Toddle About Warwickshire Jan - Mar 2011 by Toddle About Magazine

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

2â&#x20AC;&#x201A;â&#x20AC;&#x201A;

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

Family picture courtesy of Mango Pictures

Hello!

And welcome to the first issue of Toddle About!

Over the last year, we have received several requests to bring Toddle About to South Warwickshire and it feels good to finally arrive. We created Toddle About because, as new parents, we found it incredibly hard to learn about the different groups and classes that were being run for little ones in our local area. Like many in our situation, we had recently moved house and we knew no one in the area, so it was really hard at first. All we wanted was to be able to go to one handy place to find everything we needed ... and so Toddle About was born. This edition of Toddle About covers Rugby, Leamington, Warwick, Kenilworth, Southam and surrounding areas - you will find our groups and classes listings in the Daily Activity Planner from page 21. As this is the first issue, we know there will be some groups that we have missed, so if you spot any omissions, please email us with the details. Hopefully you will agree that we have made a good start though! As well as the groups, you will find plenty of articles and features about all things bump, baby and toddler and we hope you enjoy them. There is also a handy little directory of local businesses at the back of the magazine, all of whom have some great things to offer. We hope you enjoy Toddle About - please let us know what you think!

Tim & Ruth

P.S. You can make sure you never miss a copy of Toddle About by subscribing at www.toddleabout.co.uk - it’s FREE and we’ll post it to your door every quarter.

This furry little fella is Charlie! He’s hiding all over the magazine - why not see if your little one can find him while you read? Charlie is a big fan of winning free stuff, so he is thrilled to let you know that we have over £800 of prizes to give away, courtesy of PixiFoto in Leamington and Coventry. See the Toddle Models competition on p. 12 for details. You can find everything in Toddle About and much more - including fully searchable listings of groups & classes on our website at: www.toddleabout.co.uk

Children’s Book Reviews Getting Help Kick Start an Active Life Inspire Your Children My Doula Experience 8,000 copies of Toddle About are distributed every quarter around South Warwickshire.

4 6 7 8 8

Contents

10 Secrets of Success 12 Controversy Corner 13 Baby Photo Competition 16 Special Offer Vouchers 17 Shop About

Starting Out in Business Baby Swimming Daily Activity Planner The Directory Out & About

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the information in Toddle About is accurate and correct, we cannot guarantee that this is so and neither Toddle About nor Tim Freed can accept any liability for loss, damage or problems arising from any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in content, nor from actions taken by readers based on information or opinions presented in advertisements or throughout the magazine. Images and information supplied by 3rd parties have been accepted in good faith and all liability for any legal transgression including breach of copyright remains with the supplying parties.

18 20 21 26 30

www. .co.uk

The Greatest Children’s Toddle About invited Pat Saunders, owner of Poppy’s Books, to share her all-time favourite children’s books with us. Pat has been selling children’s books for 18 years, and she has been reading them even longer! If you would like to add your comments or recommend your own favourites, visit this article online at www.toddleabout. co.uk/articles and share!

New Release

If you are in any way a fan of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s books, then you will be pleased to know that the creators of The Gruffalo have not disappointed with the award-winning Zog. It is the humourous story of a keen and accident-prone dragon - with their trademark illustrations and rhymes it had the whole family smiling from beginning to end. RRP £10.99 (Hard Back)

Editor

The Monster Bed by Jeanne Willis This is my all time favourite book! Denis the monster lives with his Mum in a cave in the woods and is scared of humans. His mother tells him not to worry, that they don’t exist. However, he does worry and when she finally manages to get him into bed, he decides to sleep under the bed so that a human can’t hide there. Meanwhile, a little boy is lost in the wood and seeks shelter in the cave. He climbs into the bed but, worried that there might be a monster under it; he looks underneath and….Aaaargghh! Written in rhyme, The Monster Bed is easy to read, wonderfully funny and children love it. Published by Andersen Press £5.99 and as a Mini Treasure by Red Fox £1.50

I Love You Blue Kangaroo by Emma Chichester Clark I adore this book! Blue Kangaroo belongs to Lily, the little girl on the cover. Lily loves her blue kangaroo and takes him to sleep next to her in bed each night. However, each page brings a new gift for Lily - new cuddly animals that she also takes to her bed until gradually Blue Kangaroo is knocked out of the bed and she decides there is no room for him any more. The drawings of Blue Kangaroo’s face are wonderful as he lies in bed worrying. Published in h/b, p/b and this edition board book by Andersen Press £4.99 Age range 3 - 6

Age range 2 - 5

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

Books Ever Written...

Pants by Giles Andreae Pants is very attractive to children with its bright primary colours. Given the choice, children who see Pants on my stand at sales would, almost to a toddler, choose this book. The vibrant illustrations by Nick Sharratt provide lots of things to talk about – silly things! The book begins with: “Small pants, big pants, Giant frilly pig pants”

The Little Red Train: The Runaway Train by Benedict Blathwayt

The Little Red Train series, I feel, is often under-rated. The stories are all very simple and easy to read, however the illustrations are so detailed that I have kept a child entertained for half an hour with just one page. Children love spotting the cows and sheep in the field or the boats and lorries at the seaside.

Very easy to read, children ask for it to be read over and over again – and you really won’t mind!

In this story the Little Red Train sets off down the track without Duffy, his driver, who has forgotten to put on the brakes.

Published in paperback £5.99 by Corgi and board book edition £4.99 David Fickling Books Age range 18 months - 5

Published by Red Fox £5.99 Age range 2 - 6

...According to Pat Saunders

Baby ABC by Roger Priddy Baby ABC is a gorgeous touch and feel board book, suitable for babies of all ages. All the pictures are photographs and excellent ones too! I not only have favourite books but I also have favourite pages in books – S is for Strawberry is my favourite in this book. It looks like a strawberry and feels like one, with each seed raised for little hands to touch. Published by Priddy Books £8.99

Many thanks to Pat Saunders for contributing to this feature. If you want to make your own mind up about these books, you can buy all these titles and more at www.poppysbooks.co.uk.

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

A Helping Hand How Kumon has Helped my Son

by Moira Perkins

At the age of seven and a half, our son Lucas is a boy who has achieved fairly average results to date in the core subjects of English and Maths. More recently, he had shown signs of struggling with numbers, which prompted my husband and I to seek assistance in the hope of avoiding the possibility of him falling behind at school. Initially we considered having a personal tutor at home but quickly dismissed this idea in favour of a different methodology with a more long-term focus. The ‘little and often’ approach of the Kumon programme immediately appealed to us as did the idea of Lucas developing as an independent self-learner and we quickly enrolled Lucas on the course for both English and Maths. Lucas has only just begun his Kumon journey but in three short weeks he has flown through the first two levels of both the English and Maths programmes and is becoming more independent in his study. We have already seen a change for the better in his attitude towards study - he is more motivated and he has also become a lot quicker at doing things! He enjoys the Kumon routine which fits into our busy schedule and has already made encouraging statements such as “I love doing my Kumon work” and “I can’t wait to go to Kumon tomorrow”. More importantly, he is working at a pace that suits him. We are very excited about his long-term prospects in education. With Kumon, who knows what the future will hold for him?

Rozina with one of her students For more info on Kumon, call Rozina on 01788 579761 or visit kumon.co.uk. Try them for free with the voucher in our centre pages. Advert p.29

Stop. Nanny Time! by Helen Lock

mploying a nanny offers parents benefits that most other forms of childcare cannot offer. Most notably children are cared for in their own home, by a carer who is devoting their time solely to the individual needs of that child. At the same time, many parents enjoy the fact that nannies take care of other childcare duties, such as children’s washing, ironing, cleaning and cooking healthy meals. Many of our clients say that they wish they had employed a nanny years ago!

But for many, nannies still seem like the exclusive privilege of the wealthy - a perk that most simply can’t afford. But this is actually far from the truth. Nannies don’t cost that much. For about £8 - £10 per hour you can employ a good, experienced, Ofsted-registered nanny in the Warwickshire area. And don’t worry if that still sounds a lot - you may qualify for some significant contributions towards this. With the government’s introduction of ‘voluntary Ofsted registration’ for nannies, many parents - even single parent families and those on low incomes - can take advantage

of the help offered by nannies through the childcare element of Tax Credits. This works in the same way as it does to employ a childminder or nursery – you simply need to obtain the nanny’s unique Ofsted Registration Number and follow the same procedure. Depending on circumstances, families who are in receipt of tax credits and are working a minimum of 16 hrs per week may be able to claim up to 80% of their childcare costs (up to £175 p/w for 1 child and £300 p/w for 2 or more children). Please visit www.hmrc.gov. uk/leaflets/wtc5.pdf for more detailed information. Students can also benefit from financial support towards childcare you will need to check with your bursary provider, (e.g. Care To Learn etc) for details of eligibility. Be Careful If you are tempted to try a nanny, you should always check that they have an up-todate enhanced CRB check, a Paediatric First Aid certificate, excellent verifiable references and sound knowledge and experience of all current childcare practices. Alternatively, all good agencies should do these checks for you.

Helen Lock runs local nanny agency Angels Nannies. For free advice on how employing a nanny might be possible for you – including possible nanny-shares – contact Helen on 01604 757544 or info@angelsnannies.co.uk. (See p.28).

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

Kick Start...

By Lynne Newbould

s the new year starts, many parents are choosing preschool sports activity programs such as swimming, gymnastics and football, to give their children a great start in sport. These sessions offer opportunities for young children to burn energy, learn new skills and have a whole lot of fun in the process. Research shows that if children are encouraged to develop an interest in structured physical activity from a young age, they are more likely to continue to enjoy sport throughout their childhood, giving them the foundation to lead a healthy and active life.

As well as being a mum to a 3 year old, I also run Little Kickers, so my area of expertise is preschool football classes, which are particularly good for helping to develop agility, co-ordination and balance. Our sessions are progressive and challenging - and loads of fun. Children are much more likely to learn if their imaginations are engaged, so we introduce new skills through games rather than formal drills. For example, if you tell a group of 2-3 year olds that they are going on a Golden Egg Hunt and that they need to get all of the eggs (footballs) into the baskets (goals) before the giant wakes up, they are far more likely to participate and enjoy themselves! But why should we have all the fun! You can have your own Little Kickers session at home whenever you want. Why not make a new year’s resolution to commit 15-20 minutes each day where you switch off the TV set and do something less boring instead? It’s actually really healthy for mum and dad to tune out of the stresses of everyday life and focus 100% on playing physical games with their children. This small change will have immeasurable benefits for your whole family’s health, and it’s the little things like this that make a huge difference to our relationships with our children.

...to an active childhood

Give it a go at home!

If you have a football**, go outside and have a kick around. There are a lot of things you can do to develop your child’s skills further – but most importantly, remember to have fun!

1) Set up a target

Use a jumper, an empty flower pot, the dog etc. Compete against each other to see who can get nearest the target.

2) Play against each other

You will be amazed how competitive you get. Please be gentle with them, they are only young…performing celebratory dances after you have beaten them may damage their confidence somewhat!

3) Encourage children to use both feet to kick. Use different colour stickers as a way of marking each foot, encourage them to practise with each foot as it will improve their balance immensely.

4) Penalties

Penalties are easy to set up, and siblings and parents can join in by going in goal, or help setting up obstacles. You’ll enjoy watching how involved your children get in this type of game playing.

(** Top tip – try to use a small ball size 2 rather than a full size adult ball, it’s easier for children to control, and less likely to hurt when they kick it at you!)

With the new year started, this is a perfect way to spend time with your child - doing what they really enjoy, leading by example and encouraging them to view sport as a normal, routine part of everyday life. More garden games are available on www.litttlekickers.co.uk What’s New section. Have fun!

Lynne Newbould runs Little Kickers preschool football sessions in Northampton, Daventry and Rugby. For more information, contact Lynne on 01327 310373 or lnewbould@littlekickers.co.uk. See advert on page 27.

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

Inspire Your Children Any career break presents a good opportunity to reflect on life and what we want from it, and many women find that becoming a mother gives them a whole new perspective on their work. It also puts them in a fantastic position to continue their education and many mums do just that – sometimes just for the love of a particular subject, and other times to further their career prospects or to move into a whole new field. At the Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Warwick, many parents love to study at the same time as their children as they can motivate each other, and the children appreciate that their parents know what they are going through. The sense of achievement when their proud children see them in their cap and gown collecting their certificate is worth all of the hard work. The Centre for Lifelong Learning strives to offer options for everyone, with short courses and flexible degrees

available. Designed to help parents get back into education, the work place or to help them develop their careers, the centre offers one day schools, Certificates, Foundation Courses, 2+2 Degrees and Part-Time Degrees in various subjects including Early Years, English, Creative Writing, History, Social Studies, Humanities and Counselling. Faye Rowntree graduated from the 2+2 Social Studies Degree in 2010. A 2+2 degree is aimed at people who left school with few or no qualifications: they study for two years at a local college to get a

My Magical Doula Experience

Faye graduating in

by Jenny Winser

When Jenny Winser had her first baby, she knew a little about doulas: enough that is to know that she didn’t need one. Jenny tells us here why she changed her mind and how, after a difficult first pregnancy, doula Fay Thomson from Rugby helped her to have a really positive birth experience the second time around.

emailed Fay 3½ months into my pregnancy after suffering severe sickness and feeling really depressed about things - I just wanted someone to talk to other than family. In the main, my issue was a feeling of being disconnected from the child I was carrying. I am sure most women who are expecting their second child worry about having enough love for two children but for me it was more than that. I had an extremely difficult first pregnancy and nearly lost the baby on a number of occasions. Because of this I was extremely protective of my son early on. Whilst I was

suffering severe sickness with this pregnancy, it was not in danger and so for me the protection instinct wasn’t so strong. Having previously been told it was medically unlikely that I would have any more children, I had focussed on the benefits of having an only child which increased my worries about bonding and of suffering from post-natal depression. Birth Preparation After meeting Fay I knew I had made a good decision. She was reassuring and supportive to both me and my partner. We talked through my previous birth experience and my fears for the

birth. We talked about how my partner felt during the birth of our son and what role he wanted to play this time. We talked about breastfeeding which did not happen with my son due to problems during his birth and my confidence at the time. I would not have breastfed this time around if it wasn’t for Fay. Fay also introduced me to hypno birthing techniques through a CD which I was really sceptical about at first but actually worked to give me a really positive birth experience. Fay was also at the end of the phone at any time throughout the pregnancy.

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

her cap and gown

feel for education in a smaller environment and then two years at The University of Warwick and leave with a BA (hons) Degree. “I have just received my final exam results from the University of Warwick and am still in shock after reading that I was awarded a first class BA honours degree in Social Studies. You may wonder why I am struggling to acknowledge this achievement. Well, I left school without any formal qualifications when I was 14 to have my first child and by the time I was 24 had six children, all boys, and four of them have disabilities. I was very anxious about starting the course as I had

fairly preconceived ideas about what university students were like but I needn’t have worried. The support I received during my time at Warwick was fantastic, especially with my panic attacks and dyslexia. As to the other students, well, I have made some really good friends and we built our own support networks which helps keep you focused, motivated and on track as life as a student can at times be challenging but at the same time is so rewarding and inspiring. My final year as a Warwick undergraduate came round so fast I could hardly believe it and I found myself wondering what next. During my final year I applied for an MA in Social Work, which would never have been possible without taking those first steps. So to anyone out there who is considering taking the first steps on their academic journey I would say ‘Go for it!’” To find out more about Lifelong Learning and the courses on offer, visit www.warwick.ac.uk/cll or call 024 7615 1155. Full advert on inside front cover.

built a strong relationship with Fay. Secondly, a doula is not a physically intimate role - they are there for emotional and/or practical support. My partner certainly felt the benefit of this support which cannot be given by hospital staff in the same way. someone there for him so that he could be there for me without being too stressed. After being at the hospital for less than 3 hours my beautiful baby girl Ella Grace Rose was born. Fay was there the whole time and helped me control my breathing which resulted in a really positive birth experience. Shortly after delivery Ella attached to the breast and was able to feed.

Once at home Fay continued to provide me with support on breastfeeding and by just coming round in the mornings for an hour while I had a bath. I did bond with my beautiful daughter but did still feel vulnerable after the birth so it was nice to have someone checking in on me. The only downside I can think of with having a doula is saying goodbye. Fay has to go on to help other women and she has her own family to look after but I do hope that we don’t lose touch. I will certainly tell my daughter about the special person that was there on her journey into the world.

The Birth On the days leading up to the birth I contacted Fay on a regular basis with updates. I went into labour 5 days late feeling ready to face it. I don’t really know when my Braxton Hicks transferred to true labour and I genuinely believe this was because I was able to remain calm thanks to my birth preparation. In the early hours my partner To those that worry about sharcalled Fay and she came to the ing the intimacy of birth with a house where we prepared to go stranger I would say firstly a doula to hospital. It was reassuring to is not a stranger. By the time I gave have someone with us who knew birth, both I and my partner had the hospital procedures and who could help my partner keep calm. If you are interested in finding out more about Fay Thomson’s doula service, you It felt nice to know that there was can contact her on 01788 576147 or www.sacredspiraldoula.co.uk. (See p. 29).

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

Baby & Toddler Must-Haves CARES Child Aviation Restraint System

The Wean Machine helps you prepare fresh baby food with no fuss, no mess and no noise.

Just fill the bowl 2/3rd’s full with soft fruit or suitable cooked foods, squeeze the handles together, and spoon feed your baby straight from the bowl. It also helps with portion control as the bowl is the size of a young baby’s stomach, so you won’t have more food than you need.

CARES is a child air safety harness that has won multiple awards in the US, and has recently been released in the UK. It is a 5-point harness that weighs just 1lb, fits into a handbag and allows parents to relax knowing that their little ones are safely strapped into their aeroplane seat. It uses the lap belt on standard seats, installs in a minute on any size plane seat, and keeps your child as safe as a car seat would. It is approved by the The UK Civil Aviation Authority, as well as other international aviation authorities, and gives your child extra protection in the event of a rough landing or heavy turbulence. Suitable for children aged 1 to 5 years, CARES sells for £55 - £60. Visit www.kidsflysafe.com for more information. (£5 off voucher in centre pages).

£19.97 at www.pinkandbluebabyworld.co.uk plus 10% off in-store on Daventry High Street with voucher in Toddle About centre pages.

Beautiful New Baby Cards Phoenix cards are wellknown for their unique, high quality and very reasonably priced cards. An ethical company, Phoenix Trading has donated over £1m to charity to date and uses only paper from sustainable sources to make their cards. Most cards are £1.20 each - get 10% off orders at www. phoenix-trading.eu/web/charlotte with exclusive Toddle About code TA10 (plus free P&P on first orders!)

Read a review of CARES at www.toddleabout.co.uk/ articles

BabyHawk Mei Tai Carrier A carrier that is comfy for both baby and mum! The BabyHawk can be used from newborn to 35lb, on front or back, and is very easy to put on on your own. Buy in the UK from bigmamaslings.co.uk, or have one custom made with your choice of fabrics and colours from the US site babyhawk.com. Price: £53.

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

All prices shown are accurate at time of going to print, but are subject to change.

Uppa Baby Vista Travel System From an afternoon feeding the ducks in the park to retail therapy, the VISTA takes your child on the road in style. Designed to grow with your child, the VISTA is the ideal strolling solution from birth through the toddler years. The Uppa Baby Vista is a recent addition to the UK market direct from the USA. Its design allows it to take 3 children with a piggy back seat that attaches and a buggy board so it adapts to suit a growing family’s changing needs. Priced competitively at £525.00, Pink & Blue Baby World on Daventry High Street or at www.pinkandbluebabyworld.co.uk. 10% off in-store with voucher in centre pages.

Includes Chassis, Seat Unit, Carrycot & Raincover

The Gro Clock Get some more sleep with this ingenious clock which tells your child when they can come and wake you, before they are able tell the time. During the night, the star is out (and can double up as a night light if you choose). At a time you choose, the sun rises so your child knows it’s time to get up - perfect for a child who has decided that 5am is wakey wakey time. Comes with a handy book telling a lovely rhyming story about the clock to get your child keen to try it out. Buy from The Gro Company for £29.99. www.gro.co.uk

And for the Dads...

The Cry Translator The Koko Tree Koko Tree is a family or friends tree which you can personalise with photos straight from your computer. You can also order a blank Koko Tree and fill it with printed photos. It is a super gift for friends and family and looks great on children’s bedroom walls. Kids simply love to see their family or friends on their Koko Tree! Fits handily into IKEA Ribba frames. From £14.95 (free P&P) at www.kokoart.co.uk. Get 15% off with exclusive Toddle About offer code: KOKO2010

from Biloop Technologies The Cry Translator is an app for the iPhone that eases the anxiety many parents have in caring for their crying infant by helping them to recognize their baby’s different cries so they can respond to his/her needs more quickly. It works by registering the pattern of the pitch, loudness, tone and inflection of the babies cry, which it then ‘translates’ as a cry for tired, hungry, etc. It then gives you suggested actions to take. And all this within 10 seconds. Clinical tests have - apparently - rated the Cry Translator as accurate 96% of the time. We have no idea if it works, but it seems like fun to try! $9.99 from iTunes and www.crytranslator.com

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

Secrets of Success

by Lynne James

Lynne James started working for herself in 1996. Today she has the 8th most successful business within Forever Living Products in the UK, earning a six figure income, whilst working part time and flexibly around her twin sons. ‘There is nothing special about me’, she says and in fact, over the past 14 years she has helped many other people to realise their own success. Here she shares some of her secrets of success that she usually reserves for her team. I was fed up, demotivated and disillusioned with my role as an Executive PA, when I was introduced to Forever. Straight away, I was attracted to the huge flexibility and potential offered by the company, and I started to work with Forever alongside my fulltime job. To my surprise, within a year I had given up my job and become pregnant with twins! I realised that the business would enable me to be true to an important value of mine, which was to stay at home with our children, whilst at the same time develop a very successful career and income Was it a bed of roses? Was it easy? Absolutely not, and I didn’t expect it to be – I knew that this was a business, not a little thing I was doing for pin money. I knew I would have challenges, up days and down days, and I knew I had to keep focussed and true to my vision of success. I now have a lifestyle that I love and I never have to go back out to that 9-5 job ever again if I don’t want to, and believe me, I don’t want to! The income I now earn allows me many perks that I wouldn’t otherwise have been able to afford, such as a private

education for my children, and it also allows me to give away more. Sadly, my mother died of breast cancer in May 2004, but I am now in a position where I can contribute regularly to Cancer Research, as well as a number of other charities. So what are my secrets of success? Whilst I don’t presume to know what is right for you, I have been privileged enough to help a number of women to achieve success within Forever, and I believe there are three main principles that when followed, will help anyone achieve their goals no matter what area of business they are in:

Mums

The Big Three

Attitude

Having worked with hundreds of women in business, it is apparent to me that one’s attitude cannot only be chosen, but is also probably the single most important factor. Also, our attitude can be worked on over time, as mine has! A positive attitude is really important if you want to be successful, whatever success means to you. A ‘glass is half full’ attitude is much better for those who want to achieve something meaningful in life than a ‘glass is half empty’ one.

Perseverance

This is key to being successful in all walks of life. We don’t always achieve our goals in the time frame we had planned. Some people fall at this first hurdle - the first time they fail, they give up. Successful people however, pick themselves up, dust themselves off and plan again. Bob Dylan emphasised this when he said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up”.

Making it

Coming from Contribution

In my experience, no matter what we do, whether it be in our personal lives or in our business lives, this is key. Let’s look at being successful in business – if we genuinely ask ourselves how what we can offer can be of benefit to others, how it can fill a need, rather than only what we can get from it, then success is more certain. Offering a win/win scenario is more attractive to others.

To find out more about working with Lynne and Forever Living Products you can contact Lynne on 01295 722525. See full advert on page 26.

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

y rs ve ro er nt rn Co Co

The Evil TV

010 saw the controversial topic of television brought afresh to the headlines with recent research showing that watching television is bad for children and that children under 2 should not be allowed to watch any television at all. But how concerned should we be?

conversations about the differing merits of Mr Ben, Willo the Wisp and The Magic Roundabout (am I showing my age?!) My daughters absolutely love watching TV, and I really enjoy seeing them laugh and jump up and down as they watch Iggle Piggle and his friends do their thing.

Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with television. Sometimes, all I want to do is curl up in front of a movie or some mindless television and simply relax. I have great childhood memories of TV and have enjoyed many a nostalgic

But at the same time I can’t shake the feeling that TV is, well, evil. I am one of those people who cannot help but watch a TV if it is on in the same room: it sucks me in and I become powerless to switch it off. I will watch anything, and I sometimes wonder just

how much my opinions and feelings are manipulated according to some producer’s mysterious agenda. My evenings become incredibly short and unproductive once I turn on the telly, and I have definitely noticed how much more energy I have in the evening if the box doesn’t make an appearance. Perhaps it’s just me. Regardless, the new research prompted me to delve deeper into the issue and I have summarised overleaf the main arguments for and against TV to help you make up your own mind.

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

The Prosecution TV slows language acquisition in young children The Seattle Children’s Research Institute found that for every extra hour a toddler watches DVDs, they learn six to eight fewer words than children who spend no time in front of the screen. Children need to practise speaking to learn new words, and they say considerably less when the TV is on – even just in the background. Reduces ability to concentrate Due to the fast-moving images and swiftly changing scenes, TV watching can raise a child’s threshold as to what will hold their attention and keep them entertained. Extreme TV critics claim TV is largely responsible for the dramatic increase in cases of ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) seen in recent years. Impacts ability to socially interact As watching television is typically a passive activity with little or no interaction with other people, time spent in front of the TV is time not being spent playing with other children and practising social skills.

“Theatre is life, film is art, TV is furniture” Anna Lowman Physically limits range of eye movement Watching television involves very little eye movement, so the muscles around the eye do not get a ‘work out’ during screen time. This leads to weaker muscles which can limit the range of eye movement. Reduces creativity Creativity is a skill like any other that needs to be practised in order for it to develop, and there is no more important a time for doing so than when children are in their most formative years. Television offers no opportunity for children to use their imagination as they are enjoying the products of someone else’s.

The TV

To the Extreme... Anti-TV extremist group White Dot encourages ‘activists’ to switch off TVs whenever they see them, by using the “TV-B-Gone” remote control: a one-button power-off remote that works on nearly all models of TV. Lowers levels of self-esteem The factors that affect levels of self-esteem are many, however research has shown that self-esteem grows when a child takes on a task or activity and achieves a measurable result . This kind of active problemsolving is typically lacking when watching television. Increases chances of obesity There have now been many studies that have linked obesity with excessive television watching. Any sedentary activity like watching the box replaces time spent in physical activity and increases the chances being obese. In the majority of cases, obese children are then obese for life. Causes depression Whilst we generally feel more energised after physical activity or play, research has shown that watching TV leaves the viewer lethargic and lacking in energy. This often results in extending our watching sessions thereby compounding the problem, and increasing the chances of feeling depressed when we reenter the ‘real world’.

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

The Defence

TV is cultural common ground Television acts as a common ground for people of all ages and cultures to bond over. Children enjoy the same experiences as each other when they watch the same programme, and this allows them to create points of similarity which can blossom into friendship. Quality family time When children watch television with their parents, valuable family time can follow when discussing the content of a programme, or in pursuing further activities to learn more about a particular topic.

things that would otherwise be impossible for many families. Exotic animals and plants, foreign landscapes, music and art are all brought into our living rooms for our children to enjoy and learn from. Through its combination of sound and moving images, TV provides a uniquely effective medium for getting a message across, even teaching children complicated new skills such as sign language.

“Imagine if we had no TVs... What would we point our furniture at?” unknown

Promotes Reading Most popular children’s programmes can now be found in book form. Presenting a child’s favourite TV character or programme topic to them in book format can be a great way to motivate them to read. TV is Educational! Through television, children are able to witness

Tips from the National Literacy Trust

Teaches values and ethics Many children’s programmes and cartoons contain powerful moral or value-based lessons that children can learn from. These are sometimes explicitly explained at the end of a show, or demonstrated more subtly through the actions of the characters. Breaks down boundaries Children are exposed to a wide variety of cultures, religions and people through television. This fosters familiarity, understanding and acceptance of people and cultures that are different.

‘Good’ TV programmes: • • • • • •

y rs ve ro er nt rn Co Co

Debate

Are high-quality Are age-appropriate Offer opportunities for verbal responses Have a balance between familiar and new content Provide enjoyable watching for both parent and adult Have minimal stimuli. E.g. A single adult narrator

In General: • Limit the exposure of children, especially under 2s, to TV • Interact with children during viewing by explaining and discussing content • Switch off the TV when you’re finished • Take televisions out of the bedroom • Encourage imaginative play based on what was watched

Helps parents address taboo subjects TV programmes often explore controversial or sensitive issues, which can make it easier for children to have happy, open and honest discussions around these issues with their parents. It helps get the housework done At a very practical level, many parents – especially those with more than one child – find the television very handy when there is a mountain of housework to get done!

Have your own say by commenting on this article at www.toddleabout.co.uk

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

Baby Photo Competition

Sponsored by:

Babies are just the cutest and funniest little things and they never fail to make people smile - with this competition, we want to see how big those smiles can get! n, 6 Brande

Claudia,

2 years (w

ith Hary

)

, 9 mth

Imogen

To enter, simply email your favourite picture of your little one to modelswarks@toddleabout.co.uk by 27th February with your child’s name, age and your address. All entries will be published in the next edition of Toddle About for the enjoyment of all.

months

But this wouldn’t be much of a competition without prizes, and thanks to PixiFoto in Leamington & Coventry, we have three amazing prizes to give away worth over £800 in total (see box below). The winners will be the photos that create the biggest smiles (for whatever reason!), but we wouldn’t presume to be able to judge that, so that’s your job! We will post all entries on our website for a week from 1st March 2011 and you will be able to vote online. The pictures with the most votes will win. We look forward to seeing your pics!

, 2½ yea

Melissa

Dhiren, 10

weeks

See Terms & Conditions at www.toddleabout.co.uk

** COMPETITIONS * COMPETITIONS * COMPETITIONS **

Exclusive Toddle About Special Offers! Children are the most wonderful and precious gift we could ever receive, but by heck they can be expensive. And there are so many fab things on offer that it would take a millionaire to be able to try them all out! And whilst we can’t change either of those facts, we can hopefully help a little - and that’s the idea behind these special offer vouchers - to help you take advantage of what’s on offer, for less. We hope it helps!

** SPECIAL OFFERS * SPECIAL OFFERS * SPECIAL OFFERS **

www. .co.uk

Mums Making it

Starting Out on Your Own For most new mums, the question of if and when they go back to work is a big one. Many of us don’t have a choice, and it can heart-wrenching to leave our newfound bundles of joy in someone else’s care while we go to a place we would rather not be, working in a job we’d rather not be doing. Caroline Ashworth tells Toddle About how she overcame this dilemma by setting up her own business so she could take new baby Alfie to work with her! Nearly two years ago, Caroline was a successful restaurant manager. After being effectively forced out of her job when she fell pregnant, she re-trained and founded pre-school activity business Jittabugs which gives parents the chance to experience the whole gamut of yoga, massage, signing and physical play with their babies. In just 2 years, Jittabugs now has 9 franchises being run in England and Scotland, and has received a ‘Highly Commended’ certificate from

Mums in Business for achievements to date. The fact that Caroline started Jittabugs when her baby was just 6 months old makes this even more impressive. And you’re certainly not alone if you are wondering how she managed it. For Caroline, it seems it was more a question of motivation than anything else. “I think it helped that I had already run a theatre school of my own,” Caroline tells us, “but the key was my baby boy. I wanted to make him proud of his mummy”.

Getting Started For most mums, the idea of setting up their own business is a truly daunting one, and is something that many dismiss as impractical or beyond their means. But there is plenty of advice available for anyone looking to start out on their own – The Business Link and Chamber of Commerce are both great places to go as a first port of call. They run some excellent free seminars

Seeing things from a whole new and one-to-one sessions in and around Warwickshire that will take you through the main questions you need to consider when deciding if being your own boss is indeed the right thing for you. And if money is the big obstacle for you, they can advise you on the best institutions to approach for funding. Caroline received a £3,000 loan from her local council to start Jittabugs, for example. If starting from scratch is just a bit too big a step, then a franchise

Need things to do? Search the Daily Activity Planner from page 21

Picture courtesy of Mango Pictures

Fresh Air Does You Good! Recent scientific findings suggest that the old adage of, ‘Fresh air does you good’ is more than just a way of getting the children out from underfoot - it could actually boost their brain power and make them happier. Findings announced at the 110th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology last year showed that the benign bacteria (Mycobacterium vaccae) - which is present in soil and spread by the wind – could improve learning ability and act as a natural anti-depressant. US scientists have shown that mice which had ingested M. vaccae showed increased intelligence, demonstrated by learning to negotiate a maze twice as quickly as other mice who had not been fed the bacterium. Previous studies had also shown that mice that had been injected with the bacterium showed fewer signs of anxiety than other mice. “It is interesting to speculate that creating learning environments in schools that include time in the outdoors where M. Vaccae is present may decrease anxiety and improve the ability to learn new tasks,” remarked Professor Dorothy Matthews, who led the study.

perspective with Jittabugs might be the perfect compromise for you. For an up-front fee, you effectively buy an ‘off the peg’ business with existing branding, training and systems. The great thing about a franchise is that you know the business works, and having belief that your business can succeed is absolutely critical to it’s success, no matter what it is.

The Pay Off And is it worth it? “I must admit I don’t enjoy doing admin in the evenings,” says Caroline, “But being my own boss and being able

to spend time with my boy and see all the other babies each week makes it so rewarding”. And it sounds like you can make a good living from it too. You can work as many or as few hours as you want, making £40 profit per hour-long session. Caroline estimates that once they are up and running, Jittabugs mumpreneurs can earn £1,600 a month whilst working only 12 hours a week.

To find out more about the Jittabugs franchise opportunity, contact Caroline on 01200 44 26 23 or visit www. jittabugs.com. You can also qualify for a massive half price discount on your franchise using the voucher in our centre-pages.

There are dozens of business types and models to choose from, and you can find a selection in the Business Opportunities section of The Directory on pages 26 - 27.

Subscribe for FREE to Toddle About at www.toddleabout.co.uk

www. .co.uk

Get Your Family Swimming!

Swimming is great for fitness, parent-child bonding, physical development and building self-confidence. Of course, it’s also a very useful skill! Here, Jo Wilson from Little Splashers gives us some useful tips and some fun games for your next trip to the swimming pool. The most important point with family swimming is to try to go regularly and to have fun. Pick a day and a time that is best suited to you and your family meal and sleep times – you don’t want a tired or hungry baby in the pool! That’s not fun. At your local leisure centres, there are lots of family sessions to choose from, like parent and toddler times at the weekend, to float fun and casual family swim sessions.

by Jo Wilson

What to do at your local swimming pool? Make your session fun, but try to teach a few skills along the way. Woggles

Take Toys

Take a few toys with you and get your child to paddle their arms towards the toy whilst holding them gently round both sides and encouraging them to kick with their legs.

Bubbles

Practice blowing bubbles together with your child facing you - they will find making noises like dolphins fun. This will allow your child’s face to be near Jumping In Jumping in off the edge can be great the water and gently introduce breath control. fun for children and an important safety skill. Start from a sitting position and make sure you always count 1,2,3 before they jump and have good eye contact with them. After each jump, whether it be from sitting or standing, you should encourage them to turn each time and swim back to the side. Always re-enforce this safety point every time you go swimming.

Ask to borrow a woggle or buy one for yourself - they are great fun and your child can practice holding the woggle on their tummy and kicking their legs. You will probably have to hold the woggle at the front to start with until they have mastered their balance.

Organised swimming classes are the best and most fun way to build confidence in the water. To find more about Little Splashers swimming classes, contact Jo on 07869 015292 or visit www.littlesplashers.co.uk. Advert on p. 29

...or Dancing! Well done to Miss Lorraine and all the children who took part in the Winter Wonderland Show in November 2010 with LoveBallet Dance Company. Starring boys and girls from 3 years to adults, the show took place in Rugby and featured dance routines including Ballet, Tap, Modern, Jazz, Cheerleading, Gymnastics, Street Dance and Contemporary! The show, which was in memory of Lorraine’s Mum who tragically and suddenly passed away on October 23rd, just a month before the show, managed to raise £2,400 for the charities Coventry Mind and Children in Need.

Contact LoveBallet on 07711 010404 See a full advert on p.27

Add your comments to all articles at www.toddleabout.co.uk

Rugby Area Monday

12:00 - 15:00; bumps - 5s; £1 donation Angie: 01788 333271 Lovely group - crafts, singing and lots more.

Rozina: 01788 579761; 2.5 yrs - teens Private Maths & English tuition

Sunbeams Parent & Toddler Group

Tree House Soft Play

Salvation Army, Bennfield Road, CV21 2AS 9:30 - 11:30; Term time only; 0-3s; £1 + 50p p/c Major Sandra Collins: 01788 535436 Friendly group with play, crafts and songs.

9:00 - 19:00; Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ 01788 535851: call first to check open Soft play: ball pits, slides, tunnels & zip lines.

Binley Woods Binley Woods Rhyme Time

Binley Woods Library, Monks Rd, CV3 2BQ 14:15 – 14:45; Free; 024 7654 2908 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

Brinklow Baby Talk

Brinklow UR Church, Broad St, CV23 0LN 13:30 - 15:00 - please call before attending 50p donation; Open all year, not bank holidays. Sarah: 07930 431610 / Jo: 07984405691 Toys & occasional crafts. Bumps - 5s welcome.

Brownsover Kangas ‘n’ Roos Toddlers Group

Brownsover Community School, Webb Drive, CV23 0UP 9:00 - 11:00; 50p; 01788 547660

Dunchurch Noah’s Ark Parent and Toddler Group

9:15 - 10:45 & 11:00 - 12:30; Dunchurch Baptist Church, Coventry Rd, CV22 6RF Katie Wederell: 01788 842736

Easenhall Little Splashers Swimming Classes

Town Thorns hydro pool, CV23 0JE 9:00 - 11:00; For 2mths - 4 yrs Call Jo on 07968 015292 Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Long Lawford Stay & Play

Long Lawford Children’s Centre, Holbrook Rd, CV23 9A 9:15 - 11:00; 50p donation: 01788 568554 Health Visitor 9-mth check by invitation only

New Bilton Rugby Baptist Church Toddler Group

Rugby Baptist Church, Regent Place, CV21 2JP 10:00 - 11:30 60p per family; Louise: 07891 069786 Term time only

Newbold Stay & Play

9:15 - 11:00; Newbold Riverside Children’s Centre, Newbold Rd, CV21 1EH 01788 568554; 50p donation Especially for older children

Rugby (central) Tumble Tots

Tree House Soft Play

Rugby Story Stomp

9:00 - 19:00; Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ 01788 535851: Call first to check open Soft play: ball pits, slides, tunnels & zip lines.

Rugby Library, Little Elborow St, CV21 3BZ 11:00 - 11:30; 01788 533 250 30-min story time sessions for 2 - 4 yr-olds

Willenhall, Coventry Little Splashers Swimming Classes

Ken Marriott Waterbabies

12:10 - 13:40; Baginton Fields School, Sedgemoor Rd, CV3 4EA Call Jo on 07968 015292; For 2mths - 4 yrs Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Twins or More @ Rugby Methodist Church 10:00 - 11:30; Russelheim Way, CV22 7TB Carolyn: 077733 74883 or Carol: 07801 819525

Bilton Bilton Evangelical Toddler Group

Bilton Evangelical Church, Main St, CV22 7NQ 10:00 - 11:30; Term time only Karen Cairney: 01788 817326

Braunston

Town Thorns hydro pool, Easenhall, CV23 0JE 9:00 - 11:00; For 2mths - 4 yrs Call Jo on 07968 015292 Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Harborough Magna Early Birds Nursery Toddler Group

The Old School, Main Street, CV23 0HS 10:30 - 12:00; 0-5s; £1 entry Diane: 01788 833559 Parents meet up and children play safely.

Long Lawford Children’s Centre, Holbrook Road, CV23 9A 13:30 - 15:00; 50p donation: 01788 568554 Activities especially for older children

Clifton Primary School, Station Road, CV23 0BT Every 3rd Wednesday; 50p donation 01788 568554: Plse call to see what’s on Story sacks, Baby Massage; Baby Signing, etc.

Hillmorton St George’s Magic Dragon Group

Long Lawford Methodist Church, School Street, CV23 9AT. Mel: 07954 667199 9:30 - 11:30; 50p; 0 - 4s; Term time only. A warm, safe and happy place for all.

Newbold Stay & Play

Rugby Library, Little Elborow Street, CV21 3BZ 16:00 - 18:30; 2.5 yrs and up

Physical Fun

Clifton-upon-Dunsmore Various activities

Dunchurch Village Hall; £2 donation 10:00 - 12:00 (Every 1st Wed);Bump - any age 0844 243 6253 - Non members welcome

Long Lawford Stay & Play

Singing & Signing

Christ Church, Hellvelyn Way, CV21 1JF 9:00 - 11:00; Term time only

Dunchurch NCT Coffee

Newbold Riverside Children’s Centre, Newbold Road, CV21 1EH 13:30 - 15:00; 01788 568554; 50p donation Especially for older children

In the Water

Wednesday

Brownsover Teddybears Tots group

Easenhall Little Splashers Swimming Sessions

Ken Marriott Waterbabies

St Maries Catholic Church, Dunchurch Road

Wolston Library, Warwick Rd, CV8 3GX 3rd Tuesday of the month at 2:30pm; Free 02476 542 513 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

Bilton Evangelical Church, Main St, CV22 7NQ 10:00 - 11:30 and 13:30 - 15:00; Term time only Karen: 01788 817326

Lawford Ladybirds

St Maries Baby & Toddler Group

1st Tues of alternate months at 28 Regent Place 0844 243 6253 - Please call for date and time Chat about homebirth with midwives, doulas

Bilton Bilton Evangelical Toddler Group

Braunston Toddler Group Braunston Village Hall, Braunston, NN11 13:30 - 15:00; £1.50; Term time only, Andy: 01788 891456 First visit free. Usually have crafts, songs & toys. Health Visitor 2nd Tues of the mth.

Rugby (central) Kumon English & Maths Tuition

Homebirth Coffee (NCT)

Wolston Wolston Rhyme Time

Tuesday

Overslade Community Centre, Buchannan Rd, CV22 6AZ 9:30: Gymbabes; 10:30: toddlers; 11:30: 2-3 yrs; 12:45: 3yrs - school £4.80 each / £24 Term Naomi: 07779 785 166 Structured Play for Babies 6 mths - school age Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ Morning & Afternoon Sessions; 4 mths - 5 yrs 01788 535851 Fun, innovative and effective swimming classes.

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ; For 4 mths to pre-school age. Morning & Afternoon Sessions; 01788 535851 Fun, innovative and effective swimming classes

St Georges Church Hall, St Johns Avenue, CV22 5HR 13:30 - 15:00; 0-4s; £1.50; Term time only. Carol: 01788 544630 Crafts, singing, toys, big hall, refreshments.

Hinckley Little Splashers Swimming Classes

10:00 - 12:00; Westfield Junior School, Rosemary Way, LE10 0LN Call Jo on 07968 015292; For 2mths - 4 yrs Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Newbold Newbold Riverside Children’s Centre

Stay & Play for babies (with Health Visitor): 13:30 - 15:00 Outdoor Stay & Play; 13:30 - 15:00 Stay & Play for Childminders: 9:15 - 11:15

Arts & Crafts

For Pregnancy

Daily Activity Planner

Daiily Activity Planner

Rugby Area - Southam Region Newbold Rd, CV21 1EH 50p donation; 01788 568554

Rugby (central) Little Kickers

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ Little Kicks: 09:30; Junior Kickers: 10:30. (tbc) Lynne: 01327 310373; For 2yrs-5th birthday 45-minute football sessions

Rugby Rhyme Time

Rugby Library and Information Centre, Little Elborow Street, CV21 3BZ 11:00 - 11:30; 01788 533 250; For 0-2s Free music & singing sessions for all. Drop in!

St Maries Baby & Toddler Group

St Maries Catholic Church, Dunchurch Road 9:00 - 11:30; bumps - 5s; £1 donation Angie: 01788 333271 Lovely group - crafts, singing and lots more.

Tree House Soft Play

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ 9:00 - 19:00 01788 535851: Call first to check open Soft play: ball pits, slides, tunnels & zip lines.

Ken Marriott Waterbabies

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, Rugby, CV22 5LJ Morning & Afternoon Sessions 01788 535851; For 4 mths to pre-school age. Fun, innovative and effective swimming classes

Wolston Tumble Tots

Wolston Leisure & Community Centre, CV8 3GT 9:20: walking – 2yrs; 10:20: 2 – 3yrs; 11:20: Gymbabes; 13:00: 3 yrs - school Georgina: 01926 337800; £5.50 per session Structured Play from 6 months to school age

Thursday

Brownsover Kangas ‘n’ Roos Toddlers Group

Brownsover Community School, Webb Drive, CV23 0UP 9:00 - 11:00; 50p; 01788 547660

Dunchurch Noah’s Ark Parent and Toddler Group Dunchurch Baptist Church, Coventry Road, CV22 6RF 9:45 - 11:30; Katie: 01788 842736

Dunchurch Rhyme Time

Newbold Little Stars

Newbold Methodist Church, Main St, CV21 1HH 9.30 am - 11.30am (Term Time); For 0-4s Mel Chambers: 07954 667199 Toys and arts & craft. Have a cuppa and a chat.

Stay & Play

Newbold Riverside Children’s Centre, Newbold Road, CV21 1EH 13:30 - 15:00; 01788 568554; 50p donation Especially for older children

Rugby (central) Kumon English & Maths Tuition

Rugby Library and Information Centre, Little Elborow Street, CV21 3BZ 16:00 - 18:30 Rozina: 01788 579761; 2.5 yrs - teens Private Maths & English tuition for children

Tree House Soft Play

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ 9:00 - 19:00 01788 535851: Call first to check open Soft play: ball pits, slides, tunnels & zip lines.

Ken Marriott Waterbabies

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ Morning & Afternoon Sessions 01788 535851; For 4 mths to pre-school age. Fun, innovative and effective swimming classes.

Little Splashers Swimming Classes

LA Fitness, Webb Ellis Rd, Rugby, CV22 7AU 10:00 - 11:30; For 2mths - 4 yrs 0-4s; Call Jo on 07968 015292 Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Friday

Long Lawford Stay & Play Non-Walkers

Long Lawford Children’s Centre, Holbrook Road, CV23 9A 13:30 - 15:00; 50p donation; 01788 568554 With Health Visitor. For non-walking babies

New Bilton Gardening at the Allotment

Run by Newbold Riverside Children’s Centre at Gladstone Street 9:15 - 11:15; 50p donation 01788 568554

Rugby (central) Rugby Rhyme Time

Dunchurch Library, The Green, CV22 6PA 4th Thursday of the month at 2:15pm; Free 01788 811 355 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

Rugby Library, Little Elborow Street, CV21 3BZ 11:00 - 11:30; 01788 533 250; For 0-2s Free music & singing sessions for all. Drop in!

Bumps n Babes

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ 9:00 - 19:00 01788 535851: Call first to check open. Soft play: ball pits, slides, tunnels & zip lines.

10:30 (Every 3rd Thurs): Dunchurch Village Hall 0844 243 6253; £2 donation; Free refreshments For expectant & new parents

Long Lawford Walk & Talk

Long Lawford Children’s Centre, Holbrook Road, CV23 9A 9:15 - 11:00; 50p donation: 01788 568554 Refreshments in the hut after the walk

New Bilton Little Gems Toddler Group

Rugby Christian Life Centre, Lawford Road, CV21 2JE 13:15 - 14:45; 0-5s; £1 plus 50p per sibling Debbie: 01788 552227 - please leave message Crafts, messy play, singing & story time.

Tree House Soft Play

Ken Marriott Waterbabies

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ Morning & Afternoon Sessions; 4 mths- 5yrs. 01788 535851; Fun, innovative and effective swimming classes

Walsgrave Triangle Little Splashers Swimming Classes

10:30 - 14:30; Hilton Hotel, Coventry, CV2 2ST Call Jo on 07968 015292; For 2mths - 4 yrs Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Saturday

Easenhall Little Splashers Swimming Classes

Town Thorns hydro pool, Easenhall, CV23 0JE 9:00 - 11:00; For 2mths - 4 yrs Call Jo on 07968 015292 Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Rugby (central) Kumon English & Maths Tuition

Rugby Library, Little Elborow Street, CV21 3BZ 10:00 - 12:00; For 2.5 yrs and up Rozina: 01788 579761; 2.5 yrs - teens Private Maths & English tuition

Tree House Soft Play

9:00 - 14:00; Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ 01788 535851: Call first to check open Soft play: ball pits, slides, tunnels & zip lines.

Ken Marriott Waterbabies

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, Rugby, CV22 5LJ Morning & Afternoon Sessions; 4 mths - 5 yrs 01788 535851 Fun, innovative and effective swimming classes.

Little Splashers Swimming Classes

LA Fitness, Webb Ellis Rd, Rugby, CV22 7AU 12:00 - 14:00; For 2mths - 4 yrs 0-4s; Call Jo on 07968 015292 Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Sunday

Rugby (central) Tree House Soft Play

9:00 - 14:00; Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, CV22 5LJ 01788 535851: Call 1st to check open Soft play: ball pits, slides, tunnels & zip lines.

Ken Marriott Waterbabies

Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, Bruce Williams Way, Rugby, CV22 5LJ Morning & Afternoon Sessions 01788 535851; For 4 mths - preschool Fun, innovative and effective swimming classes

Southam & Stratford Region Monday

Harbury Harbury Toddler Group

The Wight School, High Street, CV33 9HW 9:30 - 11:00 (Term time & Summer hols) 0-5s; 50p per person; Jenny: 07826 516300 Toys, crafts, in & outdoor play and singing.

Kineton Kineton Baby Clinic

Kineton Scout Hall, Park Piece, Kineton 10:00 - 12:00 (monthly); Free; 01926 691105 Health Visitor for baby weighing & advice

Kineton Parent & Toddler Group

Kineton Village Hall , Mill Lane, CV35 0LA 9:30 - 11:00 (term time only); 50p per person Ali Laland-Villemin: 01926 641913

22 Want your listed here? email info@toddleabout.co.uk Search & group Save Groups in yourJust Favourites: www.toddleabout.co.uk

Lighthorne Heath Lighthorne Heath Children’s Centre Baby Play (6-18 mths): 13:30 - 15:00 Stay and Play Sessions in our Crèche area. Baby Clinic: 13:30 - 15:00 (monthly) Baby weighing and advice from Health Visitor Bumps to Babies (bump – 6 m): 13:30 – 15:00 For pregnant women and new mums to meet. Stratford Road, Lighthorne Heath, CV33 9TW Free drop in groups; 01926 691105

Long Itchington Creative Kids

Long Itchington Community Centre, Stockton Rd, CV47 9QP 9:30 - 11:00 (starts 17th Jan, not on 21st Feb or 28th Mar); 01926 814953 Get creative with arts and crafts

Snitterfield Snitterfield Rag Tag Toddler Group

Snitterfield Village Hall, Bearley Road, CV37 0JH 10:00 - 11:45; £1.50 plus 50p per child Hilary: 01789 731246 Run by parents for parents & their little ones.

Southam Clown In Around Toddler Group

Unit 4A, The Colbalt Centre, Kineton Road, CV47 0FD 10:00 - 11:30; £3.00 Anita: 01926 810495 Includes tea/coffee for parents squash and biscuits for the children. Term time only

Southam Tots Swimming Lessons

Southam Leisure Centre, Welsh Road West, CV47 0JW 11:30: Parent & Baby 5 - 18 mths, 11:30: 3 yrs+ 5 mths - 5 years; 01926 817788 Brand new classes opening in January

Stratford-upon-Avon Tumble Tots

Shottery Memorial Hall, CV37 9BL 10:30: walking – 2yrs; 11:30: 2 – 3yrs; 13:15: 3 yrs - school Georgina: 01926 337800; £5.50 per session Structured Play for 6 months up to school age

Early Pregnancy Antenatal Classes

Rother House Medical Centre, Alcester Rd, CV37 6PP. www.birthandbabyreality.co.uk 18:00 - 20:00, monthly; For bumps; Helen: 01926 731621 - plse book Free antenatal class for early pregnancy.

Tysoe Tysoe Baby Clinic

Tysoe Surgery, Main Street, Tysoe, CV35 0SE 13:30 - 15:00 (monthly); Free 01926 691105 Health Visitor for baby weighing & advice

Tuesday

Banbury Rugrats Twins and Multiples Group

Rugrats and Halfpints, Beaumont Road, Banbury, OX16 1QY 10:30 - 13:00; 0 - 5s; £4.00 per family Simone: 07921 460086 Runs fortnightly from 11/01/11. In holidays too.

Harbury Twist & Tumble

Harbury Village Hall, Harbury 13:30 - 14:30 (11th Jan - 5th April term time) For 2.5 yrs+; 01926 814953 New & exciting dance and gymnastics session.

Kineton

Breastfeeding Drop in Group

In the Water

13:30 - 15:00; Term time & summer; For 0-5s Jenny: 07826 516300; 50p (over 9 months) Toys, crafts, indoor and outdoor play, singing.

Lighthorne Heath Tots Time

Kineton Kineton Parent & Toddler Group

Lighthorne Heath Childrens’ Centre, Stratford Road, CV33 9TW. Tel: 01926 691105 13:15 - 14:45; 18mths - 5 yrs; Free Fun Stay and Play Sessions in our Crèche area.

Kineton Village Hall , Mill Lane, CV35 0LA 9:30 - 11:00 (all year); 50p per person Ali Laland-Villemin: 01926 641913

Long Itchington Long Itchington Baby & Toddler Group

Southam Love Ballet Dance Company

Long Itchington Primary School, Stockton Road, CV47 9QP 9:30 - 11:00 (term time only); £1.50 Nikki: 01926 810592 Tea & coffee, crafts, healthy snacks & songtime

The Grange Hall, Coventry Road, Southam, CV47 1QA 16:00: 3-4 yrs; 16:30: 5-6 yrs Lorraine: 07711 010404 Ballet classes for 3 - 6 yrs

Clown In Around Toddler Group

Priors Marston Priors Marston Parents & Toddlers

Southam Tots Swimming Lessons

Southam Clown In Around Toddler Group

Unit 4A, The Colbalt Centre, Kineton Road, CV47 0FD 13:30 - 15:00; £3.00; Anita: 01926 810495 Includes refreshments. Term time only

Priors Village Hall, Priors Marston, CV47 7RP 9:30 - 11:30; 0 - 4s; £1.00 per child Very relaxed group - toys, crafts and singing.

Southam Leisure Centre, Welsh Road West, CV47 0JW 10:00: Parent & Baby 5 - 18m; 10:00 & 10:30: 3 yrs+; 10:30: Parent & Baby 19 - 36m 5 mths - 5 years; 01926 817788 Brand new classes opening in January

Southam Rhyme Time

Southam Library, High Street, CV47 0HB 11:00 - 11:30, twice monthly; 01926 812 523 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

Stockton Playtime

Unit 4A, The Colbalt Centre, Kineton Road, Southam, CV47 0FD 10:00 - 11:30; £3.00 Anita: 01926 810495 Includes refreshments. Term time only

Southam Tots Swimming Lessons

Southam Leisure Centre, Welsh Road West, Southam, CV47 0JW 13:30 & 14:00: 3 yrs+ 5 mths - 5 years; 01926 817788 Brand new classes opening in January

NCT Breastfeeding Support Cafe

Early Years Hub, Church Street, CV47 8JG 9:30 - 11:00; 01926 814953 A smaller, quieter stay and play session

Southam Children’s Ctre, St James Rd, CV47 0LY 10:30 - 12:00; Free - drop in! Andrea: 0844 243 0008 Meet breastfeeding mums and get support

Stratford-upon-Avon Mums, Bumps & Babies Group

Ken Kennett Centre, Justins Ave, CV37 0DA 10:00 - 11:45; bump - 1 yr; Free coffee morning Vic Bean: 0844 2436284 Talk about concerns & meet other mums.

Tysoe Tysoe Toddler Group

The Old School Rooms, Tysoe 10:00 - 11:30 (monthly); 01926 691105 Join Lighthorne Children’s Centre for crafts

Stratford-upon-Avon Rhyme Time

Stratford upon Avon Library, Stratford-uponAvon, CV37 6PZ 11:00 - 11:30, fortnightly: 01789 292 209 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

Temple Herdewyke Temple Herdewyke Stay and Play

Temple Herdewyke Primary School 10:30 - 11:30; 0-5s; 50p; Term time only. Kerry: 01926 641084 Stay and play session held in the school hall

Wednesday

Bishop’s Itchington Homebirth Group

Bishop’s Itchington Early Years Centre, Poplar Road, CV47 2RT 19:30 - 21:00 (2nd Feb & 6th April) Helen: 01926 612068 Informal meeting with info on homebirths

Fenny Compton Fenny Compton Toddler Group

Fenny Compton Village Hall, Memorial Road 10:00 - 12:00 (monthly); £1.50 Childrens centre: 01926 814953

Harbury Harbury Toddler Group

The Wight School (behind the library), High Street, CV33 9HW

Singing & Signing

Physical Fun

Thursday

Bishop’s Itchington Bishops Itchington Toddler Group

Memorial Hall, Fisher Road, CV47 2RE 10:00 - 11:30; 0-3s; Free; Closed xmas - NY & August. Andrea: 01926 612138 Play time for children & chat time for adults.

Lighthorne Heath Wiggle & Giggle

Lighthorne Heath Village Hall, CV33 13:45 - 14:30; £4 per session: 01926 691105 A dance class for children 2-4yrs.

Mobile Library

Lighthorne Heath Childrens’ Centre, Stratford Road, CV33 9TW 9:45-10:15 (monthly): 01926 691105

Southam Southam Tots Swimming Lessons

Southam Leisure Centre, Welsh Road West, CV47 0JW 13:30 & 14:00: 5 mths - 5 years; 01926 817788 Brand new classes opening in January

Love Ballet Dance Company

The Grange Hall, Coventry Road, CV47 1QA 16:30: Funky Dance (4-6yrs); 17:00: Gymnastics (all ages) Lorraine: 07711 010404 Funky dance classes and gymnastics for all.

Arts & Crafts

For Pregnancy

Daily Activity Planner

Southam & Stratford District Kineton Village Hall, Mill Lane, CV35 0LA 11:00 -12:00; Free: 01926 691105 Support and advice from the Health Visitor.

Daiily Activity Planner

Southam District & Warwick Region Southam Church Toddler Group

Graham Adams Centre, St. James Rd, CV47 0QB 10:00 - 11:30; 0 - 3s; 80p per session Marian: 01926 814483 Term time only. All are welcome!

Young Parents Group

Southam & District Children’s Centre, The Graham Adams Centre, St James Rd, CV47 0LY 12:00 - 13:30 (starting 13th Jan) 01926 814953 A friendly group for parents under 25.

Temple Herdewyke Temple Herdewyke Baby Clinic

Temple Herdewyke Primary school ‘Cool Club’, Temple Herdewyke 9:30 - 11:30 (monthly); Free; 01926 691105 Get your baby weighed and discuss any concerns with the Health Visitor

Friday

Henley-in-Arden Henley-in-Arden Rhyme Time

Henley in Arden Library, High St, B95 5AU 10:30 - 11:00, fortnightly; 01564 792965 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

Lighthorne Heath Friday Fun

Lighthorne Heath Village Hall, CV33 9:30 - 11:00; 18 m - 5 yrs; Free; 01926 691105 Fun Stay and Play Sessions in our Crèche area.

Southam Southam Tots Swimming Lessons

Southam Leisure Centre, Welsh Road West, CV47 0JW 11:30: Parent & Baby 5-18m & 19-36m; 13:30, 14:00 & 14:30: 3 yrs+ 5 mths - 5 years; 01926 817788 Brand new classes opening in January

Love Ballet Dance Company

The Grange Hall, Coventry Road, CV47 1QA 16:00 - 16:30 Lorraine: 07711 010404 Little Tappers tap dance classes for 3-5 yrs

Stockton Toddlersaurs

Stockton Village Hall , Napton Road, CV47 8JX 10:00 - 11:30; 0-4s; £1.50 plus 50p per person Emma: 01926 814687; Term and holidays New activity every week. 1st Fri of the mth with health visitor to weigh babies and give advice.

Saturday

Warwick, Leamington & Kenilworth Monday

Cubbington Musical abc

Cubbington Village Hall, Broadway, CV32 7JX 10:00 - 10:50 & 11:00 - 11:50 Anne: 07876 518770 Music classes for birth - 5 yrs. Trials pre-booked.

Emscote Little Saints

All Saints Church, Vicarage Green, All Saints Road, CV34 5NJ 9:30 - 11:00; Free - donations welcome 01926 492073 Activities and sing-song sessions

Kenilworth Baby and Child Health drop in

St Johns Children’s Ctre, Mortimer Rd, CV8 1FS 10:00 - 11:30 (fortnightly from 10th Jan) 01926 856397 Breastfeeding support, H/V & baby weighing

The Spring Playgroup Toddler Group

Kenilworth Youth & Community Centre (Large Community Room), Abbey End, CV8 1QJ 9:30 - 11:00 (Term time only); 0 - preschool age; £1.50 per family; Jackie: 01926 864443 All families welcome, refreshments available.

Leamington Spa (central) Early Pregnancy Antenatal Classes

Leamington Spa Baptist Church, Chandos Street, CV32 4RN. www.birthandbabyreality.co.uk 19:00 - 21:00, monthly; For bumps Helen: 01926 731621 - booking required Free antenatal class for early pregnancy.

Heathcote Tumble Tots

Warwick Gates Community Hall, CV34 6DZ 9:30: walking - 2 yrs; 10:30: 2-3 yrs; 11:30: Gymbabes; 13:00: 3 yrs to school Georgina: 01926 337800; £5.50 Structured Play for 6 months up to school age

Kenilworth Cradle Club (with ante natal drop in) 10:00 - 11:30; St Johns Children’s Centre, Mortimer Road, CV8 1FS For non mobile babies; £1 voluntary entry 01926 856397 - Just drop in

Mini Movers

10:00 - 11:30; St Johns Children’s Centre, Mortimer Road, CV8 1FS For crawlers to wobbly walkers; £1 donation 01926 856397 - Just drop in

Leamington Spa (central) Little Splashers Swimming Classes

Oddfellows, Warwick St, Leamington, CV32 5LD 12:00 - 14:00; For 2mths - 4 yrs Call Jo on 07968 015292 Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Tiddlywinks

St Paul’s Church Hall, Leicester St, CV32 4TE 9:45 - 11:30; 0-5s; Danielle Eley: 01926 427149 Currently at full capacity - have a waiting list.

Warwick (central) Crèche at St Nicholas Park

Venue changes each week. Every Monday, 10:00 or 11:00; Free Contact NCT for venue/time: 0844 243 6314 or weeklytoddles.nctwarks@gmail.com

Tiddlers Mother and Baby Group

Stratford High School, Alcester Road, Stratford Upon Avon, CV37 9DH 13:10: 2 - 3 yrs; 14:05: 4 - 6 yrs; Term time only. Jason: 07747 562469 Football coaching classes for little ones.

All Saints Church, Vicarage Green, All Saints Road, CV34 5NJ; Kate: 01926 403503 9:30 - 11:00; 0-4s; £1 + 50p per sibling Toys, crafts, baby area & refreshments.

Toddles Group

St Paul’s Church Hall, Leicester St, CV32 4TE 9:45 - 11:30 0-5s; Danielle Eley: 01926 427149 Currently at full capacity - have a waiting list.

Southam Together Time

Stratford-upon-Avon Go 4 Goals

Emscote Emscote Toddler Group

Sydenham Soft Play, Coffee and Chat

Warwick Little Fishes Baby and Toddler Group

Southam Children’s Centre, The Graham Adams Centre, St James Rd, CV47 0LY 10:00 - 11:30 (fortnightly); 01926 814953; 0 – 4s Toys, crafts and other activities are available.

Baginton Village Hall, Frances Road, CV8 3AB 10:00 - 11:30; 0-5s; £1.50 or 50p for babies + £1 for siblings over 12 mths; Vicky: 024 7630 6869 Term time only. Crafts, sing along, drink & snack

Tiddlywinks

Lighthorne Heath Dads’ Time

Lighthorne Heath Village Hall 10:00 - 11:30 (monthly) - Breakfast included! 0 - 5 yrs; Free; 01926 691105 For Dads to meet and children to play

Tuesday

Baginton Baginton Parent and Toddler Group

Saltisford Church, Albert Street, CV34 4JX 10:00 - 11:30; 0-4s; £1 per family; Term time Liz: 01926 496779 Craft, lego or playdough, toys, snack & singing Castle Hill Baptist Church, Castle Hill, CV34 4EX 10:00 - 12:00; bump - 1 yr; 50p; Term time Liz: 01926 400368 In the park in Summer hols. Drinks & friendship.

Creative Stay & Play

Warwick Children’s Centre, Coventry Rd, CV34 4LJ; Tel: 01926 492701 9:30 - 11:30; 6 mths - 5 yrs Explore and learn with messy play. We also do a ‘Wellie Walk’ at 10:00 a.m. in the park.

The PlayFarm, 5 Berrington Road, Sydenham Industrial Estate, Leamington Spa, CV31 1NB 10:00; NCT: 0844 243 6314

St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, CV34 4QY 10:00 - 12:00. Term time only. Booking required.

Warwick Children’s Centre

Tiny Treasures (Birth - 18 mths): 12:45 - 14:30 Sensory toys and activities for babies to enjoy. Tiny Talkers Stay & Play (6m–5yrs): 9:30 – 11:30 Develop communication skills. Wellie Walk at 10:00 in Priory Park (children’s wellies supplied) Coventry Rd, Warwick, CV34 4LJ; 01926 492701

South Warwickshire Home Birth Group The Quaker Centre, 39 High Street, CV34 4AX 1st Tues of Month, alternate months For bumps; free; Diane: 07771 586095 Commissioned service.

Tiddlers Mother and Baby Group

Castle Hill Baptist Church, Castle Hill, , CV34 4EX 10:00 - 12:00; bump - 1 yr; 50p; Term time Liz: 01926 400368 In the park in Summer hols. Drinks & friendship.

Whitnash Whitnash Rhyme Time

Whitnash Library, Franklin Road, CV31 2JH 11:15 - 11:45, monthly; 01926 421 464 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

24 Want your group listed here? Just email info@toddleabout.co.uk

Crackley Hall School, Coventry Road, CV8 2FT 10:00 - 11:30; 0-5s; £2 per family; Term time 01926 514444; Please call to check term dates

St Johns Children’s Centre

Twins and More: 10:00 - 11:30 (fortnightly) Childminders Group: 10:00-11:30 (fortnightly) Stay & Play - Discover & Make: 13:30-15:00 Mortimer Rd, CV8 1FS; £1 donation 01926 856397 Just drop in - contact centre for dates

Breastfeeding Drop in Group

Kenilworth Children’s Centre & Nursery School, Bertie Road; Tel: 01926 853394 10:30 - 11:30, alternate weeks; Free

Musical abc

Kenilworth Wardens, Glasshouse Lane, CV8 2AL 9:50 - 10:40 & 10:50 - 11:40 Anne: 07876 518770: Please pre-book trials. Music classes for birth to 5 yrs.

Leamington Spa (central) Tiny Stars

Leamington Spa Baptist Church, Chandos St, CV32 4RN; tel: 01926 336650 13:30 - 15:00; 0 to 2 years nine months; £1 Welcoming group - lovely atmosphere

Spinney Hill (Warwick) Babies Group (0 - 18mths): 13:00 - 14:30

Babies learn and explore with all of their senses.

Stay & Play Drop In (0-5yrs): 9:30 - 11:00

Open play session with planned activities. The GAP Comm. Centre, Oakwood Gr, CV34 5TD 01926 492701

Warwick (central) Crèche at St Nicholas Park

St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, CV34 4QY 11:15 - 12:45 and 13:15 - 14:45 4 mths - 4 yrs; 01926 495353 Term time only. Booking required.

Jack and Jill Toddler Group

Baptist Church Hall, Gerrard Street, CV34 4HD 10:00 - 11:30 (closed over xmas); 0-4s Sue: 01926 499561; £1 per family Busy group. Garden, baby area, crafts, singing.

St Nicholas Church Toddler Group

St Nicholas Church St (enter at back), CV34 4JD 10:00 - 11:30; 0-5s; £1 per family; Term time. Mrs Hodkin: 01926 312593 Static play upstairs & run around toys down.

Tumble Tots

Kenilworth Tumble Tots

St Marks Church Hall, CV32 6DL 11:45: Gymbabes; 13:00: walking – 2yrs; 14:00: 2 – 3yrs; 15:00: 3 yrs - school Georgina: 01926 337800; £5.50 per session Structured Play for 6 months up to school age

Castle Farm Sports Hall, CV8 1EY 9:15: Gymbabes; 10:15: walking – 2yrs; 11:15: 2 – 3yrs; 13:00: 3 yrs - school Georgina: 01926 337800; £5.50 per session Structured Play for 6 months up to school age

Norton Lindsey Musical abc

St Johns Toddler Group

N Lindsey Village Hall, Wolverton Rd, CV35 8JL 10:20 - 11:10 & 11:20 - 12:10 Anne: 07876 518770 - Please prebook trials. Music classes for birth to 5 yrs.

St. John’s Church Hall, Warwick Rd, CV8 1HY 10:00 - 11:30; 50p donation St Johns: 01926 853203, Kate: 01926 779159 Refreshments provided, all welcome

St Johns Children’s Centre

Tiny Treasures (4-12 mths): 13:30 - 15:00 Buggy Breakfast (0-5s): 9:00 - 10:00 (termtime) Mortimer Road, CV8 1FS £1 voluntary entry; 01926 856397; Just drop in!

Lapworth Lapworth Stay & Play

Lapworth Primary School, Station Lane, B94 6LT 13:45 - 15:15 (fortnightly from 6th January) £1 voluntary contribution; 01926 856397 Term time only - just drop in

Leamington Spa NCT Stay & Play

St Marks Church Rooms, Rugby Rd, CV32 6DL 13:45 - 15:15; 0 - 6 months; 0844 243 6314 Year round, free parking & changing facilities.

Warwick (central) Warwick Rhyme Time

Warwick Library & Information Centre, Barrack Street, Warwick, CV34 4TH 10:30 - 11:00, twice monthly; 01926 412 189 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

Woodloes Park Woodies Toddler Group

Woodloes Comm. Centre, Deansway, CV34 5DF 9:30 - 11:00; 0-4s; £1 per family Liz: 07981 606163; Access by red door of the last building of school site. Toys, crafts & songs.

Friday

St Pauls Church Hall, Friars St, CV34 6HD 14:00 - 15:30; bump - 10 mths; Jayne: 0773 8294082 - plse call first for times Friendly group of mums-to-be and new mums.

Les Rainettes

Thursday

Burton Green Burton Green Parent and Toddler Group Burton Green Village Hall, Hodgetts Ln, CV8 1PJ

In the Water

St Johns Children’s Ctre, Mortimer Rd, CV8 1FS 10:00 - 11:30; 0 - 5s; £1 voluntary contribution 01926 856397; Just drop in

Emmanuel Evangelical Church, Heath Terrace, CV32 5LY. Camilla: 01926 774639 10:00 - 11:30; 0-4s; £1; Term time only For Mums who live in and around the area 37 rosewood Crescent, CV32 7UN 10:00 - 11:30; Free; Marie: 07918 110656 Practise your french over a cup of coffee.

Leamington Spa Rhyme Time

Leamington Spa Library, Royal Pump Rooms, The Parade, CV32 4AA. Tel: 01926 742 721

Singing & Signing

Physical Fun

Warwick Children’s Ctre, Coventry Rd, CV34 4LJ 10:00 - 12:00; 01926 492701; Birth - 8 yrs £3 p/yr membership & free weekly toy hire

Saturday

Kenilworth Dads Group

St Johns Children’s Ctre, Mortimer Rd, CV8 1FS 10:00 - 11:30 (monthly); 0 - 5s; £1 voluntary 01926 856397 - Call to find out activities. Sausage batches (or vegetarian) for all Dads.

Leamington Spa Little Splashers Swimming Classes

Oddfellows, Warwick St, Leamington, CV32 5LD 9:30 - 13:30; Call Jo on 07968 015292 Infant swim courses. Book as a 10-week course.

Stay & Play

Leamington Spa Emmanuel Toddler Group

Toy Library

Warwick Children’s Ctre, Coventry Rd, CV34 4LJ 13:30 - 15:00; 01926 492701 Alternating weeks for 0 - 18 mths & 18 mths+. Instruments, singing, rhymes and games.

Aqua Babies Swimming Lessons

The Yummy Mummy’s Club

St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, CV34 4QY 11:30 - 12:00 (4m-2yrs) & 12:00 - 12:30 (2-4yrs) 01926 495353 - please book Swimming lessons for little ones. Term time.

Musical Stay & Play

The Village Hall, Warwick Road, CV35 7RB 10:00 - 11:30; Any age; £1.50 +50p for siblings Lovely village hall. Toys, painting & sing-song.

Kenilworth Rhyme Time Kenilworth Library, Smalley Place, CV8 1QG 10:00 - 10:30, twice monthly; 01926 748 900 Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, CV34 4QY 11:30-12:00 (4 m-2yrs) & 12:00-12:30 (2-4 yrs) 01926 495353 - please book Swimming lessons for little ones. Term time.

Aqua Babies Swimming Lessons

St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, CV34 4QY 11:30 - 12:30; 01926 495353 Child under 4 Swim Free. Term time only.

Health Visitor Drop In Clinic

Warwick Children’s Ctre, Coventry Rd, CV34 4LJ 10:00 - 11:30 (2nd & 4th wed of mth) 01926 492701

St Nicholas Park Leisure Centre, CV34 4QY 10:00 - 11:00 and 11:00 - 12:30; term time only 4 mths - 4 yrs; 01926 495353 - booking required

Parents & Babies Swim

Leek Wootton Leek Wootton Baby & Toddler Group

Kenilworth

Warwick Crèche at St Nicholas Park

Go 4 Goals

Brookhurst School, Ullswater Ave, CV32 6NH 9:00 & 9:45: 2-4 yrs; 10:30: 5-11 yrs Jason: 07747 562469 Football coaching classes. Term time only

Warwick Dads & Male Carers Session

Warwick Children’s Ctre, Coventry Rd, CV34 4LJ 10:00 - 12:00 (fortnightly); 0 - 5s; 01926 492701 Activities for Dads/Carers & their child(ren).

Sunday

Claverdon Love Ballet Dance Company

Dance Studio, Ardencote Leisure Club, The Cumsey, Lye Green Road, Claverdon, CV35 8LT 10:00: Ballet (3-5yrs); 10:30: Funky Dance (37yrs); 11:00: Gymnastics (all ages); 11:30: Ballet (5-7yrs); 12:00: Tap (5-7yrs) Lorraine: 07711 010404 Ballet, Funky Dance, Tap and Gymnastics classes

Arts & Crafts

For Pregnancy

Daily Activity Planner

Wednesday

Kenilworth Little Crackers Toddler Group

Warwick Region

10:30 - 11:00, twice monthly; Free Free music & singing sessions for 0-2s. Drop in!

10:00 - 12:00; 1.5 per family; Term time only Sharon: 024 76364723 Everybody welcome! Please call first.

The Directory

The