Families Cambridgeshire November/December Christmas issue

F R TAKE EE ME H OME

IN THIS ISSUE

WIN a family ticket to The Nutcracker worth £156

KD Theatre Productions Ltd in association with

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10 – 31 December 2021 | www.kdtheatre.co.uk | 01353 725 026 SHOW PARTNERS

Issue 67 November/December 2021

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Contents & Competition

Dear Reader,

Tis the season to be merry, or so they say!

For busy parents already juggling work, school, and a household, the thought of probably the biggest event of the year on the children’s calendar only weeks away can be overwhelming, especially when trying to squeeze in school plays, Christmas fairs, carol services, Christmas social events and Christmas shopping. So remember to take time for yourself this Christmas - we deserve a break at Christmas too!

What's in this issue?

Wise w ords

Many o f life’s fa ilures are who did people not reali ze how they we close re to su ccess w hen they ga ve up.

Thomas A. Ediso n

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4. News & Views 7. Baby News 6. WGS Advertorial 8. What’s On This Christmas 9. Where To Find Santa 11. Meet the Author 13. How Is Your Child’s Self Esteem 14. Choosing Safe Toys 15. Christmas Gift Guide EDITOR: Lisa Exell 01945 861336, editor@familiesCambridgeshire.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR: Amanda Dawson, admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk SOCIAL MEDIA: Amanda Dawson, admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk DESIGN: Caroline Thompson-Heap, info@cheekymonkeydesigns.net

A FAMILY TICKET TO SEE THE NUTCRACKER AT CAMBRIDGE CORN EXCHANGE

Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet makes a welcome return to Cambridge Corn Exchange this New Year, with The Nutcracker from Wednesday 29th - Friday 31st December and Swan Lake on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd January.

The Nutcracker is a delightfully festive tale, full of magical effects, as Clara is whisked away on an enchanting adventure.

The Nutcracker is the perfect Christmas treat for the whole family, set to Tchaikovsky’s instantly recognisable score.

We’re offering the chance for one lucky reader to win a family ticket (4 seats, valued more than £150) to The Nutcracker on Wednesday 29th December at 7pm. The winner will also receive a special show bag, perfect for carrying dance shoes to class or for storage at home. To enter, simply visit our Facebook page @FamCambsMag and like & share our competition post.

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Cambridgeshire 3

News & Views

The Snow Queen comes to Cambridge Junction

This Christmas Cambridge Junction is thrilled to be back with a show full of festive joy!

From New International Encounter (NIE), the makers of Beauty and the Beast and Snow White, The Snow Queen promises to be a magical experience to share with family and friends. Last year NIE made an abridged online version of The Snow Queen filmed in beautiful Cambridgeshire woodlands. This year they are returning to the much-loved story to make a new, extended adaptation with 6 performers and bursting with live music. Audiences are invited to join Gerda on her amazing quest to save her best friend Kaj from the Snow Queen in the frozen north.

This epic re-telling features a broken mirror, irritable ogres, helpful crows, a bicycling reindeer and a sprinkle of snow.

Cambridge Junction is pleased to confirm that the run will include a BSL (British Sign Language) interpreted performance (19th December), and Relaxed Performances (12th, 14th & 28th December). Relaxed performances are aimed at anyone who would benefit from a more relaxed performance environment including people with an Autistic Spectrum Condition, sensory or communication disorders, or a learning disability. Reduced capacity performances to allow more space within the auditorium, and performances for schools and groups are also available. www.junction.co.uk

Jetkids BedBox

STOCKING FILLER ORANGE

November 2021 sees the launch of Russell & Atwell’s brand-new Limited-Edition Seville Orange Chocolates, just in time for Christmas gifting. The vibrant and zesty new variety will melt on the tongue and leave you with a gorgeous citrus finish, an ideal addition to the Christmas haul this year, whether as a gift, a treat to add to the after-dinner rotation, or even as a twist on the stocking filler orange!

Also in this year’s gifting range are letterbox friendly Triple Pouch Packs (from £20), for those who love variety; Triple Glass Jar Gift Sets (from £40); and the motherload, The Big Kahuna Gifting Box (from £80) – perfect for large family gatherings, or those who’ve made

it back to the office!

Made with delicious, high quality and sustainable ingredients that you can find in the kitchen - like fresh organic British cream, butter and wildflower honey – Steve and Giles set out to create delicious fridge-fresh chocolates, making hundreds of prototypes before settling on their launch range. www.russellandatwell.com

If you are jetting away this Christmas, then the Jetkids Golden Olive BedBox, inspired by the Orient Express train, is designed to help you get back on track to family travel. After years of taking travel for granted, this past year JetKids had time to think more about what it meant for families. Travel is the time to create memories as a family that will last a lifetime.

The muted green colour takes us back to when travel was luxurious, about slowing down and enjoying the journey.

The BedBox™ is the world’s only ride-on suitcase for children with an inflight bed / leg-rest feature. This travel essential combines Scandinavian and aviation-inspired designs with practical features for the entire journey and allows your child to rest comfortably or sleep during long and short trips. The ride-on function is suitable for children 3-7 years, and the bed feature is best suited for children over 2 years. www.Jet-kids.com 4 Families Cambridgeshire

Bring joy to a vulnerable child this Christmas

Christmas won’t be magical for every child.

It can be a difficult time of year for children in care who may be spending their first festive season away from their family. And for households facing economic hardship, buying presents will once again put additional pressure on families.

Reading brings children profound and wide-ranging benefits that can have a lifelong positive impact on their lives, affecting their health, wellbeing and their academic and social development.

This Christmas, the BookTrust is aiming to give 16,000 books to children who need them the most – giving them access to a world of imagination, creativity and possibilities that books can provide. A £10 donation to BookTrust will help fund a surprise book gift for a vulnerable child and support the BookTrust’s work during the year.

Find out more and donate at www.booktrust.org.uk/xmas

Online Parents’ Evenings likely to stay

It’s likely that the pandemic will leave behind one lasting change to the normal school year.

Online Parents’ Evening could become the norm, putting an end to the mad dash to arrive on time, confusion over finding the right room and the seemingly endless queuing for five minutes with your child’s teacher.

During lockdown, the then Education Recovery Commissioner, Sir Kevan Collins, said that that particular aspect of school life would ‘never be the same again.’

Educational-technology adviser and London Borough of Havering senior inspector Dave Smith agrees the online versions of Parents’ Evening are ‘here to stay.’ ‘Online parent/ carer meetings have proved very successful in schools,’ he says. familiesonline.co.uk

News & Views Playing with food is good for children Children allowed to squash, touch and handle fruit and vegetables at mealtimes are less likely to be picky eaters, according to research.

Researchers found toddlers who were given permission to mess around with foods like bananas, tomatoes and oranges were more likely to eat fruit and vegetables than rival groups.

The finding suggests that it is touch and feel – not taste, as has long been suggested - which could be the catalyst to encouraging children to eat more healthily.

The study involved sixty two pre-school children ages three to four from nurseries around Northampton. The results revealed that those who had played with them tried significantly more fruit and vegetables than those in the rival groups.

Researchers said the key is not to put pressure on children but to let them play instead. More info: www.dmu.ac.uk/research/research-news

A fantastic day out for the whole family

The Imperial War Museum (IWM) in Duxford is Europe’s largest air museum and is filled with a vast range of historic buildings, hangars, exhibitions, huge aircraft, tanks, boats and so much more! Duxford was built during WW1,serving as a base for many of the Spitfire and Hurricane pilots during WW2and was in operation as a RAF base until 1961. In 1976 permission was received for Duxford to become the first outstation of the IWM – and a truly unique museum was born. Not only is it filled with amazing aircraft, boats and tanks, but the site itself is of historical interest where you can walk through the same hangars and buildings as those who served there. A visit to Duxford allows you to get up close to a huge range aircraft from Hurricanes, a Spitfire and a crash-landed Messerschmitt in the Battle of Britain Exhibition to the Blackbird – the world’s fastest and highest-flying, air-breathing manned aircraft, built in secret and flown by the US Air Force to the very edge of space! With ticket prices starting at just £11.35 for children up to 15 years (under 5’s are free), a day out to Duxford really is fantastic and you will be helping preserve an incredibly important part of Britain’s history for years to come. www.iwm.org.uk

Potential breakthrough in care of children with autism

Training parents how to respond to babies showing early signs of autism could reduce by two thirds the number of three-year-olds meeting the criteria for diagnosis, a study suggests.

The first two years are critical for brain development, but most autism diagnoses are made around the age of three or older when children display symptoms such as difficulty talking or making eye contact.

The study suggests that intervening earlier in at-risk children, when the brain is developing rapidly, could prevent them developing these symptoms in the first place.

Improvement on this scale has never been shown before, the researchers say.

Study author, Professor Jonathan Green, said the first two years of life when signs of autism are emerging are critical. But he stressed that although the therapy can prevent long-term difficulties, it is not a ‘miracle cure’. More info: jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics familiesonline.co.uk

Sleeping badly can affect children’s mental health

Irritability, fatigue, short attention span - the short-term effects of a bad night’s sleep can have a particularly strong effect on children. But regular sleep deprivation can have a worrying impact on children’s longterm mental health, a new study has found.

Researchers at the University of Warwick looked at eleven thousand children ages 9 to 11, examining the relationship between sleep duration and brain structure.

It was observed that children who had shorter sleep durations had reduced brain volume in areas such as the orbitofrontal cortex, prefrontal and temporal cortex, precuneus and supramarginalgyrus.

Having lower brain volume in these areas has been linked to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, impulsive behaviour and poor cognitive performance.

The researchers stated that the recommended amount of sleep for children aged 6 to 12 years is 9-12 hours.

More info: www.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents

Foraging, Fun and Quality Time with the Hap-Bee box

Hap-Bee Boxes are designed to keep children and adults entertained for hours. They include everything you and your little ones need to get started Foraging is all part of the fun. What’s more important than spending quality time with your children and getting closer to nature? The activities included in a HapBee Box will help you do just that. So, put on your shoes, dress for the weather and get out into the fresh air.

Why not adapt the crafty activities once you’ve had a go. In every Hap-Bee Box you’ll find a variety of exciting and educational activities.

Don’t forget to check out the wildlife identification sheets and check off any species you’ve found.

• Crafting activity • Grow your own vegetable or herb • Grow your own flower • Foraging activity Buy a one off box or why not Subscribe monthly or quarterly to make sure you never run out something to do with your little ones.

Prices from £10 a box www.hap-beebox.co.uk Families Cambridgeshire 5

Families Advertorial

GIVE YOUR CHILD THE BEST START ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY At Wisbech Grammar School, we offer children an exceptional journey, whether your child is joining us in Kindergarten, Prep School, Senior or 6th Form.

As your child enters the doors to WGS Kindergarten and Reception class, they are met by a world of exploration and the learning unfolds as our team guide them towards their next adventure along the journey to inspiring their imaginations.

We believe that educational development is not confined to the classroom but can be found by discovering your child’s passion by exploring all the opportunities we offer.

We have invested heavily in our facilities for our Early Years pupils to provide the best possible setting to start their educational journey.

Come and discover who we are; view our EYFS setting, meet the team, and enjoy a Christmas themed morning enjoying stories, music, crafts, games and other activities and there may even be a mince pie or two!

Please register to attend by visiting our Open Events page on our website, speaking with our admissions team or giving us a call at admissions@wisbechgrammar.com, 01945 586750 or wisbechgrammar.com Early Years Open Morning, Saturday November 20, 1000 – 1130 (Kindergarten and Reception) – Register to attend at wisbechgrammar.com/openevents

Open Morning Kindergarten and Reception Saturday 20 November : 10:00 - 11:30 Register now: wisbechgrammar.com

Discover who we are...

01945 586750

admissions@wisbechgrammar.com

Families Baby News

NEW MOTHERS’ SLEEP LOSS LINKED TO ACCELERATED AGEING

Lack of sleep in the first six months after having a baby can add up to seven years to the biological age of new mothers, a study reveals. Researchers said the findings mean that those who complain of sleepless nights taking years off their life may well be right.

They studied 33 mothers during their pregnancies and the first year of their babies’ lives, analysing their DNA to determine their ‘biological age’, which can differ from chronological age. A year after giving birth, the biological age of those who slept fewer than seven hours a night at the six-month mark was three to seven years older than those who logged seven hours or more.

The researchers from the University of California urged new mothers to take advantage of opportunities to get a little extra sleep. www.newsroom.ucla.edu

This super soft chunky knit cardigan, made from sustainable 100% organic cotton to be gentle on delicate skin, has stylish doublebreasted buttons for easy changing and a comfy hood - it’s the perfect layer to keep baby cosy all day long. Comes in sizes 0-24 months. £34.99 www.kitandkin.com

CUDDLEDRY PENGUIN

Kaloo first dolly

We love the new Tendresse doll from Kaloo.

Ideal from birth and made from the softest materials, the doll collection will comfort little ones as they grow, soon becoming the star of any imaginative play and games. All dolls include a delicate ribbon necktie and soft, long legs for easy gripping. Each Tendresse has their own individual style, outfit and personality. From £19.99 www.jojomamanbebe.co.uk

KIT & KIN CARDIGAN

Introducing the NEW cuddle pal, the Cuddlepenguin. With her flippers by her side she’ll waddle her way straight into your little ones heart.

This soft grey towel with it’s adorable penguin face on the hood and flippers by its side is available in sizes 1-3 years and 3 – 6 years. Starting at £34.99 www.cuddledry.com

FAIRY TALES

From Little Red Riding Hood to The Little Mermaid, all the favourite fantasy characters feature in delightful and bright illustrations on each page, alongside a new surface for little hands to explore – from Cinderella’s glittering carriage to Snow White’s magical mirror, there are so many new textures to discover! £7.99 www.penguin.co.uk

Keeping little hands safe

Snüzpouch

The unique SnüzPouch comes in both 1.0 and 2.5 tog, with sizes 0-6 months and 6-18 months available. Featuring the brand’s thoughtfully designed nappy change zip, the super handy opening has been seamlessly integrated into the design making night changes quick and easy, with minimum disturbance for baby.

From £29.95 www.snuz.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

With winter truly on its way, little ones will be spending more time indoors exploring their surroundings. Fred’s award-winning safety solutions ensure curious little hands will be kept out of harm’s way, keeping children safe around the home. Offering simple and straight forward solutions, the easy to use safety locks and innovative stair gates exceed safety standards and are of the highest quality, to offer parents peace of mind during festive family days indoors.

Fred’s iconic safety gates are truly an essential in any family home. Keeping inquisitive toddlers away from a busy kitchen, a flight of stairs or any rooms in the house that may be unsafe, Fred safety gates are easy to fit and secure whilst not looking out of place in any stylish household.

Exceeding EU safety standards, the Screw Fit Clear-View Stairgate is one of the brands hero products for good reason. With a 2-way magnetic locking system, at-a-glance visual locking indicators and the FastMount™ installation system (that make it the quickest and easiest gate of its type to fit correctly), the high quality, contemporary stairgate fits seamlessly within any home.

The Fred Invisible Magnet Locks offer a simple way to add another level of safety to drawers and cupboards to ensure dangerous items are kept firmly behind closed doors. With no tricky lining up or fiddly fittings, the locks are quick to fit, creating a strong hold that won’t tug off. Alongside this, the Multi-Purpose Blocks are also a favourite with parents for simple home safety.

Fitting in seconds, the Squeeze-n-Lift™ system can keep anything from cupboard corners, drawers and fridge/freezers secure – whilst remaining bite and choke safe too.

Keeping little hands away from Santa’s hidden presents has never been so easy! Fred safety range prices start from £6.99 available from fredsafety.co.uk Families Cambridgeshire 7

n What’so, pO laces to

THE SNOW QUEEN

WHERE: Cambridge Junction

WHEN: 8th December – 3rd January

Join Gerda on her amazing quest to save her best friend Kaj from the Snow Queen in the frozen north. Featuring a broken mirror, wild woods, helpful crows and a bicycling reindeer, expect a magical show filled with live music and frosty fun. From £11.00 www.junction.co.uk 01223 511511

Things to d be had go and fun to ages in for kids of all

Cambridgeshir

e Little Bugs Club – Great Fen

WHERE: Countryside Centre,

'Little Acorns' Toddler Group

WHERE: St. Johns Church

Grounds, March WHEN: Wednesdays until 1st December, 9.00 - 11.00 Little Acorns is a toddler group designed for 1-4 year olds, which enables them to fully immerse themselves into nature and introduces them to the magic of forest school. £10.00 per session (first session £5.00) fenland-foragers-forest-sch. class4kids.co.uk 07962 337988

Home Education Forest School Group WHERE: St. Johns Church

Grounds, March WHEN: Wednesdays until 8th December, 12.00 - 14.00 4 week block sessions with a different theme in each block.

Opportunities for tool and knife use, ropes, den building and muddy play are always available.

Age 10 months to 16 years. £10.00 per session (first session £5.00) fenland-foragers-forest-sch. class4kids.co.uk 07962 337988

Ramsey Heights WHEN: Fridays until 10th December, 10.30 – 12.00 A fantastic introduction to the natural world for pre-school children. Each weekly session is packed with activities, walks and games….be prepared to get mucky. £5 per child.

Pre-booking essential www.wildlifebcn.org 01487 710420

Magic and Mayhem

WHERE: Cambridge University

Botanic Garden WHEN: 13th November – 23rd December The mischievous elves have been sprinkling seasonal fun around, with some fun surprises and entertaining installations hidden around the Garden. You may discover some unexpected surprises!

Adults from £6.30. Children under 16 years free. www.botanic.cam.ac.uk/

Christmas Gift and Food Fair

WHERE: Ely Cathedral

WHEN: 18th– 20th November

Discover perfect presents from over a hundred boutique stalls and designers all located in the Cathedral's magnificent nave and Lady Chapel. For the first time, the grounds surrounding the Cathedral will be incorporated into the Christmas Fair experience. £4.50 (under 16 free when accompanied by an adult) www.elycathedral.org/events 8 Families Cambridgeshire

Percy the Park Keeper’s Winter Wander Trail WHERE: Wicken Fen Nature

Reserve WHEN: From 4th December, 10.00 – 15.00 Percy and his animal friends will be giving nature a helping hand. Follow the trail round our Boardwalk and Woodland Walk to see how you can help too! www.nationaltrust.org.uk 01353 720274

Cambridge Big Switch On

WHERE: Market Square,

Cambridge WHEN: 21st November Expect a lively lineup from local performing arts clubs and choirs and stars of Cambridge Arts Theatre Pantomime to help switch on the lights.

Pinocchio

WHERE: Cambridge Junction

WHEN: 21st November, 13.00

and 16.00 Stuff and Nonsense use their hallmark hilarity, cleverness, puppetry, music, fantastic staging, outstanding performers and extraordinary physical tricks to tell this classic tale. From £6.00 www.junction.co.uk 01223 511511

Beauty & The Beast WHERE: King’s Lynn Corn

Exchange WHEN: 8th – 31st December A baddie wanting boos, goodies with some gags, a heroine in hot water … but what has happened to the Handsome Prince? Join King’s Lynn Corn Exchange for a spectacular adventure as Dame Dotty and son, Potty Pierre, cause chaos at the chateau.

From £16.50 www.kingslynncornexchange. co.uk/

All events are subject to change and cancellation in view of any future Covid-19 legislations.

All details are correct at the point of writing this article in November.

Arthur Rank Hospice Charity Fun Run WHERE: Anywhere and everywhere WHEN: 28th November, 10.00

Don a Santa hat, limber up and raise funds for Hospice care by taking part in Arthur Rank Hospice Charity’s Festive 5K by running a route of your choice!

Whether you sprint it or stroll it or somewhere-in-between it – this event is for everyone!

Adults £10; Under 16 £5 www.arhc.org.uk/ely-festive-5k.asp

familiesonline.co.uk

Families What's on

WHERE TO FIND

Father Christmas Christmas Special 2021

Father Christmas at Church Farm

WHEN: Weekends in November and every day until

WHEN: Thursdays – Sundays 2nd – 12th December

WHERE: Audley End Miniature Railway

Sleeping Beauty

WHERE: The Maltings, Ely

WHEN: 10th – 31st December

Celebrations have begun for the birth of Princess Beauty, until the Evil Carabosse appears uninvited and casts a curse on the Princess.

Will the Dashing Prince save her?

Will the Nurse ever find a new husband and will Muddles finally get the court Jester job he’s so longed for! From £14.00 www.kdtheatre.co.uk/

The Nutcracker: Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet WHERE: Cambridge Corn

Exchange WHEN: 29th – 31st December The timeless story of Clara, who is whisked away on an enchanting adventure by her Nutcracker Prince, is the perfect introduction to Russian classical ballet. Full of magical effects, the ballet is set to the captivating and instantly recognisable Tchaikovsky score.

From £19.00 www.cambridgelive.org.uk

Swan Lake: Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet WHERE: Cambridge Corn

Exchange WHEN: 1st – 2nd January 2022 The story of Prince Siegfried and the Swan Princess is a tragic tale of betrayal and a love that triumphs over evil. The world’s most romantic ballet is magnificently brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s sublime and haunting score. From £19.00 www.cambridgelive.org. uk 01223 357851

familiesonline.co.uk

24th December Board the Santa Express to the Winter Wonderland to meet Father Christmas and his Elves and receive a gift. Other activities include letter writing, reindeer food making, Mother Christmas’s interactive show, Holly the Christmas Fairy and the Adventure Play Area. From £9 (children under 1 free) Booking essential. Tickets will not be available to purchase on the day. www.audley-end-railway.co.uk 01799 510726

Santa’s Grotto

WHERE: Skylark Garden Centre

WHEN: Weekends from 27th November – 12th

December and then 18th - 24th December Enjoy a 40 minute festive tour of the winter wonderland grotto including gingerbread decorating, reindeer food making, a Christmas sing-along, letters to Santa and Christmas craft. Not forgetting meeting Santa and choosing a toy in the Toy Shop.

From £18.99 per child and £3.00 for adults. www.skylark-events.co.uk/christmas

Santa’s Grotto

WHERE: Dobbies Peterborough and Huntingdon WHEN: Weekends from 27th November – 12th

December and every day from 18th – 24th December Walk through the magical outdoor woodland, spotting the Christmas characters along the way, to meet Santa and receive a special gift. £11.99 per child. events.dobbies.com

Santa’s Breakfast

WHERE: Dobbies Peterborough and Huntingdon

WHERE: Stow Bardolph, Nr Downham Market

and everyday from 16th – 23rd December, 10am – 5pm All Father Christmas tickets include entrance to the Farm as well as visiting Father Christmas, so you can stay all day and enjoy the play areas, animal encounters, undercover petting pens, Christmas shopping and market and lots more.

Children from £10.50. Adults £8.10 www.churchfarmstowbardolph.co.uk 01366 382162

Father Christmas at the Fen WHERE: Wicken Fen, Ely

WHEN: Selected dates from 4th December

Join the elves to make a decoration, and collect a Christmas craft pack for taking home, before popping into Fen Cottage where Father Christmas will be warming his toes by the fire and have a present for you! Child £10.00 www.nationaltrust. org.uk/wicken-fen 01353 720274

Afternoon Tea with Santa

WHERE: Twenty Pence Garden Centre, Ely

WHEN: Saturdays from 4th – 18th December

plus 22nd and 23rd December, 15.30 Wander through the winter wonderland to meet Santa for Afternoon Tea. Children receive a piece of cake, a cold drink and a gift, adults receive a scone with jam, clotted cream and tea or coffee. Child £10, Adult £7 www.twentypence.co.uk 01353 741024

5-Minute Santa Experience WHERE: Shepreth Wildlife Park

WHEN: Weekends from 11th – 19th December

every day from 18th–24th December This festive event includes breakfast for the whole family followed by fun games and a visit from Santa with a special gift for every child. Suited to families with children aged 10 years and under. events.dobbies.com

plus 24th December Visit Santa at Shepreth Wildlife Park this December and receive a Christmas gift and one free child winter pass to the park. £10.00 (does not include entry to the park and entry not required) sheprethwildlifepark.co.uk 01763 262226

Breakfast with Santa

NSPCC Children's Christmas Party

WHEN: Saturdays from 4th – 18th December

WHEN: 12th December, 11-13.00

WHEN: Weekends from 4th – 12th December and

WHERE: Twenty Pence Garden Centre, Ely

WHERE: Upwell Village Hall

plus 22nd and 23rd December, 09.30 Wander through the winter wonderland to meet Santa for Breakfast and receive a present. Children and adults will be served a cooked breakfast and a drink. Child £10, Adult £8 www.twentypence.co.uk 01353 741024

Join Steve Sausage for some magic, dancing fun and laughter. Includes food, drink and a gift from Father Christmas. Suitable for ages 3 - 11 years. £10.00 Tickets in advance only.

01945 781212 or 07503 221197 (Lucy) / 01945 773289 (Gloria) / 07860 853337 (Rebekah)

Families Cambridgeshire 9

Families Education

Book Club

As winter rolls around again my favourite place to be is cuddled up on the sofa with a good book and a roaring fire. The colder weather offers us the perfect excuse to cosy up with a hot chocolate and it’s the ideal time to encourage a love of reading with our children. Books make great Christmas gifts and sharing in those adventures is a great way to enjoy some peaceful family time.

This month Rachel Bailey chats to picture book legend Nick Butterworth whose brand new book A Flying Visit, is the latest in the famed Percy the Park Keeper series and Families have two hardback copies to give away!

Who first inspired your love of books? Do you have any treasured memories of reading stories growing up?

My mum used to read bedtime stories every night without fail. I add that because she was a very busy mum, as the corner shop I grew up in was open 6am to 7pm six and a half days a week. There was always time for a story, and my gran, who lived nearby often visited and if ever I seemed at a loose end during the day, she’d say (in her northern accent), “Come on chuck, find me a book. Let’s have a story.”

Even though I grew up surrounded by stories, I was slow learning to read. My mum never gave up and read to me longer than most parents would expect to read with their children. So we read longer books together, like Alice in Wonderland, Moby Dick and Kipling’s Just So Stories. I can still hear my mum’s voice in my head as she described, “The great grey-green, greasy Limpopo River, all set about with fever trees…” relishing every word!

Although you are best known for your Percy the Park Keeper stories, you have created many other lovable characters such as Q Pootle 5 and Albert le Blanc.

Do you have a favourite?

It depends what mood I’m in – and to some extent, how long it might be since I revisited one of my own books. If I haven’t read THUD! In a school for some time, I might flick through and come across Ralph the rather timid lion or Humphrey the crocodile with toothache, and these will be at least a temporary favourite.

But then, in The Whisperer, I have a soft spot for Old Ginger Tom (I even gave him a guest appearance in the second Albert Le Blanc book Albert Le Blanc to the Rescue). I even like the rat character, The Whisperer himself. That’s probably a bit like actors liking to play villains!

Is it true that Percy has his own picnic spot in a real-life park?

Yes, perfectly true. Raphael Park in Romford, where I used to live, had become quite neglected and run down. It was even in danger of being sold off for development as a leisure centre. Luckily a group of enterprising residents formed The Friends of Raphael Park and waged a strong campaign to keep and renovate the park. When they discovered that it was in this park that I’d first had the idea for Percy the Park Keeper, it provided them with an extra reason to keep the place as a park – suddenly, it had Literary Heritage!

The park has now been beautifully spruced-up, the lake is clean, and there are more facilities, lots more planting, and a café. And Percy’s Picnic Spot, complete with carved wooden sculptures of Percy and his animal friends.

familiesonline.co.uk

My children loved watching One Snowy Night at our local theatre. How did it feel to have your work adapted for theatre as well as animation?

It is immensely gratifying to think that enough people have responded to one of my ideas to make it viable to jump from page to stage or screen. To sit in a theatre with a large family audience all happily responding to a story that came to me one day walking in a frosty park with only our dog for company, is wonderful. Shirley Hughes once told me she had been approached by people wanting to animate one of her stories. “You’ve had your work animated, Nick,” she said.

“What’s it like? Is it beastly?!” I told her no, but adaptations have to be accommodated for a different treatment. It’s important to choose the right partners.

Do you have any family Christmas traditions?

We do have very strong traditions at Christmas time, mainly carried on from my mum’s side of the family. Like a lot of families, on Christmas Eve, we hang up stockings and leave a glass of sherry and a mince pie for Father Christmas and a carrot for Rudolph near the hearth. Then we’ll have a time of carol singing by firelight, candlelight and the lights of the Christmas tree, always finishing with at least two renditions of ‘Tis Christmas Eve’, a song that goes back to my grandparents’ time, the words of which are written at the front of my book Jingle Bells.

Families have two copies to give away!

For your chance to win, all you have to do is answer the question below and email your answer to admin@familiescambridgeshire.co.uk

Which series is ‘A Flying Visit’ part of?

A. Q Pootle 5 B. Percy the Park Keeper C. Percy the Pilot Closing date for entries is 13 December 2021

A Flying Visit is available from November 11 in hardback priced £12.99. www.percytheparkkeeper.co.uk Facebook: @officialnickbutterworth

Families Cambridgeshire 11

Eden Dance, Cambridge for

Inspiration : Confidence Ambition : Achievement www.edendance.co.uk info@edendance.co.uk 01223 778655 Studio at Chesterton Sports Centre Gilbert Road, Cambridge CB4 3NY Join us now for Nursery Playdance : Children’s Ballet Adult Ballet : Creative Theatre Performances

Families Education

Children’s Self-Esteem

Good self-esteem is something that can make a big difference to your child’s overall wellbeing, and something they can take with them as they learn and grow. This Anti-Bullying Week which runs from the 15th-19th November, Need2Know Books takes a look at some of the factors that can have a negative impact on a child’s self-esteem.

Low self-esteem can often become an issue for children as they enter their tween and teen years, even if they had relatively high self-esteem as young children.

Children who suffer from low self-esteem often suffer from bullying.

Pre-adolescence is an especially challenging time for many children and families, and there are a number of interrelated reasons for this.

How Self-Esteem Develops

A person gradually becomes able to do things by themselves as they grow from a baby into a toddler into a child.

As they master these skills, they begin to feel good about themselves. When a parent shows they’re proud, pays attention, encourages their efforts, and gives them smiles, their self-esteem grows.

It may seem unlikely, but self-esteem is something that comes into play as early as infancy. It’s something that grows and changes over a long time. Just making sure a baby feels accepted, protected, and loved can build the foundations for healthy self-esteem. Loving care and positive interactions are a key part of this.

Telling whether or not a child feels good about themself isn’t always as easy as we might expect. A child with good self-esteem is one that: • Feels confident.

• Feels that they have skills to be proud of.

• Has a good level of self-belief.

• Thinks good things about themself.

• Feels accepted and loved.

Children with low self-esteem: • Feel they’re not as good as other kids.

• Ignore their successes and focus on their failures.

• Underestimate their abilities.

• Lack confidence.

• Are hard on themselves and judge themselves harshly.

Perceived Disapproval of Others

Kids will begin to pick up on disappointment in the adults around them if they don’t meet the expectations that are set for them.

Self-esteem may remain high if this disappointment is coming from someone the child doesn’t like – such as a less respected teacher – as they are less likely to take this judgment to heart.

Low self-esteem may become an issue, however, if the child believes that a beloved parent or trusted coach is disappointed in them.

This is what makes parental support so vital in maintaining a child’s self-esteem.

Feeling Incompetent

Feeling of inferiority can quickly develop if a child comes to realise that their efforts aren’t always as good as those of their peers.

Low self-esteem doesn’t always come about as a result, but it can. Self-esteem is less likely to be affected if the child’s weaker performance occurs in a domain they don’t value, such as sports.

Low self-esteem becomes a higher risk if the child struggles in an area they find important, such as academics.

Pressure to Perform

As a child grows and approaches adolescence, performance pressure also grows. Whether an effort is excellent or weak, small or large, children in early and middle childhood will often receive praise.

Performance starts to matter more than effort as the teen years approach, and adults come to expect more from kids. familiesonline.co.uk

This means many older kids will notice adults making the same unhealthy comparisons they’re dealing with internally, reinforcing that pressure.

Why Is Self-Esteem So Important?

Your child is more likely to have the confidence to try new things if they feel good about themselves. They’re more likely to apply themselves fully. They will feel pride in their achievements and cope with their mistakes more healthily.

Even if they fail at first, children with good self-esteem will be able to try again. This means their social, school, and home lives will generally go more smoothly.

Making a child feel worthwhile and appreciated, warm and loving relationships form the foundation of a child’s self-esteem.

Interacting with your child in a responsive, caring way is key to building this relationship. You can also give your child a sense of belonging by building family rituals into your relationship.

Many children will feel unsure of themselves as a result of low selfesteem. They may not join in if they don’t think others will accept them and may fall victim to bullying, which will damage their self-esteem further.

Standing up for themselves may be especially difficult.

They may not apply themselves fully in a class or might give up easily, as they know they will find it hard to cope if they make a mistake, lose or fail after making an effort. This means they may not reach their full potential.

By making them feel less capable than others, possibly for the first time, challenges at school can make a big dent in a child’s self-esteem.

Conversely, good self-esteem will help a child to make the most of their time at school by helping them to apply themselves fully and authentically.

The Essential Guide to Bullying offers some answers as to why children are bullied and how parents can stop it from happening as well as providing some proven methods on how to help the bullied child boost their plummeting selfesteem.

Visit: www.need2knowbooks.co.uk Families Cambridgeshire 13

Families Feature

Playing it safe

by Suzi Rodrigues With online shopping so quick and simple, it’s too easy to overlook important safety factors when buying toys. Quite often parents remove labels without even looking at them, as it becomes second nature before handing anything to an excited child!

We take it for granted that the toys we buy are safe but, increasingly, there are unsafe toys on sale. It’s getting harder to determine whether something is safe before it arrives in your hands and, even then, some risks you just won’t be able to determine by sight.

For a toy item to get its CE or UKCA, its minimum safety passport for sale around the UK and Europe, it must go through a series of Toy Safety Standards tests. For most toys, this has three parts but others have more, according to the style of toy: Physical tests check the structure of the toy, to ensure that in usual use it won’t be broken and cause risk to a child. The tests involve the toy being dropped, poked, pulled and twisted, put into a cylinder to determine whether it’s a choke risk, and assessed for age, depending on its appeal and how it performs in tests.

Flammability tests are almost selfexplanatory; toys have strict burn rates they must apply to, especially for soft toys, play tents and fancy dress items to reduce the risk of burns and enable a child to drop or get out of a toy which is on fire.

Chemical tests check for hidden nasties that wouldn’t be easily assessed by eye. They ensure all the materials used contain nothing banned, as well as checking no heavy metals could leach out if sucked or chewed.

How can you be sure a toy is safe?

Always read the labelling of any toy bought online, from a market stall, in a shop, even a handmade item for sale. All toys must have a safety mark to show that background work has gone into ensuring safety. It should also have the contact address of the company on it and clearly state any age-related warnings. If there is no label, or it has no CE or UKCA mark, return it.

Being hazard aware

To avoid unnecessary risk, it’s important to always read the hazards on the labelling of toys and stick to the age guidance stated when it comes to very small children. Although children develop at different ages and stages, toys being marketed at children under 3 years old have a stricter chemical regulation than for those older than age 3, due to the likelihood of the item being mouthed.

As well as more obvious hazards such as strangulation with long cords and small parts that could be swallowed, long fur on soft toys can also be a choke risk for babies. Special care should be taken for babies under the age of 10 months, who aren’t sitting upright yet, as they may not easily remove items from their mouths when lying down.

There are also some dangerous parts of toys such as button batteries and magnets which

can be fatal to children if swallowed, so inspect toys regularly to ensure that batteries and magnets are safe. Always dispose of toys with any sign of damage.

Suzi Rodrigues is a toy safety consultant for UKCA & CE Marking Handmade Toys Collective (www.cemarking-handmadetoys. co.uk), which provides advice and support for small business toy makers and is passionate about toy safety.

Buying or selling handmade toys?

Times have moved on from the handmade toys of our childhood, and now handmade or handcrafted toys are most definitely in vogue.

Small businesses are popping up all over the internet with all sorts of talent, often inspired by the makers’ own children.

But, when it comes to any toys, safety first!

Even handmade toys by small-time makers must have the UKCA or CE mark. If you aren’t sure if a maker has the mark, always ask. Those who have been through the process will be happy to talk about it with you.

If you want to sell toys, it all sounds very official but it’s easier than you might think to get through the process required to receive the UKCA mark. Most toys can be ‘selfcertified’ and tested at home by gathering information on materials, completing some easy tests with weights, a bit of burning and some legal paperwork. If you would like to sell your own toys, there’s information and a walkthrough guide to testing at www.cemarking-handmadetoys.co.uk.

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familiesonline.co.uk

Families Gift Guide 1.

2.

4.

3.

5.

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ALL I WANT FOR

6.

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Families Cambridgeshire 15

Enter our Christmas Gift Giveaway!

More details in the Gift Guide T&Cs apply

Young Drivers Driving Experience

Brave Girls’ Book Club 10 boxes available

2 le availab

Storytime magazine subscription

Silverstone Lap of Lights Experience

10 annual subscriptions available

SnapWatch

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CONTENTS

In this issue

Welcome

4 9 10 15 16

It’s time to start planning for Christmas!

We have everything you need right here, from fun-to-make Christmas decorations and teachers’ gifts to Christmas recipes, games, gifts, songs, audiobooks and ideas to keep the kids busy on Christmas Eve.

Get in touch

In our Education section, find out how to manage the stresses sometimes associated with homework and tips for encouraging your child to become an independent learner.

Education Tween Christmas Part 1 Early Years Ladder Challenge downloadable 17 Health 18 Family Life 20 Christmas Part 2 Competition winners from our July/August issue Chantal Platt, Lili Phung, Jax Blunt, Karolina Holmes and Emily Adams who received an Orchard Toys Game Bundle.

See recipients of a children’s wellbeing activity book and Readmio app.

Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Print Ltd. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine but Families Print Ltd, its distributors, franchisees and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequences thereof.

Do you have a child with a challenge to undertake? Download the Ladder Challenge from this issue to take it step by step.

Finally, we have some great treats for you in our Christmas Gift Giveaway.

Don’t forget to apply! And sign up at familiesmag.co.uk/go to receive every issue of this magazine free to your inbox.

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T&Cs apply November/December 3

EDUCATION

Finding the right tutor for your child

By Kate Hilpern Here’s some ideas of where to start.

Word of mouth. Asking around is the most effective and popular way to source good tutors. Parents whose children have just done the relevant exam, if that’s what you’re preparing for, are often the best source.

Your child’s school. Talk to your child’s teachers. They may be happy to help out a little outside school or know of other people who tutor.

Tutor agencies. While you are not getting a tutor recommended to you by someone you know, you can pick the one who seems most compatible and switch if it doesn’t work out.

Website agencies. Parents can interview or chat with as many potential tutors as they like before agreeing to start tutoring. Be aware, however, that there may be little support if things go wrong.

What questions should you ask a prospective tutor?

What is your educational background? Particularly in the subject they are teaching.

How much tutoring experience do you have? Are they fully up to date with the current curriculum?

4 November/December

How will you tell if you’re suited to tutoring my child? Do they adapt to children who might be very shy or boisterous?

What are your tutoring methods?

Is the work all done in the session?

Will there be additional homework?

What is your success rate? If they tutor for specific exams, do they achieve consistently good results?

What hours are you available and where do you tutor?

How long do you expect the tutoring to last? Do they teach fixed blocks or until everyone agrees the child is ready to ‘go solo?’

What are your fees? Any additional costs? Terms and conditions? Are materials and textbooks included?

What happens if either of you have to cancel a session?

Can you provide references and DBS records?

Kate Hilpern is from The Good Schools Guide, the leading impartial source of information on schools in the UK, helping parents with every aspect of choosing the best education for their children.

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Encouraging your child to become an independent learner

By Bradley Busch and Edward Watson As children get older and progress within the education system, how they manage their time and how efficiently and effectively they study independently becomes an ever-increasing premium skill. So, what does academic research tell us about how parents can help facilitate this?

Let’s look at three different but related techniques.

Introduce learners to effective goal setting. This must include Improving self-reflection. The more flexibility, short and long-term goals and enough challenge to maintain self-aware learners are, the more motivation. likely they are to manage potential distractions. Self-monitoring is READ MORE a skill that can be developed by encouraging children to ask themselves good questions, such as ‘how can I get better?’ and ‘where do I do my best work?’

Better time management. Left to their own devices, people tend to procrastinate. Some studies have found that seventy five per cent of students consider themselves procrastinators, with fifty per cent procrastinating regularly and to a level that is considered problematic.

Research suggests that most students are poor at estimating how long a task will take to complete, as they get distracted or face unexpected obstacles along the way. This is called ‘The Planning Fallacy.’ Find out more here.

Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 5

EDUCATION

DIY Christmas gifts for teachers Fabulously creative and low-cost presents that will excite your kids and delight their teachers.

Make Christmas brownies in a jar

Create origami bookmarks

Make a homemade candle

Make scented soap

Bake a bird feeder

Paint a Sharpie mug

Plant a succulent mini pot

Make a rice heat bag

Create a tissue paper vase

6 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

What homework should my child get?

By Lisa Wander and Catherine Loble Here’s our rough guide.

Reception. Formal homework is rarely set. However, children are likely to bring home first reading books. Listening to your child read is invaluable.

Years 1 and 2. One or two literacy or numeracy tasks weekly. Children should spend no longer than thirty minutes on each task. Daily reading with your child is essential.

Years 3 and 4. Most schools set two homework activities per week of up to forty five minutes each, typically, one literacy and one numeracy.

Years 5 and 6. Two or three pieces of homework weekly totalling approximately two hours per week, in preparation for SATs and transition to secondary school.

Top tips for homework support A quiet, designated homework area where everything they need is accessible.

A regular study time. Avoid late in the day. Encourage regular breaks.

Eliminate distractions. Ensure screens are off and out of reach.

Start with the hardest work first.

Then the rest of the work will feel easier!

Praise work and effort to encourage a positive response to homework.

Teach by example. Work at the same time in the same space, if possible.

Accept help, when needed, from YouTube videos, websites like Khan Academy or even tutors.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Lisa and Catherine are cofounders of EmParenting, which works with schools and parents to strengthen children’s core qualities like kindness and offers insights and tools to nurture their development and wellbeing.

Enter our Christmas Gift Giveaway!

T&Cs apply Young Drivers Driving Experience

Silverstone Lap of Lights Experience

Brave Girls’ Book Club

Storytime magazine subscription

More gifts available

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November/December 7

EDUCATION

Things to know about class WhatsApp groups

By Claire Winter Love them or loathe them school class WhatsApp groups make it incredibly easy and quick to communicate with a community with common interests. But, as with most things, there are pros and cons!

Pros Messages from other parents act as a valuable reminder of the important that keyword will appear. things you were told in emails from your child’s school but have To respond to a specific message, forgotten. hold your finger on the screen over that message and click the Sub-groups are fabulous for backwards arrow. You’ll see the organising the dialogue and message you want to respond to mean you can easily be in touch appear in the chat box and you write with individual parents or groups your reply underneath. of parents with specific shared interests.

Getting overwhelmed by different chats in different groups? Decide Cons which groups are important and politely leave the rest.

Expect flurries of panicked, confused and last-minute threads!

Don’t use your class group like Not everybody in the class group your personal social media will always check email or previous pages and post irrelevant videos, threads. If you are getting confused photographs, memes, conspiracy yourself, always go back to the theories and articles. Or ask for official school correspondence. medical advice! This type of usage can cause tension.

Tips for using WhatsApp You can also mute notifications by To find information on a clicking the profile at the top and particularly topic quickly, press selecting mute if you don’t want to the three dots in the corner of your be constantly pinged all day. screen and click ‘search.’ Type in a keyword and messages that have 8 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

TWEEN

Tween sleep habits

By Chris Skeat

It’s just as hard for tweens to get a good night’s sleep, as it is for their parents! Pre-teen/teen experts at wearetwixt offer tips on healthy sleep habits for this age group.

Children ages 10 to 12 years should get between nine hours fifteen minutes and nine hours forty five minutes of sleep a night (NHS). But, at puberty (on average, between 10-12 for girls and 12-16 for boys), children’s natural sleep patterns may start shifting.

Sleep is essential for forming and maintaining pathways in the brain that facilitate learning and create new memories but research shows we’re now having two hours less sleep a night than in the 1960s.

A key reason? The blue light from digital screens suppresses the body’s sleep hormone, melatonin, which helps us drift off.

bed the first week, building to sixty or ninety minutes.

How can bedtime routines and bedroom set ups also improve tween sleep?

READ MORE

Banish the blue-light According to a BBC survey, fifty seven per cent of the UK’s children sleep with their mobile phones by their bed and forty two percent of children always keep their phones with them, never turning them off.

But a pre-bedtime screen time cutoff and no access to technology in the bedroom is crucial for a good night’s sleep.

Switch off before bedtime Fifteen to twenty minutes before Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 9

CHRISTMAS

Great Christmas gifts for kids Check out our Families gift guide for ideas that will inspire and excite your child - many without lots of packaging!

Brave Girls’ Book Club subscription box

Storytime magazine subscription

Baked In Junior Baking Club subscription box

Diverse stories & powerful protagonists.

Ages 7-12. £17 per month.

For story-loving kids!

Ages 4-11. From £38.99.

Child-friendly recipes for mini-bakers. Ages 5-11.

From £7.50 per month.

Young Driver driving lessons

Scamp & Dude superpower PJs

So Slime DIY Ice Cream Factory

SnapWatch

Waboba Moonshine Ball

Get behind the wheel for a memorable driving experience. Ages 4+.

Snaps around the wrist and stays. Interactive, easy to use. Ages 5-12. £9.99 + p&p.

10 November/December

PJs with Superpower Button! Boosts and comforts when most needed. From £28.

Pops, lights up and bounces to 100ft!

Ages 5+.

Create three squishy slime ice creams - fluffy, icee and scented.

Ages 6+. £20.

Wildflower kit

Three bamboo pots ready to plant. Six hundred seeds to attract bees! £20.

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

Christmas gift ideas for adults Eco-friendly, no-clutter and truly memory-making. Check out the Families guide to gift experiences for parents.

Silhouette sitting with Charles Burns Virtual sitting with the famous silhouettist of Royals/celebs. From £45.

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines

Give the gift of wine knowledge! Highlyregarded award, perfect for beginners.

Box 42 Uncharted Love Island box Tropical fun. Themed activities & Spotify playlist. From £31.99 per mth.

Books that Matter Silverstone driving Bloom & Wild book box experience letterbox flowers Thought-provoking and inspiring novel, plus feminist and bookish gifts. From £17 per mth.

Epsom Bakehouse bread making Learn to bake, online classes. Baguettes to brioche. From £19.99.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Huge range of letterbox bouquets delivered monthly for your giftee to curate.

Get behind the wheel of a single-seater race car or top of the range supercar. From £189.

Flying lesson

Fender Play guitar lessons

Learn how to pilot an aircraft in two amazing thirty minute lessons.

Legendary guitar brand with online platform.

Easy-to-follow lessons.

November/December 11

CHRISTMAS

Christmas audiobooks for the family Grab some blankets and mugs of hot chocolate and curl up to listen to these fabulous Christmas tales.

A Christmas Carol

Mog’s Christmas

A Season of Gifts

Enid Blyton’s Christmas Stories

A Boy Called Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Ages 6+ (2 hours & 44 minutes).

Ages 2+ (8 minutes).

Ages 9+ (3 hours & 50 minutes).

Ages 7+ (4 hours & 42 minutes).

Ages 9+ (4 hours & 26 minutes).

Ages 3+ (12 minutes).

Tumtum and Nutmeg’s Christmas Adventure

Mrs Claus and the Christmas Adventure

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Ages 3+ (1 hour & 26 minutes).

12 November/December

Ages 4+ (1 hour & 9 minutes).

Ages 8+ (1 hour & 26 minutes).

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

Keeping kids busy on Christmas Eve Daytime

Evening

Bake some Christmas goodies.

Make gingerbread, shortbread cookies or cakes for everyone to enjoy.

Make handmade decorations.

Allow the kids to decorate their bedrooms with bunting or paper chains and make some lastminute items for the tree.

Feed the birds. Hang edible treats or a feeder in the garden so birds can have a Christmas dinner too.

Go ice-skating. Nothing more festive than visiting a local popup ice rink!

Attend a nativity service. Local churches often welcome all to their yearly, special celebration.

Do a local Christmas light tour.

Get some fresh air and check out the neighbourhood decorations.

Snuggle up. Have a pizza dinner, watch a film or read a Christmas story.

Go carol singing. Wrap up warm and treat neighbours to your angelic voices - keeping a safe distance, of course.

Enjoy a Christmas Eve box.

Great for relieving restlessness, if the budget allows. Source a board game or jigsaw from a charity shop and add new PJs, a Christmas decoration, mug, activity book and healthy snacks.

Don’t forget to leave a snack out for Santa and his reindeers!

Make wildlife-friendly reindeer food!

Make a great snack to help Santa’s reindeers keep going on Christmas Eve. It’s good for other wildlife too!

Check out this great reindeer food recipe from the RSPCA. READ MORE

Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 13

CHRISTMAS

Best family Christmas recipes For the best fun cooking and eating!

Kid-friendly fruit mince pies

Gingerbread men

Strawberry Santa pancakes

Snowman marshmallow pops

White Christmas crackles

Peanut butter cookie dough reindeers

Snowman pizza

Easy family Christmas nut roast

Cheese stars

14 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

EARLY YEARS

Improving your little one’s speech and language post-pandemic

By Joanne Jones Masks, social distancing, no parenting clubs or classes and no visitors to the house...that was the theme of the pandemic.

Consequently, children have had less experience of full faces, watched fewer mouths and played fewer turn-taking games such as ‘I smile, you smile’ with strangers.

Babies and toddlers acquire many of the skills involved in learning to talk from copying and reading facial expressions and copying mouth movements. So, post-pandemic, many parents report that their children are struggling to learn language or to use the words they already know in conversation.

together.

• Your child is not using ‘learned phrases’ to communicate.

• Your child is not chewing or only eating a limited diet and words are not being used.

If any of the above signs ring true for you, firstly, talk to your Health Visitor and ask about a referral to Speech Therapy.

Here are the key signs to look out for that might mean your young child would benefit from some extra Waiting times may be lengthy but help: there are things you can do to help • Your baby/toddler is not babbling your child make progress in the meantime. and making a variety of sounds.

• Your baby/toddler is not watching You are your child’s best teacher your face when you talk. and you can make up for their limited earlier experiences.

• Your baby/toddler is not developing their play abilities to Implement some of the following include a variety of skills. ideas.

• Your child is not using some words by 18 months old.

READ MORE • Your two year old is not combining two or more words Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 15

EARLY YEARS

The Ladder Challenge

Help your child take on a difficult challenge – one step at a time! Download this activity and instructions to get started.

The Ladder Challenge Taking on a difficult challenge – one step at a time Instructions for use We face new challenges every day, and some can seem so big that we want to run in the opposite direction to avoid them!

The best thing to do to make a challenge less scary is to break it down into steps so you can build up the confidence to tackle it.

Look at the ladder on the next page to see how a big challenge can be broken down into simple steps.

Now use the empty ladder and write the thing you find most challenging at the top.

Next, think about what smaller steps you can take to reach your goal and write them on each step – ask your grownup to help if you like.

Building up your confidence with each step will equip you with the positive mindset needed to tackle any challenge.

The Ladder Challenge is an activity for children taken from The Happy Workbook: The Feel Good Activity Book by Imogen Harrison, published by Summersdale.

Final rehearsal the night before

Practise in front of your family

Sing song loudly on s way to sc the ho in the car ol Practise front of yoin grown-upur

Read alou on your owd n

DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE!

16 November/December

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FAMILY LIFE

Become weight neutral!

It’s all too easy to talk about food and weight with and in front of our children in a way that may foster unhelpful attitudes towards body image and nutrition.

Do you use either of the comments below or similar?

Download our chart for some suggestions for alternative ways of thinking and speaking which may help foster more nurturing, mindful, conscious and intuitive eating habits and skills.

I can’t eat dessert because I’m on a diet.

Cakes and chocolate are bad for you.

Say This Nothing!

Swap these often used for others phrases Instead of Th is

Any comment about your ow child’s weight. n or another adu lt/ I wish I was ligh any thing that ter/heavier, had more muscl good bodies. rejects yours es…or or their body.

Being overwe ight is unheal All bodies are thy. different and worth looking after.

We have to los e weight to get I love moving happy. my body in new healthy and be and different ways. I nee d to exercise I’m not hungry more so I can for dessert rig eat treats. ht now.

I can’t eat des sert because Are you hungry I’m on a diet. in your head or in your tummy ?

You can only hav dinner. (Overr e dessert if you eat up all idin of moralising goo g hunger and fullness cue your s and d/bad/treat/hea guilt/virtue cyc lthy reinforces We can enjoy le). a cakes and cho and carrots and colate and pep pers grapes and app Cakes and cho le and banana colate are bad s… for you.

Did you know veggies can hel bodies do am azing things? p our brains and You must eat up your veggie s because the good for you. y are I’m hungry! a burger sounds nice today.

I’m going to be Let ’s get outsid bad and have a burger for lun e for some fre sh air. ch.

We need to go We’re not hav for a walk to bur ing n some calorie and yoghurt ins cake right now, we’re hav s. ing fruit We’re tead. not having cak e for snack, bec healthy. ause it’s not Our bodies are am azing! They’re change shape designed to many times as I wish I cou older. we grow up and get be big and ld lose the baby weight; boy s should strong!

Isn’t it wonde rfu kinds of faces l to have 7.5+ billion differe and bodies on nt Isn’t so-and-so the planet? (appearance really pretty, handsome, stro pra good/bad/bet ise reinforces stereotypes ng (to someone ter/worse)? and who has change d weight) However well How are you? inte will always hav ntioned… ‘weight change e praising an eat unknown impact , we cou praise’ ld ing condition or sim disorder, an underlying be health ply equating wo rth with body size.

Nothing!

All bodies are

With thanks to through intuit Nutriri, an organisation cre ive eating an ated by volun d movement for joy courses, teers to offer weight neutr al support, hypnotherapy 1:1 or in group s.

DOWNLOAD NOW! Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 17

FAMILY LIFE

Living safely with a dog

Understanding under 5s

By Caroline Wilkinson

By Dr Sarah Mundy

For children, having a dog for a pet can provide so many social benefits - from having a ‘friend’ to share their worries with, to learning how to be caring and responsible. In fact, being around dogs has benefits for the whole family, with the household more likely to be physically active and suffer lower levels of stress.

One moment a young child can seem like a rational human being, the next, for no apparent reason, a little monster! How do we understand what’s going on for them?

To enjoy all the benefits, we need to ensure that children are helped to act safely around the dogs they live with. So how can we do this?

READ MORE

Our ability to understand our children, think about their feelings and experiences and hold their mental states in mind is ‘predictive of a child’s attachment relationships, ability to understand and manage their feelings and social and play skills’ (Fonagy et al, 2002).

READ MORE

Top tip for dog care Write a list of the daily jobs including feeding, providing water, grooming, providing social interaction, training and walking.

Assign a job to each family member.

It eases the load on you PLUS it gives everyone an opportunity to have a social relationship with your dog.

18 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

FAMILY LIFE

Overcoming racial bullying

Moving from two incomes to one

By Tamsy Ashman

By Steve Hennessy

Studies show that, recently, racial bullying has increased in schools. A poll of one thousand children aged 6 to 15 found about thirty two percent of children had heard someone be racist at school. (The Guardian, 2020). So what can we do to overcome racial bullying?

READ MORE

Only Mums & Dads support parents to make the best decisions for their family during separation/divorce. Their inbox indicates that one of the most common anxieties for a couple separating is transitioning from a two-income to a single-income household.

READ MORE

Travelling with children with different surnames

Enter our Christmas Gift Giveaway!

By Emma Newman

T&Cs apply

So Slime DIY Ice Cream Station

Planning to head abroad this year? Are you are a parent with a different surname to your child? If so, you may be required to prove that you are your child’s legal guardian. So what documentation do you need to take when you travel?

READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk

SnapWatch

Waboba Moon Ball

More gifts available

APPLY HERE Magazine

November/December 19

CHRISTMAS

Make you own Christmas decorations Get the whole family in the mood for Christmas with a crafty decoration-making afternoon.

Lemon star biscuits

Button snowflake

DIY wrapping paper

Sugar charms

Christmas crackers

Glue string ball

Paper snowflake wreath

Paper Christmas tree decorations

Festive pine cone mouse

20 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

Christmas song sing-along Tunes to get the whole family busting their lungs and up and dancing!

Santa Shark

Underneath the tree

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer

Last Christmas

Frosty the Snowman

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

All I Want for Christmas is You

Merry Christmas Everybody

Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 21

CHRISTMAS

Christmas games for the family Some of the best fun at Christmas can be had playing games. Here’s our top seasonal picks.

Christmas song emoji guessing game

Christmas bingo

Outdoor Christmas scavenger hunt

Christmas charades

Christmas memory match

Christmas scent game

Candy cane fishing game

Who am I?

Pin the nose on the reindeer

22 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

What can I recycle after Christmas?

Christmas trees

Christmas cards

Cut, real Christmas trees: can be recycled and councils often have a specific collection for this.

Living Christmas trees: can be replanted for use next year.

Artificial Christmas trees: CANNOT be recycled. Reuse or give away.

Save to make into gift tags.

Cut into pieces for kids’ projects.

Or recycle BUT only AFTER cutting off any glitter, ribbons, foil, plastic and other unrecyclable elements.

MORE INFO

MORE INFO

Wrapping paper

Decorations

Plastic based or containing foil or glitter: CANNOT be recycled.

Plastic, glitter or glass: CANNOT be recycled. Reuse or donate to charity shops if in good condition.

Natural wreaths: compost if they have no glitter.

Fairy lights: CAN be recycled at household waste recycling centres.

MORE INFO

Other paper: scrunch into a ball. If it stays scrunched it can probably be recycled. Remove all sticky tape and decorations first.

AND check with your council as some won’t take it.

MORE INFO Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 23