Families Manchester January/February 22

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Education Family life New Year, New You

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January/February 2022

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Familiesonline.co.uk January/February 1

Happiness is…..a happy child!

Receive a FREE Mental Health Activity Pack from Storytime for your child*

HAPPINESS i s ACTIVITY PAC ...

K!

One of the big gest challen teachers and ges faced by carers is hel parents, and deal wit ping childre h their feeling n to talk abo ut s. That is wh activity pac y we create k! We recom d this me nd that you then share the read it first, ideas and act and ivities in it wit h your kids.

Be cool.

Be kind.

Be you!

Inside this pack:

Recognising Emoti ons .............................

2 Feelings Are Like Rainb ows ................... 4 Resilience Tool Box ..................................

5 Fun with Framing! .....................................

6 Gratefulness Diary ....................................

7 The Pancake of Mistak es ........................ 8 Get Active with Emoti ons! ....................... 9 Talking About Feelin gs ...........................

10 30 Things You Can Do to Feel Good! ...

11 Awesome You! ........... ............................... 13 Your Jar of Happiness ............................. 14 How to Use This Pack.. . for Grown-Ups! ........... ............................... 15

On page 17-20, there is a special section about how you can help your kids build resilience and get comfortable with their emotions!

© www.stor

With

ytimemagazi

ne.com 2021

14 pages of fun activities

Read first and then share with your child….

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CONTENTS

In this issue

Welcome

4 6 10 12 14 15 18 20 25

Happy New Year everyone! Let’s hope 2022 is an easier year for everybody.

Education Meet the Head Tween What’s on Winter warmers New Year, New You Early years Family life Activities

Get in touch Competition winners from our September/October issue Sally Garbutt, Joanne Banks, Petra Dias, Frankie Salter, Nichola Woad, Cindy Baldwin, Alina Ali, Cherelle St Hilaire, Gemma Lovegrove and Farrah Orr who received a Tales of Me book and to Hina Wajahat, Claire Goodfellow and Fran Dobbins who received an Art Lab Pouring Studio.

And, for the recipients of plasticine gifts or Equazen family packs, click here.

If you’ve made a resolution to prioritise your health this year, then plan to change ‘just one thing.’ Find inspiration in our New Year, New You feature.

In Education, discover how children learn to write and download our free practice sheets. Concerned your child may not be ready for SATs? Find out how to help.

And cheer up the dull winter months with some great activity and entertainment options.

Finally, with our children’s mental health always at the top of our priority list, we have Happiness is…Mental Health Activity Packs for kids to give away. So don’t forget to apply! And sign up HERE to receive every issue of this magazine free to your inbox.

MANCHESTER’S WINTER IS HERE Defend yourself and your children – get your free jabs

Visit www.manchester.gov.uk /winter

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January/February 3

EDUCATION

Ground, Grass and Sky Handwriting Guide

Help your child practise their handwriting and learn to make their letters the correct size with this activity from PlanBee. Download the instructions and practice sheets to get started.

Handwriting practice sheets Use the example on the previous page to show your child how each letter should look in relation to the ground, the grass and the sky.

Get your child to write the letters of the alphabet using the dots below.

Handwriting practice sheets Use these sheets for your child to practise their handwriting and learn to make their letters the correct size.

Below you can see an example of how each letter should look in relation to the ground, the grass and the sky.

Handwriting practice sheets Once your child has joined the dotted letters on the previous sheet, let them have a go at writing their own on the ground, grass and sky lines below. Give them the example letters on the first sheet to help.

Using this example as a guide, get your child to trace the dotted letters on the next sheet and then move on to writing the letters themselves on the final sheet.

DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE!

4 January/February

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EDUCATION

Show your child how to hold a pencil Watch video!

Developing handwriting skills

By Catherine Lynch

More activities near you...

IT’s FREE

The three main skills in learning to write are the physical ability to make marks on paper, knowing that print conveys meaning and knowing what to write. Before children start making marks on paper and learning to write, they need to strengthen their gross and fine motor skills. But how?

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January/February 2022

What’s Ons & Days Out Guide to play centres Beat the January Blues email: editor@familieswe

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January/February 5

EDUCATION

Meet the Head Dr Paul Owen is now in his fourth year as Head at Stockport Grammar School, having crossed the Pennines after 8 years as Head of Birkdale School in Sheffield.

What was it about the school that made you want to apply for the position?

I liked the commitment to all-round education. Stockport Grammar School does a great job in the classroom, not just in terms of getting brilliant results but also in terms of encouraging curiosity, collaboration and confidence to challenge ideas.

Beyond the classroom there is a fantastic range of co-curricular activities: sport, music, drama, outdoor pursuits, academic competitions and many more. These are great for developing talents but also character and confidence, preparing people for life and not just university.

SGS is also a strong community which balances individual excellence with an emphasis on what we can achieve together.

What inspired you to become a teacher and later, a headteacher?

I very much enjoy working with young people. Teaching is one of very few jobs in which you can genuinely inspire, encourage and support young people and make a difference to their character, 6 January/February

ambitions and achievements.

It is frustrating at times but when you look back over a couple of years of lessons with a group of pupils the sense of satisfaction can be extraordinary.

As a Headteacher you can set the tone in a school and create an environment in which hundreds of young people can be positively affected.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

At various times I have been an academic, an industrial researcher and a jobbing trumpet player as well as pursuing a brief foray into accountancy.

Teaching has suited me very well but as a child I genuinely wanted to be an astronaut. NASA are currently recruiting people of mature years to train for a future Mars mission; I am interested but it would be fair to say that Mrs Owen is not keen.

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EDUCATION

Meet the Head Continued....

What is your best memory, so far, at Stockport Grammar School?

It is hard to choose highlights from so many events and stories since I joined Stockport Grammar School in September 2018. The U15 rugby and hockey teams both reached the semi-final stages of their respective national competitions in 2020.

I shall also remember a couple of performances of the musical ‘Chicago’, squeezed in just before lockdown started.

boosted my spending on books over the last 2 years. As addictions go, reading is a fairly mild one.

Premier League or Last Night of the Proms?

I do like music of all sorts but I grew up in Southampton and I have followed the fortunes of Southampton FC from afar for much of my life. Bankruptcy and the 2005 - 2012 period, outside the Premier League, are best forgotten. Things have been a lot more cheerful since then, although performances remain This term, the lifting of covid volatile enough to prevent boredom. restrictions has allowed all sorts of sports matches, concerts, plays and Always great to beat Portsmouth though. debates and the sense of joy from the pupils at being able to take part We would be delighted to show again has been palpable. you around the Junior School on an individual family school day tour.

Netflix or Kindle?

To book an appointment email Beverley Cheyne.

I very much enjoy a film or a drama but I am a voracious and Individual family Senior School day rapid reader. Detective stories, tour appointments are available. To biographies, novels, historical book an appointment email Hannah fiction, science fiction and many Atenyam. more flow through the ether and into my eyeballs.

To find out more about the School, click HERE. Covid, of course, has maximised the opportunities for reading and The high quality of the performances and the atmosphere in the hall were extraordinary; we were all determined to enjoy ourselves and the pupils’ talents and work, however ominous the signs of what was to come.

Familiesonline.co.uk

January/February 7

EDUCATION

New children’s books for 2022 Winter’s a great time of year to enjoy some fantastic children’s fiction.

Here are our recommendations.

Also

Little Horror

Crocodile Hungry

Invented by Animals

Big Wig

Atlas of Amazing Migrations

by E B Goodale Ages: 4-7

by Christiane Dorion Ages: 7-12

Rita Wants a Ninja

by Maire Zepf Ages: 3+

8 January/February

by Daniel Peak Ages: 8-12

by Jonathan Hillman Ages: 4-8

The Smeds and the Smoos Board Book

by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler Ages: 0-2

by Eija Sumner Ages: 3-7

by Matt Sewell Ages: 7-10

Aaron Slater, Illustrator

by Andrea Beaty Ages: 5-7

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Is your child ready for SATs?

By Jemma Zoe Smith SATs have been cancelled for the last two years but this year they’ll be going ahead.

If you’re a parent of a child who will be sitting SATs this year or even next, you might be concerned about how the disruption to their education during the pandemic may affect their exam performance - a worry which is doubled for those If the situation is causing you stress, parents whose children are also it’s important not to transmit that sitting the 11+. to your child, whose performance won’t be improved by exam nerves.

The good news is that if you’re addressing these concerns now, So what are the next steps? you’re doing so in good time.

There’s plenty of opportunity for READ MORE your child to make up any gaps in their learning before the exams roll around.

The first thing to do as a parent is not to worry too much! While your child’s schooling has been disrupted, so has that of all their peers.

It’s likely results will be poorer across the board, which is reassuring if you’re considering a selective school for your child’s secondary education.

What’s more, any teacher looking at your child’s exam results in the future will consider the extraordinary situation in which their studies took place.

Win a Gingersnap Balance Bike Ages worth 2 to 4 years £119!

Perfect to get little adventurers started!

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January/February 9

TWEEN

Best skincare products for tweens We asked our friends at wearetwixt for their round up of some of the best, tween-friendly zit-zapping cleansers that avoid chemicals that can be abrasive on young, delicate skin.

TROPIC Pure Lagoon Blemish Prevention Serum (£42) A gentle serum with pre-biotics builds the skin’s defences and fights acne.

Olivia (12) says: ‘I put this on twice a day. It cleared my spots completely.

Absolutely amazing!’

Olivia’s mum says: ‘Pricey but a little goes a long way.’

Pixi Glow Tonic (£10) Lightweight, gentle exfoliating serum which hydrates and boosts radiance. 100% chemical-free and beautifully gentle for young skin.

Olivia (12) says: ‘I use this every evening and it makes my skin feel completely clean.’

Olivia’s mum says: ‘‘This has been brilliant for Olivia’s skin.’

10 January/February

LUSH Tea Tree Water (£6) and LUSH Grease Lightning (£8) Tea tree water cleanses and helps banish spots.

Grease Lightning cleanses and helps combat infection and further redness.

Olivia (12) says: ‘I love how fresh these products are and how clean they feel.’

TROPIC Clear Skin BlemishFighting Mask (£20)

Designed to control the levels of sebum in the skin, preventing spots forming. Kills bacteria, draws out toxins, closes pores and soothes sore skin.

Olivia (12) says: ‘My skin is sensitive and can get dry and this is so gentle and soothing. It lasts for ages too.’

Familiesonline.co.uk

TWEEN

Why Aiyven and Kirsten are Happier Every Chapter Sisters Aiyven (12) and Kirsten (13) love writing stories and both published debut novels in 2020.

Families talks to them to find out more.

What made you start writing stories?

Our parents read stories to us every night when we were young, which opened up whole new worlds to us. From around the age of 4 or 5, we were folding pieces of paper into cards and writing stories inside them - and just never stopped!

What do you like best about writing stories?

The best thing is how in a few hours, a new universe can sprout out of thin air.

How many stories have you written?

Many of our early stories were on laptops we don’t have any more but every month we write short stories for our book subscription box, Happier Every Chapter. Over time, we’ve written at least thirty stories each. That’s excluding our books.

Do you make a plan for your stories?

When we were younger, we often just typed whatever came to mind, which can result in an unusual plot and a storyline that doesn’t flow very well. Now, we plan Familiesonline.co.uk

the beginning, build-up, climax, resolution and ending. Once you have those five factors planned, it’s just a matter of connecting the dots.

Interested in Aiyven and Kirsten’s advice on story-writing?

READ MORE

FREE Mental Health Activity Pack from Storytime for your child* 14 pages of fun activities

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January/February 11

WHAT’S ON

What’s on in Manchester

Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.

To 22 Jan Harry Potter The Forbidden Forest Experience, Northwich A nightime experience filled with magical creatures and wizarding wonders from the Harry Potter and 4-30 Jan Fantastic Beasts Dunham Massey Join Percy The films.

Park Keeper on his winter wonder To 23 Jan trail. No booking Van Gogh Alive needed.

Exhibition, MediaCity 20-22 Jan Salford Oldham Library Prepare to Healthy New transcend time Year Festival and space as full of craft and you accompany information stalls, Van Gogh on a free exercise journey where he created many classes, health checks and family of his timeless activities. masterpieces.

29 Jan To 30 Jan Sea Life Trafford Waterside, Sale Each show Centre promises plenty This interactive of BIG laughs for mission is a great opportunity little kids, silly songs, stories for families to discover amazing and games sea creatures, in and lots of partnership with opportunities for kids and parents the hit series PJ to get involved, Masks. give suggestions 12 January/February

wrestling returns to The Stockport Plaza for an evening the whole family will enjoy.

and take part in the action.

30 Jan The Lowry, Salford Morgan & West Unbelievable Science present captivating chemistry, phenomenal physics, and bonkers biology in this fun for all the family science extravaganza!

10 Feb Oldham Coliseum Pinocchio. A Northern Ballet production of this classic.

12 Feb Stockport Plaza High flying, hard hitting, body slam mayhem as professional

15 Feb Stockport Plaza Click your heels, clap your hands and enjoy an adventure Over the Rainbow as we’re off to see The Wizard of Oz. 16 Feb Albert Halls, Bolton This brand new, exciting and educational show will amaze and astound all ages from 4 years+, as we put the ‘Exciting’ back into Science.

19-27 Feb Tatton Park Join in the annual scarecrow festival this February half-term. Search out dosens of scarecrows in our 50 acre Gardens and throughout the Farm.

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WHAT’S ON

What’s on in Manchester

Please check with the venue before you visit in case anything has changed.

25-27 Feb East Lancs Railway, Bury Join in the first big steam event of the year. You can ride up and down the ELR all weekend long behind the fleet of sensational steam engines in all their glory.

26 Feb Waterside, Sale So You Think You Know About Dinosaurs is the hit stage show starring dinosaur aficionado Dr Ben Garrod.

Get ready to go on an exciting pre-historic adventure as Ben explores the biggest, deadliest and weirdest predators that ever roamed the planet.

26-27 Feb Manchester Central Over 100 LEGO model builders from throughout Europe will be attending Bricktastic Familiesonline.co.uk

to show their incredible models. There will be chances to get hands on with thousands of LEGO Bricks in a live mosaic building, brick pits, graffiti wall and other secret surprises.

27 Feb Lowry, Salford Come and see CBeebies superstar and children’s favourite Justin Fletcher live on stage in an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza.

28 Feb-5 Mar George Lawton Hall, Mossley Shrek The Musical. This hilarious and spectacular production turns the world of fairytales upside down in an all-singing, all-dancing, must-see musical comedy.

And don’t forget throughout the year you can visit; Manchester Museum for the Outdoor Explorers exhibition MediaCity for the I’m A Celebrity Jungle Challlenge

Take part in St Ann’s Hospice

Wil Month this March

A number of local solicitors have kindly agreed to take part in Will Month and will be waiving their fees in return for a donation to St Ann’s Hospice.

For more information about Will Month please go to www.sah.org.uk/willmonth or email legacies@sah.org.uk or call 0161 498 3631.

Registered charity number 258085

January/February 13

FOOD

Winter warmers Get your big bowls and mugs out and make some of these fabulous, hearty seasonal soups and hot drinks with the kids.

Real tomato soup

Hot butter beer (no alcohol!)

Alphabet soup

Green pea and ham soup

Mini cob loaf sweet potato soup

White hot chocolate

Hot chocolate snowmen

Kids’ minestrone soup

Child-friendly hot toddy

14 January/February

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NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

Just one healthy thing

At this time of the year, we are bombarded with unrealistic health advice. So how about setting yourself an easy target of changing just one thing this New Year? © Bruce Mars from Unsplash

Consider cold water swimming

Get a fitness buddy

Take time to meditate

Start with cold water showers and build up with the Wim Hof method.

Accountability works.

Find out more.

10 minutes a day can make a huge difference.

Find hundreds of free meditations.

Take Vitamin D

Try forest bathing

Get quality sleep

10mg daily for adults in autumn and winter compensate for lack of UK sunshine.

Time in forest/woodland boosts your mood, health and wellbeing. Find options here.

Photo: Spirited Euphoria

If your nights are disrupted, try going to bed earlier. Discover the benefits.

Photo: Gabrielle Henderson from Unsplash

Photo by Ella Olsson from Pexels

Go veggie

For one day a week, skip meat. Follow MeatFreeMondays.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Give up alcohol

Practise gratitude

Try mindful drinking with Keeping a daily gratitude Spirited Euphoria! 100% diary can make you feel more optimistic. natural, non-alcoholic, endorphin-releasing alternative.

January/February 15

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU

Health & fitness products for parents Getting fit when you are a busy parent can be a challenge. Here are some great products to get your health and fitness mojo back in 2022.

Groov-e SportBuds

TOFOTL Cordless Jump Rope

The Leg Master®

Wireless Stereo Earphones, perfect sound, snug ear hook fit and sweat-resistant. £39.99

Practical, clever weighted, cordless skipping rope. £10.60

Improves pelvic floor health and posture through classic strength training. £89.95

Claude Leggings, Pocket Sport

Eco-friendly Yoga Mats Inspiring, colourful, sustainable. Earth & animal-friendly. £40+

The Zeno Running Pushchair

The ZENO: for push or pull running; the AVI: ‘hands free’ stroller. From £819.95

Twelve South ActionSleeve 2

Breathe Deep, Seek Peace Flower Essence

Grounded Protein Shakes

Maximum comfort, flattering, breathable fabric, quick drying.

Hidden pocket. £55

Wear on upper arm and workout with Apple Watch, monitoring your progress. £34.99 16 January/February

Awarded ‘best better sleep’ product. £12

Dairy free, sustainable, plant-based protein shakes. 20g of plant protein. £19.95 (6 pack).

Familiesonline.co.uk

HEALTH

How CBT can help children with anxiety

By Lilly Sabir As both a clinical therapist and a mother, I know from personal and professional experience how important it is to help our children understand, identify and support their own mental wellbeing.

Studies suggest that the earlier children are empowered with the resources needed to improve the way they think, the earlier positive foundations are laid that they can build on throughout their lives.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is identified as the most effective therapeutic intervention in managing anxiety.

When your child expresses feeling tiredness or pain, this can be one of the most demonstrative signs they are anxious - somebody or something has triggered an emotional response within them.

Children don’t know how to express and articulate emotional language in the early years but this improves with age.

Tummy aches, headaches and ‘something is hurting’ is often a child’s way of saying whatever is going on around them has caused them stress.

They need to calmly be helped to cope with that pain, using fun ways that can help them tap into the sensations occurring in their bodies and minds.

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It’s important to recognise when a child needs therapeutic intervention, rather than masking their emotional problems and hoping they will grow out of them; the earlier the intervention, the more effectively treatments can work.

If you have a child who is suffering with anxiety-related issues, find out more about some child-friendly CBT techniques that you can use to help them.

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January/February 17

EARLY YEARS

Sensible safety supplies It’s a great time of year to check that you have all the right protection to keep your children safe at home.

Carbon Monoxide Alarm Essential if you use gas, LPG, oil or wood at home. £14

Cable Tidy Unit

The easiest way to keep cables away from children. Click-lock lid. £17.90

Bath & Room Thermometer

Flashes/beeps when water is too hot/cold for your child. Floats in bath. £11.49 18 January/February

St John Ambulance Travel First Aid Kit Important at home and when away. £18.60

Stove & Hob Guard

Protects from stove-top dangers. Adjustable.

Suitable for gas and electric. £37.99

Magnetic Child Locks

Corner Protectors

Oven Door Guard

Door Slam Protector

No DIY skills required.

Fit lock and catch simultaneously. £19.95

Prevents little hands from opening the oven and getting injured or burned. £6.49

Easy to install. Larger than others. Soft protection from sharp corners. £6.99

Protects fingers from door slamming and children from getting locked in. From £6.99 Familiesonline.co.uk

EARLY YEARS

Getting more involved with your child’s development Volunteering at your child’s childcare setting is a great way to become more involved with your child’s learning and development.

If you’ve previously worked with children or in childcare, that’s invaluable but you don’t actually need any experience.

You may be interested in formal roles like a nursery assistant where you will receive lots of support including an induction or special training. Other roles may be more informal with flexible arrangements such as joining outings to the park, helping with a fundraising activity or running a toy library. Your child’s setting is likely to be open to ideas.

Volunteering at your child’s setting can help you: Increase your enjoyment and understanding of the way your child learns; Learn new skills, gain confidence and practical experience; Make new friends and meet other parents; Develop and become part of a parent forum; Take up free training opportunities to help you progress into paid work; Get to know your child’s friends better; Explore new career opportunities in childcare; Give something back to your local community.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Children learn a huge amount while in quality childcare but parents remain their most important educators.

Find out how to continue developing your child’s learning at home.

READ MORE

Protect your child online!

Get a free and complete guide to parental controls*

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Magazine

January/February 19

FAMILY LIFE

Top car seat suggestions Need a new car seat this year? Kickstart your research with these nine top ADAC safety-approved models.

Joie Spin 360 Group 0+1

Cosy N Safe Merlin 360 Group 0+/1 0 to 18kg. Birth to 4yrs. £200

Up to 18kg. 3mths to 4yrs. £325

Maxi Cosi Axiss Swivelling

Graco Milestone All-in-One Group 0+/1/2/3

Nuna Myti Group 1/2/3

Cosatto Judo Group 1/2/3

Halfords Essential Group 1/2/3

Birth to 18kg. Birth to 4yrs. From £199.

9 to 18kg. 9mths to 4yrs. £139

Joie Baby Bold Group 1/2/3 9 to 36kg. 9mths to 12yrs. £179.99

20 January/February

Birth to 36kg. Birth to 12 yrs. £210

9 to 36kg. 9mths to 12 yrs. £180

Britax Romer Dualfix M i-Size

9 to 36kg. 15mths to 12 yrs. £325

9 to 36kg. 9mths to 12yrs. £40 Familiesonline.co.uk

FAMILY LIFE

Family tech ideas The latest in technological innovation – maybe you can find a bargain in the January sales?

Symfonisk Picture Frame with WiFi Speaker Your favourite sounds from your favourite picture! £179

Bonaok Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone Enjoy family karaoke at home. £29.99

Oculus Quest 2 Virtual Reality Headset

Use headset and app to jump into VR. £299.

Facebook Portal - da Vinci miniMaker Illuminator Light Up Smart Video Calling Drone 3D Printer Video call others on their devices with WhatsApp/ Messenger, even if they don’t have Portal. £60.

First-time users 3D printer. Great for young minds and STEM learning. £284.40

Philips NeoPix Easy Heated Throw Perfect for snuggling up Home Projector

For cosy winter nights in. £99.99

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with the family. £53

Delivers an amazing light show. USB and batteryoperated remote control. £29.99

Nanit Smart Baby Monitor

Peace of mind. A crystalclear overhead view of your baby’s cot. From £199 January/February 21

FAMILY LIFE

Protect your child online

Try Storytime, the world’s best story magazine!

The internet is a fantastic place to learn, play and contact friends and family. However, just like the real world, it’s not safe for children to navigate alone.

Special Full of fairy tales, adventures, myths Reader Offer and legends, tales from other cultures, real life stories and awesome animals, Storytime is the world’s best story magazine.

Save 15% on complete guide to parental controls (E-book/PB) Welcome to the new book, which aims to make it easier to protect our children online!

Leading children’s charities and parent groups agree that parents need more help to understand potential online dangers and understand how best to react when our children are upset or disturbed by something they have seen online.

Protecting children of the digital age contains over 130 pages of information, advice, tips and step by step guides to setting parental controls on the most popular devices, Apps, platforms and games.

Use code FAM15 at check out here to obtain the e-book for Special just £5.94 or the Reader paperback for just Offer £13.59.

Save 50% off your first 4 issues - just £9.99!

It’s packed with wonderful stories for children and parents to read, love and share, as well as puzzles, activities and games.

All 52 pages are beautifully illustrated and printed on quality paper so they can be treasured, read and re-read.

No adverts, plastic toys or packaging and each copy arrives in a specially illustrated envelope, so your child has all the excitement of receiving their own mail.

Plus, each month, there are free home learning resources and fun activities to bring the stories to life.

More info and apply for offer.

Follow on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

22 January/February

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FAMILY LIFE

Moving on after separation and divorce

By Adele Ballantyne At Only Mums and Only Dads, we get many emails expressing concern at the way an ex-partner has introduced their new partner to the children. Often these emails report that the children have become upset as a result. So we asked Adele Ballantyne for her advice on getting this right.

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Many parents use the time whilst their children are with their other parent to start socialising, keeping it separate from their parenting role initially. Of course, it’s okay to tell your children, especially older ones, offering reassurance if you meet resistance.

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But, of course, you will want to socialise.

Never want to miss another issue?

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Before dating, I would say that it’s important to take time to heal, to reflect and think about who you are and what you want going forward.

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So, what happens when you want to start socialising and even dating again?

definitely worth discussing and agreeing a plan with your ex-partner about how you would manage the introduction of any new, long-term partner to your children.

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Separating when you have children isn’t easy but as a new ‘normal’ begins to emerge, you may find yourself or your ex-partner starting to think about moving on with the ‘adult’ part of life.

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1 July/August 202

Magazine January/February 23

CLUBS & CLASSES

Unusual class and club ideas Kids looking for something a bit different to try in 2022? Check out our ideas.

Chess

Rock climbing

Fencing

Trampolining

Parkour

Archery

Table tennis

Sailing

Skating

24 January/February

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ACTIVITIES

Winter boredom busters Virtual fun

Take a ride on a virtual roller coaster. Check out 10 of the best virtual rides.

Go on a virtual tour of a zoo, aquarium or science centre.

Here’s some of the world’s best.

Explore breath-taking scenery with a virtual visit to America’s greatest national parks.

Drop in on London - visit a museum, Brick Lane, Houses of Parliament and more.

Take a plunge and swim with wild dolphins.

Marvel at the magic of nature’s beauty by gazing at the Northern Lights.

Kitchen capers

Try a new cookie recipe, suggestions here. Bonus idea: Set up a camera or smart phone and film a cooking show!

Make ice cream in a bag, recipe here. No need for a fancy ice cream maker!

Make slime, instructions here.

Make some DIY play-dough, recipe here.

Have a pizza party, DIY pizza recipes here.

Throw an afternoon tea party for the family, see children’s tea party ideas.

Game time

Educational

Learn and play a new card game, here are 12 classic card games.

Conduct a science experiment, find 31 easy science experiments using common household items.

Play family charades. Choose from 100s of ideas with this online random charade’s generator.

Put on a family magic show, here are 13 easy tricks to learn.

Dice games teach maths and other skills. Here are some great options.

Two truths and a lie. Play two truths and a lie, See some childfriendly examples.

Have a bingo tournament. Try this online Bingo Card Generator.

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Check out the National Literacy Trust’s list of podcasts here.

Have an extra Amazon box laying around? 32 fun, creative, and educational things to do with a cardboard box.

Create a message for the present and the future with a Sustainable Development Time Capsule.

Practise a new life skill with your kids, here are 19 life skills you can teach your child at home.

January/February 25

ACTIVITIES

DIY board games from overseas Fed up with the board games in the cupboard? Make and try these fascinating alternatives curated from overseas by www.whatdowedoallday.com

Watermelon Chess Country of origin: China

Kaooa Country of origin: India

Nine holes Country of origin: England

Fighting Serpents Country of origin: New Mexico

Lu Lu Dice Country of origin: Hawaii

Picaria

Country of origin: American South West

Fox & Geese Country of origin: Scandinavia

Shisima Country of origin: Kenya

Tapatan Country of origin: Philippines

26 January/February

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ACTIVITIES

Chinese New Year crafts Chinese New Year falls on 1 February this year and offers the perfect inspiration for kids to get crafty!

Year of the Tiger paper bag puppet

Chinese lantern

Chinese New Year candle holders

Tangram puzzle

Mr Panda craft

Fortune Cookies

Chinese New Year’s pinwheel

Rattle drum

Paper plate Chinese dragon

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January/February 27

ACTIVITIES

Wild winter activities Playing outside is important for kids, even in winter. Here are some great outdoor activity ideas to keep them busy.

Build teeny tiny twig rafts

Rain paint

Make a muddy water filter

Make a mini pond in a pot

Do some wild weaving

Make a magic potion

Make a wormery

Create frozen sun catchers

Build a bird box

28 January/February

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