Families Cardiff & Vale Magazine (January/February 2020)

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IN THIS ISSUE Fresh ideas for a healthier family life Playtime predictions for 2020 Free puzzles and brainteasers!

Issue 5 January/February 2020 www.familiesonline.co.uk

email: editor@familiescardiff.co.uk

familiesonline.co.uk 1

D I R EC TO RY CLASSES & CLUBS

SWIMMING

Baby Sensory Cardiff Award-winning, sensory-rich development classes; designed to support you and your baby from birth. Regular exposure to an incredible range of sounds, smells, sights, textures, music, dance, signing and massage all help rapidly develop the brain in your baby’s first years. We’ve done the research; so you can enjoy the fun. Cardiff East classes run in Lisvane (Tues), Roath (Wed) and Whitchurch (Fri). Cardiff West classes run in Penarth (Tues) and Barry (Wed). Find out more and book at www.babysensory.com

Puddle Ducks Swimming facilitates development of crucial higher brain functions, core muscles and co-ordination.

We provide fabulous, child-led baby and preschool lessons from 0–4 years. Join any time; no need to wait for start of a term.

Our highly trained and qualified teachers are experts at identifying children’s levels of ability and adapting activities to the individual, nurturing confidence and encouraging natural ability. Lessons at Novotel Cardiff CF10 (Mon&Fri); Maes Ebbw School NP20 (Wed); DW Fitness NP20 (Sat); Mercure Cardiff Holland House CF24 (Sun); Llanhennock Lodge NP18 (Sun).

07852 475906 southeastwales@puddleducks.com www.puddleducks.com/cardiff

Forte School Of Music (Llandaff) Immersing little people in music has proven intellectual benefits.

Best of all, it’s loads of fun! Introduce babies to new sounds; encourage tots to explore music; develop your older child’s instrumental abilities with small classes or solo tuition. Adult lessons available. Book your free taster class.

029 2063 1340 fortecardiff@fortemusic.co.uk Hartbeeps Our award-winning classes combine an original soundtrack with a colourful array of magical props and techniques, from light effects to yoga, dance to percussion, to aid speech, language, movement, relaxation, and of course, fun! Classes run in Cyncoed (Mon), Llanishen (Tues), Caerphilly (Wed), Rhiwbina (Thurs) and Llanbradach (Fri), with parties and special events taking place over weekends.

For more information, contact your local Imaginator at lyndsey.stuart@hartbeeps.com, telephone 07880 333189.

Search for Hartbeeps Cardiff on Facebook or visit www.hartbeeps.com Pekary School of Dance We offer classes in tap, ballet, contemporary, ballroom and Latin for boys and girls from 18 months upwards, as well as adult ballet, ballroom and Latin. Join us to receive great support and expert tuition, while having fun and making new friends. Classes take place on Saturdays in term time at Freedom Church, The Warehouse, Trade Street (just off Penarth Road), Cardiff, CF10 5DT. 07793 020666. hannah@pekarydance.co.uk.

Full timetable at www.pekarydance.co.uk Shiny Happy People “Brilliant vibe. Great songs.

So much fun!”A friendly, welcoming parent/baby singing group that’s all about the mums and dads! No nursery rhymes; this hour of energising singing to rock, pop and soul will lift your spirits and soothe your baby. Classes run in Mackintosh Community Centre, Roath (Mon, 10.30), Conalfan Beulah, Rhiwbina (Mon, 13.15) and Insole Court, Llandaff (Fri, 10.00), in addition to special popup events throughout Cardiff and the Vale. £6 drop-in; £5 when booked for term. shinyhappypeoplecardiff@gmail.com Facebook @SHPCardiff.

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Families Cardiff & Vale

PREGNANCY & POSTNATAL Pregnancy Yoga with Anita Gentle exercise supporting your pregnancy from 12 weeks to birth.

You’ll follow calming sequences, controlled stretching, breath control and practice mindfulness to strengthen the connection with your baby. No yoga experience required; suitable for all abilities.

Mon (9.30–10.30) CF61 (Old Youth Centre), Llantwit Major Sun (10.30-–11.30) Studio Viva, Cowbridge. £35 for block of five classes; PAYG from 36 weeks. Pregnancy massage also available.

Book via www.anitaevans.co.uk or call 07528 805 257.

National Childbirth Trust (NCT) Local services www.nct.org.uk/branches/Cardiff NCT Antenatal Courses: Courses available in Newport, Caerphilly, Canton, Whitchurch, Llanishen, Roath, Penarth, Cowbridge.

NCT Breastfeeding weekly drop-in support: Every Thursday 1–3pm, Ararat Centre, Plas Treoda, Whitchurch, CF14 1PT. NCT Baby Massage courses Llanishen and Penarth.

NCT Bumps & Babies group facebook.com/NCTCardiff/ Maes Y Coed Community Centre, CF14 Llanhilleth Miners Institute, Abertillery NCT Prams in the park facebook.com/NCTCardiff/ Every Thursday, Terra Nova Café, Roath Park NCT Red Cross baby first aid facebook.com/NCTCardiff/ Baby Massage & More’ with Miranda Webb A nurturing space to relax every Friday. A baby massage session followed by a group chat. We’ll have a topic each week related to you and your baby, great for early parenting. Each session is 2hrs and includes tea and cake.

This really is baby massage and more. Suitable for babies 0 to 6mths. It’s available to book

as a 6-week course (£65) or drop-in sessions (£11). Every Friday, 1-3pm at Canton Uniting Church Lounge, Cowbridge Rd East, Canton.

Details and booking at www.mirandawebb.co.uk/booking.

The Nest The Nest Birth and Baby Studio in Llanishen is a safe and judgement-free zone for new mums, and home to The Daisy Foundation’s baby massage and yoga classes, run by fully-qualified and accredited perinatal supporter Laura Livingstone.

Mon 11am: baby yoga 4-8 mths; 12.20pm: baby massage/postnatal support for 0-5 mths; 1.30-3.30pm: informal drop-in coffee afternoon for mums and babies up to 2 years, £3.

Tues 1pm: baby massage.

Thurs: Coffee and chat with perinatal specialists; £6.

1pm: baby sensory play, story, rhyme for 8-18 mths). Book at thedaisyfoundation.com/ teacher/laura-livingstone/

BUY & SELL MARKETS Kidsmarkets Nearly New Sales Buy and sell a huge selection of great quality pre-loved children’s toys, clothes and baby equipment, all at a fraction of the usual price! Thousands of items for boys and girls from 0-7 years, from woollies & wellies to buggies, cots and every toy imaginable! Bring babies in carriers if possible to avoid congestion. Secondhand Stalls £18, 21st March, 11am–12.30pm, Howells School Sports Hall 26th April, 11am–12.30pm, Cowbridge Comprehensive School 2nd May, 11am–12.30pm, Howells School Sports Hall

71% ...of readers say they’re highly likely to respond to advertising in Families Magazine. Families Cardiff & Vale reaches 240,000 parents, grandparents and carers annually. To showcase your class, club, party, workshop, open day or event in our directory, contact editor@familiescardiff.co.uk

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Cardiff & Vale

From the editor

Managing editor Rebecca Lewis editor@familiescardiff.co.uk 07813 955290 Head of sales Natasha Gudgeon natasha.gudgeon@familiespublishing.co.uk 07767 893807 Design: 45 Degrees Design & Print Contributors: Andrew Campbell, Tanith Care, Vanessa LoBue, Claire Russell, Claire Winter.

Distribution: Families Cardiff & Vale magazine reaches 240,000 parents, grandparents and carers annually, throughout Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. We distribute throughout key postcodes across the boroughs, and venues including primary schools, state and private nurseries, libraries, soft play centres, leisure centres and attractions, retail outlets, coffee shops and at key family events. To enquire about becoming a distributor, or taking out a private subscription, email editor@familiescardiff.co.uk.

Rebecca Lewis Managing Editor

Contents

Next issue: March/April 2020 Booking deadline: 1 February 2020

Happy new year! From the Families Cardiff & Vale team we’d like to wish you and your family a prosperous 2020. It’s a time of year when many of us are thinking about self-improvement, which is why we’ve packed this issue with ideas and inspiration for nurturing healthier habits for all the family over the coming 12 months and beyond. Whether you’re looking to boost everyone’s fitness levels or get the kids away from screens and into a little art or culture, we’ve enlisted the help of some fantastic experts to share their tips for success. If one of your goals this year is to explore more of your local area with your little ones, we’d like to invite you to join our team of Roving Mums & Dads. You’ll receive access to local venues and attractions and see your opinions in print. If you’d like to sign up, email me at editor@familiescardiff.co.uk.

In this issue 2 Directory Our clubs & classes digest

9 Being a culture vulture The benefits of the arts for your little ones

4-5 News 10-11 New year ideas The inside scoop on local family life Family resolutions for a successful 2020 6-7 Spotlight on schools Making friends at the school gate

12-14 Early years Special feature on babies & pre-schoolers

8 What’s on 16 Kids’ corner Our pick of the season’s best events Puzzles and brainteasers for little ones

JOIN OUR TEAM OF ROVING MUMS & DADS

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Families Cardiff & Vale is growing a team of local parents to review restaurants, activities and events around Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. Interested in joining and seeing your words and experiences in print?

䰀䔀 䐀䤀䘀䘀 ☀ 吀䠀䔀 嘀䄀 匀䄀䰀䔀匀 䤀一 䌀䄀刀漀眀 匀挀栀漀漀氀 匀瀀漀爀琀猀 䠀愀氀氀 攀氀氀猀 一䔀䄀刀䰀夀 一䔀圀 栀Ⰰ 䠀 愀爀挀 琀 䴀 匀愀琀甀爀搀愀礀 ㈀㄀猀 栀漀漀氀

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Email editor@familiescardiff.co.uk with Roving Mums & Dads in the subject line, telling us where you live, and the ages of your children.

爀 欀椀搀猀ᤠ 眀愀礀 琀漀 爀攀挀礀挀氀攀 礀漀甀 吀栀攀 昀甀渀 愀渀搀 昀爀椀攀渀搀氀礀 礀 攀焀甀椀瀀洀攀渀琀⸀ 愀戀 ☀ 戀 攀猀 漀琀栀 Ⰰ 挀氀 漀礀猀 漀甀琀最爀漀眀渀 琀 焀甀愀氀椀琀礀 渀攀愀爀氀礀 渀攀眀 吀栀漀甀猀愀渀搀猀 漀昀 最爀攀愀琀 礀 洀愀爀欀攀琀⸀ 戀甀 椀琀攀洀猀 琀漀 礀 愀琀 攀瘀攀爀

Let’s be friends!

Follow Families Cardiff & Vale magazine on social media for even more family news, competitions, special offers and ideas for days out with the kids.

@FamiliesCardiff

䘀椀渀搀 漀甀琀 洀漀爀攀 愀渀搀 戀漀漀欀 礀漀甀爀 猀琀愀氀氀 愀琀

Families Cardiff & Vale 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 Cardiff & Vale are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Cardiff & Vale. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Cardiff & Vale, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.© Families Cardiff & Vale January/February 2020.

www.familiesonline.co.uk

email: editor@familiescardiff.co.uk

欀椀搀猀洀愀爀欀攀琀猀⸀挀漀⸀甀欀 匀攀挀漀渀搀栀愀渀搀 猀琀愀氀氀猀 ꌀ㄀㠀 䈀甀猀椀渀攀猀猀 猀琀愀氀氀猀 ꌀ㈀ ⼀ꌀ㈀㔀 䌀爀愀昀琀 匀琀愀氀氀猀 ꌀ㈀

䌀栀攀挀欀 琀栀攀 眀攀戀猀椀琀攀 愀渀搀 猀漀挀椀愀氀 洀攀搀椀愀 昀漀爀 搀愀琀攀猀 漀昀 愀氀氀 漀甀爀 洀愀爀欀攀琀猀 椀渀 ㈀ ㈀

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NEWS

Mini Burn back for tenth year!

This year’s Mini Burn Adventure Race is the perfect 2020 fitness challenge for the whole family, involving running, cycling, kayaking and navigating in the beautiful surrounds of Margam Country Park.

Family teams can choose to compete for the top spot, or simply enjoy taking part. Perfect for introducing children of any age to fitness challenges. Participants need a bike and comfortable sports clothing, with all other equipment provided.

Mini Burn Founder and double world record holder, Maria Leijerstam, says: ‘We organise the day in a very informal way with fun at its heart so that everyone, regardless of fitness level or experience can thrive and make memories.’

Finishers receive a special edition ten-year anniversary medal, race time information and a souvenir orienteering map.

Mini Burn begins with staggered starts from 10am, 10 October 2020. Register by March to benefit from Super Early Bird prices of £25 (adults) and £15 (children).

Find out more and register at www.burnseries.co.uk/races/mini

Whitchurch High School pupils roll up sleeves for Blood Service Students and staff from Whitchurch High School in Cardiff have been thanked by the Welsh Blood Service for giving blood to help patients in need.

More than 60 blood donations were recently made at the first blood donation session to be held specifically for students and staff at the school, potentially saving or improving more than 180 lives.

Headteacher Mr Mark Powell, said: ‘We are a school that serves a community and do all we can to instil strong community values in our students. We always strive to make a positive difference to people's lives, so to see our

students come out to support this endeavour is testimony to their willingness as individuals to make a difference – they truly are an amazing group of youngsters.’

After making her first donation, student, Maddie, said: ‘I was so nervous beforehand because I'm not great with needles but it was absolutely fine, the staff make you feel so comfortable.

‘I wanted to give blood here today because my mum had to have a blood transfusion years ago. Now today I'm helping someone in need like my mum.’

Cowbridge Comprehensive and Monmouth Schools have also joined Whitchurch in donating blood.

For more information visit www.wbs.wales/schools 4

Families Cardiff & Vale

New project helps Welsh primary school children combat ‘fake news’ A free new online resource is being launched which aims to equip primary school pupils in Wales with the basics of news reporting.

The ‘Making News Toolkit for Schools’ has been created through a collaboration between the National Education Union Cymru and Cardiff University’s Centre for Community Journalism (C4CJ).

The toolkit will help trainers deliver sessions to children in order to help combat the spread of so-called ‘fake news’ and equip them with the skills to

question and verify information they are given.

It also, crucially, teaches all children in Wales that their voice matters and gives them the skills to tell their own stories. The toolkit is part of NEU Cymru’s Welsh Government-funded Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF) project.

Toolkit co-author, Anna Wynn Roberts, has a background in video journalism and documentary-making for Channel 4 and the BBC, but also trained and worked as a teacher.

The online resource is available in both English and Welsh.

Find out more at www.neu.org.uk www.familiesonline.co.uk

NEWS

The Big Garden Birdwatch The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch takes place from 25 to 27 January and is the largest wildlife survey in the world.

The information collected helps monitor bird species in the UK, and is great fun for children.

To take part, you need to watch the birds in your garden or local park for just one hour at some point over the three days and report your results to the RSPB. You can request a free Big Garden Birdwatch pack from the RSPB which includes a bird identification chart and advice to help you attract wildlife to your garden.

To make it fun, challenge your children to see who can spot the most birds. Take a bike ride to a local park to look for birds, or make a day trip out of it and spot birds in a new place.

More info at www.rspb.org.uk

Congratulations to Forte School of Music!

Having opened in September 2000, this year sees the Llandaff-based music school, Forte celebrate its twentieth anniversary of introducing children and adults to the joy of learning a musical instrument.

With thousands of young musicians having passed through its doors, the school is now welcoming registrations for 2020.

For babies from 6 months of age, Jungle Music teaches the fundamental concepts of music and encourages development in areas such as numbers, colours and the world around us.

Gender reveal parties on the rise The American trend of gender reveal parties to announce the sex of a baby is becoming increasingly popular here in the UK. Celebrated at an earlier stage in pregnancy than a baby shower, a gender reveal party announces whether expectant parents will be giving birth to a boy or a girl.

Sometimes this will be a surprise for the couple themselves, with some asking the sonographer at their 20 week scan to write "boy" or "girl" on a piece of paper and to put it in an envelope. It is then given to a friend or relative who organises the party.

Traditional ‘reveals’ include a cake with blue or pink sweets hidden inside, a pink or blue confetti-filled piñata or a guest taking off a hat to reveal a pink or blue wig. But more dramatic announcements, including fireworks are becoming more and more common.

www.familiesonline.co.uk

Our foundation piano course, Music is Fun (for ages 3.5–5) and premier beginner piano courses, Junior Keys (5–7 years) and Piano Keys (7–9 years) all focus on learning being fun, incorporating movement, singing, percussion, music theory and composition into fast-paced lessons designed to keep your child engaged and focussed.

For students aged 10 years or upwards, we offer a variety of lessons, ranging from private tuition on a wide selection of instruments, to Coffee Keys, our adult drop-in piano class and Forte Live, our new band club for the rockers amongst you.

Find out more at www.fortemusic.co.uk

Would you rent clothes for your baby?

Babies can get through an alarming number of outfits in a day, so there’s no getting away from the fact that you will need plenty of sleepsuits in different sizes, each of which will only fit for a matter of months or weeks. So how to you avoid ending up with piles of clothes your baby has outgrown?

For more and more new parents, the answer is simple: rent. Two UK companies have introduced a rental service for baby clothes and maternity wear, which they say are affordable, more environmentally friendly, and reduces time

spent on constantly updating your baby’s wardrobe.

Families pay a monthly subscription, return outgrown clothes and then receive the next size up, in line with their baby’s growth and the changing seasons. Clothes are professionally cleaned and must pass quality control before being sent to the next renting family.

For more info visit www.bundlee.co.uk or www.bellesandbabes.co.uk email: editor@familiescardiff.co.uk

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SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS

Westbourne Prep: Excellent results and an average class size of 16!

An all round ‘excellent’ Estyn inspection, teacher to pupil ratio of just 1: 8 and broad range of exciting clubs, sports and musical opportunities, it’s no surprise that Westbourne Prep was recently a finalist in the Independent School Parent School of the Year awards.

Offering a caring community, wealth of opportunities and excellent academic outcomes, the school also provides optional wrap around care from 8am – 6pm, a vibrant Holiday Club and school bus service throughout Cardiff and the Vale.

Applications are currently open… come and join the learning adventure.

Find out more at www.westbourneschool.com

Fairfield Primary School’s nursery turns two!

Based in Penarth, Fairfield Primary’s School’s nursery opened in January 2018, providing a spacious, stimulating indoor environment, along with an outdoor learning area, where children can fully immerse themselves in play, developing social skills whilst learning about the world around them.

From their very first visit to Fairfield, children show great enjoyment in all they are involved in, such as a variety of fun Christmas themed activities, which continues as they prepare for their year in Reception, ensuring a smooth transition on their educational journey.

Experienced staff welcome the young children into a caring and nurturing environment, working in partnership with parents and family members, to develop the children’s learning and achievements.

Visits to the nursery are welcome by phoning the school office on 02920 709035.

Cardiff primary school wins Good Diabetes Care Award Baden Powell Primary School in Tremorfa, has won an award for providing great care to children and young people with Type 1 diabetes.

The school was chosen for the Diabetes UK ‘Good Diabetes Care in School Award' because of the support it provides to students with the condition, the help it offers to manage their diabetes safely, and the care it takes to include them in all school activities.

The recognition scheme aims to raise awareness of the vital role that good diabetes care in school, plays in keeping children safe, supporting them to achieve full academic potential and promoting their personal development.

For more information about Type 1 diabetes, visit www.diabetes.co.uk

Cowbridge pupils launch pop-up Christmas shop!

Y Bont Faen Primary School pupils put their entrepreneurial skills to work at Christmas, designing, creating and selling a range of exciting products at their annual Christmas Fair.

Marshmallow snowmen, handmade tote bags, honeycomb and gingerbread men, scented bath bombs, reindeer cones and hand-drawn activity books were all quickly snapped up by the school community.

Each class came up with their own idea for their enterprise, having first mind-mapped

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Families Cardiff & Vale

a variety of ideas. Pupils then worked together to create a brand name and slogan for their product and created persuasive posters which were displayed around school.

Pupils in Year 6 surveyed members of the school to find out their favourite parts of activity books, whilst pupils in Reception found out how much pupils would be willing to spend on a tote bag. Groups of pupils took responsibility for the design of the stalls at the fair, which everyone agreed look very professional!

www.familiesonline.co.uk

SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS

Making friends with parents at the school gate

By Tanith Carey We all know that kids' friendships can be complicated. But we often don’t recognise how complex the relationships between parents can be too. Why else, would we feel nervous about having no one to talk to in the playground at school pick-up?

These bonds with other parents are critically important, not only for us, but for our kids. Not only do good relationships with the parents of our child's classmates helps us feel more tuned in to what's happening at school, but bonds with other adults we meet at school can also help our children have easier, happier friendships themselves.

We are our children’s first role models when it comes to making friends. They closely observe how we interact – whether it’s being friendly and open to all, or being more reserved and sticking to more exclusive groups of parents. The more open we are to meeting other parents, the easier it is to support our kids' friendships and help them develop a wider social circle.

Be friendly to everyone. Be prepared to talk to every parent in your child’s class, not just the ones you feel you have a lot in common with. Every human being deserves to be treated with basic courtesy, no matter who they are.

By role-modelling this for your child, you will be passing on one of the most important life lessons there is.

Respect your child’s likes. Be enthusiastic about inviting home any child your son or daughter plays with at school. Friendship between children is chemical so don’t limit their options by deciding who they should socialise with.

Set up playdates. Playdates are important for helping your child learn friendship skills, like compromise and turn-taking. When parents drop off or collect, be friendly and open and offer tea or coffee. Some may accept your invites and other may not, but either way you will be doing your best for your child.

Set up a social media group. If you are daunted by the idea of penetrating

groups of parents who look like they all know each other in the playground, suggest setting up a WhatsApp or Facebook group, not only to support each other and set up play-dates, but also to get a better idea of who the kinder parents are. They are also more likely to have kinder kids.

Check your competitive urges. We all want our children to do well. But when we start measuring their achievements against others, it can wreck relationships with other school parents. Competitive power play puts others on their guard and chats feel more like stressful duels than enjoyable conversations.

Rise above competitive behaviour of others. If another parent makes a competitive power-play, side-step it by drawing attention to the goals you BOTH have in common, whether it’s for your kids both getting better at Maths or for them both to play their best for the school team.

Let them sort out their own disputes. Many school gate relationships rupture when parents fall out or start ignoring each other because their kids have fallen out. So unless your child is being targeted repeatedly by another child in an attempt to hurt them, let them resolve conflict for themselves. The chances are your kids will be talking again soon, but if you've made a stand against another parent, it will still stay awkward between you - and that helps no one.

For social-science based insights into how to help your child have better friendships and learn friendship skills, look out for Tanith’s new book The Friendship Maze: How to Help Your Child Navigate Their Way to Positive and Happier Friendships, published by Summersdale and available from Amazon (£10.99).

Minibu s service throug hout Cardiff & Vale

Excellence ...it’s our way of life Daily wrap-around care available 8am - 6pm 1896

WESTBOURNE PREP SCHOOL 2 TO 11 YEARS

www.familiesonline.co.uk

02920 705 705

admissions@westbourneschool.com westbourneschool.com

Applications Now Open Please tell advertisers you saw them in Families Cardiff & Vale Magazine.

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W H AT ’ S O N

RAINY DAYS

HIGLIGHT OUTDOORS

January & February

BABIES FREE

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MISSION: PLANET EARTH National Museum Cardiff Throughout Jan, ongoing

CARRY ON SCREAMING Chapter, Canton Every Friday, 11am, ongoing

JURASSIC JANUARY AT CRAFTY CAFÉ See website for venues Every Sat & Sun in Jan

In this virtual reality experience, you’ll put on a headset and be transported back through time to see what Wales was like millions of years ago. Purchase tickets at front desk on the day. Suitable for ages 10+. £10 per person.

Baby screenings allow parents and carers with a child under one to see classic films and new releases at Chapter without having to worry about their baby causing a disturbance. Call the box office to book on 029 2030 4400.

Catch the veeeeery long tail end of the Dippy Tour with our pop-up Crafty Cafés in various city centre shops and other venues. Kids aged 5–11 will enjoy our dino crafts; little ones welcome with older siblings.

www.museum.wales

www.chapter.org

www.facebook.com/ForCardiff

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TALK: MEET DIPPY National Museum Cardiff 18 Jan–12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm

DIPPY ON TOUR! National Museum Cardiff Until 26 Jan

THE BIG WELSH RHYME TIME Cardiff & Vale libraries 10–14 Feb

Learn more about Dippy the dinosaur in this talk presented by head of palaeontology, Dr Caroline Buttler. Discover what the world was like when Dippy was alive, and the fascinating story of his discovery.

Suitable for 7+ years. £2.

Last chance to see the iconic Diplodocus skeleton in Cardiff before his 292 bones leave the National Museum and continue on tour around the UK. Dippy is cast from a near complete skeleton discovered in Wyoming in 1898.

Look up what’s happening at your local library or hub around this second annual celebration of sharing rhymes and songs for early-years children across Wales.

Nurseries and childminders can register for free certificates.

www.museum.wales

www.museum.wales/dippy

www.booktrust.org.uk

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PARENTS & KIDS WATERFALLS WALK Blaen y Glyn 21 Feb, 11am–3pm

ST DAVID’S DAY FAMILY FUN RUN Bute Park 1 Mar, Registration from 9am

Blow away the winter cobwebs on this family friendly guided trek through thick pine forests. Picnic by a majestic waterfall and explore abandoned rail tunnels.

Dogs, cameras and babies in slings welcome. £12.50.

Put on your rugby shirt, bring your blowup dragon and don your daffodils for an atmospheric two kilometre family fun run around Bute Park. Just by entering you’ll be supporting the amazing work of Kidney Wales. £9.

www.walesoutdoors.co.uk

www.invncbl.co.uk/st-davids-day-run

Showcase your event in our March/April issue.

Booking deadline: 1 February.

We strive to make sure all information is up to date, but things can change at the last minute. Please check with the venue before you leave home.

Image credits: Dippy On Tour: Sam Bond.

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CULTURE

Being a culture vulture is good for your children

By Claire Winter Did you know that full participation in cultural and artistic life is a basic human right for children, which is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

Giving children an education in art and culture is to broaden their knowledge and experience of the world. By sharing different experiences with them, whether art, theatre, dance or music, you are offering them a window into other perspectives, lives, imaginations, hopes and dreams. An arts education helps children learn how to observe, describe, analyse and interpret.

A cultural education is not only hugely enriching, it can boost academic achievement and improve self-confidence and self-esteem. Research shows that participating in art projects leads to an improvement in social behaviour, helping to engage even the most disconnected students. An arts education can boost tolerance levels in children too; immersion in a dance show or art installation allows them to step out of their own lives and put themselves in another’s shoes.

Regular exposure to the arts can encourage children to take up their own artistic project – drawing, painting, performing, playing an instrument or dancing. In this way, they can actively explore their own creativity and emotional world, expressing their feelings, with or without words.

A recent study shows that the learning opportunities for students in arts and culture have significantly declined in many state schools because of a lack of funding. Schools need increased support from the government to ensure that children are engaging with the arts and culture throughout their education.

We are lucky that there are many free art galleries and museums in South Wales which can inspire and educate our children. You can also take advantage of the live screenings of ballet, theatre, and opera that are regularly shown in our cinemas. For the price of a ticket, you can see The Royal Ballet and many other famous actors and musicians perform.

It’s also worth getting on the mailing list of your local arts centre as they often hold events or festivals that are free, partially free or subsidised, particularly in school holidays.

Art isn’t just good for education, it’s good for our economy too.

According to recent Government statistics, the creative industries are worth £8 million per hour to the UK economy. A British Council report found that arts and culture is regarded as the number one ‘selling point’ in the UK among young people from China, Brazil, India, Germany, and the US. If we are to continue attracting tourists, students, and business investors from overseas, we must continue to highlight the importance of educating our children about art and culture. www.familiesonline.co.uk

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9

NEW YEAR IDEAS

Short Break Ideas for 2020

By Claire Winter Budget airlines, busier lives, and the desire to see lots of different places in a shorter amount of time are just some of the reasons why families are opting for more frequent shorter breaks. And psychologists say they’re good for your mental health too and potentially more satisfying than one longer holiday each year.

Adventure Awaits Outdoor adventure breaks are growing in popularity.

Cosy up in a cottage in North Wales to have a go on the world’s fastest zip wire (www.zipworld.co.uk) or explore the stunning scenery of the Pyrenees. The Adventure Creators (www.adventurecreators.co.uk) are a small, friendly tour operator that specialises in multi-activity holidays in this mountainous area, where activities include canyoning, rock climbing, mountain biking, river rafting, and high rope adventures.

Theme Park Fun Copenhagen is home to two amusement parks. Bakken, with its 82 year old wooden rollercoaster, is just ten minutes’ drive north of the city and is the world’s oldest amusementpark, dating back to 1583.

Tivoli Gardens consists of 15 acres packed with pagodas, roller coasters, and fairground rides, including the world’s tallest carousel. You could also check out Efteling: World of Wonders in Holland (www.efteling.com/en). It’s about 1.5 hours from Amsterdam (main image) and has a fun, fantasy, storybook setting and a variety of novel accommodation options.

Unusual European City Breaks

Eco Friendly Stays

Reykjavik is a perfect place to visit with a family because it’s small size and easy to explore, with plenty of colourful buildings, interesting food and cosy cafes in which to enjoy coffee and cake. You can take day trips to explore the stunning waterfalls and hot springs of the Icelandic landscape. Or there’s Bari in Italy (pictured). With its host of historic buildings and winding streets, it’s fun, noisy and perfect for families that like to wander and soak up the sunshine.

With awareness growing of the effect of travel on the environment, think about travelling by train, which is much greener. Amsterdam, Bruges, Bordeaux, Lyon, Strasbourg and Cologne can all be reached by rail in under 6 hours from London. Then there are eco-friendly destinations such as Slovenia (www.slovenia.info/en) where 54% of the land is under protection (pictured). It also has beautiful coastal towns to explore and activities like white water rafting and hiking to try.

10 Families Cardiff & Vale

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NEW YEAR IDEAS

Join a group that’s all about How to set a goal - ‘Loving Being and stick to it...

You’

As the first person to cycle to the South Pole, Maria Leijerstam knows about sticking to resolutions. The Mini Burn Founder shares her tips for success.

1. D efine your goal. It can be small (finally read that book on your

bedside table) or meaty (register for a family fitness challenge like Mini Burn – see page 4 for 2020 details). But make it something that matters to you personally.

2. S hout about it. Pin it to the fridge or kitchen notice board. Tell

colleagues and friends. It’s more difficult to back down if you’ve shared your intention.

3. Team up. Peer pressure maintains focus and commitment. The best team of all is the one under your roof.

4. Set a time scale. Put the completion date in your diary, then work backwards, setting mini goals to achieve along the way. Set review dates, asking: ‘Are we on track to meet completion date?’ Yes? Keep going! No? Ask why and alter your plan.

5. C elebrate! An important step, often forgotten, is to pause and

honour your successes. It’s important to enjoy the process as well as the end result.

If you would like to be part of a non-judgemental group to support you or your family to create healthy habits in your daily lives then look no further than ‘Loving Being You’.

For 18 years, group owner Hannah Pekary has been working as a nanny supporting families with sleep training, family meals, positive reward training and so much more. She also has experience in nutrition, supporting parents to balance meals, while also supporting families in education through one to one and group tuition in English and Maths.

This Facebook group will give you tips on healthy habits and act as an open forum for everyone to discuss their own, whilst also showing you how Hannah’s 121 coaching can help turn these new ideas into healthy habits and the lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of.

For more information email hannah@pekarydance.co.uk

Register for Mini Burn

For almost two decades Hannah Pekary has been supporting families across South Wales.

A Family Adventure Race To Remember!

Loving Being You offers one-to-one and group coaching

To celebrate our 10 year anniversary,

we’re offering super early bird registration from just £15...

www.burnseries.co.uk/races/mini

to support families and help them develop healthy habits around nutrition, behaviour and wellbeing.

Hannah is also a professional tutor and dance instructor, so whatever your needs, she can help.

Get in touch today!

WHAT

5k Run, 1K Kayak, 10K Bike

hannah@pekarydance.co.uk 07793 020 666 www.pekarydance.co.uk

WHEN

10 October 2020

WHERE

Margam Country Park All ages and abilities. No specialist equipment required – all you need is a bike. Compete or take your time, either way you’ll have fun!

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email: editor@familiescardiff.co.uk

11

EARLY YEARS

The problems with thumb sucking...

Thumb sucking is a natural source of comfort for children; sucking on thumbs, fingers and dummies makes babies and young children feel secure and happy. There are even images of babies sucking digits in the womb – perhaps your child is one of those! The habit can also kick in when children are bored, tired or anxious.

Most children stop sucking by the time they’re 4 or 5 years of age, and this normally happens quite naturally without too much encouragement.

However if you have a child older than 5, possibly with adult teeth beginning to appear, you may be concerned that digit sucking is becoming harmful. So what age should they stop or what could be the long-term effects if they don’t stop?

Thumb or finger sucking can be a very difficult habit to break, no matter how much the child wants to give up. Thumb sucking, as every dentist knows, can have a detrimental effect on the development of children’s teeth and mouth, and can cause lifelong dental problems which can only be solved through orthodontic or surgical treatment.

When thumb or finger sucking starts (normally from birth) a baby’s bones are very soft and still forming, so if the soft palate is constantly pushed upward by the thumb or finger it can become malformed. Alarmingly, if continued for a long time, the habit can also change the growth of the face and cause the collapse of the upper jaw. It stops the teeth from biting together at the front, which can lead to other problems, most commonly the upper front teeth becoming prominent, which in turn affects speech and the bite of the teeth. It is difficult to correct malocclusion (irregular contact of upper and lower jaw) caused by thumb sucking.

According to Dr. Lina Kotecha from Glen Dental, Leicester, the intensity of the sucking is a factor that determines whether or not dental problems may follow later in life. ‘In the event that children rest their thumbs latently in their mouths, they are probably going to cause fewer issues than the individuals who vivaciously suck their thumbs. Some forceful thumb suckers may create issues with their infant (essential) teeth and additionally their grown-up teeth,’ she says.

The good news is that once the sucking habit has stopped, natural improvement of the teeth can occur within six months. If the habit stops before the adult teeth are starting to develop (age 7/8) then your child is unlikely to experience any problems. According to experts, these children will be lucky enough to not have caused any long-term damage to their teeth.

By the time a child starts school, thumb or finger sucking may cause other problems like social anxiety and embarrassment, and a fear of being thought of as ‘babyish’ by older children. Children who suck their fingers or thumb in class often lose concentration and ‘zone out’; they stop when reminded by staff, but the cycle normally quickly repeats itself.

Stopping Sucking Children often suck their thumbs or fingers to get to sleep, when they are feeling unsure, tired, bored or sad. Sucking can become associated with particular times of the day, perhaps story time at school, or whilst watching TV or getting to sleep. It can help to identify the times when your child is most likely to start sucking, then you can decide on a method of intervention to support them during those periods.

Interventions can include applying plasters and bandaging digits, applying a foul-tasting liquid to the nail, wearing a plastic or crochet thumb guard or Thumbsie®, a fabric thumb guard which fits perfectly around a child’s hand to gently help them to give up sucking.

For more advice on thumb and finger sucking visit www.thumbsie.co.uk 12

Families Cardiff & Vale

Using baby science to soothe your newborn.

By Vanessa LoBoe Babies start learning before they’re born. In the third trimester, they begin to learn about what’s most familiar to them, and develop preferences for these things, perhaps because they are comforting. For example, they develop a preference for familiar tastes and smells, like the smell of their own amniotic fluid, or flavours from their mother’s food. Most importantly, there’s evidence that we can promote soothing and sleep in the short-term and emotional development and even literacy skills in the long term, simply by leveraging the science of newborns’ love of the familiar.

Touch & movement One example is touch. In the third trimester, fetuses have typically grown so much that they fill up all the space that their mothers can provide for them, likely resulting in the sensation of being compressed, or tightly bound by the walls of the uterus. The familiarity of this sensation can be replicated by swaddling—or being compressed tightly with blankets. Consistent with this idea, research suggests that babies who are swaddled sleep longer and cry less than other babies.

In the same way, skin-to-skin contact might be particularly soothing as well, as babies are used to being surrounded by the warm pressure of the sides of the womb. Like swaddling, research suggests that skin-to-skin contact is related to better sleep and reduced crying, as well as a variety of other benefits including lower stress responses, and better established breast-feeding routines.

Newborns become accustomed to rocking and swaying in the third trimester, moving with their mothers’ bodies, swaying back and forth as she walks around during the day. In fact, babies are often born with day and night mixed up, since they are used to being rocked all day long as mum walks around, and being still during the night. This explains why babies often wake at night just as mum is lying down to sleep!

Research has shown that infants who are carried more cry substantially less than infants who are placed in front of a mobile.

And although people might tell you that too much carrying will spoil your babies, there is no evidence to support this idea. In fact, research suggests that carrying has long-term benefits for emotional health, as well as short-term benefits for sleep and reduced crying. Indeed, infants who are held and cuddled as babies are the most likely to be healthy and well-adjusted as adults; the more they are held as babies, the better they function later on.

Speaking ‘motherese’ By the time babies are born, most will prefer the sound of their mother’s voice to all other voices. Even though you might be embarrassed to use your best ‘baby talk’ voice out loud, research suggests that babies love the drawn out, high pitched nature of baby-talk or what researchers call ‘motherese’. Its use has been suggested to help babies parse their first words from a long stream of speech. Talking to babies in general can promote language development and literacy, so talking to your baby as much as possible might not only help with soothing, but also with later communication.

Vanessa LoBue is the author of 9 Months In, 9 Months Out: A Scientist's Tale of Pregnancy and Parenthood, published by Oxford University Press. She is an expert in the field of child development, particularly in infancy and she writes a monthly column for Psychology Today called The Baby Scientist.

www.familiesonline.co.uk

EARLY YEARS

Local support for the antenatal period and early years Baby Love Matters is an in-home therapeutic service to support the vital attachment relationship between parents and babies, from pregnancy through to two years of age.

Dr Orion Owen (PhD RN Rm SCPHN) can provide help with:

1. Understanding why babies behave the way they do, what they

are communicating, and how to respond to behaviours such as prolonged crying, difficulty in soothing and feeding.

Healthy eating is part of nursery life at Acorns

2. Managing anxious feelings and thoughts about your baby’s health

In the early years, it is vital for children to eat the right foods for growth and development. If children eat well in their early years, they go on to make healthy choices throughout their lives.

She has expert knowledge and therapeutic skills necessary to helping parents and babies, continuously investing in her own education and training (Anna Freud; Tavisock and Portman NHS Trust; Roehampton University) to provide the highest standards of service.

Jane Spear who has been a Cook at Acorns Nurseries for 12 years understands the importance of healthy minds and healthy bodies.

‘At Acorns, cooking activities are a popular part of nursery life and the children love to take part in food tasting sessions. We celebrate different cultures and festivals and enjoy learning about foods from all over the world.

and development, as well as your own wellbeing.

COSTS: First or single consultations of 80 minutes: £65.

Additional sessions of 60 minutes: £45.

For more information contact drowen@babylovematters.com; 07470 694322.

‘We believe in providing home cooked, delicious meals every day and encourage the children to take a healthy interest in food. Each nursery has a vegetable planter where the children sow seeds for peppers, courgettes, beans, potatoes, strawberries and more. These are then harvested and used by our Cooks in nursery meals’.

Baby Love Matters Dr Owen phD MSc BSc has over 30 years’ experience working with parents and babies as a registered nurse, midwife, specialist community public health nurse, and researching mental health in postnatal mothers.

She provides in-home therapeutic support for parents and babies, from the antenatal period up to two years of age.

Consultations can help with...

• Managing anxious feelings and overwhelming thoughts around the health and wellbeing of your baby.

• Understanding why babies behave the way they do, what they are communicating to you and how to respond.

• Coping mechanisms for regular or prolonged periods of crying, difficulty in soothing, night time waking, feeding issues, and generally seeming unpredictable.

Get in touch to arrange a consultation in your own home.

07470 694322

www.babylovematters.com drowen@babylovematters.com www.familiesonline.co.uk

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13

EARLY YEARS

Play predictions 2020 Early Years Specialist, Claire Russell, predicts the top 5 children’s play trends for the year to come.

As we seek to live more responsibly, parents and carers will be enlisting the help of toys and resources which support this ethos, encouraging sustainability and helping raise ethically minded children.

Future proofing our children, both emotionally and from a practical point of view, will become more important, building their resilience and preparing them for an ever-changing professional landscape which continues to be influenced by the growth of technology.

We are starting to see a backlash to consumerism, partly in line with the rise in sustainable living, and people are beginning to place more value in experiences over things.

We are becoming increasingly aware that we not only need to educate our children about the importance of protecting our planet for future generations but also, ensuring our children are prepared for what the world might look like over the coming decades.

Claire Russell is the founder of playHOORAY! She is passionate about play and keeping kids playing for longer.After having her son in 2014 she decided to use her teaching experience to create and share activities online inspiring other parents and practitioners working with young children. *McKinsey Global Institute

For further information visit playhooray.co.uk

14 Families Cardiff & Vale

TOP FIVE playtime trends for the new year 1. Versatile toys and play resources As awareness steadily grows around sustainability, parents will start thinking more about how many toys their children have and how much they actually need, steering their little ones towards those resources which offer greater potential for play. The more ways something can be played with the better!

2. Making memories l see a greater emphasis on making those precious moments together count. Instead of buying more toys or giving actual tangible gifts, we’ll put a higher priority on spending our time and money making magical memories through experiences.

3. Learning about the natural world We will continue to seek out activities that teach our children about and encourage their curiosity in nature, giving them a greater appreciation and understanding of the world around them and an increased motivation to better look after it as they get older.

4. Expressing our feelings and emotions With mental health being talked about more and more, we will in turn seek to give our children the space, tools and language required to better express their feelings and emotions.

5. More coding and ICT As artificial intelligence continues to gather pace, a fifth of our workforce is estimated to be automated by 2030,* As a result we will be investing more in the kind of play which will help our children learn and develop the skills set to become essential components of the future workplace.

www.familiesonline.co.uk

Where little acorns grow...

It has been 30 years since we opened our very first Nursery in Oakfield Street. At Acorns Nurseries Limited we have watched proudly as some of our very first ‘Little Acorns’ have grown. In fact, some of the children who started with us in the early years have returned to us as Nursery Nurses and even have their own children at Acorns.

Qualified and experienced Nursery Nurses and Early Years Teachers prepare children for a lifetime of learning. Chefs provide healthy and nutritious meals, prepared and cooked daily on site. Housekeepers, Gardeners and Maintenance staff all work together within our team to ensure each of our nurseries is an environment where your children feel safe, secure and most of all happy.

Acorns Nurseries Limited have 12 nurseries located in South Wales and Bristol.

Caring for babies and children from 6 weeks to 5 years old.

We are open from 7.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday, closing only on Bank Holidays.

Each nursery offers large playrooms with designated areas for rest and active play as well as a wealth of the highest quality equipment for adventure and learning.

Contact Us

Children enjoy the benefits of outdoor play whatever the weather and we are fortunate to have some beautiful secure gardens with covered play areas. Acorns children enjoy our Forest School sessions, making mini beast mansions, wood cookies and learning about their natural environment.

T: 02920 382 009 F: 02920 221 044 info@acornsnurseries.co.uk

www.acornsnurseries.co.uk

Our open-door policy means that as a parent you can call in at any time to see Acorns life in action. You will be made to feel most welcome and our Managers will be happy to show you around and answer any questions you may have. email: editor@familiescardiff.co.uk

15

KIDS’ CORNER

PICTURE CROSSWORD

Can you solve the picture clues and put them in the crossword?

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WINTER FUN Find these winter words in the grid.

Then read the remaining unused letters on the bottom three lines from left to right to find a secret message!

E T A L O C O H C T O H

C L N E F E B A K H U S

Y L O R R O B I N A N W

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G A D D R N E N P V P I

S O S O L E T R C E U D

C U S N O W M A N L D E

A H M G C U K T I O D L

R O A H A N O G L T L S

F H R O E M E R M S E N

O Y W Z M E P I T O T T

R E O L E O E O B H H E

I R A U L A B C P F A R

F K V S K I R S I F I W

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❄❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ski thaw puddle

16 Families Cardiff & Vale

ice sled robin scarf frozen snowman hot chocolate

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DOT TO DOT Join the dots to create a creature you may see in your garden this winter!

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When you’ve finished, why not colour it in?

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