Family First - Summer 2022 by Seven Star Media

FREE | SUMMER 2022

SUMMER STYLE: what’s hot in kids’ fashion

Inclusive sports for every child

HOW TO SPOT SWIFTS, SWALLOWS AND HOUSE MARTINS

Amazing outdoor

science experiments

Eat with the

seasons

save money and the planet

GEMMA AT K I N S O N on labour, motherhood and self-care

Building a happie r, he alt hie r famil y life s t yle

MAKING YOUR BABY'S FEED EASIER

∆

THIS SUMMER

ONE TAB = ONE SCOOP IMPORTANT NOTICE: Breastfeeding is best. Follow-on milk should only be used as part of a mixed diet and not as a breastmilk substitute before 6 months. Use on the advice of a healthcare professional. ∆Easier to prepare than powdered formulations. Always follow preparation instructions. Winner Formula Milk Category. Survey 9.897 People in UK & ROl by Kantar.

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Contents

50 Summer style notes FASHION

60 Mindful New

Mum – BOOK EXCERPT

74 On the go –

BUGGY REVIEW

GREAT OUTDOORS

Welcome

10 Editor’s picks

12 Soaring superstars –

The Wildlife

Trusts

88 Slam dunk – We

Are Girls in Sport

FAMILY FEATURES

26 Outdoor science fun

92 All you need to know about boccia

32 Time to find ‘you’

GET COOKING

Gemma Atkinson

66 Summer recipes for hungry tummies

–

The DadLab

again – Interview with

37 S is for sustainable 44 The impact of lost learning

TR AVEL

88 18 Time for a new

adventure –

80 5 ways to get your kids playing golf

100 Let’s go to... Shropshire

Girlguiding

SPORT 4 ALL

78 Making a splash

12 F a m i l y F i r s t.c o .u k

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Welcome

This issue we’re speaking to...

otice anything different in this issue? Family First has had a redesign! We are still covering a wide range of parenting and lifestyle topics, with plenty of inspiration to help you enjoy the summer with your family, but with a fresh new look. We hope you like it! From fun sports your kids will love to try and delicious yet nutritious summer recipes to top travel tips, we have got you covered for a fun-packed summer.

mum of one, actress, author and broadcaster Gemma Atkinson

Wishing you all a happy and healthy summer, Georgina

We’re learning about...

COVER CREDITS: Cover Photographer: David Cummings Executive Editor: Lee Gatland Art Director:

Richard Hejsak Editor:

We’re doing...

outdoor science experiments with TheDadLab

Georgina Probert georgina@sevenstarmedia.co.uk Sales Team: 01959 543 650 sales@sevenstarmedia.co.uk Published by SEVEN STAR MEDIA LTD 184 Main Road, Biggin Hill, Westerham, Kent Tel: 01959 543659 sevenstarmedia.co.uk

Disclaimer: Family First is published bi-annually (twice per annum) by Seven Star Media Ltd. No part of Family First may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted to any form without permission. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Seven Star Media Ltd, and are included to provide advice only. No content is a substitute for professional medical advice. During printing, images may be subject to a 15% variation. © Copyright of content belongs to individual contributors with the magazine copyright belonging to Seven Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Please either keep this magazine for future reference, pass it on for somebody else to read, or recycle it.

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swifts, swallows and martins with The Wildlife Trusts

We’re playing... Boccia - what is it and how do you play it?

We’re eating...

100

Fruit and Veg Ice Lollies by Annabel Karmel

We’re going...

glamping in the stunning county of Shropshire

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MAKING YOUR BABY'S FEED EASIER

∆

THIS SUMMER

ONE TAB =

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Breastfeeding is best. Follow-on milk should only be used as part a healthcare professional. ∆Easier to prepare than powdered formulations. Always follow prep

ONE SCOOP

t of a mixed diet and not as a breastmilk substitute before 6 months. Use on the advice of paration instructions. Winner Formula Milk Category. Survey 9.897 People in UK & ROl by Kantar.

TH I N GS WE LOVE - SUMMER 2022

Jungle fever WALL SAUC E .COM

ring the exotic sights of the jungle’s flora and fauna into your children’s bedrooms with this Kids Jungle Wallpaper Mural designed by Kikki Belle. Featuring trees, plants and beautifully bright birds, it is sure to brighten up any room. Kids Jungle Wallpaper Mural by Kikki Belle, from £35/m2, Wallsauce.com (wallsauce.com)

E D I TO R ’S

picks

The must-have products we won’t be without this summer

DON’T GET CAUGHT SHORT POTE T TE

t may not be the most exciting product, but the trusty Potette has saved us from many an urgent toilet disaster. Compact, light and portable, the Potette is great for long (and short) car journeys, as well as outdoor adventures. Potette, from £16.99 (potette.co.uk)

Happy fam ilies

OH HE LLO M AKE R

esigned for crafty kids aged 5+, this Mini Maker kit contains everything you need to create your very own peg doll family. Kids will love painting on the clothes, adding bows and scarves and creating expressions to the faces. ‘Mini’ Maker, £10, Oh Hello Maker (ohhellomaker.com)

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Sun safe & sustainable FRUGI

ith the coast right on its doorstep, Cornishbased Frugi has a wealth of inspiration when it comes to swimwear. We love it’s latest range of beach-inspired sustainable swimwear that will protect your kids from harmful UV rays, are made from recycled materials and has three super-cool designs. Sun Safe Set, £34, Frugi (welovefrugi.com)

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Get creative OLIVE & PIP

udding fashion designers step up. Olive & Pip have launched DIY kids’ t-shirts. How better to allow your children to explore their own style than by letting them design their clothes. Simply upload their drawing and Olive & Pip will create a unique t-shirt in their choice of colour. Design Your Own T Shirt, £19.99, Olive & Pip (oliveandpip.co.uk)

Put a stamp on it STA MP TA STIC

ho hates sewing or ironing on name labels to school uniform? These personalised name stamps will make labelling uniform a breeze. Choose the name, font and icon (there are loads to pick from) you’d like and then get stamping! Personalised Name Stamp, £11, Stamptastic (stamptastic.co.uk)

THE GOOD OLD DAYS BANWOOD

arents love a bit of nostalgia and Banwood bikes take us back to long hot summers spent riding around on our bikes without a care in the world. Timeless Scandi design and durable materials combine as the perfect nostalgic purchase that our kids are sure to love too. Bicycles, £290; Balance bikes, £149; Scooters, £119; Trikes, £149; Helmets, £39, Banwood (banwood.com/en)

I SPY... BUILD YOUR OWN

his new DIY kit will provide kids aged 8+ and their families with hours of fun. Using sustainable cardboard, Build Your Own Binoculars are easy to assemble using slot-together techniques. Once made, they can be used to observe and enjoy birds and wildlife with 6x magnification. Build Your Own Binoculars, £19.99, Build Your Own (buildyourownkits.com)

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Carry the love PA STIC HE BAGS

s your kids get older, you might not want a huge changing bag, but you still end up carrying tissues, snacks, drinks and everything but the kitchen sink. The calfskin leather handbags from Pastiche are deceptively large, have so many handy pockets, are ergonomically designed and can even be inscribed with a personalised message. B Bag, £195, Pastiche Bags (pastichebags.co.uk)

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Soaring

S U P E R S TA R S

Photo: Common swift | © David Tipling/2020VISION

Tom Hibbert of The Wildlife Trusts introduces us to some high-flying birds and explains how we can help them when they visit in the spring and summer.

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Photo: Swift | © Nick Upton

Fun fact

Swifts are black birds with long, slender wings that sweep backwards like a boomerang. They spend the winter in southern Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. They leave their return journey quite late and don’t get back to the UK until the end of April or May to start breeding. Swifts are some of the most skilled fliers in the world. Scientists have discovered that they can go at least ten months without ever landing. Almost everything swifts need to do to survive, they can do in the sky. They eat as they fly by catching insects that are swept high into the air. Surprisingly, it’s not just flying insects that they find – they also eat spiders that drift up on strands of silk. They even drink in flight, either by swooping low over lakes and rivers to scoop up water or by catching raindrops in the air. But most impressively, they actually sleep whilst they’re flying. The only reason swifts need to land is to nest – you can’t lay an egg in the sky! They make their nests in holes high up in buildings, where they are tucked away out of sight. When the eggs hatch, the adults go out and collect insects to bring back and feed to the chicks. They squish all the insects they gather into a ball in the back of their throat, then spit it out for their young to eat. Swifts have an excited, screaming call that they give as they swoop through the air. You can often hear it late in the day, above towns and cities as flocks of them race around together. Sadly, our swifts are in trouble. Modern buildings don’t have as many holes in them as old buildings do, so the swifts struggle to find places to nest. Luckily, we can help them by putting up special swift nestboxes or even building swift nesting spaces into the walls of new houses.

Scientists have discovered that they can go at least ten months without ever landing

very spring and summer, our skies are filled with some incredibly impressive birds. They swoosh and soar high above us, chasing flying insects to snack on or to take back to their nest to feed to their hungry chicks. Unlike most birds you see, they rarely stop to perch. They are aerial experts, masters of the sky. But who are these fabulous flying visitors? We’re talking about swifts, swallows and martins! Swallows and martins are closely related, part of the same family of birds, called hirundines. But, despite their appearance, swifts aren’t closely related to these birds at all (they’re actually more closely related to hummingbirds), but they’re often grouped together because they share the same high-flying lifestyle. They are all summer visitors, coming to the UK to nest and raise their young. In autumn, they head south in search of warmer weather – there aren’t enough insects for them to eat here in winter. They fly all the way to Africa, though not all to the same place. We only have a few months to enjoy their company, so let’s meet them.

Swift

SWIFTS

“Swifts actually sleep whilst they’re flying” Photo: Swift | © Stefan Johannson

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Photo: Swallows | © Margaret Holland

“You’re most likely to see swallows in the countryside”

SWALLOWS

Photo: Swallow | © Chris Gomersall/2020VISION

Swallows, or barn swallows as they’re often known, have a creamy-white belly, a glossy blue back and a red face. They have shorter wings than a swift and two long, thin tail streamers. Swallows spend the winter as far away as South Africa – over 6,000 miles from the UK! Despite being farther away, they arrive back much sooner than swifts, usually in early April. You’re most likely to see swallows in the countryside, over lakes and reservoirs, or around farmland. They nest in buildings like barns, stables or rarely used sheds – they just need a hole to fly in and out, like a broken window or open door. They build a little nest cup out of mud and grass, usually resting on top of a ledge. It can take 5-12 days to build a nest, so swallows will often come back to the same nest each year instead of building a new one.

HOUSE

“House martins build their nests under the eaves of houses”

MARTINS House martins have a snowy white belly and glossy blue back, with a bright white patch on the rump. We still don’t know much about where our house martins spend the winter, but they’re thought to travel to West Africa. They usually return to the UK in April, a little later than the swallows. House martins tend to nest in villages, towns and cities. You may not even need to leave home to spot one. They build their nests under the eaves of houses, sculpting them with pellets of sticky mud they gather from the ground. Just like swallows, they’ll save time by reusing an old nest – though it usually needs a bit of repair work doing first. House martins like to have company, so there are usually a few pairs nesting close together. Suitable buildings will often have around five nests on them, but in some places there can be hundreds of pairs of house martins in a colony. You might also find them nesting on bridges or cliffs.

Photo: House martin nest © Margaret Holland

Photo: House martin © Dawn Monrose

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How you can help

Photo: Sand martin © Margaret Holland

SAND MARTINS Photo: Sand martin © Margaret Holland

Sand martins are greyish brown on the back and white on the belly, with a brown band stretching across the top of their breast like a little collar. They are one of the first birds to return to the UK from Africa each spring, arriving in March and early April. You’re most likely to find a sand martin near You’re most likely water. They use their to find a sand beak and feet to dig a martin near burrow in a riverbank or water. They use sandy cliff, then make a their beak and feet nest at the end of it. The to dig a burrow burrow can be up to 1m in a riverbank or (3.2ft) long. Sand martins sandy cliff also like to nest in colonies, with lots of pairs digging their burrows in the same bank. They often hunt for insects over lakes, rivers and reservoirs.

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Did you k now?

Our soaring superstars are in trouble. Swifts and house martins have just been added to the UK Red List, which means scientists are worried about there being fewer of them about. Two of the biggest problems are that their insect food is getting harder to find and there are fewer places for them to nest. Luckily, there are things we can do to help with both of these problems. We’ve already mentioned swift nestboxes that you can add to buildings, but what about house martins? You can buy special nest-boxes just for them, which you attach to the side of your house. But house martins are pretty good at making their own nest and all they really need is some fresh mud. You can help them by making a muddy patch in your garden. Then any house martins in the area can visit to fetch building materials to make the perfect home. You could create a bog garden with mud and special plants, a little muddy patch, or even just a dish or tray full of mud. As you make your mud patch, why not have a go at sculpting a little nest cup of your own? See how your skills compare to a house martin! To make sure there’s plenty of food for them to feed their chicks, we have to do all we can to encourage insects to thrive. We need to let gardens and green spaces grow wild, with lots of plants to attract pollinators. By taking action for insects, we can help our soaring superstars succeed. You can find more facts and ways to help swifts, swallows and martins at wildaboutgardens.org.uk

For more information about The Wildlife Trusts, visit: wildlifetrusts.org

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SUN’S OUT BRIOCHE OUT! Good food is a good mood.

Steak & Chimmichurrii

Chorizo Rocket Rolls

Classic Hot Dogs

Pesto & Mozzar e

lla

BAKING LIFE’S SPECIAL MOMENTS

Summer is about happiness, relishing every moment and eating food with friends! Make this summer one to remember with our tasty treats, perfect for every occasion, on-the-go and as a quick snack.

DISCOVER MORE

For more information, please visit our website:

www.briochepasquier.com

Explore our unique recipe ideas using our delicious Brioche Pasquier products to create meals, snacks, canapes and desserts with ease.

G R E AT O U T D O O R S - SUM ME R 2022

TIME FOR A NEW

a dvent ure Adventurer, author and Girlguiding ambassador Anna McNuff explains why being in the great outdoors with your friends is great fun and good for you.

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he countless lockdowns of the past few years might be starting to fade into memory for some, but I can still vividly remember how spending time outdoors felt so precious back then. Those one or two walks a day among nature helped us all to stay positive and maintain a sense of wellbeing through turbulent times – and the same is still true today. The leading charity for girls and young women, Girlguiding, found that 62% of girls aged 4-18 had a greater appreciation for being outdoors and in nature after the last lockdown, and the girls said that it helped them feel ‘happy and well’ through the pandemic. It seems that being among friends is as important as being among nature, because the research also found that taking part in group activities and youth clubs helped girls to cope. Being part of Girlguiding during the pandemic made them feel more connected and less lonely (65%) and supported their mental health and wellbeing (47%). As a former Rainbow, Brownie and Guide, all of this comes as no surprise to me. I used to love hanging out in nature, getting messy and muddy outside or going to my local community hall for weekly meetings with friends. There was always new challenges to take on, skills to learn and the joy of picking which badge to work towards next.

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Oh, the sweet satisfaction of finally getting that prized piece of material and sewing it (likely very badly…) onto my sash. I had a lot of my first adventure experiences through Girlguiding and used to love going camping most of all. Nothing beats toasting marshmallows around a campfire (which you’ve helped make), laughing, singing at the top of your lungs and then spending the night under the stars in a tent that you’ve only just learned how to put up!

“I had a lot of my first adventure experiences through Girlguiding”

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Girlguiding is still offering just as many opportunities for adventures now, from Rainbows as young as four years old right up to 18-year-old Rangers. In fact, it was the belief that we should all make time to go on adventures that inspired my book 100 Adventures to Have Before You Grow Up, which contains plenty of ideas for fun in the outdoors, lots of which can be done within Girlguiding (see page 45 for a full book review). Although I’ve changed a lot since my first adventures (but definitely not yet grown up), Girlguiding’s vision of empowering girls and young women to be the best they can be and to face the challenges of life as a youngster hasn’t. They have moved with the times though. And, more than 100 years since the organisation was founded, it has continued to evolve its badge programme. In 2018, a new programme was launched, and with 800 badges and activities to choose from, there are some real gems like mindfulness, inventing, speaking out and vlogging, dancing, storytelling, first aid and coding. All in all, there’s something for every girl and I wish I

Girlguiding is still offering just as many opportunities for adventures now, from Rainbows as young as four years old right up to 18-year-old Rangers

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“Being among friends is as important as being among nature” Lastly, as part of a global movement, Girlguiding offers members the chance to join in on amazing international adventures too. Girls and volunteers can trek abroad with their local unit, join an international social action project or represent girls at a global seminar. There are opportunities big, small and suitable for all ages – including lots of life-changing opportunities for volunteers. Happy Adventuring!

To find out more information about Girlguiding, register your daughter’s interest or learn more about the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides or Rangers units in your local area, you can visit girlguiding.org.uk/ information-for-parents/registeryour-daughter/

Did you k now?

could hop in a time machine and take these badges back to when I was a nipper! And if the girls want to try out new activities in and around working towards their badges – like canoeing, abseiling, archery and zip-lining, they can do that at Girlguiding’s five activity centres across the UK. Plus, there’s a catalogue of festivals and events, cinema screenings, sports matches and much more, all exclusively for members every year.

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The adaptable kids bike Investing in a bike for children that will only last them a few months isn’t something any of us want to do. That’s why at Frog Bikes, we’re always seeking ways to improve our bikes, to make them more durable, easier to maintain, and capable of adapting as our children grow so that they last even longer!

LITTLE CHANGES MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE Frog bikes have been designed so that many of the features can be easily replaced or adapted to meet the needs of the child for a little while longer, as they grow. 1

Adjustable saddles, brake levers and handlbars - to adapt the seating position and reach to suit growing arms, legs and hands or a change in riding style. Replaceable handlebars, handlebar stems and pedals - to accommodate a change in riding style or growth spurt. Headset spacers and handlebar stem riser - to raise the handlebars when children grow to allow for the most comfortable and efficient riding position. Versatile rims - to accommodate a range of tyres for different riding styles as children grow with confidence.

KEEPING IT UNIVERSAL Although at Frog Bikes we choose child-specific components that are optimized for the frame of the bicycle and the size of the child, these components are universal sizes and can easily be replaced. They really are bikes that your child can grow with! So hop on a Frog bike today! To find your local Frog stockist visit

www.frogbikes.com/stores

YOUR GUIDE TO

TOYS, GAMES & PLA

Download your free e-copy of our n

CLICK HERE! HERE!

O THE LATEST:

AY IDEAS FOR KIDS

new Summer 2022 toy guide - enjoy!

https://bit.ly/3ytn161

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Outdoor

SCIENCE FUN TheDadLab founder and father of two, Sergei Urban, shares some fantastic outdoor activities to entertain the kids while learning about science along the way.

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s a parent, it’s common to find yourself in a rut and doing the same activities with your children. But I am always looking for new ways to entertain my kids with activities that are both fun and educational at the same time. I’ve always been keen to experiment and try new things, and so, together with my children Alex (10) and Max (8), we tried and tested a whole host of fun activities to share with other families on social media. As a busy dad, I look for things I can do with items we already have around the home. This way, we can quickly do something without much need for planning. Here are three of my favourite outdoor projects.

E X PL A I N E R

This is a great start to learning about rivers, the water cycle, and even flooding – if your foil river collapses at one side, for example. It can also be a useful aid to discuss gravity and how a steeper gradient will lead to a faster flowing river – or even a waterfall.

STEP 2

FOLLOW THE EXPERIMENT: https://bit.ly/thedadlabff9

Step by step:

2. 3. 4.

STEP 1

To make your river, roll out a long strip of tin foil. . Turn up the edges and ends to keep the water contained. Fill your river with water – you can use a garden hose, a bucket or a jug. Next, get a small square of paper and a toothpick. Carefully pierce the paper at one side, then thread it through and pierce the paper again to make a sail. Take a milk bottle lid and a small amount of plasticine. Roll the plasticine into a ball and press it into the lid. Now, attach your sail. Put this to one side. Finally, sail your boat down your river and observe what it does. Whose boat will win the race?

STEP 5

STEP 6

E X PE R IM E N T 1 T I N FO I L R I V E R You can learn so much just by observing water – and it’s loads of fun too! Most kids love water play, whether it’s splashing in the bathtub, playing in a paddling pool or jumping waves at the beach. Kids who love water will love the Tin Foil River activity. All you need is a gentle slope, a roll of tin foil and some water, and you can have a river in your own back garden. Although this activity is best on warmer days, there’s no reason why you can’t do this at any time of year as long as you wrap up warm.

STEP 3

STEP 4

What you need:

Tin foil Paper Scissors Toothpicks Water Milk bottle lids BluTack or plasticine

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“Insects are a fantastic way to show kids the wonders of the natural world”

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E X PE R IM E N T 2 C H A N G I N G A N T S’ C O LOU R S Insects are a fantastic way to show kids the wonders of the natural world. When sharing our Earth with your children, sometimes the littlest of things have the biggest impact. With a fascinating way of living and moving, ants are an excellent gateway into developing a love of nature. With this ant colour-changing experiment, children will be in awe at the influence they can have on these miniature beings.

Step by step: 1.

2. 3.

Put one heaped teaspoon of sugar in each glass. Add a small amount of warm water. Stir each glass – you might need to use the end of the teaspoon if your glasses are really small.

STEP 7

STEP 4 STEP 1

STEP 8

STEP 5

What you need:

3 small glasses Sugar Warm water 3x food colouring Water Pipette Magnifying glass 4.

STEP 2

6. 7.

Add a few drops of food colouring to each glass, making sure you use a different colour for each one. Stir the mixture, being careful not to mix the colours. Gather your pipette and your solutions and head outside. Find a clean surface (a small whiteboard is ideal) and use the pipette to add a drop of each colour sugar solution onto it.

Use the magnifying glass to observe what happens to the ants. Do you see their abdomens grow and take on the colour of the sugar solution?

E X PL A I N E R

Ants’ abdomens are semi-transparent, so you will be able to see them gain colour as they sip the solution. If you’ve ever spilt a sweet drink in summer, you’ll likely have noticed ants feasting on it. Ants like sugar for a few reasons. First, they need energy from carbohydrates, and sugar provides them with a lot of energy very quickly. When ants eat sugar, they don’t have to work hard to get their calories. Thanks to their antennae and sense of smell, they’re really good at knowing where their food is, so it won’t take long for them to find your sugar solutions. FOLLOW THE EXPERIMENT: https://bit.ly/thedadlabff10

STEP 3

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STEP 6

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Step by step:

E X PE R IM E N T 3 MAKE A S I M PLE K I T E

Flying a kite is an exhilarating experience – and even more so when you make it yourself. Children get such a sense of accomplishment and pride when they see something they’ve made take flight. There are so many benefits to flying a kite: it’s an active activity that teaches you how to adapt quickly to a situation. Children will love to spend an afternoon making their own kites and trying them out in the garden.

Take one piece of paper and fold it in half. Position it so that the folded edge is horizontal and nearest to you. Roughly find the centre of this fold with your fingers and mark it with a small pencil line.

STEP 7

STEP 4 STEP 8

STEP 1

6. 7.

STEP 5

What you need:

2 pieces of paper Pencil Stapler Thread Scissors

8. 3.

STEP 2

Then, find the centre point between the left side and the line you’ve just drawn (this will be about one-quarter of the folded edge length). Mark this with a pencil line again. Now, open up one side of the folded paper and bring the corner to the line you’ve just drawn (the quarterdistance line). Hold it in place. Do the same with the other side, then staple them all together.

STEP 6

STEP 3

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Next, go back to the first line you drew and add a staple. Grab your reel of thread and tie it to the staple you’ve just made. This is the hardest part as it can be a bit fiddly. Trim any excess thread. Put your kite to one side. Take another piece of paper and trim off the end. Fold it in half.

STEP 9

Make cuts from the folded edge to the top – but don’t cut all the way! 10. Open it up, then tear alternate sides. This will create your kite’s tail. Be careful where you’re tearing otherwise, you’ll have to start again.

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11. Staple your tail on the bottom of your kite and it’s ready to fly.

E X PL A I N E R

STEP 11

This activity is a great learning opportunity, as children can explore why kites fly and what makes them fly better. Anything that flies experiences a number of physical forces. These include lift, drag, thrust and weight. Different stages are at play when flying a kite – just like there are in an aeroplane. These stages are release, launch, climb and cruise. You can spend all afternoon experimenting with different kite-flying techniques. Why not see if you can make a few kites and experiment with their shape a little to see which works best?

We hope these activities will inspire you to explore more art and science projects with your family. TheDadlab (thedadlab.com) is a trusted resource for STEAM and art activities for young children and their parents. You can watch these experiments and more on TheDadLab YouTube channel (youtube.com/c/thedadlab).

STEP 12

@TheDadLab

FOLLOW THE EXPERIMENT: https://bit.ly/thedadlabff11

STEP 13

STEP 10

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All photos unless otherwise stated: David Cummings

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“My body hasn’t gone anywhere. It changed to do this wonderful, incredible thing”

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Time to find ‘ YO U ’ AGAI N

Actress, author and fitness expert, Gemma Atkinson speaks to Georgina Probert about why her traumatic labour, changing post-partum body and experiences as a first-time mum led her to launch a new health and fitness book specifically for new mothers.

ecoming a mum for the first time is a huge lifestyle change, even more so when you are in the public eye and are expected to ‘bounce back’, be the best mum and keep your career on track. For actress and radio broadcaster Gemma Atkinson, giving birth to her daughter Mia was a life-changing experience in so many ways, and becoming a mum has helped her to appreciate her strength, maternal instincts and enjoy time with her family.

“We need energy when we’ve got little ones running around” First gracing our TV screens as a budding teenage actress in 2001, as Lisa Hunter in Hollyoaks – a role she briefly reprised this year – Gemma’s career has gone from strength to strength, including starring in Emmerdale, Casualty and Holby City,

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I’m A Celeb, Celebrity Masterchef and Strictly Come Dancing (where she met her fiancé Gorka Marquez), as well as roles in films and on stage. She also presents the drive time slot on the Hits Radio Network. In 2018 she released her first book The Ultimate Body Plan, which aims to empower women to get fitter and stronger and feel comfortable in their own skin. Since becoming a mum to daughter Mia in 2019, Gemma wanted to share her experiences and feelings around labour and those first few weeks and months of motherhood. Her new book, The Ultimate Body Plan for New Mums, builds on the same principles of her first fitness book, but with a focus on new mums and the hurdles they might face. While the book offers a 12-week fitness and nutrition plan, Gemma is keen to stress that it is not about getting your body back. “After having Mia, a lot of people asked me, ‘Are you going to get your body back?’ It was really infuriating, because my body hasn’t gone anywhere. It changed to do this wonderful, incredible thing. It hasn’t disappeared, I don’t need to get it back,” she says.

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She has also included recipes that can be prepared the night before like the cinnamon & fig overnight oats. “Since I’ve had Mia, I literally eat out of tupperware because for me it’s the quickest, most convenient way. I batch cook our food, freeze it and take it out the night before work. I can do overnight oats for tomorrow morning, so I know in the morning I can just grab my food and go. It’s all about convenience, but still nutritious and healthy food. Nothing that’s going to make you crash afterwards. We need energy when we’ve got little ones running around.”

Are you ready?

“Without doubt, I would 100% go through childbirth again if it meant having another little human in the world with us”

Gemma gave birth to her daughter Mia in June 2019 © Shutterstock.com/Steve Vas/ Featureflash Photo Agency

For Gemma, eating well and exercising post-partum was about “feeling like I did before I fell pregnant.” She adds: “I think that the most important thing is how you feel, because looking great in a bikini is all well and good, but if you’re miserable, what’s the point?”

You are what you eat

The Ultimate Body Plan for New Mums has 75 nutritious and easy-to-make recipes that are based on ingredients that Gemma reached for as a new mum. She explains: “For me, it’s all about convenience. Because the last thing you need as a new mum is to create a recipe that takes 40 minutes to prep the veg and then a further 40 minutes to cook – you just haven’t got the time.”

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Official guidance from the NHS is that women who have given birth should wait for six weeks before doing high-impact exercise and longer if you have had a c-section. Gemma’s advice is to take your time and start slow. “If you go in with guns blazing, you’re not going to do yourself any favours in the long run,” she advises. Gemma also believes that walking is the most “underrated exercise for anybody.” Walking with the pram was the first thing she started doing after having Mia. She adds that walking is great for mums’ mental health and can give them the confidence to take the steps into exercising in a gym, exercising with a trainer or joining a class. For example, she suggests starting with three walks per week, around 30 minutes each, with the baby in the pram or strapped to you in a carrier. “The mental benefits from that will put you in good steed. It is just a case of building up slowly and don’t overstrain yourself. But also don’t discredit what you’ve done in growing and birthing a human” she says. Gemma waited until 15 weeks post-partum before she started training in the gym. She focused on nutrition and self care in those early weeks with a newborn and waited until she felt ready to go back to training. “I officially could start training after 12 weeks, but I just didn’t want to. I was so in awe of this little bubble I was in that I thought I can always go back to training when I’m ready. I was taking care of myself through food and rest and just bonding with Mia.” Her new Baby Steps Body Plan has been created with Gemma’s personal trainer Olly Foster, and has been specially designed for women who want to get back into exercise after having a baby. It could also be used for anyone who wants a gentle introduction to fitness. There’s a combination of short strength training and cardio/abs/core workouts, as well as advice on how to track your progress in a mindful way and the importance of taking a rest, too.

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The importance of self care

As Gemma shares in her book, taking time for yourself as a new mum can be difficult. She found taking pleasure in small luxuries really helped. “It was little things for me like doing a body scrub and having a bath with Epsom salts. Or just lighting a candle and sitting in bed reading a book with a herbal tea. It’s about creating a little environment that you know is your safe haven.” Aside from being good for her health and wellbeing, an added benefit of Gemma’s healthy lifestyle and exercise regime is being a role model for her daughter, who likes to watch her mummy in the gym. “Mia will lift something and say, ‘Look at my muscles Mummy’. She loves that kind of thing,” laughs Gemma. And there’s no pressure to follow in her parents’ footsteps to train or be a dancer. “If she wasn’t into fitness, that’s absolutely fine. As long as she’s mindful of her health, that’s all I’m interested in. I just hope that by us making good choices with nutrition, exercise and rest that she’ll follow suit.” As many parents of toddlers know, they can go through stages of being fussy eaters. And even Gemma has suffered through what she calls the “beige food”

phase. “Mia’s a really good eater, but she did go through a phase where all she wanted was pasta and rice and chips. She’s come out of it now and will literally try anything we’re eating.”

Sharing her story

As well as the 12-week exercise and nutrition plan, in The Ultimate Body Plan for New Mums, Gemma gives us an insight into her birth story and how she felt during those early days as a first-time mum. Mia’s birth was far from straightforward and Gemma says that it felt both stressful and empowering to go back over it all and put pen to paper. “I think half of you wants to forget about that experience. Because if I did remember it vividly, it would put me off having children again. On the other hand, you want to remind yourself of what you went through and how you got through it. For a long time after I remember saying, ‘It’s awful and there’s no way I can go through this again.’ But now, without doubt, I would 100% go through childbirth again if it meant having another little human in the world with us.” As a final question, we asked Gemma: if you could go back in time, what do you wish someone had told you before you had a child? “Probably that I’d be a good mum and I would surprise myself as soon as I had my baby. Because I wasn’t ever maternal. Before I met Gorka, I always thought I’d be on my own with five or six dogs. And that, for me, was more than enough. But as soon as I had Mia my maternal instinct was there.” The Ultimate Body Plan for New Mums by Gemma Atkinson, RRP £16.99, Headline Home (headline. co.uk).

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is for

s u st a i n a b l e Do you and your family want to live more sustainably, but don’t know where to start? Joanne Roach, founder of The Foodies Books and The Little Foodies Club, explains why eating with the seasons is good for the planet and your wallet.

f eating seasonally makes you think of posh chefs on TV waxing lyrical about fancy vegetables, you might be surprised to know that seasonal food is actually a really down-to-earth way of being more sustainable. It can also cost less, taste better and help your kids to eat their veggies!

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“Because food grown in season needs less light, heat and transport, it usually costs less”

Save the planet

Seasonal food just means food that’s grown and picked in the natural climate conditions it evolved to thrive in, so it usually uses less artificial light and heat, or transport from warmer places. If we try to buy more of our food in season we can make achievable but significant contributions every time we shop. We can still buy our favourites out of season by As summer fades to choosing frozen or autumn you’ll find canned.

Did you k now?

more winter squashes like butternuts and pumpkins, plus you can pick raspberries and blackberries, and later tree fruits like plums, apples and pears

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Save money

Because food grown in season needs less light, heat and transport, it usually costs less. Have you winced at the price tag on a courgette in January? Me too, but in September gardeners literally give them away. You can usually buy discounted seasonal food at the end of the day in shops or markets, and freeze it for times when it would cost more.

Save your taste buds

Ever eaten a strawberry straight from a farm or garden in June and had the sweet juice drip down your chin? How does it compare to a pale strawberry in the fridge in December? Lots of foods are tastier when they are harvested at the time that nature designed for them. If you have children who are picky with fruit and veg, they’re more likely to have a second nibble if the food is at its best.

“Strawberries, blueberries, cherries and gooseberries are juicy in June”

Save the dinner time arguments

There’s nothing more demoralising than nagging your kids to try their veggies at dinner. Why not use the gimmick of seasonal foods to help your children explore foods away from the table? Let them take a seasonal list to the shops and choose one or two seasonal foods to explore each week. They can choose it, wash it, chop or peel it, handle and smell it, and talk about how it looks, feels and smells. If they want to try a nibble and talk about how it tastes and feels, brilliant. But if they don’t want to taste, they have still had a positive interaction with a new food, which will build their confidence for the future. You could also rope your kids in to planning one meal a week where all the main ingredients are in season – and they can practice their reading skills finding recipes.

Save this seasonal list

The summer brings a bounty of delicious seasonal foods. Strawberries, blueberries, cherries and gooseberries are juicy in June, as well as new green crops like peas, spinach and broad beans. In July, August and September, warm climate crops like courgettes, peppers, sweetcorn, cucumber and tomatoes are cheap and delicious, as well as green beans and lush salads. As summer fades to autumn, you’ll find more winter squashes like butternuts and pumpkins, plus you can pick raspberries and blackberries, and later tree fruits like plums, apples and pears. For a free list of seasonal foods each month go to thefoodies.org/seasonal-food-tips

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Save the shopping

There’s nothing more seasonal than something you grow and harvest yourself! Growing something to eat also really helps children to understand where food comes from. Salads and herbs are a great quick windowsill crop and the seeds cost much less than buying salads from the shops. Plus you just snip off what you need, so no more slimy wasted leaves in the bottom of the fridge. Another fun project is growing peashoots (don’t buy fancy seed, just use cheap dried marrowfat peas from the supermarket). Simply sow a handful really close together in a recycled empty fruit punnet or takeaway container and a bit of soil. Children can snip the curling tips off to nibble, or put them on a salad to make it look fancy! Growing food really feels like magic and helps children to understand how much effort and time goes into the foods they eat, which in turn helps them to be less wasteful with food and appreciate nature’s wonder. Joanne Roach is the owner and creator of The Foodies Books and The Little Foodies Club, monthly parcels of seasonal food games, gardening, cooking and tasting. Find out more at thefoodies.org and thelittlefoodiesclub. co.uk The Foodies Books are a series of 12 illustrated stories from the veggie patch featuring seasonal fruit and veg characters for

children aged under eight. They are £2.99 each or £29.99 for the whole set. Family First readers can get £5.00 off the full set with the code FAMILYFIRST. Purchase the books from thefoodiesbooks.com/shop/books/

Toys not trash

Buying toys second hand or passed down is a great way to reuse toys that already exist. If you are buying new toys, try to buy from brands that sell toys that are designed from the beginning to be true to a circular economy.

Maria Bataller, co-founder of Capikooa (capikooa.com), a sustainable toy brand based in Cambridge, suggests some top tips to help parents be a bit more sustainable when it comes to toys: Less is more. Babies and young children don’t need as many things as we think they do! They need human interaction more. Baby toys have a very short life span and usually get forgotten in a shelf and never used. Use everyday items as toys. For example, make a treasure basket with items of different textures, shapes and materials for little ones to explore. Items could include a pine cone, a wooden spoon, a new painting brush, a sponge, etc. This is sensory and beneficial for children’s development – plus you can always reuse the items once your child has finished playing with them.

Shop sustainably

Rhian Thompson, founder of Bibevie (bibevie.com), which sells problemsolving baby clothes made sustainably and ethically, explains how you can make sustainable choices when buying chilren’s clothes: Look out for recycling schemes. My tip for a small change to reduce carbon footprint would be to look for sustainable and responsible brands when shopping for clothes. Many businesses (mine included) run recycling schemes, where you can get discounts for returning your used clothing helping to contribute to a circular economy. This means you can be sure that your once-loved, now outgrown clothing will get a new lease of life with another family. Beat the greenwashing. Look for specifics underneath claims of environmental friendliness. A lot of companies say they’re sustainable or ethical, but aren’t able (or choose not) to give specifics. A company that genuinely is, will be able to tell you what they’re doing to make themselves a sustainable company, and you’ll be able to judge for yourself if you think that’s sufficient and if you’re happy to spend your money there.

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JOIN JOINTHE THE Hey there there kids! kids! Hey

Doyou youhave haveaapassion passionfor for caring caring for for the the planet? planet? Do Great,then thenyou’re you’rein in the the right right place! place! Great, ThePersil PersilDirt DirtIsIsGood GoodSchools SchoolsProgramme Programmebrings bringstogether together thousands thousands The of children like you to take action on different environmental and social social of children like you to take action on different environmental and issuesininthe theworld. world.By Byjoining joiningour ourschools schoolsprogramme, programme,you you can can take take part part in in issues activities to help identify the issues you care about and join a team in your activities to help identify the issues you care about and join a team in your schoolto totake takeaction actionand andhelp helpfix fixthe theproblem! problem! school So roll up your sleeves, get stuck in and become a Changemaker todaySo roll up your sleeves, get stuck in and become a Changemaker todayjust ask your teacher to sign up using the link on the next page! just ask your teacher to sign up using the link on the next page!

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As part of their project, they developed mini projects along the way. These included: As part of their project, they developed mini projects along the way. These Building a bottle wall byincluded: recycling unwanted plastic bottles and turning Building a bottle by recycling them into flowerwall planters. unwanted plastic bottles and turning Making feeders out of plastic them intobird flower planters. bottles and wooden spoons. Making bird feeders out of plastic Growing constructing a bottles andtomatoes wooden by spoons. vertical planter using an old clothes rail, Growing byplastic constructing a skirtingtomatoes board, and milk bottles! vertical planter using an old clothes rail, Building planters out of wooden pallets skirting board, and plastic milk bottles! donated by the local hospital. Building planters out of wooden pallets Why not use this list to start your own donated by the local hospital. Dirt Is Good Project at school? Just ask yournot teacher to list signtoup on the next page! Why use this start your own Dirt Is Good Project at school? Just ask your teacher to sign up on the next page!

Changemakers in Changemakers in Wales have been Wales have been working hard on their working hardProject! on their Dirt Is Good Dirt Is Good Project! 15 Changemakers 15 Changemakers from Years 3 to 5 from Years to 5 decided to 3improve decided to improve part of their outdoor part ofthrough their outdoor space space through reusing and recycling materials such as old reusing and recycling tyres, water bottles materials such as old and wooden pallets. tyres, water bottles and wooden pallets.

A DV E RT I S E M E N T A DV E RT I S E M E N T

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Here you and thousands of other Here you and thousands other Changemakers will be able toofcomplete Changemakers will beto able tounderstand complete educational challenges help educational challenges to help understand how to tackle some of the biggest issues how our to tackle ofwith the biggest issues facing planetsome today, topics covering facing our planet today, with topics covering climate, water, land and people. Its free to climate, andatpeople. free to use, so water, sign upland today the linkIts below! use, so sign up today at the link below!

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This is your online This mission is your dashboard! online mission Tick off dashboard! challenges Tick off aschallenges you go... as you go...

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THE PHONE BOOK: HELPING FAMILIES CONNECT FOR GOOD IN MORE WAYS THAN EVER BEFORE Suzanne Wheeler, Product Manager, The Phone Book, BT

mall local businesses like plumbers, pet shops, or children’s party planners are the backbone of the country’s economy, and our local communities. They are often the source of support, services and goods that help domestic life run that little bit smoother and, in return, they often rely on local custom to support their business. Families thrive when local communities thrive – and vice versa. For potential customers, searching for these businesses has never been easier. But finding the one that suits you? That’s a little more difficult. You might need a new bike for Christmas, a

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plasterer for your home renovation, or a reliable driving school.. And if you live in Doncaster, then a supplier in Dundee or Des Moines can’t help you. You can lose valuable hours filtering through the results, with no guarantee of success. We think it should be easier to find the things you need, in the place where you live. So, we have evolved the BT Phone Book, one of Britain’s most trusted sources of information, to fill this gap. Think of it as a find engine, not a search engine. Firstly, you now have a choice about how to use The Phone Book. You can still get it in physical form, of course, and more than 19 million households rely on the delivery of their book every year. However, it has evolved with the times. For example, you’ll notice an improved preface section with essential local information including emergency services, 24-hour contacts for gas and electricity suppliers and much more. As well as the print edition, you can access The Phone Book through an interactive online hub, a voice-activated service or via Street Hubs,

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our unique digital street kiosks. It is there whenever and wherever you need it. And, however you use it, our goal remains the same: helping you to find what you need when you need it – whether that’s services, customers, skills, or people. Then there are the special features we’ve added to The Phone Book’s digital channels. Find a Dial Code is for families with longdistance relatives. Finding a person you may have lost touch with, or whose number has fallen out of your contacts, has never been easier, thanks to the Find a Person feature. We’ve also partnered with Groupon to create a smooth process for sending gifts to friends and family through The Phone Book. We know how important it is to families that they can develop the right digital skills for every generation. That’s why we want your interactions with Phone Book to be simple and seamless. However, for those who aren’t as confident online, we have developed our ‘Find a Skill’ programme alongside our digital skills team. The programme helps you find relevant courses, online guides, and activities, including basic cybersecurity practices to protect yourself from scammers, courses on how to protect your child’s wellbeing online, and online safety activities for their grandparents. We’re also hugely proud of how much trust that the British

“We think it should be easier to find the things you need, in the place where you live. So we have evolved the BT Phone Book” F a m i l y F i r s t.c o .u k

public continues to have in The Phone Book - last December alone saw 21 million people access our online service. More people are getting connected in more ways than ever before. As a resource, it has proven invaluable for individuals, for families, and for consumers across the board. What’s more, The Phone Book is an essential resource for the businesses they rely on, too. With unrivalled reach in the UK, it’s the perfect place for small businesses to easily place costeffective advertising. Those adverts will reach both their most receptive local customer base, but thanks to the online hub, also help spread the word nationally – which is great news for small businesses in a niche market or with specialist products. All this is part of our wider commitment to ‘connecting for good.’ We’re excited to keep building The Phone Book’s trusted legacy and long heritage and make sure it keeps supporting all members of our communities, from smaller families themselves to mid-sized and larger family run businesses. We are fully committed to bringing forward new ideas and initiatives for responsible, inclusive, and sustainable technology. The BT Phone Book is part of that. It is no longer just a physical product or a place online. It is now a highly accessible, inclusive, and interactive service that you and your family can use in the way that suits you best. Your trusted BT Phone Book has never been easier to access or easier to use. Which means that businesses and customers have never been easier to find – good news for everyone!

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The impact of lost

l ea rning Many studies predict the long-term economic impact of lost learning resulting from the pandemic. But what about the immediate after-effects? Author Nikki Young looks at how creative writing can help improve children’s reading skills and boost their mental health.

n the autumn term of 2020, reading assessments highlighted a learning loss of up to two months in both primary and secondary pupils. Later analysis found that disadvantaged pupils experienced, on average, one month more learning loss in reading than their peers. This equates to undoing a third of the progress made towards closing the attainment gap in primary schools over the last decade. In April 2021, the Education Recovery Commissioner at the time, Sir Kevan Collins, estimated that more than 200,000 children would leave primary school in summer struggling with literacy. Research published in July 2021 found that 5 to 7-year-olds had further fallen behind in reading and maths since the autumn term. These are startling figures, but it is not only academic attainment that we should be concerned with. Many believe that the pandemic

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affected the mental health and wellbeing of children and young adults. Studies suggest that the pandemic caused increased worry, fear, sadness, stress, irritability and even guilt. Pre pandemic, National Literacy Trust research found that literacy engagement had a direct effect on children’s mental wellbeing. The charity’s research into literacy during the first lockdown revealed the extent to which reading, writing and listening to audiobooks supported children’s mental wellbeing. Children said it provided a source of calm, escapism and relaxation during lockdown. Reading allowed them to dream about the future. However, for some children and young people, anxiety precluded reading.

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Benefits of writing

Writing creatively during lockdown helped to support children’s mental wellbeing. Further research carried out during early 2021 (the third period of national lockdown), found that writing continued to support children and young people’s mental wellbeing. Around 40% of the children and young people interviewed agreed that writing helped make them feel better. Writing helped some children with anxiety or sadness. It allowed them to express themselves and feel calmer. As a writing and English tutor, I’ve worked with many children, both on a 1:1 basis and in groups. Recently, I’ve had an increase in the number of enquiries from parents, all citing the same thing: their child is lacking in confidence when it comes to writing. Parents are not only concerned that their children have fallen behind. They are also worried about the mental health impact that the last two years have had on their children. That’s why they’re looking for extra help. Parents have never been as involved with their children’s education as they have been during this time. Perhaps some of their concern is down to that, but it has also brought an awareness of how education has impacted their children’s wellbeing. As an author, I bring my enthusiasm for writing to everything that I do and I hope that it rubs off on the children. During the last two years, to help give children that all-important confidence boost, I have been running workshops during the school holidays. Over the course of a week, I help the children to plan and write a story. They then receive this story as a hardback book, the idea being to give them something tangible to show for their efforts. The children have loved receiving their books through the post and have been so proud of their achievements. One child has just completed their fifth book in a series!”

Did you k now?

Around 40% of the children and young people interviewed agreed that writing helped make them feel better

Hot off the press...

Three fun and fascinating reading books for kids of all ages. BABY TOUCH ‘I LOVE YOU’ Illustrated by Lemon Ribbon Studio 0+ | R R P £7.99 | Available f rom Ladybird Books (penguin.co.uk) The latest addition to the Baby Touch range is the interactive ‘I Love You’ board book from Ladybird Books. Filled with high-contrast colourful images, heart-shaped holes and sensory touch-and-feel patches, there’s lots for little ones to see and touch. The book also introduces babies to different animals and objects, and shares the message of celebration of family and friends.

THE RIVER By Tom Percival 3+ years | R R P £6.99 | Available f rom Simon & Schuster (s imonandschus ter.co.uk) Following the thoughts of a little boy called Rowan, The River explores the ever-changing emotions that we experience throughout life and highlights the fact that when things look particularly bad, change will come. At a time when children’s mental health is even more important than ever, The River offers a chance for young readers to discuss, process and understand their own emotions.

10 0 ADVENTURES TO HAVE BEFORE YOU GROW UP By Anna McNuf f 8+ years | R R P £ 9.99 | Available f rom Waterstones (waterstones.com) Written by adventurer Anna McNuff (see her article about Girlguiding on page 18) this book is packed full of ideas for outdoor adventures both big and small. From building a den, to going on a skateboard journey, visiting a lighthouse and telling midnight ghost stories, every adventure will inspire you to get outdoors and go exploring.

Nikki Young (nikkiyoung.co.uk) is the author of the Time School series and The Mystery of the Disappearing Underpants. She runs Storymakers, a writing club for children aged 7+. Nikki provides 1:1 writing and English support online, as well as group sessions that run on a termly basis. During the school holidays, she runs story writing workshops that help children to become published authors.

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1 Brush twice a

day for 2 minutes with a toothbrush and toothpaste specifically developed for your child’s age

2 Brush in a gentle circular motion, making sure you clean all the tooth surfaces and right up to the gum line

Why not download the FREE AqufreSh BruSh Time app? Make brush time, fun time!

To reduce the number of times your child’s teeth are exposed to sugar, try to limit any sugary food and drink to mealtimes

Take your child to visit the dentist for regular 6-monthly check ups

From caring for their first milk tooth all the way to strengthening their permanent adult teeth, our range of kids’ tooth care products have been specially developed for your child’s growing mouth. Helping your little one build a healthy smile for life.

As and when your child’s first teeth come through, our Milk Teeth toothpaste and toothbrush will help you gently protect your baby’s first teeth and keep tooth decay in check.

Once their full set of milk teeth have just about come through, our Little Teeth toothpaste and toothbrush will help their teeth stay healthy and strong while offering them protection from sugar acid attacks*, as their diet becomes more varied. *Protection provided by fluoride with twice-daily brushing. Follow a healthy diet/limit sugary snacks.

9-12 YEARS

Designed by dental experts to help protect a growing smile from sugar acid attacks. Brushing with our Big Teeth toothpaste and toothbrush helps to strengthen new adult teeth, whilst looking after the last milk teeth until they naturally wobble free.

New permanent teeth can be up to 50% more vulnerable to decay before their enamel fully hardens, but with Aquafresh Advance toothpaste and toothbrush you can help keep them protected, while they reach full strength.

Discover our Free Home Education Materials

F A M I LY F I R S T - S U M M E R 2 0 2 2

Rainbow TREKKER SANDALS

Stylish, practical and fun. The sandal style of the summer. M&S, £19

Summer ST YLE NOTES

Kids fashion stylist, editor and founder of @thelittlestylist Charlotte Kewley shares her favourite summer finds. Boden, From £32

We heart ice cream

A society we’d gladly join… available in a selection of colours and adult sizes too.

Next, From £16

Alphabet Bags, £15

Bobo Choses at Alexandalexa, £87

H&M, £14.99

ONE TO WATCH

Teva at Arket, £36

KooKoo But Kind (kookoobutkind.com) is a new sustainable kids brand highlighting world issues with an overall message of kindness.

e’re totally on board with joining their mission to change the world for the better. Starting with the purchase of their Future Leaders sweatshirt, £40. Every sale made contributes to a donation of trees to support reforestation!

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T hat ‘70s show Vest, Next, from £21

Retro floral prints and flares are back.

ut it’s the crochet pieces that have really stolen my heart. Wear knitted vests over a simple tee or vest and denim shorts. I’d quite like this one in adult size too please?

ALESHA DIXON FOR GEORGE

Alesha Dixon is the latest celeb to launch a kid’s fashion range and it’s really rather good.

3 pack cycling shorts from £7

Orange dress from £12

he positive collection is made up of mostly monochrome and earthy tones, with some pops of pastel featuring cute, simple prints and slogans. Easy, effortless summer dressing at bargain prices.

Available exclusively at George at Asda (direct.asda.com)

Shh... it’s a secret Lindex kidswear (lindex. com/uk) is the best-kept secret on the High Street.

Stylish swim nappies

vailable in stores (only in London) and online, the Swedish company’s bold, fun basics have a premium, Scandi feel, but are budget friendly. Durable and super comfortable, they’re brilliant for everyday play. We particularly love the new ice cream and lolly print.

eautiful baby brand Organic Zoo (organiczoo.com) has teamed up with specialist reusable nappy brand Pim Pam to create these cute printed reusable swim nappies, because way too many disposables end up in the sea. It’s one of the eco swaps I’ll be making this summer. Available in four sizes, XS-L. Organic Zoo, £11 each

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Hat £7.99, ice cream romper, £12.99, leggings, £9.99, Lindex FA M I LY F I R S T

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Romper, Moonkids Collective, £18 Jacket, Turtledove London, £36

Leopard sandals , Zig & Star, £49

UNISEX KI DS’ Fashion

Meet the children’s fashion brands leading the way in genderless dressing. Eight brilliant brands to buy unisex kidswear from now…

Dungarees, Turtledove London, £20 Rainbow bodysuit, Ducky Zebra, £18.50

Genderless dressing Waffle set, H&M, £12.99 Big cat print sweatshirt, Lindex, £12.99

T-shirt, Hands Up Who Cares, £20 each Bucket hat, Grech and Co at Jump Shoes, £26

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C ub & Pu d d i n g

CUB & PUDDING

You might have spotted Cub & Pudding (cubandpudding.com) on many an Instagram influencer and stylish celebrity fan and their offspring, including Fearne Cotton who regularly dresses daughter Honey in their pieces.

S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 - F A M I LY F I R S T

BRAND FOCUS

he unisex kids (and now adults too) brand was founded by mum Sarah who decided to create playful, colourful clothing without being gender-specific after being disappointed by the options available for her son past the toddler stage. Sarah hand-draws the happy prints and ensures every piece is of premium quality, so they last to be passed around among siblings and friends – boys or girls. Hero pieces include the super-soft dungarees with adjustable straps so you can adjust the length as kids grow. Dungarees from £34

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All from Liewood.com

F A M I LY F I R S T - S U M M E R 2 0 2 2

All from Liewood.com

Bucket & spade set, Bigjigs at Scandiborn, £16.99

Green & pink sunglasses, Kuling at Alexandalexa, £15

Towelling playsuit, Arket, £19

Bucket hat, Little Hotdog Watson, from £29

Ready for t he beach?

H O L I D AY SHOP

Strawberry print romper, Marmalade Sky, £24

Beach bound or poolside, consider your children’s holiday wardrobes sorted.

Blue Adidas sliders, Schuh, £13 Apple swim trunks, Kuling at Alexandalexa, £17

Seersucker swim shorts, Matalan, from £5

Basket, Sun Jellies, £9

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THE NEW WAY FOR KIDS TO GET THEIR

DAILY VITAMINS!

AVAILABLE TO BUY NOW FROM INDEPENDENT STORES

DIRECT FROM YUMMYBAR.CO.UK

We specialise in Back To School hair accessories. We can match any school in the whole country

www.bobbleiscious.co.uk 222 Main Street, Wishaw, Lanarkshire ML2 7LU Tel: 01698 910 747

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KIDS LIFE CLOTHING

30+

CHILDRENSWEAR BRANDS

KIDS LIFE CLOTHING IS HOME TO A CAREFULLY CURATED SELECTION OF BRANDS FOR CHILDREN AGE 0-16 YEARS, WE AIM TO MAKE YOUR EXPERIENCE AS SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE WHETHER YOU'RE A PARENT, FAMILY MEMBER OR A GIFT BUYER.

BACK TO SCHOOL HOLIDAY SHOP USE CODE:

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15% OFF YOUR FIRST PURCHASE *not valid on sale items.

KIDSLIFECLOTHING.CO.UK

Manage pocket money with Starling Kite Set yourself free from loose coins and cash, and turn their spending into skills. Open a Starling personal current account today to sign up to Kite. Through a Starling Kite debit card, kids learn healthy financial habits while you stay in control in your own Starling app.

WINNER 2022

BEST CHILDREN’S FINANCIAL PROVIDER

02 1

Voted Britain’s Best Children’s Financial Provider 2022.

A cc

o u nt s N ove m b

Apply for a Starling personal account in minutes, then sign up to Kite in your app. Available for kids aged 6-16, Kite is built seamlessly into your account, which means: Easy control. Send money with a tap, create regular transfers and set spending limits. Everything under one roof. Get the full picture in one app and see what they’re spending in real time. A single monthly fee. Kite costs £2 a month per card. And we don’t charge for transfers or ATM withdrawals. Financial flying lessons. Through their own version of the app, kids can learn about grown-up spending and saving. Peace of mind. Lock the card instantly if it’s lost or stolen. Get money over to them easily, wherever they are. A fully-licensed bank. The money you add to Kite is covered by your account’s FSCS protection up to £85,000. Sustainable banking. As a branchless, paperless bank that runs mainly on renewable energy, we’re a greener bank for a greener generation.

Download the Starling app to get started.

BOO K E XC E R P T - SUMMER 2022

Mindful New Mum Clinical psychologist Dr Caroline Boyd shares excerpts from her latest book Mindful New Mum, which supports new mothers with the highs and lows of mothering with realistic advice with a focus on mindful compassion.

A FFI R M AT I O NS A N D V ISUA L I Z AT I O NS Making sense of the unexpected Not having the birth you hoped for, or experiencing a difficult birth, can leave you feeling vulnerable right at the start of your parenting journey. What matters most is acknowledging and tending to your feelings.

1 If choices were taken away from you, you may be left feeling disappointed, guilty, or a failure.

Honour and make space for any intense emotions as they arise. If you feel tearful, allow yourself to cry. If you feel numb, acknowledge.

Whether you felt unsupported, frightened, or lacking a voice, remember this was never your fault.

4 On your journey you’ll need to unpack

your rucksack. Try talking to others. Understanding guilty feelings can help lighten your load.

Imagine that you, along with every new mother, have been gifted a rucksack. This bag is heavy, weighed down with difficult feelings such as guilt and shame.

Guilt can be driven by impossible

When you can’t find the words, try these

expectations falling so heavily on

soothing affirmations to remind yourself how

women – no wonder your rucksack

well you’re doing and how far you’ve come.

is hard to lift!

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YO GA

Practice and posture

M O U N TA I N P OSE Stand with your feet hipwidth apart. Softly engage your legs, drawing your inner arches and knees upwards so you feel stable and grounded. Engage your pelvic floor muscles to help with stability. Lengthen your spine and neck.

When you’re sleep-deprived and focused

Become aware of the gentle

on your new baby, it’s hard to imagine

movement of your breath

having time to exercise. But creating a

in the upper body, creating

space to come back into your body after

a sense of lightness,

birth is a wonderful way to reconnect

expansion, and ease. Hold

to yourself again. Caring for your baby

for around a minute.

can leave you feeling physically worn out. Taking time to release the tension in your shoulders helps to relieve aches and pains, as well as recentring you emotionally. As a new mum, it is recommended that you don’t return to exercise until six weeks after a vaginal birth, and 12 weeks post caesarean section. Before returning to a regular yoga practice, your midwife, yoga teacher, or GP should check your core abdominal muscles for separation. When ready to begin, approach yoga slowly and gently with awareness of how you’re feeling in your body.

“These gentle postures will help relieve tension from the demands of tending to a newborn”

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SE AT ED E AG L E P OSE Sit comfortably, spine upright and stretch your arms wide. Hug yourself, bringing your left elbow and arm above your right arm. Keep your elbows crossed over and lift both arms and hands towards the sky. Allow your wrists to circle around each other so your palms touch, your arms intertwined. Breathe comfortably. As you exhale, draw your shoulders softly down and lift your elbows away from your chest. Hold for 10 breaths, then bring your arms down and repeat with your right arm on top.

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BOO K E XC E R P T - SUMMER 2022

B R E AT H I N G A N D M ED I TAT I O N

Regulate, reconnect, and repair Coping with crying can evoke intense feelings in any parent. Practise the three Rs – regulate, reconnect, and repair – to mindfully connect with yourself in challenging moments, before coming back to your baby.

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1 Your baby’s cry is designed to elicit a strong reaction. Perceptions of your ability to cope are shaped by cultural ideas and your life experiences. You may fear being swallowed up by your baby’s needs.

If you feel triggered, you need to find ways to come home to yourself first. Either put your baby down safely, or hand them to someone else, and take time to regulate, reconnect, and repair.

Self-regulate. Splash your face

Reconnect with yourself. Tune into your

with cold water. Notice any bodily

emotions and name them. For example: “I’m

sensations. Focus on breathing in

feeling tired/stressed/angry/fed up.” Notice

for three counts; and out steadily

your inner critic: is it negatively comparing

for six counts.

you to others or an idealized you? The antidote to shame is empathy – tell yourself gently: “It’s okay to struggle – I’m human. Other mums struggle too.” After selfsoothing, reconnect with your baby.

Repair with your baby. Cuddle them

Finally, find ways to soothe your

and help them to understand their

baby that also soothe you. This

feelings. Say softly: “Crying is your

could be gently swaying together

way of communicating – I hear you.

or listening to relaxing music.

It’s okay, Mummy’s here.”

Mindful New Mum by Dr Caroline Boyd is an invaluable resource for new mothers offering stage-specific mindfulness, meditation and visualisation practices, breathing and yoga techniques, baby massage, natural remedies and nutrition advice to help new mums care for themselves and their babies through the first year of motherhood. RRP £16.99, hardback, available from DK (dk.com).

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SUMMER STAINS?

M Scan

For whites

available at morrisons and wilko

@acecleanuk

GET COOKING - SUMMER 2022

SUMMER RECIPES FOR hungry tummies The UK’s no.1 children’s cookbook author Annabel Karmel has cooked up these delicious summery snacks and treats for you and the whole family to enjoy during the warmer months.

here’s a sweetness in the air and a sweet taste in our mouths (thanks to these mouth-watering recipes), which can only mean that summer has finally descended upon us. Gone is the bitter winter chill, early darkness and a hankering for hearty, warming meals, and in its place is sunshine, longer days and cravings for lighter dishes and cooling, summery snacks. Now is the time to get creative with fresh fruits and veggies and make some refreshing and nourishing treats while hitting those nutritional targets. Get a taste of Spain and sink your teeth into the aptly named Sunshine Paella or cool down with the moreish Chocolate Chip Ice-cream Sandwich - it’s the perfect indulgent snack to dig into after working up a sweat outside!

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Plus, there’s no need for the littlest members of the family to be left out of all the fun in the sun, the Fruit and Veg Ice Lollies are the perfect soothing and healthy snack for teething babies in the heat. Find these delicious recipes and more in The Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner, the ideal companion for first-time feeding and weaning. Additionally, as your little one gets older, why not recruit them to be your personal sous-chef with my latest book the Fun, Fast & Easy Children’s Cookbook? It’s the ideal kitchen companion to cook up some kiddie-friendly recipes and create wonderful memories together. To discover more recipes suitable for the whole family head to the Annabel Karmel website (annabelkarmel.com).

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METHOD Mix the oats, sultanas and apple and mango juice in a bowl. Cover and leave to soak overnight in the fridge. In the morning stir in the remaining ingredients and fresh fruit.

WEANING RECIPES Summer Fruit Muesli

Annabel Karmel celebrates the 30th anniversary of her No.1 bestselling weaning cookbook, New Complete Baby & Toddler Meal Planner, with a NEW fully updated and extended edition. Filled with over 200 quick, easy & healthy recipes for weaning and beyond, as well as essential advice, simple meal planners and pull-out guide, this is the go-to guide for giving your baby the best start. annabelkarmel.com

This nutritious and delicious summer fruit muesli recipe is not only a great way to get your little one starting the day right, but let’s face it, it’s a hoot! Overnight oats are packed with protein and fibre and when combined with fresh fruits like berries and kiwi are a great source of vitamin C. INGREDIENTS 100g porridge oats 2 tbsp sultanas or raisins 300ml apple and mango juice or apple juice 2 apples, peeled, cored and grated 4 to 6 tbsp milk

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GET COOKING - SUMMER 2022

Salmon & Dill Balls Makes 18 balls

A tasty way to pack in those all-important omega 3s and did you know that babies should have two portions of oily fish like salmon in their diet every week from six months? It’s essential for their brain and visual development. In fact, some research shows that eating salmon can make you smarter.

INGREDIENTS 200g/7 oz sweet potato, pricked with a fork 3 spring onions, chopped 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 200g/7 oz skinless salmon fillet, diced 25 g/1 oz grated Parmesan cheese 1 egg yolk

METHOD 1. 2. 3.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/ Gas 4. Cook the sweet potato in a microwave for about 8 minutes until soft. Leave to cool, then scoop out the flesh. Put the spring onions, dill, salmon, Parmesan, egg yolk and cold sweet potato into a food processor. Whizz until blended. Shape into 18 small balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake for 12 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking, until pale golden and cooked through.

Fruit & Veg Ice Lollies Makes 12 ice lollies

Did you know that you can make the freshest, healthiest lollies with just a few ingredients? These zero-sugar fruit and veggie lollies are delicious and not only a healthy treat but will also soothe sore gums if your little one is teething.

INGREDIENTS Strawberry, Beetroot and Apple Lollies 50 g/2 oz cooked beetroot, peeled and diced 70 g/3 oz strawberries, chopped 50 ml/2 fl oz apple juice

Carrot, Kiwi, Mango, Banana and Orange Lollies 25 g/1 oz kiwi, peeled and diced 50 g/2 oz ripe mango, diced 50 g/2 oz ripe banana, peeled

METHOD 1. 2.

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Put all the ingredients into a jug. Blend using a stick blender until smooth. Pour into 6 lolly moulds and freeze for 6 hours.

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TODDLER AND FA M I LY RECIPES Sunshine Paella Makes 6 portions

Paella is a famous Spanish rice dish and I love its bright yellow sunshine colour! I call this my one-pot ‘cheat’s’ paella, as it’s so easy to make. The best thing about this traditional dish is that anything goes. You can add whatever meat, fish or veggies you like, so it’s time to roll up those sleeves and get stirring!

175g paella or risotto rice ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp tomato purée 600ml chicken stock 2 cooked sausages, sliced 75g cooked chicken, cut into chunks 150g cooked small prawns 50g frozen peas squeeze lemon juice 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley or coriander (optional)

METHOD 1.

2. 3.

4. 5.

Place the oil in a large, shallow frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and pepper and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and fry for 10 seconds. Add the rice, turmeric and tomato purée and stir. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover with a lid and leave to cook for about 20 minutes, until the rice is nearly cooked. Stir in the sausages, chicken, prawns and peas, cover again and cook for a final 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and add the lemon juice and parsley or coriander, if using, just before serving.

INGREDIENTS 1 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped 1 small red pepper, deseeded and diced 1 large clove garlic, peeled and crushed

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GET COOKING - SUMMER 2022

Power Packed Orzo Mamma mia! Everyone loves pasta! There are more than 600 types of pasta, so why not tick orzo off your list with this yummy recipe? Pasta is a good source of energy to fuel playtime, especially when combined with lots of healthy ingredients. What tasty medley will you make today. INGREDIENTS

Leo Lion Veggie Dip You’ll have a ‘roaring’ time making this fun dip with colourful veggies! Hummus is packed with protein and this jungle showstopper makes the perfect snack or ‘mane’ event at the party table. Let’s see how many colourful veggies you can find to make Leo shine.

125g orzo pasta 75g broccoli, broken into tiny florets 100g cooked chicken, diced 150g tinned sweetcorn 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil

For the dressing 4 tbsp light olive oil 1½ tbsp rice wine vinegar 1½ tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp honey

final 2 minutes of the cooking time. Drain and refresh in cold water. Place the pasta, broccoli, chicken, sweetcorn, tomatoes and basil in a mixing bowl. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small jug and mix well. Just before serving, pour the tasty dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

METHOD 1.

Cook the pasta in lightly salted boiling water according to the packet instructions. Add the broccoli for the

INGREDIENTS 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed 3 tbsp olive oil 150g sour cream juice of ½ lemon 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into sticks ½ yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced ½ red pepper, deseeded and sliced

METHOD 1.

2. 3.

Place the chickpeas, garlic and olive oil in a food processor and whizz until blended, or blitz with a hand blender. Add the sour cream and lemon juice and blend again until smooth. Spoon into a small serving bowl and place the bowl on a large plate. Arrange the carrots and peppers around the bowl to serve.

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METHOD 1. 2.

Choc Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich Makes 16 cookies

Hands up if you’re a little cookie monster? If so, my soft and chewy recipe certainly takes the biscuit. Squish your favourite ice cream in between two cookies for an ice-cool treat.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6 and line 2 baking sheets with non-stick paper. Measure the butter and sugar into a bowl and beat with an electric whisk until the mixture has lightened in colour. Add the golden syrup, flour, salt, vanilla and chocolate chips and bring the mixture together using your hands. Knead lightly then shape into 16 balls. Place them on the baking sheets and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly on the trays before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

The Fun, Fast & Easy Children’s Cookbook is the brand-new kitchen companion for young children and the whole family from international bestselling author, Annabel Karmel. Filled with easy-to-make recipes, fascinating foodie facts, cooking tips and kitchen tricks, this is the essential guide to get kids in the kitchen. With a focus on fresh, wholesome ingredients and complete with simple stepby-step instructions, it’s the perfect way to teach children essential kitchen skills and develop a life-long love of good food.

INGREDIENTS 100g soft butter 75g light brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup 170g self-raising flour pinch of salt ½ tsp vanilla extract 50g plain chocolate chips

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Gluten free food for the whole day

UK’s

no.

gluten free

flour brand*

Gluten free living should be deliciously simple, so we’ve created a range to help give you options for the whole day. From flours to baking mixes, breakfast cereals to pastas, all our products are certified by Coeliac UK, suitable for vegans, and many are even organic. Have you tried the range?

Find us in the free-from aisles or at freee-foods.co.uk

We believe when you’re gluten free you can still enjoy delicious bakes and treats. That’s why, as the UK’s #1 gluten free flour brand, we’ve created a range of flours made with naturally gluten free ingredients that make it easy for you to bake at home. Get started with gluten free baking by trying the recipe below. Super easy to make, we promise no one will know it’s gluten free.

Raspberry & Coconut Muffins Ingredients

Method

150g FREEE Self Raising White Flour 100g caster sugar 50g desiccated coconut 1 egg 50g oil 4 tbsp water 125g raspberries cupcake muffin cases

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C, Fan 170°C, 375°F, Gas 5. 2. Stand 6 cupcake cases in the holes of a muffin or tart tray. 3. Measure the coconut into a bowl then remove a tablespoon of coconut for later. 4. Add the flour and sugar and stir to combine. 5. Break the egg into the bowl of a blender, add the oil and water and pulse until smooth. 6. Add the prepared flour blend and mix well. 7. Spoon the mixture between the prepared muffin cases. 8. Divide the raspberries between the muffins and pressing them into the top of each. 9. Sprinkle the coconut over the top and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Scan QR for online recipe

*Kantar WPO, 52 w/e 20 February 2022

@FreeeFoods freee-foods.co.uk

REVIEW - SUMMER 2022

ON THE GO

Georgina Probert and her two-year-old daughter Florence review the Ark 3-in-1 Travel System.

ith so many different brands and models available, choosing the right buggy, pushchair or travel system for you and your family can seem daunting. What’s important to note is that lots of brands may be popular, but each family is different and what works for one might not work for another. A good starting point is to think about your lifestyle and your family’s needs. Are you going to use the buggy around a busy town centre or on long walks in the countryside? How often will you be folding the buggy and putting it in the car? Where will it be stored when not in use? Knowing how you will use the buggy will help you to identify the key features that will be important to you. For example, if you live in a town centre you are likely to want a more compact model that can easily navigate aisles in shops

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and busy pavements. While country dwellers might find that an all-terrain buggy is best for them. To help take some of the stress out of deciding which features you need and which features you can live without, we have road tested the Ark 3-in-1 Travel System. Designed and engineered in the UK, this is the first travel system released by this up-and-coming British brand.

Eco credentials

The first thing that drew us to Ark was the fact it uses sustainably sourced, natural and chemical-free fabrics, which is great for the environment but also good for our little ones’ delicate skin. When your new baby is lying in the carrycot, you want the fabrics

surrounding them to be hypoallergenic, soft and comfortable. The Ark mattress is made from wool and cotton, and carrycot is lined with cotton fabric that can be removed and machine washed – a very useful feature. Both wool and cotton are naturally fire retardant, so don’t need to be treated with chemicals to make them safe to use in pushchairs. Another huge plus point for the carrycot is that it can be used for overnight sleeping. This means that if you go on holiday, you won’t have to pack a separate Moses basket or travel cot, as your baby can sleep all night in the carrycot. Plus, we all know that newborns spend most of their time asleep, so they are likely to spend a lot of their day napping in the carrycot too. Ark recommends that you remove the hood, cover and bumper bar before use and open the ventilation panels when your child is sleeping in the carrycot overnight.

Size does matter

The Ark Travel System takes you from newborn right up until 15kg (roughly preschool age). Babies can use the carrycot up until six months old. While we really like how compact this travel system is (58cm wide), if you have a larger-than-average baby or toddler then you might find they outgrow the carrycot and seat much earlier. Our

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daughter has just turned two and she is almost too tall for the buggy seat. When we ‘borrowed’ our four-month-old niece to test out the carrycot, she had plenty of room and seemed very comfortable.

“If your toddler likes to nap in the buggy then this model is a great option” The premium price tag of this travel system includes the detachable carrycot and toddler seat, which can be worldor parent-facing. We found that our daughter like to be parent-facing initially so she could see Mummy and Daddy, but she soon realised that there were much more exciting sights to see when she was facing the world. The travel system also comes

with a rain cover that can be used for both the carrycot and the seat. If your toddler likes to nap in the buggy then this model is a great option. It is really easy to lay down the seat using the two buttons at the side – but you will need two hands to do this. It is a smooth process and shouldn’t wake a sleeping child. The footrest can also be raised and lowered to make the seat more comfortable while it is reclined.

Hey, good looking!

Let’s talk about looks. Don’t judge a book by its cover, but do judge a buggy by its style. While practical features and safety are at the top of our wish list, we also want a buggy that looks smart! The 3-in-1 Travel System certainly delivers. It comes in five gender-neutral colours: mustard yellow, black, coral red, melange grey and teal green. We tested the mustard design and loved the sleek, stylish look with a pop of colour on the hood and seat. The buggy looks and feels sturdy and well made, and our daughter found the seat comfortable to sit in. The five-point harness has adjustable shoulder straps and is easy to clip on and off. The Ark travel system features well-thoughtout design features that put babies and children’s comfort at the front of mind. The extendable 50+ UPF sunshade is great for keeping harmful UV rays out and the carrycot has an internal temperature gauge to let you know if your baby is at risk of getting too hot or cold. The carrycot’s ventilation panels at the top and bottom also help with temperature control. It may seem like a small feature, but there’s a little pocket at the back of the seat, which is just the right size for a mobile phone, packet of tissues or car keys. The basket at the bottom of the frame is generous in size and has internal pockets for secure storage. The basket is waterproof and it can also be removed to be washed – an unusual but helpful feature.

Great on the move

One of the best features of the Ark buggy is how portable it is. The aluminium frame and carrycot have a narrow footprint, which means it is easy to fold, store and also to manoeuvre in tight spaces.

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There are several folding options, depending on how flat you want the buggy to be. You can fold the frame with the carrycot and seat attached (world-facing only) or take the carrycot/ seat off the frame and fold them separately. The back wheels can also be easily removed and slotted back on. We have a small car (Vauxhall Corsa) and the buggy fits perfectly in the boot with the wheels removed. In fact, Ark claims that the travel system can be folded flat enough to fit into the boot of a Mini. The shock-absorbent wheels feature a patented honeycomb design and are made from TPU plastic meaning they won’t puncture. The wheels deliver two layers of suspension, as they compress and absorb shock on impact, providing a smooth ride for parent and child. The Ark Travel System does not come with a car seat, but you can purchase car seat adaptors and the frame is compatible with i-Size and Group 0+ car seats, including models from Maxi-Cosi, Cosatto, Joie, Nuna, Cybex and BeSafe.

The mechanics of opening and folding buggies can be a huge bugbear for many parents if it is too complicated. The Ark travel system has a one-hand fold mechanism whereby you click two buttons underneath the seat at the same time using your thumb and forefinger. You have to crouch down to operate this and we found that we needed practice to do it one-handed – you certainly couldn’t do it while holding a baby. But it does fold down easily once you have mastered the twist and click. And you do need two hands to open the buggy back

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up from folded. A simple clip holds the buggy closed while folded and it can stand upright for easy storage.

Handling and height

The fold

Final word

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Our only complaint about this buggy was that it doesn’t handle kerbs very well. Often, we have to push a buggy with one hand due to holding our other daughter’s hand or shopping bags, or a takeaway coffee! We struggled to navigate kerbs when steering the buggy one-handed. You need to tip the buggy backwards to lift the front wheels to get up a kerb. If you are tall or simply find it more comfortable to have a higher handlebar, the PU leather handlebar can be easily adjusted one-handed using the large button in the centre. In some models we have tried, having a button on the handlebar can impair how comfortable it is to push the buggy. However, the placement on the Ark frame is well out of the way and did not hamper how easy it was to push the buggy. At 5ft8 tall, I have found many buggy handlebars are simply too low, making the buggy uncomfortable to push – but the Ark is ideal with three height settings from 102cm to 112cm. However, shorter parents under 5ft might find that the handlebar is a bit too high, even at its lowest setting.

Overall, we are really impressed with the Ark 3-in-1 Travel System. It has been designed to make parents’ lives easier and we love the safety features, luxury materials and smart look. This model is perfect for smaller babies and toddlers, but would not be ideal for children on the higher percentiles. It is really easy to steer and is comfortable for taller parents. We would like better kerb controlm as having to lift the front wheels each time you encounter a kerb is frustrating. If you are short on storage space and have a smaller car, then the compact fold is a big plus point. And the eco-credentials are the icing on the cake.

Technical Spec

RRP: from £799 Dimensions when folded: H86 x W58 x D32.5cm Weight: 11.7kg with seat unit, 11.9kg with carrycot Available from Ark: arkpushchairs.com

What’s included

Frame Carrycot Front- and rear-facing seat unit Colour pack: hood, carrycot cover and seat pad Rain cover

Additional accessories (sold separately) Car seat adaptors Mattress protector Snuggle Foot muff Bliss canopy Grab & Go bag

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f r e e c P t e h T C U n t i o D o r t In wimming S o t

Our B me aby & Preschool swimming program teaches h, independent swimming from birt e helping ch ildren to be happy and saf ! in the wa ter whilst having lots of fun

arest class at Find your ne

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MAKING A SPLASH Olympic medallist Rebecca Adlington reveals her top kids swimming tips for a summer of fun.

olidays are meant to be enjoyable, but parents and guardians may find themselves stressed, anxious and on edge as their little ones race towards the resort pool. But don’t worry, Swim Stars founder and fourtime Olympic medallist Rebecca Adlington is here to put your mind at ease and allow you to enjoy your holiday in the sunshine, whether just a day trip to the local lido, or a holiday abroad. With the weather finally starting to warm up and school holidays looming, Rebecca has shared her top tips for making a splash safely this summer, from packing the right equipment to considering swimming lessons ahead of your trip. It’s not about panicking, it’s about preparing - and with that in mind check out Rebecca’s pointers below.

Scope out the pool

Before your little one dives in, don’t be afraid to familiarise yourself with the ins and outs of the pool you are visiting ahead of time, to help keep your mind at ease. Ask yourself the obvious questions – are there any notable dangers? Sharp edges, broken tiles or where exactly is the deep end of the pool? Finally, although this may seem obvious, identify if this swimming pool is child friendly – don’t make the mistake of setting up for the day at an adults-only pool! Once you have made this assessment you will be able to feel much more prepared for your child entering the pool.

ones in the pool. Having confidence in your child’s swimming will settle any existing nerves massively and allow you and your family to truly enjoy that sunny getaway this year. A good swimming coach will take into account not only your concerns, but any worries your child may have about getting in the water. It’s normal for little ones to be anxious when it is their first time in a pool (or even first time in a while) and swimming lessons with a well-trained coach is a great way to combat this before you get on holiday. Swimming lessons offer you a great way to monitor your child’s confidence in water and allow you to gauge how hands-on you will need to be at the hotel pool.

Test the water

If your child suffers from sensitivity in the eyes or on the skin then this tip is a must read. If possible, ask the hotel/pool manager about the pool, is it sanitised often and if so – how? Examine the colour and smell of the water. Contaminated

Practice beforehand

With the summer just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get some swimming lessons booked to strengthen up your little

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Pack correctly

Who wants to be an underprepared parent at poolside? No one does! Don’t forget these essentials: Swimming costume Bath cape Swim nappies Sun protection (hat, lotions and sunglasses) Clean clothes Loose change for lockers Arm bands Plenty of snacks

“Having confidence in your child’s swimming will settle any existing nerves massively” water may present itself cloudy or murky and may give off a strong, chemically smell. If your child is sensitive to chlorine or any kind of pool water, make sure they are wearing a pair of goggles to prevent their eyes from stinging, and be on hand with soothing skin creams for after they come out of the water.

Take a dip

Your child may feel a bit anxious or scared to take a dip by themselves, so make sure you go in with them for the first time to make them feel comfortable. It will be fun! It is recommended you try and follow this tip as much as possible until you truly believe children are strong enough swimmers to go solo. Being in the pool with them will ensure you stay on top of their safety and are right on hand to prevent any dangers. Plus, it is safe to say your little one will enjoy you joining in the fun with them.

Keep your eyes on them

Following the previous point, if you do decide your child is a strong enough swimmer to be in the pool alone - always keep a close eye on their activities. It takes just a second for something to go wrong so stay vigilant. Never let your child venture into deeper waters or an unknown area of the pool without you checking it first, give them some toys in the shallow end and watch them enjoy pool time from a very close distance.

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Sun protection

Religiously applying sun cream on your child is obvious during those sunny getaways, but don’t forget how important it is when you’re thinking about taking a dip in the pool - even around pools in the UK! Apply before your child takes a swim, taking time to ensure it has set in before they take a dip. Then reapply in regular intervals to prevent sunburn. Remember, even so called ‘once a day’ or longlasting sunscreen is likely to get whipped off after a dip in a chlorine-filled pool and a rub from a towel.

Lifeguard awareness

Never take your child to go swimming without a lifeguard present, and if there is one, don’t always rely on them to keep you and your little ones safe during splash time. If possible, try and do some research into the lifeguard at the pool, how long have they worked there etc? And feel free to ask them questions when they are off duty. Even if the lifeguard available seems top notch, it doesn’t hurt to get clued up on poolside safety that could save your child’s or another’s life.

Have fun!

There is a high chance that your behaviour during swim time will rub off on your children and if you’re constantly on edge during what is meant to be a relaxing time, then so will your child. Yes, it is important to be aware, but is equally important to relax and enjoy yourself. Make sure you enjoy every minute of the summer with your children. The Sporting House Group is made up of several Olympian-led brands, all striving for one common goal - to break down the barriers to kids reaching their full potential. Through its various initiatives and programmes, Sporting House engages more than 20,000 children across the UK every week in physical activity, and has delivered more than 2,000 teacher and coach qualifications. For more, visit: thesportinghouse.co.uk

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5 WAYS TO GET YOUR KIDS

p l a y i n g g o lf As the weather warms up, there’s no better time to encourage your kids to have a go at playing golf.

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olf is a great exercise for kids, helping with spine and core muscles while also improving hand-eye co-ordination and mental health benefits. So how can you get your kids interested in playing golf?

Make it a short game

If you don’t have a golf course near you catered to children, there is no reason you can’t use an adult course. What if it’s an 18-hole course? If your children are ready after nine holes to finish the game, then that’s great. The key to keeping your children entertained is to keep the game short. There’s nothing worse than dragging your children around the course for a five-hour stint when they were bored after two.

“The key to anything in life is practice”

Provide them with the right equipment

Too long, too stiff and too heavy are some of the common problems with clubs for children. There are a lot of variations of what you can use on the golf course suitable for your child’s needs. You must make sure before starting a game that your child has the right club relative to their height and stamina, so they can maximise their swing to the best of their ability. If you’re unsure, visit your nearest golfing retailer and ask a member of staff what they would recommend for your child to use.

Give them time to perfect their swing

The key to anything in life is practice. Children are notoriously better at learning a sport from a young age, as their attention to detail and perfection is greater while they learn the ropes. So, when you introduce your child to golf, make sure to give them enough time to practice, perhaps taking them later in the evening or at a time when it’s not crowded. The last thing you want is to play and hold up groups behind you.

Keep it fun and criticism low

As serious and prestigious golf may be to an adult, to a child it’s just another sport to grasp. Your child wants to have fun and enjoy their time with you. Even if your child hits an ‘okay’ shot, shout back at them ‘great shot’, or ‘great swing’, to encourage a continuation of play. The more you play as a parent with your children, the more honest you can be with their play.

Speak in their language

Children need to comprehend an idea before they can attempt it. As a parent or adult guiding a child around the course, you must learn to be patient as you explain to them in childlike terms how to play a game. Instead of using complicated terminology, switch it up to something they would understand, relative to their age. This article was supplied by GolfSupport.com

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Can best friends go to school too? #wherestoriesbegin

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Creating an ideal sleep haven for your child Managing to get a child off to the ‘Land of Nod’ without fuss can often feel like a real cause for celebration. Children are masters at delaying ‘head on pillow time’ for as long as they possibly can. If this sounds familiar and you’re one of the many parents who struggle to get your child off to bed without countless trips to the bathroom, counting

Find out more at dreams.co.uk

up to a hundred, and saying goodnight to the dog for the umpteenth occasion, it’s time to re-evaluate your bedtime strategy. An ideal place to start is to take a fresh look at your child’s sleep environment. Creating a cosy space where they feel safe is important to help settle their body and mind for the night.

Making bedtime easier A tidy room is essential for better sleep Your child’s room should have everything stowed away for the night to help them get the best possible sleep. Experts agree that sensory overload can slow the body’s transition to relaxation and sleep. A clean and tidy space has a calming effect, helping your child ease into sleepiness. After playtime is over you may well find yourself once again encouraging your children to pick up after themselves. It’s worth sticking at this as it instils responsible habits around taking care of possessions and establishing some order and a routine. It also prepares your child to be able to sleep in a tidy and relaxing space.

Develop positive associations with bedtime

Ultimately, keep to a set routine

Going to bed should be a calm and peaceful experience for children. It’s good to develop positive associations with bedtime, their bedrooms, and sleep.

Admittedly, achieving this goal is much easier said than done, but keeping to the same bedtime routine at the same time every evening can be a huge help. This could start with a bath, then pyjamas-on time, teeth time, story time, and finally the main light goes off. Then it’s goodnight and time to leave the room.

Many parents are tempted to use bedtime as a punishment for bad choices and misbehaviour, but this may turn children off going to bed in the future. No-one wants to go and relax in a place that reminds them of the last time they got in trouble! It’s nice to build calming and relaxing activities into your child’s bedtime routine. Bedtime reading is the best triedand-tested way to do this, and you can listen to calming music during or after the story. Additionally, you can take your child through relaxation exercises during bedtime, as well. Focusing on a clean, cool, dark and calm bedtime environment, along with a consistent bedtime routine will allow your child time to settle, relax and ease into sleep.

Sleep is essential to your child’s health and growth, so doing everything you can to make sure they get plenty of it is well worth the effort. Dreams have produced short bedtime stories for kids, range from inspiring stories from Olympians to tales of various animals and their adventures. Search ‘Dreams Bedtime Stories’ on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcast.

How to update their room as children grow Here are some tips from the Bed Experts at Dreams on how to design your child’s bedroom at different stages of their development. 3 to 6 year olds It’s time to start adapting your child’s nursery into a bedroom that has their emerging independence in mind. Make sure everything your child needs to use in their bedroom without your supervision is within easy reach.

Peppa Pig Toddler Bed Frame With Storage

6 to 9 year olds Between six and nine years ‘stuff’ really starts to accumulate in children’s bedrooms so clever storage is invaluable. If space is tight, consider mid sleeper beds with usable space underneath and storage and desks built in.

Tinsley Mid Sleeper Bed Frame with Storage & Desk

Find out more at dreams.co.uk

9 to 12 year olds It’s time to let the bedroom reflect your tween’s personality. Getting them involved in the design gives them a sense of ownership and can motivate them to look after their room and belongings properly. Again, smart storage is vital and a stylish single ottoman bed not only looks great, but it can help hide away the teenage clutter too. Dreams Single Dawson Ottoman bed has hidden speakers, as well as Bluetooth connectivity, and is perfect for the teenage years and beyond! Dawson Single Ottoman Bed With Built-in Sound System

Whichever type of bed you choose, a supportive mattress is very important. The Dreams ‘Little Big Dreams’ range is dedicated to kids’ mattresses and offers a variety of materials, comfort grades and sizes. To see our full range of products, visit dreams.co.uk

Photos unless otherwise stated: Dave Dunbar/Purple Swan Photography

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S L A M D U N K Caroline Kings, co-founder of We are Girls in Sport, looks at the increasing opportunities in sport for children with disabilities, with advice from two wheelchair basketball athletes.

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n 2021, a remarkable film was released called ‘Rising Phoenix’. It tells the stories of several para-athletes – their childhoods, their disabilities and how they found sport. It is moving, fascinating but overall, absolutely inspirational, a real must-see. What’s so great is that we’re seeing more and more disabled sports on our screens and in the media. The summer and winter Paralympic Games receive attention on terrestrial and digital TV channels, as well as in the press where disabled sports stars grace the covers of magazines. These sports stars all started somewhere, just like able-bodied athletes. They all showed an interest in being active and had support to help them, but sometimes that support can be hard to find.

Inspiration close to home

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Playing to your strengths

Sarah Hope plays wheelchair basketball for the Worcester Wolves and is autistic. She was diagnosed in her twenties after feeling as though she didn’t always fit in for most of her life. As an autistic athlete, Sarah explains: “I have no problem concentrating on one thing for long periods of time, which makes skill acquisition easier.”

“I fell in love with the team aspect of wheelchair basketball”

We are Girls in Sport (WAGIS) is a big fan of GB’s wheelchair basketball team and Siobhan Fitzpatrick’s story is a great example of how opportunities can be right under your nose. “PE within my school wasn’t accessible and, although I was an avid sports fan, I knew I wanted to participate. Paralympic sport pre-London 2012 was not greatly advertised and even with me being disabled I was unaware that sport could be an option for me,” Siobhan says.

“I was asked to attend a ‘playground to podium’ event, which is a Paralympic sport ‘have a go’ day. I fell in love with the team aspect of wheelchair basketball and realised there was a club only 10 minutes down the road from my house. I just wish I’d known sooner.” Now, Siobhan is an Olympian herself and a poster girl for the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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Give it a try

But how do you find the support that your child needs or just the chance to try a sport? If you don’t feel comfortable just popping down to a local club, most sports have a ‘para’ association and on those websites, there will be guidance on how to get involved. As with able-bodied children, let your child try as many different sports as they can. The benefits are huge: independence and a sense of achievement, as well as, hopefully, acceptance, for those who have become disabled. Wheelchair basketball Paralympian Sophie Carrigill says that being part of a sports team helped her identify with having a disability and she found a very welcoming community. The team motivated her to be fit and strong and her competitive spirit was reignited. Disabled sport is on the ascendence – the opportunities, the awareness and the investment. In February 2022, wheelchair basketball made history: the first match in the new women’s wheelchair basketball premier league was contested between Loughborough Lightning (Siobhan Fitzpatrick’s team) and Wolverhampton Wolves (Sarah Hope’s team) and secondly, para sport was shown on British TV outside a Paralympic Games. Wow. Disabled sport, just like its athletes, is most certainly a rising phoenix. Now’s the time to get your child involved.

We are Girls in Sport (wearegirlsinsport. com) is a global movement to encourage more young girls to find a sport they love.

Photos unless otherwise stated: Dave Dunbar/Purple Swan Photography

Sarah adds: “I’m analytical and have good pattern recognition, which is handy for reviewing video of games and also for monitoring my own progress and knowing what does and doesn’t work for me. As for the downsides, my sensory sensitivities can be a barrier. It’s a loud, bright, fast-moving sport and that can lead to a certain amount of sensory overload. Add in the sensory input from being sweaty all the time, from injuries and bruises and cracked hands, and it can take time to recover from that.”

“As with ablebodied children, let your child try as many different sports as they can”

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Real vitaminslsand minera

Processed foods add their vitamins and minerals back in after cooking, but sadly often in low bio-available forms. They might be in the bowl, but that doesn’t mean your dogs’ body absorbs them!

e’re full of WOMEGA-3

These vital, well-known nutrients are missing from processed pet food; they are currently not even included on adult dog food guidelines! Omega 3 fatty acids are antiinflammatory, supporting joint health and skin conditions. Your dog needs these nutrients.

You won’t find freshness in processed dog food. Naked Dog is the real deal. Our meals are packed full of the best human-grade ingredients to support your dog’s health and enrich their life. Find our full range at nakeddog.co.uk *www.bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-017-0981-z www.bmcvetres.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12917-017-1073-9

Fresh food

BOOSTS IMMUNITY Studies* have shown eating fresh food promotes healthier, immune boosting microbiome in dogs. Dogs fed processed food however didn’t develop the same microbiome.

Your dog deserves fresh! We’re all encouraged to reduce our refined and processed foods intake. Why should your dog be left out? Naked Dog offers fresh, balanced, wholefood for your pooch.

If Turkey Twizzlers are no good for kids, should we be feeding those ingredients to our pets?

SP O RT4ALL - SUMMER 2022

A L L YO U NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

Bo cBc i a Have you ever heard of boccia? Do you know how to pronounce it? For lots of people the answer to both these questions is “no”. Boccia England is on a mission to change that and explains why boccia is a uniquely accessible sport.

occia is the most inclusive sport you’ll find and it provides fun for all the family. It can be played by anyone regardless of age, gender, ability or disability. The game was originally designed for people with cerebral palsy and for many regular players it is the only sport they can participate in because of the severity of their disability. But it’s also enjoyed by people with a range of other physical and learning disabilities and many non-disabled people, too. Louis Saunders, who recently represented Paralympics GB in Tokyo, said: “I wasn’t strong enough for wheelchair basketball, not fast enough for wheelchair racing and not agile enough for wheelchair tennis. I love sport, I want to be the best and sadly I didn’t really have that chance, that opportunity, because of the nature of my disability. But that was before boccia; now I’ve been given a chance and I’ve made the most of it.”

How to play

Boccia is a target ball sport, a bit like bowls. From a seated position (and therefore ideal for wheelchair users) players propel balls to land close to a white marker ball – the jack. If you’re unable to grasp and propel a ball, you can use a ramp. There’s also a specially adapted version of the game available for people with visual impairments.

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Did you k now?

It’s an indoor sport, played on a court roughly the same size as a badminton court. You can compete as an individual, in a pair, or as a team of three. A set of boccia balls consists of one white jack ball, six red balls, and six blue balls. The balls are made of leather filled with tiny plastic pellets and come in different grades of softness and hardness. If you don’t have a set of boccia balls and/or you can’t find enough space to play a full game, don’t worry. There are lots of boccia skills challenges you can have a go at from the comfort of your own home and you can start off with general household items – you can even use a rolled-up pair of socks! If you want to take your involvement further, you’ll find boccia to be a game of skill, precision and strategy – this was clear to see for anyone who watched David Smith OBE win a boccia Gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics last year. Oh, and finally…it’s pronounced “bot-cha”. It rhymes with gotcha!

Boccia balls are made of leather and are filled with tiny plastic pellets. They come in different grades of softness

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“Disabled children can enjoy playing, competing and winning alongside their non-disabled peers” Why is boccia so beneficial for children?

Boccia provides a truly level playing field sport. Disabled children can enjoy playing, competing and winning alongside their non-disabled peers. As a seated sport, boccia provides a physical activity option for children who have perhaps been less active in the past or are less traditionally ‘sporty’.

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Through its Skills Award programme, Boccia England has collected a wealth of evidence to show that involvement in boccia helps SEND children develop and improve essential life skills such as communication, responsibility and resilience. This helps them in the boccia sessions, the classroom and beyond. One Skills Award participant said it helped him to realise “it’s ok to get cross when you don’t get something right, but not ok to break things and storm off and quit. This will affect how people see me and will affect the team’s result.”

to reach disabled people and older people; engaging children through working with schools; organising competitions in a variety of formats to suit everyone; developing and supporting the different people within our sport, such as coaches and volunteers; and identifying and developing talented athletes through the England Talent Pathway.

How to give boccia a try

For more information on Boccia England, visit: bocciaengland.org.uk, email: info@bocciaengland.org.uk or call 0115 967 8455.

About Boccia England

“Boccia is the most inclusive sport you’ll find”

Boccia England is the charity responsible for the sport in England, supporting all levels – from beginners to elite. Our work includes developing and supporting around 60 boccia clubs across England; working with partners

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If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you can find out more about boccia here: Scottish Boccia (scottishdisabilitysport.com); Disability Sport Wales (disabilitysportwales. com); Disability Sport Northern Ireland (dsni.co.uk).

If you’d like to start off by having a go at boccia at home, you can find lots of challenges and games on the Boccia England website (bocciaengland.org. uk), which you can play without having specialised equipment. If your child would like to play boccia regularly then the best way is to join a local club. There’s a network of clubs across the country and most are open to all ages and abilities. Boccia clubs provide a safe space for people to get active, have fun and form life-long friendships. Boccia England’s website also has a club finder tool to help you find your nearest club. Many schools run extra-curricular boccia sessions or even have their own boccia clubs. You’ll also find a nationwide programme of competitions run by Boccia England. The Heathcoat Cup, which will begin again in autumn 2022, is open to anyone including beginners. Our sport is only possible because of the dedication of hundreds of volunteers who run clubs, coach players, referee at our competitions and much more. If you’re interested in volunteering, please get in touch.

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T ra v e l

S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 - T R AV E L

Embrace the warmer weather and head outside to explore the great outdoors. In this issue we give you tips for a successful camping break and explore the stunning scenery, culture and explore fun activities in the UK.

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SUCCESSFUL F A M I LY CAMPING WITH GO OUTDOORS

amping is one of the best types of holiday for family bonding. It’s an activity everyone can get involved with and create memories for a lifetime. If it’s your first trip, you may have reservations and be worried about whether your kids will like it, whether other campers might complain, or how you’ll fill all that time so you don’t get the dreaded “I’m bored”. We’re here to help and have compiled a list of handy tips.

Are you ready?

Is camping right for your family? It’s worth checking before investing in a full holiday. Stay in the back garden or near to home for your first try. You don’t want to travel the length of the country to find the kids are scared of sleeping in a tent.

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Do you have the car space? Large family tents can take up a lot of space, you may soon fill up a smaller car once you start adding in all your additional gear. Try to pack heavy items at the bottom and lighter things on the top – and make sure you maintain visibility out the back of your car. If you need extra space, a roof box might be a good option to boost your available space for lighter items.

Practice pitching your tent. Practice makes perfect; not only is this the best way to check for issues (which are easier to rectify before a trip), but it also means that mum and dad can get in some vital practice. If you have young children, it may be best to try to pitch as much of the tent as possible solo, as one of you will need to tend to the young ones. Your practice trip is a good chance to work out how cold the kids get at night. Check the season of your sleeping bags are correct for the weather you’ll likely have whilst you’re away, but it’s always worth having options to layer up and stay warm so take plenty of blankets. Everyone will enjoy the trip more after a good nights sleep.

“If you’re worried about how much noise your kids make, don’t” Get as much info before your trip as possible. GO Outdoors have camping experts on hand to talk you through all aspects of camping, whether it’s type of tent, sleeping arrangements or cooking equipment. You’ll also be able to see the tents set up in store, so be sure to try them out!

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Blankets are good for evenings outside the tent if kids want to stay awake with the adults.

“Camping is one of the best types of holiday for family bonding”

A thin black sheet over the top of a bedroom pod can help with getting kids to sleep for longer, as it’ll block out some of the bright sunshine in the early morning. Many GO Outdoors tents have Nightfall® technology which blocks out daylight in the bedrooms, so check these out if you’re looking to buy a new tent for your trip. Baby wipes and hand sanitiser will be needed and are ideal for when the sinks are too far away. A jerry can on its side can make for an ideal hand washing station. Gazebos make for a great outdoor cooking space with a shelter, as well as being a good play area for when the tent starts to feel a little cramped. Some event shelters are inflatable too, which can save space in the car and are super easy to put up.

Get them involved

While travelling to the site, get the excitement going early with car games related to where you’re going, or to camping.

Be prepared

It’s worth making a list of your gear before your trip so you can be sure you don’t arrive at the site and have forgotten a tin opener, or even worse – the tent. Prepare some food for your arrival; the chances are that the whole family will be hungry after the trip and set up. A pre-cooked meal that is easy to get going is perfect, such as pizza, pasta or chilli – anything that can be eaten cold or is easy to warm up. Make sure any devices you’re taking with you are fully

On arrival it’s worth getting the kids involved in the set up, to help them feel like part of the team. Holding tent pegs, helping to unroll the sleeping bags etc.

charged before you set off, including any power banks to recharge whilst on the go. Meals can take longer to cook while camping, so it’s worth having snacks and fruit on hand to tide over hungry bellies while the main meal is cooking.

Let kids pack a small bag of their own with their favourite toys and books.

Have a portable toilet option. It may not be a very nice subject, but whether it’s a simple bucket toilet or a full portable toilet, it’s best to have an option so that you don’t have to keep doing the middle-of-the-night run to the toilet block.

Look for hands-on camping recipes, such as corn on the cob, burgers and hot dogs on the barbecue. Make meal times fun – camping cooking needn’t be boring. Fun desserts and snacks that kids can get hands-on with are great. It doesn’t get more campfire than toasted marshallows! Get them involved in the campsite chores. It may seem silly, but the chores that are boring at home are often a lot more fun when in a tent. Encourage kids to keep a scrap book of their holiday, things they’ve found, places they’ve been, photos you’ve taken etc.

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Tire them out

Tired legs and minds make for a better night’s sleep and it is much easier to get them to drift off at night. Camping is a great time for family games and there are plenty you can try, even without needing to buy equipment.

Invest in a picnic basket/cool bag or box for days out to keep your meals or snacks fresh.

Picking a campsite with good facilities for kids is a great way for them to make friends. Look for sites with parks, pools, recreation centres or activities that can be booked onto - some you may need to book before you arrive.

Books, portable DVD players or tablets are ideal for the night time while tucked up inside their sleeping bag. Many sites have WiFi available or you can hotspot off your phone – be sure to check for additional charges beforehand.

Depending on where your campsite is, it’s worth exploring the local town to see what is on offer close by. Nature walks with a scavenger hunt can be fun for everyone: create a list of items and head out into the outdoors to see what you can find. Board games, card games or tablets are ideal for wet weather days and keeping the little ones occupied during a day inside the tent.

Don’t worry...

If you’re worried about how much noise your kids make, don’t. There’s a degree of acceptance on family-friendly campsites; other camping parents have probably been through the same experience. Enjoy your holiday and just be respectful of other family living spaces. GO Outdoors is proud to stock an unbeatable range of outdoor camping gear for everyone, so visit us online or in-store and stock up on everything you need for your summer staycation.

For more help and advice on planning for your staycation, check out the handy howto videos we’ve made by following the link below, or scanning this QR code: https://bit.ly/3GSBcnw

“GO Outdoors have camping experts on hand to talk you through all options for camping”

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Visit your local store for our UNBEATABLE ranges Gear up for your families next adventure, all at the lowest prices. We have everything from Camping and Clothing to Outdoor Activities including Cycling and Fishing plus much more!

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Let’s go to...

S h ro ps h i r e

Combining culture, beautiful vistas and all manner of fun activities, Shropshire is a must-visit destination for families. Georgina Probert, her husband Thomas and their daughters Imogen (6) and Florence (2), took in the sights, sounds and stunning scenery of this historic county in the West Midlands.

on the border of England and North Wales, Shropshire has so much to offer for families, whether you spend a few days or a more substantial break. We stayed for three nights in February, but could have easily spent much longer exploring the area, as there is so much to see and do. Shropshire is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, so there’s a huge amount of history that will fascinate adults and kids alike. And with its rolling hills, country parks, castles and follies, there are all manner of outdoor pursuits

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that can cater to the curious explorer and the thrillseeker. The base for our stay was the glamping site Love2Stay (love2stay. co.uk) in Emstrey, which is just down the road from the National Trust’s Attringham Park (nationaltrust.org.uk/attingham-park). It is an excellent mid-point for local towns and attractions, including nearby Shrewsbury, as well as Ironbridge and Bridgnorth. See the full review of our accommodation on page 106.

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e spent the first full day of our trip in Shrewsbury, which is about a 15-minute drive from the Love2Stay campsite. Our first stop was Shrewsbury Prison (shrewsburyprison.com), an imposing-looking building – and no they don’t keep prisoners there anymore! This is a great way for kids to experience what life was really like behind bars, from 200 years ago to modern day (circa 2013). The prison is huge and, knowing the attention span of younger kids, we decided to explore at our own pace. Families with older children might prefer to book a guided tour and be shown around by a real prison officer! Imogen enjoyed going into the cells and looking at how they have changed over the years, while Florence simply liked running up and down the halls shouting “echo”. The prison hosts activities and events including kids’ archery, laser tag, escape rooms and ghost tours. After taking in the macabre sights of the prison, we walked to Paws Cafe (pawscafe.co.uk) in Mardol Street for some cat-themed crafts. It is not compulsory to like cats to visit Paws, but it certainly helps! The cafe is home to 11 friendly cats of several different breeds, from British Shorthair and Ragdoll to Bengal and Maine Coon. The cafe and apartment above is the cats’ home and their welfare is the top priority for owners, Katie and James. Visitors pay for a session and during that time all hot and soft drinks are free. Paws also serves the most amazing cakes from Cakesmiths and offers a brilliant afternoon tea. We enjoyed a delicious spread of sandwiches, sausage rolls, scones and cakes. Paws runs Cats & Craft activity sessions and Movie Mornings for kids during the school holidays. Our girls absolutely loved meeting the cats and the owners have created a calm, relaxing and stylish space that was truly a pleasure to spend time in. We then walked to the Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery (shropshiremuseums.org.uk/smag)

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EXPLORING SHREWSBURY in the town square to start a guided walking tour. Our fantastic guide tailored the tour just right to keep things interesting and engaging for a six-yearold and also informative for the adults. We spotted lots of cool architectural and historical features that you wouldn’t notice when walking around the town. The tour lasted around 90 minutes and so might not be suitable for under 5’s – although we timed it right and Florence slept in the buggy the whole time. Our walking tour concluded at the Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery, so we made a quick pit stop at the STOP. Cafe Bar and then went into the museum. It is free to enter and gives a fascinating insight into the town’s long and rich history, with a huge number of artefacts on display in Roman, Medieval, Tudor and Stuart galleries. There’s a Maximo Mouse trail for kids to follow as they walk around and there are lots of interactive and hands-on activities to keep small people engaged. The museum also runs regular workshops for families, including a weekly Mini Mammoths toddler group for children aged 1-5.

Fun fact:

There have been 11 different spellings and pronunciations of Shrewsbury since Medieval times

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Top t i p:

THE STUNNING SHROPSHIRE HILLS

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While Shropshire has good transport links, we found having a car essential for this trip as many of the places we visited were off the beaten track

he next day our first stop was the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre (shropshirehills discoverycentre. co.uk) in Craven Arms, which was about a 30-minute drive from our campsite. The kids had great fun at the Through Time exhibition learning all about the Iron Age and meeting Willy the mammoth – an impressive life-size replica of a woolly mammoth skeleton. There are loads of crafts to do as you walk around the small museum, including mark-making and colouring, as well as cutting and sticking. Imogen loved dressing up as a person from the Iron Age and sitting beside the mock-up fireplace. The Discovery Centre has a wellstocked gift shop (good luck getting out without buying anything) and a large cafe serving hot and cold breakfasts and lunches. After lunch, we took the circular walk through the Onny meadows around the centre, which has a range of wild play equipment spaced around the paths.

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BRIDGNORTH

ext we drove to the town of Bridgnorth. A great starting point in the centre of the town is Bridgnorth Library and Visitor Information Point (shropshire.gov.uk/ libraries/find-a-library/bridgnorth-library/) on Listley Street. The library has a great seating area for kids and there’s free WiFi. From here you can pick up a map and follow three different trails around the town: the Bridgnorth Art Trail (free of charge); the treasure map trail (£5.99); and the spy-themed trail (£9.99). We loved taking part in the Bridgnorth Art Trail (bridgnorth-art-trail.org.uk), which features 13 statues of trains that have been designed and painted by local artists.

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A must-visit is the Severn Valley Railway (svr. co.uk), which opens from April through to the end of October. See vintage steam trains and diesels that run 16 miles through the countryside between Bridgnorth and Kidderminster. A freedom-of-the-line family ticket allows you to get on and off the train at any station throughout the day. There’s also the Cliff Railway (bridgnorthcliffrailway.co.uk), which is Britain’s steepest inland funicular. This is a quick and inexpensive way to get to the lower part of the town without having to use the 178 stone steps. You will thank us when you see how steep they are. Our day was plagued with wind and rain (we visited just before Storm Dudley hit) and so we took shelter in the super-cool board game cafe, The Board Room (theboardroombridgnorth. co.uk). Opening in October last year, this cafe is filled with every board game imaginable – they have a choice of about 250 games – for all ages. It costs £5 for an hour and sells a good selection of drinks and snacks. In addition to the huge choice of games, what we loved about this cafe is the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. We finished our day with an early dinner at The Old Swan (facebook.com/ TheOldSwanBridgnorth) in Bridgnorth High Street. This pub has modern décor, a friendly atmosphere and delicious food. The portion sizes were generous and the kids’ menu had a really good selection. We were particularly impressed with the ice cream, which was beautifully presented with edible flowers, chocolate swirls and freeze-dried raspberries.

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Discover their maverick mode on a kids-only adventure.

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IRONBRIDGE GORGE

Did you k now?

Built in 1779, the iron bridge was the first bridge in the world to be made completely from cast iron

f you are going on holiday in Shropshire then it is worth putting aside a day (or more) to visit the UNESCO World Heritage site Ironbridge Gorge (ironbridge.org. uk). A family pass lasts for a whole year and gives you access to 10 different museums, all within an area of six square miles. The two museums that are ideal for families are Enginuity and Blists Hill, a recreated Victorian town. There’s also a fantastic new adventure playground with a toddler play area. You could easily spend a few days visiting all of the museums and there’s also the actual iron bridge to walk across with far-reaching views of the river. Ironbridge has some lovely shops, cafes and restaurants to enjoy too. We spent the morning at the Enginuity

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museum, based in an old metalworks. Enginuity covers all the elements, from wind and water power to coal and electric. Almost everything is interactive, with STEM learning at its heart. Imogen loved turning a handle to create electricity and seeing how long different appliances took to use it up, while Florence had lots of fun playing with the interactive sandpit and exploring the sensory room. Many museums are not geared up for children under 5, but Enginuity kept both of our kids entertained and offers a fun, educational experience that is particularly good for visual and physical learners. It was a pleasure to spend time in Shropshire (despite the weather!). It has so much to offer for families and a few days only gave us a small taster of this part of the country, as there is so much more to see. For more information on things to do in Shropshire, see the Visit Shropshire website (visitshropshire.co.uk)

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here is something quite magical about snuggling under the bedcovers first thing in the morning with a hot cup of tea listening to the rain falling on the roof of a tent. Even better when you are in an actual bed and did not have to go outside to make the tea! If you like the idea of camping but want luxuries like a log burner, an indoor flushing toilet and a comfortable bed, then glamping might be for you. Love2Stay offers the perfect balance between being in nature without compromising on comfort. We stayed in a Safari lodge, which is a huge tent featuring a fully fitted kitchen, a large bathroom with a walk-in shower and roll-top bath, two bedrooms and even a wooden snug with a little play area underneath. While a tent is never going to be as warm as a brick building, the wood-burning stove is perfect for cold nights, and there’s underfloor heating in the bedrooms and bathroom. That being said, if you visit in the colder months we recommend bringing your slippers, as well as flip flops or sandals to wear from your tent to your hot tub, as it’s a gravel path or grass (we got muddy feet!). Adults are provided with luxury robes, but kids should bring their dressing gowns. In summer, the wooden flooring will be lovely and cool, and you can open up the whole front of the tent to enjoy warm summer evenings. As well as 11 Safari lodges, there are 11 Woodland lodges and all come with their own private four-man hot tub right next to your lodge. There’s also a BIOTOP natural swimming pool and hot springs splash pool with a sandy beach next to the reception and coffee shop. During our stay, we tried out some of the many activities on offer, including cooking our own pizzas in a stone pizza

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oven. Imogen’s favourites were creating her own tie-dye t-shirt and stone painting. There’s a tent cinema with daily showings of kid-friendly films and so much to do outdoors, from paddle boarding and kayaking to woodland school, campfire cooking and archery, as well as a huge wooden assault course and a barefoot sensory trail. For adults, there’s a 500m trim trail and fitness suite or you can book in for a relaxing massage.

L O V E 2 S T AY LUXURY GLAMPING

Love2Stay has 118 touring caravan and motorhome pitches, with prices starting from £30 a night. Woodland Lodge (sleeps 6) prices start from £165 per night and Safari Lodge (sleeps 6) prices start from £205 per night – both have a minimum three-night stay. For more information on Love2Stay or to book, tel: 01743 583124 or visit: love2stay.co.uk

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23 E 20 AL & NS 22 O 20 W NO

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Family First - Summer 2022

Articles inside

Slam dunk – We

Making a splash

Soaring superstars – The Wildlife

All you need to know about boccia

Time for a new adventure – Girlguiding

Outdoor science fun

On the go BUGGY REVIEW