Families Bedfordshire March-April 2018 Easter Issue

FRE E

TAKE M

E HOM

E

Bedfordshire

IN THIS ISSUE

Easter Event Guide School Open Day Directory WIN tickets to Mead Open Farm on p14

Issue 33 March/April 2018

email: editor@familiesbedfordshire.co.uk Tel: 07824 377175

familiesonline.co.uk

contents

Editor’s Welcome Spring is upon us!

What a beautiful time to be outdoors with the trees sprouting new leaves, flower meadows in bloom and butterflies dancing around to nature’s lively sound.

I believe every season holds reason for celebration bringing with it new beginnings. I am so excited to share with you my new beginning as Editor of Families Bedfordshire Magazine.

It is my hope that you create wonderful Easter memories from the Easter Event Guide & that you enjoy reading this issue.

Michéllin MILTON KEYNES MODEL RAILWAY EXHIBITION COMPETITION WINNERS: L Haste, H Davies & A Roopra. Many thanks to Milton Keynes Model Railway Exhibition for running the competition!

4-5

News

6-7

Education

8-9

Family Health & Well Being

10

Easter Event Guide

11

Easter Activities

12

Clubs and Classes

14-15 What’s On

To advertise in this magazine contact: Michéllin Store - Editor m: 07824 377175 e: editor@familiesbedfordshire.co.uk Sarah Harmer - Designer What’s On Content for this issue - Dale Harry

Find us and like us on Facebook Facebook.com/familiesbedfordshire Follow us on Twitter @FamiliesBeds

Make sure you pick up our May/June issue and get set for the Summer Holidays out on 2nd May

www.familiesbedfordshire.co.uk

Your child deserves the best vision.

Free eye exam* Dunstable Eye Centre 5A Queensway Parade Dunstable LU5 4DW

01582 608449 www.decopticians.co.uk

*On presentation of this voucher. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

The Kodak trademark and trade dress are used by Signet Armorlite under license from Kodak. ©2017 Signet Armorlite, Inc.

Families Bedfordshire is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence.

Families ® is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families Bedfordshire are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Bedfordshire. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, Families Bedfordshire and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

2 Families Bedfordshire March/April 2018

www.familiesonline.co.uk

What’s On for Families at Luton Culture Book ahead for Easter

FRIENDS FOR ALL

YOU’VE GOT DRAGONS

SAT 3 MAR, 11AM & 2PM Hat Factory Arts Centre £7, 5 - 11 years

FRI 30 MAR, 11AM & 2PM Library Theatre £7, 3+

A STRANGE NEW SPACE

THEATRE IN MUSEUMS: THE SECRET DIARY

SAT 10 MAR, 11AM & 2PM Hat Factory Arts Centre £7, 4+

WED 4 APR & TUE 10 APR 11.30AM / 1.30PM / 2.30PM Wardown House, Museum and Gallery £4, 6+

STORYTELLING PERFORMANCE

JOHN HEGLEY: ALL HAIL THE SNAIL

SAT 10 MAR, SAT 14 APR, SAT 12 MAY, 11AM – 11.45AM Luton Central Library £3

THU 5 APR, 11AM Library Theatre £7, 7+

Don’t miss!

THE GINGERBREAD MAN THU 12 APR, 11AM & 2PM Library Theatre £7, 3+

CAPTAIN FLINN & THE PIRATE DINOSAURS 2: THE MAGIC CUTLASS SAT 24 MAR, 2PM Library Theatre £7, 3+ All aboard for a non-stop action packed theatrical performance, with live music, puppetry and dastardly dinosaurs.

lutonculture.com

Coming soon...

STEAM FAIR AT STOCKWOOD SUN 20 MAY, 10AM – 4PM Stockwood Discovery Centre London Rd, Luton LU1 4LX Free Entry

@WeAreLutonCulture @lutonculture

NEWS

There’s Still Time to Register Sleeping on Side to for Wear A Hat Day! Prevent Stillbirth

Calling all schools, parents and teachers!

Please get involved in Wear A Hat Day 2018.

Taking place on Thursday 29th March, this is the UK’s premier brain tumour research fundraising event.

Don’t worry if you can’t make it that day, just choose another. Join in the fun as schools and families across the UK get involved to help raise funds for research into brain tumours.

“Wear A Hat Day is a perfect opportunity to bring the whole school together and support this game-changing charity.” – Mr Dan Gross, Deputy Head Curriculum, Beachborough School.

It’s very easy to register online at www.wearahatday.org (it works really well on mobiles!) and then we can send out your fundraising pack.

In the meantime, browse the other Wear A Hat Day pages for ideas and inspiration to make your event a hat-tastic fundraising success!

In 2017, families and schools came together alongside other organizations and communities across the UK and helped raise over £300,000 to fund our vital research.

With your help we can double this in 2018. We’re aiming for £600,000, enough to keep a group of researchers funded for a year.

So please register for Wear A Hat Day 2018 today.

Thank you. Together we will find a cure.

More information visit www.wearahatday.org

73 Questions a Day! So What’s the Problem?

British children aged 1 to 6 ask an average 73 questions every day ... half of which parents struggle to answer, according to a recent study conducted by One Poll.

Children are at their most inquisitive at 4 years old and boys and girls tend to be just as curious as each other.

Almost a third of parents in the study find this constant barrage of questions exhausting, lasting as it often does from the time children wake until they drop off to sleep at night. Almost half of the parents interviewed admit that they struggle to find an answer 50% of the time, turning to Google for help, whilst nearly one third confessed to making up

answers on the spot.

Fathers field the most questions but mothers still deal with an average of 413 per week.

To help parents deal with some of their children’s more challenging questions, Tots Town at Argos has teamed up with child psychologist Dr. Sam Wass and created a series of videos which can be found on YouTube.

In the UK, there are nearly three stillbirths for every 1,000 pregnancies after 28 weeks.

Researchers from the University of Manchester have found that mothers who sleep on their backs in the last three months of pregnancy are more than twice as likely to have a stillbirth.

One of the largest to date, the study of just over 1,000 women found the risk doubles if women go to sleep on their backs in the third trimester.

One reason proposed for this increased risk is reduced blood flow to the uterus due to the baby and stomach putting pressure on major blood vessels.

Researchers say the position

which women fall asleep in is most important - and they should not worry if they are on their back when they wake up.

The pregnancy charity Tommy’s has started a campaign to raise awareness of the study and to encourage women to sleep on their side.

More information visit www.tommys.org/sleeponside

Research Confirms New Dads Mental Health Concerns A new poll reveals almost 40% of men experience anxieties after having children. The research released by the Priory Group of Harley Street, London also claims to show that thousands of men experience anxiety - and in some cases depression - as they enter fatherhood.

One in five men believed they were actually suffering from Paternal Post Natal Depression, although only 2% were officially diagnosed.

This accords with earlier research by the parenting charity the NCT, which showed around 1 in 3 new fathers are concerned about their mental health.

The increased pressures of fatherhood, more financial responsibility, changes in

relationships and lifestyle, combined with a lack of sleep and an increased workload at home, may all affect a new dad’s mental wellbeing.

Concern about their partner is another worry for new fathers.

The NCT found that almost three quarters (73%) of dads were worried about their partner’s mental health.

For more information visit www.nct.org.uk/dads-PND or www.priorygroup.com

Grotto trees to be turned into bedding for rhinos at Woburn Safari Park

Weston Favell shopping centre is donating trees from their magical Enchanted Forest Grotto to Woburn Safari Park to create beautiful bedding for the Rhinos from the cut trees!

The grotto, which consisted of 120 real life Norway Spruce fir trees are now being recycled for an amazing cause.

The trees were chipped and delivered by a local tree services and landscaping company, Mulberry Tree. A local scouts group visiting the Rhinos helped deliver the remaining wood chip.

Chris Smart, Head Keeper in

4 Families Bedfordshire March/April 2018

Reserves said that the chippings will be used to make a fragrant and skin-friendly bedding material for the 5 Southern White Rhinos and that the pine is also known for its benefits as a natural disinfectant.

The remaining trees featuring in the Enchanted Forest Grotto have been offered to the local community. Nearly 400 people have now applied to get their hands on one and keep a bit of Christmas magic with them all year round.

For more info visit www.woburnsafari.co.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk

NEWS

In celebration of Science Week Bedpop Science Labs are back!

As part of British Science Week, the BedPop Science Labs will once again be popping up and bringing dozens of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities to the heart of the town.

On Saturday 10th March, eight BedPop Science Labs will host dozens of hands-on workshops, activities, demos and experiments.

Everything is completely FREE to take part in and everyone’s invited!

“This year we’ve added some incredible new events and we’re especially thrilled to be bringing Mark Rutherford School’s pop up Planetarium to Bedford Central Library,” said organiser, Erica Roffe.

“Visitors will be able to step inside

and experience the wonders of the solar system, right in the middle of Bedford. We’ve also got an ‘escape room’, DJ and radio production workshops and you can even meet a T-Rex!”said Erica Roffe.

Thanks to a partnership with Access Bedford, four of the outdoor science demos will have sign language interpretation and all venues have disabled access.

Find this year’s programme at bedpop.co.uk

Children’s Authors Top the Pops in Libraries The kids are taking over the libraries! Seven children’s authors - Julia Donaldson, Daisy Meadows, Roderick Hunt, Francesca Simon, Adam Blade, Jacqueline Wilson and Roald Dahl – are among the top 10 most borrowed authors in UK libraries, according to figures from annual data released by the British Library.

David Walliams’ popularity continues to soar and he’s now the nineteenth most borrowed author, up from forty first place in 2014-15.

Jeff Kinney does not make it into the top ten authors but his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is clearly a big hit with kids with eight titles in the series featuring in the top 10 most

Bedford Girls’ School Top 10 for Sport

Bedford Girls’ School (BGS) Sports Department continues to grow from strength to strength with the School Sport Magazine ranking BGS as the 4th best all girls’ independent school for sport in 2017.

Noticeable achievements include becoming county champions in netball, lacrosse and hockey across various age groups, to the U13 hockey team claiming a runners up spot at the National Finals and the U13

rounders team becoming the National School Champions.

Mrs Axford, Director of Sport, adds: “As a School we strive to provide an outstanding sporting education across all age groups. Equally important is the environment where our girls can truly develop, improve and enjoy their sport. Our dedicated sports department plays a pivotal role in teaching each girl to be resilient and build self-confidence.”

For more info call 01234 361900 or visit www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk

New School Update: Wixams Tree Primary borrowed children’s fiction titles.

For parents looking for something for their ‘reluctant reader,’ this library data provides a helpful guide to what other children love.

For more details on most borrowed children’s authors and titles visit www.bl.uk/plr

More Risky Play for Kids The Chief Inspector of Schools recently announced new training for School Inspectors to ensure they are properly focusing on child safety but not at the expense of opportunities to broaden and enrich young minds.

Amanda Spielman, the Head of Ofsted, expressed concern that children are being deprived

of rewarding experiences and the ability to cope with normal everyday risk because of an overzealous approach to health and safety.

Ms Spielman said “Making sure children are safe at school is, of course, an important part of our work, but I want to be sure we look at the right things in the right way, without going overboard”.

Statistics from A& E Departments have shown that injuries from tree falls are down amongst under-15s and that children are more likely to injure themselves in a tumble out of bed!

More information visit www.gov.uk/government/speeches www.familiesonline.co.uk

Wixams Tree Primary School opened the doors of its exciting new building in September 2017 to Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 pupils. Wixams Tree is located on large grounds at the end of Green Lane, Wixams, Bedford.

The school is part of Bedford college academies trust (BCAT), and their specific aim is to deliver world-class education and skills to the community.

A positive learning culture is evident through encouraging new students to develop

enquiring minds and a ‘can do’ attitude to all aspects of the curriculum. Wixams Tree provides a caring and supportive environment so that every child is happy, confident and given the opportunity to be the very best they can be.

It is wonderful that the school have already established a large and supportive Friends of Wixams Tree Primary PTA community who have been working hard raising money to establish a forest school area.

For more info visit www.wixamstreeprimary.co.uk

email: editor@familiesbedfordshire.co.uk Tel: 07824 377175

Bedfordshire 5

EDUCATION

Life with a Child with Special Ed Parents are often faced with additional challenges when they have a child with special needs. Claire Winter talks to some parents about life with a child who has SEN, and gets some tips on how to find the help they need.

Caroline is mum to seven-yearold Alfie, who has autism.

Holly has a six-year-old autistic son, called Harry.

Holly’s family noticed that Harry had traits of autism before he was three but she disagreed and thought he was just quirky.

But when he reached three and still couldn’t speak and wasn’t reaching expected milestones, she took him to see her health visitor.

“We went through a few months of speech therapy, and when there was no progress, the speech therapist pushed for a referral so we could see a paediatrician and get a proper diagnosis. At this time life was pretty horrendous. I didn’t understand autism. I was trying to learn how to behave around Harry. It was scary; it felt like we were walking on eggshells. I didn’t understand the triggers and how to calm him down. He also wasn’t sleeping. It meant that we had no time to ourselves at all. I finally got to see the doctor; Harry was at an acute level when the doctor saw him. He has head butting the floor - and I was crying. On reflection, it

was the best and worst day of my life. The doctor said he has autism and a panel to get a statement would be the next step. To get a statement, you have to go back to the very beginning emotionally.

It is very difficult and timeconsuming. With the support of a local charity guiding me through the process, we got a statement for Harry and got him a place at a local, specialist school.”

For, Caroline life with autism is like being on a constant rollercoaster, as no two days are the same.

“Some days we’re on a level, and then the following day we might be hurtling down an enormous drop! Alfie is autistic, which as a spectrum disorder, affects people in completely different ways. Alfie’s main challenges include social and communication issues, anxiety, dyspraxia (problems with coordination and motorfunctions), sensory issues, emotional underdevelopment and short-term memory problems.

This means that even basic things, like asking him to put his shoes

on or find his water bottle can be fraught with difficulties. Frankly, it’s exhausting at times! Some days are better than others. My measure is if we manage to get through the day without any major tantrums or without him hitting out at anyone, and he goes to sleep feeling loved and protected, then we’ve had a good day.”

Holly was overjoyed when she learnt Harry had a place at a local, specialist school, Manor Green in Maidenhead.

“I knew the school would turn Harry around and it has. His behaviour transformed when he started attending the school, he embraced life there and still does.

He started in Reception, and he loves it, the teachers are amazing.”

Caroline’s son is in a mainstream school, and she says that getting education and support for your child at school is a huge sticking point for many SEN parents.

“The problem with the current mainstream school system is that it has a ‘one size fits all’ approach, but schooling a child with SEN is like trying to stick a square peg into a round hole.

In our experience, because Alfie keeps up academically with his peers and appears to ‘cope’ in school, he only gets a basic level of support with things like social skills and confidence building. I think Alfie could thrive at school if he had access to further support and if the school could fund a helper to sit with him. He is a bright and intelligent boy, but his specific needs are not addressed, he will only perform at a mediocre level.

Because Alfie just gets on with it out of sheer determination and a huge amount of self-control, he continually slips through the net.

He is exhausted when he comes home from school from trying to ‘fit in,’ and that is when he is most likely to meltdown. But unfortunately, the school doesn’t get to see this behaviour. This is a major issue for many SEN parents, and a lot of us feel very let down by the system.”

Holly set up her charity Stand Out for Autism (www. standoutforautism. com) to raise

Spring School Open Days Orchard Independent School Bedfordshire, MK45 4RB 01582 882054 Sat 10 Mar www.orchardschool.org.uk Bedford Girls School Bedford, MK42 0BX 01234 361918 Wed 7 Mar & Thurs 3 May, 10am www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk Bedford School Bedfordshire, MK40 2TU 01234 362200 Sat 21 Apr, 10am www.bedfordschool.org.uk Rushmoor School Bedford, MK40 2DL 01234 352031 Admissions Secretary: Philippa Abruzzese Sat 3 Mar, 10am – 12noon www.rushmoorschool.co.uk St Andrews Bedford, MK40 2PA 01234 267272 3 Mar, 10am – 12noon www.standrewsschoolbedford.com Polam School Bedford MK40 2BU 01234 261864 Wed 25 Apr & Wed 13 Jun Nursery Tour 10am – 11am & 6 Families Bedfordshire March/April 2018

School Tour 10am – 12noon www.polamschool.co.uk Broughton Manor Prep School Milton Keynes MK10 9AA 01908 665234 Thur 8 Mar, 10am – 11:30am www.bmprep.co.uk Milton Keynes Preparatory School Milton Keynes, MK3 7EG 01908 642111 Wed 7 Mar, 10am – 11:30am www.mkprep.co.uk Walton Pre Preparatory School & Nursery Milton Keynes, MK7 6BB 01908 678403 Tue 6 Mar, 10am – 11:30am www.waltonpps.co.uk Webbar Independent Stantonbury Fields, MK14 6DP 01908 574 740 Tue 20 Mar 9:30am – 11:30am & Tues 24 Apr, 9:30am – 11:30am www.webberindepenedentschool.com Swanbourne House Milton Keynes, MK17 0HZ Registrar: Mrs Pratten 01296 720264 Sat 10 Mar, 10am – 12noon www.swanbourne.org.uk

Pilgrim’s School Bedford, MK41 7QZ Registrar: Mrs Karen Sinclair 01234 369555 Sat 17 Mar, 10am – 12noon www.pilgrims-school.info Bedford Modern School Bedford, MK41 7NT Admissions Manager: Pauline Heappey - 01234 332690 Thurs 8 Mar, 9:45 am www.bedmod.co.uk

Kim Bolton School Cambridgeshire, PE28 0EA Registrar: Mrs Rosie White 01480 862209 Fri 11 May www.kimbolton.cambs.sch.uk Beechwood Park School St Albans, AL3 8AA 01582 840 333 Fri 25 May, 9:30 am – 12 noon www.beechwoodpark.com www.familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

ucational Needs awareness about the condition and help local parents. Dealing with other families and children’s reaction to an autistic child can be a challenge.

“Sometimes I just adopt a warrior mum pose when Harry is having a meltdown; it doesn’t help to have another parent comment on his behaviour.

Sometimes you need to think before you say something, as you may not know the full story. This is one of the main reasons why I set up the charity. Sometimes, it is also difficult dealing with people who are well meaning. If a stranger approaches my son when he is upset, it makes him even worse. It is hard because he has a non-visible disability.”

Caroline also says Autism is often referred to as a ‘hidden disability,’ but it does depend on the child and their specific needs.

“The nature of the condition being a spectrum disorder means that everyone experiences it differently. Often people don’t realise Alfie has a condition, and then if we explain, we get comments like, “well, he doesn’t look autistic.” For some reason, people feel qualified to comment on your child’s condition after

only meeting them for five minutes! I have to continually explain to people that because he is classed as ‘high-functioning,’ i.e. he keeps up with his peers academically and has average verbal skills, it doesn’t mean that his life is any easier. In fact, in some ways it’s harder, because society expects him to be a certain way because he doesn’t have the indicators of what people perceive to be ‘disabled,’ such as a wheelchair or a full-time carer. I am always happy to talk about Alfie and his condition as part of a positive conversation about disability.”

What should you do if you suspect your child may have SEN or additional needs?

Holly says: “I would go to your family doctor or health visitor as the first port of call. Look for local support, see if your local children’s centre has any specialist groups.

The National Autistic society is also a great resource. There may also be a local organisation that could help you too.”

Caroline says if your child is school age, you should get in touch with their school, particularly if they haven’t flagged anything up to you already.

“Be able to give clear examples of how the issue is affecting your child and their ability to learn or function in a classroom setting, and how it may be affecting them at home. Keep notes if necessary. Issues at school can often manifest themselves at home through bad behaviour, withdrawing, general grumpiness, and not wanting to talk about school. Obviously, it depends

on the challenges involved and the individual child, but if you suspect the issue is related to mental health, then they ought to be seen by a GP who can refer them on to the relevant services, although access to this varies depending on area and hospital trust.

“Last of all – don’t give up!

If we all keep shouting about it, eventually we will get heard!”

Harpers Nursery & Forest School BLUNHAM MK44 3NX

A unique learning experience for children aged from 6 months to 5 years.

I believe in keeping an open mind Open Morning Thursday 3rd May, 10am Telephone: 01234 361918 www.bedfordgirlsschool.co.uk Bedford Girls’ School is part of The Harpur Trust

www.familiesonline.co.uk

Ofsted rated ‘Outstanding’ in all areas Limited spaces now available for 30 hours of FUNDED childcare

www.harpersnursery.co.uk

Tel: 01767 641499 email: editor@familiesbedfordshire.co.uk Tel: 07824 377175

Bedfordshire 7

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Could Shared Parental Leave Work for YOU?

They (dads) have a greater sense of empathy about what looking after a baby involves...

By Mandy Garner

Shared Parental Leave (SPL) allows parents to share time off work during the first year after their child is born, with dads and mums both taking some of the leave, whilst being paid at a statutory rate.

When Craig Curran and Sarah Farquharson looked into sharing the time off after their baby was born they couldn’t believe their luck. They both worked for Virgin Money which offered enhanced shared parental pay for parents on SPL – meaning they would receive a higher level of pay than the statutory rate. Sarah also earned more than Craig so it made better financial sense for Craig to share the leave with her. Even better, the couple were able to take a month of leave together – Sarah took the first five months of leave alone, the couple shared the sixth month and Craig took the last two months.

The result for Craig and Sarah has been a closer family relationship and a greater sharing of parental responsibilities - with neither parent’s career suffering as a result. Sarah was promoted just after she found out she was pregnant whilst Craig returned from his leave to a promotion.

“If anyone asks me about it, I say just do it. You never get that time again” says Craig. “I would 100% do it again.”

Both Craig and Sarah report that their managers and colleagues were very supportive of their leave plans. However, that is not always the case.

In its annual survey Workingmums.co.uk found that only 37% of respondents said they would consider taking SPL. The majority would not.

Some of the reasons given were the negative impact on household finances, fears that the dad’s career would suffer and a lack of knowledge about SPL. Some 43% of respondents said they wouldn’t take SPL because it would not make sense financially but the majority of these said that even enhanced SPL pay wouldn’t make a difference to their decision. Clearly, the suggestion is that other nonfinancial factors are at play, such as the desire many women have 8 Families Bedfordshire March/April 2018

What SPL does is give parents greater choice over how they manage the care of their new born child... to spend as much time as possible with their baby. 17% of mums said they didn’t want to share their leave.

What SPL does is give parents greater choice over how they manage the care of their new born child and it can be an important building block in facilitating change in discriminatory working environments. However, take up remains very low nationally, possibly because the legislation is complex and dry. HR managers are recommending that the language is simplified and that managers are given tools they need to implement SPL, as well as being able to give concrete case studies which show the many different ways in which SPL can be taken: in one chunk or in

separate blocks over a period of time; overlapping with the mother for all or part of the leave and so forth. Being able to read about other parents’ experiences brings the whole process to life.

One of the benefits of SPL is that dads who have taken it feel much more confident about being in sole charge of their children.

They also have a greater sense of empathy about what looking after a baby involves, and there can also be a positive impact on mental wellbeing. One dad who took SPL is John Birrell from the law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner.

His wife went through a traumatic emergency C-section followed by hospitalisation for an infection.

Having her husband to share the months after the birth meant she was not left on her own to

recover from major surgery while doing the physically exhausting work of looking after a young child. “Mental health is too often ignored and post-natal depression must be one of the most common forms,” says John.

Workingmums.co.uk collaborated recently with dadswebsite www.daddilife.com on a series of videos highlighting the need for parents to have open conversations around Shared Parental Leave. One couple who took part are Eulalia Pereira and Martin Stopher from London.

Eulalia said: “As a mother there is a sense you should be doing everything. I know (as a result of taking SPL) that Martin, on a day to day basis is there, that he is involved with the kids. I could not have hoped for more.”

Mandy Garner is editor of www.workingmums.co.uk, a platform dedicated to finding flexible, challenging work for mums. To view videos in which three couples discuss their choice to take Shared Parental Leave, take a look at the Workingmums.co.uk Youtube Channel. www.familiesonline.co.uk

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Enjoy Wild Time Outdoors

By Clare Winter

One of the greatest joys you can have as a parent is to see your kids run free outside watching the delight on their faces and listening to their laughter as they hide in long grass, get muddy or roll down a hill. With increasing pressure from work and school, families are struggling to find free time to be in nature. It seems there is an epidemic of families and children who aren’t getting to go outside enough. project in which over 200 schools have taken part. You can find out more by going to their website www.thewildnetwork.com.

Spokesman for the Wild Network, Mark Sears says: “Over the last five years, we have seen an avalanche of evidence that shows that time spent outdoors offers huge benefits to children as well as their wider families and communities. Wild Time is one of the few things left that is fun, free and good for you and yet most families don’t get enough of it. Other than the more obvious benefits like better physical and mental wellbeing, which are increasingly well evidenced it is now proven that Wild Time can support learning too through better concentration, imagination, resilience and capacity to rapidly process risk - all vital tools that children will need to thrive in the 21st century.”

If you want more time in nature with your family try and make time at the weekends to take them to a beach, wood, forest or river. If you’re on a budget, or short on time, find your local park and enjoy the green, open space.

Do some running races, climb a tree and make a camp. The urban farm movement is also a great way to give your children a taste of the country life.

The best thing about spending time in nature is that it as is free as the air you breathe. Pack some sandwiches and the world is

Other resources ✿ Check out the nature detectives with the Woodland Trust, who have lots of fun ideas for kids of all ages. www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives ✿ Try www.ifootpath.com, a great app for walking in the UK, it costs just £1.99. ✿ Buy The Adventure Map of Britain for £14.99 at www.marvellousmaps.com It’s a wonderful visual guide of fun things to do in the UK.

www.familiesonline.co.uk

your oyster. Keep your phone in your bag and gadgets at home.

Enjoy playing hide and seek, rock pooling, jumping a stream and finding bugs under a rotten branch.

Here are some simple tips to encourage Wild Time: 1. Create a Den in the garden.

Get the kids to help build it. They could even camp in it overnight!

2. Invest in some wellies and waterproofs so that you can go outside, rain or shine.

Registered charity number 1153487 (England and Wales) SC046840 (Scotland). Company limited by guarantee number 08570737.

According to a report commissioned by Persil for their ‘Dirt is Good’ campaign, British children are spending less time outside than adult prisoners! 74% of kids are spending less than an hour outdoors every day. A third only spend half an hour, and one in five don’t go out at all. Also, a recent government funded survey showed that one in nine kids haven’t been in a natural environment, like a park, forest or beach for at least 12 months.

Being outside is good for children’s general wellbeing and mental cognition. Kids are shown to be happier, healthier, more confident and less anxious when they spend time in nature. Equally, adults benefit from being outside with their children too. Serotonin levels are higher in your body after you have spent time in daylight and being in fresh air also helps you sleep better.

With increasing pressure at school, parents who work, after-school clubs, screen time and homework to do, children generally have a lot less free time.

Unstructured time outside and in nature is something that has become a luxury rather than a necessity.

Organisations like The Wild Network are trying to encourage families to get back outside. Their mission is to ‘rewild’ childhood and give children more #wildtime.

Their groundbreaking film has been seen across the world, and they have a wild time learning

3. Grow some fruit and vegetables. You can do this by using pots on the windowsill or by using a small patch in the garden.

4. Start an animal watch list that children can tick off.

5. Create some landscape art.

Use twigs, leaves, shells or stones, and photograph what you have made.

6. Make walks fun – do some of the walk blindfolded! Or make a treasure map of things your children have to find.

7. Try geocaching (www. geocaching.com). This does involve using an app but might encourage a reluctant nature explorer who won’t be parted from a device.

8. Let older children have some freedom. Get them to walk, explore and go out on their bikes without adults.

9. Research some outdoor activities or exercise classes that you can do as a family, like an outdoor boot camp or mountain bike riding.

10. Sign up to the National Trust’s ‘50 Things To Do Before You’re 11¾.’

email: editor@familiesbedfordshire.co.uk Tel: 07824 377175

Bedfordshire 9

EASTER EVENT GUIDE

Family Fun and Entertainment from Luton Culture Keep the kids entertained this spring with theatre shows and fun family activities brought to you by Luton Culture. If you’re looking for ideas for weekends and Easter holiday entertainment, don’t worry, we’ve got it covered! There are loads of creative activities and fun things to do across our theatre spaces, museums and libraries in Luton. There’s a huge choice of events to take part in; including monthly dynamic and inspiring storytelling performances from Khayaal Theatre and Word

EGG HUNTS FARMS

EASTER WONDERLAND AT MEAD OPEN FARM Billington, LU7 9JH Fri 30 Mar – Fri 13 Apr Tumble down the rabbit hole & explore Alice’s Wonderland Walk, share a joke with the Mad Hatter & let the cheeky Cheshire Cat guide you on your journey! Plus, watch hilarious puppet shows, see cute baby animals & lots more!

All extra fun included in the entry. www.meadopenfarm.co.uk ENJOY AN EGG - TASTIC DAY OUT! Herrings Green Activity Farm, MK45 3DT Fri 30 Mar – Mon 2 Apr 10am – 6pm Giant Easter egg hunt every day over the bank holiday weekend at 3:30pm, meet the Easter bunny, Easter crafts, lamb feeding displays, tractor & trailer rides. www.birdsofpreycentre.co.uk

MUSEUMS

FREE EASTER QUIZ & EGG HUNT John Bunyan Museum, Mill Street, Bedford Sat 31 Mar – Sat 14 Mar, Tue – Sat 11am – 4pm Take your children on a journey to hunt for letters on Easter eggs hidden around the Museum.

Re-arrange the letters to reveal a mystery word and WIN a chocolate prize! www.bunyanmeeting.co.uk EASTER EGG FUN & EGG HUNT Milton Keynes Museum, MK12 5EL Fri 30 Mar – Mon 2 Apr 11am - 4:30pm Explore the Museum for hidden eggs & exchange for chocolate rewards! During your visit you can also venture through the Victorian Farmhouse, play a game of puff billiards and make a brass rubbing to take home! www.miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk 10 Families Bedfordshire March/April 2018

in Edgeways in Luton Central Library. During March there’s a great line-up at The Hat Factory with theatre shows including Friends for All and A Strange New Space. Then Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs 2: The Magic Cutlass comes to the Luton Library Theatre stage with fun and frolics in this nonstop action packed theatrical experience.

Luton Library Theatre - Captain Flinn and The Pirate Dinosaurs 2

To book, go to www.lutonculture.com or call the box office on 01582 878100. Don’t forget there’s free entry and a fun day out for all at Wardown House, Museum and Gallery and Stockwood Discovery Centre. We look forward to seeing you!

THE GREAT EGG RACE The Shuttleworth Collection Old Warden Aerodrome, SG18 9EP Wed 11 – Fri 13 Apr Session 1: 10am – 11am, Session 2: 11am – 12noon, Session 3: 1pm – 2pm, Session 4: 2pm – 3pm Ages: 5 – 12yrs Booking Required If your children love aeroplanes & craft activities, bring them to The Collection to create their own Obstacle Game! learning@shuttleworth.org.uk

OUTDOORS

EASTER CREATURE HUNT Jordan’s Mill, Biggleswade, SG18 9JY Fri 2 – Thur 15 Mar 9am – 5pm Follow a traill around the Mill garden, meadow & woodland.

Choose 1 item from each board to create your own magical Easter creature. Includes a chocolate treat at the end. www.jordansmill.co.uk CADBURY EASTER EGG HUNT Dunstable Downs & Whipsnade Estate, Whipsnade, LU6 2GY Fri 30 & Sat 31 Mar, Sun 1 & Mon 2 Apr 11am – 3:30pm Explore the wildlife, fly a kite and enjoy acres of breath taking views as your children hunt for clues on butterflies, wild flowers, mammals & the beautiful ground nesting skylark. Don’t forget to collect your yummy Cadbury chocolate treat from the Visitor’s Centre. easter.cadbury.co.uk AN EASTER ADVENTURE Forest Centre, Marston Moretaine, MK43 0PS Sun 1 Apr 11am – Mon 2 Apr 4pm For those looking for an outdoor Easter experience, join this fun, self – led outdoor event where everyone gets a chocolate treat!

Make sure to dress for the weather. www.marstonvale.org

EASTER ADVENTURE QUEST Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HR Fri 30 Mar – Mon 2 Apr 11am – 5pm Set off as a character from the past on an Easter egg hunt for legendary dragon eggs. Crack the clues & claim your chocolate reward. www.english-heritage.org.uk MEET BEDFORDSHIRE’S BIGGEST BUNNY Leighton Buzzard Railway, Leighton Buzzard, LU 4TG Sun 1 Apr – Mon 2 Apr Craft shop, Buzzrail café, Steam and Diesel train journey www.buzzrail.co.uk LOVE BEDFORD FREE FACE PAINTING! Harpur Shopping Centre, Bedford, MK40 1TN Mon 9 Apr – Fri 13 Apr 10am – 1pm Bring your kids to Boots Corner to get their face painted for FREE courtesy of Love Bedford! www.lovebedford.co.uk

EASTER FESTIVALS

GULLIVER’S LAND EASTER FUN EXTRAVAGANZA Gulliver’s Land, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DT Fri 30 Apr – Mon 2 Apr Ages: 2 – 13yrs Bounce on over to this fun – filled theme park and meet the Easter bunny! Rides range from breath taking roller coasters, water adventures to more subtle rides for younger children & soft play area for toddlers. The weekend will also feature ‘The Easter Bonnet Parade’ & ‘The Big Bunny Bounce’. www.gulliversfun.co.uk SANTAPOD FESTIVAL OF POWER 2018 EASTER EXTRAVAGANZA Santa Pod Raceway, NN29 7XA Fri 30 Mar – Sun 1 Apr Ages: 2 – 13yrs If your kids love playing cars and

trucks and want to see them come to life, Santa Pod’s action - packed Easter weekend is the perfect festival to experience just that. Includes Monster Trucks, Stunt displays, Drag racing entertainment including Nitro Funny Cars, Jet Cars & National Drag Racing.

Soft play areas for toddlers. www.santapod.com

EASTER HOLIDAY CAMPS

BARRACUDAS KIDS CAMP Bedford Girls School, Bedford, MK42 0BX Tue 3 – Fri 6 Apr & Mon 9 Apr – Fri 13 Apr Ages: 4½ –14 years.

Offers a variety of activities such as archery, swimming, aqua slide & motorsports. Also includes Skills Builder courses including Motor Mania, Swim School, Lab Rats & Upstage. www.barracudas.co.uk SUPERCAMPS Swanbourne House School, MK17 0HZ Mon 26 Mar – Tue 13 Apr 9am – 5pm.

Ages: 4 – 12yrs Super Camps provide multi– activity programmes. Activities encourage learning and bringing the imagination to life.

Older children can explore new activities from Archery, Driving School and Motor Mania. www.supercamps.co.uk ENERGY KIDZ St. Christophers Academy, Dunstable, LUNJ Mon 26 Mar – Tue 13 Apr Ages: 4 – 11yrs Energy Kidz provide a child–led environment with fun indoor & outdoor activities such as cooking, jumping around, craft, sports, treasure hunts & design. www.energy-kidz.co.uk

✿✿✿✿✿ www.familiesonline.co.uk

EASTER ACTIVITIES

5 Benefits of Arts and Crafts for your child Busy parents often use Arts and crafts as an easy form of entertainment for creative children, but arty activities should not be dismissed as a last resort indoors activity for children on rainy days.

Arts and crafts are not only a great hobby, but can significantly impact learning in a positive way, and can improve your child’s bilateral coordination in addition to being a great social activity and self-esteem booster. Charlotte Baldwin, at IQ cards, goes through 5 of the top benefits of arts and craft.

Fine Motor Coordination

Whilst keeping between the lines when colouring can be aesthetically pleasing, it also works wonders for your child’s fine motor coordination skills, which involves the synchronization between small muscles and movements in hands and fingers with thought processes in the brain. Tasks such as drawing, colouring in shapes and cutting,

all help children progress these skills by making them focus and coordinate between thoughts and physical actions.

Self Regulation & Organization

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and often crafts can’t be completed in 24 hours either. Activities such as papier mache and painting involve a lot of waiting time before being able to proceed with new layers. Waiting for projects to be complete before moving onto the next stage will teach your child about patience, just as multitasking during the meantime will help develop time management and organization skills. Self regulation is all about knowing which present actions will affect your long term interests.

Bilateral Coordination

It’s often easy for adults to take skills such as bilateral coordination for granted, but for growing

MARBLED EASTER BUNTING (AGE 2+) This activity is a great intro to marbling, fun and exciting for learning about colour-mixing and for developing fine motor skills. Remember to wear an apron, cover your work area, have a tray ready for your finished art and let your little ones get creative!

What you’ll need:

✿ Paper or card ✿ Shaving foam / Poster paint (a few colours) ✿ Tray or baking tin ✿ Brush or clean stick

Instructions

Spray foam onto tray and add paint. Use brush to make patterns in foam. Lay paper carefully on top of foam and

push gently. Lift paper off and use an old card to scrape off any excess foam. Leave to dry and cut paper into egg shapes.

Thread with string. Now your child can decorate your home with their beautiful Easter bunting.

children, these early stages are a crucial time for improving and developing skills that will be needed for everyday tasks such as writing and typing in everyday life. Bilateral coordination involves using both hands at once to perform a task, so, for example, cutting out shapes, or sewing fabric.

Social Skills

Arts and Crafts is a sociable activity: from painting parties to crafts clubs, arts & crafts will open up a new world of social interaction for your child.

Learning to work around others and to share are invaluable

Self-Esteem

Support from parents and peers can often be very encouraging for children embracing their creative streak. Praising your child for their arts & crafts efforts can be done verbally or even by hanging up their artwork on the fridge or walls, which will build their confidence. Your child’s creative talents should be rewarded consistently to boost their self esteem.

IQ cards is a fundraising company that provide schools and establishments with the necessary tools to fundraise via selling high-quality and unique gifts designed by pupils.

EASTER EGG, FLOWERS & WILDLIFE HUNT SUITABLE FOR AGES 3YRS+ Here is a beautiful way to spend your Easter holidays, exploring nature and the elements which I found on the Woodland Trust, Nature Detectives website.

This is a lovely exercise to use for sensory, flowers & wildlife awareness.

Here are some ideas of questions you can ask your children during your Easter Hunt: ✿ Use your senses – what can you see, hear, smell? ✿ Can you find all these exciting Easter signs? ✿ How many eggs can you find? ✿ Look for frogspawn in ponds, insect eggs on leaves, and chocolate eggs ✿ Did you spot everything on your Easter hunt?

Step 1: Visit www.

woodlandtrust.org.uk, download & print the egg-citing pdf activity sheet found on the Woodland trust website when you search for ‘Eggciting Easter Hunt.’

www.familiesonline.co.uk

lessons for your child to take along with them through education and future work life.

email: editor@familiesbedfordshire.co.uk Tel: 07824 377175

Step 2: Have a look at the images of flowers and wildlife on the egg – citing pdf activity sheet and find the nearest woods to where you live that you feel you will find some or all of the flowers/ wildlife.

Step 3: Plan your Easter Egg Hunt (don’t forget to buy enough Easter eggs for your hunt). You can either hide Easter eggs before you start your hunt in the flowers or nearby the wildlife you want your child to find. Or you can use Easter Eggs as rewards once your child has found the images on the activity sheet.

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CLUBS & CLASSES

All Stars Cricket

All Stars Cricket was launched in March 2017. The programme has had an incredible first year with over 1,500 All Stars Cricket centres delivering the programme to over 37,000 kids.

The end of year parent survey yielded very positive results with key headlines of 70% of families new to their local cricket club, 85% of parents want their child to return in 2018 and bring a friend!

The programme costs approximately £40.

The cost includes the 8 week All Stars Cricket programme (1 x hour session per week for 8 weeks) and the pack - all delivered to your door.

The programme is delivered by trained volunteers who deliver game based activities that teaches basic cricket skills like catching, throwing, hitting a moving ball and social skills like

team work and communication.

The Centres will be encouraged to deliver their programmes from May 11th through to July but some Centres may start slightly later than the 11th May. Reasons to join: ✸ For all boys and girls aged five to eight ✸ Delivered nationwide at over 1,800 centres ✸ Eight one-hour sessions, held over eight weeks ✸ Emphasis on fun and being active ✸ Focus on developing your child’s movement skills ✸ Great first introduction to cricket ✸ Safe and fully accredited ✸ Valuable time with your kids – mums and dads are encouraged to take part too ✸ Easy online registration

All Stars Cricket runs at 16 different locations throughout Bedfordshire. For more information and to find the one nearest to you, please visit allstarscricket.co.uk and don’t forget to register for a summer of #BigMoments

The benefits of after school clubs and classes

Whether or not you think you may be raising the next Picasso or David Beckham, there’s no doubting the plusses of after school clubs.

While finances may not permit your little ones being involved in different activities every night of the week, there’s no doubt that a couple of wellchosen clubs can be great for giving your child an insight into areas that the school curriculum doesn’t cover.

So, why are clubs so important?

Team sports like football, rugby, cricket and netball are not only brilliant for keeping kids active but also helping them learn team work where they can begin to appreciate what’s good for the whole team, rather than just thinking of themselves.

Competitive sports are also great for learning difficult life lessons like being a gracious winner - and loser.

Meanwhile, learning a musical instrument is ideal for discovering the art of practice, patience and persistence.

Don’t forget the fun factor!

The list is endless. There are clubs for almost anything you can imagine. Archery, chess, horse riding, computer clubs, film making and even circus skills are all proving popular alongside the more traditional arts and crafts, swimming, tennis and Kung Fu. However, new skills, team work and confidence building aside, the most important thing to think about when deciding which club to choose is the fun factor.

Try Time Kids Rugby Where did our lie ins go?

Nothing stops cozy lie-in’s quite like having kids, which means we have to spend our weekends outside in the cold! Not only that, but we have to be positive about it!

Kids are led by our actions and language, so we have to be super excited about going outside. Being outside stimulates their imagination, builds their immune system and gives them a sense of freedom.

Sport, is about more than just physical exercise, it develops healthy bones, improves their attention span and helps them build teamwork skills.

A wise man once said “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing”, so wrap your kids and yourselves up in plenty of layers, shove a hot water bottle down your jumper and go outside!

For more information visit www.trytimekidsrugby.com/bedford 12 Families Bedfordshire March/April 2018

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email: editor@familiesbedfordshire.co.uk Tel: 07824 377175

Bedfordshire 13

What’s on

We aim for accuracy but do check with the venue before setting out in case details have changed after print... and don’t forget to tell them you saw them in Families Bedfordshire Magazine.

LOCAL THEATRE GUIDE

WIN TICKETS TO MEAD OPEN FARM THIS EASTER!

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes 0844 8717652 www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes PEPPA PIG FAMILY WORKSHOP Wed 28 Mar A Peppa Pig themed workshop held in the backstage studio. Games, storytelling and activities for all the family to enjoy.

Ages: 3 - 7 years PEPPA PIG’S ADVENTURE Wed 28 & Thu 29 Mar Brand new live show of Peppa Pig’s Adventure!

Peppa gets ready to go on an exciting camping trip to the woods with her school friends. Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep & Gerald Giraffe are excited about their outdoor adventure, full of games, laughter and live music!

Mead Open Farm have got 3 sets of Family Day Tickets (each admitting 2 adults and 2 children) to give away to our lucky readers! To win tickets to Mead Open Farm, all you have to do is answer the question below & send your answer to editor@familiesbefordshire.co.uk with your name & contact number.

Who can you groom at Mead Open Farm? a) Wesley the Whale b) Liam the Lion c) Peaches the pony

GROVE THEATRE Grove Park, Court Drive, Dunstable 01582 602080 www.grovetheatre.co.uk MILKSHAKE! LIVE: THE MAGIC STORYBOOK Sun 1 Apr Starring Milkshake favourites Bob the Builder, Little Princess, Fireman Sam & more.

This all-singing, all-dancing, musical masterpiece will take audiences on a journey through the world’s favourite fairytales.

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT DINOSAURS Sun 8 Apr A hit stage show. Go on an exciting pre-historic adventure. Pitting the knowledge of unwitting parents against their all-knowing kids Dr Ben presents an interactive, educational and highly entertaining show using film footage from the BBC’s Planet Dinosaur.

Ages: 5+ QUARRY THEATRE St Peter’s Street, Bedford, MK40 2NN www.quarrytheatre.org.uk FILM: DUMBO Mon 2 Apr Disney classic. Dumbo the elephant is separated from his mother, who is chained up in a separate cage after trying to defend her child. Loveable

Entry close date: Fri 23 Mar 2018 Winners will be contacted by phone call on Mon 26 Mar 2018.

Timothy Mouse offers the hand of friendship to Dumbo, encouraging him to exploit his ‘different’ qualities for fame and fortune.

LUTON LIBRARY THEATRE St Georges Square, Luton LU1 2NG 01582 878100 www.lutonculture.com THE GINGERBREAD MAN Thur 12 Apr Classic story, huge fun, original music & puppets.

See the adventure of the deliciously smelling Gingerbread Man who finds his feet fast & sets off on the journey of a lifetime!

Ages: 3+ CAPTAIN FLINN AND THE PIRATE DINOSAURS 2: THE MAGIC CUTLESS Sat 24 Mar All aboard for a non-stop action packed theatrical performance, with live music, puppetry and dastardly dinosaurs.

Ages: 3+ YOU’VE GOT DRAGONS Fri 30 Mar A delightful tale of one child’s journey to come to terms with their dragons. Live, original music, & highly visual. Sensitive production, humorous & touching exploration of the dragons we all face.

Ages: 3+ THE PLACE THEATRE Bradgate Rd, Bedford, MK40 3DE 01234 354 321 info@theplacebedford.org.uk LITTLE MEERKAT’S BIG PICNIC 10:45am – 11:45am & 1:45pm – 2:45pm Wed 14 Mar An award – winning, fun, friendly, musical & multi – sensory show. Join a little Meerkat in the Kalahari desert on a tiny adventure into some very big feelings.

ATTRACTIONS Herrings Green Activity Farm & Bird of Prey Centre Bedford, MK45 3DT 01234 742362 www.birdsofpreycentre.co.uk MARCH 10TH & 11TH MOTHER’S DAY Tea with Owls Time: 10.30am, 1pm/ 3.30pm Cost: £16/ person Spend an hour in the company of a variety of beautiful owls & have tea and cake afterwards.

MON-SUN Junior Animal Keeper Days Time: 10am – 5pm Ages: 6 -14 yrs Under the supervision of the falconers and animal keepers, children will have the opportunity to take part in many different activities including grooming ponies, flying owls, hawks and eagles, and tending to reptiles.

14 Families Bedfordshire March/April 2018

COMPETITION

Leighton Buzzard Narrow Gauge Railway Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU 4TG The railway is one of the few surviving narrow-gauge light railways in England, & operates as a working museum. www.buzzrail.co.uk WED – SUN Time: 11am – 4pm Milton Keynes Museum McConnell Drive, Wolverton, MK12 5EL All ages History comes to life with amazing stories, interactive displays and eye-catching re-creations. Family-friendly experience, captivating visitors. www.miltonkeynesmuseum.org.uk SAT 10 MAR Children’s MOTHER’S DAY Activity Jordan’s Mill, Langford Rd, Broom, Biggleswade, SG18 9EP Cost: £9.50/ child Children will love the idea of making a Mother’s Day gift. Activities incl. painting a pot in their own design & making a beautiful card.

Booking required www.jordansmill.com

NATURE & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES EVERY SATURDAY THROUGHOUT MARCH Welly Walk Stockwood Discovery Centre, Luton, LU1 4LX Ages: 3- 7 yrs Time: 11am-12noon Cost: £3/ child Meet with other young explorers & go welly walking around Stockwood Discovery Centre.

Includes activities, stories & an exploration of different areas at this fantastic site.

01582 878100 SUN 4 MAR & 1 APR Dunstable Downs – 50 Things Club Whipsnade Road, Dunstable, LU 6 2GY Time: 2pm-3pm Booking required 50 things to do before you are 11¾.

Various fun & educational activities for children, from playing conkers to building a den.

Meeting spot: Visitor’s Centre entrance.

01582 500920 TUES 13 MAR The Secret Snow Cabin Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Rd, Marston Mortaine Ages: 5 - 10 Cost: £4.50/ child Sessions last approximately 1hr 15mins An outdoor adventure to the Secret Snow Cabin. Learn about wildlife along the way & enjoy storytelling in the cosy cabin, with a hot drink and biscuit.

01234 767037 www.marstonvale.org www.familiesonline.co.uk

CLUBS & CLASSES TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS 9:30AM - 12NOON Infant Aquatics Baby & Toddler Swim Classes Gilbert Hitchcock House, Bedford, MK40 2NU Ages: Babies 6 wks - 4 yrs Playful, 30-minute sessions.

With adult in water with child. www.infantaquatics.co.uk TUES 20 MARCH Nature Tots College Lake Nature Reserve, Tring, HP23 5QG Age: Preschoolers Time: 10am-11.30am Cost: £5 donation per child Nature discovery & adventure.

Games, crafts, fun, exploration, story time in the Visitor Centre and light refreshments.

01442 826774 SATURDAYS Time: 9.30am-12noon Leighton Buzzard Multisport Leighton Buzzard Tennis/Cricket Club, Bell Close, Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard.

Ages: 5-14 years Fun sessions offering a range of sports.

Tennis, football, rounders, tag, rugby, basketball & many more.

01525 237325 UP TO THURSDAY 29 MARCH Perform weekly drama, dance and singing classes Sessions in Heath and Reach, and Harpenden Ages: 4-12yrs FREE trial sessions Confidence building fun. Unique mix of drama, dance and singing, specially formulated to bring out every child’s true potential.

020 7255 9120 www.perform.org.uk

fundraising event. Register for the event by going to www.wearahatday.org

Get active & run 5km’s!

For all ages & abilities. FREE. www.parkrun.org.uk

EVENTS 24 & 25, 30 & 31 MAR 1ST & 2ND , 7TH & 8TH, 14TH & 15TH APR Lambing Days Watergate Farm, Hockliffe, Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, LU7 9LN Time: 10: 30-4pm Visitors can hold baby lambs and see a modern sheep farm at work. With over 2000 sheep to give birth, it is a great chance to see lambs actually being born, taking those first few steps and suckling their mothers for the first time.

01525 450 140 turkeys@watergatefarm.co.uk SAT 17 MARCH Town Mayor’s Charity Spring Fayre Astral Park Sports and Community Centre, Johnson Drive, Leighton Buzzard Time: 1.30pm-4.30pm A perfect afternoon out for the family with stalls, face painting, Cha Char Chimps, Sunshine Soft Play, Irish dance and refreshments. Funds raised will go to the mayor’s chosen charity.

SUN 18TH MAR Where’s Wally Family friendly 3.5km Fun Run Russell Park, The Embankment, Bedford Time: 10:30am-12:30pm Run in costume and turn Russell Park into a scene from a Where’s Wally book! We’re fundraising for the National Literacy Trust, supporting deprived families through projects to improve literacy. Put your own costume together and join us in a non-competitive run around the park! www.literacytrust.org.uk

SATURDAYS, THROUGHOUT MARCH AND APRIL Time: 10.30am-12.30pm Lego Club Houghton Regis Library, LU5 5ES ALL AGES FREE Love Lego? Like to create new designs and get creative? This is the perfect outlet to satisfy your needs!

0300 3008058

SAT 24 MAR Cheeki Monkeys Baby and Children’s Market The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 9EP Pop-up baby and children’s market, and fun family event. Buy and sell toys, clothes and equipment, saving up to 90 per cent on quality pre-loved goods.

07733 539079 www.cheekimonkeys.co.uk

EVERY SATURDAY, 9AM Parkrun Venues: Willen Lake North - Milton Keynes, Rushmere Country Park, Bedford Park, Houghton Hall Park, and Wardown Park.

THUR 29 MARCH Wear A Hat Day Raise money for a good cause & have fun at the same time by participating in Wear A Hat Day! The UK’s premier Brain Tumour research

Children’s Wristband Fair FRIDAY 30 MARCH TO THURSDAY 5 APRIL Times: 12noon - 3pm & 3pm to 6pm Clapham Playing Field, Bedford, MK41 6BS 21-22 APRIL, 28-29 APRIL Bromham Water Mill, Bridge End, Bromham, Bedford Cost: all for £7.99. Non-riders are free. Children’s fun day with unlimited use of attractions including inflatables, bungee trampolines, train ride, carousel, tea cup rides and more.

07976813639 SAT 21 APR Shuttleworth (& The Swiss Garden) Old Warden Aerodrome, Nr Biggleswade, Old Warden, SG18 9EP 01767 627933 www.shuttleworth.org FRIDAY 30 MARCH TO TUESDAY 17 Spectacular Spring Trail in The Swiss Garden Throughout the half term holiday there will be a Spectacular Spring trail. Collect an activity sheet from the Visitor Centre and venture your way around the Swiss Garden, finding all the clues to complete the challenge.

MON 9 APR & TUE 10 APR Grow a sunflower craft activity at The Swiss Garden Cost: £1 Decorate a pot & sow a beautiful sunflower seed in the Garden Room.

SUN 29 APR Mad Hatter’s Tea Party Cost: FREE ENTRY: Under 3s. £2 (3+), £10 (adults) Morris and Maypole dancing displays, join in during timed afternoon sessions. Crafts, storytelling & a magic show! Dress up & bring your own Mad Hatter picnic.

MON - FRI Pages Play Café Pages Park, Pavillion, Leighton Buzzard Child friendly café - Lots of toys, soft play & booked entertainers to enjoy.

07763 659207/ 07958 278506

JOHN BUNYAN

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Easter Wonderland 30 March – 13 April

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FREE FREE EASTER EASTER EGG EGG TRAIL TRAIL

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Bedfordshire 15

Toad Hall Nursery

Church Road, Colmworth Looking for childcare? We pride ourselves on offering the very highest standard of care to all our children and ensuring they experience a safe and stimulating environment that promotes children’s learning and development.

Reasons to choose Toad hall: ✿ Specialized learning initiative ✿ Carefully selected and organised resources providing continuity for children’s learning ✿ Each of our rooms have access to our large, stimulating outdoor space for play and learning ✿ Qualified, experienced staff with full DBS certificates and paediatric First aid ✿ Flexible full and part time session available ✿ Offer NHS, Police, and firefighter discount ✿ We have a sport coach and a Spanish teacher come in

For further information Please contact us on : Telephone: 01234 37880 Email: Colmworth@toadhall-nursery.co.uk Or find us on www.toadhall-nursery.co.uk or Facebook.com/ToadHallNurseryColmworth

LEARN TO SWIM WITH...

CRASH COURSES

Every School Holiday

From ages 4+, beginner, improver and advanced courses. Contact the centre to book a space.

Houghton Regis Leisure Centre

Parkside Drive, Houghton Regis, Beds LU5 5PY 01582 866 141

aquaed.houghton@sll.co.uk

Find us online www.sll.co.uk