Families Warwickshire March April 22 Print

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IN THIS ISSUE

What’s on Parenting Education

Issue 64 March/April familiesonline.co.uk 2022

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editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk Families Warwickshire 1

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Contact us

In this issue

Claire Jones editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

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Parenting

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Education

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Travel

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Environment

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What’s on

No Fault Divorce from 6 April 2022 The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA) comes into force on 6th April 2022 in England and Wales and allows – indeed requires – couples to divorce without assigning blame.

Currently a person seeking a divorce needs to prove that their marriage has broken down irretrievably because of one of five ‘facts’: 1) that they have been separated for two+ years (if agreed); 2) that they have been separated for five+ years (whether or not agreed); 3) that they have been ‘deserted’; 4) that their spouse has committed adultery; or 5) that their spouse has behaved unreasonably. Accordingly, unless a person is willing to wait two+ years after separation, criticism of your spouse is unavoidable.

On the other hand – perhaps in response to criticism that divorce will become ‘too easy’ – the DDSA imposes a minimum timeframe of 20 weeks to give parties ample time to reconsider whether they really want to divorce.

Ultimately the aim of this legislative overhaul is to reduce conflict and upset and allow divorcing couples to focus on resolving financial issues and agreeing arrangements in respect of any children.

Karol Kaliczak Barrister at Moore & Tibbits Solicitors, Warwick www.moore-tibbits.co.uk

Under the DDSA, however, you will need only say that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, with no supporting fact needed. Furthermore, couples will be able to jointly apply for divorce.

W o od s , Ob s ta c l e s , L a k e s & Fi el d s . . .

All content © Families Warwickshire Families Warwickshire is a bi-monthly magazine for parents, covering Stratford-onAvon and Warwick districts. Towns covered include Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick, Leamington Spa and Kenilworth, plus Studley, Alcester, Bidford, Henley-in-Arden, Wellesbourne, Welford-on-Avon, Shipston-on-Stour, Southam and lots of the smaller villages in between. Print run 16,000.

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W I L D R U N N I N G - ‘ O U T D O O R F U N AT I T S B E S T ! ’

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Families Warwickshire 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 this magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form with the prior consent of Families Warwickshire. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine but Families Warwickshire, our distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

Next issue: May/June 2022 Booking deadline: Friday 8 April

editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk Families Warwickshire 3

PARENTING

Mums in business Ashlea Lines is mum to Sydney, 4, and a local business owner. She set up Me&You when she realised there was a distinct gap in the market for toys that all children can relate to and which represent children living with diabetes, hearing loss and other conditions.

We had a chat with her to find out more.

What gave you the idea to set up your business?

Our son Sydney wears hearing aids and we wanted to buy him a toy that also wore aids which he could relate to. Unfortunately, we found this impossible as ‘mainstream’ toys that children play with every day don’t reflect the real world. Every child is unique so why are the toys they love, play and learn with all the same?

I had a little play around with different materials and ideas with some of Sydney’s toys and gave him a spider man with hearing aids. His face when he saw him was a memory I will cherish forever. This is when I thought that I could give the same happiness to other children with my adaptations.

The name Me&You is because Sydney will always say ‘me and you, me and you’ when we plan adventures.

So, how does Me&You work? Do you source the dolls/teddies/ figurines?

Me&You is still in the early stages and I have a lot to learn! I adapt toys, teddies and figurines to make them relatable to the child. I try to use pre-loved toys which are in a good condition, making it more sustainable and I adapt them using non-toxic materials. I find out as much information from the customer

about the adaptation they want me to do and ideally see an example. I then ask questions to find out more about the child so I can really make their toy personalised.

Seeing the children’s faces when they meet their new friend is why Me&You exists.

Tell us more about your son Sydney is 4 years old. He loves playing football and has a great left foot! He also loves bowling - we go every week and even made him a bowling alley at home! His favourite film is Hocus Pocus which we watch at least once a week!

How many different adaptations have you done? Please give some examples.

To date, I’ve done fourteen different types of adaptations, from hearing aids and cochlear implants to diabetic devices and IV treatment. All are challenging as each adaptation is done by hand, and every toy is different in size so using moulds isn’t possible. Furthermore, before I started Me&You, I hadn’t used clay since I was at school! The most common are hearing and diabetic devices but I believe anything is possible so will try my hand at any adaptation requested.

How have you found setting up your own business? What advice would you give to other mums/dads who have a business idea?

If you have an idea don’t be afraid to give it a go. You have nothing to lose and will only ponder on ‘what if I had’ if you don’t! Nearly a year of what ifs and self-doubt happened before actually putting Me&You out there. I couldn’t and probably wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for the support of my family and friends.

It’s a big step to take and an emotional roller-coaster, along with working (I am a horse-riding instructor), being a mama, and everyday life. Each adaptation takes a lot of time to do so it’s finding the balance. Many times I have wondered if it was a silly idea to do!

Instagram @meyou_uk Etsy @MeandYouUK

4 Families Warwickshire editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

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PARENTING

Love learning languages with BilinguaSing BilinguaSing runs groups for babies and children from the age of just 4 weeks old! The sessions are full of familiar rhymes - think Humpty Dumpty or Twinkle - and simple songs to introduce babies and young children to a second language in an easy, natural and fun way.

The songs and rhymes are sung in both English and the second language and you don’t need prior knowledge of the additional language. There are four languages on offer locally - French, Spanish, German and Italian. Even the grown-ups that accompany the children can easily learn a new skill with BilinguaSing! Sensory props - such as bubbles, instruments and puppets - add to the enjoyment of the sessions.

BilinguaSing sessions are available for nursery settings and primary schools too, so the love of language learning for children can continue through to age 11! www.bilinguasing.com

Be green by renting baby clothes Parenting is hard. Eco parenting is even harder.

Cloth nappies, homemade organic food, secondhand clothes - there are so many things we 'should' be doing to protect our babies and the planet. What if there was one thing you could do which saved you time, money, and the planet too?

A new online business based in Stratford-uponAvon called Borro aims to make sustainability easy for parents by offering a baby clothes rental service. By keeping clothes in circulation

rather than on the way to landfill, Borro aims to help reduce the 10% of annual global carbon emissions that the fashion industry is responsible for*. It’s also a hassle-free service for parents as there’s no minimum spend, no charge for staining any items, and free returns too. Sometimes choosing the sustainable option can be more expensive, but with renting you can save money on high quality organic brands like Mori, Kite, Newbie, and Little Green Radicals. www.borro-it.com *Report published by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Fostering changes lives

Foster Parents come from all walks of life, backgrounds and cultures helping children feel safe & valued - we welcome applications from everyone.

“

By the Bridge are exceptional... ...the best decision we ever made.

”

Katie & Tom By the Bridge Foster Parents

We need Foster families for more than 600 children in your local area this month alone.

All we ask is that you MUST have a spare bedroom and the time to give to a child.

If you have a spare bedroom and want to make a difference, contact us today.

Call: 0800 644 6230 familiesonline.co.uk

Visit: www.bythebridge.co.uk/families editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk Families Warwickshire 5

PARENTING

Tackling childhood fears

By Tanith Carey

During the pandemic, levels of anxiety among adults have risen sharply and some of this worry has been contagious for kids. So how do we help children manage their own feelings when the world feels uncertain for grown-ups too?

Firstly, remember that children take their cues from you. This means noticing when you feel overwhelmed.

Visualise a sliding scale in your mind with notches from one to ten. When the scale starts to move towards seven or eight, take deliberate steps to process your own worries, maybe talking them through with another adult, so you can stay calm and rational around your child.

You may be concerned that this is hiding your worries from your child. Don’t be. It’s putting on your own oxygen mask so you can reassure them they are safe within the world of their home. If your child seems worried by something about Covid they have heard outside the home, ask what they’ve heard.

From around age 4 or 5, young children engage in ‘magical thinking’ in which they believe they are the centre of the world.

In order to try and make sense of how the world works, they also tend to link events that aren’t linked, meaning that they often leap to the wrong conclusions. If a grandparent gets Covid, they may for example, assume it’s down to them not washing their hands when they come home from school.

Asking your children about their fears allows you to tackle their concerns directly. You can help them feel more in control by telling them they are part of a big team winning the war on the virus and helping by wearing masks and washing their hands. Explain: ‘Lots of people have caught this germ, but for most, it’s been like a really bad cold.’

Talk too about how clever scientists have come up with vaccines and millions of grown-ups, from health care staff to teachers, are still working hard to look after them. Help them get the virus in perspective too. Explain that there are good germs in our bodies as well as bad ones, how their immune system works and how to look after it.

While young children tend not to worry about death as something that happens to them, they may worry about who will look after them if you or your co-parent dies. If this is a concern that surfaces, tell your child that everyone dies eventually but

you don’t expect it to happen for a long time and by then they will be grown-up.

Facing and talking about their fears doesn’t mean they will become persistent. In fact, they are more likely to keep coming back when children feel alone with them, not heard or unable to express them.

If you do lose a loved one, give clear, open honest answers because younger children don’t understand death is final. Avoid phrases such as ‘gone to sleep’ or ‘we’ve lost them.’ Explain simply the reason that their loved one is no longer here is that their body stopped working.

Sometimes kids can find it easier to process the death of a loved one through tangible ways of mourning. Going through family photos, making a keepsake box, releasing a balloon with the person’s name on or planting a tree can all be helpful.

Tanith Carey is author of What’s My Child Thinking: Practical Child Psychology for Modern Parents with clinical child psychologist Dr Angharad Rudkin, published by DK books.

Fears and anxieties are some of the one hundred scenarios faced with children aged 2 to 7 that are tackled in this book.

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I’m scared of the dark

Will bad people hurt us?

Fear of the dark at bedtime affects about half of children up to the age of 5. When a room goes black, children can feel ‘trapped’ by the darkness around them.

By the time children are 5 or 6, they may overhear talk about crime or terror attacks and worry that ‘bad people’ may want to hurt them or the people they love.

By helping kids name their worries, they will feel more in charge.

Summarise and talk about what they are saying, so they know you have heard and understood.

While you may feel it’s too soon to tackle such a big subject, they are really asking if they are safe with you right now.

To make lights-out seem less scary, offer your child a nightlight which will cast a warm glow around them without interrupting their sleep.

6 Families Warwickshire editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

Acknowledge their concerns and how scary this must feel.

Explain that serious crimes and big news incidents are rare and they are safe at home.

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PARENTING

Top apps every parent needs

By Ari Last It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of apps available in the App Store and give up before you’ve even started looking for something.

When it comes to parenting though, getting good apps on speed dial can really save time if you’re looking to keep the children entertained, connect with other like-minded parents, research childcare options or seek guidance on how to make family life just that little bit easier.

Here are some recommendations: Family Locator https://family-locator.com When older children or teenagers are out and about, keep track of their location with this app which keeps your family secure and connected, for extra peace of mind.

CBeebies www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies This staple app on any parent’s phone or tablet offers both educational games as well as classic cartoons for when you just need a break!

Mush www.letsmush.com The number one social app for mums to find friends who live nearby with kids the same age, arrange to meet up and get advice from parenting experts and peers.

The Wonder Weeks www.bit.ly/WonderWeeksApp A week-by-week guide to your baby’s development right through from pregnancy to after birth, showing how you can support and stimulate your little one.

Allrecipes Dinner Spinner https://dish.allrecipes.com/ mobile-apps A handy bank of recipes and cooking inspiration which keeps solving the ‘what can I make for dinner?’ question and keeps little bellies satisfied every evening.

Sound Sleeper www.soundsleeperapp.com Help your baby get off to sleep with this app’s collection of calming sounds.

Kidday www.kidday.com The easiest way to store your child’s photographs in one place, as well as share albums with friends and family.

Bubble www.joinbubble.com The UK’s biggest ondemand childcare platform, with over 100,000 users and 5-star Trustpilot rating.

Find, book and pay local sitters or nannies who come recommended from their friends and other parents in their area.

OLIO www.olioex.com Here you can give away unwanted kids’ items to those in the local area, allowing you to help out a neighbour and reduce waste. You can also use the app to look for anything you might happen to need and save some pennies.

Ari Last is a parenting guru and founder of childcare app Bubble. For more information, visit www.joinbubble.com

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editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk Families Warwickshire 7

EDUCATION School which sits at the heart of our school campus. In my mind, there’s nothing more uplifting that hearing the sound of children playing!

What are the qualities of a great teacher?

Someone who really cares about the children and inspires them to be the very best they can be. I am always moved by the Forest Witcraft quote, ‘A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in or the car I drove…but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.’

What does being a head mean to you?

It means the world. I am fortunate to work with experienced and specialist colleagues and, together, we really care about shaping the lives of our children at Warwick Prep. No two days are ever quite the same!

Meet the Head of Warwick Prep This issue, we talk to Hellen Dodsworth, who has been the headmistress of Warwick Prep since September 2016.

Warwick Prep is part of the Warwick Independent Schools Foundation and is split into two parts - the Pre-Prep and the Prep Departments. The Pre-Prep is for girls and boys aged between 3 and 7. The Prep is for girls aged between 7 and 11.

How would your pupils describe you?

I asked our Year 2 pupils and they said kind, fair and clever (and wears pretty dresses!).

How would you describe the ethos of Warwick Prep?

We encourage our children to ‘Aspire, Achieve, Enjoy’. And that last part, ‘Enjoy’, is something we take very seriously! I have always known that play is one of the most important things children can do and we’ve invested greatly in our outside spaces over the last year with new, stimulating play areas and a Forest

What have you been most proud of since being head of Warwick Prep?

There have been so many memorable moments, it is hard to choose just one! It may sound like a cliché but I’m so proud of our pupils who every day always do something to make me smile. From their academic and extra-curricular achievements, to being courteous and thoughtful, I couldn’t be prouder.

Who inspired you to teach?

I had a wonderful Maths teacher when I was 12 years old - she made Maths interesting and fun, and was a jolly good listener.

Teachers really can inspire the young minds of tomorrow and the inspiration I received as a child myself has stayed with me ever since.

What advice would you give to parents choosing a school?

Above all, you have to have ‘that feeling’ that it is the right environment for your child. Be confident that the school will not only encourage them to fulfil their potential, but more than anything to be happy, confident, and to enjoy their time. School days really should be the best days of our lives.

What is your real-life superpower?

Being a mother as well as a Headmistress, I possess the superpowers of intuition, multitasking, finding lost items and generally being right about almost everything!

Premier League or Last Night at the Proms?

Always Last Night of the Proms – I come from a family of classical musicians and my brother regularly sings at the Last Night!

Be a Wally and join the run!

Hundreds of runners, families and book lovers will be taking to the streets dressed as popular children’s book character Where’s Wally? on March 19 and 20. They will run, jog or walk to raise funds and awareness for the National Literacy Trust.

The virtual event is open to everyone across the UK to show off their Wally stripes and take on a 5k, 10k or even 1k challenge for kids under 12, in their local area.

Once registered, all runners will be able to order their free Where’s Wally? costume, complete with the iconic glasses and bobble hat, ready for the Weekender event.

Furthermore, every Wally taking part will also receive a collectable medal and a virtual goody bag on completion of their challenge. Participants can share their efforts on social media by using the hashtag #whereswallyweekender and tagging the National Literacy Trust @literacy_trust.

All the money raised from the Where’s Wally? Weekender will go towards the National Literacy Trust’s vital work to help children across the UK who most need literacy support, providing them with a route out of poverty and a chance to change their life story.

After the success of the 2021 event which raised over £74,000 for the charity, the iconic annual fun run remains virtual this year, so that participants nationwide can join wherever they are.

Find out more and register for the 2022 Where’s Wally? Weekender, here: www.literacytrust.org.uk/whereswally

8 Families Warwickshire editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

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EDUCATION

Open Morning, Saturday 12 March 9am-10.45am • State-of-the-art facilities • An enriched curriculum • Dedicated and experienced staff • Specialist lessons • Stimulating nursery garden • Music School • 55 acres to explore • Forest School

Register now for The Squirrels Nursery 2022 warwickprep.com/squirrels

Book your place at our Open Morning at warwickprep.com/openmorning warwickprep.com | admissions@warwickprep.com | 01926 491545

An Independent Day School and Nursery for boys aged 3-7 and girls aged 3-11 familiesonline.co.uk

editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk Families Warwickshire 9

EDUCATION

Tidy bedrooms and school performance

By Usha Patel The instruction ‘Tidy your room!’ is the bane of most children’s lives. But there’s so much more to keeping bedrooms tidy than maintaining a positive environment. In fact, the very act of regular tidying can actually help children in other areas of their life too, including at school. It’s all part of building certain processes and routines that are important to their overall development.

Nurturing a sense of tidiness By the age of four, children can usually hold just one notion in their active memory, for instance, immediate instructions such as picking up certain toys or doing one tidying job. Young children often struggle with being given too much to do all at once simply because their active memory is quickly drained. However, by the time they are sixteen, they can hold six or even seven notions in their active memory at a time.

If you want your child to more easily absorb a sequence of instructions, you can try habit stacking, with tidying their bedroom a perfect example of how to nurture it. Habit stacking is achieved by linking an existing habit with a new one you want to create.

How a tidy bedroom can help with working memory How easily can your child find something in their bedroom? To recall where a particular item is, children first need to retrieve the information from their long-term memory storage and bring it forward to their active thinking. The more items they have to put away, the more working memory is used to remember where each one is located.

Working memory is a critical cognitive function for everyday activities from learning to reading, remembering spellings, maths and mathematical tasks. By encouraging your child to start small and create the tidying habit and then retrieve the items, you are exercising that same part of the brain.

It’s impossible to overstate just how important working memory is in every aspect of your child’s life. In fact, Dr Tracy Packiam Alloway, award-winning psychologist who has conducted extensive research on memory and the brain, states it is a more significant indicator of academic success than IQ. So, there’s no need to feel like you are being a nag when you ask your child to tidy their room; it really is good for them. There’s a direct line from toybox to brainbox - just don’t expect them to thank you for it yet!

Usha Patel (www.ravivpracticelondon.co.uk) is a neurocognitive therapist and an expert in special educational needs.

Independent Schools

Contact Details and Open Days Prep and Junior Schools Bablake and King Henry VIII Pre Prep Coventry T: 024 7627 1285 www.bkhs.org.uk BKHS Bablake Preparatory Coventry T: 024 7627 1260 www.bkhs.org.uk Sat 5 Mar, 10am-12pm: Open Morning Arnold Lodge Leamington Spa (Ages 4-18) T: 01926 778050 www.arnoldlodge.com Bilton Grange Rugby (Ages 3-13) T: 01788 810217 www.biltongrange.co.uk The Kingsley School Leamington Spa (Ages 3-18) T: 01926 421368 www.thekingsleyschool.co.uk Sat 19 Mar: Senior School Taster Morning for year 5 pupils

BKHS King Henry VIII Preparatory Coventry T: 024 7627 1160 www.bkhs.org.uk Sat 5 Mar, 10am-12pm: Open Morning Crackley Hall School and Little Crackers Nursery Kenilworth T: 01926 514444 www.crackleyhall.co.uk Sat 5 Mar, 10.30am-12.30pm: Open Morning

10 Families Warwickshire editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

Crescent School Rugby T: 01788 521595 www.crescentschool.co.uk Sat 19 Mar: Open Morning The Croft Preparatory School Stratford-upon-Avon T: 01789 293795 www.croftschool.co.uk Sat 19 Mar, 10am-12pm: Early Years and Pre-Prep Open Morning Henley Montessori Primary and Merrydays Montessori Nursery Henley-in-Arden T: 01564 795722 www.henleymontessori.co.uk Stratford Preparatory School Stratford-upon-Avon T: 01789 297993 www.stratfordprep.co.uk Warwick Preparatory School Warwick T: 01926 491545 www.warwickprep.com Sat 12 Mar, 9am-10.45am: Open Morning

Warwick School Warwick T: 01926 776418 www.warwickschool.org Sat 12 Mar, 10am-12pm: Open Morning

Senior Schools BKHS Bablake Senior Coventry T: 024 7627 1200 www.bkhs.org.uk BKHS King Henry VIII Senior Coventry T: 024 7627 1111 www.bkhs.org.uk King’s High Warwick T: 01926 494485 www.kingshighwarwick.co.uk Princethorpe College Rugby T: 01926 634201 www.princethorpe.co.uk Warwick School Warwick T: 01926 776400 www.warwickschool.org

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EDUCATION

Work begins on Princethorpe’s new £8 million Science Centre Early on this year, trustees of the Princethorpe Foundation gave the green light for work to commence on Princethorpe College’s new £8m Science Centre.

The Science Centre, which features 10 brand-new, state-of-the-art Science laboratories, will ultimately transform the College’s entire campus allowing other areas to be redeveloped and departments clustered within the main school building.

Contractor, Trendgrey Construction Limited, based in nearby Stockton, moved onto site over February Half Term and the construction is estimated to take around 14 months with the building expected to open its doors for teaching in September 2023.

Headmaster, Ed Hester, adds, “It is fantastic that our vision for the future of Princethorpe will now become a reality. The Science Centre project brings with it so many exciting campus-wide benefits and these cutting-edge teaching and learning facilities will inspire generations of Princethorpe pupils and staff for years to come.” www.princethorpe.co.uk

BKHS Prep OM Families Wark.indd 1

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Plastic-free Red Nose Day! Red Nose Day 2022 will return on Friday 18 March and will feature a collection of the “wildest bunch” of character noses yet.

There will be eight characters to track down, including the colourful Cam the chameleon. All Noses will be 100% plastic free, making them green as well as red.

Red Nose Day is a campaign created by Comic Relief to help raise awareness of and put an end to child poverty. So why not buy some red noses and help raise money to keep children safe, healthy and educated?

As well as making a donation, you can find tips on creating your own fundraiser or planning a school fundraising event at www.rednoseday.com

27/01/2022 10:43:48

editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk Families Warwickshire 11

TRAVEL

Are staycations here to stay?

By Claire Winter hotels and foreign locales may seem, I also love being in the UK. There are no stresses of air travel, you can have all the home comforts to hand and jet lag isn’t an issue.

Staycations are fast becoming part of family life and many families experienced holidaying in the UK for the first time during the last two years.

For many, myself included, it meant discovering a new love for Britain’s varied coastline, beautiful cities and countryside.

While some families will continue to travel abroad, the uncertainty and increased costs will mean that many opt to stay in the UK in 2022 too.

Over lockdown we realised that with a bit of imagination you can have a lot of fun.

We camped in our garden for four nights without returning to our house once.

But this was made easier as we have a motorhome in the driveway! We hunted for bugs, set camera traps for badgers and birds, made maps, did treasure hunts, built shelters and campfires and stargazed.’

Author and Coach, Eleanor Tweddell (www.eleanortweddell.com) lives in the Lake District with her husband and daughter, age 6. She’s on the fence about staycations.

‘Staycations have been a bit hit and miss for us. We’ve tried the traditional B&B above a pub for a short getaway. It felt like a good idea, with the promise of a log fire, hearty meals and beautiful walks along a seafront. The reality was a stressed landlord, an unlit fire and walks that would’ve been good if the howling wind let up for a moment!

Our next trip was more considered.

We found a beautiful hotel with dinner included. The other trick was to make the journey to our destination part of the trip.

We planned a scenic route, stopping off at a farm shop for lunch. This set us up for a whole different experience. I’ll be keeping staycations in my holiday plans for the future.’

Staycation fan, presenter, adventurer and ambassador for Bailey of Bristol, Andy Torbet (www.andytorbet.com) lives in the Wye Valley with his wife Bex and their two lively sons ages 6 and 4.

‘I love staycations because I work away from home a lot and as glamorous as

Best places for a staycation Families readers give us their top picks.

Monmouth, Wales

Edinburgh, Scotland

Windermere, Lake District

Poole, Dorset

Clare from Buckinghamshire says: ‘I love Monmouth in Wales. We went twice last year. It’s a beautiful town with history and amazing places to walk to from the town. There are a few good restaurants and a good mix of tourists and locals. We also visited the Mumbles near the coast. There’s been a lot of regeneration over the last few years but it has not lost its charm. There are great walks and places to eat and you are spoilt for choice with places to stay.’

Sam from Devon says: ‘We wanted to travel a fair distance from home and have a city experience, so we decided to fly to Edinburgh and had a great weekend visiting the stunning castle, having gorgeous food and getting on the train to North Berwick (which took half an hour) so we could have a beach day too!’

Ellie from Glasgow says: ‘We always do a staycation, Covid or not. We go camping in the summer and to lodges across the Lake District, Scotland and Wales in the winter months. But if I had to pick one location it would have to be Windermere in the stunning Lake District.

The walks, watersports and scenery are perfect for kids of all ages!’

Kirsty from Yorkshire has had her ups and downs with staycations. ‘The worst for me was Skegness. We turned up to a chalet with mould, damp and dirty sheets. We didn’t unpack and came straight home. Best for me was our first proper beach holiday (we live near the coast but it’s not somewhere we would holiday!); we went to Poole and absolutely loved it.

Sandbanks is beautiful, it was like a holiday abroad.’

12 Families Warwickshire editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

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ENVIRONMENT

Involving children in saving power

By Angela Terry The climate crisis is hot news, energy prices are soaring and families are feeling the pain. With nearly a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions created by our homes, there’s no better time to instil good energy-saving habits in our children, help the environment and reduce energy bills. Luckily, there are many creative ways of doing this so you don’t need to resort to nagging. Here are some suggestions: Measure your household carbon footprint To put energy saving into context, find a free online calculator and measure your household carbon footprint. Start a family art project, drawing a big foot and recording the date and the number of tonnes of emissions generated by your household. As you work together to reduce your footprint, you can update your achievements periodically, getting your children to draw smaller and smaller feet. Display your feet in a row along a wall to chart your progress.

Get children to write the rules Go through each room in your house with the kids and ask them to pinpoint all the potential sources of wasted energy. Draw up a list together and agree a set of family rules that you’re all going to stick to, like switching off appliances that aren’t in use and keeping all curtains closed at night. Ownership of the rules should help motivate kids to follow them.

Rewards To help younger children stick to your rules, try a reward chart with stickers. If they stick to them for a week, you can then give them a special eco treat, like a bee hotel for the garden or a packet of sunflower seeds to plant together. Older children and teens are more likely to be motivated by money, so agree a small weekly financial reward. Given how much energy prices are increasing, this will still save you money overall.

Appoint monitors Allocate specific roles to each child. One could be the curtain monitor, ensuring all curtains are pulled shut at dusk, stopping extra energy seeping out of windows as the temperature drops.

Likewise, another child could be the thermostat monitor and check it isn’t set above nineteen degrees Celsius. Children can

also check that bedrooms and little-used rooms are not being heated unnecessarily by turning down their radiator valves.

Finally, a socket monitor could make sure all appliances not in use are switched off at the wall.

Time showers Make a game of it when it comes to cutting hot water usage by timing each other in the shower to see who can be the quickest – whilst still actually getting clean, of course!

Screen time Screen time limits can be one of the greatest sources of tension between parents and children. Building in an energy saving component can help. Explain to your children that the carbon footprint of our gadgets, the internet and the systems supporting them is nearly four percent of global emissions - greater than those from aviation. If they stick to agreed limits, offer to reward them with an outing to the park or a hot chocolate in a cafe.

Set an example One of the best things you can do, is role model ultra-efficient energy usage. Children are like sponges and imitate those they’re closest to. Make sure you do everything you’re asking them to do and ask them to remind you if you forget. They’ll love the sense of responsibility (and telling you what to do!).

Angela Terry is an environmental scientist and founder of One Home (www.onehome.org.uk), the UK’s first consumer climate action hub.

Draught hunting...

Smarten up your saving

Of course, you want to save energy but simultaneously make your home as insulated and cosy as possible. Encourage your children to come on a draught hunt with you, searching for any leaks around windows or doors. When you find some, enlist their help in a bit of easy DIY, sealing them with inexpensive rubber trim, available from most DIY shops. If cold air is seeping under the front door, do some ‘draught craft’ and make a snake draught excluder together. YouTube has lots of helpful tutorials.

A smart meter is a great visual tool. Once you’ve had one installed, use it to show your children when you’re using the most energy and how much it’s costing. Set targets to reduce your monthly usage and bills. Explain that just by turning down your thermostat by one degree saves an average of £80 per year. The ideal temperature is nineteen degrees Celsius.

Set targets and treat yourselves to a family games night or outing whenever you hit them.

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WHAT’S ON

Theatre The Albany

Coventry Box Office: 024 7699 8964 www.albanytheatre.co.uk Dinosaur Adventure Live!

Thurs 14 Apr Journey to a world of living, breathing, life-like dinosaurs.

Meet real life-like dinosaurs face-to-face and hear the tremendous roar of a T-Rex. This awe-inspiring show immerses audiences in an enthralling and realistic world of dinosaurs. For ages 6+.

Rapunzel Sat 16 Apr Let your hair down in a brandnew adaptation of the popular fairy tale Rapunzel. Packed with songs, dance routines and jokes a-plenty, there is something for everyone to love, so book your tickets now for the family show of the year! For all ages.

Meet real life-like dinosaurs face-to-face and hear the tremendous roar of a T-Rex. This awe-inspiring show immerses audiences in an enthralling and realistic world of dinosaurs. For ages 6+.

Squidge - The Film Tues 3 May Fun, interactive dance film with music and digital projection, which takes a light-hearted look at our sense of touch and how it influences our everyday lives. Each family will be seated in their very own interactive seating area, which will magically light up at moments throughout the cinema experience and will be full of exciting textures for little hands to explore! Expect slimy fun and lots of bubbles! For ages 3-8.

The Belgrade Theatre

Coventry Box Office: 024 7655 3055 www.belgrade.co.uk

Squidge - The Film Weds 6 Apr Fun, interactive dance film with music and digital projection, which takes a light-hearted look at our sense of touch and how it influences our everyday lives. Each family will be seated in their very own interactive seating area, which will magically light up at moments throughout the cinema experience and will be full of exciting textures for little hands to explore! Expect slimy fun and lots of bubbles! For ages 3-8.

Coming up in May: Oi Frog & Friends, Private Peaceful

Leading conservation charity, Twycross Zoo, has announced that a multi-million pound major new development, The Gruffalo Discovery Land, will open this spring, in a UK first.

The new, four-acre land brings together the much-loved characters, from best-selling children’s book The Gruffalo created

by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, and a conservation organisation that exists to protect wildlife, preserve endangered species and educate the next generation on the importance of protecting our planet.

Coming up in May: Twirlywoos

The Bone Sparrow Tues 22-Sat 26 Mar Award-winning Australian playwright S. Shakthidharan’s adaptation of Zana Fraillon’s beautiful, vivid, and deeply moving story about a Rohingya refugee boy who has spent his entire life living in a detention centre in Australia.

Oh help! Oh no! It’s a gruffalo!

Warwick Arts Centre

Coventry Box Office: 024 7652 4524 www.warwickartscentre.co.uk Club Origami Mmm, Ahh, Whoosh Sat 19 Mar A brand-new gig for 0 to 5 year olds which will immerse you in a swirling world of colour and take you on a musical journey through afro-centric soulful folk, jazz and scat. Inspired by our first breaths, hums and gurgles, combining music and animation to celebrate the wondrous world of the language of children. For ages 0-5.

Underwater Sat 23 Apr When a ballerina meets an octopus beneath the waves, the pair form a beautiful friendship.

This gorgeous multi-sensory show is sure to engage your baby’s imagination. For babies.

Oh No, George Sat 23-Sun24 Apr Oh No, George! is the delightfully playful tale of a dog who wants to be good but just can’t resist temptation. Adapted from the award-winning picture book by Chris Haughton, this brand-new show for children aged 3+ (and their grownups) uses acrobatics, slapstick comedy, Sign Supported English and live music to bring George’s joyful escapades to life.

Royal Spa Centre

Leamington Spa Box Office: 01926 334418 www. royalspacentreandtownhall. co.uk Dinosaur Adventure Live!

Weds 20 Apr Journey to a world of living, breathing, life-like dinosaurs.

14 Families Warwickshire editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

Twycross Zoo’s aim for this ground-breaking experience is to inspire more children than ever before about the importance of conservation and the natural world. With real-life animals, animatronics, film clips and much more, visitors to The Gruffalo Discovery Land at Twycross Zoo can encounter Fox, Snake, Owl, Mouse and the Gruffalo along their interactive journey through the Deep Dark Wood.

For further details, visit www.twycrosszoo.org/the-gruffalodiscovery-land

Immersive digital art gallery in Coventry The UK’s first permanent immersive digital art gallery, The Reel Store, will open in Coventry on Friday 13 May, becoming a permanent new visitor attraction in the heart of the city.

Following on from the huge popularity of immersive art spaces around the world, the space will feature innovative experiential art commissions and will be a prominent feature of the City of Culture programme in Summer 2022.

The Reel Store is located in the former home of the Coventry Evening Telegraph newspaper, a distinctive post-war building in the heart of the city. Works are currently underway to transform the old reel store, which was once home to the rolls of paper, onto which the city’s stories would be printed.

The main 800m2 exhibition space will house a large projection mapping canvas with multiple high quality video projectors and an immersive sound system. www.coventry2021.co.uk/explore/the-reel-store

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WHAT’S ON

Places to go and things to do this March and April All Things Wild Honeybourne A great day out for all the family, all year round. Lots to see and do indoors and outdoors. Get up close to lots of animals - and dinosaurs!

Indoor soft play. Outdoor play areas and go karts.

T: 01386 833083 www.allthingswild.co.uk Brandon Marsh Nature Reserve

Coventry Brandon Marsh runs regular Nature Tots sessions for pre-school children, Wildlife Watch after school clubs, plus activity sessions during school holidays, including crafts, den building and pond dipping. Learn about different animals and have lots of fun!

T: 024 7630 2912 warwickshirewildlifetrust.org.uk

British Motor Museum Gaydon World's largest collection of historic British cars, celebrating the past, present and future of British motoring.

A great day out whatever the weather.

Sat 9-Sun 24 Apr Easter Holidays Fuel their imagination this Easter with activities for the whole family to enjoy.

T: 01926 641188 www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk Compton Verney Nr Warwick

Stunning parkland and lake, and woodland adventure playground.

Award-winning art gallery. Restaurant and gift shop. Regular forest club, Tiny Tuesday and Wild Wednesday sessions.

Tues 15-Sat 19 Mar Colour & Music Sensory Space A unique and immersive space where visitors can create their own environment of colour and sound.

Tues 19-Fri 22 Apr Animation Camp Four-day, hands-on camp where you will learn all the stages of making an animation using stop-motion and hand-drawn techniques.

T: 01926 645500 www.comptonverney.org.uk

Coventry Transport Museum

Coventry Housing the largest publicly owned collection of British vehicles on the planet, the Museum tells the story of a city which changed the world through transport. Captivating displays, interactive galleries, and highly immersive exhibitions. Regular Mini Museum Engineers sessions for 2 to 5 year olds, Chat and Play for under 5s, and Family Museum Engineers sessions. Plus workshops and activities during school holidays.

T: 024 7623 4270 www.transport-museum.com

Foundry Wood Leamington Spa An urban community woodland in the heart of Leamington Spa and Warwick. Learn about woodland habitats, wildlife conservation, traditional woodland crafts, and more.

Regular Forest School sessions, storytelling, creative workshops and lots of special events. www.foundrywood.co.uk Go Ape Coventry

With a Treetop Challenge, Treetop Adventure Plus and Treetop Adventure, Go Ape at Coombe Country Park has something for thrill-seeking adults and fun-seeking children. www.goape.co.uk

Hatton Adventure World

Nr Warwick Fantastic day out for all the family.

Indoor and outdoor attractions and entertainment. Farmyard animals, guinea pig village, scales and tales, indoor soft play, adventure play and more.

Sat 9-Sun 24 Apr Spring Spectacular See lots of baby animals - piglets, lambs, chicks and goat kids - in the Spring Arrivals Marquee. Magic shows, puppet shows, sheep racing and plenty more family fun.

T: 01926 843411 www.hattonworld.com/adventureworld

Herbert Art Gallery Coventry Events and exhibitions all year round.

Runs regular art and activity sessions for pre-schoolers, sensory play days, storytelling, family friendly art talks and more.

Sat 9-Sat 23 Apr You are the Art: Living Sculptures This Easter children will transform themselves into colourful living sculptures and walk along the runway in their extravagant junk modelled outfits, creative headdresses and more. We will be expressing ourselves through different mediums of art using recyclable materials and making an array of textured art pieces to take home.

T: 024 7623 7521 www.theherbert.org

Hill Close Gardens Warwick Lovely Victorian Gardens to explore.

Children’s trail, and special events and workshops throughout the year.

T: 01926 493339 www.hillclosegardens.com Kenilworth Castle

A fantastic place to let kids run free and get plenty of fresh air. Explore the ruins and have a great day out.

Sat 2-Sun 24 Apr Easter Adventure Quest Explore the grounds to hunt for clues and challenges. Play traditional Easter games like egg rolling and the egg and spoon race. Track down the Easter eggs and you’ll get an adventurer’s certificate and a chocolate treat!

T: 01926 852078 www.english-heritage.org.uk

Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum

Exhibitions, events and galleries.

Learn about local history and what life was like in Victorian Leamington Spa. Weekly arty tots sessions in the craft studio on Thursdays except school holidays.

Until Sun 24 Apr Hands on family activities linked to the ‘Outgrowing’ exhibition.

T: 01926 74200 www.warwickdc.gov.uk/ royalpumprooms

Lunt Roman Fort Nr Coventry

Mon 11-Thurs 14 Apr & Tues 19-Fri 22 Apr The Big Lunt Mosaic Learn about the ancient artform of mosaic making! Create your own artwork, which will become part of a giant 4-metre-long frieze which will become part of the museum’s permanent collection. Designed for ages 5 to 12, but all are welcome.

T: 024 7623 7522 www.luntromanfort.org

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The MAD Museum

Stratford-upon-Avon Housing an impressive collection of eccentric and ingenious creations. Interact with artworks, contraptions and machines. A fun place to visit for all the family. Free family activity sheets.

T: 01789 269356 themadmuseum.co.uk

The National Trust

The UK’s Largest Tropical Butterfly Paradise!

& Nature Inspired Gift Shop Rain or shine there's always something to discover, plenty Butterflies • Birds • Iguanas & so much more…. of space to run around and an outdoor adventure to be BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE TODAY had at our local National Open throughout the year from 10AM Trust properties.

Swan’s Nest Lane, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 7LS Tel. 01789 299288 Various dates between Fri 15 enquiries@butterflyfarm.co.uk and Fri 22 Apr Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts www.butterflyfarm.co.uk Have fun on a Family Easter Trail where you’re guaranteed a delicious prize. Some Twycross Zoo Atherstone have craft activities and outdoor Enjoy a family fun day out. Explore games. the animal world any time of the year, www.nationaltrust.org.uk with indoor and outdoor habitats, interactive experiences and fun, Redwings Horse Sanctuary Oxhill exciting encounters with over 500 Open every Fri, Sat, Sun and Mon, animals, from 125 different species.

10am to 4pm Opening in Spring 2022 – The Home to 80 rescued horses, ponies Gruffalo Discovery Land. and donkeys. Café and gift shop, plus T: 0844 474 1777 the opportunity to adopt a horse, www.twycrosszoo.org pony or donkey. Entry and parking are free and dogs on leads are Warwick Castle Warwick welcome.

A great day out for the whole family.

T: 0870 040 0033 Witness the incredible skills of the www.redwings.org.uk/visiting bowman and get lost in time in the Horrible Histories Maze. See the Ryton Pools Country Park spectacular and fascinating birds in Bubbenhall the UK’s biggest bird of prey show, Over 100 acres to explore. The park The Falconer’s Quest. Explore the has miles of flat, surfaced footpaths, castle towers and ramparts and picnic areas, lakes, two exciting over 64 acres of beautiful grounds adventure play areas, a visitor/ and gardens. New for 2022 – Zog education centre and a café. Events Playland. Plus the return of the and hands on activities throughout popular Zog and the Quest for the the year. Dog friendly.

Golden Star trail.

T: 024 7630 5592 T: 0871 265 2000 countryparks.warwickshire.gov.uk www.warwick-castle.com

Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall Stratford-upon-Avon

Reopening in Spring so please check website. Discover where William Shakespeare was educated. Lots of fun for the family including dressing up Tudor-style, Tudor games, Medieval wall paintings and brush up your Latin with our Tudor School Master!

T: 01789 203170 www.shakespearesschoolroom.org

Stratford Butterfly Farm

Stratford-upon-Avon Sat 9-Sun 24 Apr Easter Holidays Enjoy the relaxing pleasure of walking amongst some of the world’s most stunning and colourful butterflies in a tropical rainforest setting, complete with fish-filled pools, splashing waterfalls and beautiful blooms. On 19 April, Holt Hall Apiary’s beekeeper, Matthew Ingram, will be in the Discovery Zone along with his bees. Visitors will be able to interact and learn all about these wonderful pollinators. The giftshop has a wide range of nature inspired Fairtrade gifts and serves soft drinks, snacks, confectionary, and ice-creams. To guarantee entrance over Easter, tickets should be purchased in advance from the online booking system. The Butterfly Farm recommends reading the ‘Information’ section of the website to help plan a visit.

T: 01789 299288 www.butterflyfarm.co.uk

Don’t Miss Nearly New Sale

Buy or sell nearly new baby and children's clothes, quality secondhand toys and baby equipment. See website for stall booking and more information.

Sun 3 Apr, 2pm-4pm Kenilworth High School www.mum2mummarket.co.uk

Kids Carnival Day

Warwick Racecourse Mon 2 May Fantastic family day out combining family fun entertainment and horse racing! Under 18s go free. www.warwickracecourse.co.uk

Stratford Literary Festival

Tues 3-Sun 8 May Stratford’s Literary Festival's 15th birthday includes a day of fun events for families on 8 May sponsored by Specsavers, with crafts, interactive events and our famous Draw Off when our visiting illustrators go headto-head! Authors and illustrators joining us this year include Korky Paul, Gareth P Jones, Christopher Edge, Brothers McLeod, Yuval Zommer, Jane Newberry and Hannah Shaw with storytelling from Joanna Hutt. Pre-schoolers can join in free events from 3rd to 6th May with storytelling from Cat Weatherill and Kate Coleman, Stratford's Storytree.

T: 0333 666 3366 www.stratlitfest.co.uk

editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk Families Warwickshire 15

Redwings Horse Sanctuary

Endless creations at your child’s fingertips!

ily fam n u A f y out! da

Receive a FREE DoodleJamz pad for your child*

Oxhill Visitor Centre

Dog friend ly!

Follow the brown tourist signs

Draw, squish, sculpt, shape, erase and repeat...

Apply at familiesmag.co.uk/go

Meet friendly rescued horses and donkeys at Redwings Oxhill, near Stratford-Upon-Avon, CV35 0RP Open 10am to 4pm every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday

www.redwings.org.uk | 01508 481000

Literary Festival stratlitfest.co.uk

SPRING FESTIVAL Events for Families 3rd to 8th May

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Stratford

Magazine

*while stocks last T&Cs apply

Pre -Schooler Storytelling with Cat Weatherill and Kate Coleman, The Storytree Joanna Hutt Busy Books Gareth P Jones Fairy Tales for the Fearless Korky Paul Winnie the Witch Yuval Zommer How to Draw Bugs Jane Newberry One Green Crocodile Brothers McLeod Knight Sir Louis Hannah Shaw Unipiggle Christopher Edge Escape Room

Box Office: 0333

666 3366

or online at stratlitfest.co.uk 15/2/22 Families Warwickshire ad 180mm wide x 130mm (L) £45.00.indd 1

16 Families Warwickshire editor@familieswarwickshire.co.uk

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