Families Oxfordshire magazine Christmas 2013

FREE

Issue 58

CHRISTMmAbeSr 2013

Dece November -

Win a party for

at Oxford’s new GAME CENTRE GREAT

CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES

and gift ideas

BUMPER What’s On including WHERE’S SANTA and CHRISTMAS SHOWS

• Boarding and day school • Girls 3-18 years • Boys 3-8 years

Early Years Foundation Stage Open Afternoon

Wednesday 12 February 2.00pm - 3.30pm

A happy and purposeful atmosphere for learning

Rye St Antony, Pullen’s Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 OBY

Rye offers an environment in which achievements are celebrated, efforts praised and pupils are enabled to thrive and grow, keen to learn and keen to succeed.

Telephone: 01865 762802 Fax: 01865 763611 E-mail: enquiries@ryestantony.co.uk Website: www.ryestantony.co.uk Registered Charity No. 309685

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“Outstanding” Latest ISI Inspection Report

NURSERY OPEN DAYS Friday 24 January 2014 9.30am - 11.30am Wednesday 12 March 2014 9.30am - 11.30am

“We couldn’t find a parent who was less than dewy-eyed about the place” Good Schools Guide 2012 For more details please contact: Mrs Karen Copson 01235 858462 admissions@manorprep.org Faringdon Road, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 6LN

www.manorprep.org

OPEN MORNING 15 NOVEMBER 2013, 10.00-12 noon Little Willows, the large, newly designed Nursery School for Cranford House Specially tailored curriculum Extra-curricular programme of clubs & activities after school and during holidays For boys and girls from age 2 upwards 8am – 6pm throughout the year Email: admissions@cranfordhouse.net Tel : 01491 651218

FRSETEER A TA

SESSIONS

to join in the fun call

01869 325 499 693_oxford_advert_01.indd 1

Families Oxfordshire designed

by Dickidot Limited.

waterbabies.co.uk

24/08/2012 Front cover by Yours Truly Photography

16:06

01865 400801 www.dickidot.com

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Advertise in Families Oxfordshire call 01993 815966 or email editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

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Contents NEW ARMY THEMED GAMES IN OXFORD

04/05

News and views

06/07

EDUCATION What’s on the menu at your child’s school?

A revolution in education – University Technical College

Children’s entertainment company Partyman World, has converted part of the Ozone Leisure Park in to an armythemed laser warfare game centre! Open now – Laser Kombat offers a unique experience to children aged six upwards, as well as parties for adults and corporate packages.

08/09

CHRISTMAS OUTDOOR GIFTS & ACTIVITIES

10/11

PARENTING Let the fight their own battles Where’s Santa listing Local toy shops

On entering Laser Kombat, you’ll be met with a special army corporal and be dressed-up in an army outfit and camouflage paint. You’ll be gaming in different rooms around sand bags, barrels and old war props to add to the fun and atmospehere! The new Oxford centre is just one of three in the UK providing a unique gaming experience.

For more details contact (01865) 788380, email Oxford@laserkombat.co.uk or visit laserkombat.co.uk.

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CHRISTMAS BOOKS

13

TWELVE DAYS OF A FAMILY FILLED CHRISTMAS!

14-15

WHAT’S ON

GIVEAWAY

PARENTS - HERE’S YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A LASER KOMBAT ULTIMATE FORCE PARTY FOR YOUR CHILD – WORTH £240!

To win one children’s party at the Ozone arena, including three games, hot food and sweets for up to 12 children, answer the following question and email it by 15 December to editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk.

The lucky winner will be pulled out of a hat and notified

by Christmas.

Question: How many Laser Kombat centres are there in the UK?

Free Drama Class Watch your child’s self-esteem soar with Perform’s unique drama, dance and singing classes.

Our weekly workshops will do wonders for their social, linguistic and physical development as well as being the best fun they’ll have all week.

perform.org.uk

Oxfordshire Contact: Ema Murphy - Editor T: 01993 815966 / 07733 228 038 E: editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk W: familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

Social networking find us on

Classes for 4 –12 year o lds

0845 400 1276 Oxfordshire

November / December 2013

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News & views PEGASUS BRINGS YOU A CHRISTMAS SHOW TO REMEMBER!

NEED CHRISTMAS GIFT INSPIRATION? The Cotswold Wildlife Park has a range of ideas! How about adopting Astrid, their new baby rhino? With many species to choose from, adopting an animal will help towards the Park’s conservation. From £20-50 plus 2 free park tickets. A great gift for kids with everything! Call 01993 823006 or go to their website.

The team that brought you What the Dickens? returns with a brand new comedy adventure ‘I’m an Aristocrat, Get me Out of Here!’

This action-packed show is full of ingenious disguises, daring escapes, and swordfights making a fabulous family Christmas show! Book at boxoffice@ pegasustheatre.org.uk.

WATCH OUT - SANTA’S ON THE RUN!

DOWNTON STAR’S PLEA FOR LOCAL CHILDREN’S CHARITY

Yoga & Dance Classes

DANCE, in DRAMA or YOGA, Kidlington Children age 3+ WHICH WILL YOU CHOOSE? Stage School age 6+ Adults

WhitestarTuesday Performers offers & Thursday group classes a host Private sessions Small groupfrom bookingsdancing of classes ranging Home visits available for tots, singing Contact: and drama for Tanya White on 07717 837706 or 6-11’s, dance fitness for parents info@whitestarperformers.co.uk and yoga for everyone! Why not try www.whitestarperformers.co.uk something new this winter, or book some new classes for loved ones WhiteStar_Advert.indd 1 15/10/2013 16:40:23 this Christmas for an alternative gift? Classes are held in Kidlington.

Call Tanya White on 07717 837 706 or visit whitestarperformers.co.uk.

Join over a thousand Santa’s on 15 December by becoming Santa yourself, getting fit and raising money for Helen & Douglas House. The fun starts at 9.15am in Oxford’s City Centre, which last year raised £70,000. Register at helenanddouglas.org.uk or call 01865 799150.

Joanna Froggatt who plays Anna May Bates in Downton Abbey, is calling for people to help save Rosie’s Rainbow Fund, a 10 year old charity that helps to support families with seriously ill children in hospital in Oxfordshire. Try a festive bake sale or ask at school or work to make it their chosen 2014 charity? Donations can be made through JustGiving.

Rosiesrainbowfund.co.uk.

FAMILY PARTY NIGHTS ON THE RIVER! Celebrate the festive season in style with Hobbs of Henley on a Christmas Party Night. Enjoy a sumptuous Christmas buffet before dancing the night away to a resident DJ on the water. Perfect for a festive get away with friends and family! On 6 & 13 Dec. Book on 01491 572035 or visit hobbsofhenley.co.uk.

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BARE HAS MOVED: Now conveniently situated in Central Oxford at The Tao Beauty Salon, 99 St Aldates, Oxford OX11BT

T: 01865 930 339 E: info@bareUK.co.uk

01993 815966 www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

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a place of energy, creativity and achievement.

D’Overbroeck’s a place of energy, creativity and achievement One of the great strengths of independent schools is that a high premium is placed on providing a rich diet of opportunities for students, beyond the classroom.

Participation and achievement in extracurricular activities is part of their holistic education, so they leave well prepared for life beyond school. At d’Overbroeck’s, the aim is to stimulate students to develop as independent learners, selfstarters who are engaged with the world around them.

A richly varied extracurricular programme, ranging from rugby to dance, from Maths Olympiads to ski trips, from semi-professional drama productions to expeditions to far-flung places such as the plains of Namibia and the wilds of Iceland – is a key part of this. David Mackie, teacher of Latin, Philosophy and Ethics at the school says; “We aim to constantly stretch and challenge our students in the classroom and through our specific programmes that set the students new challenges to build their confidence, inter-personal skills and independent initiative. We value the informality of our style at d’Overbroeck’s, and everything that goes with that, such as the friendly and supportive relations that exist between staff and all students.”

Everyone is on first-name terms and sharing knowledge and advice freely is paramount to everything at the school.

The d’Overbroeck’s philosophy is to value all aspects of students’development and every member of staff does everything they can to fulfill this.

entry at ages 11+, 13+ and directly into The Sixth Form

• • • • •

small classes (maximum 15 up to GCSE and 10 for A level) ‘outstanding pastoral’ care (ISI report) busy, engaging activities, sports and social programmes 54% A*/A at GCSE 58% A*/A at A level

Telephone Rob Barker, Registrar, on 01865 302620 for a prospectus

an 11-18 independent co-educational school in Oxford

www.doverbroecks.com

Call for a perspectus or to talk to somebody about the future of your child.

AGAINST BULLYING National Anti-Bullying Week takes place on 18-22 November. The Anti-Bullying Week website is packed with resources for schools, parents and children, plus online workshops, practical resources and films on how to survive bullying. www.antibullyingweek.co.uk

S

ch a o c e tag heatre Arts T

New schools now open in Thame and Banbury

Inspiring and enriching young people through the performing arts

MAKING FESTIVE CAKES THEN HELP IS AT HAND! The Cake Shops in Oxford’s Covered Market and in Banbury offer a fantastic selection of great tasting Christmas cakes available to buy in store or online. With a huge stock of cake decorating equipment and materials, both shops can provide everything you need to make Christmas cakes, including, marzipan, boards, ribbon and tools, plus a large range of handmade edible decorations all ready to buy, taking the stress out of Christmas baking! The Oxford shop is open every day until 24 December. Banbury is open on Tues-Sat until the 23 December. For lots more cake ideas and information visit the-cake-shop.co.uk.

Here’s a way to spend weekends that’ll have 4-18 year olds buzzing.

Enrol them in your local Stagecoach Theatre Arts school where they learn to act, sing and dance.

The skills they learn aren’t just for the stage.

Our students grow in confidence and self-esteem.

Skills for Life! There’s no audition - all they need is enthusiasm.

Holiday Shows for 2014 in Oxford (Spring - CATS; Summer - FAME/The Princess and The Pirates), Abingdon, Banbury and Thame (shows to be confirmed).

OXFORD Julia Howson Melissa Allen

Deirdre Nic Sitric, founder of Autism Champions, has years of practical experience, working with children and adults who have a diagnosis of autism. She runs training for parents, carers and professionals and also works 1:1 with children in school and runs social skills groups and intensive communication groups all over Oxfordshire.

email: oxford@stagecoach.co.uk

ABINGDON BANBURY

Oxford has a new Autism Champion!

01869 278600

Maya Sprigg

THAME

Nicky Goodwin

01865 390970

email: abingdon@stagecoach.co.uk

01908 969467

email: banbury@stagecoach.co.uk

01865 763767

email: thame@stagecoach.co.uk

www.stagecoach.co.uk

Contact Dee on thesutismchampions@gmail.com or call o7810205646.

Oxfordshire

November / December 2013

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Education What’s on your children’s school menu?

The campaign for better food in Britain’s schools is getting yet another boost – but what else needs to be done, and how can parents help?

Joanna Moorhead investigates.

It’s almost a decade since Jamie Oliver began his indefatigable campaign to revolutionise school lunches, taking TV cameras into schools and drafting in army cooks to teach the nation’s dinner ladies how to make good food on a large scale and to a tight budget. There’s no doubt that Oliver shone a torch into a dark corner of the school larder and found it wanting, and there’s no doubt at all that he had all the right instincts about educating children about good food and healthy eating, and educating teachers and support staff about why good food and understanding its production and preparation should be part of every child’s education.

What, though, has the campaign achieved? Where has it left school food today – and what are the outstanding issues that still need to be tackled? Summer 2013 saw a government-commissioned school food review by the founders of the Leon restaurant chain – it called for a ban on packed lunches, which it says are almost always less nutritious than a cooked meal, and it called on heads to lower the prices of lunches to boost take-up.

Hot on the heels of that report came an announcement that all children in Key Stage One will get free school dinners from September 2014, whatever the family’s income level.

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It’s a major step towards the really big task on the menu: getting more children to actually eat school food. Only around 38% of secondary school pupils, and 44% of primary pupils, currently take the option of school lunches, while the rest bring in their own: and that matters because a study carried out at Leeds University in 2010 found that only a paltry 1% of packed lunches meet basic dietary standards. In other words, it’s extremely challenging for parents to put together a lunchbox that’s anywhere near as healthy as the food the school provides; and though many parents believe it’s cheaper to provide their own, another study found that in fact it probably costs around £2 a lunch, a sum very similar to the cost of a schoolprovided lunch.

But if school food wins out against packed lunches, what’s on the dining room menu still has a way to go.

Only around 25% of schools provide at least one portion of fruit and veg per pupil per day, and – despite all those years of the Oliver campaign – a shocking 50% of all secondary schools continue to offer pizzas and starchy food cooked in oil on most days – although revised food-based standards are going to also be rolled out next year.

Beyond all this, though, there’s the even trickier subject of how you actually get children to make healthy choices. Even when healthy food is offered, around a third of pupils don’t choose it.

schools in the UK – if you like the sound of them, why not talk to staff and governors at your child’s school to see if a similar project is possible there? *School farms are in the middle of a huge revival. In 2006, there were only 60 of them in Britain; today, there are more than 100, and at least 100 more schools have plans in operation to open one. And the big boom isn’t in rural settings, it’s in urban ones; schools in the very middle of cities now have patches of land where vegetables are grown and where chickens and other animals can be housed. Some schools even send their own animals to slaughter and put meat and homemade sausages on canteen menus or sell them through school shops.

Children learn at close quarters about how food is produced; they then go on to learn how it’s prepared and cooked, and then they find out how it tastes.

If you’re interested in trying to get the ball rolling on a farm at your school, start by visiting farms at similar-sized and similarly-located schools; see www.farmgarden.org.uk, the website of the School Farms Network, for more ideas.

NOV/DEC 2013 SCHOOL OPEN DAY LIST MAGDALEN COLLEGE SCHOOL Junior School Thurs 7 Nov at 2-3.20pm Senior School Thurs 14 Nov at 2.30-4.30pm Book via website www.mcoxford.org/ NEW COLLEGE SCHOOL Sat 9 Nov 10.00-12 noon www.newcollege.oxon.sch.uk/ COKETHORPE SCHOOL Sixth Form Open Evening Tues 12 Nov 6.00-8.30pm admissions@cokethorpe.org www.cokethorpe.org.uk OUR LADY’S ABINGDON A Co-ed Catholic school for boys and girls aged 3-18 Sixth Form Wed 20 Nov 9.30 -11.45am Call 01235 524658 www.olab.org.uk CRANFORD HOUSE SCHOOL Little Willows Nursery Open Morning Fri 15 Nov 10-12 noon Call 01491 651218 admissions@cranfordhouse.net ABINGDON PREPARATORY SCHOOL Phonics Open Morning Tuesday 25 February www.abingdon.org.uk/prep RYE ST ANTONY SCHOOL Early Years Foundation Stage Open Afternoon Wed 12 Feb 2.00-3.30pm enquiries@ryestantony.co.uk www.ryestantony.co.uk THE MANOR PREPARATORY SCHOOL Fri 24 Jan 2014 Wed 12 Mar 2014 Both at 9.30-11.30am admissions@manorprep.org www.manorprep.org

One huge advance the Oliver campaign has brought about is the realisation among parents that they have a voice in the school dining room, and that policies on how food is sourced, how it’s prepared and what’s on offer can be shaped by their intervention. Here are some of the more imaginative and successful changes already in operation at some

01993 815966 www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

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Engineer your future with UTC Swindon

UTC Swindon, a brand new University Technical College for 14-16 year olds, will be opening in September 2014 with a vision to be a college where engineering and innovation can flourish.

Applicants only have until Friday 31 January 2014 to submit their applications.

New principal Angela Barker-Dench is encouraging students to apply. She said, “I strongly recommend that students get their applications in now. We have seen enormous interest and have received numerous applications already, but there is still time to submit yours.”

Learning will be achieved through employer set ‘projects’ which will tackle real industry issues. Students will be grouped into learning companies where they will learn to work in teams. These companies will act as a vehicle for enterprise, competition and performance management.

Students can apply for a place at UTC Swindon by emailing info@ utcswindon.co.uk or by downloading an application form from our website www.utcswindon.co.uk

Alongside engineering, all 14 – 16 year olds will also take core subjects at GCSE and relevant A levels will be on offer at Post-16.

There will be a wide range of enrichment activities and physical education.

UTC Swindon will be a vocational setting, preparing young people for the world of work with an industry-based curriculum from 8.30 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Thursday, finishing at 4.30 pm on Fridays, just like being at work. The aim is for students develop a work ethic, with no ‘homework’ apart from exam revision.

For more information you can call UTC Swindon on: 07990 601 516 Like UTC Swindon on Facebook: www.facebook.com/utcswindon Follow us on Twitter: @utcswindon

Maths & English tuition Explore Learning centres provide maths and English tuition to children aged 5-14, designed to improve knowledge, confidence and enjoyment of learning. tries new things with relish. She counts the days until she can come back here!”

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Book your free trial session today to find out how Explore Learning can help your child to gain confidence, enthusiasm and new skills.

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As members, children work with tutors who are great role models, enthusiastic about learning and fantastic motivators. The individual focus allows children to work at their own pace – whether they are finding school tricky or are top of the class!

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Oxfordshire

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Keep children active With our top twelve activity and Christmas gift ideas Outdoor play and exposure to nature, is one of the best and most effective ways to educate children about the world around them. Getting them active outdoors is also vital for their health and physical development, as well as helping them to improve their sensory, cognitive and social skills.

Paper Planes Learn to make 10 different paper planes then fly them in the park! 7 upwards.

Happy Hopperz Hours of indoor fun on the crazy Blue Bull! Suitable from 12 months.

£4.99, from www.galttoys.com and toy shops.

£24.99, from www.kiddicare.com

Tricycle Provides plenty of fun for the youngest children whilst developing their motor skills. £69.99, Manufactured for Galt by Winther. www.galttoys.com

Chicco Red Bullet Balance Bike To quickly learn to get the balance, a must-have for any child of 3 years. £34.99, from www.Kiddicare.com

The Beano Chopper

Covered front-to-back in classic Beano imagery and features black and red grips, seat and back pads - just how Dennis and the gang would want it. £300, from Raleigh stockists.

Try Reg Taylor Cycles on the Iffley Road in Oxford or visit www.regtaylorcycles.co.uk.

Multi Sports Set Set contains kit to play cricket, football, rounders/ baseball, frisbee and beach tennis so there is something here for all tastes, skills and weather conditions! £60, from www.thegreatgiftcompany.com

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01993 815966 www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

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The winter months can provide a surprisingly wide range of fun and exciting outdoor activities and learning opportunities for your children. So, why not wrap-up warm and try these fun activities: Fly a kite What better way to spend a breezy, winter’s day by flying a kite! You could even get creative and make your own.

Encourage your child to run, jump and chase their kite to keep them active.

Nature walk adventure Organise a treasure hunt or get the children to find and collect a list of objects. Feathers, leaves, fir cones, acorns and animal foot prints are great things for children to look for. Children love to explore the local park while learning about natural habitats, wildlife, litter and plants all at the same time. If you are really organised, try downloading and printing out learning activity sheets for each child, to guide them through the walk.

Leaf rubbing Children can create their very own autumn inspired artwork by leaf rubbing. Simply take a large leaf and place on a hard surface. Put a piece of plain paper over the leaf and gently rub over the leaf with the length of the crayon and the leaf pattern will appear on the page. This can be lots of fun by experimenting with different types of leaves and coloured crayons. Or try putting paper on to a tree truck, to create the same effect.

Water Allowing children to play with water is not only fun, it can also teach basic science. Encourage your child to throw different objects (sticks, stones, leaves) Get them to guess if they will float or sink. Or teach them to skim.

Go for a bike ride Something that all the family can take part in and it’s a great way to feel invigorated and to get some exercise at the same time. Find out where your local cycle paths are and discover places you never knew existed in your local area.

Make walks fun!

Climb trees, sing together, play simple games such as eye spy, hide and seek or build simple dens with fallen branches, moss and leaves. Or why not add some birdspotting or nature watching – you’ll be surprised at what you discover.

Oxfordshire

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Parenting Let them fight their own battles

By Joanna Moorhead

Memo to self: let them fight their own battles Are you forever rushing into school to talk to your child’s teacher, or phoning other parents to talk about playground squabbles?

Think again, says Joanna Moorhead, a mother of four daughters.

One of my daughters is disgruntled. I am, she says, a bad mother. “Other mums support their children,” she says. “When they have a problem, the mums go into school to talk to the teachers.

You never do that.”

She’s not entirely correct; I’ve had children at school for the last 15 years or so, and there might have been one or two occasions when I’ve gone in to talk to a teacher or a head outside of parentteacher meetings. But I could certainly count those times on the fingers of one hand; and, thinking about it, probably even on one finger.

I hope I’m not a bad mother; and I know there are some problems – and bullying is foremost among them – when a meeting with a teacher has to be arranged, and fast.

But bullying apart, I believe that my daughters are better helped if I hang back from making appointments, and arm them instead to negotiate their own issues, and fight their own battles, at school.

Why so? Well, the raison d’etre of parenting is to make your child independent: and it seems to me that if I wade in at every opportunity to smooth my child’s path in life, I’m not helping her to learn to do it for herself. And what message does it give if, when she tells

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me about a problem she’s experiencing, my response is to say ‘I’ll come in to talk to your teacher about that’?

What it says is: you can’t sort this out for yourself; you’re not smart enough or capable enough or eloquent enough. You can’t do it, but I can. And that doesn’t help my daughter develop those skills, and it doesn’t help her become experienced and confident at learning to problem-solve for herself.

Sometimes, over the years, my daughters’ problems have been significant ones – and certainly many of them have seemed significant to my daughters, even if they didn’t seem all that important to me.

On at least one occasion, the problem has been a clash between them and a teacher, and listening to the story it’s been difficult not to agree that, yes, it sounded as though the teacher was in the wrong.

But this is what I tell my daughters: teachers are only human. Teachers, like everyone else in the world, have some people they like better than others. So of course it’s possible that a teacher might not favour you, might even pick on you, because he or she doesn’t like you. And, yes, of course it’s a terrible shame if you end up with an unfriendlyseeming teacher in a subject you really love.

But rather than race in to school to have it out with the teacher, I tell my daughter to find a way of dealing with it; and if possible, I help her work out what that might be. Could she start the ball rolling on building a better relationship with the teacher in question by being nicer to her, or by working harder in the subject, or by making more contributions in class?

Because the truth is that, all through life, there will be individuals who will seem to stand in the way of what we want – and learning to work with these people, or round them, is a hugely important life skill.

Talking to your child about what’s going on will also help her process her own feelings; and again, this is an important learning curve. Help your child see that it’s not the case that someone has got it in for her, but maybe just that the teacher or the other child has issues in their own life. And instead of encouraging your child into negative feelings (“that teacher/ child has always been a total pain, I’ve been saying it for years”) turn things round into something positive (“everyone has bad days; what could you do tomorrow that could start to improve this relationship?”).

Similarly problems with other children: I long ago made a

resolution never, ever to get involved at parental level over my daughters’ squabbles. Not only is life far too short, but more importantly, learning to get on with their peers is what childhood and adolescence is for.

None of this means, by the way, that I’m abdicating responsibility for how my girls behave. It’s just that talking to other adults isn’t how I believe my offspring will learn to treat others well; that comes, I think, from modelling what I hope are good relationships in my own life, and in listening to the issues they have in their lives (when they want to talk about them) and helping them find a way of dealing with them.

So it’s really important to make time to listen when they’re experiencing problems at school; and it’s crucial to validate how they’re feeling, to reflect back that I understand their worries and can see that it’s a genuine issue. But what should happen next is far more about equipping them to go back into school and work out how to put the problematic relationship on track, than it is about grabbing your coat and racing in to try to solve the difficulties yourself.

01993 815966 www.familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

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Where’s Santa

Toy Shops

NOTTCUTTS GARDEN CENTRE Date: Sun 17 Nov until 2pm Xmas Eve Time: Santa’s arrival 11.30am. Normal opening times apply Cost: Please check online for various costs Description: Santa will arrive by horse-drawn carriage. Have breakfast or tea or visit him or visit him in his grotto Website: notcutts.co.uk/Christmas

OXFORD

BICESTER AVENUE GARDEN CENTRE Date: 18 Nov – 24 Dec Time: Check online for exact times Cost: £6.50 child, £1.50 adult Description: A magical journey through a ‘Winter Wonderland’. Visit Santa in his grotto with an ‘I’ve seen Father Christmas’ badge.

Website: thegardencentregroup.co.uk

YARNTON NURSERIES Date: Arrives on 23 Nov by Helicopter!

Time: Check online for exact times Cost: Free grotto Description: Santa arrives by helicopter then visit him in his grotto every weekend until Xmas Website: Yarnton-nurseries.co.uk

COTSWOLD WILDLIFE PARK Date: 14-15 Dec, 21-24 Dec Time: Check online for exact times Cost: Start from £1.50 (normal gate entry applies) Description: Visit Santa and receive a nice lollipop!

Website: Cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk

TEMPLAR’S SQUARE Date: Sat 30 Nov until 4pm Xmas Eve Time: 10am-4pm Cost: Free Description: Enter the giant snow-globe and meet Santa. Check online for more details.

Website: Templarsquare.com

MILLETS FARM Date: Starts on Sat 9 Nov Time: 11.30am Cost: £8.99 child, £3.49 adult Description: Enter Santa’s Grotto for a magical 45 minutes including a story from Santa and more.

Website: Milletsfarmcentre.com

HOBBS OF HENLEY SANTA CRUISE Date: 7, 8 & 14 December Time: 11.30-1.30pm & 2.30-4.30pm.

Cost: Adult £17.50, seniors £15.50, child £10.50 and includes present per child, mulled wine/juice, mince pies/ cakes.

Description: A river boat trip combined with Santa & entertainment. Booking advised.

Website: hobbsofhenley.com

DIDCOT RAILWAY Date: Sat & Sun from 30 Nov-1 Dec, 7-8 Dec, 14-15 Dec, 21-22 Dec Time: Check with the venue for exact times Cost: £12 child, £12 adult (Babies free) Description: Days out with Thomas to visit Santa in his grotto. Ride behind Thomas, with entertainment and gifts.

Booking required.

Website: Didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk

OXFORD BUS MUSEUM Date: Sat 14-Sun 15 Dec Time: 10.30am-4.30pm Cost: Normal admission applies, with small extra charge for the grotto Description: Visit Santa in his Christmas grotto bus!

Website: Oxfordbusmuseum.org.uk

OXFORD CASTLE UNLOCKED Date: Sat 7 Nov, Sat 14 Nov & Sat 21 Dec Time: 5.30pm, 6pm & 6.30pm Cost: £5 per child/adult Description: Explore the castle and encounter Santa Claus and Scrooge.

Website: Oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk

BOSWELL’S LTD 1-4 Broad Street OX18RJ 01865 241244 www.boswells-online.co.uk HOYLES (Traditional games & puzzles) 71 High Street OX1 4BA 01865 203244 www.hoylesonline.com

ABINGDON THE NURSERY SHOP 22 Stert Street OX14 3JP 01235 520476 www.thenurseryshop.com

BICESTER BICESTER TOYS & THORNTONS 66-68 Sheep Street OX26 6JW 01869 323946 www.toymaster.co.uk

CARTERTON GILES TOYS AND CYCLES 1 Alvescot Road OX18 3JL 01993 842396 www.gilescycles.com

DIDCOT TOYS-UK 162-164 Broadway OX11 8RJ 01235 759450 www.toys-uk.co.uk

HENLEY-ON-THAMES BAGATELLE TOYS 63 Bell Street RG9 2BA 01491 576559 www.bagatelletoys.com

BANBURY WIGGLER 70 High Street OX16 5JG www.wiggler.co.uk

WALLINGFORD PETTITS OF WALLINGFORD 46-50 St. Mary’s Street OX10 0EY 01491 835253 www.pettitsofwallingford. co.uk

WITNEY DENTONS TOYS AND CYCLES 1 High Street OX28 6HW 01993 704979 www.thecyclingexperts. co.uk TEDDY BEARS 99 High Street OX28 6HY 01993 706616 www.teddybears.co.uk We have made every effort to ensure our listings are accurate and up-to-date.

However, we cannot be held responsible for any unintentional errors.

Please call the shop to verify.

HILLTOP ON ICE 2013

Ice Skating at Hilltop Garden Centre Affordable Family Fun! ICE RINK DATES:

Saturday 30th November 2013 Sunday 5th January 2014

LY FOR BEST PRICES! TICKETS ON SALE NOW! BOOK EAR

TICKETS FROM JUST

Experience the thrill of open air skating, on real ice, whatever the weather, on our open sided, covered, outdoor Ice Rink!

£5

*

Find us here:

LUDING PER PERSON INC SKATE HIRE

.uk Visit www.hilltopgc.co rmation to book tickets or for more info

BANBURY

MORETON-IN-MARSH

A422

M40

BRACKLEY

A429 CHIPPING WE ARE NORTON HERE SHIPTONUNDERA44 WYCHWOOD

BICESTER A41 A34

Witney Rd BURFORD A40 WITNEY A420

A43

A40 OXFORD

M40 A418

A34

Hilltop Garden Centre, Witney Rd, Ramsden, Oxon, OX7 3AS Tel: 01993 868403 www.hilltopgc.co.uk Open 9 - 5.30 Monday - Saturday, 10.30 - 4.30 Sunday.

Our café closes half an hour before the garden centre. * See online for details

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The Woodstock Bookshop Since opening in 2008 The Woodstock Book Shop has been on the regional shortlist for Independent Bookseller of the Year in 2008 and 2013 and recently listed in the Independent’s Top 50 UK Bookshops.

It has several thousand books in stock and boasts a large selection for children. Here, owner Rachel Phipps, recommends a selection of books for children this Christmas: www.woodstockbookshop.co.uk

A big favourite of Families Oxfordshire is: Rita Jahanforus & Vali Mintzi, The Girl with the Brave Heart, Barefoot Books, £10.00 (Ages 4-10) Beautifully illustrated this story about a girl in Tehran living with a cruel stepmother and sister and reflects the ability of one person to touch someone else, with love and kindness.

For older children

Richard Curtis, The Empty Stocking (Age 3+) This was first published last year and is now reissued by Puffin as a charming small hardback at £5.99.

It is a story about twins, Christmas stockings and love Ideal for those stockings!

Julia Donaldson, The Further Adventures of The Owl and the PussyCat, Puffin, £10.99 (3+) The Owl and the Pussy-cat went to sleep By the light of the moon so pale.

Their beautiful ring was tied with string In a bow round the Pussy-cat’s tail...

For everyone who wondered what happened next!

David Walliams & Tony Ross, The Slightly Annoying Elephant, HarperCollins, £12.99 (3+)

 David Walliams, Joan G Robinson, Demon Dentist Mary-Mary, Hot Key (Harper Collins, Books, £7.99 (5+) £12.99, 7+).

First published in 1957, Mary-Mary The Good Little is the little girl who Devil and other A hilarious picture is the youngest of tales, Pushkin book by David five and has funny Books £14.99 (5+) Walliams. What’s adventures. Perfect One of several for new readers. big, blue, bossy, and newly translated turns up uninvited? children’s books, A slightly annoying thirteen magical elephant... tales of a hairy frog, a performing potato, a pair of married shoes – quirky and funny by Pierre Gripari.

Siobhan Dowd, The Ransom of Dond, David Fickling Books, £9.99 (Age 8+) This beautiful hardback is an instant classic.

Illustrations are perfect and the story has all the haunting charm of a fairy tale.

Autism Champions Does your child have a diagnosis of Autism?

Award winning music classes for babies & young children OXFORD T: 01865 326746 E: oxford@monkeymusic.co.uk

Is your child struggling at school or would you and your family like to know more about Autism?

Are you worried about how to explain Autism to your child?

Autism Champions can help!

For more information contact Dee on 07810205646 or theautismchampions@gmail.com

www.autismchampions.co.uk

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Advertise in Families Oxfordshire call 01993 815966 or email editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

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Top tips for a perfect Families Oxfordshire Christmas!

GET YOUR (ICE) SKATES ON For Families Oxfordshire magazine, the countdown to Christmas begins when we take to the ice at Hilltop Garden Centre, near Witney in Ramsden! It’s great exercise which means you can treat yourself to cake and coffee without any guilt. Well worth wrapping up for!

6 December to 5 January

www.hilltopgc.co.uk

Bursting with hilarious slapstick, verbal wit, live music and magical illusion, this inventive and action-packed Christmas show is chock full of ingenious disguises, daring escapes and swashbuckling sword fights.

ENJOY THE NATIVITY Whether you have the Angel Gabriel or the 5th sheep under your roof this Christmas, take the time to enjoy your child’s nativity and pray that whatever your child is cast as, there’s an outfit for them at the local supermarket. But most of all enjoy the moment. Soon it won’t be the sheep and the cows you’ll be fretting about - it’ll be the birds and the bees.

A Christmas Comedy Adventure for 8+ from Pegasus & Gonzo Moose

Ti

ck on ets ly fro £6 m !

01865 812 150 www.pegasustheatre.org

MAKE IT MAGICAL Real magic doesn’t have to cost much and it will make your child’s Christmas one to remember. Spend time together dressing the tree together or making Christmas biscuits. Time is something we have in such short supply in our lives but it is well worth finding it at this time of year. Create new traditions. If you don’t already, go to your local carol service on Xmas Eve, attend your local Xmas lights switch on or even a Christmas movie night with hot chocolate.

FORGET THE CHRISTMAS CARDS For a moment, park the anxiety you’ll feel when that first envelope drops on your doormat. Instead, think of the time you’ll save writing 50 cards to people you only communicate with at Christmas. We’re not suggesting severing all ties with your friends and family, but trying something different. Why not take a fun picture of your family (perhaps in the festive attire) and email it out with good wishes to the people on your Christmas card list. You’ll save money and time and maybe even a bit of pre-Christmas sanity.

TRACK SANTA Remember the days when a half eaten mince pie and an empty sherry glass were proof that Santa had been? Well life has moved on and the Twitter generation needs more. You can now receive personal messages, see photographic evidence and even keep an eye on Santa as he travels the globe. For a personal message from him go to www.portablenorthpole.com. To track Santa from 1st December go to www.noradsanta.org or see a picture of him in your home at www.icaughtsanta.com.

A CHRISTMAS CLEAR OUT There are certain inevitable facts about Christmas and one is that the amount of ‘stuff’ in your home will double. So why not have a pre-Christmas clear out. Sell what you can on Ebay to make some extra cash and encourage your children to fill a box with toys they no longer want for your local charity shop. It’s also a nice way to introduce the idea of thinking of others to your little elves.

BAN THE CHRISTMAS LIST Call me Scrooge, but I’m no fan of Christmas wish lists. I think it fuels the idea that this time of year is all about getting ‘stuff’ and that isn’t the spirit of Christmas I want in my home. No good will come of giving a child a plain piece of paper and an Argos catalogue. In fact a survey last year found that the most asked for wish on the lists of British children was a brother or sister, next to a reindeer! If you don’t ask them to write a list, they’ll be delighted with whatever Santa leaves under the tree. Trust me.

WATCH ONE OF OUR TOP 5 CHRISTMAS MOVIES Nothing lifts the spirits on a cold winter day, more than a festive film. Here are a few of our favourites: 1.

Elf

2.

The Snowman

3.

The Polar Express

4.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

5.

The Nativity

And finally, remember that Christmas is not about presents or perfectly cooked turkeys. It’s about time and family. Your children will have forgotten what they were given by February and your family will have completely forgotten the burnt parsnips. But no one will forget the fun they had.

News & views extra OXFORDSHIRE MUMS ARE STILL AT HOME It’s 2013 yet traditional gender roles persist in Oxfordshire, despite progress in flexible working, a new survey has found. According to a study by Workingmums.co.uk, less than a quarter of dads work flexibly and only 4% work part time, despite equal flexible work legislation for to mums and dads. Gillian Nissim, of Workingmums.co.uk said: ‘This may be for all sorts of reasons but it reinforces traditional divides between men and women and leads to women effectively doing a double shift.’

RHYME WITH YOUR TOT An exciting new initiative launches in November with Nursery Rhyme Week. From 11-15 November, it aims to promote the importance of nursery rhymes and is free for anyone with a child or who works with under 5s. Register online for a free resource pack. Sponsored by Music Bugs. musicbugs.co.uk/national-nursery-rhyme-week.

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What’s on November/December 2013 THEATRE & MUSIC

Little Angel Theatre brings Michael Rosen’s thrilling and funny adventure to life in a brand new puppetry production.

A family go on an expedition of a lifetime – running down the grassy bank, wading through the cold river, squelching over the oozy mud… what will they find? 11am, 1.30pm & 4.30pm. £7. Age 2+ 6 DEC-4 JAN 14. THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE It’s been winter in Narnia for ever so long. Always winter and never Christmas, can you imagine? What if there was another world inside an old wardrobe? This Christmas you can join the Pevensie children on the greatest adventure of their lives. Call box office at the North Wall Arts Centre on 01865 766 266. £13.50-£30. Ages 5+

they celebrate Christmas with crafts, activities, songs, dance…and presents! Find out what happens to wildlife in the winter. 10.30am – 4.00pm. Normal admission + £3 per child. Under 10’s.

2 JAN 14. ‘OH NO YOU DON’T’ It’s pantomime time! Make your own collage scene on a stage with Wind in the Willows characters and get ready to perform. 2 – 4pm. Drop in, free with admission.

3 JAN 14. THE SOUND OF THE WIND Hear the sound of the wind with your own wind chimes made from recyclable materials. Hang up in the garden and wait for a breeze! 2 – 4pm drop in, free with admission.

OXFORD PLAYHOUSE

JACQUELINE DU PRÉ MUSIC BUILDING

Beaumont Street Oxford, UK, OX1 2LW Oxfordplayhouse.com 29 NOV-12 JAN. ROBIN HOOD Robin Hood is riding into Oxford Playhouse for the very first time in this action-packed new panto. Expect non-stop thrills and spills as Robin and his Merry Men battle the evil Sherriff of Nottingham in this classic tale sure to delight all the family. With a superb cast of your favourite characters, sing-a-long tunes, stunning dancing, slapstick, silliness and lots of chances to join in, it’s going to be the perfect festive entertainment. Don’t delay - secure a panto-tastic time for your family today!

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

Beaumont Street, Oxford Ashmolean.org All family events are free, with a suggested donation £1 per child. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all events.

21 NOV. TWIT TWOO Make your own owl, hear a story and find out more about Athene’s owl. 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm, drop-in.

14 DEC. LO SATURNALIA! Celebrate the season Roman-style! Draw lots to choose your Saturnalicius princeps and make festive garlands and decorations for your villa. 1-4pm, drop-in.

19 DEC. BISCUIT BLING! 10.30am-12.30pm & 2-4pm, drop-in Decorate a Christmas biscuit and look for shiny and gold things around the Museum. Under-5s.

NEW THEATRE George Street, Oxford, OX1 2AG Newtheatreoxford.org.uk 17 DEC-5 JAN 14. CATS Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s extraordinary record-breaking, smash-hit musical! This wonderful blend of fantasy, drama and romance is set on the night that the Jellicle Cats meet for the Jellicle Ball in a sparkling fusion of music, dance and verse. With an amazing musical score that includes the timeless Memory, spectacular set designs, stunning costumes and breathtaking choreography, CATS is a magical musical like no other.

BURTON TAYLOR STUDIO NEXT TO OXFORD PLAYHOUSE oxfordplayhouse.com/aboutus/btstudio 12-31 DEC. FATHER CHRISTMAS AND THE ICICLE BICYCLE All the elves are busy working away, making bikes, trikes, scooters and toys for Christmas presents, but the snowmen are causing chaos and Rudolph’s too poorly to pull the sleigh. How is Father Christmas going to deliver all the presents? He’s going to need your help!

THE MILL ARTS CENTRE Spiceball Park Banbury OX16 5QE themillarscentre.co.uk 19 DEC. I’VE SEEN SANTA “Santa will come just as soon as you go to sleep,” Mummy Bear says. But Little Bear doesn’t want to go to sleep, he wants to see Santa! It’s Christmas Eve but, what’s that noise? There’s someone downstairs... £22 family/£6. Ages 3-7.

THE THEATRE CHIPPING NORTON 2 Spring Street, Chipping Norton. OX7 5NL Chippingnortontheatre.co.uk 19 NOV-12 JAN 14. JACK AND THE GIANT A boy and his cow, a giant and his castle in the clouds, beanstalks, bravery and beautiful princesses – all feature in our unique twist on this classic story.

PEGASUS Magdalen Road Oxford OX4 1RE pegasustheatre.org.uk 6 DEC-5 JAN 14. I’M AN ARISTOCRAT GET ME OUT OF HERE Gonzo Moose are back! The team that brought you Grimm and Grimmer and What The Dickens? return with a brand new Christmas comedy adventure. Bursting with hilarious slapstick, verbal wit, live music and magical illusion, this inventive and action-packed show is chock full of ingenious disguises, daring escapes, and swashbuckling swordfights. Fast-paced, physical and fun, it’s the perfect family treat. For full list of times and dates visit website.

THE KENTON THEATRE New Street Henley-on-Thames, RG9 2BP kentontheatre.co.uk 19-29 DEC. ALADDIN – TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME Pantomime doesn’t come any more exotic than Aladdin!

Everyone’s favourite Arabian Nights’ adventure is brought to glorious life in traditional pantomime fashion, with a little help from Widow Twankey, the dazzling Princess Jasmine and the cheeky Aladdin himself.

THE NORTH WALL South Parade, Oxford OX2 7JN www.thenorthwall.com 22-23 NOV. WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT

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St Hilda’s College, Oxford, OX4 1DY st-hildas.ox.ac.uk 17 NOV, 15 DEC. CUSHION CONCERTS Two 45 minute Sunday concerts introducing children and families to different instruments. Bring your own cushions!

The first is a Folk Singer and Dec is Christmas Brass.

10am & 11am for under 5s 12pm for over 5s. £5, free for babies under 1.

Book at: www.pegasustheatre.org.uk. Call 01865 812 150.

THE STORY MUSEUM Rochester House, 42 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP storymuseum.org.uk 30 NOV. FAMILY PRINT WORKSHOPS Put your pens away and discover the art of printing by hand on the Bodleian’s antique printing presses. Learn a new skill, have fun and make your own keepsake! £8.

2-4pm. Ages 8+

ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM

ROALD DAHL MUSEUM 81-83 High Street, Great Missenden, Bucks, HP16 0AL. roalddahlmuseum.org 23 NOV. RUMPLEDUMPUS RHYMES WITH THE BIG FRIENDLY POET Say a big hello to our Big Friendly Poet, Paul Lyalls. Paul, the museum’s new Poet in Residence, will read from his children’s poetry book, A Funny Thing Happened, and then inspire you to write your own rumpledumpus rhymes. £3. 12 noon and 2pm. Ages 5+

PITT RIVERS MUSEUM Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PW prm.ox.ac.uk Ð UNTIL 17 NOV. PUPPETS AT THE CIRCUS A case installation from Giffords Circus exploring different themes of puppetry that influenced this years’ summer show “Lucky 13”.

22 NOV. INSIDE SOUND: LIGHT NIGHT The torch-lit galleries of the Pitt Rivers Museum will be immersed in evocative rainforest soundscapes, as multichannel sound installations broadcast stunning African Bayaka recordingsfrom the archives. 1900 – 2300.

THE OXFORDSHIRE MUSEUM

Yoga & Dance Classes in Kidlington Children age 3+ Stage School age 6+ Adults Tuesday & Thursday group classes Private sessions Small group bookings Home visits available Contact: Tanya White on 07717 837706 or info@whitestarperformers.co.uk

www.whitestarperformers.co.uk

WhiteStar_Advert.indd 1 Woodstock, Park Street Woodstock OX20 1PA oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshiremuseum 19 OCT-9 NOV. ART IN WOODSTOCK The town’s annual visual arts festival continues with this year’s theme of portraits and will include work by John Wonnacott, Marie Boyle, Michelle Castles and Jim Kane. In various locations including the museum.

16 NOV-5 JAN 14. OXFORDSHIRE CRAFT GUILD SELLING EXHIBITION Featuring many of the county’s leading contemporary craft designers and makers, this exhibition will display jewellery, textiles, pottery, keepsakes and treasures. Perfect for Christmas! Plus a children’s winter trail takes you on journey around the museum.

15/10/2013 16:40:23

RIVER AND ROWING MUSEUM Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, RG9 1BF rrm.co.uk 7 DEC. SILK SCARF PAINTING Learn or develop your skills in silk painting to produce a beautiful scarf inspired by John Piper’s ‘Landscape of the Two Seasons’- a perfect Christmas gift! 10.30am – 12.30pm. £10.50. Ages 7-11 14 DEC. CHRISTMAS WITH MR TOAD AND FRIENDS Join Mr Toad and his friends Ratty, Mole and Badger as

Advertise in Families Oxfordshire call 01993 815966 or email editor@familiesoxfordshire.co.uk

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DIARY DATES & CHRISTMAS FAIRS 9 NOV. OXFORD ROUNDTABLE FIREWORKS Oxford Round Table are proud to announce their 46th annual Fireworks Display.

Every year thousands of people fill the park to watch Oxford’s largest Fireworks Display and a bonfire that can be seen from miles around. All profits go to local charities.

Gates open 5pm. Fireworks 6.45pm. oxfordfireworks.co.uk.

COGGES MANOR FARM Church Lane, Witney OX28 3LA cogges.org.uk 8 DEC. CHRISTMAS FAIR Arts, crafts, gifts, decorations, food and drink. Applications are now open for stallholder bookings 11am-4pm held in the 17th century Cotswold barns and manor house.

Enquiries to marketing@cogges.org.uk for info and forms.

OXFORD CASTLE UNLOCKED 44-46 OxfordCastle, Oxford, OX1 1AY oxfordcastleunlocked.co.uk 1 OCT-30 NOV. GHOST FEST 2013 Friday and Saturday nights will be filled with ghost hunts, vigils and paranormal experiments around the 1000 year old haunted site. Plus special spooky tours.

WADDESDON MANOR Bicester Road, Aylesbury, HP18 0JH Waddesdon.org.uk/ 7 -10 NOV. CHRISTMAS GIFT FAIR Start your Christmas shopping early at the Waddesdon Plant Centre with over 60 stalls offering ideal stocking fillers, accessories and decorations for the home, kitchen products, jewellery, local arts and crafts and a a large selection of festive foods. (The House will be closed.)

10.30am-4.30pm Normal admission charges.

21 NOV. ACTION MEDICAL RESEARCH CHRISTMAS BAZAAR Over 50 inspirational stalls including antiques, jewellery, seasonal food, beauty products, kitchen products and more. 9.15-3.30. £5. Normal admission also applies.

29 NOV, 1, 6 & 8 DEC. CHRISTMAS FOOD MARKET Delicious produce to satisfy everyone’s taste, including specialist cheeses, fresh ducks, oak smoked chicken, jellies and marmalades, fishcakes and pork pies. 10.304.30. (Plus normal gardens admission.)

OXON WILDLIFE TRUST Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre Sutton Courtenay Road, Nr Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 4TE bbowt.org.uk/whats-on 14 DEC. CREATIVE CHRISTMAS Enjoy all things Christmassy at SCEEC! Activities for the whole family, including a winter trail and festive crafts.

Dress up warm as some activities are outside. No dogs allowed. £3 donation for each child.

20, 21, 28 & 28 NOV. NATURE TOTS Outdoor nature play, crafts and stories on our wild and wonderful nature reserve at Sutton Courtenay Environmental Education Centre.

Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9.30-11.30am, two weeks a month. Drink, snack and mud provided! Also classes on 11, 12, 18 & 19 Dec.£3 donation for each child.

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD BOTANIC GARDEN Rose Lane, Oxford, OX1 4AZ botanic-garden.ox.ac.uk 16 NOV-5 JAN 14. BIG BOTANIC CHRISTMAS TREE See a festive tree adorned with natural decorations made

by Oxfordshire school children. Free with entry to garden.

Adults £4.50, children free.

1-29 DEC. CHRISTMAS SPICE TRAIL On Dec weekends explore the Glasshouses to discover where some of Botanic’s favourite Christmas spices are from. Free with entry to garden. Adults £4.50, children free.

7-14 DEC. GREEN CHRISTMAS Craft activity! Turn natural treasures into beautiful decorations and take some home for your own tree. Free with entry to garden. Adults £4.50, children free.Please check online for all exact times.

MILLETS FARM Kingston Rd, Frilford, Oxfordshire, OX13 5HB milletsfarmcentre.com 9 NOV-5 JAN 14. REAL ICE SKATING RINK

Set within the outdoor plant department for a fabulous family experience to remember. Tickets can be bought on the website.

WATERPERRY GARDENS Waterperry, Nr Wheatley, Oxford, OX33 1JZ waterperrygardens.co.uk 16 NOV-30 DEC. HELP FIND SANTA’S REINDEER! Help Rudolph find his eight friends who are lost all around the gardens and then find your Christmas treat in the teashop. £2 per child, children must be accompanied by an adult. Garden entrance fee applies. Check online for exact opening times.

BLENHEIM PALACE Woodstock OX20 1PP blenheimpalace.com 15-17 NOV. LIVING CRAFTS AT CHRISTMAS Experience a Christmas shopping extravaganza in a majestic setting, around 150 British designer-makers of high quality contemporary craft at Living Crafts for Christmas, where a magical seasonal atmosphere awaits with roasting chestnuts, Dickensian street theatre and a festive duo singing Christmas favourites, while in The Great Court beautiful Christmas trees will be adorned with twinkling lights.

COTSWOLD WILDLIFE PARK Bradwell Grove, Burford, Oxfordshire OX18 4JP cotswoldwildlifepark.co.uk NOV. BAT FEED EXPERIENCE Try Animal Encounters with a Bat Feed - where you’ll meet a keeper before entering the Bat House. Go into the night-time habitat of Egyptian and Seba’s fruit bats, feed them and learn about such amazing animals. For costs and times visit the park’s website.

MUSEUM OF OXFORD Oxford Town Hall, St Aldates, Oxford oxford.gov.uk/museumofoxford 22 NOV. CHRISTMAS ON A SHOESTRING Follow the ‘Fantastical Creatures’ family trail in the Town Hall. Discover what life was like for children during the Second World War. Touch their toys and artefacts and make some wartime Christmas decorations. Donation of £1 welcome to cover costs. 5-8pm. Free.

23 NOV. FAMILY ART DAY Take part in a range of arty activities including making a mini MINI, creating some car artwork and creating a giant paper Christmas pudding for the Christmas exhibition!

Calling grandparents, parents, and children alike for this fun, arty and creative day. Drop in to the Heritage Learning Centre from 10.30am-3.30pm. Free.

23 NOV. CHRISTMAS ON A SHOESTRING Discover what life was like for children during the Second World War. Touch their toys and artefacts and make some wartime Christmas decorations. 10am-12pm and 1-3pm. Free.

Music Tuition

Woodstock and surrounding areas.

Piano lessons for children.

Classical guitar for children & adults, all grades.

Call Robert on 07577202726 or email: musictutorials@live.co.uk

MORE CHRISTMAS… 26 NOV. WATLINGTON HOSPITAL CHRISTMAS FAIR Watlington Hospital Charitable Trust’s annual Christmas Fair at Benson Parish Hall runs from 9.30am-3.00pm and every year attracts hundreds of people from all over Oxfordshire. All money raised goes directly to supporting the hospital. With over 15 new stallholders have been added to firm favourites for 2013. Contact Janie GarforthBles for more details on 07513 953684 or email janiegb@ hotmail.com.

6 DEC. LONGCOT AND FERNHAM SCHOOL CHRISTMAS FAIR Festive family fun guaranteed for all the family, including Santa’s Grotto, BBQ, mulled wine and festive music. Plus traditional children’s games: racing pigs, crafts and much more! Also stalls selling local produce and gifts, raffle with Christmas hampers to win. All welcome to have fun and support the community! 6pm - 8pm. Free.

22-24 NOV. CHRISTMAS LIGHT FESTIVAL Oxford’s Christmas means weeks of culture when thousands of people will enjoy the famous lantern parade and late night themed opening at museums and arts centres for Christmas Light Night on Friday, followed by Saturday night’s music and dance events and a day of song on Sunday. Victorian fairground and festive market in historic St Giles. Visit oxford.gov.uk/christmas.

Oxfordshire

For times and prices, please visit venue websites

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