made a trip to Paultons a dream come true, however for those of you with children who have outgrown Peppa there is so much more to Paultons than our piggy friends.

We arrived at the Park at opening time, and headed directly to Peppa Pig World. We feel that this was quite a sensible move, as within an hour the queues were building.

Peppa Pig World is exactly what you would expect – larger than life models of all our favourite characters with the theme tune and other classic music from the programme playing on loop. The rides are based upon different memorable episodes such as “Big Balloon” “Windy Castle” and Miss Rabbit’s Helicopter”.

I would describe Peppa Pig World as a fantastic introduction to theme park rides, as many of the rides are very gentle, yet young children can enjoy the rides whilst gaining confidence. Those of you who know Peppa Pig inside out will also be pleased to hear that you can also jump around in muddy puddles in a water based play area, so it would be a good idea to bring swim wear or a change of clothing.

By lunchtime we decided to head out and explore the rest of Paultons Park. Outside of Peppa Pig World the park is much quieter, which is where the fun really began.

Shorter queues meant we could hop on and off as many rides as we wanted, such as the Tea cup ride, Wave runner and our favourite the Stinger. Each ride has a size chart to show minimum heights where applicable and age restrictions. The Park hosts were very vigilant at checking customers on each ride, which as a parent I found very reassuring. The height restrictions very much correlated with the extreme nature of the ride. A few rides such as the Cobra and the Edge look suitable for older children, proving that Paultons caters for all members of the family.

For those of you who like a break from the rides, you can visit the Land of Dinosaurs to see huge life size models of the mighty beasts, and take in the sounds of the pre-historic world. Also there is an Aviary where you can see Toucans, Hornbills and Macaws to name a few. Also, children can let off steam at Percy’s Play Park and Water Kingdom. There are picnic tables and food outlets throughout the park, so you can buy in food or bring your own.

‘Paultons Park and Peppa Pig World really was a fantastic day out for all of the family, and I believe we will be visiting many more times over the years.’

For more information about opening times and prices visit www.paultonspark.co.uk . Alternatively if you would like to stay and play visit

www.paultonsbreaks.com/2012

Sussex Coast

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

Drusillas is the perfect day out for children of all ages, as from the

minute you step through the door there are activities for your kids to enjoy.

Of course, you can simply follow the zoo route, admiring all the amazing animals, or you can pick up the Animal Spotter books or follow the Zoolympics challenges. Armed with their Animal Spotter booklet, younger children search for the selected animals such as tamarins and lemurs and use the stamper provided at the check points. This encourages even the smallest potential zoo keepers to keep their eyes peeled for the next exciting spot. Slightly older children can and use their physical skills to compete in the Zoolympics, by comparing their agility and speed to the rest of the animal kingdom. On completion, you can send off for a certificate, which is a lovely memento. A firm favourite in the zoo is Lemurland which is a walk through enclosure, and also new this year, Lory Landing where you can feed rainbow lorikeets bird nectar.

Drusillas Park has such a lot going on.

Education is a huge part of the Drusillas experience, with something new to learn at every turn. Once visitors have completed the zoo route there is the most amazing adventure playgrounds, Go Wild! and Go Bananas!. Play equipment is suitable for children of all ages, and being cleverly located near to the picnic and café area, parents can relax whilst their children can play safely. For rainy days there is also Amazon Adventure which is an indoor soft play area. On very sunny days however, there is an outdoor paddling pool. Drusillas have clearly thought of everything!

‘Drusillas Park is brilliant day out. Speaking from personal experience, my three boys love it as there is always something new to do. It really is no ordinary zoo!’

For more information on opening times and prices please visit

www.drusillas.co.uk

What’s on

Summer Holiday

Activities Tilgate Park Nature Centre, Crawley Every Tues & Thurs in the Summer Holidays Arts and crafts activities.

Free activity, small entry charge to the nature centre (£2 – adults, 50p – children aged 2-11) www.crawley.gov.uk/tilgatepark 01293 521168

Balmoral Sailing from Worthing

4th July, 22nd July Worthing Welcome Aboard BALMORAL - and sail away on an enchanting & exciting cruise from Worthing Pier along the Sussex Heritage Coast towards Beachy Head.

0845 130 4647

Manga and Comic Workshop

7th July 10:30 – 12.00 Burgess Hill Library As part of Get Caught Reading for children 11+. FREE but you will need to book 01444 235549.

Rumble in the Jungle Storytime + Crafts for children 5 - 10 years 7th July, 11.15 – 12.00 Burgess Hill Library As part of Get Caught Reading for children between 5 – 10 yrs. FREE but you will need to book 01444 235549.

Kite Festival

7th July – 8th July Stanmer Park Come and see the spectacular kites at this annual kite festival. Free entry. www.brightonkiteflyers.co.uk

Paddle Round the Pier

Stevens Fun Fair

Miniature Steam Train Running days

Worthing Lions Festival

7th July – 8th July Hove Lawns This beach festival.is an appealing weekend for surfing/watersports enthusiasts. www.paddleroundthepier.com 8th July, 22nd July, 12th August, 26th August at Field Place, Worthing The Miniature steam train running days are on the 2nd and 4th Sun of each month between April and October. Make sure you check the opening times as they vary on special event days. 01903 600565

High Salvington Windmill Annual Fete 8th July in Worthing The Summer Annual Fete.

01903 266628

Tilgate Park Crawley Huxley’s Birds of Prey 8th July, 1.00pm – 4.00pm Come and meet some of our native birds of prey face to face and learn about their lives and the challenges they face in the wild. www.crawley.gov.uk/tilgatepark 01293 521168 Open Day at The Queen Alexandra Hospital Home 14th July in Worthing Join us for a fun fete for all the family and help raise money for Worthing’s Heroes! 01903 218444

The Big Air Open: Kitesurfing Classic 2012 14th July in Worthing The Big Air Open: Kitesurfing Classic - sit back and enjoy the spectacle.

Who’ll jump the highest?

01273 86 24 20

Shoreham Chilli Festival

14th – 15th July in Shoreham-by-Sea The Hot Chilli Fest at Shoreham by Sea is planned to be total fun. Two days out for chilli lovers alike but more importantly fun for all the family.

The Olympic Torch Relay 16th July

Sussex County Cricket Club Hove The Olympic Torch relay will come to Brighton & Hove on Monday 16th July 2012 as it tours the country before the 2012 Games.

18th July – 29th July in Worthing Come and join us in all the fun at the fair. Don’t miss this great show with all the latest thrill rides, kiddies rides and side shows etc. A great day out for all the family.

18th July -29th July in Worthing The Worthing Lions Festival includes events for all the family.

Broadwater Carnival

21st July in Worthing A well established annual tradition with a vast array of stalls, live music and more. 07717 690239

Summer Skating

23rd July - 19 August The Brighton Centre Whether you’re a slider or glider, looking for thrills and spills, visit the only INDOOR, summer ice rink in Brighton.(see our competition on p6) www.brightoncentre.co.uk

Intrepid’s Summer School 2012

23rd July, 9.15am – 3.15pm Southover Church Hall, Lewes A week long Summer School including drama, movement, song, digital film, arts and crafts. Suitable for 5-12 yrs. e: office@intrepidinspires.co.uk w: intrepidtheatrecic.blogspot.co.uk

The Fat Controller

24th & 31st July, 14th & 28th August Drusillas Park The Fat Controller will be causing a locomotion, when he alights at the Park to take control of the efficient running of the railway. www.drusillas.co.uk

Woods Mill Summer Holiday Club

13

The ZingZilla’s Live Show

25th July at Drusillas Park The ZingZillas will rock the animal kingdom when they make their first ever appearance. www.drusillas.co.uk

Bushcraft Days for Children

Tilgate Park, Crawley 26th July, 10.00am – 3.00pm A great day out in the woods, spent learning wilderness survival skills.

Practise shelter building, fire lighting, tool making and identify useful plants for food and medicine. Suitable for 8-14 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk Lunch and Limpets 28th July, 11.30am – 2.00pm Seven Sisters Country Park Collect a net and a bucket and come down to the beach with us and find out about some of the amazing creatures that live just off our shores Suitable for 6-12 year olds. Booking essential 01273497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Fire Station Open Day

28th July inWorthing Part of the Worthing Festival. Come and see behind the scenes of how your ‘working’ Fire & Rescue Service operates.

Worthing Lions Festival Goldwing Motorcycles

28th July in Worthing The Goldwing’s Light Ride is a procession of Goldwing motorcycles from Sea Lane to the Pier on Saturday evening They are also on display Sunday in Steyne Gardens.

24th July, 10.30am – 2.30pm Four hours of wildlife-themed fun and games on the Trust’s flagship reserve.

Suitable for 6-11 year olds. Booking essential –01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

American Rod & Custom Car Show

Stanmer Park Summer Holiday Club - X Marks the Spot

Dragon Boat Racing Festival

25th July, 10.30am – 2.30pm Learn about map reading and using a compass, also make your own map of Stanmer Park. Suitable for 8-12 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

29th July in Worthing A popular display of American Cars, Hotrods, Dragsters, Harley Davidson bikes & more all on display in the Steyne.

29th July Brooklands Pleasure Park, Lancing The 2012 WADARS Dragon Boat Festival

Sussex Coast 01903 506813

14 Whats On !

Seven Sisters Holiday Club

ZZZ OLWWOHDQJHOVVXVVH[ FR XN LQIR#OLWWOHDQJHOVVXVVH[ FR XN

‡ 2IVWHG UDWHG ´2XWVWDQGLQJ LQ DOO DUHDV¾ ‡ $ IULHQGO\ KRPHO\ DWPRVSKHUH ‡ +RPH FRRNHG PHDOV ‡ )XOO\ IXQGHG VHVVLRQV DYDLODEOH ‡ 2SHQ DP SP 0RQGD\ WR )ULGD\

&RQWDFW XV IRU VSHFLDO RIIHUV DQG GLVFRXQWV

:KLWHWKRUQ 'ULYH %ULJKWRQ %1 /+

30th July, 10.30am – 2.30pm Seven Sisters Country Park Join in a real pirate adventure. Dress up as a swash-buckling pirate, join a pirate gang and learn how to build a raft as part of a team and sail it across the Cuckmere River to ‘Cuckmere Island’.Suitable for 8-11 yr olds.

Booking essential – 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Woods Mill Summer Holiday Club

31st July, 10.30am – 2.30pm Activities, games and crafts with an environmental theme on our agship reserve. Suitable for 6-11 year olds.

Booking essential – 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Stanmer Park Summer Holiday Club - Orienteering Challenge 1st August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Explore Stanmer Great Wood with our orineteering scavenger hunt, using map and compass. Suitable for 8-12 year olds. Booking essential – 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Worthing Playday

1st August Broadwater Green, Worthing Come and join us for a family fun day out at Broadwater Green The event will be opened by Dave Benson Phillips and is organised and run by Friends of Worthing Playday Association Tel: 07521 732780

Lennie the Limpet at Littlehampton - Marine Roadshow

Could You Foster?

1st August, 11.00am – 4.30pm Mewsbrook Park Come and meet Lennie the Limpet and some of his friends at Mewsbrook Park. Find out more about the amazing plants and animals that inhabit our shores around Sussex. Suitable for children aged 5-11 years.Free.

Peppa Pig and George

1st & 15th August Drusillas Park Join in the excitement and snorts of laughter as the lovable Peppa Pig embarks on a Drusillas Park adventure, with her brother George. www.drusillas.co.uk

She doesn't know who to trust Could you become the security she needs?

TFCA is recruiting foster carers in your area.

To find out more please contact us.

www.thefostercareagency.com Tel: 0808 1788 909

Sussex Coast

editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

compass? Come along to our woodland camp and ďŹ nd out. There’s ďŹ re lighting and cooking as well. Suitable for 7-11 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Seven Sisters Summer Holiday Club - At Home in the Woods 7th August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Join us around our camp ďŹ re in Friston Forest and ďŹ nd out who you are sharing the woods with. Using wood, clay and tools make some creatures to take home with you. Suitable for 7-11yr olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Woods Mill Summer Holiday Club

7th August, 10.30am -2.30pm Activities, games and crafts with an environmental theme. Suitable for 6-11 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Circus Wonderland

7th -.19th August, 3.00pm & 7pm (19th 2.00pm only) in Shoreham By Sea Clowns, magic, puppets, jugglers, trapeze and acrobats. No animals.

07531 612240

Stanmer Park Summer Holiday Club - Tracks and Signs 8th August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Look for animal tracks and signs, try small mammal trapping, look for bugs, light a ďŹ re and toast marshmallows.

Suitable for 6-11 year olds Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Bushcraft Days for Children

9th August, 10.00am – 3.00pm Tilgate Park, Crawley A great day out in the woods, spent learning wilderness survival skills.

Practise shelter building, ďŹ re lighting, tool making and identify useful plants for food and medicine.Suitable for 8-14 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Mike the Knight

8th August at Drusillas Park Mike the Knight will bring his quest to the kingdom of Drusillas Park, as the young apprentice embarks on his ďŹ rst meet and greet mission. www.drusillas.co.uk

Seven Sisters Summer Holiday Club - A Crab by the Claws Bushcraft Days for Children

2nd August, 10.00pm – 3.00pm Tilgate Park, Crawley A great day out in the woods, spent learning wilderness survival skills.

Practise shelter building, ďŹ re lighting, tool making and identify useful plants for food and medicine. Suitable for 8-14 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Seven Sisters Summer Holiday Club - At Home in the Woods 2nd August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Could you ďŹ nd your way around a forest if you had a map and a

10th August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Come rock pooling with us under the Seven Sisters and who knows you might catch a crab. If not, there are lots of other fascinating creatures you can ďŹ nd living in the rock pools when the tide goes out. Suitable for 7-11 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Rockpooling Event

10th August in Shoreham By Sea Kids with carers & young at heart are invited to join the annual rockpooling event organised by Friends of Shoreham Beach 01273 462584

Whats On !

Our Seas - Seven Sisters

11th August, 10.30 – 4.00pm Our seas are precious; they are full of amazing plants and animals and they are under threat from us. There are loads of activities including arts and crafts for the whole family to enjoy.

Suitable for 5-12 year olds.

Worthing Triathlon

12th August - Worthing The race starts near the Yacht Club at Goring Beach. As usual we’ll be having Men v Women based on last years times – first across the line; male, female will win overall. 07768 556802

Seven Sisters Summer Holiday Club - At Home in the Woods

14th August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Make your own arrows, learn how to stalk your prey, discover how to camouflage yourself and hide. Suitable for 7-11 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Woods Mill Summer Holiday Club

14th August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Activities, games and crafts with an environmental theme. Suitable for 6-11 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Stanmer Park Summer Holiday Club - Super Shelters 15th August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Build shelters with materials found in Stanmer Great Wood. Learn how to put up a tarpaulin shelter, light a fire and toast marshmallows. Suitable for 6-11 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Seven Sisters Summer Holiday Club - At Home in the Woods 16th August, 10.30am – 2.30pm Make something special using green wood and tools to remind you of being at home in the woods. Suitable for 7-11 year olds. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

String Chamber Orchestra, the East Sussex Wind Sinfonia and the EasSussex Brass Band.

Wheels on the bus

Professionals and amateur aviators attempt winged flight from Worthing Pier. There is nothing like this gathering of Birdmen to thrill all with its fun and serious attempts to win the £10K prize for the longest flight. Watch the spectacle for free!

Classic Car Show

19th August Wothing Rugby Club, Angmering, Southern Classics Society are once again holding their very popular “Classic Car Show with Autojumble. All cars welcome from Model T Fords to Rolls Royces! 01273 462309 Captain Barnacles from the Octonauts 22nd August - Drusillas Park Captain Barnacles will make a splash when he visits Drusillas Park for a fun-filled adventure www.drusillas.co.uk

Firle Place International Horse Trials and Country Fair 26th August, 9.00am Firle Place, Lewes Fun day out for the Family and dogs.

The 36th running of British Eventing International Horse Trials, combined with top family fun.

Worthing Rotary Fair - Carnival

Procession 27th August - Worthing The Rotary Carnival Procession starts from Grand Avenue approx. 1.30pm and arrives in Steyne Gardens approx 2pm.

Ben and Holly

27th August - Drusillas Park The enchantment of the Little Kingdom will be cast over Drusillas, as Ben Elf and Princess Holly return to the Park. www.drusillas.co.uk

16th August – 28th August Hove Lawns Britain’s most celebrated Big Top show comes to Brighton and Hove for their much-anticipated annual summer visit.

Bat Encounter 17th August, 6.30pm – 9.00pm Meet the legendary Jenny Clark and her friends from the Sussex Bat Hospital, followed by a short walk in the park to see Bats in their natural habitat.

Suitable for children 10 years and over. Booking essential 01273 497561 swtbookings@sussexwt.org.uk

Wizard of Oz

18th August, doors open 6.00pm Plumpton Racecourse Drive-inPremovie music and entertainment from Bright FM, food stalls and bar. www. plumptonracecourse.co.uk

Worthing International Birdman Festival 18th -19th August - Worthing

developed to support the early years foundation stage.

A Diamond Jubilee - Last Night At The Proms

Congress Theatre 4th August, 7.30pm A wonderful concert with the full British Philharmonic Concert Orchestra presenting a magnificent celebration of the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the great tradition of the patriotic British Proms concert.

Saturday morning pictures

The Ritz Digital & Connaught Cinema, Worthing Every Saturday 10.15am Check website for films 01903 206206 www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

Galleries and museums My Favourite Toy

Hove Museum 10th March - 6th November Whether it’s a teddy, dolls house or a transforming car, this exhibition celebrates toys of all kinds, from across the eras. Free Admission.

01273 290900 www.brighton-hove-museum.org.uk

Grease

Congress Theatre 20th – 25th August, Monday - Friday evenings 7.30pm Thursday, 2.30pm Saturday 4pm & 8pm Dust off your leather jackets, pull on your bobby-socks and take a trip to a simpler time as ‘bad boy’ Danny and ‘the girl next door’ Sandy fall in love all over again.

Disney Live - Mickey’s Magic Show

Brighton Centre 23rd-26th August, Thurs 4.30pm.

Fri 1.30pm, Sat & Sun 10.30am & 1.30pm, Sun Mickey, Minnie and a host of Disney friends come together in their very own magic show live on stage!

Punch and Judy

Worthing Museum Art Gallery 5th May- 1st September Mr. Punch celebrates his 350th ‘ birthday’ in 2012 and is opening his family album for all to see.

01903 221448 museum@adur-worthing.gov.uk

Cirque Du Ciel’s ShangHi

Congress Theatre 31st August – 1st September , Friday 7.30pm, Saturday 2.30pm & 7.30pm This production was originally directed in China by Cirque Du Soleil’s Guy Caron, has been theatrically reworked to appeal to audiences all ages. (view Families review of this performance at www.familiessussexcoast.co.uk)

Disney Live - Mickey’s Magic Show

Zippos Circus

Tilgate Park Crawley

Pavilion Theatre, 24th July, 11am & 1.30pm, There’s sing-a-long fun for children of all ages in this fun-filled production

15

Theatre Little Mermaid

Brighton Centre 23rd-26th August, Thurs 4.30pm.

Fri 1.30pm, Sat & Sun 10.30am & 1.30pm, Sun Mickey, Minnie and a host of Disney friends come together in their very own magic show live on stage!

Cinema

Connaught Theatre Worthing, 16th – 18th July, 1.30pm & 4.30pm Mermaids are supposed to stay under the sea – but not head strong young Ariel! She longs to be part of the magical world above the waves.

(East Sussex Music Service) Summer

Big Scream!

School Concerts Winter Garden - Floral Hall

Saturday morning Kid’s Club

20 July 2012, 4.30pm & 7pm The East Sussex Music Service presents two concerts. The 1st involves String Sinfoia amongst others, whilst the 2nd is the East Sussex

Duke of York cinema, Brighton Every Wednesday morning at 11.00am for parents and carers with children under 1 year. See website for films. www.picturehouses.co.uk Duke of York cinema, Brighton 10.30 start with film at 11.00.

See website for films 0871 7042056 www.picturehousesco.uk

Sussex Coast 01903 506813

16

Book Now for Summer

Holiday Club

www.sports-xtra.com

Tilgate Park Crawley

Nature Centre, adventure playground, café, parkland, lakes, woods, Smith & Western.

See listings for fun activities

Fun day out for the family

Leechpool Primary School, Horsham & Patcham Junior School, Brighton The day is 9.30am until 4.00pm (extended hours available) Price from £18.00 - email alison.black@sports-xtra.com

www.crawley.gov.uk/tilgatepark

for your ‘Families Sussex’ discount code

01903 506813

Sussex Coast