Kidscene Magazine Issue 27 by KidsceneMagazineOnline

Jan / Feb

2017

Your handbag sized guide

www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

Your Ultimate Family Guide to having a Fun-Filled New Year!

Get your FREE Fitness Class or Gym Voucher at the Lc2 inside!

ISSUE 27

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Professional Tuition in Maths and English

BUILDING CONFIDENCE, IMPROVING LEARNING

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 Maths

 English

 Spelling

 GCSE

 Reading

 Primary

 Writing

 Secondary

ThePlayKing

01554 757808

www.ThePlayKing.com

The Play King Unit 6, Heol Cropin, Dafen Industrial Estate, Dafen, Llanelli SA14 8QW

Contents P.27

P.22

P.9

Jan/Feb... Happy New Year! Well, Christmas went by in a festive whirl of food, drink, days out and much merriment but now we quickly crash into the ever so slightly, dare i say it 'maybe a bit boring' January! January is a bit slow isn't it? Not too much going on and not much money to splash either. This edition of Kidscene sees some lovely ideas to get us out in the fresh air from Rachael at www.ourbeautifuladventure.co.uk, as well as some fabulous crafting ideas to get busy with the kids from Sarah at Sew Sweet William, Killay. There are some great vouchers to enjoy including a free exercise pass at the LC2 and some fantastic competitions to enter. Give them a try! See you in March....

20,000 copies of Kidscene Magazine are delivered directly into primary schools from SA1 to SA15 areas bi-monthly.

Next edition | March/April 2017 Copy deadline | February 19th 2016 Call | 07388 054097 NEW sales@kidscenemagazine.co.uk Tel No. www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

| www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

Page 5/7

What’s On

Sew a Sweet Heart

12 17 22 23

Competitions & Vouchers Book Reviews

Dr Louise... Stress

10 Things to do outdoors...

Mumpreneur... Clare Acting on it

World Book Day March 2nd - World Book Day at the Dylan Thomas Centre Whether you’re a family, school group, adult education group or nursery class the Dylan Thomas Exhibition is a great place to visit on World Book Day. As well as our FREE, interactive ‘Love the Words’ Exhibition, we’re offering a range of exciting activities and workshops. 10am – 1pm Schools & nursery group sessions in our Dylan Thomas Exhibition & Learning Space – please contact our Learning Officer, Nicola – nicola.kelly@swansea.gov.uk – for more details and to book. 1.30pm – 3.30pm Our family drop in event in the afternoon will include stories, crafts and face painting as your favourite book character! FREE

Kid's Stuff

Sunday 5th March 2017 Swansea (Free parking)

SwanseaDistrictNCT@gmail.com nct.org.uk/nns Credit & debit cards accepted. In aid of The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) Registered Charity No 801395 .

Dylan Thomas Centre February Half Term Activities 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th - Dylan’s Animals – Self-Led Activity at the Dylan Thomas Centre. 10-4pm. Our family friendly Learning Space will be

open for free self-led play. Activities include creative writing, make a mini comic, puppets, games, reading corner, crafts and dressing up costumes, all inspired by the animals featured in Dylan Thomas’ work.

20th - Family Workshop: Dylan’s Animals at the Dylan Thomas Centre 1-4pm.

We will be creating sculptural 3D animal masks inspired by some of the animals featured in Dylan Thomas’ work, including foxes, owls and tigers. There will also be face painting, and a whole host of fun activities, all inspired by Dylan’s animals. Suitable for all ages and abilities.

22nd - Magical Islands: A Creative Writing Workshop with Eloise Williams at the Dylan Thomas

Centre 1-3pm. How would you like to have your very own magical island? What would you put there? A treasure map? Mysterious caves? Unexplained ghosts? A whole bundle of secrets and a very stinky bubbling spell? Well this is your chance! Come and hear children’s author Eloise Williams talking about Elen’s Island and join in with the magic yourself! Open to ages 6 – 10 and adults (as long as they are accompanied by a responsible child). FREE – please book to reserve your place.

24th -25th - Family Workshop: Dylan’s Animals – Printed Totes and T-shirts at the Dylan

Thomas Centre. 1-2.30pm and 2.30-4pm. Create a tote bag, t-shirt or art for your wall, inspired by the animals and birds such as foxes, whales, owls and octopi, which feature in Dylan Thomas’ work. FREE materials to make a wall art print, or you can bring your own blank cotton t-shirt to print on. Blank tote bags and t-shirts will also be available to purchase on the day for £1.00 per bag or £3 per t-shirt. Recommended age range 8+. FREE – please book to reserve your place. www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk |

JANUARY / FEBRUARY

For what’s on info...

Whats On January 10

10th - Song and Rhyme Time at Pontardawe Library, weekly. 10.30am. Come along to this lively session of music and rhyme, for anyone with children or grandchildren aged 0-4, everyone welcome.

11th - Song & Rhyme Session at Port Talbot Library, weekly. 2pm These welcoming Song & Rhyme sessions are aimed at babies/ toddlers.

kidsceneswansea  @kidscene1

12th - Sing with your baby at Swansea Central Library. 10am weekly. Come and introduce the Welsh language to your child in a fun and creative way 12th - Stories and Stuff (ages 0-4) at Swansea Central Library. 1.30pm weekly. Interactive story to get pre-schoolers joining in through movement, dressing up and games.

13-22nd - Jermin Productions bring you the the brilliant, adventure filled Pantomime... DICK WHITTINGTON at the Princess Royal Theatre, Port Talbot. 6.30pm.

12th - 'Bizzy Bees' Song & Rhyme Session at Port Talbot Library. 10.30am. Weekly. 12th-29th - Robinson Crusoe & The Caribbean Pirates at the Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli. This friendship pantomime is a treat for all the family…A pearl of a panto not to be missed. A show packed with swashbuckling action, damsels in distress, desert cannibals, and comedy in abundance.

12th - TWF Baby Massage at Pontardawe Library. 1pm. Join us for baby massage through the medium of welsh. Suits babies up to 1 year. 12th TWF Welsh Song and Rhyme session for ages 0-4 years at Pontardawe Library. 2pm. Don't worry if you don't speak welsh, learner's welcome! Weekly. Term time only

14th - Chess Club at Killay Library. 11.00am. Weekly on a Saturday. Come down and make your move.

15th - Monthly Movie at the National Waterfront Museum. Wall-E. 2.30pm. Free.

16th - Baby Rhyme Time at Killay library. 10.00am. Weekly on a Monday. Songs and rhymes with young children

17th - Baby Rhyme Time at Sketty Library. 10.30am. 30 minute session. Weekly on a Tuesday. Songs and rhyme with young children. 17th - Canu Gyda Babi at Oystermouth Library. 11.30am. 30 minute session. Weekly on a Tuesday. Welsh rhyme time.

13th - Rhyme Time ( under 5's) Swansea Central Library. 10.30am weekly.

17th-20th - Homework Club (for up to 16 year olds). 4.00pm. Every Tuesday - Friday, until closing time. Term time only. Access to online resources, homework help and books covering a range of topics.

13th - 3D Space Show at the National Waterfront Museum. 7pm. Free. Join AstroCymru for this lively, hands-on science spectacle that will take you on journey around our solar system and beyond.

17th - Code Club at Swansea Central Library. 4.00pm. Until 5.30pm. Third Tuesday of the month. A nationwide network of volunteerled after school coding clubs for children aged 9-11.

17th - Homework Club Gowerton Library. 3.30pm. Lasts for 1 and a half hours. Weekly on a Tuesday. Term time only.

14th - Thrifty Kids at the National Waterfront Museum. 10.3012.30pm. Decorate an old plastic milk bottle to turn it into a super cute elephant friend 14th - The Saturday Morning Thing! at Morriston Library. 9.30am. 2 hours. Weekly on a Saturday. Something different for children every week.

18th - Baby Rhyme Time at Morriston Library. 10.30am. 30 minute session. Weekly on a Wednesday. Songs and rhymes with young children.

18th - Baby Rhyme Time at Gowerton Library. 10.30am. 30 minute session. Weekly on a Wednesday, except for the 2nd Wednesday of the month. 18th - Baby Rhyme Time at Oystermouth Library. 2.30pm. 30 minute session. Weekly on a Wednesday. Songs and rhymes with young children. 18th - Baby Rhyme Time at Killay Library. 10.00am. Weekly on a Wednesday. Songs and rhymes with young children. 18th - Homework Club (for up to 16 year olds) at Oystermouth Library. 3.30pm. 2 and a half hours. Weekly on a Wednesday. Term time only.

19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th - Dylan’s Animals – SelfLed Activity at the Dylan Thomas Centre. 10-4pm.

20th - Homework Club Killay Library. 3.30pm. Lasts for 1 and a half hours. Weekly on a Friday. Term time only. 20th - Baby Rhyme Time at Gowerton Library. 9.30am. 30 minute session. Weekly on a Friday.

20th - Family Workshop: Dylan’s Animals at the Dylan Thomas Centre 1-4pm.

21st - The Saturday Morning Thing! at Morriston Library. 9.30am.

2 hours. Weekly on a Saturday. Something different for children every week.

28th-29th - Pirate Weekend at the National Waterfront Museum. 12-4pm. As we celebrate the Year of Legends, go pirate crazy this weekend with: Cut-throat crafts, Fearsome foes, Swashbuckling storytelling, Knotty hands-on fun. Sat 28th-29th - It’s National Storytelling Week so visit the St Fagans museum to snuggle up by the fire for a tale or two as they kick off the ‘Year of Legends’ with stories to spark your imagination. 11am-1pm & 2-4pm

21st - 25th Fantastic Mr Fox, The New Theatre, Cardiff Boggs, Bunce and Bean, three greedy, smelly, horrid farmers hate the cunning Mr Fox. Mr Fox is clever, smart and rather fantastic, but he doesn’t realise how determined the farmers are to get revenge. A tale of greed, pride and the power of friendship, this flagship production for the Roald Dahl 100 celebrations promises a huge theatrical feast with live music and songs ideal for all the family. Tickets: £11 - £15. Box Office: 029 2087 8889. www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

February 11

11th - Celebrate Valentines Day at the Marriott Swansea. Make your Valentine’s day a special one to remember. Fall in love all over again and treat your loved one to a romantic candle-lit dinner for two. Call 01792 634839 to book. 15th - Mr Bloom's Nursery - Live St David's Hall, Cardiff. Bring your ‘tiddlers’ along and join Mr Bloom and the Veggies on their first ever live tour. Mr Bloom and his Veggies are getting the Nursery ready for a very special occasion - a member of the Royal family is paying them visit! 029 2087 8444 to book. 18th - 26th - Fire & Ice Show at Techniquest. Techniquest has this extravaganza for you to watch. Can ice burn? Can we start a fire with steam? In this spectacular show we discover what happens when things get really hot and when things get really cold. 02920 353317

21st - Morgan & West's Utterly Spiffing Spectacular Magic Show for Kids (and Childish Grown-ups!) (Arts Wing) at the Grand Theatre, Swansea. 2pm. Mixing brain-busting illusion, Morgan & West present a show for all the family, where magic and silliness abound! 21st-23rd - Plantasia. Animal Zone: Rainforest Adventure. 4 shows a day - 10.30am, 12pm, 2pm & 3.15pm.

22nd - Magical Islands: A Creative Writing Workshop with Eloise Williams at the Dylan Thomas Centre 1-3pm.

22nd - The Flying Bedroom at the Ffwrnes Theatre. “Elinor’s bedroom looks ordinary but it isn’t. When Elinor is asleep, her bedroom can fly.” Join Elinor and her bedroom on an adventure to far off lands, under the sea and outer space. Discover new friends, battling pirates and hapless astronauts. Little Light and award-winning author Heather Dyer join forces to present this classic adventure tale through dance theatre, projection and immersive sensory experiences. Recommended for ages 4+ and family audiences 1-2.30pm and 2.30-4pm.

24th -25th - Family Workshop: Dylan’s Animals – Printed Totes and T-shirts at the Dylan Thomas Centre.

Competitions & Vouchers To enter our competitions go to www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk WIN a family ticket to see

Gangsta Granny

at Swansea Grand Theatre. Live on Stage from March 29th - 1st April

WIN a trampolining Party for 10 children at the PlayKing! more children can be added and paid for.

WIN A FAMILY PASS!

2 FREE

Child's places! Get 2 free children's spaces with this voucher when booking a party at PlayKing.

Family Waterpark pass for 4 2 adults 2 children, 1 adult 3 children etc. Normal pool ratios apply.

See advert opposite for voucher! 10% OFF ADMISSION 10% off admission until 31 March 2017 (Voucher for onetime use | Excludes February half term)

SEW A SWEET HEART

Sew Sweet William! a few pieces of different patterned scrap 1Gather fabrics. Bondaweb onto the reverse of each piece 2Iron of fabric the backing paper off leaving the 3Peel bondaweb stuck to the reverse side of the fabric each fabric piece into smaller sized, random 4Cut shapes a heart shape from plain white cotton fabric 5Cut Cover the heart with the patchwork pieces 6 taking care to make sure the wrong side of the fabric with the bondaweb is facing down. Carefully transfer the fabric to an ironing board 7 and press down to bond the pieces to the backing fabric. Use glue to stick the patchwork heart to a 8 canvas and decorate with some ribbon and a button.

WWW.SEWSWEETWILLIAM.CO.UK

452 Gower Rd, Killay, Swansea SA2 7AL | 01792 204550

TIME TO ENTER A NEW WORLD Age 4â&#x20AC;&#x201C;18 Fun, confidence-building, educational, classes in acting, singing and dance. Find out more and start your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey today Contact Luan at: stagecoach.co.uk/swansea 01792 204848

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Swansea

WIN Fitbit Charge 2

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Here is your chance to get your hands on your very own Fitbit Charge, the perfect fitness companion. To be in with a chance to win the new Fitbit Charge 2 visit www.thelcswansea. com/win and tell us why you should win

www.thelcswansea.com 01792 466500

Welsh Beginners’ Classes Starting week commencing January 30th, 2017 Location

Classes held

Time

Course type

Swansea

Pontardawe Ystalyfera

Neath

Gorseinon Gorseinon Pontardawe Swansea Swansea

Combi Courses combines 3 hours of online preparatory study at home with a weekly 3 hour class. Welsh in a Week is an intensive course taught in week long blocks. Can’t make it to class? Try our Beginners’ online course and you can study at your own pace! For more information on registration and details of available support visit: www.swansea.ac.uk/learnwelsh, call: (01792) 60 20 70 or email: learnwelsh@swansea.ac.uk

Starting on

Welsh Beginners' Classes Bilingualism requires nurture and development, not to mention plenty of practice and hard work! However, once mastered, it is a life-long skill that can be as rewarding as it is practical. Attaining a second language (or even a third and fourth) enriches the life of the individual by: opening doors to new cultures, offering alternative outlooks with which to experience the world around them, and can also extend or enhance a sense of personal identity. All children in Wales in state-education are now taught at least some degree of Welsh and there has also followed a significant increase in parental demand for Welsh-medium education. The proven successes of Welsh-medium pupils – who continually seem to out-perform their monolingual peers - have added to the growing appeal of Welshmedium education.

Title: Introducing Teddy Written by Jessica Walton and illustrated by Dougal MacPherson. Publisher: Bloomsbury

However many parents aren’t able to offer the at home support in Welsh as a subject as they might with other curricular areas. Many parents, grandparent and carers are therefore seeking opportunities to learn Welsh themselves, and it is this has been the driving force behind the Welsh for the Family courses as delivered by Learn Welsh – Swansea Bay Area.

This heart warming book is about celebrating difference and true friends who love you for who you really are. There has been some controversy around the issues of the appropriateness of discussing transgender identification with children but this book tackles the subject in a gentle way presenting it under the general theme of friendship and acceptance.

Taught at various venues across the Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot areas the course covers simple elements such as: everyday greetings, asking questions, giving simple commands, and activities such as reading, singing and playing games. These are geared to help you communicate with children specifically through the medium of Welsh.

Thomas the Teddy is friends with Errol. They do lots of things together such as riding their bikes, planting their vegetables and having tea parties. But Thomas isn’t really happy and worried if he tells Errol the truth, he won’t be friends any more. Finally the brave little bear does confide that he isn’t really a boy but a girl who wants to be called Tilly. And with the support of his friends and one switch of his bow tie to hair bow Tilly the Teddy can be who she truly is. A sweet, uplifting thoughtful story with lovely illustrations.

Classes meet for two hours a week, and courses are 30 weeks in duration. Tutors aim to generate a relaxed, supportive and fun atmosphere and design sessions to fit around you and your family. There is also a four-week taster course on offer that can be arranged at a time and in a location that suits your needs (a minimum of 8 participants is required). If you would like to arrange a course in your school, community group or local area, or if you have any particular enquiries about learning Welsh, please contact Rhian Haf (Swansea) r.h.bevan@abertawe.ac.uk or Bethan Llwyd (Neath Port Talbot) b.l.evans@abertawe.ac.uk or call our administrative office on (01792) 60 20 70. learnwelsh.cymru / dysgucymru.cymru learnwelsh@ swansea.ac.uk / dysgucymraeg@abertawe.ac.uk

Title: Jim Reaper – Son of Grim Written by Rachel Delahage and illustrated by Jamie Littler Publisher: Piccadilly Press Jim Wimple desperately wants his parents to buy him the latest Bazoom scooter in an effort to impress in his best friend Will’s sister, Fiona. In his quest to persuade his dad, he stumbles across a dark dark secret – that the creepy old accountancy firm Mallet and Mullet that his dad works for is actually a cover for something more sinister. The normality of which his dad justifies his job has chilling undertones. Jim Reaper manages to be both funny and spooky at the same time. www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk |

01639 763214

www.princessroyaltheatre.com

Civic Centre, Port Talbot, SA13 1PJ

Jermin Productions present...

DICK WHITTINGTON

12th - 22nd January Ionawr

Join our hero Dick, with his cat, as he sets out on a hilarious antic filled journey from Port Talbot to London in search of fame and fortune. Will he be able to fight off the raucous King Rat? Will he find his true love with the beautiful Alice Fitzwarren? There is only one way to find out! Dewch i ymuno â’n harwr, Dick, wrth iddo fynd ar daith hynod ddoniol a llawn digwyddiadau o Aberhonddu i Lundain i geisio enwogrwydd a chyfoeth. A fydd yn gallu gwrthsefyll sylw aflafar King Rat? A fydd yn canfod gwir gariad gyda’r ferch hardd Alice Fitzwarren? Dim ond un ffordd i gael gwybod! Thursday 12th ¦ Nos Iau 12 - 6.30pm Friday 13th ¦ Nos Wener 13 - 6.30pm Saturday 14th ¦ Dydd Sadwrn 14 - 2pm Sunday 15th ¦ Dydd Sul 15 - 2pm Thursday 19th ¦ Nos Iau 19 - 6.30pm Friday 20th ¦ Nos Wener 20 - 6.30pm Saturday 21st ¦ Dydd Sadwrn 21 - 10am* & 2pm Sunday 22nd ¦ Dydd Sul - 1pm & 5pm *RELAXED Performance

Tickets for opening night are only £7.53 for the first 350 sold, Groups of 15 + are £10.75 per person. Dim ond £7.53 fesul person yw pris tocyn ar gyfer y noson agoriadol, £10.75 fesul person yw’r pris ar gyfer grwpiiau d 15 neu fwy

Fun, fitness and friendship this New Year at...

Why Dance?

There are the obvious benefits of studying dance; reduced obesity, a fun source of exercise, healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and helping to maintain a balanced lifestyle. There is clinically significant evidence that children who participate actively in the performing arts spend less time sitting in front of a computer screen playing games and therefore are at less of a risk of developing health problems. Children who spend more than two hours a day on screen related pastimes are at a high risk of developing health issues, such as obesity. Whilst dance is a good source of fun exercise for young children, it is also a creative outlet. Fun exercise is important but the opportunity to release creativity is as important as exercising and maintaining a balanced diet in the development of healthy children, because of the life skills they will learn. Dancing can make a person feel physically refreshed and improve their mood, tackling serious issues including anxiety and depression1, and not just in adults.

Tiny toes ballet!

Group dancing is a tool to release daily stress, a distraction from everyday worries and an outlet for imagination and emotion. In a study of Tiny toes clients (September 2016) it was found that, on average, 85% of parents felt that their child’s confidence levels improved because of attending Tiny toes ballet. In the same study 94% of parents said they would recommend our classes to their friends and 99% felt that classes offered good value for money “Tiny toes ballet is a wonderful, magical experience where children can build confidence and independence at a pace that is right for them, whilst developing an enjoyment of dance and music.” “Tiny toes ballet classes are very professionally executed with a lot of thought being put into each class. Tiny toes ballet has increased my daughter’s confidence dramatically!”

Emma Morgan, Founder & Director of Tiny toes ballet Ltd.

19, 21, 23, 25 and 26 February, 10am - 4pm Dylan’s Animals Self-Led Activity Activities include creative writing, make a mini comic, puppets, games, reading corner, crafts and dressing up costumes, all inspired by the animals featured in Dylan Thomas’ work. Drop-in, free. 20 February, 1pm - 4pm Family Workshop: Dylan’s Animals We will be creating sculptural 3D animal masks inspired by some of the animals featured in Dylan Thomas’ work. Drop-in, free. Wednesday 22 February, 1pm - 3pm Magical Islands: A Creative Writing Workshop with Eloise Williams Come and hear children’s author Eloise Williams talking about Elen’s Island and join in with the magic yourself! Open to ages 6 - 10 and adults (as long as they are accompanied by a responsible child). Free - please book to reserve your place. 24 February, 1pm - 2.30pm and 2.30pm - 4pm Family Workshop: Dylan’s Animals - Printed Totes and T-shirts Create a tote bag, t-shirt or art for your wall, inspired by the animals and birds such as foxes, whales, owls and octopi, which feature in Dylan Thomas’ work. Free materials to make a wall art print, or alternatively you can bring your own blank cotton t-shirt to print on. Blank tote bags and t-shirts will also be available to purchase on the day for £1 per bag or £3 per t-shirt. Recommended age range 8+ Free - please book to reserve your place.

(01792 463980

19, 21, 23, 25, a 26 Chwefror, 10am - 4pm Anifeiliaid Dylan - Gweithgareddau Hunanarweiniedig Mae gweithgareddau’n cynnwys ysgrifennu creadigol, creu comic bach, pypedau, gemau, cornel ddarllen, crefftau a dillad gwisgo lan, gyda’r cyfan wedi’i ysbrydoli gan yr anifeiliaid yng ngwaith Dylan Thomas. Galw heibio, am ddim. 20 Chwefror, 1pm - 4pm Gweithdy i’r Teulu: Anifeiliaid Dylan Byddwn ni’n creu mygydau anifeiliaid 3D cerfluniol wedi’u hysbrydoli gan rai o’r anifeiliaid yng ngwaith Dylan Thomas. Galw heibio, am ddim. 22 Chwefror, 1pm - 3pm Ynysoedd Hud: Gweithdy Ysgrifennu Creadigol gydag Eloise Williams Dewch i wrando ar yr awdur llyfrau plant, Eloise Williams, yn siarad am Elen’s Island ac ymunwch yn yr hud a’r lledrith eich hun! Yn agored i blant 6 - 10 oed ac oedolion (ar yr amod eu bod yng nghwmni plentyn cyfrifol). Am ddim - cofiwch gadw lle ymlaen llaw. 24 Chwefror, 1pm - 2.30pm a 2.30pm - 4pm Gweithdy i’r Teulu: Anifeiliaid Dylan, Bagiau Cario a Chrysau-T Printiedig Dewch i greu bag cario, crys-T neu waith celf ar gyfer eich wal, wedi’u hysbrydoli gan yr anifeiliaid a’r adar, fel cadnoid, morfilod, tylluanod ac octopysau, sy’n rhan o waith Dylan Thomas. Bydd deunyddiau am ddim i wneud print gwaith celf i’w roi ar wal, neu gallwch ddod â’ch crys-T cotwm gwag eich hun i brintio arno. Bydd bagiau cario a chrysau-T gwag hefyd ar gael i’w prynu ar y diwrnod am £1 y bag neu £3 y crys-T. Ystod oedran gymeradwy 8+. Am ddim - cofiwch gadw lle ymlaen llaw.

dylanthomas.com

• STRESS •

he word ‘Stress’ is difficult to define accurately or to measure. This is because stress is very much a subjective thing; in other words, individuals define stress differently, based on his/her own threshold for feeling ‘stressed’. Put another way, different people have different internal barometers for what is stressful or not, & what may cause a great deal of stress for one person, may not affect the next person at all. Some people thrive on a busy lifestyle & can cope with most daily stress thrown at them. Other people get upset by the slightest change in their set daily routine. Most people behave somewhere in the middle of the two extremes. Telltale signs of stress build-up include:

• Unable to sleep properly with worries running through your mind. • Snapping at people over minor issues. • Minor issues causing you to feel impatient or irritable. • Unable to concentrate as you have lots on your mind. • Being unable to make decisions. • Drinking or smoking more. • Loss of appetite. • Being unable to relax and always feeling that something needs to be done. • Feeling tense. Sometimes 'fight or flight' hormones (adrenaline) are released causing physical symptoms including feeling sick, a knot in the stomach, sweaty, dry mouth, palpitations. • Headaches, muscle tension in the neck and shoulders • Relationship difficulties or poor performance in work. HOW CAN I AVOID STRESS? Make a stress list, which is a diary over a few weeks, listing the triggers which aggravate your stress levels. A pattern may emerge & you can identify the reasons for stress. Is it always the early morning commute & rush hour traffic that stresses you out? Perhaps it’s a particular friend or work colleague who upsets you? Sometimes talking things through with a trusted person will help. Otherwise you can learn simple relaxation techniques to cope with these situations when they occur or are anticipated: Deep breathing: this means taking a long, slow breath in and very slowly breathing out. If you do this a few times

| www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

and concentrate fully on breathing, you may find it quite relaxing. Muscular tensing and stretching: Try twisting your neck around each way as far as it is comfortable and then relax. Try fully tensing your shoulder and back muscles for several seconds and then relax completely. Hobbies: A hobby which has no deadlines, no pressures and which can be picked up or left easily, takes the mind off stresses, e.g. sports, knitting, music, model-making, puzzles and reading. Exercise: Regular exercise reduces stress levels & keeps you fit into the bargain. Any exercise is good but 30 minutes of exercise on at least five days a week is recommended. Exercise will also help you sleep, which is useful for people with disturbed sleep due to stress. Time out: Try to allow yourself periods during the week to 'stop' & ‘switch off’ even if it’s just for a few minutes. Take some time out to relax, have a period of reflection & put life back into perspective. Why not switch off your phone, be alone & unobtainable for a short period, & break away from life’s stresses? What is the difference between stress & anxiety? Lots of people use these words interchangeably, thinking they mean the same thing, but the two conditions are not the same. Stress is a response to a threat in a situation; in other words, there is a stress-causing factor or stressor in the equation-a reason to feel stressed. It comes and goes and can be precipitated by any situation that makes you feel frustrated, angry, nervous, or even anxious. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear, which is almost always followed by a feeling of impending doom. People with anxiety have a tendency to worry a lot, but they are not sure what they are worrying about. They are scared but cannot define what that fear is or where it comes from. Not knowing the source of the fear is what often adds to the frustration. It's important to understand that a lot of anxiety originates from fear, while the majority of stress stems from external sources. Simply put: anxiety comes from an internal source and stress from an external factor. If you develop ongoing anxiety symptoms then I advise you to see your GP. Similarly, if your stress levels become more severe & difficult to cope with, then see your GP.

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01792 513513

www.walesnationalpoolswansea.co.uk Wales National Pool Swansea, Sketty Lane, Swansea SA2 8QG

enquiries@walesnationalpoolswansea.co.uk

Please mention Kidscene Issue 27 when enquiring/booking!

Mighty oaks from

little acorns

grow

Excitement, exploration and discovery A sense of independence Sand, water, cooking and construction Rhymes, songs, poems and stories PE, games gymnastics and ballet Foundations for a love of learning Oakleigh House Nursery enrols children from 2½ years old. We can make a diﬀerence, come and see foryourself Open Morning Thursday, 23rd March 9.30 a.m. – 11.30 a.m. now enrolling for September 2017 and beyond

Oakleigh House Independent Nursery and School

Contact Vikki Napier to arrange a visit on: 01792 298537 or visit: www.oakleighhouseschool.co.uk admissions@oakleighhouseschool.co.uk Oakleigh House School, 38 Penlan Crescent, Uplands, Swansea SA2 0RL

FOUNDED 1919

Best for your child - best from your child

Oakleigh House School is part of the Cognita Schools Group www.cognitaschools.com

Romance Celebrate

with the Marriott

Saturday 11th February Table bookings from 7pm onwards

Make your Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s day a special one to remember. Fall in love all over again and treat your loved one to a romantic candle-lit dinner for two.

The price is ÂŁ29.95 per person and includes:

Glass of sparkling wine on arrival 3 course candle-lit dinner With live entertainment from John Adams

Reservations are required. Terms & Conditions Apply.

To book call 01792 634839 or email Joanne.williams@marriotthotels.com facebook.com/swanseamarriott

Things to do

outdoors this Winter

When I think of winter I think of crisp dry days wrapped up warm by the fire. Snow days filled with sledging, snowball fights and laughter. I don't know why though, the reality of a British winter is much less romantic and involves much more rain. But there are still lots of ways that you can get out and have fun, here’s 10;

Walking. I know, I know, it's cold out there and probably raining. But I personally think you can't beat a good walk in the great outdoors any time of year. Also as the saying goes, there's no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing.

Scooters/Bikes. If you do get a dry day, get the kids out on their scooters or bikes. You can walk along with them or jump on your bike too. I know when our kids want to spend the day inside staring at the screen, this actually entices them outside. That and cake ;)

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Bird watching. Get a pair of binoculars, visit a Wetlands Centre, and go and see what birds don’t migrate. The kids will love watching them, and with phones, information about the birds is at your fingertips. Beach. I've never understood people who only go the beach in summer. There is still so much fun to be had, even if sunbathing and swimming are out of the question. We often hunt for rocks that look like hearts, or find pebbles with white lines on and line them up to make shapes. But just walking along the beach will clear those winter cobwebs right up. (But maybe take some blankets to wrap up warm with).

Castles. A day out at a castle is a great adventure for all the family. Whether it’s a ruin or an intact castle, there is so much fun to be had; exploring, climbing, finding secret hallways, looking out the arrow slits to see if you're under "attack", and pretending to be knights. You can’t beat it.

Sledging. If you are lucky enough to get snow, then you have to take the kids out sledging. A must for creating memories that will give your kids unrealistic expectations of winter for the rest of their lives ;) But if that fails, sand sledging is a good substitute.

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Scavenger hunts are a great way to get your kids outside, and even in winter there are still plenty of things to search for. It’s a great way to entertain the kids. You can even get them to make the list. Puddle Jumping. We have Peppa pig to thank for this one, and it sounds so simple but will inevitably give your kids (and you) endless fun. See how big a splash they can make. The National Botanic Garden of Wales is well worth a visit. They have both indoor and outdoor areas so if the weather is unpredictable you can seek shelter. The great glass house has all the feels of being in nature, with all the perks of a warm, dry environment. The Butterfly house is really special too.

Dinefwr. This National Trust property in Llandeilo is a wonderful day out all year round. With a Manor House, a Deer Park and a Castle, what more could you ask for? I hope you manage to do some (or all) of these things this winter. It’s so important to get kids outside and not just when the sun is shining. So what are you waiting for, go have an adventure.

Rachael Smith

www.ourbeautifuladventure.co.uk

www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk |

Mum to Mumpreneur.. Clare from Acting on it

Drama

Building Confidence, communication, acting skills and friendships

4). How do you juggle childcare? Tell us about your business Acting On It offers drama classes for all, we have Little Dreamers for ages 12 months-4 years and our Youth Theatre caters for ages 4-16. Focusing on building confidence, imagination, communication and friendship in a supportive, friendly and fun environment. We have little dreamers classes in Pontlliw, Gorseinon, Fforestfach and Skewen and our Youth Theatre is held in Fforestfach and Upper Killay but I'm really excited that from January we will also have youth theatre groups in West Cross and Pontarddulais. We also regularly offer adult acting classes to for those who want to develop their acting skills or to build their social confidence.

2). Where did you begin and what motivated you to start your own business?

5.) What do you do to relax? I really need to learn the art of relaxation, but when I get the opportunity to I will catch up on some TV, watch a film or read a book. At the moment, I'm also spending a fair bit of my time volunteering at a local theatre company where I am directing a production of "Goodnight Mister Tom", a lot of my relaxation is theatre centred.

6). What has been your biggest challenge & how have you overcome it?

I've loved acting and the theatre since my early teens and I began teaching drama over 12 years ago. Whilst completing my degree and PGCE, I was running the Youth theatre at the Dylan Thomas theatre, I was there for over 9 years and during the summer of 2015 I felt it was time for a change and Acting On It launched.

My biggest challenge currently is finding a work life balance, I'm so passionate about Acting On It, I find that it has completely taken over all areas of my life, but I'm learning to delegate and take time out to focus on having family time.

3). How many children do you have? tell us a bit about your family. I have 3 children (all girls) who are 6, 4.5 and 3 years old Our household is chaotic, noisy and full of fun, the girls are the best of friends (most of the time), there is never a dull moment.

7). What's the one piece of advice you would give up other mums wanting to start their own business? Just follow your instincts and don't give up, it's hard and can be a real struggle at times but it does get easier and it is so rewarding and fulfilling. It's giving me the opportunity to do something I love while being home a lot for the children while they are still young.

Youth Theatre Drama classes for ages 4-16 years

Building Confidence, communication, acting skills and friendships

Part of the reason I wanted to work for myself was to overcome the dilemmas of childcare, a lot of my teaching time is whilst the girls are in school/playgroup or when my husband is home but we do also rely a lot on bothFforestfach sets of , Up our parents who are extremely supportive and help us with childcare as and when we need it. I also have a fantastic www.actingonit.co.u team around me at Acting On It who are wonderful.

Let their imagination soar

Fforestfach , Upper Killay, West Cross, Pontarddulais www.actingonit.co.uk - 07870492672 - clare@actingonit.co.uk

Winter/ Spring THE CURIOUS ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO MINERS’ Tuesday 21 February/ Dydd Mawrth 21 Chwefror

Theatrau

Carmarthenshire

THE HOGWALLOPS

Gâr

YOU’VE GOT DRAGONS

FFWRNES Wednesday 22 February/ Dydd Mercher 22 Chwefror

FFWRNES Weds 29 March/ Dydd Mercher 29 Mawrth Thursday 30 March/ Dydd Iau 30 Mawrth

STIWDIO STEPNI Friday 31 March/ Dydd Gwener 31 Mawrth

FFWRNES Friday 14 April/ Dydd Gwener 14 Ebrill

FFWRNES | LYRIC Wednesday 19 April/ Dydd Mercher 19 Ebrill Thursday 20 April/ Dydd Iau 20 Ebrill

LYRIC Saturday 24 June/ Dydd Sadwrn 24 Mehefin

ROMEO & JULIETTE FFWRNES Wednesday 12 April/ Dydd Mercher 12 Ebrill Ffwrnes and Stiwdio Stepni Park Street, Llanelli SA15 3YE

King Street, Carmarthen SA31 1BD

Volunteer credits Credydau Gwirfoddoli

Wind Street, Ammanford SA18 3DN

20% Discount off tickets 20% Disgownt tocynnau oddi ar Fiver a ticket! Pump-punt!

Adloniant i bawb Entertainment for everyone

0845 226 3510 or visit theatrausirgar.co.uk

TIGHE... Which opposing team is the best in the Six Nations? I think it's going to be England, looking at the way they're playing. Since Eddie Jones has taken over, I don't know what he's doing but he's made them into a really good team. I think they will be hard to beat, but we will be going into that game with the confidence that we can beat them and it'll be a very tough match! AWEN... Who is your favourite player from another team? Probably Dan Biggar! Last Term the children at Pen y Fro Primary School were lucky enough to be paid a visit by none other than Welsh rugby hero, Leigh Halfpenny and XL Wales all on the same day! Check out a snippet of their interview....

NINA... Have you ever played a different sport? Yes, when I was very young I played football. I think I probably preferred playing football to rugby when I was younger but then as I grew older I just started to enjoy rugby more and then I ended up choosing rugby!

TRISTAN... How did it feel to score your first try? It was an amazing feeling! It was my 2nd cap for Wales against Canada in the Millennium Stadium in 2008. I remember getting the ball on the wing and weaving in and out of a few players and managing to just get the ball down in the corner. That was something that I had dreamed of as a kid to score for Wales. So to do that was a very special moment. EFA... Do you have a pre-match ritual? Yes, one thing I do before every game is go out in the morning before a match for a kick, whether it's in my local rugby stadium Gorseinon or if it's in Toulon. FELIX... Which team did you enjoy playing with most? That's a good question! I think the town where I most enjoyed playing rugby was my first season with the Cardiff Blues back in 2008. COHEN... What's the worst injury that you have had? Probably my most recent injury was the worst one that I had last year just before the World Cup. I ruptured my knee when we played Italy in September. It took me 10 months to come back and play. It was a very difficult period trying to get the knee back to where it was. ELIS... If you could play for any international team which would you play for? Probably New Zealand GETHIN... Do you speak French? A little bit! I'm not fluent but I can speak a bit! REUBEN... Who's the nicest player that you have ever played with? Sam Warburton. The first time I played with Sam was for the Welsh under 16s. He was the captain then and captained us all the way through. He then captained the senior team and is fantastic at what he does. He's a brilliant player and a really nice guy as well.

XLWales is an educational charity delivering exciting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities to schools, community groups, and the XLWales Holiday Club based in Mumbles The School Roadshow goes into primary schools across South Wales offering an inspiring menu of Science and Technology Challenges to enthuse the children from Foundation Phase to KS2. Julie Samuel, Director of XLWales, has been delivering

| www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

challenges to schools for over 20 years and absolutely loves her job as no two days are the same! Julie recently went into Pen Y Fro Primary in Dunvant, Swansea. Year 1 were asked to make vehicles out of K’NEX for Santa and Rudolph to transport the presents on Christmas Eve. Designs varied from sleighs to lorries to cars. Year 5 had to solve ‘A miner problem’ – how to get the coal from the floor up onto the table. The first challenge was making a container to hold the coal. Then they built various structures and used motors to wind the coal up onto their tables.

Reception were asked to make homes for Santa, Rudolph and the presents. There were cottages and mansions all with opening doors. Some even had gardens and somewhere for the sleigh to wait! Nursery made plants to decorate the tables. They had to make roots, then stems and leaves, topped by flowers with C Mu lasse mb s a les lso an a d U vail pp abl e er Ki in lla y

Jazz, Contemporary & Acro Classes

After questioning Leigh Halfpenny in the hall, Year 2 were tasked with Castle technology. Their brief was to make a castle with strong walls, a working drawbridge and a tall turret. Some of the castles had lockable drawbridges and they all had tall turrets with very long flagpoles. Year 4 were learning about solids, liquids and gases during Frozen balloons. They had balloons filled with ice, water and air to compare. Next they replaced the lids of fizzy water bottles with balloons and trapped the ‘fizz’ (carbon dioxide) created when they shook the bottles! They then compared syringes filled with air and water before trying to work out how the Cartesian divers worked.

Year 6 and Year 3 were investigating Light fantastic! Using a variety of resources the children investigated shadows, reflections, colours and symmetry. There were lots of “Wows” to be heard when they saw the number of reflections that occur when two mirrors are placed face to face.

Awarding Winning School

colourful petals. There were daisies, sunflowers, roses and lots of triffids!

All the challenges made the children think, communicate, design, investigate and developed team work - they had great fun without even realising they were learning Science and Technology! Ella ( aged 9) - I really enjoyed the day and I had a lot of fun building with the K'NEX Jake ( aged 5) - I loved building a sleigh for Santa and it was really fun putting in the presents!

“Girls not only enjoy reading more than boys but they also read more often.” National literary trust report 2015 The first problem to overcome is to identify where your son's reluctance to read comes from and then try to help him overcome it. 1. The Pace of Today There are so many distractions in modern-day life, that happen at such a quick pace. Social media is interactive, quick and with instant feedback. Technology affects all aspects of our lives and the massive gaming culture that so many boys are a part of, only adds to this. How can a book compete with the excitement, explosions and rewards that are given to children playing a console game? 2. Feelings of Failure The National Literacy Trust findings reveal that more than half of children prefer to watch television than read. But why? Basically, there is no chance of feeling like a failure when you watch TV. For those who have struggled with reading over time, every time they make an attempt to read, it reinforces negative feelings of lack of achievement. Of course, seeing their peers ploughing through a giant novel in a school reading session only fans the flames of these feelings of despair. Who would want to put themselves through that? It’s easier to believe that reading is just not cool.

him started, ask ‘What’s your favourite film?’ Or ‘Which sportsman inspires you?’ This will help you to pick the right genre and help them to find a storyline that they will want to finish.

Keep up to date! Look at what movies are in the cinema as many young adult books have been turned into films recently (‘The Maze Runner,’ ‘Divergent,’ ‘The Hunger Games’ etc.) Maybe you could even read a few children’s books and have a chat about them?

Be your son’s Reading Role Model. If he sees you read and sees how important reading is to you, hopefully this will have a knock-on effect. Have discussions about your reading and make it part of the daily routine. Here are some ideas for reading materials that will engage and inspire: Recommended Booklist for Boys

• Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon – 3 short stories in one small book, creates a sense of achievement when the child has completed an entire story. • Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney – easy to access with illustrations, great characters and funny situations. Currently top of the most-read list! • David Walliams series of books – hilarious, quirky books with wonderful illustrations. Very popular. • Foul Play and Football Academy Series by Tom Palmer – really superb for sporty boys who like footballbased stories. • Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz – Teenage boy juggling normal life with a secret life as a spy. Exciting, fast-paced and filled with action • The Enemy series by Charlie Higson – Thrilling, dark, zombiethemed books with incredible characters and detailed, gripping plot. • Skullduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy – Mysterious characters with exciting and supernatural edge. Many books in the series so a really good option for getting a child gripped and enthralled in the action. • Wereworld: Rise of the Wolf by Curtis Jobling – Intriguing tale of a boy who learns of his destiny as a werewolf and follows a path full of supernatural happenings and high adventure. A fantasticseries that just gets better and better!

If you are worried about your child’s reading, please call Claire at Kip McGrath on 01792 299996 to arrange an assessment.

3. Lack of Inspiration For so many boys they have yet to connect with a book in any meaningful way. There is a book out there for everyone. It is just finding it! So what can you do next to help? Here are some tips and suggestions for ways to get your reluctant boys to start reading:

Let him read in the format he wants to. Start to think away from just the traditional forms of reading and think about all of the e-book readers available on the market. There is also the IPad and other tablet devices that children already love to use. Vary the reading material. Remember that reading comes in many, many forms: websites, magazines, comics, non-fiction books, autobiographies of favourite celebrities or sportspeople, manga and graphic novels. Let his interests and passions lead the way. If you really struggle to find that book that will get

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Why do we Home Educate? This is a question I get asked quite often. Well, we started out like most families with our two children going through nursery and reception into primary school. Sadly our son became the focus of attention of a schoolyard bully. A series of incidents over 3 years destroyed my son’s self-confidence and his health was severely affected. We started looking into alternate education provision whilst trying to finally resolve the situation with the school. Unfortunately, the bullying escalated, my son’s health deteriorated further and we decided to temporarily home educate both him and his sister. Within only a few days, we were beginning to see glimmers of the child we had lost to the bullies. It took several months to rebuild his self-esteem but without the pressures of the school yard he flourished both mentally and academically. Both children benefitted so much from the personalised education that my husband and I were able to provide, that we decided to permanently home educate them. We are now five years in to our home ed journey and our son has grown into a confident, assertive and independent young man. Although our daughter wasn't affected by the bullying,

and she loved her time at school, she too has thrived at home. She has a love of arts and crafts that we have been able to nurture through research, visiting museums and galleries, and studying the various forms of the arts. Our son’s passion is computer coding. He has already completed several online courses and is surprising us daily with what he can achieve. Being able to personalise each child’s education is one of the main joys and advantages of home education. As our family has grown so has our love for home education. So much so, that we have chosen not to register the youngest siblings with any school. Our life is busy but full of a love of learning that we will continue to cherish and nurture

Eleanor Eva, Chair, Swansea Home Educators. For more information about Swansea Home Educators contact 073990577911

Martial Arts Academy

07787154409 | info@kickboxinginswansea.co.uk | www.kickboxinginswansea.co.uk