Families Suffolk Sep/Oct 2020

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In this issue

Education Feature Are you concerned about your child’s behaviour?

How can I support my dyslexic child?

Public Health: Is your child up to date with their immunisations?

Plus... Find out how the Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum Team will be bringing the Mill into your home this Autumn. familiesonline.co.uk Issue 55: Sept/Oct 2020

September 2020 1 familiesonline.co.uk

Win a magical break to Santa's Lapland in 2021 Enjoy a Reindeer sleigh ride, sledging with huskies, exploring a real igloo and much more, including a once in a lifetime private visit with Santa himself!

Click here to enter

Entries close at midnight on 30th October 2020. Terms & conditions apply, see website for details.

WOODLAND MAZE Little Owl has got lost in the woods.

Can you help him get home by drawing a path to his tree?

AUTUMN DAYS

Find these Autumn words in the grid. Then read the unused letters on lines 7 to 10 from left to right to find a hidden message!

Z N T R Q K G Y R T H P

H C M V P U M P K I N W

A H I P W S E O M E M T

PUMPKIN HARVEST ACORN

2 September 2020

R V S Q U I R R E L S H

V P T A C J T W C H C S

E O A T F N O U H E O B

S N E R M L O R A S B F

T D G O L D E N Y S W J

P F W A I Z U W L O E U

S Z H S C H I L L O B K

B P R P I V T A O N A P

A P P L E D A C O R N N

COBWEB HAY CHILL SQUIRREL HALLOWEEN MIST APPLE familiesonline.co.uk

Hello...

Welcome to the Sept/Oct edition of Families Suffolk Magazine.

I hope you've had a lovely summer and made lots of great family memories. For many parents it's been a very long six months, not just six weeks with no school, so I sincerely hope that the return to school this September goes well.

This new issue of Families Suffolk Magazine is full of helpful information and advice to support local parents, including some important Public Health information from Suffolk County Council about children's immunisations. Many children are being offered a free flu vaccination this year. This is to help protect them against the disease and help reduce its spread both to other children and, of course, their parents and grandparents. Find out more on p5.

If you are concerned about your child's behaviour, then take a look at our article on p9 written by Certified Play Therapist Madeleine Powell. Madeleine offers some great advice for parents who may have noticed their child has become more anxious, particularly as a result of lockdown.

Local teacher and parent Freya McLaughlin also shares her personal experience of supporting a child with dyslexia. Read more about some of the things she has learnt about dyslexia and some of the strategies she has implemented to help her son on pages 10-11.

You can also find out how the Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum Team will be bringing the Mill into your home this Autumn on p15.

Don’t forget you can stay up to date with more helpful advice, support and information by following us on Facebook.

With Best Wishes

Editor

Stacey Phillips You can also now subscribe to receive the FREE digital version of Families Suffolk Magazine. To sign up go to: www.bit.ly/2XolhJe

Follow Us:

How can I support my dyslexic child?

P10-11

IN THIS ISSUE 4

Ipswich Building Society

5-6

Public Health

7

Mum & Dad in Business

8

Clubs & Classes

9 - 12

Education Feature

13

Suffolk Fire & Rescue

14

Easton Farm Park

15

Suffolk Museums

Nominate

Great Someone

In association with

FACEBOOK /FamiliesSuffolk | TWITTER: @familiessuffolk

Contact Us: Editor: stacey@familiessuffolk.co.uk | 07951 946736 Advertising: editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk | 07951 946736 Events & What’s On: editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk Print: Printed in the UK by Warwick Printing.

PRINT DISCLAIMER: Families Suffolk Ltd 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 Suffolk Ltd are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Suffolk Ltd. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families Suffolk Ltd; our distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

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Do you know someone who deserves a special treat?

Simply follow the Families Suffolk Magazine and Emma’s Florist Facebook pages for monthly notifications on how to nominate someone to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

September 2020 3 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

3

Ipswich Building Society - here to support our communities one small step at a time As we all work our way through the pandemic one thing is evident – a real sense of community spirit, shown through kindness and comradery in difficult and unknown times. It is this which will help rebuild our communities and kick start the economy as we all seek to return to a safe, post-lockdown era.

It’s no understatement to say COVID-19 has had a profound effect on people, businesses and charities all over the country and here in Suffolk it is no different businesses are having to quickly adapt and charities have seen a reduction in funding, with the majority of events and fundraisers being cancelled or postponed.

At Ipswich Building Society we’ve implemented new measures to keep our members and staff safe, but one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to supporting our local communities and to help people to grow and prosper. We continue to show support through local partnerships, sponsorships and in building relationships with community groups.

Shop Local. Shop Small. Shop Suffolk We’re proud to sponsor Shop Suffolk - a new online platform to showcase and support the wonderful homegrown businesses and producers in our county.

By shopping local we can help Suffolk to thrive and keep money circulating through our local economy. From food to florists, pilates to plumbing and everything in between, Shop Suffolk has a directory of offerings throughout the county – all of which can be found at www.shopsuffolk.co.uk – and you can also leave reviews of your favourite independent retailers.

Support a grass roots charity through Mutual Advantage

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Each of our nine branches across Suffolk choose a charity to support each year, for a maximum three-year term, who receive an annual bonus donation which is paid by the Society and not from any member funds.

Our 2020/21 charities include Aldeburgh Cinema, The Bumblebee Children’s Charity, Halesworth & District Museum, Suffolk Accident Rescue Service, Families in Need, Genesis Orwell Mencap, Access Community Trust, The Bridge Project and Art for Cure.

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Together, with little steps, we can help to support those most vulnerable and impacted by the pandemic whilst helping our local communities to thrive – we’re all in this together. familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

IS YOUR CHILD UP TO DATE WITH THEIR

I M M U N I S AT I O N S ?

THE FLU VACCINE Many children are being offered a free flu vaccination this year. This is to help protect them against the disease and help reduce its spread both to other children, including their brothers or sisters, and, of course, their parents and grandparents.

This will help you to avoid the need to take time off work because of flu or to look after your children with flu.

The children being offered the vaccine this year, are: • Children aged two or three years old on 31 August 2020.

• Primary school-aged children.

Nearly all school-aged children will be offered the flu vaccine in school. For most children, the vaccine will be given as a spray in each nostril. This is a very quick and painless procedure.

For more information on children and flu vaccination see the NHS website information at www.nhs.uk/child-flu.

If you have a child over six months of age who has a long-term health condition, they should have a flu vaccination. All these children are more likely to become severely ill if they catch flu, and it could make their existing condition worse.

Don’t ignore any invitation for childhood • Year 7 secondary school-aged children. immunisations, they are free because you need them. You can check you are up to date by visiting: www.nhs.

Children aged two and three years will be given the vaccination at their general uk/conditions/vaccinations/nhsvaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/ practice usually by the practice nurse. familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

HAVE YOU WASHED YOUR HANDS? One of the simplest ways to stop germs spreading is to wash your hands thoroughly and regularly, particularly: • When you get home.

• After using the toilet or changing a nappy.

• Before eating or handling food.

• After blowing your nose, sneezing or coughing.

• Before and after treating a cut or wound.

• After touching animals, including pets, their food and after cleaning their cages.

You should wash your hands for the amount of time it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice (around 20 seconds).

September 2020 5 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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MySpira is the world's first augmented reality asthma training game, developed in collaboration with healthcare professionals. Suitable for children aged 6 -13, the MySpira app aims to improve the training of correct inhaler technique, using a combination of augmented reality and game play.

Meet Spira! An asthmatic alien from the planet Bronchia who needs your help!

Like some asthmatic humans, he too has problems inhaling his medicine, but with the MySpira app, you can learn correct inhaler technique to help manage asthma.

SUPPORTED BY

6 September 2020 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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FREE DOWNLOAD

familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Mum & Dad in Business

F r o m o u r f a m il y t o y o u r s .. .

Over the last few issues we have featured local business Alpha Physiotherapy and shared information about the professional services available from Ipswich based Physiotherapists Jimmy & Lyndsey Reynolds. In this special 'Mum & Dad in Business' feature we get to find out more about their personal and professional lives.

Jimmy and Lyndsey met at University whilst studying their Physiotherapy degrees. 15 years later they are married and living and working in Ipswich with their two young children. They now share with us more about their own personal lives and how their experiences have influenced their family business.

"

We always knew that we wanted to open our own Physiotherapy practice, so to realise this dream with our young girls at home has been, at times, crazy, but the most rewarding too. With two young daughters ourselves we understand what it is like to be a worried parent and the constant comparison of your child(ren) with others around you. We experienced the funny irony of being Physiotherapists with neither of our children crawling on all fours which is considered the “normal” way for children to develop. Phoebe adopted a bottom shuffle, whereas Ella preferred what we affectionately called the “one leg slide”! They have both grown into adventurous children who love climbing (mostly on the sofas!) and dancing.

to teenagers with growth-related pains, to a marathon runner with foot pain or a grandparent with a stiff and sore knee, we’ve got you covered.

If you’d like to find out how we can help you live the life you want, check out our website www.alpha-physio.co.uk for further information.

"

Another ironic situation was Jimmy receiving Physiotherapy whilst studying for his own Physiotherapy degree, following a rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the first year of University. He completed his high-level rehabilitation and is now paying it forwards with the athletes he sees in clinic.

Whilst Lyndsey hasn’t received Physiotherapy for an injury, she has birthed two children in different ways and her love of Pilates became even more deep rooted as she discovered first-hand the recovery needed following such a huge life changing event.

But, perhaps most importantly, we know how precious time with our loved ones is, and how pain or an injury can have a negative impact on that. We know from recent times how hard it is to be unable to do the things we love, with those that we love, and if there is anything we want to offer as a service, it is to give you a quality of life that you want and deserve.

Not only is Alpha Physiotherapy a family-run business, we provide a service to all your family too. From babies and toddlers with different movement or walking patterns, familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 7 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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babyballet is back!

®

By Miss Abigail Frankilin, Owner of babyballet® Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds & Ipswich.

We are pleased to announce that we are tiptoeing back to class this Autumn at babyballet® Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds & Ipswich. Bookings are now open!

Over the past six months we have been teaching our babyballet® dance classes online, continuing to bring smiles and magic to our Little Stars and their families throughout the pandemic. Our online classes brought a sense of normality and familiarity when the World seemed like it had been turned upside down.

We had such great feedback from our online classes...

“The online classes have been amazing! They added much needed structure to the week and were the only online classes my daughter would join in with”,said Nylah’s Mummy.

“I am truly grateful that my children were able to have some normality with babyballet® online classes and their amazing teacher keeps them smiling every week!” said Darcey and Remy’s Mummy.

While we were so happy to be able to provide online classes to our customers during Lockdown we are so happy to be able to return to classes and see our Little Stars in venues once again.

I am so excited that we are now re-opening our classes this Autumn. The safety and well being of our teachers, grownups and babyballet® stars is always my number one priority, so I have been taking my time to ensure that all of the essential safety measures and requirements are in place before we dance back into class.

With social dis-DANCING and many more guidelines in place, rest assured that you can feel confident and relaxed when bringing your child to a babyballet class. We will be implementing a few changes to the normal format of our classes to make sure that everyone is safe, like allowing extra time between classes to allow for additional cleaning, no shared equipment, smaller class sizes and more space between mats, but we will still have lots of fun.

We can’t wait to see you dancing back through the doors this Autumn!

You can see our timetable and book a three week trial via our website www.babyballet.co.uk/babyballet-school/sudbury or get in touch via phone or email if you have any questions about our classes please call: 07580693747 or email: sudbury@babyballet.co.uk 8 September 2020 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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where little boys and girls love to dance

The award winning movement to music, dance and singing programme for boys and girls from 6 months upwards run within a fun, safe and caring environment.

babyballet® Tots 6 - 18mths babyballet® Tinies 18mths - 3yrs babyballet® Movers 3 - 4yrs babyballet® Groovers 4 - 6yrs babyballet® Tappers 3yrs + Exciting classes available in

Sudbury, Bury St Edmunds & Ipswich Contact Miss Abigail on

07580 693 747 sudbury@babyballet.co.uk babyballet Sudbury @bbSudbury

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Are you concerned about your child's behaviour?

By Madeleine Powell, Certified Play Therapist

P

erhaps your child is anxious about all the

changes that have been happening as a result

of lockdown, or maybe they seem more angry than they used to. Your child might not know or be able to tell you what is bothering them. This is normal and okay and is where parents and carers can help.

Behaviour is communication

You can help your child by trying to understand what they might be saying with their actions. Sometimes anger can actually be hiding fear. Or attention seeking with ‘naughtiness’ can be the child saying they need more of that loving connection with you but they are not sure how to ask for it so they resort to provoking behaviour.

This too will pass

Most of these ups and downs will pass and you will look back and suddenly realise that things have improved, especially as we all get used to the ‘new normal’. However, if you do feel stuck or you think your child is caught in behaviour that is worrying you then there are plenty of places that can support you. Local children’s centres are a wealth of information and the NSPCC has fantastic resources on its website, particularly around online safety. There are also counsellors who are specially trained to work with children and can help them to work through problems using techniques like play therapy and creative arts counselling.

Respond to their need

As well as expressing anger and showing anxious signs like tummy aches, children can start to act younger than they are if they are feeling worried or unsafe. Don’t worry about them taking backwards steps, the regression usually disappears when the child feels more comfortable again. So in the meantime if they want things like being rocked like a baby or help getting dressed again give them plenty of extra cuddles and help with tasks, even more babyish talk if they want it. It can be frustrating if a usually independent child starts needing you to do more things for them again but see if you can roll with it rather than trying to push them into more mature behaviour, as that could add more stress for both of you.

Show them the way

Particularly with the effects of lockdown and COVID -19 still being felt, many of us having been going through tough times. Having strong feelings and reactions about this is very understandable and not something to be ashamed of.

Children learn from the adults who care for them, so one way to help them is to model how you deal with your difficult feelings. ‘I’m feeling really disappointed because I missed out on something at work today that I wanted. That is why I didn’t want to play the big loud game with you. Perhaps we could have a cuddle and play something a little quieter instead.’

Naming your own feelings when you are able to, shows your child that it is okay to have emotions and helps them to learn how to name them and express them safely. familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

with pla

Creative Ar ts Thera p y Play &

Play therapy helps children to cope with life’s difficulties by using play as the main communication tool.

Play therapy gave my little boy his spark back!

Mother of six year old If you would like to explore further how play therapy could help your child then please get in touch.

Madeleine Powell Certified Play Therapist

www.shinewithplay.co.uk shinewithplay@gmail.com

/shinewithplay September 2020 9 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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How can I support my dyslexic child?

By Freya McLaughlin

As a primary school teacher with 17 years’ experience, I’ve worked with many dyslexic children. School staff are used to using their experience and strategies to help pupils in their learning at school. However, having my own dyslexic child has given me a very different insight to that of my hours in the classroom.

T

his article is written as a parent, not as a teacher. I am not claiming any expertise, but these are some of the things I’ve learnt about dyslexia and some of the ways we’ve found that can help at home.

Every dyslexic child is different

This sounds obvious, as we all know that every child is different. But there are a wide range of challenges that can be part of dyslexia: difficulty with reading and spelling; untidy handwriting; slow processing time when asked questions; difficulty in following instructions; slower writing speed; trouble with organising tasks; letter reversal; poor working memory.

Asking limited choice questions, eg “Would you like water or juice?” gives children fixed options, so instead of having to imagine what the options might be and THEN decide, they can go straight to the decision. (Although be prepared for this to still take several seconds).

They may need to rehearse what they want to say

Each child has their own combination of difficulties and strengths, so it’s not possible to treat all dyslexic children in the same way. You might be given a range of great advice, but not every tip will work for your child.

In unfamiliar situations, most children need a little scaffolding to help them use language in different ways, and this is particularly true for many dyslexic children. It can help to prepare them for what is likely to be said - when they buy something in a shop, speak to grandparents on the phone, invite a friend over to play and so on. Give them a chance to say their opening sentence out loud, then let them know what the other person might say back so they can think about their response.

Decision making needs time

Technology can help with speech

Whilst barriers to reading and spelling are an expected part of dyslexia, traits such as slow processing time can affect many areas of life. Asking open ended questions to our children, even simple questions such as, “What would you like to drink?” causes indecision, which can feel stressful for them.

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A great tip I was given last year was to start using Alexa at home. If your child has difficulty with forming and pronouncing words, Alexa or other smart speakers can give them the chance to compose questions for different purposes. Alexa won’t understand unless you speak clearly, familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

so it also gives children the motivation to form their words clearly and carefully. As no humans need to be present, children can have the freedom to practise their speech when no-one is listening.

Limit your spellings

Ah, the weekly spelling list. The least favourite time of the week for dyslexics and their parents! This can often feel like a struggle in our house, so we try to make it as pain free and useful as possible. Decide how many spellings is a realistic number to try to learn. If there are ten on the list, but you believe that your child can only feasibly manage five, then do five. You can let your child’s teacher know and they will not mind. Having a good go at five spellings is infinitely preferable than crying through ten!

Learn groups of words together

Spellings are often taught in groups according to a letter pattern, such as -ough words (eg tough/ brought) or –tion words (eg station/ portion).

This makes it easier for children to learn, as they can remember one rule which they use for all of the words.

Learn spellings physically or in creative ways For words with common letter patterns (eg the ough pattern), it can help to use something physical to handle, such as foam letters (the type you might stick to the bathroom wall) or magnetic letters. This can be done in different ways: • Give your child the letters o, u, g and h and ask them to arrange them in the correct order. Muddle them up and try again.

• Some children find mnemonics help - these are little sayings to help remember the correct order, so o-u-g-h can be remembered as Oh You Good Horse.

• Let them hold or touch the letters as they write each word which contains them. This means they will have fewer new letters to remember, so if they are trying to learn ‘tough’, they only have to remember the first sound ‘t’ and then add the ‘ough’ pattern.

• Look at the shape of each word- some children find it useful to draw around the outline of the word to see this.

Others ‘colour in’ the letters, for example, the spaces in ‘o’ or ‘g’. Anything that helps your child to look closely at each word can be useful.

• Break words of two or more syllables into chunks, and learn each bit separately. You can do this by cutting up words on cards, writing the parts in chalk on different bricks in a wall, matching halves of words.

(Warning: After enthusiastically purchasing letter themed food like Alphabetti Spaghetti and Alpha Bites cereal to help with spellings, I realised they only contained capital letters- which for some dyslexic children is as difficult as a second alphabet). familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Aim to hear your child read - little and often Learning to read is like walking down a path: everyone gets to the end, but some children walk there more slowly. To keep your child on their travels, they need to have the chance to read frequently, ideally every day. Some experts recommend two or three times a day! Whilst this sounds hard to achieve, it shouldn’t involve lengthy amounts of time. Ten minutes of concentrated effort is plenty when your child is building their reading stamina. However…

Prioritise ENJOYING books together

Daily reading might be academically ideal, but this does not always feel in the best interests of your child. When reading is a struggle, it can be demoralising, upsettingand boring. For several months when my child was in Reception, I decided I wasn’t going to hear him read. At all. It was causing such distress that I couldn’t see any benefit from it. But we have always enjoyed books together - children love to be read to, to have time to look at the illustrations, to discuss their ideas. Some nights, it’s better to put down the reading book and share something you both love instead. Each child’s decoding skills will come eventually, but killing their love for books is harder to reverse.

Share reading by taking turns

It’s easy for the meaning of books to be lost in the slow, sometimes painful process of working out what the words say. To keep up children’s interest in what they are reading, they need enough pace to keep them going. Before children are at the stage where they can build that pace for themselves, try building it together. You might take turns to read sentences, paragraphs or pages aloud. If they’re flagging, pick out simpler sections for them and make sure you tackle the trickier passages. Hearing your child read is often better as a two way process.

Talk about dyslexia

Children with a barrier to their learning can feel different to their classmates and siblings. They can feel alone in their difficulty and feel that everyone else knows what to do.

Low self-esteem can unfortunately be one of the effects of dyslexia. But for many children, hearing that there’s a cause for their difficulty, particularly a reason that has nothing to do with intelligence, can be liberating. Instead of feeling that they are ‘stupid’, they can begin to understand the reason for the challenges they face in some areas of learning.

Celebrate their uniqueness

According to The Dyslexia Association, dyslexics often ‘have strong visual, creative and problem solving skills’. The way that they view the world has led a great number of dyslexic children to become highly successful adults, from Einstein and John Lennon to Jennifer Aniston and Holly Willoughby.

Every dyslexic child I have known has had a streak of originality or creativity. And for each of us having the privilege to bring up a dyslexic child, we can detail the ways in which they’ve surprised us with their ideas or their outlook. Their dyslexia may pose problems for them at times, but it is also one of the many reasons that makes each of them so special.

September 2020 11 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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12 September 2020 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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To find out how Kumon study can help your child to shine, contact your local Instructor, Sangeeta Kumar, on 01473 614 665 or email ipswichcentral@kumoncentre.co.uk.

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BECOME AN

ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER On-call firefighters are a vital part of the Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. They provide an efficient, effective service that gives emergency cover across the country. In Suffolk, on-call firefighters make up 66% of the workforce and are generally located in rural communities, small towns and villages.

WHAT ARE ON-CALL FIREFIGHTERS? An on-call/part time firefighter is a person who is ‘on call’ to respond to a range of emergencies.

They are doing everyday jobs (for example, shop workers, office workers, mechanics, etc) until the call comes, then they become professional firefighters. Oncall firefighters do not just fight fires.

You need to: n Be 18 years old or over.

ng for new recruits n-call firefighters

n Have a reasonable level of personal fitness. n Live or work within five to ten minutes of the fire station you provide cover to. n Be able to provide over 50 hours of on-call weekly cover.

?

On-call firefighters live or n Have permission to be work within five to ten released from your main onableminutes level of allocated personal fitness? of their fire employment to attend station. They are fully trained emergency withinfirefighters five towhoeight minutes of aincidents. are called into when they are needed n Have the ability to k? service rather than staffing the fire operate at heights and on a full time basis. confined spaces. d fromstations your main employment Most on-call firefighters have n Keep calm under pressure. cy incidents? other employment and take n Work well in a team. on the role as a second job; however, not need n Have the ability to heights andyouindoconfined spaces? to be in work to become an develop your skills and on-call firefighter. work independently. pressure?

“

hese questions it could One minute you could be sitting at for.

home and the next minute you

-call firefighter, can be sitting on a fire engine. ov.uk/oncall

CURRENT VACANCIES

“

To see if there are any vacancies at your local fire station and to find out more about becoming an on-call firefighter visit: www.suffolk.gov. uk/suffolk-fire-and-rescue-service/workingand-volunteering-for-fire-and-rescue/howto-become-an-on-call-firefighter/on-callfirefighter-vacancies-and-dates/ familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 13 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

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“Lots to see and animals at their level so they could both feed them and touch them. Park is brilliant and the little train ride was my sons favourite!”

We are open and running our usual activities such as Hug a Bunny, Barrel Bug Rides, Train Rides, and Meet the Animals.

The Barmy Barn is providing takeaway drinks and snacks and the outdoor play areas are open.

Pre-book your tickets with an entrance time slot at eastonfarmpark.co.uk “What a fun day ! We had a fabulous time. We felt comfortable and confident with all the social distances and hand care.”

“We visited yesterday and in the words of my 5 year old ‘had the best day’. We felt very safe with the measures in place.”

Plan your family day out to

Easton Farm Park Easton Farm Park is an unmissable gem in the Suffolk countryside.

Whether you are visiting for the day to meet the animals and enjoy the farm, or staying in one of the 4 star holiday cottages, the cow-shaped glamping pods or pitched up on the campsite, Easton Farm Park is a haven away from home. The animals and the farm team can’t wait to meet you and show you round the farm, with lots of hands-on activities each day. Pond dipping, hug a bunny, barrel bug rides, meet the animals and lots more take place at designated time slots each day and every activity is rigorously cleaned and managed to maintain COVID-safe protocols.

The farm café is open every day for outdoor eating although there is some undercover seating for wet weather visits. The outdoor play area is open and we hope to open the indoor soft play soon.

Wet weather visitors can enjoy the best puddle jumping – and the ducks love it too!

Every visit to the farm creates a special memory, and the opportunity to camp overnight next to the sheep and donkeys (there is a fence!) is pure magic. If camping isn’t your thing, the farm has truly unique “cowsheds” – beautifully crafted to ensure a fabulously comfortable sleep within a cow-shaped glamping pod. The newly built shower block with family bath, washing machine, fridge and freezer is perfect for family camping trips and the friendly farm team are on hand for assistance where required.

At this time, all visits must be pre-booked through the farm website for timed entry. The Farm is open from 10am each day and the café serves hot food from 11:30-2:30pm.

GOAT YOGA

come and stay on the farm

Stay on our fabulous new campsite, our glamping Cow Sheds or our 4 star holiday cottages.

“We had a lovely stay, first time I took my children camping and it was brilliant couldn’t ask for a nicer cleaner and friendlier campsite” If you fancy doing something completely different, the farm also offers Goat Yoga once a fortnight on Sunday mornings. Booking is available via:

www.dmyoga.co.uk.

14 September 2020 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

14

familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

ALL ABOUT: WOODBRIDGE TIDE MILL MUSEUM This September, the Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum Team will be bringing the Mill into your home!

After lockdown took away the chance to run family and school events, the Woodbridge Tide Mill Museum Team put their thinking caps on and came up with a different way to share their wonderful Mill with you.

The team have spent the summer working hard to create a brand-new range of Digital Learning Resources which can be used by teachers and parents, in school or at home. Thanks to a generous grant from Historic England they have been able to bring you some fabulously fun sound clips, videos and activity sheets, all of which can be found on our website under the Learning Resources and Museum at Home tabs.

The videos and activities cater for a range of ages (3 and above) and abilities and give you a wonderful glimpse into the history, the people and the inner workings of the Tide Mill.

They are a great way to find out more from the comfort of your living room!

WHAT’S ON @ Suffolk Museums Sept - Oct 2020 September and October listings could be subject to change. Please refer to the museum’s website and social media before attending the event.

Interactive Map Online @ Ipswich Museums www.ipswich.cimuseums.org.uk Live on 11th September ‘New Beginnings’ Exhibition @ The Lettering Arts Trust Opens 18th September www.letteringartstrust.org.uk Radar-related Online Activities @ Bawdsey Radar www.bawdseyradar.org.uk ‘Radar in the Battle of Britain’ Podcasts @ Bawdsey Radar www.bawdseyradar.org.uk Nature's Nautical Fossils @ Lowestoft Museum 19 September, 1-3pm www.lowestoftmuseum.org Adventures of Ben and Jim @ Aldeburgh Museum 24th – 25th October www.aldeburghmuseum.org.uk

So, why not check them out on their website at wwwwoodbridgetidemill.org.uk.

More videos and sheets will be appearing over the next few months too, so watch this space! familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Spooky Saxons! @ West Stow Anglo Saxon Village 26th October - 1st November, 10am - 5pm www.weststow.org

WWW.SUFFOLKMUSEUMS.ORG September 2020 15 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

15

IPSWICH MUSEUM AND CHRISTCHURCH MANSION

Visiting Ipswich Museum and Christchurch Mansion Pre-booking your visit will be required - please see our website for all the information you need to know before planning your visit

Find out more at ipswich.cimuseums.org.uk/visitingipswichmuseums

IPSWICH

MUSEUMS 16 September 2020 Families Suffolk: Issue 55

16

@IpswichMuseums familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Win a family holiday to Santa’s Lapland

September/October 2020 familiesonline.co.uk

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September 2020 17

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IN THIS ISSUE

Easter activities & What’s Ons * Win chocolates for Mother’s Day & family day out tickets * Play café guide * School open days * Reader offers Issue 10 March/April 2020

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ME

contents

In This Issue

We’re Celebrating!

4

There are some reasons to celebrate as we head into autumn.

Education

10 Autumn Activities 12 Early Years 14 Halloween 16 Health 17 Parenting 18 Clubs & Classes 20 Activities

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

Our children will hopefully get to go back to school and nursery after a huge break, which is really good news for parents. This autumn also marks the 30 year anniversary of Families Magazine, first launched in London in 1990. Throughout the next 12 months, we’ll have lots of freebies on offer for our subscribers to mark this milestone. So sign up if you don’t want to miss out! It’s free.

To get the ball rolling, we’re proud to offer you the chance to win a family holiday to Santa’s Lapland in Finland! See below for details.

In the meantime, we hope you find this issue useful in negotiating the start to the new school and nursery year.

Win a magical break to Santa's Lapland in 2021 Enjoy a Reindeer sleigh ride, sledging with huskies, exploring a real igloo and much more, including a once in a lifetime private visit with Santa himself!

Click here to enter

Entries close at midnight on 30th October 2020. Terms & conditions apply, see website for details.

familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 19

education

Free Learning Support Resources Need some additional tools to help your child catch up at school?

BBC Bitesize

Preschool, KS1, KS2+.

Oxford Owl

Early Years, KS1, KS2+.

BBC School Radio

Daily Phonics Lessons by Ruth Miskin Training

Mathematics Mastery Home Resources KS1, KS2.

Literacy Counts Home Learning Packs

Reception, KS1, KS2.

Bud’s Number Garden Game

Literacy Shed

NRICH Maths at Home Resources

Preschool, KS1.

Preschool, KS1.

20 4 September 2020

KS1, KS2.

Early Years, KS1, KS2.

KS1, KS2+.

familiesonline.co.uk

education

What Do We Say to the School about our Separation?

Five “Must-Do’s” When Choosing a School for your Child

Any parent who has been through a separation will understand the massive stress it involves and the anxiety around co-parenting. One of the important issues that can get overlooked in the mix is what to tell your child’s school.

READ MORE

It always makes sense to put your child at the centre of the process when choosing a school.

Parents know better than anyone how different individual children can be and individual schools can be very different too.

By Rebecca Giraud & Bob Greig

By Judith Judd

Read More

Coping with Back to School Stress

Starting a new school year after Covid-19 may mean both parents and children feel more anxious than usual. So what can we do to help our children go back to school feeling more happy and relaxed? Claire Winter speaks to some experts.

Read More familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 21

education

18 Top New Children’s Books for Autumn

Duck and Penguin That Dog! Things I Love by Emma Lazell.

Do Not Like Bear Will smart dog outwit the Susie Linn/Alex Willmore.

Sleepovers Julia Woolf.

Night time adventure for babies/toddlers.

dog-nappers?

For babies/toddlers.

Scenes and activities little ones will recognise.

For babies/toddlers.

The Diddle That Dummed

It’s OK to Cry

I’m Sticking with You

Kes Gray/Fred Blunt.

Laughter, music, word play & silliness. Ages 3+.

Molly Potter/Sarah Jennings.

Great intro to emotions.

Ages 3+.

Moth

The Blue Giant

Egneus. Powerful/ visually spectacular evolution story.

Ages 5+.

story about pollution in our oceans.

Ages 5+.

Smriti Halls/Steve Small.

A story about friendship.

Ages 3+.

Super Milly and the

By Isabel Thomas/Daniel By Katie Cottle. Poignant Super School Day

22 September 2020

By Owen Millward.

Upbeat/funny picture book about kindness.

Ages 5+.

familiesonline.co.uk

education

18 Top New Children’s Books for Autumn

Mermaid School: Ready, Steady, Swim!

Noah Wild and the Floating Zoo

Lucy Courtenay/Sheena Dempsey. An underwater school story. Ages 7+.

Alexander Mccall Smith.

An ordinary boy’s heartwarming/extraordinary feat. Ages 7+.

Louis Sachar/Aleksei Bitskoff. Brilliantly illustrated story of mixedup mayhem. Ages 7+.

My Name is River

Turtle Boy

Health Heroes

The Virus

Return to Wonderland

The Unadoptables

Beneath the Cloud of Doom

Emma Rea. M. Evan Wolkenstein.

Emily Sharratt.

Thrilling, ecological A story offering hope/ ‘Health heroes’ talk adventure in the Amazon new perspectives to life’s about their working lives. jungle. Ages 9+. outsiders. Ages 9+.

Ages 9+.

Ben Martynoga/Moose Allain.

Explores the science behind viruses/Covid-19 pandemic. Ages 11+. familiesonline.co.uk

Wonderland-inspired stories from top contemporary authors.

Ages 11+.

Hana Tooke/Ayesha L.Rubio.

Adventure set in oldworld Amsterdam/ surrounds. Ages 11+.

September 2020 23

Education

Supporting a Dyslexic Child

By Ellie Malt “Do you think she might have dyslexia or something like that?” I asked.

I was standing in the playground with one of the teaching assistants, watching my 4 year old climb into her buggy, eager for her after-school snack. Although it was only her second term in Reception, I’d noticed she seemed uninterested in the alphabet, while other children could already write their names. But I was only really thinking out loud. Even to me, it seemed ridiculously early to be jumping to any conclusions. “Probably” she shot back over the general hubbub. I admit, I was shocked. But looking back years later, finally in possession of a formal diagnosis, I appreciate her honesty. I only wish I had acted sooner; it could have saved so much struggle and frustration.

READ MORE

Dyslexia Features

Sources of Help

Your child may:

British Dyslexia Association Advice and assessments. Find your local association.

• • • • •

Talk well but write little; Be a slow/reluctant reader; Struggle with spelling; Have difficulties with writing; Not always remember/ understand what he/she has just read; • Seem inattentive and unable to concentrate/remember instructions; • Have difficulty organising himself/herself; • Struggle to remember the order of things, eg days of the week.

24 September 2020

The Dyslexia Association Screening, assessment, tuition, assistive technology training.

Dyslexia Assist Find local support.

Achieve Now Works with dyslexic pupils and IT. All services online.

IPSEA Free, independent legal information, advice and support.

Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre Influential regional centre. familiesonline.co.uk

education

Top Homework Tips Where, When and How

Let THEM Do the Work

Create space. If possible, this should be a communal space but one with minimal distractions.

This enables parental supervision/input without it feeling like an intrusion.

Provide guidance, not answers.

Use questioning to help them get as close to the answer as they can but don’t tell them.

Establish a routine. Some children prefer to do homework straight after school; others need to ‘unwind’ or eat first. Whatever is decided, stick to it.

Get organised. Have your child do the hard work first when they are most alert. Help them make a “Done/To Do” list.

Let them make mistakes.

Giving answers means they will not learn the material and their teacher will not know how much they understand it.

Step in only when progress comes to a halt.

Encourage them to set small positive targets promoting independent working and selfsufficiency.

What YOU Can Offer Discuss homework. Even if you know nothing about a subject, you can still help just by talking, listening and helping them to find the right answer.

Use a timer. Challenge your child to estimate how long an assignment might take. Suggest setting a timer for that amount of time, or less.

Encourage. Praise effort not achievement. Focus on hard work or improved concentration, handwriting or presentation.

Make it positive. Tell them how important school is. Your attitude to homework will influence their attitude. familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 25

activities

Autumn Outdoors Enjoy these seasonal outdoor activities with the family.

Bark Rubbing

Autumn Scavenger Hunt

Conkers

Mushroom Hunting

Tree Decorating

Making and Flying a Kite

Building a Hedgehog Home

Litter Picking

Making a Leaf Maze

26 September 2020

familiesonline.co.uk

activities

Great Autumn Crafts Join our friends at MyBaba and get crafty with the kids!

Autumn Leaf Pictures

3D Autumn Tree Craft

Autumn Leaf Sun Catchers

Autumn Play Dough

Painted Leaves

Leaf Rubbing Busy Bag

Animal Seed Collage

Leaf Chromatography

Autumn Sensory Tray

familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 27

Early years

A-Z of Early Years Activities

By Gabrielle Nash @thelondonishmum

Animal Hunt. Search for tiny creepy crawlies, the chirpy in the trees kind and the bigger more exciting kind!

Baking. Use overripe bananas to bake muffins. Or roll out some biscuit dough.

Cardboard Creations. A pirate ship, a car, or a doll’s bed? Save a box, colour it in or cut it up!

Den building. Inside with chairs and sheets. Outside with pieces of wood!

Envelope Endeavours. Send photos/stickers or a letter/card to a friend/family member.

Film Fun. Make popcorn, print off ‘cinema tickets’ and snuggle up.

Garden Growing. Ingredients: patch of soil for digging/planting, old spoons for digging and water for watering!

Hiking. Pack a bag and snacks/ drinks. Get your kids excited about a little ‘hike.’

Imaginary Play. Kids LOVE it!

Visit the doctors or take a pet to the vet!

Jumble Sale Jollies. Involve kids in sorting things for charity or a jumble sale.

Kickabout. Visit the park with a ball – run, jump, slide, shout!

Learning through Play...is the best way! Games like i-spy improve letter/sound recognition.

Mud Mess. It’s such FUN! Make mud pies.

Noise. Bang pans; pick out a tune/rhythm with bells or drums.

28 September 2020

Outdoor Painting. Paint leaves/stones. Add food colouring to bubbles and ‘paint’ windows – it washes off!

Puzzles. Jigsaws develop fine motor skills, spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination.

Quiet. Help your little one enjoy quieter things - small world toys, books, colouring or painting.

Reading. Make reading special.

Try different voices to captivate your child’s imagination.

Safari Special. Hide toy animals (or pictures) around your home. Grab paper/pen and go on safari. Write down the animals you see.

Treasure Time. Make a map and hide “treasure.” Grab a toy sword and battle pirates as you search for it!

Under the Stars. Show your toddler the twinkling lights from galaxies far away.

Virtual Fun. Journey down the Amazon; enjoy a virtual roller coaster ride!

Water. As a wise person once said: when a child is grumpy “just add water!”

X-Ray. Draw around your child’s body. Stick the drawing on the floor. Draw in bones, explaining what they are and what they do.

Yoga. Find great kid-friendly options on Youtube.

ZZZZ….Time to sleep. familiesonline.co.uk

early years

Clever Ways to Get your Child Eating Healthily

Childcare Post Lockdown

Do you dread mealtimes? Does your child have little interest in broccoli and beans? Whether you’re trying baby-led weaning or desperate to get vegetables into a pre-schooler, here’s our tips on how to give your child the best start at the dinner table.

As childcare opens up postlockdown, there is a sense of unease about whether it’s safe to send our children back to nursery. Of course, we want to protect them. So how are nurseries making their environment safe for our children?

READ MORE

By Gabrielle Nash

Read More

More Healthy Eating Tips Dr Pandora Giles (University of East London) outlines her ideas.

• Make meal times fun. Chat, sing, talk about the food.

• Encourage food play. Make faces out of fruit or a forest with broccoli!

• Offer new foods alongside a favourite.

• Swap excessive milk/juice between meals for water if your child is eating little.

• Have clear mealtimes of around 20 minutes.

• Eat with your child. Offer encouragement.

• It’s never too late. Tastes change, so you can introduce variety at any point. familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 29

Halloween

9 Best Halloween Recipes Creative Halloween party snacks for all the family to enjoy making and eating.

Sticky Toffee Apples

Spider Pizzas

Frozen Banana Ghosts

Scary Halloween Jelly

Sausage Mummy Dippers

Halloween Cupcakes

Spooky Pumpkin Soup

Eerie Eyeball Pops

Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats

30 14 September 2020

familiesonline.co.uk

halloween

9 Best Halloween Games Perfect for a small gathering or indoor family fun!

Halloween Pinata

Sticky Spider Web Game

Pumpkin Golf

Halloween Bingo

Halloween Tin Can Bowling

Apple Bobbing

Pin the Tail on the Black Cat

Toilet Paper Mummy Game

Doughnut Eating Race

familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 31

health

Dealing with Separation Anxiety

Children with OCD: Recognising the Signs

Transitions are always stressful, and even more so if you have been out of the swing of things for a while. Dr Sarah Mundy from Parenting through Stories has created a guide to give you some ideas about the best ways to support your child through separation anxiety.

Children worry. Feeling anxious, having doubts, or being worried is normal at any age. However, those who are experiencing OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), may feel unable to stop focussing on those feelings – no matter how much they want to.

This can compel them to behave in particular ways.

Read More

DOWNLOAD HERE

Keep it Moving!

By Gabrielle Nash @thelondonishmum

One of the pleasant, unexpected consequences of lockdown, was witnessing so many families taking to their screens for some physical activity courtesy of the likes of Joe Wicks and Cosmic Kids Yoga. Wouldn’t it be amazing to stay motivated to be physically active?

REAd More 32 September 2020

Top Tips for Getting Active

Don’t be over-ambitious.

Be active often, rather than attempting a 10 mile hike!

Make it fun. Dance! Put on some tunes that get your kids moving.

Set screen time limits.

Make time. Think of creative ways to be extra active. Can you cycle to a friend’s house? Can you get off the bus one stop earlier? It all counts.

Look for new options. New places to visit for physical activity or new types of activity to try.

Set a good example. Live an active life. Explain to your children that it makes you feel good and STRONG! familiesonline.co.uk

parenting

Who Will Take Care of the Children IF….?

Busting the Myths about Adoption: Are you Eligible?

It’s tough deciding who will take care of your children if the worst happens and they no longer have a parent around. Unfortunately, in this eventuality, the situation is not straightforward for your children. Find out why.

Sadly, the number of children in care being adopted each year has fallen, while the number being looked after by local authorities is steadily rising. So there’s a continuing need to find more adoptive parents to look after vulnerable children.

READ MORE

By Andrew Campbell

REAd More

Meaningful Moments

By Claire Winter

We all lead busy lives, with endless to-do lists and children with many hobbies.

Naturally family time can fall by the wayside sometimes.

Yet spending time together is essential if we want a happy and inclusive family environment.

So why not plan some family moments this autumn?

Read More familiesonline.co.uk

September 2020 33

Clubs & Classes

Face-to-Face and Virtual Classes and Clubs

Mother Nature Science

Gymboree

Teddies Music Club

Sing and Sign at Home

Music Bugs

Helen O’Grady Drama Academy

Face to face classes for 0–5s utilising music, Face to face and online Face to face and online science activity classes movement, props, and music toddler groups patented apparatus. for 5-12yrs. for 0-5s.

Online baby signing classes.

Online sensory music classes for babies and toddlers.

Rugbytots

Little Gym

Face to face rugby play programme for 2-7 yrs.

34 September 2020

Face to face drama classes for 5-17yrs.

Little Kickers

Face to face and online Face to face football gymnastics activities classes for 18mths-7yrs. for 4mths-12yrs. familiesonline.co.uk

clubs & classes

Face-to-Face and Virtual Classes and Clubs

Anna Fiorentini Theatre & Film School

FunTech

Caterpillar Music

Tots Play

SA Dance

Parrot Street Book Club

Online tech and coding Face to face and online music/movement for 7-18 yrs. classes babies and Face to face and online toddlers. drama for ages 4-18yrs.

Face to face and online baby and toddler play programme.

Online dance classes for 2.5yrs+.

Teddy Tennis

Lingotot

Face to face tennis classes for 2.5-6yrs.

familiesonline.co.uk

Face to face and online language classes for 0-12yrs.

Monthly subscription book club for 5-11yrs.

Water Babies

Swimming classes for 0-5yrs.

September 2020 35

activities

9 Best Board Games For rainy weekends and as the nights draw in!

Djeco Little Circuit

Shopping List

Peppa Pig Muddly Puddle Game

Great first game with simple rules and quick games. Ages 2.5-5yrs.

Fast paced game testing memory and matching skills.

Ages 3+.

Help George jump over muddles puddles to climb the hill. Ages 4+.

Cheeky Monkeys

Bananagrams

Jenga

Hang the monkey on the tree. Fun game of chance. Ages 4-8yrs.

Fast paced version of Scrabble. Ages 7+.

Take wooden blocks off the tower without it toppling! Ages 6+.

Monopoly Deal

Hey, That’s My Fish!

Einstein Eats Eggs

15 minute Monopoly – perfect intro to this classic game. Ages 8+.

36 September 2020

Award-winning game of strategic fish hunting. For ages 8+.

High speed Charadestype guessing game.

Ages 10+.

familiesonline.co.uk