Plan your family days out this summer using our helpful What's On guide. IN THIS ISSUE
KINGFISHER LEISURE CENTRE, SUDBURY - SUNDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER
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CONTACT US
EDITOR
Stacey Phillips
T: 07951 946736
E: editor@familiessuffolk.co.uk
Design: Stacey Phillips
Printed By: Buxton Press
Next Issue: Sept/Oct 2025
12,000 copies of the magazine are distributed throughout Suffolk. To request copies please contact the editor.
Welcome
It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of the 2024/25 academic year! This time of year is always a whirlwind of sports days and end-of-year celebrations. Amid the hustle and bustle, I hope you’re able to enjoy some special moments and make lasting memories with your children.
A special mention goes to all the parents of primary school leavers—what a milestone! Rest assured, your children are more ready for this next step than you might feel right now.
With the long summer holidays just around the corner, we’ve put together a fantastic summer what’s on guide to help you plan some fun. You’ll also find a helpful feature on encouraging the whole family to ‘Unplug for Summer’.
Whatever your plans, I hope this summer brings you joy, sunshine, and a little well-earned rest. Best wishes,
Stacey Phillips
IN SUFFOLK
Here is our TOP 10 guide to family days out this summer
1 Adventure Days
Awesome days out during the school holidays for children aged 8-12 years with Abbeycroft, with free activities and breakfast and lunch included. To find out more and book visit: www.abbeycroft.org.uk/haf/
2
Sudbury Town Council are delighted to announce the return of Party in the Park in the beautiful Belle Vue this Summer. Sunday 20th July, 11am - 5pm www.sudbury-tc.gov.uk/partyinthepark
2
Visit over 70 owls and birds of prey at the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. With daily flying displays and animal feeds throughout the summer holidays. www.owl-help.org.uk
3
6 Dinosaur Day
A ROAR-some day out for all. Visit Newmarket Races for an afternoon of fantastic racing and Jurassic themed entertainment for all the family on Sat 9th August. www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/newmarket
8 Aldeburgh Carnival
9 Take a walk on the wild side Party in the Park Summer at Ickworth
This summer, treat the whole family to the travel themed 'Summer of Play' at Ickworth Estate. Taking place between 19th July - 2nd September. www.nationaltrust.org.uk
5 All Hands on Deck for Family Fun
Chart a course for Suffolk Archives this summer - where young deck hands and their families can make memories to treasure. (See page 6 for more information) www.suffolkarchives.co.uk
This year's Carnival theme is... Celebrating Summertime! Enjoy this three day event over the weekend of Sat 16th to Mon 18th August. www.aldeburghcarnival.com
7
Bury St Edmunds Food & Drink Festival
The Bury St Edmunds Food and Drink Festival is back for 2025! Including street entertainment for the family to enjoy. Sun 24th and Mon 25th August www.visit-burystedmunds.co.uk
A cultural showcase, featuring live music and dance performances from Suffolk’s diverse communities. Taking place at Alexandra Park, Ipswich on Sun 31st August. www.ipswichentertains.co.uk
4
Jump for joy One Big Multicultural Festival
Jump In Adventure Park Ipswich is packed full of fun for all the family. Opening hours during the schools holidays are: Mon-Thu: 9am - 7pm Fri & Sat: 9am - 8pm | Sun: 9am - 5pm www.goJumpIn.com
This summer, let loose in the great outdoors at Ickworth Estate, where a whole Summer of Play awaits you.
With outdoor events and activities to keep the whole family entertained, Ickworth has a little something for everyone.
Kicking things off in early July, a programme of outdoor cinema screenings brings family-favourites to the big screen, with the beautiful Rotunda acting as a backdrop on the North Lawn. Films include Paddington in Peru, Pride and Prejudice (2005) and the Italian Job (1969) among others. There are nine screenings in total at different times in the day across the 4 – 6 July. It is a great excuse to bring along a picnic and make an evening of it. Don’t forget your camping chairs or blankets! There will be a food and beverage trailer on site for snacks or popcorn.
For the duration of the summer school holidays Ickworth’s Summer of Play returns once again to the Walled Garden from 19 July – 2 September. This year’s theme is ‘An Ickworth Playcation’ and elements of travel and adventure weave themselves through outdoor games, family-friendly activities and sports. The Walled Garden will be transformed into a fun and safe space for families, children of all ages and dogs too. There will be a barbecue down there, shaded areas and a range of spaces to explore.
Let the fun begin!
Don’t forget that Ickworth has an adventure play area surrounded by picnic benches, and offers an assortment of trails to walk or cycle. The multi-use trail is an accessible route with a firm surface, ideal for wheels. You are welcome to bring your own bikes or, alternatively, hire them from the cycle hub in the main carpark. It is open every day of the summer holidays and operates on a first-come-first-served basis. There is a selection of bikes and balance bikes of different sizes, and four trailers for small children over 12 months.
During your day at Ickworth, visit the house where there are things for children to spot down in the servants’ basements. An exhibition runs in the upstairs state rooms and out into the magnificent Italianate Garden behind. Before you leave, pop into the West Wing where you will find the main gift shop and café. Grab a scone or pick up a little souvenir from your day.
For opening times, ticket prices and a list of upcoming events visit: nationaltrust.org.uk/Ickworth
Summer of Play at Ickworth Estate
Summer of Play: 19 July - 2 September
Ickworth Estate
This year's Summer of Play is travel themed. 'An Ickworth Playcation' takes place in the Walled Garden and promises family activities, outdoor games and plenty of creativity.
Chart a course for Suffolk Archives this summer –where young deckhands and their families can make memories to treasure!
Get swept up in rollicking tales of pirates, savage sea monsters, buried treasure and more with master storytellers.
Drop anchor at The Hold in Ipswich, Newmarket’s National Horse Racing Museum, Haverhill Library, Stowmarket Library, Lowestoft Library, Eye Library and Moyse's Hall in Bury St Edmunds for hands-on Let’s Get Crafty creative workshops. Unearth a treasure trove of Cinema Club Saturday screenings, including Hook; Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists; and Muppets Treasure Island. Just £2 per child per film. Find out more at www.suffolkarchives.co.uk
Jump & Save this Summer at AirHop/Jump In/Rush!
AirHop/Jump In/Rush Adventure and Trampoline Park offers high-flying indoor fun with thrilling activities and experiences for all ages.
Whether you're celebrating or just bouncing for fun, there are sessions for everyone! Toddler Takeover (ages 1-6) provides a safe and exciting bouncing experience, while Family Takeover lets the whole family (ages 1+) jump together. Open Jump is perfect for ages 4+ plus Sunset Sessions on weekends, featuring disco lights and groovy tunes!
Check out their fantastic summer offers!
Summer Pass – The biggest offer this summer! Secure FIVE jumps at a super low price to use any time up until 5 September. Jump into happy all summer long!
Classic Parties – save 20% on Classic Parties, valid any day of the week! Minimum booking of 12 people.
Midweek Parties – save 20% off midweek parties, making unforgettable celebrations more affordable while keeping all the perks of an AirHop/Jump In/Rush party!
Book your AirHop/Jump In/Rush adventure today! Book online for the best price and to secure your spot.
WHAT’S ON
Lights on, music up! Every Friday & Saturday evening, AirHop/Jump In/Rush transforms into the ultimate trampolining party with their Sunset Sessions. Think disco lights, groovy tunes, electric atmosphere plus tons of different attractions to choose from.
Bounce across a sea of trampolines to the latest dance hits, challenge your friends on their interactive attractions, or grab a pizza in the cafe after working up an appetite! It’s a session you don’t want to miss.
Tickets are limited – book now!
Sunset Sessions at AirHop/Jump In/Rush!
By Liat Hughes Joshi
Technology is thoroughly ingrained in all our lives, particularly those of our children. From an early age, screens are a key source of entertainment and like it or not, highly effective at keeping them occupied. Amazing though technology can be, it can sometimes all get too much and we need screen downtime. What a joy to actually talk to each other and do things together that don’t involve texting and messaging, tapping and swiping! As the summer holidays approach, here are my unplugged go-to activities for you to have fun and connect as a family this summer.
GARDEN CAMPING
All the upsides of camping (the fresh air, the novelty!) minus the communal bathrooms and forgetting to take the tent pegs. An evening toasting marshmallows on a campfire or barbeque and telling stories by torchlight beats screens anyday (hide them and turn off your router if necessary). WHAT YOU’LL NEED: A garden. If you don’t have one, persuade the grandparents or some friends to host. Camping gear – buy second-hand or borrow to keep costs down.
SAND SCULTING
Who says you have to stick with building castles at the beach? The trick to making sand sculptures – be they of animals, letters, cars – is to mix in a lot of water with the sand, creating a muddy consistency. Start off with more basic creations and work up. Look online for ideas before you leave and even older cynics will be heading for the beach before you can say ‘don’t forget the sunscreen.’ WHAT YOU’LL NEED: A trip to the beach (or a sandpit for smaller creations at home). Buckets (for water as well as sand). A variety of cups, tubs, etc, plus tools eg spade, knives, spoons, spatula.
WATER-TASTIC GAMES
Grab some water pistols, soak a few kitchen sponges in a bucket, make water balloons, turn on that garden sprinkler (provided there isn’t a hosepipe ban), herd the kids outside in their swimwear on a hot day and await the soggy mayhem.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Water pistols, balloons, sponges, hosepipe and sprinkler; definitely a few towels for afterwards!
TRAIL ABOUT TOWN
Write clues and riddles about the local area, culminating in a mystery destination such as a café or ice cream parlour. Two teams could battle it out to get to the final meeting point. You could draft in local shopkeepers or neighbours who you know well to have clues hidden in their shop or front gardens. This approach can also work well to liven up sightseeing on holidays or days out.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: The imagination to come up with the clues! An accompanying adult for each team if participants aren’t old enough to be out alone.
TEPEE TIME
Putting up a garden tepee is surprisingly simple. Place six bamboo canes/stakes in a semi-circle about sixty centimetres apart and push each around two centimetres into the ground. Gently draw the tops together, then tie with string so you have a tepee-shaped frame. Fix your sheet in place with clothes pegs and job done. A blanket as a ground sheet and some cushions will give a ‘glamping’ feel.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: String, six 5-ft or 6-ft bamboo canes (from a garden centre if you haven’t got any). An old double sheet, clothes pegs, a blanket and some cushions.
BACK GARDEN BOWLING 'ALLEY'
Who needs expensive bowling alleys when you can put together your own for free? Raid the recycling bin (ask the neighbours if they have any too) and fill ten or twelve used plastic bottles with water and optional food colouring for a colour-coded points scheme. Place the bottles in the usual triangular formation on a flat strip of ground. Mark standing spots for different age players with a couple of rulers or some tape. Grab the ball and await those first shouts of ‘Strike!’ WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Empty plastic bottles, a mid-sized ball, food colouring (optional).
Find an exposed hill or a breezy beach, run along and let your kite soar! If you don’t own a kite, it’s possible to make one with sticks or straws, plastic bags and string, although don’t bank on it lasting the duration. If you can find a kite-flying event even better – they can be quite a spectacle. It’s said that if you build a love of nature in your children before the age of 12, you’ll create a lifelong passion for the outdoors.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: A kite, the park, a field or the beach, free of any overhead wires for the kite to collide with. A breezy day (wind speeds of five to twenty five mph are optimal).
Children will need supervision as the jam can get dangerously hot but this activity is brilliant for dealing with fruit overload after foraging or visiting a pick-yourown farm (another great screenfree ideas!). Experiment with different combinations and more unusual flavours, such as melon or rhubarb.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Piles of fruit, preserving sugar, a large sturdy saucepan or preserving pan, sterilised jam jars with lids and a jam-making thermometer.
FOR BAD WEATHER DAYS…
SIGN LANGUAGE CHALLENGE
Learning basic sign language is relatively easy, a useful life skill and surprisingly appealing – especially if your child learns with friends and they can then use it to communicate together. Fingerspelling is an undaunting starting point – single signs for individual letters that can be used to spell out words. If they get into this, they could progress on to learning whole word signs.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: A sign language guide (online is fine!). Semaphore is another, more unusual skill if they enjoy this.
OLD (AND EMBARRASSING) FAMILY PHOTOS
Dig out those long-neglected snaps from the attic and challenge your child to find the top three most embarrassing/amusing ones from days of yore. Prepare for much sniggering at your clothes and hairdos and comments of the ‘but you looked soooo young there, mum’/’you had hair then, dad…’ variety.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: A pile of old pics or albums.
DIY SPA DAY
When there’s no queue for the family bathroom, let pre-teens set up a ‘spa’ at home. Hair and face masks can be created with typical kitchen ingredients such as yoghurt, oats, banana, honey, avocado and chocolate. Salt or sugar scrubs are simple to put together too. Mask and scrub recipes can be found online, while enthusiastic experimenters can concoct their own formulations.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Kitchen ingredients, tubs/bowls and mixing spoons.
SET UP A BOOK BLUB
This works best when they are old enough to read, using books that appeal to all your children. You can facilitate a discussion about each book which is ideal for parent and child time. Older kids can set up a club with a group of like-minded friends. This could focus on an appropriate genre, such as sci-fi or comedy. Don’t shy away from e-readers for kids – they bring the added benefits of an integrated dictionary and the ability to download new books instantly.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Books!
Liat Hughes Joshi is a parenting expert and author. Her new book How to Unplug Your Child (Summersdale) is available from: www.bookshop.org
FLY A KITE (somewhere bright, breezy and beautiful) GET JAMMING
Healthy Habits & Happy Holidays
The Benefits of Families Exercising Together –and Staying Safe Around Water
As summer approaches and the days grow longer, families across the UK are looking for ways to get active and make the most of the sunshine. Whether it’s a brisk walk in the park, a game of rounders, or a swim at the local leisure centre, getting active together can do wonders for your health and your family relationships.
Why Exercising Together Matters
Staying active as a family is a brilliant way to encourage healthier habits in children – and it doesn’t have to mean hitting the gym. From bike rides through the countryside to yoga in the garden, exercising together offers plenty of benefits beyond physical fitness.
Regular activity improves cardiovascular health, boosts energy, and strengthens muscles and bones. But it’s also great for mental wellbeing. Exercise helps reduce stress and anxiety – something both parents and children can benefit from, especially during the busy summer months.
Make This Summer Count
Family fitness doesn’t need to be complicated – just consistent. By making time for shared activity and being mindful around water, you’ll not only boost your family’s health, but also make memories that last a lifetime. So lace up your trainers, pack your swimming kit, and head outdoors. A fun, safe summer awaits!
Exercising together also encourages teamwork, improves communication, and creates positive memories. Plus, when it feels more like play than a workout, everyone’s more likely to stick with it.
Don’t Forget Water Safety
Of course, British summers often involve a splash – whether it’s a trip to the seaside, a dip in the local lido, or even paddling in the back garden. Water activities are a great way to cool off and keep fit, but they do carry risks, particularly for younger children.
Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death in children in the UK. That’s why it’s vital that every family takes water safety seriously. Ensure children learn how to swim from a young age. Always supervise children closely around water, even if they’re confident swimmers. If you’re visiting the coast, pay attention to flags and signs, and swim only in lifeguarded areas. And when it comes to boating or paddle sports, make sure everyone wears a properly fitted life jacket.
Helping your kids ace their first school show
We asked Jordan Veloso, Head of Stage and Screen at PQA (Pauline Quirke Academy) for his tips.
For many parents and caregivers, preparing a child for a performance can be both rewarding and daunting. Supporting a child as they learn lines, feeling their excitement at sharing their work with others and becoming part of a show is truly special. Performing in a production is a significant milestone that can impact both children and parents profoundly.
Performing can help children improve their confidence, manage anxiety and stress, cope with difficult emotions and take risks. These are valuable lessons for children and their parents too. To make the most of this memory-making experience, here are three tips to help your child relax and enjoy it:
Provide encouragement and patience
For many children, performing for the first time is a big deal. It might be their first time sharing their voice, dancing, acting or doing screen work in front of an audience. Whether they are shy or excited, providing the right amount of support can make all the difference. Be there for them, stay present and always offer encouragement. Let them know that you’re proud of their effort, regardless of how they feel about it. Your positive energy and belief in them can boost their confidence as they prepare for their big moment.
Show up and cheer them on
Being present and involved in the experience can make all the difference to how your child feels; showing up, cheering and being supportive will help them feel safe and secure. Your enthusiasm and pride in their achievement will reflect the excitement they feel. It’s essential to foster a positive and supportive environment as they embrace the challenge of performing - no matter how big or small their role.
Celebrate the journey and growth
After the performance, take time to reflect and celebrate your child’s achievements. Encourage your child to recognise how well they did and consider how their progress since rehearsals began. Celebrating this success helps reinforce their growing confidence and the life skills they’ve gained, such as resilience, teamwork and emotional intelligence. It’s also a chance for parents to reflect on how their support and guidance helped their child grow. As your child continues to perform, you’ll both see how the experience becomes easier and how your child evolves into a more confident and wellrounded individual.
WEEKEND PERFORMING
Is your child ready for school?
If you are a parent of a child starting school in September, you may be wondering how ready or not they are for this new challenge. So we thought it timely to ask our friends at Learning Journals (www.learningjournals.co.uk) to tell us what ‘school readiness’ really means.
What is ‘school readiness’?
There are multiple interpretations of ‘school readiness.’ Here we explore the definition of the early years foundation stage (EYFS): ‘The broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.’ Statutory Framework for the EYFS, 2014
So this definition refers to children around the age of 5 who are about to start formal education, ie primary school in the UK. Some will refer to this stage as kindergarten.
Executive functioning
Executive functioning relates to a higher order of reasoning and thinking skills. For example, a child who has a pretty good idea of what they need to pack to take to school (eg completed homework).
Emotional development/regulation
School readiness can be broken down into multiple characteristics. Understanding where a child is at in terms of these characteristics will determine how ‘school ready’ they are.
Some of these characteristics can be difficult for children to achieve, which isn’t a bad thing. The important thing is that parents, carers and practitioners are aware of them and can then put steps in place to provide the right level of assistance.
Self-regulation
This relates to the ability to obtain, maintain and change emotion, behaviour, attention and activity levels in line with a certain task or situation. In other words, how a child can adapt to various situations, be it playing outside or learning inside the classroom.
Sensory processing
Sensory processing is a form of stimulation that occurs in various environments, as well as in one’s own body that influences attention and learning. This would affect things like how a child might sit, hold a pencil and listen to others.
Receptive language (understanding)
This is a simple one to grasp. Essentially, receptive language refers to how children understand what they hear. They need to be able to understand questions in order to respond accordingly.
Expressive language (talking)
Expressive language links with receptive language. As well as understanding, your child will need to be able to communicate with others to get the most out of their education. In other words, it’s an essential part of school readiness.
Articulation
Articulation is quite similar to the previous two characteristics. It refers to how a child pronounces individual sounds in words.
Like self-regulation, emotional development is all about how a child perceives and responds to their emotions. Children go through a wave of emotions at a young age, so it’s important for them to understand why they’re feeling the way they are and how to process their feelings appropriately at school.
Social skills
A child’s ability to engage in reciprocal interactions with others either verbally or non-verbally. School is social, meaning children will need to be prepared to speak with teachers, fellow children and others without worry.
Planning/sequencing
When it comes to school readiness, planning and sequencing are key. After all, how a child performs a multi-step task or activity will determine how effective they are at developing integral skills that will help them later in life.
Problems with school readiness
You can tell your child has problems with school readiness when they:
• Get easily frustrated or are irritable when asked to do something.
• Rely on you or other adults to get dressed or go to the toilet.
• Struggle to follow instructions and/or retain focus.
• Are socially immature (ie unable to share, don’t interact well with other children).
• Have poor receptive skills (ie can’t articulate).
• Don’t understand consequences for actions.
• Resist new activities or the chance to learn new skills. You can download a school readiness checklist at the link below.
To discover how to help your child with school readiness, visit: www.bit.ly/schready
Stay and Play Sessions
Tuesday 22 July 2025
Tuesday 05 August 2025
Tuesday 29 July 2025
Tuesday 12 August 2025
Sign up for one or more of our Stay and Play sessions (ages 2 -5) where you can come and experience our Nursery. An opportunity to play together, enjoy stories, arts and craft and go on some outdoor adventures.
All sessions run from 09:30 - 11:30 in our purpose-built Early Years Building at Framlingham College Prep School, IP13 7AH Free of charge | Siblings welcome
Scan the QR code to book or go to framlinghamcollege.co.uk/stayandplay
Book a personal visit and see our purpose-built centre, set in 23 acres, specifically designed for youngsters to thrive; playing, developing social and communication skills and gaining independence before starting school.
Bright Futures Begin at Little Jo’s
Set in the stunning grounds of St Joseph’s College, our nursery offers flexible, all-day care for 2–4 year olds, designed to fit busy family life.
We’d love to show you around.
• 8am–6pm. All year (50 weeks)
• Specialist provision: music, dance, sport, art & Spanish
• Fresh, nutritious meals cooked onsite daily
• New sleep room & sensory space
• Outdoor learning, 65 acre site
• Caring and friendly staff
• Early Years (30 hours) funding available
Book a visit today and discover why Little Jo’s is the right choice for your family! admissions@stjos.co.uk | 01473 694576 | stjos.co.uk
