CONTRIBUTORS MAGGIE THE Maggie Maggie Loves... Maggie has always been all about supporting young people getting into work, especially to learn the ropes on the job, which is why she started our awesome Maggie & Rose internship programme last summer. Here she tells us all about why she started it and some of the highlights from this year’s intake.
THE Rose Rose Interviews The awesome author Asia Mackay, brings to life the hero we’ve all been waiting for in her recent book ‘Killing it’. Get ready to meet super spy mum as she discusses how she copes with work life balance.
TIM
ADELINE Parenting P Plates Addy is back for her regular feature dishing out top parenting tips, and for this education edit, is talking all things learning and development. No dread needed when Addy’s around with her super insights into getting little ones learning.
BEC
Food Corner Spring is here and Bec has us thinking about spring veg and the meat alternatives we can swap in during family mealtimes, awesome recipe included; she’s also picking a few of her favourite cookbooks to kick off the warmer weather with!
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ROSE
What Dad Says Tim is an ex-Maggie & Rose man and is also married to the lovely Anna… in his column this edit, Tim shares his favourite spot to take the kids and talks science and exploration…! For those of you who don’t know us... Maggie & Rose is THE place to be once little ones arrive and you are dreaming yourself back to stylish eves out at members clubs and restaurants. Now, you can still have those moments with us in our family members clubs. Think a copy of Vogue in your hand, sipping a cappuccino (or something stronger), whilst little ones play to their hearts’ content within your field of vision. Not only do we give you this home away from home, we offer epic kids classes and camps, unique settings for kids and grown up parties, oh and we have nurseries too! Check out our web and social media details on the next page!
THE EDUCATION EDIT CONTENTS
04/ CI TY GUIDE 06/ COOL PICKS 08/ MAGGIE LOVES 10/ GURU 12/ ROSE INTERVIEWS 14/ PARENTING P PLATES 16/ MEMBER MOMENTS 18/ WHAT DAD SAYS... 20/ THE FEATURE 22/ FOOD CORNER
Dear friends and members,
Spring is finally sprung and we are in full swing here at Maggie & Rose: our Singapore home is opening its doors for the first time on the island, we’ve been busy at our Hangzhou club, and not to mention, our second Hong Kong outpost in Causeway Bay opened, along with their gorgeous Conservatory restaurant! In this spring issue, we are exploring learning the Maggie & Rose way, one of our members is leading the way for environmental change, and there’s even a sneak peek into our internship programme here at HQ. Our Kids Edit is full of Easter activities to keep our mini-members (in and) out of too much mischief, and more!
DON'T FORGE T TO FLIP US OVER TO THE KIDS EDI T!
The Summer Edit – in your hands and across the globe before you know it! Do you have something you can contribute? Perhaps you’re a member with a story to tell? Or you have an exciting business that’s too good to keep to yourself! Get in touch with our editor today marketing@maggieandrose.com
Enjoy our magazine!
Maggie & Rose
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Maggie & Rose HK
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Maggie & Rose Singapore
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Maggie & Rose at Home
Chiswick Club & Nursery 1 Essex Place Square London, W4 5UJ +44 20 8994 7211 chiswick@maggieandrose.com nurserychiswick@maggieandrose.com
Hangzhou 2F, Hang Lung Plaza, No. 688, Shanyin Road, Beigan Street Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou +86-0571-82259597 guestservice@maggieandrose.cn
Kensington Club & Nursery 58-62 Pembroke Road London, W8 6NX +44 20 7371 2200 kensington@maggieandrose.com nurserykensington@maggieandrose.com
Causeway Bay 303 - 309 & 311 Lee Garden 2 28 Yun Ping Road Causeway Bay 2337 7571
Hong Kong Beach Club 301 The Pulse 28 Beach Rd, Repulse Bay Hong Kong +852 2638 7191 info@maggieandrose.com.hk
Dempsey Block 16A Dempsey Road Singapore 247695 +65 6304 3510 info@maggieandrose.com.sg
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CITY GUIDE
HANGZHOU
XIXI WETLANDS
WHAT’S ON IN LONDON AND ACROSS THE GLOBE FOR FAMILIES
WHERE? – Xixi Wetlands WHAT? - Take a boat ride through the wetlands! This nature reserve is full of pretty waterways, shady ponds, fields and an old fishing village. Explore a maze of canals to the village, now converted into a museum. Walk down quiet lanes, see an old rural kitchen and check out the exhibition on silk production.
LONDON SOUTHBANK CENTRE EASTER PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
WEST LAKE
WHERE? – Southbank Centre, London, UK WHAT? - The Southbank Centre has a whole host of events over Easter for the whole family. We’re looking forward to a performance of a story called Tabby McTat, all about a cat and his friend! Expect singing, dancing and storytelling, woven into a magical performance little ones will love. WHEN? - 6th-13th April
V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD: A PIRATE’S LIFE FOR ME WHERE? – Bethnal Green, E2 9PA, London, UK WHAT? - We’ll be catching ‘A Pirate’s Life for Me’ exhibition, prepare for swashbuckling and pirate tales! WHEN? - Open daily from 10.00 – 17.45, runs until 22nd April
HONG KONG ART CENTRAL WHERE? – Central Harbourfront, Hong Kong WHAT? - Check out the always awesome Art Central with the whole family. At the Sovereign Art Fund booth (F19), they’ll have arts and crafts activities for little ones! WHEN? - 27th–31st March
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We’re loving getting to know Hangzhou in China after our latest club opened there at the end of 2018. Some kid-friendly spots to check out (when you’re not hanging out at our mega-club of course!)
THE CONSCIOUS FESTIVAL WHERE? – Kerry Hotel, Hung Hom WHAT? - A zero waste festival, making sustainability fun! With a market featuring over 80 mindful brands, talks, delicious healthy eats, organic booze, interactive art and games, we can’t wait to check it out! WHEN? - 13th-14th April
WHAT? - Watch ‘Enduring Memories of Hangzhou’, a superb performance directed by famous Chinese director Zhang Yimou, with music by Kitaro. A 45 minute visual extravaganza showcasing the city’s rich cultural legacy. Hundreds of dancers swirl on a stage built just below the surface of the water, with West Lake as the backdrop, a must-see show! WHEN? - From 9th March 2019
SINGAPORE LI TTLE INDIA This colourful and vibrant district encompasses traditional Indian eateries, Hindu temple, spice vendors, flower stalls, jewellery retailers and tailor shops. The neighbourhood even boasts a 24-hour shopping mall!
SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS (SIFA) 2019 WHERE? – The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Ln, Singapore 179429 WHAT? - SIFA 2019 is an annual performing arts festival which draws upon diverse inspiration from Singapore and around the world, and ignites imagination. The festival discovers art through theatre, music, dance, film and visual arts. The Arts House will be transformed into a festival house where artists and non-artists can gather to discuss art, eat, drink and explore. WHEN? - 16th-2nd June
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COOL PICKS
MINI GLOBE TROTTERS
amazon.co.uk For our global adventurers, we can’t get enough of this Collins Children’s World Map, especially for little ones. Where to next? £3.99
Check out our super-cool picks for Spring from the team at Maggie & Rose!
LET'S GET BAKING
rocketandfox.com Be a star baker with this awesome personalised baking set! £13
OPEN SESAME
waterstones.com A firm favourite from our Maggie & Rose nurseries, check out these colourful latches boards. £6.99
FOR OUR BOOK WORMS
waterstones.com An instant classic, we love: ‘Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World’, just in time for International Women’s Day! £6.99
FLOWER POWER
zoegibbons.com Bring springtime flowers indoors with this super-cute Flower Press book. £28
LEARNING THROUGH PLAY jammtoys.com A traffic puzzle, with fire engine and train sounds to boot! £16
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MAGGIE LOVES I
OUR SUPER-COOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME!
n the spirit of Education, last summer we launched a super awesome Internship programme at HQ.
success, and we have even kept two of our interns on since August who are now fully-fledged members of the Maggie & Rose team!
You might be used to us bringing education to you through our creative classes, but we wanted to take things further and explore a 6-week intern programme filled with real-life projects to work on that would make lasting differences, rather than the typical shadowing and making coffee for everyone internships – that was our rule, they could only make coffee for themselves!
In marketing, our intern is now part of the ‘3 marketeers’ team and has been thrown in at the deep end, working on social media, backend website development and restarting our blog, not to mention getting stuck in covering our Harvey Nichols event.
And in design, the interns have been working on our At Home range in product development, including our awesome new Keep Me coffee cup which we’re sure you’ve spotted around the clubs! One of our interns even helped to design and produce the 2018 Winter Edit of our Magazine. Bringing young people into our office has brought about some epic, fresh ideas and perspectives, which I absolutely love to see in action, and to watch how things shake up at HQ level has been awesome.
Aside from working on some amazing projects with our interns, one of the highlights of this whole experience was a trip to the Design Museum where we spent an afternoon out of the office, getting inspired by all things design, my favourite! I loved wandering around the vast spaces, it’s so awe-inspiringly beautiful and their permanent collection ‘Designer Maker User’ is one of my top picks. It’s awesome to take a step back for a moment and reconsider simple everyday objects. Crazy to think that they were once a simple design on a piece of paper, just goes to show how important creatives are! The interns and I had a great time throwing around new and exciting ideas for our clubs, from the simple to the simply crazy, which we were eager to take back to HQ and get down on paper!
The Design Museum is one of my must-do hangouts, especially as it’s so family friendly too. Every month on a Sunday, they run ‘Create and Make’ sessions for families with children aged 5-11 which are perfect for getting your little ones thinking creatively. On top of that, they run ‘Getting into Design’ for families which are led by specialist tutors. Mini-designers will be inspired by the surroundings of the museum and the contemporary design will have creative ideas flowing! And for us grown-ups, we can’t wait to check out the ‘Making Memory’ exhibition by celebrated architect Sir David Adjaye OBE. I can’t wait to explore the storytelling power of architecture, as this is what we always try to create and reflect in and around all of our clubs, both here in London and internationally.
We really believe that it’s not about the experience you have, it’s what you can do, especially as we know how tricky it is for students to get stuck in the cycle of “you need experience to get experience”. Our Summer Internship Programme has knocked that right on the head! Our first programme has been such a success, we’d love to do it again this summer! If you know anyone who may be interested, please do ask them to get in touch at joinourteam@maggieandrose.com
Love, Maggie x designmuseum.org/whats-on/ families/create-and-make
We know how difficult it is for graduates to find work fresh out of university, especially in roles in the creative industries - we thought we could fill that void by offering internships in Graphic Design, Product Design and Marketing. We took on a total of 8 interns who spent time with our Design teams and the rest of our HQ staff to find out more about the inner workings of a creative business. It’s been a roaring
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guru
Here at Maggie & Rose, we believe strongly in the universal teachings of learning through play and that fundamentally all children learn the same, whether they are in the UK, China or any part of the world. By being creatively stimulated and engaged in a fun and supportive environment, children are confident to express themselves and learn key skills such as numeracy, literacy, learning about the world around them… without even realising they are being taught!
SARA CROSSWELL – our awesome Head of Classes at Maggie & Rose!
It was teaching baby music classes while I was “resting” between acting jobs that first made me realise that I was in the wrong profession and preferred working with children than actors (although you’ll be surprised at the similarities!). After many years of crafting my skills and building my experience in early years education, I inevitably found my way to Maggie & Rose.
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I have now worked at Maggie & Rose for the last 5 years and am totally in love with our ethos and values that encompasses all areas of our clubs and nurseries, but are none more so evident as in our classes. My role as Classes Guru means that I am the
lucky person who gets to develop our curriculum alongside our fantastic team. Whether in Messy Masters Art, Mini Musicians, Cook & Craft, Little Cheflets or Make & Make Believe (our most unique class that started it all back in 2006) we believe that creativity is a key player in little one’s development and learning, and strive to inspire our mini members AND their grown-ups. This basically means that we try to choose themes for our classes that will be just as interesting to you as to your budding chef or artiste (popped into our Banksy inspired class yet??) so we can build memories together as a family, whilst educating little ones and supporting them to develop their independence at their own pace. One of the great opportunities of my role was getting to work with Christy Zhang, an inspirational blogger and mother from China. We have worked in partnership for the last 3 years to bring families from China to live the Maggie & Rose experience, being fully immersed into our classes and ethos for week long bespoke camps. Christy, and the feedback
we got from the parents involved, made me realise that what we deliver here at Maggie & Rose, is very different to the traditional early years’ educational styles in China. Like all things, education styles vary greatly all over the world. As our societies evolve and due to the impact of globalisation and the accessibility of the Internet, we inevitably compare, contrast and can borrow from other cultures successes to inspire our own.
I am so proud and excited to bring our unique and inspiring way of For example, in China, due to its more traditional values, its early years’ education has in the past had greater emphasis on teacher authority and less on individuality, creativity and self-expression. China is going through a transformative period in childcare practices with more nurturing creativity, independence and critical thinking; and that makes it a perfect time for us to have opened our Maggie & Rose club in the heart of Hangzhou! As you may know, we currently have two clubs in Hong Kong (we have just opened the second in our fantastic city-based location in Causeway Bay) and this year heralded the opening of our first club in mainland China.
learning to the families of the world, and have seen the benefits it has had for the thousands of families that have come through our doors so far. I am now working with our Singapore team in the lead up to opening our sixth club and cannot wait to see where else this exciting journey will take us. Everywhere needs a Maggie & Rose!
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ROSE INTERVIEWS Asia Mackay
Support. No mother is an island. If she was, it’d be more like a sinking ship. Our children are aged two, four, six
grail for me so I cherish glitzy trainers, high-waisted jeans (no having to yank
and still feel present in my children’s
them up when clambering through a
lives is something I couldn’t do without
ball pit) and machine-washable yet
my husband and our nanny. It’s chaos.
stylish jumpers. Anything that makes you
And the most challenging thing about writing?
Even before you add two leg-humping,
still feel like you but can’t get trashed
yapping dogs to the mix. What helps
by sticky fingers and runny noses. I rely
Creating a believable underground
me manage, is starting the day early
on bronzer to help counteract that
world. ‘In Killing It’, a disused platform
(a choice the kids make for me, really)
deathly pale sheen of exhaustion. And
at
and
post-children-in-
if there’s even a little bit of sun, on come
assassination
bed celebratory Netflix sofa slump for
the sunglasses so I can try channel a
This novel was inspired by crawling across
branch of the security services, and all
writing on my laptop at the kitchen table.
look of off-duty celeb opposed to on-
my kids’ bedroom floor trying not to
the seemingly mundane things in life;
Every now and then, I might sit back and
duty knackered mum.
wake the baby… I thought if I had special
like tube delays, courier text messages
smugly toast myself with a green juice
ops training, I might mange to make it out
or junk mail – could actually be linked
for my awesomeness at fitting it all in,
of there. It sparked the idea of a secret
to high-stake life or death missions.
and that’s normally when it all falls
agent, who was also a new Mum, working
And woe betide anyone dismissing the
apart. I forget to pick up one of the kids
on missions of international importance
woman pushing a pram as ‘just a mum’!
from somewhere. A dog vomits on our
no run and no writing (just blank staring at social media/ caffeine/ chocolate/ googling of ‘why won’t kids sleep more’).
What was your writing inspiration?
a
London
headquarters
tube for
station
an
is
the
forgoing
the
and still trying to rush home in time for
bedroom floor. Microsoft Word crashes
A typical day is dependent upon how
bath time. I kept thinking about what
losing the edits that were finally perfect.
much sleep I’ve had. If my four kids have
juggling those two lives would be like... A
A daughter says ‘b . . . b . . but Mama
blessed me with a full night’s sleep, I
gun in the nappy bag… A breast pump
I’ve hardly seen you’. And all that can be
start the day with a smile, go for a run
being mistaken for a torture device…
done is bed with a box of Maltesers and
and try and think of any plot niggles
pretending formula was cocaine… One
a hope tomorrow will be better.
on the way. Once the rabble are at
evening I sat down and started writing
school/nursery, depending on other
and that very first paragraph is still the
work commitments, I will try and write all
opening to Killing It.
they’re in bed. If I’ve had little sleep, it’s
Functional and fashionable is the holy
fulfil my other work responsibilities
pretty much the same… Except no smile,
morning and then in the evening, once
What’s your go-to outfit/beauty secret to keep fashionable and looking fresh (even on zero sleep!) whilst looking after little ones?
and seven. To make writing deadlines,
Incredible author, Asia Mackay (who also happens to be one of our members!) to learn more about her inspiration behind her book, ‘Killing It’, a Bond-esque comedic thriller, which we are currently circulating in HQ as a must-read! Here she tells us more and how she juggles it all…
What does a typical day look like for you?
You have four children and a busy life, how do you juggle all this?
asia.mackay
What would be your advice for other working mums doing the same?
Don’t beat yourself up. You’re doing the best you can and if it weren’t for this pesky thing called ‘mum guilt’, everything would feel so much easier.
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PARENTING P PLATES Adeline talks learning and development become more engaged when they have an interest in what they are doing, so we must nurture that will, and provide the materials and the safe environment to allow children to progress.
Children grow and develop at their own rate and in their own way. We don’t want to put children into the same box and bring up copies of one another! So, by having an understanding of the different areas of child development, the ways in which your child likes to learn and motivating them through their interests, you can help them to develop, give them individuality, and above all, the drive to learn.
Play based learning
is where children choose to do things for their own reasons and in their own time. Play allows children to learn about the world around them, explore, create, problem solve, make mistakes, learn from them and achieve their own goals without pressure to perform. Children
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Social development
is about teaching children about values and them learning the skills that will enable them to relate to other people. These are skills that will be passed on to them via parents and caregivers. They will show an awareness of issues, social values and expectations and will also develop a knowledge of who they are. Role play is a great way of promoting social development and children taking part in team activities and games.
Physical development
is how babies and young children gain control of their bodies. It also refers to how they learn to use equipment and resources and how to keep active and take care of themselves. It takes time for a child to learn how
to sit up by themselves, crawl, then walk, skip, run and move around effectively. The brain is constantly adapting and helps develop a person’s awareness of space and their ability to go from one movement to another. They will develop fine motor skills (small movements and gestures with their hands) and gross motor skills (the big movements).
Intellectual development refers
to a child’s cognitive (mental development). How the brain grows. Children start to learn about their world through play, interactions with others and through their senses. This promotes their intellectual development which means that a child has the ability to think about and understand the world around them. They can also develop their imagination through role play and storytelling.
will develop at a different rate, but this should promote the process of speech, putting sentences together, responding to directions and turn taking, as well as understanding body language and the importance of non-verbal communication. Learning language is a life-long process but is extremely important in the first year. A lot of play will be a child repeating everyday activities and using ‘pretend play’ like holding up a telephone or cooking. This will help promote language used in everyday situations.
way. They will also be able to understand other people’s emotions. This will help them to build bonds, attachments and form friendships. When at home and out and about during your daily routine, try to encourage your child in these areas of development. Point and describe everyday objects to them, so that they start to recognise them in their world. They will learn the mathematical values of objects, from colour, shape, size and position
as well as recognising the formation or letters and numbers through a natural, holistic approach. The more you talk to your child and describe their every day actions and discoveries, the more they will learn from you.
.
Emotional development is where a child learns to distinguish between their emotions and know how to express them in an appropriate
Communication
refers to their language and the way they communicate with others. Each child
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MEMBER MOMENT
60 SECONDS WITH ANDREA... Fave New Find
I am a sucker for these ‘Secret Cinema’ events, there’s going to be one about James Bond this summer.
ANDREA Carnevali
about its geographical position, as it stands right next to the A4, a 6-lane carriageway which carries around 40,000 cars every day.
I
t all started from a tweet! When I saw our local MP, Ruth Cadbury, tweeting about Chiswick’s poor air quality, I couldn’t help writing back “you should come over and see my son and his friends at St Mary’s, playing right next to the A4”. Within minutes of my plea, Ruth Cadbury replied: “I’d love to come and visit”. And that was the beginning. My son is currently at St Mary’s Primary School in Chiswick. Even though I’m very pleased with the school itself, I’m slightly less happy
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St Mary’s was put on an official list by the Mayor of London as one of the 50 Most Polluted Schools in London (yes, there is such a list). A group of us parents arranged a meeting with the headteacher and Ruth to raise concerns. Two days later, Ruth was in Parliament telling Theresa May about the levels of pollution around the school, expressing our concerns. We built stmarysapg.org.uk, and started talking to experts, other schools, universities, professors, politicians, MPs, councillor, looking at ways to tackle the issue.
BEFORE
WHAT I'M READING
We found that the A4 is excluded from the plan for the forthcoming ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone), a scheme that was actually designed to cut pollution. On a positive note, we learnt that green walls can cut up to 40% of bad pollutants and Air purifiers up to 92%. We had a plan. We just needed to raise enough money to build a green wall, buy air purifiers and start a campaign to reduce traffic along the A4. Easier said than done. We set up our crowdfund page, spacehive.com/chiswickoasis with the idea of raising money for a green wall. This would not only clean up the air, but also revive the whole playground, which would be open on weekends for markets, fairs and events. The money earned from that
AFTER
Michelle Obama’s Bio... and so is everyone else apparently.
Ideal Date Night would go into the maintenance of the green wall itself. We called the project, ‘Chiswick Oasis’. With virtually no experience in crowdfunding, but just a lot of will, in 3 months we raised over £75,000. The Mayor of London awarded £32k to the project, as one of London’s best Civic Initiatives of 2018. Businesses all over Chiswick and beyond joined in support, including our very own Maggie & Rose (one of the first to come on board). We even had multiple celebrity endorsements, which really shone a spotlight on us. Soon, we had businesses knocking on our door wanting to be part of it, including Arup (our architects and designers), ANS Global (our green wall provider!), Airlight (awesome paint that cleans the air), and Enjoy Work from Chiswick Park Business Centre (providing manpower and pushing the leave your car at home initiative).
On top of this, in an effort to get parents to stop using their cars, we’re about to launch weekly competitions at St Mary’s, offering prizes to those who walk, cycle or use public transport. The plan is to organise a huge NO CARS DAY involving the school and businesses around Chiswick too! We’ll be organising a big launch for the opening of the ‘Chiswick Oasis’ in spring 2019 (tentatively May 11th). The idea is to create a model that other schools will be able to follow. The headline will be “One of the most polluted schools in London turns into one of the greenest”. gofundme.com/Chiswickoasis
I just love going to the cinema, I always have. Nothing beats a good movie, the joy of watching it and then discussing it afterwards.
Before I had a child I never thought I would... Put him first before everything else, including myself.
Mini Member Musings LUCAS, 6YRS MOST SCRUMMY MEAL
Pasta, ravioli or lasagne.
MY FAVOURITE THING TO DO IS... Going to Legoland!
MY BESTEST BOOK
It changes all the time. At the moment, ‘Nibbles’ is my favourite.
WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE...
Peter Pan! I don’t want to grow up so I’m trying to get some tips from Peter Pan!
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what dad says tim barber
A
s a frustrated physicist masquerading as a HR Manager, I never miss an opportunity to take the kids to the Science Museum. For the price of a suggested donation, it serves as a constant reminder that I never really studied hard enough during my A-Levels. Early career ambitions aside, it’s a great place to take inquisitive minds and see how the wonder of a full-scale rocket engine can make them forgot about Paw Patrol or Baby Sharks, for even just an hour. The amazing thing is, children are natural born scientists, explorers and learners. They have an innate
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curiosity about the world that need only be channelled, not discovered. Not sure? Every now and then just sit across the room from your little ones whilst they play. More often than not they are simply experimenting, trying to make sense of the world around them. What happens if I fill this with water? What happens if I put this square peg in this round hole? What happens if I put this fork in this plug socket (this is the point where you should step in). That’s why it is so important to nurture this desire to understand the world for as long as possible, keeping it natural and innate. Ultimately, trips to museums are just tactics that make the most of a desire to experiment that exists within them already.
we do what we can to fill their world with wonder. Let them bang the piano keys, let them build a tower of books, let them scribble outside the lines, let them drop an egg and see what happens! The very worst thing that will happen is you’ll be cleaning up yolk from the kitchen floor (not a big deal, I’m 31 and had to that for myself last week). The very best thing that can happen is that a spark flies in your little one’s mind, as one question is answered (I wonder what happens if I let go of this?) and a thousand more follow that need further study. Therein lies the beauty of a child’s mind - they want to learn, we just need to let them.
TIM’S TOP PICKS Science Museum
Whether it’s rockets and planets or medicine and microscopes, the Science Museum has it all! There’s even a little water play and sensory area in the basement for toddlers.
Natural History Museum
From creepy crawlies to blue whales, there’s plenty here to inspire awe in the world around us.
Londont Transport Museum
Learn about the history of getting around the capital! Kids can be a tube driver, build a tunnel and there’s even a mini play area for the really little ones.
Tate Modern
Often has interactive exhibitions and if nothing else, there’s plenty of space for the kids to run around!
I recently read a great book called ‘How Children Fail’ by John Holt, and over years of in class observations he makes a compelling case that our schools aren’t always the best place for cultivating this curiosity. Which makes it all the more important that
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the feature Green is the new Black: Singapore special
In our last issue, Maggie had us hooked hearing about her epic experiences in Singapore (if you didn’t catch the last issue, check it out on our website). And now, we’re even more excited as our club in Singapore’s Dempsey is set to open very soon!
W
hen it comes to Singapore, besides being a melting pot of cultures, with a whole host of incredible restaurants and cool hangout spots for the whole family to enjoy (including our very own Maggie & Rose), we love its green credentials! Did you know that back in 2016, Singapore was named the ecofriendliest place in Asia? And its reign as the queen of green continues! Since 1965, the Singapore government has had eco-living on the brain. Its aim: to create a ‘garden’ city, with a clean, sustainable environment for its population. And they are succeeding. Almost half of the city-state’s surface is covered with green spaces, buildings constructed using eco-materials are becoming the norm, eco-friendly initiatives such as living walls abound and lushly landscaped walkways are everywhere you look.
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And going green in Singapore starts from an early age. Little ones are taught all about the importance of protecting the environment both at home and school. Schools in Singapore have green initiatives, with curriculums full to the brim teaching the importance of sustainability and global concerns, giving kids, at both Singaporean and international schools, a globally conscious outlook,
despite the tiny size of the island (with just under 6 million inhabitants, Singapore packs some punch!). From April, we’ll be taking inspiration from what Singapore does best and be doing our bit for the environment too from our hangout in Dempsey. We’re looking forward to opening our (suitably retro) doors to classes, where mini-members will become
little eco-warriors, making crafts with recycled materials and learning all about ‘Rocking Recycling’. They’ll be playing outdoors in our play spaces amidst the jackfruit trees, and learning the basics of turning off lights and conserving water. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, we’ll be sticking to a healthy, seasonal menu (locally sourced where possible), full of plant-based options, using bamboo cutlery and plates and paying special attention to waste disposal. And you can even spot recycling in action in our club’s design and fit-out, with many of the club’s unique features reclaimed or locally sourced from right here on the island. A sneak peek; our supercool communal dining table’s iron frame is taken from railings found at an old 1950’s house in Bedok (which was set to be knocked down); we’ve got a vintage biscuit tin wall, inspired
by old-school Singaporean store, Biscuit King, reclaimed window and door frames (including our amazing big yellow front door!) and more Peranakan influences dotted around the club, all housed in an old ‘Black & White’ that has been
lovingly restored. It’s the ultimate ode to Singaporean nostalgia and recycling! So, with our newest, most tropical of clubs set to open any day now, we can’t wait to be doing our bit for the environment, going green in true Maggie & Rose style! Be sure to check out the epic offerings we’ve got lined up for little ones and grown-ups too, including all day dining against our lush jungle backdrop, a smoothieserving vintage food truck and a secret bunker Big Kids Den, to name but a few! For further information about Maggie & Rose Dempsey, check out our website: maggieandrose.com and maggieandrose. com/Singapore @maggieandrose @maggieandrosesg
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FOOD CORNER
oming in to Spring, the emphasis is usually on giving the house a good spring clean! But why shouldn’t we do our insides too after a lengthy and cold winter? We’ve long been working on testing and plating meat alternatives in our Clubs – doing our bit for the environment and our tummies! And this time of year is the best to get into summer eating habits early by making little changes here and there. We can start replacing our morning porridge with green juices, pasta-laden lunches with brown rice and quinoa, and meat-heavy suppers with pulses and packed with a surplus of veggies. Also – swapping out the mash on your Shepherd’s Pie with cauliflower and replacing half your mince in your bolognaise with lentils is a great, cheeky way of sneaking in more goodness for kids.
BEC DE YONG
the little powerhouses! Chickpeas, red kidney beans, lentils and black beans tend to be the best tolerated and can be used in so many ways – in quesadillas’, as mince replacements, nacho mix and curries! Not only that – the price difference in using more pulses vs meat is mind-blowing. Check out our great recipe for the whole family – a great Friday night feast!
Love, Becs x
A handful of cookbooks to check out! Leah Itsines ‘The Nourishing Cook’ Gizzi Erskine ‘Slow’ (we love her Planet Friendly Bolognaise!) Yottam Ottolenghi ‘Simple’
Macho Nachos Ingredients: - 2 sweet potatoes, cut into chip size - Sea salt + black pepper - Olive oil - 1/2 white onion, finely diced - 1 garlic clove, crushed - 2 pinches cayenne pepper - 1 tsp paprika - 400g tinned black beans - 1 avocado - Juice of 1/2 lime - 75g cheddar or mozzarella, grated - 2 tomatoes, diced
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How to make:
Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Arrange the sweet potato chips onto the tray and drizzle with olive oil, a pinch of the paprika, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and bake until crisp and brown, usually about 20-25mins, turning at least once during cooking. In a frying pan, add a dash of oil and fry the onion, spices and garlic for a few mins over medium heat, until the onions are softening. Stir in black beans and tomatoes and cook on low for a further few mins. Place avocado in a bowl and mash with the back of a fork. Add grated onion and lime juices. Arrange on a plate a layer of the sweet potato chips, and top with the black bean mix, grated cheese, and then guacamole.
Beans/pulses are something that we generally tend to avoid putting in front of our kids – but actually the little ones are pretty receptive of
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A YEAR FROM NOW, YOU’LL BE HAPPY YOU CAME
At COMO Hotels and Resorts, we want to enrich the journey you’re already on. By nourishing your curiosity, we leave no room to regret the opportunities you didn’t take. The doors you didn’t open. The experiences you didn’t embrace. Take time to be with family and friends. Find the space for your wellbeing on adventures to remember, in places you’ve never been, revealing depths you didn’t know existed.
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