FamiliesBedsMayJune2022

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IN THIS ISSUE

Education Summer fun Kids’ parties Travel

Win a family holiday at an Away Resort!

Magazine

May/June 2022

Familiesonline.co.uk

SEE INSIDE

Familiesonline.co.uk May/June 1

CONTENTS

Welcome

In this issue

So much to look forward to in May and June, including two bank holidays, one of them extralong! Yippee!

5

Education

8

Charity

Warm sunny days are on the horizon so start planning some family adventures in your local area and exploring the great outdoors again.

9

Summer camps

10 Father’s Day gifts

If you are looking at planning a break but want something that will truly be family-friendly, check out our ‘tried and tested’ suggestions.

11

Adventures at home

12 Travel 13 Win a holiday 14 Summer food

15 Garden toys If you have a little one who starts school in September, now is also the time to start thinking 16 Adventures outdoors about preparation. Find advice and resources in 17 Kids’ parties our Education section.

Finally, in this issue, we have lots of giveaways, including a family holiday and cuddly Care Bear companions for your child to fall in love.

Don’t forget to apply!

2 May/June

Get in touch

Competition winners from our January/February issue Congratulations to all our winners.

You can find a list here.

Familiesonline.co.uk

VOLUNTEER

Time To Volunteer When is the right time to start that adventure, make lifelong friendships, learn new skills and have lots of fun?

Answer - Right Now! Volunteering is enriching, rewarding and life-affirming. To see the smile of a Brownie who has just lit her own fire, to hear the laughter of Rainbows playing outdoor games, watching a Guide overcomes her fears and makes it to the top of a climbing wall and knowing that you have helped them reach these victories, made those smiles and given them everlasting memories.

Join us and explore your talents, take on new challenges and make new friends. In return, we offer you the opportunity to gain new qualifications and experiences, take part in adventures and have loads of fun. Plus best of all, you can give as much or as little time as you have.

Our leaders are mums, teachers, managers, doctors, receptionists, cashiers, accountants, engineers in fact they are you!

They come from every walk of life, every background and every culture but they share a common goal, to give girls and young women in Bedfordshire the freedom to learn, create, achieve, explore and express themselves through experiences that will last a lifetime.

There are opportunities in Ampthill, Cranfield, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard Shefford and other communities for you to start your volunteering journey today to make a difference in your community.

In short, the question isn’t Why would you volunteer? It is - Why wouldn’t you!

To find out more about ways of volunteering follow this link or send an email here.

Familiesonline.co.uk

May/June 3

EDUCATION

4 May/June

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Starting school in September?

Wondering how your child will manage school lunches?

Watch advice from Emma Lewry at Every Day’s a School Day

Lessons to learn before you’re 10

By Gail Hugman

Teaching young children to make good use of their working memory, exercise self-control and get organised will really help them develop the skills they need to succeed in life.

Try these fun starter activities to set your child off on the right path.

READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk

For an amazing, adventure-filled summer...

Apply for a Map of Wonders!

10 available

Magazine

APPLY HERE

T&Cs apply

May/June 5

School readiness checklist Download our checklist and help your child get ready to go to school.

Talk the skills through with your child and explain why they are important at school. Show them that once they can master a skill, they can colour in the smiley face!

Then help them practise.

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I am ready fo

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I can....

Colour in th when you ca e face n do this

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Recognise m y name

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6 May/June

DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR CHILD HERE

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Times tables learning resources It really is true that multiplication tables are the bedrock of maths learning. Get your child up to speed with the following resources.

Math Songs by NUMBEROCK

Learn times tables by singing about them!

FREE

Numberjacks Times Table App

Times table activities based on the CBeebies show. FREE

Times Tables Wall Chart

Colour-coded Multiplication Square

The Times Table Adventure

Number Rumbler Card Game

Visual aid which helps spot patterns and learn tables. FREE

Ideal for children who like video games like Minecraft. FREE

Download and stick up where they’ll be seen often. FREE

A family card game which practises times tables. £7.99

Donate now Help more princesses like Esha grow up to be queens More than 600 children are diagnosed with blood cancer every year in the UK. For many, their best chance of survival is a blood stem cell transplant from a stranger. Will you help more children to find their lifesaver by donating to DKMS? Donate now at dkms.org.uk/princess or scan the code.

DKMS is the trading name of DKMS Foundation, a registered charity in England and Wales (1150056) and Scotland (SC046917). DKMS is a limited company registered in England and Wales (08151279).

Familiesonline.co.uk

May/June 7

DONATE

Help children with blood cancer Esha loves dressing up as a princess and dreams of being a queen one day.

For a while, that dream was taken away.

At just 4 years old, Esha was diagnosed with leukaemia – Esha’s one of over 600 children in the UK diagnosed with blood cancer every year.

Esha went from enjoying her childhood – drawing, dancing, playing and pretending to be a princess – to spending much of her time on hospital wards. She needed a blood stem cell transplant from a stranger to survive. Finding her match wasn’t easy. Working with DKMS, in the course of searching for her own lifesaver, Esha’s family registered thousands more blood stem cell donors.

Now Esha’s back to doing what she loves best – playing at princesses – and can’t wait to grow up to be a queen. It cost £40 to register Esha’s lifesaver. Help more people with blood cancer to dream of a future by donating HERE.

Smoby Flextreme Discovery Sets to giveaway!

Turn your child’s imagination around!

5 available

Worth £34.99 each

APPLY HERE Magazine 8 May/June

T&Cs apply

Familiesonline.co.uk

SUMMER CAMPS

Summer camps checklist

To help you book a summer camp or workshop and get your child ready.

What to wear

For cool weather, warm comfortable clothes including a jacket/coat and jumper/hoodie.

For sunny weather, suitable clothes and sun hat. Apply sun cream once before your child leaves the house.

Comfortable footwear.

General questions

What to take

Swimming costume and towel.

An apron or shirt for creative activities.

Refillable water bottle Packed lunch and snacks, if needed.

Rucksack (to carry everything).

Sun cream, if required.

Childcare questions

How many children are there on a camp?

What age group will my child be in?

Can my child be in the same group as their friend/sibling?

Do I need to provide lunch and snacks?

Do you provide sun cream?

Are you registered with Ofsted?

Questions about booking and costs

Get the best out of family life!

Is wraparound care available?

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Do you accept childcare vouchers or tax-free childcare?

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Can I make changes to my booking? What is the last date for changes?

Can I pay in instalments?

If there’s wraparound care, how much is it?

Will I pay extra if I’m delayed in collecting my child?

Are all activities included in the cost?

Will my child have a key worker?

IN THIS ISSUE

Activities Tips/Advice Days Out familiesonline.c o.uk

May/June 9

FATHER’S DAY

Father’s Day gift suggestions

Is it sometimes difficult to know what to buy for dad? Here are our top picks.

Dad’s Shed Slate Sign

Handcrafted natural slate sign to mark out dad’s territory. £12.99

Docking Station Help dad keep all his things together – stylishly! £27.90

Supercar Driving Day

Get day in a race car!

Circuits UK-wide. From £39

Peppa Pig: My Burgon & Ball Billionaire Gardening Gloves Shortbread Truffles Daddy Board Book

These quality gloves are For dads with a sweet great for dads with green tooth - a little decadence. fingers. £17.99 £16

Bread Baking Club Gift Subscription

Your dad could be star baker with this 3-month gift subscription. £36 10 May/June

100 Things to Do with Dad Scratch Off Bucket List Poster 100 activities! £10.99

Something for dad to read with your little one. £4.49

Personalised Socks with your Child’s Drawing

Celebrate Father’s Day and your child’s artwork. £20 Familiesonline.co.uk

ADVENTURES AT HOME

Adventures at home

I’m a big fan of planning fun-filled family adventures at home. Here’s some of our favourites from my book Adventures at Home, available here.

Garden music festival

Go without electricity

Dig out your tent, drag out your blankets and cushions, power up the radio and set up camp. Spend the day listening to music in the comfort of your own garden. Homemade ribbon wristbands and VIP lanyards allow unlimited access to the snack cupboard, fruity mocktails and ultimately, the lavatory without needing to queue!

Challenging the family to go without electricity is great fun. It encourages you to get creative with your time and introduces the broader topic of eco-living: which small changes can be made at home? Activities for the day might include painting, poetry, games, bird watching, cooking over an open flame and sleeping outside.

Stargazing

Garden fete

Our favourite way to stargaze is in an old inflatable pool, patched with duct tape and filled with duvets! It keeps the chill out whilst we snuggle down and watch for the first star to appear amidst the myths and legends.

Village fetes are often a washout but you can schedule yours in when there’s glorious sunshine!

String up your bunting, bake some scones, set up a raffle and a lucky dip (from old goody bag items), provide an (unplugged) microphone for announcements, hold a pet show, even set up a Pimms’ tent (no judgement here).

Look out for the Big Bear, the Pegasus and Draco the dragon.

Familiesonline.co.uk

May/June 11

ADVENTURES AT HOME

Adventures at home

I’m a big fan of planning fun-filled family adventures at home. Here’s some of our favourites from my book Adventures at Home, available here.

Mini Olympics

Wildlife hunting

Our garden Olympics is an annual favourite. Open the games with a (tissue paper) Olympic flame and homemade hanging flags, followed by competitive rounds of egg and spoon, sack races, hula hooping, bean bag throwing and swing ball. Keep score on a chalkboard and finish with salt dough medals award ceremony.

Find out who you share your garden with, using a nature guide to help with identification.

Encourage some new residents with a log pile house for insects, feeders for birds, a compost heap for worms, upturned pots for frogs and a colourful flowerbed for bees and butterflies. Keep an illustrated journal of what you see.

Family heritage

Reading nook

Ask relatives about their own adventures, jotting them down as you go. If the weather is rubbish, this is the perfect excuse to scour old family albums full of photos of when they were young.

A reading nook is a wonderful place to spend a lazy afternoon.

Set up a den or a tepee, make it cosy inside and fill a basket with books.

And if the weather is kind, ask them to take you around their old haunts.

12 May/June

Make the most of little ones curled up in your lap for story time. Or even write your own story together.

Familiesonline.co.uk

GIVEAWAYS

Win a family holiday with Away Resorts!

Win a three or four night stay for a family of up to six people at an Away Resort of your choice.

Welcome to the world of Away Resorts! Experience one of its fabulous UK locations, from countryside to coast. Fall in love with a new type of holiday - where your accommodation is off-the-scale amazing and new experiences await at every turn. A holiday to create ‘remember when we did that?’ moments that will last a lifetime.

Explore the New Forest, Hampshire, Tattershall Lakes or Boston West in Lincolnshire, Mersea Island in Essex, Barmouth Bay in Wales, Mill Rythe on Hayling Island or Whitecliff Bay on the Isle of Wight.

APPLY HERE by 18 June 2022. T&Cs apply.

Smoby Flextreme Discovery Sets to giveaway!

Turn your child’s imagination around!

Apply for a FREE Bean Plush 22cm Care Bear* Care and share with Care Bears Bean Plush!

Worth £34.99 each 5 available

APPLY HERE Magazine Familiesonline.co.uk

APPLY HERE T&Cs apply

Magazine

*while stocks last T&Cs apply

May/June 13

FOOD

Cooling summer treats Get the kids involved in making these perfect treats for hot summer days.

Club tropicana ice cream cake

Watermelon & strawberry slushies

Vegan orange lollies

Easy strawberry ice cream

Quick banana ice cream

Fruity ice-lolly pens

Nutty caramel & choc sundaes

Frozen banana lollies

Raspberry lemonade slushies

14 May/June

Familiesonline.co.uk

TRAVEL

Vacation staycations It’s not always easy to know whether the holiday destination you’ve found online is truly family-friendly. Families asked the experts at Tested

by Tots for their tested and rated recommendations for your next break.

Sandy Balls Holiday Village, New Forest

Excellent facilities, and service. Activities for all.

Catgill Farm, Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire

Charming and family-run On-site facilities.

Cherry Tree Farm Camping, North Devon

Sandylands Holiday Park, Ayrshire

Drayton Cottage, Isle of Wight Home from home, walk to beach, relaxing, secure garden, BBQ.

Forest Holidays, North Yorkshire

Beautiful cabins, peaceful, beach nearby.

Forest activities.

Ham Bottom, Somerset

Holiday Inn Kenilworth, Warwick

Park Plaza London Riverbank

Beautiful yet cosy.

Excellent facilities.

Self-catering lodges, with trampoline, slide, and climbing frame.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Great value & location to explore local attractions.

300m from beach, surf gear hire, food truck & more.

Features the capital’s first hotel room designed by families for families.

May/June 15

TOYS

It’s time to play outside!

If you’re looking for some entertaining garden activities for the summer, here are our recommendations.

Target Ball Game

Soft Archery Set

Wheelbarrow Set

Family garden game with giant inflatable Velcro target. All ages. £19.99

Soft, safe and durable, this set is great way for kids to discover a new hobby. Ages 8+. £39.99

Let budding gardeners develop their own green world. Ages 3+. £12

My First Giant Bubble Kit

Family Paddling Pool

Garden Tumble Tower

Youngsters will love these eco-friendly giant wooden wands.

Ages 3+. £21

Big enough for families to chill out together.

Ages 6+. £75

Great backyard game builds a tower over 3ft.

Ages 5+. £35.99

Ladybird Wheely Bug Ride-On

Wavy Kids Slide

Sandpit Picnic Table with Lid

Suitable for decking and driveways. Easy to ride!

Ages 1-3. £67.50 16 May/June

Outdoor classic offers a fast slide and 5.8ft of fun.

Ages 3+. £54.99

Keeps up to four children entertained for hours.

Ages 3+. £79.99 Familiesonline.co.uk

ADVENTURES OUTDOORS

Family adventures outdoors We asked our friends the Meek family for some top picks from their book 100 Family Adventures. Here’s what they have come up with.

Sleep on a beach

Eat nettle soup

Build a bridge

Be lulled to sleep by the sound of crashing waves.

Surprisingly fresh and light!

Kids love the excitement of building a natural structure.

Go on a scooter safari

Venture behind a waterfall Connect to the power and awe of a waterfall.

Make a rope swing

Put some ‘natural’ back into the outdoor play experience.

Go on a forest night walk

Go coasteering

Don’t go with the flow

Borrow some extra scooters explore the local area.

Children will love the excitement of the forest at night.

Familiesonline.co.uk

A nature trail along a rocky coast. Scrambling, swimming and rock hopping.

Head ‘off piste’ - follow a stream in reverse!

May/June 17

KIDS’ PARTIES

Party bag fillers

Want to avoid plastic tat but stuck for alternatives? Try these out for size.

Decopatch Mini Animal Kits

Make a cute animal mache shape with these gorgeous kits. £7.30

Colour-in Splat T-shirts

Doubles as a party activity! Wash and colour-in again. From £9.95

Sweetie Jewellery Activity Kit

Smiggle Party Colour Art Jar

Hello Bee Craft Kits

Pre-filled Thank You Party Cone

Make yummy jewellery & a craft jewellery box. £12.99

Art kit with rainbow markers, colouring sheets & graphite pencil. £9.20

Designed for children 3+, perfect for keeping little hands busy.

From £8

Colourful paper cones full of treats and including thank you note. £3.75

The Curious Caterpillar PreFilled Bags

Mini Sunflowers Growing Kit

Craft & Crumb Bake Kit Party Bags

Large variety of pre-filled bags for girls and boys.

From £1.90 18 May/June

Easy to grow mini sunflowers. Includes seeds, compost and activity sleeve. £6

Make, bake and decorate cookies and biscuits with these kits. From £4.50 Familiesonline.co.uk

Care and share with Care Bears Bean Plush!

Apply for a FREE Bean Plush 22cm Care Bear* Perfect company for your child’s adventures APPLY HERE

*while stocks last T&Cs apply

Magazine Familiesonline.co.uk

*while stocks last T&Cs apply May/June 19

20 May/June

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