SW London October Half Term 2018 Primary Times by Alison Watson

e e r f

for families with primary IDE U aged children NG O T’S A WH

in South West London

HARLEQUINS V WASPS The Best Family Guide to What’s On October Half Term• Issue 116 • 8 October - 25 November 2018

Dear Readers Primary Times in South West London 7 Southbrook Mews London SE12 8LG Tel: 020 8318 0400 Email: office@primarytimes.biz Website: www.primarytimes.co.uk Twitter: @PT_LondonSandE Instagram: @primarytimesse Publishing Editor: Peter Watson Sales: Andrew Langridge, Gill Pearce, Catherine Dillon & Lola Olowofela Listings: Dingile Kasote Editorial: Alina McCrone Production: Alison Watson Office Manager: Chris Blower Administrators: Claire Wood & Tina Love Proof Reader: Catherine Draisey Social Media: Rachel Benson Primary Times is independently published and distributed free in primary, infant, junior and middle schools throughout the boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, Merton, Richmond upon Thames, Sutton & Wandsworth. Its aims are to inform families and children of current educational issues, forthcoming events, courses and attractions and to give teachers, pupils and parents the opportunity to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or joining in the competitions which we run. Its aims are to inform families and children of current educational issues, forthcoming events, courses and attractions and to give teachers, pupils and parents the opportunity to participate in the magazine by adding to its contents or joining in the competitions which we run. It is NOT our intention to publish any racist, sexist or politically based material whatsoever. We also undertake not to carry any advertising which we would consider to be offensive to young families or harmful to the best interests of young children. The opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements within this publication are not necessarily those held by the editor or publisher. While we take great care with the compilation of information within this magazine, neither the editor nor publisher will accept any liability for the accuracy of the editorial or advertising contained within the publication. We welcome listings being sent to us for inclusion in our What’s On section. Free listings are dependent on available space and we cannot guarantee to print all the listings we are sent. Please send them to listings@primarytimes.biz. Primary Times would like to thank all the schools for their assistance in distributing the magazine and for their contributions to its contents. We would also like to thank all the advertisers who have supported this publication and therefore made it possible. Please support their endeavours when and where you can. No part of this magazine, including the advertisements within it may be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the express written permission of the Publishing Editor. Primary Times is currently publishing over 2.5 million copies per issue under franchise licences throughout England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Primary Times South West London is operated under franchise licence.

Phew that was a quick half term, or it felt that way to us! Welcome to the latest issue of Primary Times, out just in time for October Half Term. Welcome also to Dingile who is our new Listings Editor. She has done a fantastic job finding hundreds of ideas for you all to have a brilliant half term so do let the organisers know that you read about them in Primary Times. Do also check the latest information by contacting them before you visit. Our listings are prepared a long time in advance and details can change. Fancy winning a weekend away at the wonderful Leeds Castle including entrance fees, bed and breakfast? Then look no further and enter our Leeds Castle competition. With Leeds Castle you can explore almost nine centuries of history and discover the gardens, maze, falconry and much more. Look out for our other competitions too and don’t forget to include your contact details when you enter them There will be lots of firework displays happening soon. We looked on the RoSPA website and these were their top ten tips on how to stay safe. 1 Plan your firework display to make it safe and enjoyable. 2 Keep fireworks in a closed box and use them one at a time. 3 Read and follow the instructions on each firework using a torch if necessary. 4 Light the firework at arm’s length with a taper and stand well back. 5 Keep naked flames, including cigarettes, away from fireworks. 6 Never return to a firework once it has been lit. 7 Don’t put fireworks in pockets and never throw them. 8 Direct any rocket fireworks well away from spectators. 9 Never use paraffin or petrol on a bonfire. 10 Make sure that the fire is out and surroundings are made safe before leaving. Visit www.saferfireworks.com/firework_code for lots more advice

Contents

inside this issue.... News.........................................4 What’s On.................................6 Family Theatre........................ 10 Autumn Adventures....................16 What’s New..............................24 Education News......................25 Competitions...........................27 All Your Own Work!................. 31

Look out for our wonderful winter magazine from 26 November.

Peter and the Primary Times team When you have finished with this magazine please recycle it

Win a Mini Break at Leeds Castle This autumn Primary Times has an exciting prize to give away to a lucky family - An annual pass for two adults and two children to Leeds Castle, plus an overnight stay in the grounds of Leeds Castle at the Stable Courtyard B&B and dinner in the Castle View restaurant for up to £150. There will also be runner up prizes of five more family annual passes for two adults and two children. There’s plenty going on this October Half Term at Leeds Castle. Help Monster Hunter Valerie Van Helsing on a quest to investigate ‘The Case of the Halloween Monster’, but watch out for Halloween bandits along the way! Look out for characters such as Vinnie the Vampire and Frank Frankenstein on the trail and collect your chocolate reward at the end. There’s also a fun new haunted trail for younger visitors through the Woodland Walk, a ‘Monster Mash Ball’ and daily fancy dress competitions with prizes for the best costumes. If you’re brave enough, visit Leeds Castle this half term for ghoulish games and frightening fun for all ages.

Leeds Castle is perfect for a family day out and the annual pass means you can visit the Castle all year round, not just in the autumn. To be in with a chance of winning this fabulous prize, all you need to do is complete the word search. Then fill out the form with your details and send them both to Leeds Castle Competition, Primary Times, 7 Southbrook Mews, London SE12 8LG. Or scan a copy of your completed form and email it to competitions@primarytimes.biz with ‘Leeds Castle Competition’ as the subject, by Friday 9 November.

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Find the following words Vampire, Frank, Vinnie, Leeds, Castle, October, Webs, Boo, Scary, Trail Name...................................................................... Age.......................................................................... Address................................................................... ................................................................................ ................................................................................ School......................................................................

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

News

The Players Academy The Players Academy have had a very busy year, from performing in Disneyland Paris, putting on their summer musical Sister Act, to their performance in September on stage with X-factor finalists G4. Of their performance with G4, Artistic Director, Jemma Harris said,

Chrysalis Care Independent Fostering Agency Prepare to ‘leave’ 2018 with a bang! For many people, this time of year signals winding down and preparing for hibernation and end of year festivities.Yet, it’s an ideal time to take action towards your fostering journey, preparing the foundation for a brand new fostering adventure in 2019. After 21 years as a leading Independent Fostering Agency, Chrysalis Care provides all the advice and guidance you need, to join in transforming the lives of children and young people, through high quality foster care. Their foster carers are based across London, Kent, Essex, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire and benefit from expert 24 hour advice, guidance, training and support. If you have a spare room, a heart for children and young people and are ready for a new life adventure, please contact Chrysalis’s knowledgeable team today on 020 8298 2800, email info@ chrysaliscare.org or visit www.chrysaliscarefostering.org.

“I was so proud of their performance tonight, they came alive when they were on stage and had so much fun. To see them working together across the age groups and supporting one another in the way that they do is a pleasure and makes all the hard work well worth it.” The independent performing arts school welcomes children from age 4 to join their fun and all-inclusive Saturday morning sessions. Their Minis group for ages 4 to 7 year olds is the beginning of the adventure and offers imaginative, confidence boosting sessions incorporating singing, drama and dance with the emphasis on fun. Ages 8 to 18 join the Spots, Stripes and Elites group and sing, act and dance working in separate groups and all together. Combining the age groups for some of their sessions really helps the children bond and become a team. The benefits can be seen when they are on stage during their own productions and when they are appearing in shows like their recent performance with G4. Players put on a full scale musical each year in a theatre with a live band, scenery, costumes and lights. If you’re interested in The Players Academy, you can sign-up for a FREE 2 week trial. Call 07833 710 157 or email info@ theplayersacademy.co.uk. For more information visit www. theplayersacademy.co.uk.

Design the Primary Times Christmas Card!

The Hardest Path

Every year, we at Primary Times send out thousands of Christmas cards and we’d like you to help us create the picture for this year’s card. It can be any picture you like to do with Christmas in some way. You might like to make it Father Christmas, a snowman, Rudolf with his red nose or maybe a nativity scene.You can draw or paint your picture on an A4 or A5 piece of card or paper.

Author and teacher, Matt Jardine, set out on an ancient Japanese pilgrimage, partly as a respite from the 9-5 and partially to search for answers to some of life’s big questions. Why are we here? What should we be doing with our lives? Where is the TV remote?

Our picture shows our card from last year which was designed for us by Oliver Carpenter from St Joseph’s Primary School. Send your answer to Christmas Card Competition, Primary Times, 7 Southbrook Mews, London SE12 8LG or scan your entry and email it to competitions@primarytimes.biz with ‘Christmas Card Competition’ as the subject by Friday 2 November.

Teachers and schools are very welcome to send in a whole class’s entries in a single envelope.The winner will see their design used for the Primary Times Christmas card and will also receive fifty copies of the card with envelopes. 4

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

During the pilgrimage, he learnt Buddhist wisdom that is not only useful for coping with life’s significant challenges, but also with the smaller day-to-day niggles that beset every parent. Matt told Primary Times, “As much as we love our children and family life, there is no denying that parenting can at times be laborious, tiresome and downright stressful. One of the most important things I learnt on the pilgrimage that could help parents is to make a daily habit of taking a personal ‘time out’. When family life gets crazy it’s easy to lose ourselves amidst the noise, chaos and the many drop off and pick ups we have to do. Every day, it’s vital to take a half hour to sit quietly, alone, with no interruptions. Many parents protest that they haven’t enough time already, let alone adding a further ‘time out’ to their schedule. To which I answer – ‘FIND THE TIME!’ You must do it not only for your sanity, to recharge and reset yourself, but also for your family’s sanity. If you are stressed, then not only do you feel terrible but so do they. Stress spreads like wildfire.” Matt has published a book, The Hardest Path, documenting his path and discoveries, which is available on Amazon.

This December Harlequins will once again swap The Stoop for Twickenham Stadium, the home of English rugby at Big Game 11. In a repeat of Big Game 2, old rivals Wasps will be the opponents for this Gallagher Premiership fixture.

News

Old Rivals Light up London’s Greatest Stage Last year’s Big Game was one of the best in the series as Harlequins took home a 51-21 victory against Northampton Saints, creating the atmosphere of a lifetime for over 75,000 supporters. Join Harlequins on Saturday 29 December at Twickenham Stadium for a fun-filled family day out.With loads of activities off the pitch, spectacular entertainment and incredible atmosphere to accompany the rugby, this is an event you don’t want to miss! Light up London’s greatest stage and be a part of the most exciting sporting fixture of the festive calendar.Tickets for non-Members start from just £25 for adults and £15 for juniors. Go to tickets.quins.co.uk to secure your seats.

Robozuna A new children’s action-packed animation series Robozuna arrives on CITV over the next few weeks. The series is the ultimate bot-battling-bot competition and these aren’t just any bots, they are Combatabots. Robozuna follows the story of 14-year-old Ariston, and his homemade robot friend Mangle who live in a world where the oppressive Corvus Imperium rule the land with an iron fist and an army of Centurions, destroying anything they can’t control.You have to be ready to battle, anytime, anywhere. There is one escape for the masses - Robozuna, a fun and thrilling competition, where heroes are not only born they are, quite literally, built. When the Corvus Imperium destroys the nomadic colony where Ariston and Mangle live, they are left isolated and homeless. Going in search of a sanctuary they find it with Team Veredus, a Robozuna team with a secret agenda. Their leader Lanista, sees Robozuna as a way of uniting the land’s disjointed tribes into one fighting force who can march on Corvus and restore freedom to the people.

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

What’s On

Your family diary for October and November

Ongoing Until 17 Oct

PJ Mask SuperMoon! The Entertainer, Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth, SW18 4TF

Can you help to find the PJ Mask characters hiding around the store? Find them all and win one of 5 PJ Mask toy bundles. Free PJ Mask activity sheet available in store. For more details visit www. southsidewandsworth.com/kids-clubevents

Until 19 Oct

Duchess, Daughter, Socialite, Spy? Ham House and Garden, Richmond, TW10 7RS 12noon-4pm. Explore Ham House to discover the public and private life of Elizabeth Murray and her powerful role in the 17th century. Delve into her public relationships with royalty, her role within the Civil War, and her private relationships behind closed doors. For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse-and-garden

Until 24 Oct

Expectations: The Neil Kenlock Archive, Black Cultural Archives, Brixton, SW2 1EF Come and experience the first ever photography exhibition ‘takeover’ at the Black Cultural Archives using photographs taken by Neil Kenlock. Explore ideas of the black British leadership experience in the 1960s and 1970s. For more details visit www.blackculturalarchives.org

Until 28 Oct

Colour: The Rainbow Revealed Exhibition, Horniman Museum & Gardens, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ

An award-winning exhibition exploring the endless ways in which colour shapes our world. It is full of family-friendly displays and interactive games including an Art Machine for you to create your own vibrant masterpiece, a Mood Room and more. For more information and to buy tickets visit www.horniman.ac.uk

Until 31 Oct

Queen’s Apartment Visit, Ham House and Garden, Richmond, TW10 7RS

(Selected dates) 12.15-3.30pm. Be honoured to access extraordinary rooms, closed for the majority of their lifetime and understand their special status with a short talk. For more information visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/ham-house-andgarden

Until 17 Nov

Chinatown Stories, Various Locations

11.30am-2pm. Nine streets, four gates and a host of Chinese characters. Discover London’s Chinatown and support this special community with Chinatown Stories – summer walking tours only available from China Exchange. For more information and to book visit chinaexchange.uk

Until 18 Nov

Giant LEGO® Brick Animal Trail and Workshops, London Wetland Centre, SW13 9WT

The giant LEGO® brick animals are touring WWT Wetland Centres to spend time with their real-life cousins.You can also build-yourown mini figures and book onto an interactive LEGO® workshops. Charges apply. For more information visit www.wwt.org.uk

Until 25 Nov

Tremendous Tree - Family Trail, Morden Hall Park, SM4 5JD 10am-3pm. Discover the hidden and secret stories of trees at Morden Hall and decorate your own wooden medallion to take their power with you! Admission charges apply. For more information visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/morden-hall-park

Until 3 Feb

Through the Hoops: Croquet at Wimbledon, Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, SW19 5AG

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum’s

In the Shadows, National Army Museum, Chelsea, SW3 4HT

This major exhibition presents ideas of security and secrecy through the lens of British Special Forces. Discover who these elite soldiers are, the skills they need, and the operations they’ve undertaken. Admission charges apply. For more information visit www.nam.ac.uk

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Our listings are prepared a long time in advance. To make sure you have the latest details do contact the event nearer the time to make sure they haven’t changed

“

I saw your event in Primary Times.... Please mention you saw the event listed in Primary Times

”

collection contains over 20,000 objects that chronicle the history of lawn tennis from a popular pastime to the world class sporting tournament that is The Championships. Charges apply. For more information visit www. wimbledon.com

Until 16 Jun

Spanish Flu Exhibition, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW Journey back in time to a field hospital in 1918 and explore the experiences of those that lived and died during the deadliest pandemic in human history, and discover if a similarly devastating pandemic could happen again today. For more information visit www.florencenightingale.co.uk

October Thurs 11 Oct

Heritage Tour of the Archives, Brixton, SW2 1EF

4-5pm, 6-7pm. Behind the vault of the archive are the stories of Black Britain. Come and meet the team to find out more about the documents, look after and share these stories. Visit www.blackculturalarchives.org

Pandemic 1918 Talk by Catharine Arnold, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW 2.30pm. Find out about the Spanish Flu and join us for a day time talk by author Catharine Arnold. Admission charges apply. For more information visit www.florence-nightingale.co.uk

Sat 13 Oct

My Head and Me, Unicorn Theatre, Southwark, SE1 2HZ

12noon-2pm. Fill your head with all the things you think about. The good, the bad and the crazy! Ages 8+. For more information visit www. unicorntheatre.com

Tank Wars, National Army Museum, Chelsea, SW3 4HT

11am, 1pm and 3pm. Command a remote-controlled tank and test your mettle with a series of challenges. Navigate an obstacle course, traverse dangerous ravines and battle it out with other tanks. Ages 6+. Collect your free ticket from the Welcome Desk. For more information visit www.nam.ac.uk

Tour of Brixton Windmill, SW2 5EU (Also 14 Oct) Explore the windmill, visit the ‘two mills in one’ and hear the intriguing story of the Ashby family.You will see the original wind-powered machinery and find out how it was once used to make stoneground flour. For more information and to book visit www. brixtonwindmill.org

The Big Draw, Cultural Connections CC, Stockwell, SW8 2QJ

11am-4pm. Come to Christ Church Clapham to make a fabulous community installation of colourful characters. Simply drop in and create your own design.Your person can be a self-portrait, based on a friend or family member. For more details visit www.thebigdraw.org

Sat 13 – Wed 31 Oct

Halloween Circus, Chessington Garden Centre, KT9 2NG Enjoy a spooktacular family friendly show. Be transported to Transylvania and witness all the action in a haunted castle full of dysfunctional eccentric characters. Charges apply. For more details visit www. chessingtongardencentre.co.uk

Halloween Spooky Zoo, Chessington Garden Centre, KT9 2NG

Each visitor will get a unique chance to encounter, handle and have their photo taken with a variety of exotic reptiles which include snakes, crocodiles and lizards. Charges apply. For more details visit www. chessingtongardencentre.co.uk

Sun 14 Oct

The Highway Rat, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

12noon. With the animated film projected on big screen, and live music performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, this is a wonderful first concert experience for all the family. There will also be Free FUNharmonics activities: 10am– 12noon. For more information and to book visit www.southbankcentre. co.uk

Sun 14 Oct – Sun 25 Nov

A World of Stories, Horniman Museum and Gardens, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ

(Select Sundays) 2-2.45pm and 3.154pm. Join in the Horniman’s Hands on Base for an enjoyable storytelling session to see why so many people across the world love listening to

For lots more What’s On ideas see page 8...

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What’s On

More What’s On Your family diary for October and November

October stories. Free, drop-in. For more information visit www.horniman. ac.uk

Thurs 18 Oct – Fri 2 Nov

Creepy Creature Halloween Trail, Various Locations

Explore the town centre and complete this spooky trail. Trails available online, from Putney Library, Kids Stuff and Putney Arts Theatre. For more details visit postivelyputney. co.uk

Sat 20 Oct

Fungi Walk, Streatham Common, SW16 3BZ

11am-1pm. Learn about the crucial importance of fungi in our woods and the wider world with Sylvia Myers. Ages 11+. For more information visit www.wildlondon. org.uk

Crafting Communications Tools, National Army Museum, Chelsea, SW3 4HT 10.30am, 12noon, 2pm and 3.30pm. Get creative and construct your own signalling device. Learn how soldiers send and decipher secret signals with telescopes and heliographs. Ages 6+. Collect your free ticket from the Welcome Desk. For more information visit www.nam.ac.uk

Storytelling Adventures: Hansel and Gretel, Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth, SW18 4TF

11am, 1pm and 3pm. Enjoy storytelling that is feel-good, funny and filled with lots audience participation. Limited spaces. Email Southside at reception@ southsidewandsworth.com with your choice of story, date and time to be added to the guest list.

Meet Miss Nightingale, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW 11.30am, 1.30pm, 3pm. Meet Miss Nightingale and hear all about how she became known as the Lady with the Lamp. Find out how she became a nurse, why she went to the Crimea and how she improved the conditions. For more information visit www.florence-nightingale.co.uk

Sat 20 – Sun 21 Oct

Weaving an Odyssey, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

12noon. Get to grips with warp and weft and learn about a resourceful character from The Odyssey at a drop-in tapestry weaving workshop. Part of London Literature Festival. Ages 6-10. For more information visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Tales from the Odyssey, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

12.30pm and 2.30pm. Come on a journey with Wendy Shearer in an interactive live storytelling performance of tales from Homer’s Odyssey, featuring music, song and illustration. Part of London Literature Festival. For more information visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Sat 20 – Sun 28 Oct

Siyanda, Protector of Plants, Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE In this performance, Siyanda will take you on a journey of discovery, learning about the South African plants in her care. She’ll reveal how she helps them to thrive and why protecting these plants is so vital. Charges apply. For more details and to book visit www.kew.org/kewgardens

Halloween Fun, Ham House and Garden, Richmond, TW10 7RS Enjoy Halloween hocus pocus at Ham House. Is everything all that it seems? Track down the evidence of the ghostly goings on at Ham, decorate a pumpkin biscuit and have some fearsome fun! Admission charges apply. For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse-and-garden

Beast Quest, Hampton Court Palace, KT8 9AU

11am-4pm. Will you take up the mantle of Beast Quester? This October come to Hampton Court Palace for an exciting event for the whole family. Enjoy teamwork, solving puzzles, riddles and games. Charges apply.Visit www.hrp.org.uk

Pumpkin Quiz Trail, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, SW11 4NJ Take part and use the clues to help you find which animals are taking part in the Halloween fun. Charges apply. For more details visit www. batterseaparkzoo.co.uk

Sat 20 – Wed 31 Oct

Halloween Monster Meals, Chessington Garden Centre, KT9 2NG Get stuck in to ghoulish monster meals, from witches’ hair spaghetti to zombies’ fingers

Our listings are prepared a long time in advance. To make sure you have the latest details do contact the event nearer the time to make sure they haven’t changed

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

“

I saw your event in Primary Times.... Please mention you saw the event listed in Primary Times

”

whilst enjoying a suitably horrific setting in a fantastically themed Halloween marquee. Charges apply. For more details visit www. chessingtongardencentre.co.uk

Halloween Trick or Treat Maze, Chessington Garden Centre, KT9 2NG Bigger and scarier than ever before, this spine tingling attraction is perfect for those who like the ‘scream’ in Halloween! Will you escape the maze of trickery? Ages 4+. Charges apply. For more details visit www. chessingtongardencentre.co.uk

Sun 21 Oct – Sat 10 Nov Poppy-Making Family Crafts, National Army Museum, Chelsea, SW3 4HT

(Selected dates) 10.30am, 1pm, 2pm and 4.30pm. Mark the centenary of the end of the First World War by making a paper poppy and adding it to our growing Remembrance Garden. For more information visit www.nam.ac.uk

Mon 22 Oct

Leaves, Seeds and Prints, Centre for Wildlife Gardening, East Dulwich, SE15 4EE

(Also 23 Oct) 11am-4pm. A fun packed two days using autumn leaves to make different types of print. You‘ll be finding out about trees and seeds with games, stories and crafts. Booking is essential. For more information visit www.wildlondon. org.uk

Family Art Fun, Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ (Also 23, 25 and 26 Oct) 11am2.45pm. Take part in free Horniman craft activities at the Education Centre. Ages 3+. Charges apply. For more information visit www. horniman.ac.uk

Hands on Base: Horniman Explorers, Horniman Museum and Gardens, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ (Also 26 Oct) 11am-12.30pm and 2-3.30pm. Discover the collections that make the Horniman special. Experience real things from African masks, spice jars, pueblo drums to sharks jaws. Use your explorer skills to discover the galleries and gardens in a new way.Visit www.horniman. ac.uk

Little Explorers, Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE

(Also 26 Nov) Join in for a funpacked adventure with games, stories, crafts and dressing up.You’ll find out what makes plants grow, where your food comes from and ways to use plants in our everyday lives. Ages 2-5. For more details and to book visit www.kew.org/kew-gardens

Family Technical Theatre Day, National Theatre, South Bank, SE1 9PX (Also 25 Oct) 11am-3.30pm. Discover the science and technology behind productions. Go on a backstage tour, discover how lighting and sound design work and create your own designs to bring a scene to life. Ages 7-12. Charges apply. For more details and to book visit www. nationaltheatre.org.uk

Snake Day, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, SW11 4NJ

11am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3.30pm. Enjoy snake themed fun for the whole family. Meet a real one and find out how and why they shed their skin. Why not make a snake puppet too! Charges apply. For more details visit www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk

Clean Hands, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW

Join the team from St Thomas’ Hospital to see how clean your hands really are. Look at the special equipment used by the team to help protect them against infection. Museum admission charges apply. For more information visit www.florencenightingale.co.uk

The Bolds with Julian Clary & David Roberts, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

2pm. Join writer Julian Clary and illustrator David Roberts for another hilarious tale from their children’s book series, The Bolds, about a family of hyenas. Hear the story accompanied by live illustration. For more information and to book visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Mon 22 – Wed 24 Oct

Storystock, Battersea Power Station, SW8 5BP

Enjoy Storystock - the travelling circus of literary adventures for kids. This three day festival is bringing your favourite tales to life with a jam-packed line up of events. Charges apply. For more details visit www. batterseapowerstation.co.uk

Mon 22 – Wed 31 Oct

Create and Grow Spooky Half Term, Squires Garden Centre, Twickenham, TW2 5PA 10am-4pm. Keep your little ghouls entertained, drop in daily for lots of fun. Paint a ceramic bat tea light holder, decorate a spooky mobile, play pumpkin pursuit around the centre and more. Charges apply. For more details visit www. squiresgardencentres.co.uk

Tues 23 Oct

The Time Travel Club - A Tommy’s Tale, The National Archives, Kew, TW9 4DU

10.30am-12noon. Discover what it was like to be a soldier in the First World War. Then decorate your own ceramic flower-pot and plant poppy seeds as an act of remembrance. Ages 7-11. Charges apply. For more information visit www. nationalarchives.gov.uk

For lots more What’s On ideas see page 14...

Storystock at Battersea Power Station 22 – 24 October

This October half term, Storystock – the travelling circus of literary adventures for kids – returns to Circus West Village. Don’t miss this three-day festival, bringing to life your favourite tales with a jam-packed line up of events:

Live Performances

Workshops

Storytelling

Lauren Child’s Ruby Redfort Show

Comic Book Workshop with Knife and Packer

Julia McDonaldson’s Monkey Puzzle

Ben Miller’s The Night I Met Father Christmas

The Greatest Showman Musical Workshop

Dr Seuss’s If I Ran The Circus

The Harry Potter Show

Comedy Workshop with The School of Comedy

Mog and The Tiger Who Came To Tea

...and so much more

Eat, Drink, Do Grab a bite to eat before and after the shows at our fantastic selection of restaurants and bars. Dropping the kids off at one of our workshops? Why not get a hair or beauty treatment at Paul Edmonds, or go spinning at Boom Cycle. And don’t forget, the easiest way to get to and from Battersea Power Station is by river, on board MBNA Thames Clippers. Tickets are on sale now – For the full line up and to book visit:

batterseapowerstation.co.uk/Storystock @BatterseaPwrStn

Family Theatre

Impressionist and Britain’s Got Talent finalist, Jon Clegg, as Smee. West End star Rachel Stanley (Scrooge The Musical, Legally Blonde) will mystify the imagination as the Magical Mermaid, and Harry Francis (Book of Mormon, A Chorus Line, Fiddler on the Roof) delights audiences as the boy who never grew up, Peter Pan. With a booty of concessions available, families will find it even easier to save when booking for the perfect festive trip to the theatre this Christmas. Packed full of high-flying sequences, sword-fights, song and dance and a galleon-full of comedy, climb aboard the Jolly Roger and set sail for the box office to hook your tickets today!

The Wind in the Willows - Polka Theatre

...oh yes it is! Peter Pan at Richmond Theatre Do you believe in fairies? Clap your hands and think plenty of happy flights to set off on a fairy tale flight to Neverland this Christmas for the swashbuckling family adventure, Peter Pan at Richmond Theatre! Join our high-flying hero, Peter Pan, as he transports the Darlings on an adventure filled with evil pirates, a very hungry crocodile and the meanest man in Neverland, Captain Hook played by BAFTA, Tony Award and twotime Olivier Award winner Robert Lindsay as he makes his first ever pantomime debut! Joining Robert will be comedy

The Wind in the Willows is a wonderfully funny tale brought to life with music, songs and the usual Polka magic. When Mole abandons spring cleaning for the delights of the riverbank, he has no idea of the adventures that lie ahead. With Toad’s obsession for all things fast causing chaos (poop, poop!), it falls upon his friends Ratty, Mole and wise old Badger to save him. That means coming face to face with the ferrets and weasels of the Wild Wood. In this delightful adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s classic story of friendship and bravery, Polka’s winter warmer will take you on a journey through the seasons. You can join Polka for their Christmas holiday workshops inspired by the play. Trouble on the River Bank is a workshop for devising and acting for ages 9–14, and Mask Fun with Ratty, Toad and Badger will

Fri 9 Nov – Sun 17 Feb A Polka Theatre production

Adapted from the original by J M Barrie and by arrangement with Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity and Samuel French Limited

0844 871 7651*

ATGTICKETS.COM/Richmond *Fees apply. Calls cost up to 7p per minute, plus your phone company’s access charge. **Valid on select performances only for children aged 16 and under.

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

A play with songs by Toby Hulse Based on the novel by Kenneth Grahame Ages

020 8543 4888 www.polkatheatre.com Polka Theatre, Wimbledon, London SW19 1SB

(Time Out). Featuring virtuoso choreography by Robert North and unforgettable music and lyrics by Howard Blake - including the timeless Walking in the Air - the performance has been seen by audiences of over half a million at The Peacock. The Times described the Snowman as, “Sheer theatrical magic. Go see The Snowman and melt.”

The Snowman at The Peacock

Jessie’s dad has brought her a lovely little present. It’s all wrapped up, and tied with a beautiful bow. She can’t wait to open it, but she isn’t allowed to until Christmas Day. Jessie shakes it and sniffs it and tries to sneak a peek, but Dad puts it just out of her reach and keeps a close eye on it. Join in Jessie’s countdown to Christmas at The Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond as she delights in all the festive treats that appear behind her advent calendar windows. The show is perfect for everyone aged 3 and over that just can’t wait for Christmas! With gorgeous original live music, some gentle audience participation, and perhaps a cracker joke or two, join the team at The Orange Tree for a charming Christmas treat from the team that brought you hit Orange Tree Christmas show Extra Yarn. The Stage gave Extra Yarn four stars and described it as “imaginatively brought to life... as warm as a hug.” Visit www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk for more information about Can’t Wait for Christmas and to buy tickets.

Forty years ago, Raymond Briggs’ beautifully illustrated book The Snowman transported children into the wintery wonderland of a boy and his snowy companion. Now, in its record-breaking 21st year at The Peacock, Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s twinkling production of The Snowman returns this Christmas as a magical mix of exquisite dancing and live music lift the boy and his friend from page to stage. The enchanting show tells the story of a young boy’s adventures when his snowman comes miraculously to life on Christmas Eve. Featuring a dazzling array of colourful characters including dancing penguins, a beautiful snow princess, her wicked beau Jack Frost and of course, Father Christmas himself, The Snowman is a Christmas treat for all the family and a perfect introduction to dance for the very young. Birmingham Repertory Theatre’s production of The Snowman has become “an essential part of London’s Christmas calendar”

Can’t Wait for Christmas!

Family Theatre

allow children ages 6–8 to make their own animal mask. The Wind in the Willows will be playing at Polka Theatre from 9 November - 17 February. It is recommended for the whole family from age 5+. All Ages Welcome performances are available so you can bring younger siblings. For more information, please visit www.polkatheatre.com. Photo credit: Michael Wharley and Rebecca Pitt

14 December – 5 January

Can’t Wait for Christmas! Created by Imogen Bond & Tarek Merchant

Featuring gorgeous original live music, join us for a charming Christmas treat perfect for everyone aged 3+ that just can’t wait for Christmas!

TICKETS £10/£15 FAMILY OFFER: BUY 4 TICKETS INCLUDING 1 ADULT AND GET 10% OFF

020 8940 3633 orangetreetheatre.co.uk Just one minute from Richmond Station National Rail, Overground, District Line | Parking available nearby

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Family Theatre

8 Dec – 6 Jan

Peter Pan

Take a fairy tale flight to Neverland in this swashbuckling family panto. Join Peter Pan, as he transports the Darlings to a world filled with evil pirates, a very hungry crocodile and the meanest man in Neverland, Captain Hook.

Rose Theatre Kingston Box Office: 020 8174 0090 23 – 28 Oct

...oh yes it is! Polka Theatre, Wimbledon Box Office: 020 8543 4888 28 Sep – 21 Oct

Three Sat Under the Banyan Tree

Stories of headstrong crows and old lions come vibrantly to life through masks, movement and music. Ages 7+.

12 – 14 Oct

Five Little Monkeys Join Zoo Keeper Sue and mischievous Little Monkey, and discover numbers are all around us. Learn to love counting during a riot of music, numbers and clowning. Ages 2-6.

9 Nov – 17 Feb

One wild and windy night the Gruffalo’s Child ignores her father’s warning and tiptoes out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn’t really exist... does he? Ages 3+.

The Wind in the Willows

24 Nov

The classic story of friendship and bravery on stage like you’ve never seen it. Recommended for the whole family aged 5+.

10 - 11 Nov

The Frog and the Princess

Enjoy a poignant retelling of the Brothers Grimm tale exploring the meeting Enjoy of cultures and what the show! happens when a And don’t Princess deems a forget to say frog unworthy of being her friend, you saw it in just because of Primary what he is. Ages 4+. Times!

19 – 21 Oct

3 Little Pig Tails

Garlic Theatre entertain the whole family with beautifully crafted puppets, music and a garlicky French twist to the tale. Ages 3-7.

24 – 28 Oct

16 – 18 Nov

Snow White, Rose Red, Bear Brown

Snow White and Rose Red, sisters, twins and best friends, have lived in the forest since they were Babes in the Wood. When their quiet life is interrupted by a friendly bear a new chapter begins. Ages 4+.

The Gingerbread Man

29 Nov – 17 Feb

24 Oct – 3 Nov

When Pig and Goat discover they’re being fattened up for a winter feast, they decide to run away to find a little house in the winter woods, where they can live happily together. Ages 3-6.

Come and see the adventure of the delicious-smelling Gingerbread Man and meet the bravest biscuit of all times! Ages 3+.

Under the Rainbow

Enjoy evocative music, puppetry and a beautiful set telling the story of one woman’s courageous journey. As she crosses land and sea, she befriends a turtle and a colourful bird of paradise, discovering a plentiful island that gives her hope for the future. Ages 3-6.

The Gruffalo’s Child

In the Winter Wood

Richmond Theatre Box Office: 08448 717 651 9 – 10 Oct

Guess How Much I Love You Join Little and Big Nutbrown Hare as they leap off the page and onto the stage in this magical journey through the seasons. Ages 3+.

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Harry Hill’s KIDZ SHOW

How To Be Funny (For Kids) is Harry’s list of tips on how to become a stand-up comic, plus a chance to try out your skills. If you’re sitting near the front take an umbrella!

Enjoy a magical, thrilling and poignant dance theatre experience for the whole family at the Lilian Baylis Studio. Ages 7+.

22 Nov – 6 Jan

The Snowman

Twinkling with festive spirit The Snowman returns for a record-breaking 21st year at The Peacock Theatre. Based on the book by Raymond Briggs which has transported a generation of children and their families into the wintery world of a boy and his magical snowman.

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Box Office: lwtheatres.co.uk 0844 847 1515 14 Oct

Paddington in Concert

6 Dec – 6 Jan

Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Paddington with a screening of the film accompanied by a live symphony orchestra performing the music by composer Nick Urata. Suitable for children aged 5+.

Hansel & Gretel

Battersea Arts Centre

Battling magical beasts, enlisting a crew of fairy tale bandits and learning the secrets of their past, Hansel and Gretel must race to save their town from the Witch’s Curse, all in time for Christmas.

Royal Botanical Gardens Kew Box Office: www.kew.org 20 – 28 Oct

Siyanda, Protector of Plants

Siyanda will take you on a journey of discovery, learning about the South African plants in her care. She’ll reveal how she helps them to thrive and why protecting these plants is so vital.

Sadler’s Wells Theatre EC1 Box Office: 020 7863 8000 www.sadlerswells.com 13 Oct

Alice in Wonderland

Let’s All Dance returns with this fabulous family favourite. Stunning dancing, much loved characters and super costumes bring the famous tale to life in this magical ballet production at the Lilian Baylis Studio. Ages 2-11.

18 – 20 Oct

Chotto Desh

A compelling tale of a young man’s dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh.

Box Office: 020 7223 2223 24 - 26 Oct

I Wish I Was a Mountain Rhyme, live music and a smattering of metaphysical philosophy is used to boldly reimagine Herman Hesse’s classic fairy-tale. Ages 6+

1 - 30 Dec

Return to Elm House

Join a thrilling quest through the building to discover hidden memories, uncover mislaid secrets and collect clues to bring back the story of Elm House. Ages 6+

Orange Tree Richmond Box Office: 020 8940 3633 14 Dec – 5 Jan

Can’t Wait for Christmas! Join in Jessie’s countdown to Christmas as she delights in all the festive treats that appear behind her advent calendar windows.

Michael Frayn Theatre Kingston www.michaelfrayntheatre.com 20 Oct

Alice in Wonderland

Let’s All Dance presents this fabulous family favourite. Stunning dancing, much loved characters and super costumes bring the famous tale to life in this magical ballet production at the Lilian Baylis Studio. Ages 2-11.

The National Theatre is inviting primary schools looking for inspiration for their school play to take part in its Let’s Play programme. Let’s Play provides everything that teachers need to create an outstanding piece of theatre and inspire creative learning across the curriculum. Schools signed up to the programme can send up to four teachers on a theatre making course led by professional theatre artists and get access to specially commissioned scripts, musical scores and

Win Tickets to Hansel and Gretel at Rose Theatre Kingston

When young Hansel and Gretel take a trip to the far side of the forest, little do they know of the gingerbread house that awaits them and the sweet old lady who controls their fate… In a new festive version of the much-loved children’s tale, join Hansel and Gretel this Christmas as they battle magical beasts in a race to save their town from the witch’s curse, at the Rose Theatre from 6 December to 6 January. Visit www.rosetheatrekingston.org for more information or to buy tickets. For your chance to win a family ticket (up to four people plus a programme) on the opening night, Thursday 6 December at 6pm,

tell us what the house in the forest is made out of. Send your answer to Rose Theatre Competition, Primary Times, 7 Southbrook Mews, London SE12 8LG or email it to competitions@primarytimes.biz with ‘Rose Theatre Competition’ as the subject by Friday 9 November.

backing tracks for original songs as well as curriculum-linked teaching resources for Key Stages 1 and 2. Schools can choose from a selection of plays. Children taking part will be able to get involved with all aspects of planning and creating a theatre production – from performing to designing costumes, to operating sound. Let’s Play offers the whole school community the chance to celebrate the creation of a school play and the achievements of all involved. The National Theatre is aiming to recruit hundreds of schools across the UK to take part in Let’s Play over the next three years. Schools can visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/letsplay to find out more about the programme and to register to apply. Let’s Play is based on an original idea by Katie Mitchell.

Family Theatre

Create an Extraordinary School Play

Let’s All Dance Since 2013, Let’s All Dance have been producing live dance shows for children and young people and touring them to venues and schools all over the UK. All Let’s All Dance performers are amazing dancers as well as fantastic actors. Children of all ages and backgrounds are enthralled by their performances. By introducing very young children to dance, they inspire a life-long love of live theatre. Teachers often report that children are more focused after watching shows, not just in physical activities but also back in the classroom in academic subjects. Dance has a special ability to communicate to a huge range of people. Both mainstream and children with special needs boys and girls, engage fully with Let’s All Dance productions. They hold photo opportunities plus Q&A sessions after every show so that children may talk directly to the professional dancers. Let’s All Dance have two stunning new productions for the autumn and Christmas seasons. Alice in Wonderland is touring now and for south west London audiences, they are delighted to be bringing the show to the Michael Frayn Theatre, Kingston. A tour of Sleeping Beauty begins mid-November and runs until January. For all tour dates and venues, visit www.lets-all-dance.co.uk. If you are a teacher interested in enriching your school and giving your children this special opportunity to watch fantastic, live dance, do contact them via info@lets-all-dance.co.uk or call 020 8265 4634. They can also add dance workshops to the experience and all dancers have DBS checks and PLI.

Two stunning shows for families in London! Alice in Wonderland

at Michael Frayn Theatre, Kingston, for half term

Sleeping Beauty

at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, EC1, for Christmas Great discounts at www.littlebird.co.uk All info at www.lets-all-dance.co.uk Follow us on Twitter - @PT_LondonSandE

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

What’s On

More What’s On Your family diary for October and November

October Seeing, Signalling and Stories, National Army Museum, Chelsea, SW3 4HT (Also 25 Oct) 10.30am. This early years session of storytelling, singing and play all about communicating with telescopes and signals is perfect for families with children aged 3 to 6. For more information visit www. nam.ac.uk

Autumn’s Harvest – Half Term Cooking Workshops, Garden Museum, SE1 7LB (Also 24 and 25 Oct) 11am1.30pm. Enjoy children’s cooking workshops and make meals inspired by autumn’s harvest. Charges apply. For more information visit www. gardenmuseum.org.uk

Hedgehog Day, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, SW11 4NJ

11am, 12noon, 1.30pm and 2.30pm. Come along to find out how you can make a difference to the survival of these lovely spiky creatures. During the session there’ll be story time, arts and crafts and the chance to meet a real hedgehog. Ages 3-11. Charges apply.Visit www. batterseaparkzoo.co.uk

Diagnosis, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW

11am-3pm. Learn all about the germs that caused the Spanish flu in 1918 with the youth panel in a special family workshop. Drop-in. To find out more visit www.florence-nightingale. co.uk

Macbeth – Workshops, Shakespeare’s Globe, Bankside, SE1 9DT

(Also 25 and 27 Oct). 12.15pm. Families will learn about the plot, characters and language of Macbeth through active participation and play. Ages 5–8 and 9-12. Charges apply. For more information visit www. shakespearesglobe.com

Our listings are prepared a long time in advance. To make sure you have the latest details do contact the event nearer the time to make sure they haven’t changed

A Cat’s Guide to the Night Sky A Cat’s Guide to the Night Sky, by Stuart Atkinson, and recently published by Laurence King, is an introduction to stargazing and astronomy for children aged 7 to 11. This book will help children to find out how they can become a stargazer and the basics of identifying stars and planets. In the company of Felicity the cat (the first cat to go to space), children can discover the phases of the moon, the constellations and how to spot phenomena like the Northern Lights and the Milky Way. With stunning illustrations by Brendan Kearney and Felicity’s advice children can explore the wonders of the universe in an exciting and vibrant way that will keep them wanting to find out more whilst also gaining scientific knowledge. This fascinating and beautiful book educates children in a fun way that is easy to follow and is a joy to read, helping them to learn more about the wider world they live in. Felicity explains why stars are brighter in the countryside than the city, what shooting stars actually are and even how the moon was made. There is something in this book for everyone, whether they are looking up at the night sky from their bedroom window or setting out on the ultimate stargazing adventure. Children and parents will see the stars like they’ve never seen them before in this new and spectacular book. Recommended price £14.99 at www.laurenceking.com and other bookshops. 14

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

“

I saw your event in Primary Times.... Please mention you saw the event listed in Primary Times

”

Tues 23 – Wed 24 Oct Make a Monster, Dulwich Picture Gallery, SE21 7AD

10am-12.30pm. Design and make a monster inspired by spooky and strange paintings. Create your monster using paper cut-outs and then build a mini stage-set for it to haunt over two days. Ages 6-9. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www. dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Tues 23 – Fri 26 Oct

Grim Ghouls, Dulwich Picture Gallery, SE21 7AD

2-4pm. Drop in to these Half Term Halloween workshops and make a ghoulish mask – perfect for scaring! Take inspiration from the Ribera: Art of Violence exhibition to make the grimmest mask you can. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www.dulwichpicturegallery. org.uk

The Ghosts of Richmond Palace, Museum of Richmond, TW9 1TP

10am-12noon. Learn about the tales of Richmond’s royal ghosts and design a Gothic Richmond Palace, full of hidden spooks and ghouls. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www.museumofrichmond. com

Gory Stories, Dulwich Picture Gallery, SE21 7AD

1.30pm and 3pm. Join world-class storytellers, Nell Phoenix and Ben Haggarty, as they delight in the gore of Ribera’s paintings. Expect folk and fairy tales with plenty of misadventure. Ages 6+. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www.dulwichpicturegallery.org. uk

Tues 23 – Sun 28 Oct

The Moscow State Circus, Clapham Common, SW4 9DN

(Selected times). Enjoy this magical experience for people of all ages and witness some fantastically unbelievable acts. This new two hour show features unicycling, foot juggling, trapeze, high wire and more. Charges apply. For more details and to book visit www.moscowstatecircus.com

Wed 24 Oct

Big Wednesday: Autumn Colours, Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ

10.30am-3.30pm. Enjoy a range of fun activities run by Arts Network to boost your wellbeing. Activities include storytelling and short animated films, all inspired by autumn colours and the power of nature. Free, drop-in. For more information visit www.horniman.ac.uk

Storytelling Adventures: Jack and Beanstalk, Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth, SW18 4TF

Mud and Mortar: A Great War Nurse’s Story, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW

11.30am, 1.30pm, 3pm. Meet VAD Nurse Hermoine Godfrey and hear all about her experiences on the Western Front during the First World War. Free with admission. For more information visit www.florencenightingale.co.uk

The Puppet Odyssey, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

11am. Create shadow puppets inspired by the gods and monsters in The Odyssey at a workshop led by expert puppeteer Chloe Purcell. Ages 6-10. For more information visit www.southbankcentre.co.uk.

Wed 24 – Fri 26 Oct

School of Wizardry, Centre Court Shopping Centre, Wimbledon, SW19 8YE

10.30am-4pm. A spell-binding, three day event that’s sure to brew up a good time for your little ones. Book a session with the Dungeon Professor to design and make your very own Halloween potion to take home ready for All Hallows Eve.Visit www. centrecourtshopping.co.uk

Thurs 25 Oct

Halloween Wizardry School, Eden Walk Shopping Centre, Kingston Upon Thames, KT1 1BL 12noon-4pm. Meet a Wizard Headmaster and be top of the class at a Wizard Hat and Spell Book workshop. There will be face painting and a spellbinding word search competition. Pick up an entry form at Eden Walk. For more details visit www.edenwalkshopping.co.uk

Thumbs Up It’s Thursday: Spooky Fun, Kingston Town Centre, KT1

Head into Kingston town centre for scary storytelling, creepy crafts and some amazing kids food deals at Kingston restaurants. Ages 2-11. Charges apply. For more details visit www.inkingston.co.uk

The Time Travel Club Halloween in the Archives, The National Archives, Kew, TW9 4DU 10.30am-12noon. Find out about Tutankhamun’s tomb by taking part in an interactive story. Explore curious records about ghosts, witchcraft and monsters and create your very own spooky pencil case. Ages 7-11. Charges apply. For more information visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

For lots more What’s On ideas see page 28...

AVAILABLE IN RICHMOND

FAMILY FUN Hands on creative entertainment for the whole family Looking for inspiration to keep the children entertained this half term? Take a look at our creative family courses. • Family Picture Books • One day film making (Age 11-15) • Block Printing Tote Bags • Cyanotype

LEARN IT, LOVE IT, BOOK IT rhacc.ac.uk/familycourses 020 8891 5907

WE HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW OF SANTA’S GROTTO

FROM

£16 PP

Enjoy our Sail with Santa cruise with the whole family This Christmas take your loved ones to meet Santa as they have never done before. Join him as he cruises along the Thames. Enjoy a glass of mulled wine, while children will receive a present alongside a soft drink and a cookie. It's all off the festive sparkle with all of . the sights.

Book online at citycruises.com Or call: 020 77 400 400

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Autumn Adventures Fun Days Out with the Family Why not warm up at one of the two cafes and indulge yourselves with some handmade food or browse in the garden centre for that perfect gift? All money raised helps to look after Morden Hall Park. To find out more, be sure to visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/morden-hallpark. Photo credit: John Millar

October Half Term at Morden Hall Park

Go along and carve your Halloween pumpkin at Morden Hall Park this half term. Pick your pumpkin, create your crazy carving and light it with an LED tea light. Just drop in to the Stableyard to make your spooky Halloween pumpkin and let the staff clean up the mess from 25 –27 October between 11am-4pm. Activities cost £4 for a small pumpkin and £5 for a medium one, both with LED tea light included. As the weather gets colder, it’s the perfect excuse to grab your wellies and get out of the house for a fun outdoor experience. So discover the hidden and secret stories of trees at Morden Hall and decorate your own wooden medallion to take their power with you. This autumn, set off on the new nature-based trail at Morden Hall Park with the chance to get all the family involved. Running Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout October and into November, prices start at £2 per trail with craft included.

Giant LEGO Brick Animal Trail

The amazing Giant LEGO® brick animals are back at the London Wetland Centre with three new friends - Sam the short-eared owl, Walter the water vole and Skye the stork. These incredible new animals have been a long time in the making. Sam the short-eared owl took an amazing 80 hours to build with an incredible 37,884 Lego bricks. All Lego brick animals have been inspired by real species across the WWT centres. Returning favourites include the North American river otter, a nene (the world’s rarest goose), a giant kingfisher and a frog. While you’re there you can book your place on one of the Lego workshops. Take part in exciting challenges and build your very own miniature version of Sam the shorteared owl to take home. The workshops are perfect for Lego fans young and old. With just 16 participants in each class there’s lots of one-to-one support from the course leaders. The workshops are suitable for ages five and up and cost £10.50 per person.

October half-term at Morden Hall Park Thursday 25-Sunday 28 October Tremendous Tree Trail: Fri-Sun, 10am-3pm. Discover the hidden and secret stories of trees. £2 per trail (craft incl). Pumpkin carving: Thurs-Sat, 11am-4pm. Pick your pumpkin, create your crazy carving and light it with an LED tealight. £4/£5 (tealight incl). Call 020 8545 6850 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/morden-hall-park/whats-on #nationaltrust

When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your support helps us to look after special places for ever, for everyone.

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Sutton Trampoline and Play Park

Finding something for the whole family to enjoy can be tricky, which is why a visit to Better, Sutton Trampoline and Play Park really does tick all the boxes. Kids under 8 can go wild in the Play Park, located next to the café, featuring monster themed play areas, a tree house climbing frame, glow room and mini bouncers area. For over 8s (including grown ups), try out the trampoline beds, foam pits with diving platforms, stepping stones, battlebeam and log roll, extreme trick zone, four-lane assault course (for ages 14+) and two-player aeroball. To find out more or to book, visit extreme.better.org. uk/sutton Better also take the hassle out of birthdays with their party packages from just £13 per child that includes a onehour trampoline or play park session, socks for all guests, brand new party room, food and a dedicated party host, so all you need to do is send the invitations and bring the cake. If you’re stuck for childcare over October Half Term, their Holiday Club offers the perfect solution, and is bound to be spook-tacular. Open from 9am-5pm, with early drop off from 8am and late pick up until 6pm for an additional fee, the sessions are jam-packed with activities including games, arts and craft and a wide variety of sports. All this comes at a new lower price of just £25 per day. Book now at www.betterlessons.org.uk/sutton, or for more information, please email suttontrampolineandplaypark@gll.org.

Kingston Children’s Literary Festival

This October Half Term (from October 25 to 27), Kingston First will host the second annual Kingston Children’s Literary Festival, in partnership with Waterstones, designed to entertain and inspire the growing imaginations of 3-8 year olds. Following the success of the inaugural festival in 2017, which brought together 15 popular children’s authors, Kingston upon Thames will see the return of the three day reading and experiential event, which will take place at locations across the town centre. Children and their loved ones are invited to attend readings of some of their favourite books, read by the UK’s best loved children’s authors and illustrators themselves. Opening the event series is Adam Hargreaves. Adam is best known for writing and illustrating the Mr Men and Little Miss books, since taking over from his father and Mr Men creator, Roger Hargreaves. Inspired by his daughter, Adam has now created the unforgettable Molly Mischief series. This is his first venture outside the world of the Mr Men and Little Misses, which he will be introducing to the children of Kingston this October. Adam Hargreaves told Primary Times, “I am really looking forward to introducing Molly Mischief to the children at the Kingston Children’s Literary Festival this October. I always enjoy festival events because most of the time I’m shut away in my studio. This gives me the chance to meet the children who read my books and see their reaction.” For full information about Kingston Children’s Literary Festival, visit www.inkingston.co.uk/kidslitfest.

Autumn Adventures

The Lego Brick Animal Trail and workshops run from 6 October – 18 November. The trail is free with admission (or membership), but non-members will need to purchase admission separately. For more information, please visit www.wwt.org.uk.

Spooky fun! 25 October 2018 Half term activities for kids aged 2-11

inkingston.co.uk Follow us on Twitter - @PT_LondonSandE

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Autumn Adventures

Halloween at Centre Court

This Halloween, Centre Court Shopping Centre will be delving into the realms of witchcraft and wizardry. Starting on the 24 October, the Wimbledon shopping centre is hosting some spell-binding entertainment for a three day event that is sure to brew up a good time for your little ones. Between 10.30am and 4pm each day, you can book a session with Centre Court’s Dungeon Professor to design and make your very own Halloween potion to take home ready for All Hallows Eve. Not only that, all of Centre Court’s potions students will receive their own letter of graduation from the Centre Court School of Wizardry. Visit www.centrecourtshopping.co.uk to book your 20 min slot. There are only ten sessions a day with only twelve budding wizards per class so don’t delay - wands at the ready!

Spooky Putney

Trick or treat? It’s definitely a treat for the family this half term! Follow the Spooky Putney Creepy Creatures Halloween trail between 18 October and 2 November, taking you and the kids to all corners of the town centre. To gain a spooky prize, find the twelve pumpkins in shop windows and finish off in Kids Stuff where you can collect your prize, if you dare. Why not make a day of it and stop at one of Putney’s great family restaurantsWCC andGeneric cafes for an indulgent or take autumnal walk Ad 90x135mm copy lunch copy.pdf 1 an02/10/2018 10:07 along the scenic river?

Trails are available to download from www.positivelyputney. co.uk or copies can be collected in businesses which are part of the trail. The trail is organised by Positively Putney BID, funded by local businesses, making Putney a welcoming place to shop, live and work.

Florence Nightingale Museum

Florence Nightingale was born into a rich family, but instead of wanting to spend her days painting and sewing she decided to become a nurse. She helped thousands of soldiers and ordinary people all around the world with her campaigning work. She is so popular that she has a battle ship and an asteroid named after her. Go to the Florence Nightingale Museum to see her pet owl and her writing desk as well as the actual light she carried which gave her the nickname The Lady with the Lamp.You can also see the medicine chest she used during her work in the Crimean War and discover how she improved the terrible conditions for soldiers in the hospital there. Florence is part of Key Stage One of the National Curriculum, so bring your 5-6 year olds to the museum to bring their learning to life. For more information, please visit www. florence-nightingale. co.uk.

IN THE HEART OF WIMBLEDON

Over 65 Stores:

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Meet Siyanda, who between Saturday 20 and Sunday 28 October, will be inviting visitors to join her mission to protect the world’s plants. For just nine days, Kew is teaming up with award-winning theatre company, Theatre-Rites, to bring to life the story of the magnificent Temperate House and its precious plants through a theatrical experience using live music, puppetry and performance. Siyanda, a completely original creation, is the guardian of the glasshouse who will be imparting her incredible knowledge and wisdom of some of the temperate plants of Africa. A larger-than-life puppet, she towers at six feet tall, her dress adorned with seeds, grasses and other special items to assist her on her quest. Accompanying her are three performers, her fellow ‘Plant Protectors’, who will help visitors on their adventure.

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo... who will you see? From cheeky monkeys to leaping lemurs, noisy otters to snuffling coatis, who will you come face to face with?

Plus our fun play area for kids of all ages! r Visit oue websit

Tel: 020 7924 5826

Battersea Park, Chelsea Bridge Gate Battersea London SW11 4NJ

www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk we’re passionate about wildlife

Autumn Adventures

Meet Siyanda, Protector of Plants

The Temperate House, the world’s largest surviving Victorian glasshouse, has recently reopened its doors after a huge five-year restoration. Housing over 10,000 plants from across the world’s temperate zones, this magnificent structure is the jewel in Kew’s crown and an utterly unique performance space. Performances are included in the standard ticket price and will take place daily at 11am, 12noon, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm between 20 and 28 October.

Siyanda protector of plants Join her to unearth the secrets of the Temperate House Follow us on Twitter - @PT_LondonSandE

20 – 28 October 2018 Friends of Kew go free Kew Gardens Kew Bridge

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Autumn Adventures

London Curriculum Trails

The Mayor’s London Curriculum Team is launching a series of World of Work trails for schools and families this autumn in time for October Half Term. The aim is to inspire children to start thinking about careers in London and what’s on offer in this brilliant city. The trails cover five different areas of London – Southwark, Brixton, Covent Garden, Old Street and Stratford. Each trail has a different theme and includes all kinds of activities and information about types of work that children might do when they’re older. Children will learn about jobs from the past, discover the work people do today and imagine what work might be like in the future. The London Curriculum is a fun new way of teaching young people about our city using London as a classroom. Schools in London are already enjoying the Mayor’s free primary and secondary teaching resources. Now with these trails, parents and carers can also join in. Find out more at www.london.gov.uk/world-of-work

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run

On Sunday 4 November the Bonhams London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, supported by Hiscox, is taking place from 6.59am to 4.30pm where the Veteran cars will start the 60 mile journey from London to Brighton. It is free to view all the way along the route and with refreshments and souvenir programmes available at the checkpoints on Serpentine Road, London, Crawley High Street and Madeira Drive, Brighton it makes for the perfect family day out. If you want to be involved and experience the journey for yourself there are also open top bus tours that follow the route taken by the veteran cars and you can even gain access to the VIP area at the start line in Hyde Park.

help you. The Halloween trail runs every day during half term and is suitable for children aged 5-14. The trail runs inside and outside the house so wrap up warm. Get creative with pumpkin biscuit decorating. It’s much tastier than pumpkin carving. Decorate pumpkin-shaped biscuits (handmade in the Ham House Kitchen) with icing. The activity costs just £1 per biscuit, Monday to Friday. Discover spooky goings-on ghostly tours in the dark at Ham House and Garden. Find out about the resident ghost dog and other spooky sightings on a Terrible Terror Tour. Terrible Terror Tours are running from Monday 22 to Friday 26 October from 5-6pm. Tickets are £15 and each ticket includes ghostly goodies. For more information on Halloween activities and other family events, visit the website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse.

Halloween Events at Chessington Garden Centre

Visit Chessington Garden Centre this October for a host of family friendly Halloween events. The ever popular Halloween circus is back with an all-new show for 2018 full of dysfunctional characters and traditional circus thrills and spills. Treat the kids to a ghoulish monster meal in the award winning Sedum Restaurant including witches hair spaghetti and zombie’s fingers whilst enjoying a suitably horrific setting in the fantastically themed Halloween marquee. Returning for a fifth consecutive year is the Spooky Zoo, a unique opportunity to encounter, handle and meet a variety of exotic creatures. Then, if

The spectacular Veteran Car Run provides the grand finale to the Royal Automobile Club’s London Motor Week and has been running for 122 years. For more information and to download a spectator map visit www.veterancarrun.com

Halloween Hocus Pocus at Ham House and Garden

Join the team from 20-28 October for Halloween hocus pocus at Ham House. Is everything all that it seems? Track down the evidence of the ghostly goings on at Ham, decorate a pumpkin biscuit and have some fearsome fun! Hocus Pocus! Is it real or is it bogus? Gather the evidence, hunt down the ghosts and learn all about those that lived and died at Ham House in the 17th Century. With fun for all, there’s a lot to keep the family entertained. The fun costs £2 per trail with a mini magnifying glass to 20

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Sat 20 to Sun 28 Oct, 10am-5pm Unravel the mysteries of witchcraft in the 17th century and ghostly goings on at Ham with our Witch Hunt for £2. There's Terrible Terror Tours, pumpkin biscuit decorating and eerie art to enjoy.

#nationaltrust

Call 020 8940 1950 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/hamhouse

Activities run from 13–31 October. Dates, times and prices vary so please visit www.chessingtongardencentre.co.uk for full details and to

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum

Be inspired with a visit to Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum this October Half Term. The new Museum family trail is designed to bring the story of Wimbledon to life for young learners. Use your senses, discover curious objects and learn about the wonders of Wimbledon through interactive activity bags. To celebrate the launch of the Museum’s new family trail, Tennis Time Travellers, for families with children aged 5-11 have the chance to book a complimentary Family Tour of the Grounds with every paid Museum entry. The Family Tour is a fun and interactive way to introduce your family to the magic of Wimbledon. From the height of the grass to the weight of the roof in elephants, the Family Tour takes you behind the scenes of the world’s most famous tennis club.

Supported by

EXPERIENCE WIMBLEDON Take your chance to see The Championships’ trophies on a Tour of Wimbledon Book your tickets: wimbledon.com/museum | 020 8946 6131 Please note Tours do not run during The Championships

Autumn Adventures

you are still feeling brave, visit the ‘Trick or Treat’ maze, a fiendish adventure full of twists and turns, ‘un-dead ends’ and horrifying surprises around every corner.

Tennis Time Travellers bags are available Monday to Friday and tours are running Monday, Wednesday and Friday during October Half Term. Spaces are limited so pre-booking in advance is advised. Bookings can be made on 020 8946 6131, please use the code ‘family trail’ when making your booking. One free child entry for every paying adult.

Discover the World of Work with our new London Curriculum Family Explorer Trails.

Download the trails and find out more: london.gov.uk/world-of-work-trails Follow us on Twitter - @PT_LondonSandE

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Autumn Adventures

Half Term Story Telling at Southside

Southside Shopping Centre is the venue for a story telling adventure like no other this half term. Bringing to life classic fairy tales such as Jack and the Beanstalk, Hansel and Gretel and The Gruffalo, the interactive storytelling events will delight the audience with the magic of stories. Feel-good, funny and filled with audience participation this is certainly one to add to your family half term activity calendar. If you’re sitting near the front, be prepared to unleash your inner acting talents as you may be called up to take centre stage as one of the characters in the stories. What would October Half Term be without a Halloween treat? Experience ‘I Need My Monster’, a mini pantomime, on Halloween. You’ll get a fright and have a great laugh with this spooky tale. See the full schedule of stories and dates at www. southsidewandsworth.com. Enjoy Hansel and Gretel on 20 October, Jack and Beanstalk on 24 October and The Gruffalo on 27 October. The mini pantomime, I Need My Monster, is on 31 October. Email Southside at reception@southsidewandsworth.com with your choice of story, date and time to be added to the guest list. What better way to keep the kids entertained this half term? Better be quick… spaces are limited! Keep up to date with other half term planned activities at Southside by joining their kids club at www. southsidewandsworth.com/kids-club.

‘Gruesome Nature’ at ZSL London Zoo

Experience Gruesome Nature Live! the popular sing-a-long show at ZSL London Zoo this October Half Term. This interactive musical show featuring original songs, can help children find out frightful facts about some truly grisly creatures, answering questions like who’s got the largest, slimiest eyeball? Which species of animal can endure fire, ice and radiation and even survive in outer space? Plus many more monstrous truths. Featuring a troop of exciting characters, Gruesome Nature Live! invites kids of all ages to discover the more stomachchurning side of the animal kingdom. They will be led on a sing-a-long adventure, as they welcome ZSL scientist Dr Atrox home from her epic journey to find the toughest species on earth. They can even discover a lizard that squirts blood out of its eyes to deter predators and hear about the terrifying tongue-eating parasite. Guaranteed to be grossly enthralling, Gruesome Nature Live! will run from Saturday 20 to Sunday 28 October with shows starting at 2pm. Part of a great family day out, the show is included in the Zoo entry price. Beat the line at the gate and save 10% when you book your tickets online at www.zsl.org Photo credit: ZSL

Storystock at Battersea Power Station Storystock, the travelling circus of stories, is returning to Battersea Power Station this half term with a fantastic programme of family literary fun that includes workshops, live shows and storytelling for children of all ages.

Based in The Village Hall at Circus West Village from 22 - 24 October, Storystock is celebrating the 250th anniversary of contemporary circus with its own circus of stories in partnership with Circus250.

Spooky

The festival caters for children of all ages, and families can take the time to explore Circus West Village together and enjoy brunch, lunch or a drink at one of the restaurants on the banks of the Thames, next to the iconic Battersea Power Station.

Half Term Mon 22 – Wed 31 October Drop in from 10am – 4pm*

The line-up of shows includes the Ruby Redfort Stage Show, the School of Comedy Show, the Harry Potter Show, Malala’s Magic Pencil and Ben Hoare’s Anthology of Intriguing Animals.

Paint a Ceramic Bat Tealight Holder £5.50 Decorate a Spooky Mobile £3.50

There will also be many workshops for children to enjoy, including a comic book workshop, a creative writing workshop, a puppetry workshop and a comedy workshop among many others.

Pumpkin Pursuit Free

Storytelling sessions include Julia McDonald’s Monkey Puzzle Storytime, Dr Seuss’ ‘If I Ran The Circus’ Storytime, ‘Mog’ and ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’. For more information, visit www.storystock.co.uk. Photo credit: Johnny Stephens Photography

From 11am on Sunday Excludes Chertsey

Visit: squiresgardencentres.co.uk I

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

@SquiresGC

Double, double toil and trouble - you’ve been accepted to Eden Walk’s Wizardry School this Halloween, so don’t be late. On Thursday 25 October, from 12noon-4pm, meet Eden Walk’s Wizard Headmaster whose mystical powers are famed in the witching world, and join in their free spooky TUIT fun.

thumbs up it’s thursday

Be top of the class at the enchanting workshop where you can make your very own wizard hat and spell book that you can take home afterwards, and be sure to visit the fascinating face painting station to transform into your favourite magical creature. You can also collect your free Halloween glider while stocks last.

25th October 12 - 4pm

 Meet our Wizard Headmaster  Art & Craft Workshops  Face Painting  Giveaways

(while stocks last)

 Competition to win a magical goody box Pick up an entry form at Eden Walk

Enter Eden Walk’s Spellbinding Word Search competition for a chance to win one of four magical goody boxes. Pick up an entry form at Eden Walk on the day, just make sure to pop it into the entry box before 4pm. Terms and conditions apply. For more details, please visit www. edenwalkshopping.co.uk.

Autumn Adventures

Eden Walk’s Wizardry School

Ice Skating at Hampton Court

Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink opens its gates on 23 November. This open-air ice rink epitomises the very best in festive fun. Perfect for all ages and skating levels, from absolute beginners to experts, the spacious Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink is located directly in front of the Tudor Palace and boasts spectacular Thames-side views sure to create a memorable day. To celebrate the season in majestic style surrounded by centuries of history, book your tickets today by visiting www. hamptoncourtpalaceicerink.co.uk.

For more information visit our website.

www.edenwalkshopping.co.uk

Haloween quarter page Primary Times 3.indd 1

29/08/2018 10:51

SKATE BACK IN

TIME THIS

CHRISTMAS

23 November – 6 January Book online now. Limited places available. www.hamptoncourtpalaceicerink.co.uk Follow us on Twitter - @PT_LondonSandE

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

t ’ a s h N e w W The Snowman Duvet Set

In celebration of the Snowman turning 40, a new Snowman duvet set has been created using favourite characters from the ultimate Christmas movie. The reversible duvet has a different design on each side and comes complete with an exciting matching pillowcase. The duvet is available in both single and double sizes, and will be available online and from selected high street stores. There are many other products in the Snowman range. For more information, please visit www.shop.penguin.co.uk.

Dino Pops and Jungle Pops

Explore the prehistoric world and bring the jungle to life with these collections of beautiful press-out models to create. Beautifully illustrated by Jonathan Woodward (Dino Pops) and Natasha Durley (Jungle Pops), each simple design is reversible with a fully coloured dinosaur or animal on one side. On the reverse, the same design is repeated in black line for children to colour. From a stomping Stegosaurus to a mighty lion, and a colourful giraffe to a terriﬁc Triceratops, there are a whole host of characters and interesting facts to discover. Dino Pops and Jungle Pops are available online, on the high street or at www. BusterBooks.co.uk for £9.99 each.

HEXBUG Beetle

The Hexbug Mechanical Bug range are favourites for tech kids and make perfect stocking ﬁllers, or a treat for someone who has done well in their ﬁrst half term at school.The Hexbug Beetle has touch and sound sensors and even changes direction when you clap above it’s head.The hi-tech Beetle will travel in a straight line until it hits an object in its path or hears a loud noise. Upon contact or noise, the bug reverses in a half circle, then moves forward again in a new direction. The Hexbug Beetle is available online for £9.99.

The Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit

Kano has partnered with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to launch the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit.The build-it-yourself wireless wand shows fans of all ages how to code and create, as you flick and swish through more than 70 challenges inspired by the Wizarding World.The wand works with software and a connected app to capture movements and turn them into rich effects. It lets you make serpents slither, toads transfigure, fires flow, feathers float, goblets duplicate, Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans enlarge, and more. Following the step-by-step coding manual, build a wand, and learn about sensors, data and code along the way.The Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit is available now for £99.99 at www.kano.me.

Polar Bear Pop-Up Card

Cardology have created a magical Polar Bear card, capturing the majesty of these giant masters of the ice and snow, complete with scarf to keep the hero warm. ‘Merry Christmas’ is etched onto the white cover, making the card a beautiful keepsake that can be brought out year after year. A unique gift in itself, the card is made from quality paper, and is designed to provoke an amazing reaction from the recipient. Inside, each piece is lovingly put together by hand, allowing the polar bear to come to life when the card is opened.There are many other cards in the Cardology Christmas range. Get the Polar Bear card for £8 or, for other designs, please visit www.cardology.co.uk.

My Living World – Triop World In a dry and barren desert, storm clouds gather. It begins to rain and small ponds form on the earth.Tiny eggs that have laid dormant for years come to life, and a week later, the pond is teaming with weird and wonderful creatures.The biggest and most impressive of these animals is the Triops, the king of the temporary pond, whose ancestors date back to the time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Nick Baker’s Triop World allows you to hatch your very own Triops, study their amazing life cycle using the handy guide, and watch them double in size every day. For more information and to start your Triop adventure, visit www.interplayuk.com.

What’s That Smell?

What’s That Smell? is a unique new game where taking a sniff makes you a winner. Eagerly anticipated, it’s the new scratch and sniff party game that stinks. With over 50 smells from nice to downright nasty, What’s That Smell? is a breath of fresh and not-so-fresh air in the party game category. Guess the scents correctly to win or suffer the stinky consequences. The winner, or the ‘Nose-it-All’, gets to pick a player of their choice to suffer the Whiff of Shame three big whiffs of one of the four outrageously pungent Stank Cards - Extra Old Toe Cheese, Diaper Blowout, Hot Chunky Vomit, and Smothered in B.O. What’s That Smell? is available online from £24.99.

The Very Merry Christmas Game This is a family game of presents, crackers, Christmas songs and…sprouts! Move around the board collecting present cards to put in your stocking. Presents have a value depending on whether they’re nice… or naff. Presents can also be given to other players – particularly the naughty ones.You can take other players’ gifts off them and this is decided on the pull of a cracker. Land on the singing space and you have to sing a verse from a Christmas song or carol to avoid losing one of your gifts. Watch out for the two dreaded sprout cards as they could make you lose out… The player with the best presents at the end of the game is the winner.The Very Merry Christmas Game is available from John Lewis and Debenhams for £20.

Education News

The World’s Biggest School Photo

Steve McQueen is to create a portrait of London’s Year 3 pupils in one of his most ambitious works to date. The Turner Prize-winning artist and Oscar-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen, working with Tate Britain, Artangel and A New Direction, has announced one of the world’s most ambitious contemporary art projects. A portrait of an entire age group of Londoners will capture tens of thousands of Year 3 schoolchildren from across the capital. Over the next nine months, each and every one of London’s 2,410 primary schools with Year 3 pupils is invited to have those classes specially photographed for the project, with the resulting artwork going on display at Tate Britain and around London in autumn 2019. Every London primary school can register their school at www.tateyear3project.org.uk. Here they can choose a date

Education News

and time for a Tate photographer, briefed by McQueen, to visit their school and take their Year 3 class photo. Specially created learning resources will also allow pupils to further explore the work’s key themes of belonging, identity and citizenship within the curriculum, while a live-streamed lesson will be staged in spring 2019 for primary school classes across the country to watch and engage with the project. From November 2019 to May 2020, the Duveen Galleries at Tate Britain will be taken over by a vast installation of the photographs, free for all to visit. Artangel will also create an outdoor exhibition of class photographs across each of London’s 33 boroughs, giving passers-by a glimpse of the future of their city. Tate Modern will then stage a major survey exhibition of McQueen’s work to coincide with the project, open from February to May 2020. Photo credit: Tate

Clean Air Schools Pack

Friends of the Earth have launched the latest edition of its Clean Air Schools pack inviting schools everywhere to monitor air quality around them and engage children, parents and teachers in the fight for clean air. The free Friends of the Earth’s Clean Air Schools pack has already equipped 950 schools with air quality monitoring tubes that test Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) levels. It also taught pupils campaigning skills to make their voices heard including how to write a persuasive letter to politicians and how to run a poster competition to raise awareness in their school. With the risks of breathing toxic air still slipping under the radar of many parents, Friends of the Earth is calling for a range of measures, including Clean Air Zones, to fight air pollution and improve the health of children’s lungs everywhere.These findings also highlight the need for better public health communications when it comes to the risks of children breathing toxic air – especially when exposed to vehicle fumes outside the school gates. Schools can order a clean air schools pack at www.friendsoftheearth.uk/cleanair and choose ‘Clean Air Schools Pack’.

‘One school, two buildings, great teaching, and tip top facilities.’ The Good Schools Guide The Study is a leading prep school situated in the heart of Wimbledon Village. We identify and nurture each girl’s unique academic, creative and sporting skills in a caring and supportive community.

For further details and to book a school visit, contact Jane Davis on 020 8947 6969 www.thestudyprep.co.uk Registered Charity No. 271012

We welcome enquires about our scheme of assistance with fees for girls aged 7+.

Preparatory School for girls aged four to eleven

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

atie lown’s K Leafy Landscapes

Nature Crossword 1 (across) bee 1 (down) butterfly 2 strawberry 3 fish 4 leaf 5 lizard 6 hive 7 flower 8 mushroom 9 (across) stone 9 (down) stump 10 ladybug 11 mouse 12 grass 13 cloud. Answer: NATURE Types of Leaves 1 Ash, 2 Magnolia, 3 Oak, 4 Maple, 5 Banana, 6 Beech

Word Search

Nature Crossword

E M K

A O

O M A

H M A

N A

N O

N W O

U O U

G V

G A

What is the cutest season? Awwtumn!

Can you find all these words in the word search? Plant, Leaf, Stalk, Deciduous, Vein, Stem, Chlorophyl, Green, Brown, Blade, Oak, Red, Foliage, Bulb, Frond, Root, Moss, Tree, Bud

What’s green and sings? Elvis Parsley!

Can you draw round an autumn leaf and make it into a picture or can you make a fun design based on leaves? Send it to us to have a chance of winning a Primary Times Tee Shirt AND seeing your prize winning entry published in the next Primary Times! Categories: ages 4-7 and 8-11

Why couldn’t the gardener find his pile of leaves? Because they all had to leaf!

How does an elephant get out of a tree? Sits on a leaf and waits until Autumn!

Identify the leaf 1

Name:

Age: Address:

Postcode:

School:

Send your entry together with this completed form to:

Annie's Competition, Primary Times, 7 Southbrook Mews, London, SE12 8LG or scan them both and email them to:

competitions@primarytimes.biz

Closing date 9 November 2018. Good Luck!

Win a Family Ice Skating Ticket at Hampton Court Palace Win a family ticket and skate back in time this winter for a truly unforgettable experience at the Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink. Opening its gates on 23 November, this open-air ice rink epitomises the very best in festive fun. Perfect for all ages and skating levels, from absolute beginners to experts, the spacious Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink is located directly in front of the Tudor Palace and boasts spectacular Thames-side views sure to create a memorable day. To celebrate the season in majestic style surrounded by centuries of history, book your tickets today by visiting www.hamptoncourtpalaceicerink.co.uk. To be in with a chance of winning one of eight family tickets to skate at Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink, tell us how many wives Henry VIII had.

See below for details of how to enter.

Win a Kindle in Leaders are Readers’ Poetry Competition Leaders are Readers run award-winning programmes in learning to read, maths and English. They specialise in 4+, 5+, 7+, 8+ and 11+ programmes for ages 3-11. Locally, they have lessons at Dunraven School. Contact Frances Woghiren on 01992 651 300 or at www. leadersarereaders.co.uk Leaders are Readers is inviting young, budding writers to create a poem about ‘change’. Selected writers will be in with a chance of winning one Kindle Paperwhite E-reader for each age category. Children aged 4 - 7 can write a poem, between 4 and 8 lines, about seasons changing, day and night, weather changes, animals changing (caterpillar to butterfly for instance), or anything on the subject of change. For ages 8 - 11, poem ideas include a life changing moment, changing schools, environmental changes, changing the world, or absolutely anything about change. The poem can be a Haiku, song lyrics, rap, limerick or any poetic form. See below for details of how to enter.

Win Family Tickets to the Orange Tree Theatre Christmas Show

Competitions

Competitions Here’s the chance for you and your family to see the wonderfully festive show Can’t Wait for Christmas. Jessie’s dad has brought her a lovely little present. It’s all wrapped up, and tied with a beautiful bow. She can’t wait to open it, but she isn’t allowed to until Christmas day. Jessie shakes it and sniffs it and tries to sneak a peek, but Dad puts it just out of her reach and keeps a close eye on it. Join in Jessie’s countdown to Christmas as she delights in all the festive treats that appear behind her advent calendar windows. With gorgeous original live music, some gentle audience participation and perhaps a cracker joke or two, it’s perfect for everyone aged 3+ who just can’t wait. Enjoy this Christmas treat from the team that brought you the hit Orange Tree Christmas show, Extra Yarn. The winner will receive a family ticket for up to 6 people. Just tell us the name of the girl who can’t wait for Christmas? See below for details of how to enter.

Win a Grinch Goody Bag

The Grinch, based on Dr Seuss’ beloved holiday classic, tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous holiday spirit. Each year at Christmas the Grinch’s neighbours in Who-ville disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger, brighter and louder celebrations. When the Whos declare they are going to make Christmas three times bigger this year, the Grinch realises there is only one way for him to gain some peace and quiet. He must steal Christmas! However, as Christmas approaches, Cindy-Lou’s goodnatured schemes threaten to collide with the Grinch’s more nefarious ones. Funny, heart-warming and visually stunning, it’s a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism. The Grinch will be released in cinemas on 9 November. Primary Times has five The Grinch goody bags to give away. To be in with a chance of winning one, tell us what colour the Grinch is? For details of how to enter see below.

To enter any of the competitions send your answer along with your name, age, school, address and phone number to Primary Times, 7 Southbrook Mews, London, SE12 8LG. Don’t forget to include the name of the competition. Alternatively email your answer and details to competitions@primarytimes.biz with the competion name as the subject by Friday 9 November. If you are entering more than one competition you can put all entries in the same envelope. Follow us on Twitter - @PT_LondonSandE

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

What’s On

More What’s On Your family diary for October and November

October Creepy Crawlies Day, Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, SW11 4NJ 11am-12.30pm, 1.30-3.30pm. Meet some bugs and find out why they are so important. Join in with the mini beast themed fun including ugly bug story time and make your own bug puppet. Charges apply. For more details visit www.batterseaparkzoo. co.uk

Thurs 25 – Fri 26 Oct

Grotesque, Dulwich Picture Gallery, SE21 7AD

10am-12.30pm. In preparation for Halloween, make your own comic or repulsive character inspired by ghoulish faces from the Gallery. Over two days, learn how to sculpt hideous gargoyles and funny figurines. Ages 10-12. Charges apply. For more information visit www. dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Thurs 25 – Sat 27 Oct Kingston Children’s Literary Festival, Various Locations

Returning for a second year, this festival aims to entertain and inspire the growing imaginations of 3-8 year olds with a series of storytelling events, read by some of the UK’s best-loved children’s authors and illustrators. For more information and to book visit www.inkingston. co.uk/kidslitfest

Pumpkin Carving! Morden Hall Park, SM4 5JD 11am-4pm. Drop in to the Stableyard to make your spooky Halloween pumpkin. Pick your pumpkin, create your crazy carving and light it with an LED tea light. Admission charges apply. For more information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/mordenhall-park

Fri 26 Oct

Halloween Family Fun! Richmond and Hillcroft Adult and Community College, TW9 2RE

10am-1.30pm Let your kids have a wickedly beastly time at a Dracula disco dance class followed by a film screening of Hotel Transylvania 3. Spooky snack and drinks provided as well as face painting. Charges apply. For more information and to book www.rhacc.ac.uk

Our listings are prepared a long time in advance. To make sure you have the latest details do contact the event nearer the time to make sure they haven’t changed

What to Do with Pumpkin Seeds You’ve just finished carving your pumpkin this Halloween and it’s a masterpiece, the flesh has been removed so that you can illuminate the inside… but what about the leftover seeds? The seeds removed from the pumpkin can be made into a tasty snack that everyone will want to eat. Firstly, rinse the seeds and pull away the strings of flesh. Then the seeds can be roasted by scattering them across a baking tray and adding a pinch of salt. Toss them in olive oil and roast at 180°C/350°F/ gas 4 for approximately 10 minutes, or until they are lightly golden brown. After that allow them to cool and store them in a container.You will then have a delicious treat that is ideal for adding to salads and sprinkling on soup. Another fun way to use the seeds is to dry them and sprinkle them across your garden - a scrumptious Halloween snack for the birds to enjoy. But don’t add salt this time. It’s not good for them! 28

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

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Halloween Face Painting, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW 1pm-4pm. Enjoy Halloween face painting, and become one of the victims of the Spanish flu or other spooky Halloween favourites. Free, with admission. For more details visit www.florence-nightingale.co.uk

Sat 27 Oct

The Big Botanical Draw, The South London Botanical Institute, SE24 9AQ

11am-5pm. Come and draw anything and everything botanical using various media led by the artist Julie Sullock. For more information visit www.slbi.org.uk

Hansel and Gretel Halloween Storytelling, Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ (Also 28 Oct). 11-11.30am, 1212.30pm, 1-1.30pm, 2.30-3pm and 3.30-4pm. Come along for some special storytelling by Sandal Sticks Theatre accompanied by song and playful puppetry. Ages 3+. Charges apply. For more information visit www.horniman.ac.uk

Horniman Halloween Fair, Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ

(Also 28 Oct). 10.30am-4pm. Join in the fiendish fun at the annual Halloween Fair. Meet creepy crawlies; hear spooky storytelling and browse for gifts and treats at our arts and crafts markets and food stalls. Come dressed in your best costume! For more information visit www. horniman.ac.uk

Storytelling Adventures: The Gruffalo, Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth, SW18 4TF

Meet Mary Seacole, Florence Nightingale Museum, SE1 7EW

11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm. Meet Mary Seacole and find out about her life and work during the Crimean War. Discover how she helped the soldiers and why she became known as ‘Mother Seacole’. For more information visit www.florencenightingale.co.uk

Africa on the Square, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN 12noon–6pm. This popular event celebrates African arts and culture as well as enhancing Black History

Month. Enjoy live entertainment, an African market, food stalls, roaming entertainment and lots of fun for kids. For more information visit www.london.gov.uk

Travelling Tales, Southbank Centre, SE1 8XX

11.00am. Raise your voice in traditional and contemporary songs from the Caribbean in a workshop for everyone. Ages 6-10. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www.southbankcentre. co.uk

Sun 28 Oct

Black Cultural Archives Friends: Feast in the Archives, Brixton, SW2 1EF

3-6pm. Bring your family together to share nostalgic memories over homecooked food. From jerk chicken and mutton, roti, suya, waakye and jollof rice enjoy the blend of cuisines that have been carried over into Black British communities. Charges apply. Visit www.blackculturalarchives.org

Boo at the Zoo! Battersea Park Children’s Zoo, SW11 4NJ 11am-12.30pm, 1.30-3.30pm. Come to the zoo dressed up as witches, monsters, pumpkins or zombies and join in with the Halloween fun and activities. Charges apply. For more details visit www.batterseaparkzoo. co.uk

Diwali Festival, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN

1pm–6pm. Celebrate the Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival of lights. Enjoy exciting music, a dance stage line up, complimented by the authentic aromas from the street food market. Wander through the embellishing craft and community stalls. For more information visit www.london.gov.uk

Wed 31 Oct

I Need My Monster, Southside Shopping Centre, Wandsworth, SW18 4TF

2pm, 4pm and 6pm. Enjoy a mini pantomime on Halloween night. You’ll get a fright and have a great laugh with this spooky tale. Limited spaces. Email Southside reception@ southsidewandsworth.com to be added to the guest list.

November Sat 3 Nov

Fireworks Night, Battersea Park, SW11 4NJ

Book in your friends and family to the annual display. Watch the skies of Wandsworth ignite inspired by this year’s circus theme. Charges apply. For more details visit batterseapowerstation.co.uk

Sun 4 Nov

Sunday Afternoon Art, Orleans House Gallery, Twickenham, TW1 3DJ

(Also 2 Dec) 2-3.30pm. Enjoy a relaxed and creative art session for all the family. For more information visit www.orleanshousegallery.org

For lots more What’s On ideas see page 30...

Family Travel Ideas The Sky Hut

The Sky Hut was part of Channel 4’s ‘Cabins in the Wild’ documentary in 2017, and has been remodelled since. Designed to provide a cosy and unique glamping-observatory experience, its new lakeside home in West Wales provides the perfect setting to admire the magnificent night sky. Named as the country with the highest percentage of ‘International Dark Sky’, Wales is officially one of the most outstanding places in the world to stargaze. Along with eye level glazing all around this inspirational cabin, you can also open the roof and sliding glass door that leads out to your own decking area. Enjoy the lake with a boat, canoe and fishing, as well as beautiful countryside views. There is also access to a shared hot tub, games room and pizza oven on site, and Cardigan Bay nearby. Upon arrival you will receive a welcome pack including a selection of home-made Welsh delicacies to help you get settled. Bed linen, hand and bath towels will also be provided. The hut has a double bed which transforms into a cosy and inviting sofa in front of a bio-fuel stove with real fire. The kitchen has two gas hobs and a sink, and there is a small bathroom with shower, basin and compost toilet. There are also additional facilities on site, including a shared freezer, additional shower and toilet facilities, a washer/dryer area and secure bike storage. The Sky Hut is the stargazers dream, and a perfect getaway for two. For more information, please visit www.originalcottages.co.uk.

Bearizona Experience animal wildlife the way it was meant to be, in a natural environment, all from the comfort and safety of your own vehicle. Bearizona, located in North Arizona, is home to an array of animals including adorable bear cubs, majestic bison, nimble big horn sheep and stealthy wolves.They also offer a regular Birds of Prey show for visitors to enjoy.They have recently opened the Canyonlands restaurant which features soaring canyon walls and ancient ruins that allow diners to immerse themselves in the true spirit of the Southwest. Home for orphaned or confiscated Wildlife, over half of the animals that call Bearizona home are rescued or rehabilitated, the other half were born to these animals. Drive through the Arizona wilderness viewing their varied collection of North American animals from the comfort and safety of your own vehicle. Get up-close to these otherwise elusive creatures during the three mile drive at your own pace. Bearizona is also proud to be the home for the High Country Raptors, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting raptor conservation through education.Their daily Bird of Prey shows allow visitors to come face to face with hawks, owls, falcons and other raptors. Programmes include ‘on the wrist’, training demonstrations and dramatic free flight shows, all with a narrative on natural history, conservation and interesting facts while entertaining audiences of all ages. Bearizona is approximately 160 acres.Visitors can drive through more than three miles of Ponderosa Pine Forest viewing North American animals zin natural habitats when they visit. Conveniently located in the heart of Northern Arizona, and nestled amongst the beautiful Kaibab National Forest, the city of Williams is considered the gateway to the Grand Canyon. For more information about Bearizona, please visit www.bearizona.com.

Geilo Ski Holidays

Geared towards families and first-timers, ski holidays in Geilo are an all-round winter experience that begins with a breathtaking rail journey. For beginners and families, the conditions in Geilo are world-class.The two ski areas of Geilo and Geilolia are linked by a shuttle, and boast unintimidating slopes, helpful lift attendants and an award winning ski school. Children under seven ski for free, and the crèche takes babies from six months. The area fringes the country’s largest national park and families can try dog sledding, fat biking, ice fishing, tree-top rope courses and crosscountry skiing.Visits can also be made to the Langedrag Nature Park and Mountain Farm.After skiing, visitors can choose from a selection of restaurants serving pizza, local game and seafood. Most amenities are clustered around Geilo station. Restaurant-wise, there’s plenty of choice, from pizzas to local game and seafood. Families love the Bowl and Dine, while après bars are busiest on weekends, and Off-Pist and Recepten are best for nightlife. A firm favourite among Ski Safari guests,Vestlia Resort does a fantastic job of appealing to families and child-free couples alike - along with a luxurious adultsonly spa, there’s a separate family pool and kids’ soft play area. Just fifty metres from the ski school, lifts and childcare centre, you can collect your skis from the heated lockers each morning and be on the slopes in minutes. Beautifully furnished in natural wood and neutral colours, the rooms range from simply furnished doubles, to four-person family rooms and penthouse suites.There’s also a very good restaurant on-site, as well as a ten-pin bowling alley and stylish lounge bar with an open fire. A week’s holiday staying at the 4*+ Vestlia Resort on Half Board basis over Christmas starts from £965 per person for two adults and two children (under 12) in a family room.The price includes return flights from London, transfers and half-board accommodation. For more information, visit www.skisafari.com.

Finland – Northern Lights Adventure

The wild forests and frozen lakes of Finland’s Hossa National Park are the base for a week of wintry adventures in the country’s far north. Staying at a cosy hotel, with a traditional sauna to return to each evening, families will experience a huge range of snowy activities.There will be the chance to try cross-country skiing and even lassoing reindeer. Children will learn winter survival skills too, practising to light fires, go ice fishing and building their own igloo. For the dog fans on the trip, you can visit a husky farm where you will learn to drive a sled before enjoying a tour through the snow white forests and frozen lakes.You will also get a chance to snowshoe, where you can explore the ascents and descents of the beautiful ridges.The surrounding forests are home to many animals such as elk, wolf and lynx.You will probably spot some of their tracks in the snow. Perhaps the holiday’s highlight however is an overnight snowshoeing expedition to a cabin deep in the wilderness, where families will eat dinner around a fire and cast their eyes to the skies hoping to glimpse the spectacular Northern Lights. Guests will stay in log cabins just outside Hossa National Park. Bedrooms consist of bunk beds and a sofa bed which can comfortably fit up to four people. Near to the cabins is a lake, sauna and a visitor centre where meals are served. Sledges and kick-sleds, as well as outdoor games, are available at the accommodation also. During the overnight snowshoe expedition guests stay in a lakeside wilderness cabin in bedrooms with bunkbeds. The trip starts from £2,049 per adult and £1,689 per child sharing, including 7 nights’ half board accommodation, six lunches, guided activities and excursions and return flights from the UK with Families Worldwide.You can depart on 22 December 2018 or 16 February 2019. For more information, please visit www.familiesworldwide.co.uk.

8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

What’s On

More What’s On Your family diary for October and November

November Sat 10 Nov

Puppet Show, Dulwich Picture Gallery, SE21 7AD

10.30am and 1.30pm. Drew Colby will tell stories from Winnie the Pooh with music, wonderful puppetry and lots of magic. The show will last for an hour with an interval. Charges apply. For more information visit www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk

Lord Mayor’s Show, Bank of England Museum, EC2R 8AH

11am-5pm. The 803rd Lord Mayor’s Show is the perfect opportunity for a weekend visit with the family. Skilful face painters will transform younger visitors into one of the much-loved characters from Kenneth Grahame’s book ‘The Wind in the Willows’. For more information visit www. bankofengland.co.uk

Thurs 22 Nov

Kids in Museums Takeover Day, National Army Museum, Chelsea, SW3 4HT

the world-famous Gardens. Enter an enchanting world of seasonal cheer and Christmas colour. Charges apply. For more details and to book visit www.kew.org/kew-gardens

Thurs 22 Nov – Sat 5 Jan

Skate Back In Time, Hampton Court Palace, KT8 9AU

Christmas at Kew, Royal Botanical Gardens Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE

Follow the sparkling trail of over one million twinkling lights, illuminating heritage trees and buildings through

See the new Lord Mayor of the City of London take to the streets in a glittering coach as part of a threemile long ceremony full of innovation, spectacle and pageantry. For more information and to view the days itinerary visit www.lordmayorsshow. london

Our listings are prepared a long time in advance. To make sure you have the latest details do contact the event nearer the time to make sure they haven’t changed

The Re-imagined Snowman One of the world’s most acclaimed children’s writers, Michael Morpurgo, has written a reimagining of the much-loved story by Raymond Briggs, The Snowman, 40 years after it was first published. The Snowman, published in 1978, is a hand-drawn, illustrated picture book that tells the extraordinary tale of a boy whose snowman comes to life and the magical adventures he shares with it one Christmas. Morpurgo’s chapter book will feature Briggs’ timeless characters, bringing them to a new, older audience and is suited to children aged 7 years and above to read alone. The new re-imagined version can help children to develop their reading skills, adding elements of detail, prose and charisma. However, it is still Briggs’ classic and charming tale loved by many, featuring tangerine noses and coal eyes. As a story that parents will remember and children are bound to love, the book is also perfect for families to read together with younger children. Along with beautiful illustrations by Robin Shaw, children’s imaginations can run wild as they read Morpurgo’s wonderful new tale. Join James and the Snowman this Christmas in an unforgettable story of a lifetime filled with friendship, magic and flying through the night sky. The Snowman will be available for £12.99 from 18 October. 8 Oct - 25 Nov 2018

Fri 30 Nov

Horniman Christmas Market: Late Night, Horniman Museum and Gardens, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ 5.30-9.30pm. The Museum will be filled with stalls and products by independent sellers, local designers and makers. For more information visit www.horniman.ac.uk

” December

10.15am-2.15pm. This event features a multitude of creative activities for the under 5s, their families and carers. Enjoy storytelling, craft and rhyme-time inspired by animals of the First World War and devised by local primary school children. For more information visit www.nam.ac.uk

Lord Mayor’s Show: Big Day Out, Various Locations in Central London

“

I saw your event in Primary Times.... Please mention you saw the event listed in Primary Times

Fri 23 Nov – Sun 6 Jan

Enjoy the seasonal atmosphere as you skate against a backdrop of one of the greatest palaces on earth – Henry VIII’s historic home. The open-air ice rink epitomises the very best in festive fun. Ages 3+. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www. hamptoncourtpalaceicerink.co.uk

Sat 24 Nov

First World War Animal Crafts, National Army Museum, Chelsea, SW3 4HT 10.30am, 1pm, 2pm and 4.30pm. Create a paper puppet, make your own ‘Top Trumps’ and discover more about the animals that worked in the First World War. For more information visit www.nam.ac.uk

Sat 24 Nov – Sun 16 Dec

Visit Father Christmas, Morden Hall Park, SM4 5JD (Selected dates). Children can draw and send their wish lists to Father Christmas via a special postcard express. They will meet Father Christmas and his elves in an enchanted grotto to receive a special gift. Charges apply. For more information visit www.nationaltrust. org.uk/morden-hall-park

Sat 1 Dec

The Time Travel Club - A Victorian Christmas, The National Archives, Kew, TW9 4DU

10.30am-12noon. In this interactive and sensory workshop, find out how Victorian children experienced Christmas, and then make your own decorations and crackers! Ages 7-11. Charges apply. For more information visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Horniman Christmas Market, Horniman Museum and Gardens, Forest Hill, SE23 3PQ

(Also 2 Dec) 10am-5.30pm. Experience festive Christmas shopping as the Museum is filled with stalls and products by independent sellers, local designers and makers. For more information visit www. horniman.ac.uk

Sat 1 – Sun 2 Dec

Sail with Santa, City Cruises, Tower Pier, EC3N 4DT

(Also 8, 9, 15 and 16 Dec) 10.45am, 12.45pm, 2.35pm, 4.45pm. Meet Santa on the river Thames as he’s swapped his sleigh for a boat. Fun for everyone with lots of treats from Santa. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www.citycruises. com

Sat 24 Nov – Mon 24 Dec

Santa’s Christmas Wonderland Experience, Chessington Garden Centre, KT9 2NG

Following his spectacular arrival, Father Christmas will be in residence at the Centre. Embark on a fantastical journey to meet Father Christmas in his traditional grotto. Charges apply. For more details visit www. chessingtongardencentre.co.uk

Sun 25 Nov

Axel Sheffler Christmas Fun with the Gruffalo, Twickenham Riverside, TW1 3SU 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm. See Axel Scheffler reading and drawing from the bestselling The Gruffalo, and also from his brand new Pip and Posy book, The Christmas Tree. After each session, Axel will sign and draw in the children’s books. For details visit www.richmondliterature.com

Wed 19 – Sun 23 Dec

Sail with Santa, City Cruises, Tower Pier, EC3N 4DT

10.45am, 12.45pm, 2.35pm, 4.45pm. Meet Santa on the river Thames as he’s swapped his sleigh for a boat. Fun for everyone with lots of treats from Santa. Charges apply. For more information and to book visit www. citycruises.com

Our next copy deadline is

9 November 2018. If you have something you would like us to try and publicise (space permitting) please email it to

listings@ primarytimes.biz

All your own work!

Lola Hands aged 9

Jan Olak aged 6 Miss Bishop from St Crispins competitions in our September Back to School issue. Congratulations to the following people who won DIY Circus Lab for Kids shirt. and Tyler Eaton won a signed Crystal Palace Infants School won a box of books for her school. Riley Cignitti.Zara Edwin won o Matte and n Dryde Norrington,Joseph books were won by Bethan Lewis, Otto Retallick, Caitlin a Harlequin's match to s ticket won aser ey-Cre Freakl re. Chloe a family ticket to Robinson Crusoe at Greenwich Theat Chloe Prockter. in the Mary & The Witch's Flower competition was and will meet a rugby hero. Our first prize winner the Circus at see to ticket family a Marshall. Alex Saunders won Runners up prizes were won by Zoe Lewis and Jessica ton, Nikki Wilkins Eccles Clarke eeya Zakar , Elmes Asia rt winners were Millbrook plus a mini hamper. Our Paddington in Conce 6 won the Annie aged Bountiful Botanics Weekend at Wakehurst. Jan Olak and Chloe April. Lisa Draghi won a family ticket to winner was Lola Hands aged 9. Enjoy If you would like to see drawing competition for the under 8s and our older our new competitions in this issue. all ng enteri luck good all the artwork on this page and your work displayed

here then just send us a drawing, poem, riddles, jokes or short story and we'll do our very best to include it. Send it to: Good Work Page Primary Times 7 Southbrook Mews London SE12 8LG Thank you to Isaiah Peart-Myers for his poem and drawing of his trip to feed the ducks, Karolina Ficek for her colourful garden scene and Annabel Whitby for her fun memories of the summer holidays. We love seeing your work so do please keep sending it to us.

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Thu 6 Dec â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sun 6 Jan

Box Office 020 8174 0090 Visit rosetheatrekingston.org Celebrating 10 years of world class theatre

Ciaran McConville Directed by

Rosie Jones