Families Dorset Issue 6 - July/August 2013

FREE

July/August 2013

Dorset

Your local guide to

family days out

and events this

summer

BOURNEMOUTH AND NEW FOREST T: 01202 461943 E: bournemouth@monkeymusic.co.uk

Westbourne, Mon - St. Michael's, BH2 5QU Southbourne, Tues - St. Katharine's, BH6 4AR Ringwood, Thurs - Greyfriars Centre, BH24 1DW Bournemouth Centre, Fri - St. Andrew's, BH2 6JJ

The really useful magazine for parents with children 0 to 12 years in Dorset

In this issue 02

News & Information

04

Sunshine, Vitamin E and Tired Tots

06

Computer Games: Help Your Children Play Safely

08

Holiday Tips

09

New Skills to Learn in the Holidays

10

Local Days Out

12

What’s On Guide

News

World Breastfeeding Week

6 8 10

Families Dorset Editor: Sarah Carr Tel : 07876 761 623 Email: editor@familiesdorset.co.uk www.familiesdorset.co.uk Next issue: September/October 2013 Booking deadline: 1 August 2013 Copy deadline: 8 August 2013 24,000 readers per issue Printed by Bishops

@familiesdorset www.facebook.com/FamiliesDorset Copyright: Families Dorset, July/August 2013 Data Protection: if you send us your name and address in order to win a prize in a competition, we may supply your details to the company offering the prize. If you would prefer us not to do this please state this on your entry.

Disclaimer: Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at the owners risk and whilst every care is taken, neither Families Dorset not its agents accept liability for loss or damage. We take care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for consequence.

Families Dorset is part of a group established in 1990 headed by Families South West London. All magazines are independently owned and operated under licence.

Families Dorset

The 2013 WABA World Breastfeeding Week takes place 1-7 August, with this year’s theme Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers. The week concentrates on Breastfeeding Peer Counselling, highlighting the fact that even when mothers are able to get off to a good start, all too often in the weeks or months after delivery there is a sharp decline in breastfeeding rates, particularly in exclusive breastfeeding. Continued support to sustain breastfeeding can be provided in a variety of ways, including Peer Counsellors who are trained to support mothers. World Breastfeeding Week aims to draw attention to the importance of Peer Support, as well as training breastfeeding supporters, identifying local community support contacts for breastfeeding mothers and calling on governments globally to implement steps to improve the duration and rates of breastfeeding. Submit your pledge for World Breastfeeding Week 2013 at www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org.

Birthday Parties, Soft Play and much more!

- at The Good Play Cafe

Front cover image - Mothercare

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If you have news to tell our readers we would love to hear from you, send it to editor@familiesdorset.co.uk

The Good Play Café in Southbourne continues to please and excite its young visitors. The café offers an interactive and enjoyable soft play experience and welcomes Under 8’s throughout the holidays. The bright soft play café with a 4 metre high soft play area and a separate play area for younger children has been enhanced with a new padded slide. This area is monitored by CCTV allowing parents to watch their children having fun as they enter the slide area. The Good Play Café is the ideal venue for a child’s birthday party or Christening, the café manager and her team of friendly staff will take the stress out of organising a successful party. The ‘Underwater Garden’ is equipped with colour changing lights, sound system, full length mirrors, a sofa and beautiful wooden flooring. Many local weekly classes such as Tinytalk, Minky Moos, Debutots, Pregnancy Yoga, Hartbeeps, Swish of The Curtain Pro-performers and Baby Ballet run from the Underwater Garden. During the Summer holidays, activities for the Under 8’s include Street Dance classes and Painting Pottery classes all of which include of the option of ‘Stay and Play for a £1’ in the soft play area.

The café also will be offering parents a discount if they have other siblings. If a sibling doesn’t attend a class but still comes to the café to play they wont be charged full price to play, they will benefit from the ‘Stay and Play for a £1 deal.

For further information visit: www.thegoodplaycafe.co.uk or call 01202 425577

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

News Monkey Music swings into finals of National Awards Monkey Music is thrilled to be one of three finalists in the national What’s on 4 Little Ones Awards 2013, in two categories: ‘Best National Pre-schooler Development Activity’ and ‘Best National Baby & Toddler Development Activity’. National success follows local recognition last summer when Monkey Music Bournemouth was the Silver Award winner in the East Dorset Netmums’ Awards 2012 for ‘Favourite Pre-school Class’, as voted by local parents. Monkey Music introduces music to babies from 3 months and children up to 4 yrs in a way they can easily understand, while having plenty of fun.

Little Monkeys progress through four stages of the award-winning curriculum, thriving in small, friendly classes, which incorporate action songs, movement, percussion instruments and musical games. A new theme is introduced each half term and fresh songs every fortnight, which alongside the well loved favourites, offer the perfect combination to keep little ones enthralled and mums smiling week after week. “I cannot recommend this class highly enough - myself and my daughter absolutely love it. It is amazing to see how the children progress over time.”

(Nicky, Bournemouth) Classes are held in central Bournemouth, Southbourne, Westbourne and Ringwood.

For further information and to book your free class please contact Esther by email: Bournemouth@monkeymusic.co.uk or telephone 01202 461943

Name Your Child's 'Stuff' The summer holidays offer a wonderful chance for children to kick off their shoes and enjoy carefree days - which is great until they mislay their shoes, outer layers, swimming goggles etc.

Ann-Maree, founder of Labels4Kids (pictured), advises parents to label everything - "because kids lose stuff! Better still, label it twice - once inside a pocket or on the care label, and once on the collar so there is no doubt who things belong to." Ann-Maree was recently invited to be a member of No10 Downing Street EU E-Commerce task force along with ASOS to give her advice on e-commerce. Labels4Kids' own relauched website makes it easier for you to find your way to the right products.

Choose from brilliant, named stick-on clothing labels, easy iron-on labels and woven ironon labels, vinyl labels for hard surfaces and selection packs.

READER OFFER: Families readers can save 10% when using the code 'families' at the checkout: www.labels4kids.com/fam

GET A FREE HOT DRINK

WITH EVERY PLAY AND ON PRODUCTION OF THIS AD

01202 425577

hello@thegoodplaycafe.co.uk www.thegoodplaycafe.co.uk facebook.com/thegoodplaycafe

128/130 SEABOURNE RD

SOUTHBOURNE, BOURNEMOUTH BH5 2HZ Offer expires 30th September 2013

Ecooutfitters 100% Pure Organic Cotton School uniform for primary school children

Eco-Friendly Sustainably Produced Beautifully Designed Competitively Priced www.ecooutfitters.co.uk

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To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

News Eco-friendly school uniform

Sunshine, Vitamin D and tired tots Our understanding of the sunshine vitamin has improved in recent years, as we have become aware that exposure to natural sunlight can affect our levels, and with too little sun we are in danger of becoming deficient. We are all keen to slap the sunscreen on our children and to keep them out of the sun when it is at its highest which is of course important, but children do need some sun. A lack of Vitamin D is not only responsible for poor bone health but a new study has found a strong correlation between excessive daytime sleepiness and Vitamin D. In fact, researchers found that for most participants in the study, sleepiness increased as blood levels of vitamin D decreased. So, if you or your little one suffers from excessive daytime sleepiness, it may be time to take action.

According to The Department of Health, Vitamin D deficiency is a concern, particularly for at-risk groups such as pregnant women, infants and young children. The Department advises that daily Vitamin D supplements should be taken by all pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five, due to the fact that breast milk, on average, contains only 10% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin D. Other recent studies show that more vitamin D during infancy, whether this is gained through supplements or natural sunshine, can help reduce the risk of major health concerns later on in life.

Award-winning tuition 25% off when you join in July Explore Learning centres across the provide maths and English tuition to 5 to 14 year olds of all abilities, and also run special courses in 11+ exam preparation. The centres are open 7 days a week, and are Ofsted registered, meaning that families can use Childcare Vouchers to pay for membership.

Children attend up to twice a week on a drop-in basis, meaning that Explore tuition fits easily into busy family life. As Explore members, children work with tutors who are great educational role models, enthusiastic about learning and fantastic motivators. Each child has an individualised learning programme tailored to meet their needs, and all Explore courses map to the National Curriculum.

This combination of benefits has led to the company being named Supplementary Education Provider of the Year at the prestigious Education Investor Awards for the past 2 years running. July is the most popular time of the year for families to join Explore Learning, as parents across the country look for an engaging way to keep their children’s brains active over the long summer break. Also, families joining in July will receive 25% off their first full month of tuition at participating centres, so now is a great time to join if you haven’t already! Explore Learning has centres across the UK - try us for free to find out how your family can benefit! To book your trial, visit www.explorelearning.co.uk or call your local centre

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Families Dorset

Ecooutfitters is a new project set up by Marina & Irina, two mothers, passionate about improving the quality of the clothing our children spend so much time in. Surprised by the lack of availability of school uniform made from organic cotton or any other sustainably produced natural fibers, Marina and Irina, embarked on the mission to fill this void. Ecooutfitters aspire to spread the message that sustainable living is not a luxury, and can be applied to everyday live, and everyday items. Ecooutfitters believe that natural, ethically produced, chemical free fabrics are important for the wellbeing of our children and our planet. Their 100% pure organic cotton school uniforms are certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standards). This guarantees that the whole supply chain from field to final product meeting rigorous environmental and social standards. Ecooutfitters offer a range of everyday school uniform items as well as made to order school specific products. The range includes: polo shirts, sweatshirts, cardigans, fleeces, boys and girls trousers, skirts, pinafores, etc. For further information visit www.ecooutfitters.co.uk

Teachers losing confidence A new survey by Ofqual reveals that 80% of head teachers are losing confidence in GCSEs, believing that as many as a quarter of pupils have received the wrong grades. This is largely due to last summer’s exam grading disaster but also to a lack of information about the standards pupils are expected to reach, and could mean that 150,000 pupils every year end up with the wrong marks. Education Secretary Michael Gove said that this lack of confidence has increased the need for reforming the exams, and has plans to scrap the modular and coursework approach to GCSEs and go back to end-of-course exams. He also proposes introducing more rigorous questions, with the new-style GCSEs being introduced into the classroom in September 2015.

However, many head teachers argue that the lack of confidence is due to the exam boards being pressurised by Ofqual to change the boundaries while keeping the results roughly the same as last year, and not to do with modular exams or that the GCSE is not fit for purpose.

Your phone. Your health. Your call.

Environmental dangers are all around, but you don’t need to be a health nut to avoid them. Radiation emissions from smart phones are much higher than from standard phones, but now a new mobile app, tawkon, will alert you about the potential radiation hazards from your phone and make suggestions on how to keep your exposure low. Mobile phones provide communication via a network of base stations, with information transmitted from the phone to the base station via powerful, high-frequency electromagnetic fields, and the level of radiation exposure is greatest when close to its source. Your phone is equipped with internal measurements that offer insight into its radiation output - tawkon will tap into this, extracting data from your phone such as network type, band-GSM, UMTS, CDMA, channel, signal strength and phone model, before calculating the phone’s radiation level and user exposure. With the right guidance you and your children can minimise radiation exposure, so find out when radiation levels rise and do something about it! For more on the subject go to www. familiesonline.co.uk/radiation. www.tawkon.com

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

News

Take a snooze on the wild side From 9 -11 August, people around the UK will discover what really goes bump in the night, as they take part in the RSPB’s brand new Big Wild Sleepout.

The charity is encouraging people to spend a night in nature’s home and discover a secret night-time world on their doorstep. Participants can spend a night in their garden, or at an organised sleepout event, getting acquainted with all that flaps, snuffles and crawls. Richard Bashford, the RSPB’s Big Wild Sleepout organiser, says: “I hope thousands of people will get involved with our Big Wild Sleepout this summer. “Imagine if you settled down and heard an owl calling, a fox barking or peaked out of your tent and saw a bat feeding overhead in the fading light. Or even, finally saw that elusive hedgehog that you’ve long suspected calls your garden home. “What better way to engage with nature than to sleep out under the stars and be part of a UK-wide event with people sharing their experiences and surprises on facebook and twitter. We’re also asking people to get sponsored to sleepout and raise money to give nature a home at the same time!” People taking part can find a whole host of easy and fun activities to get involved in. From building your own dens and midnight feasts to torch light safaris and bug hunting, the RSPB is providing lots of information and activities to get the most out of your back garden sleepout. Anyone and everyone can take part. Adventurous campers will be going completely au naturel and sleeping in dens made from fallen branches, ropes and sheets. ‘Glampers’ will be halfway between camping and comfort as they venture outdoors or even just put their mattress on the floor near patio doors or balconies. The RSPB is also organising sleepout events across the UK for those who don’t have a garden or who want a wilder time in some truly inspiring locations! With special night-time activities from food and stories around the campfire to a night time stroll, this is the ultimate summer sleepout experience. All events are different and a full list is available on the RSPB website. For more information and ideas on how to make the most of your Big Wild Sleepout, and for details of events near you, visit: www.rspb.org.uk/sleepout

Parents help needed Local parents with children aged between 8 and 18 months are needed to help researchers to discover more about English language development. The research team in Lincoln, Lancaster and Liverpool have been awarded more than £300,000 to create the first standardized UK speech and language tool (UK-CDI) to establish language norms for UK children aged between 8 and 18 months. Parents are asked to fill in a communication checklist and a questionnaire by post or online.

The researchers are using the information provided by parents to establish a picture of UK early language development. This knowledge may help professionals to pick up on problems more easily in the future by comparing a child’s progress against national averages. Parents can receive a parent pack by signing up at www.uk-cdi. ac.uk or contacting the research team by email uk-cdi@lincoln.ac.uk or on 01522 837 366.

Luca & Maya make boats

Have an adventure The National Trust has taken advantage of the warmer weather to update their list of 50 Thing To Do Before You’re 11¾. There’s nothing quite like fresh air, exercise and family time, and you can’t beat the fun you can have in the Great Outdoors. However, sometimes convincing your kids can be a bit of a struggle, so the Trust have come up with 50 Things To Do Before You’re 11¾ to encourage kids to get mucky, discover their wild side and enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer.

Check out the website, where you can interact with your very own virtual Outdoors Explorer - keep track of activities, earn rewards, get top tips for each adventure, unlock cool games, earn badges, collect certificates and discover some secret challenges. Camp out in the wild, build a den, go star gazing, hunt for fossils, set up a snail race, explore a cave and much, much more. www.50things.org.uk

Call us now to be included in our September issue.

Telephone: 07876 761623 Forthcoming features: Education, Clubs and Classes, Halloween Events

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To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

How to Series

Computer Games: How to help your children play safely According to the Office for National Statistics ninety six per cent of children aged 10 to 15 years in the UK now have computer access at home and 89 per cent of children have at least one games console.

This is despite the fact that research has proved some video games can have a negative impact on children’s behaviour such as increased aggression and that screens are increasingly turning into electronic babysitters, with young people in the UK spending more time plugged in than ever.

So what can parents do if their child is continually asking them for the latest game, or most of their free time is spent playing computer games?

Katharine Hill, UK Director at leading national charity Care for the Family says: “Parents have a key role to play in managing children›s access to computer and video games and this is an area where, as parents, we have to do our homework, get up to speed – and get involved!

Even with older teens it is well worth finding out what they are playing and trying to help them create a safe environment. With younger children especially, it’s important to get involved at the very beginning and set boundaries.”

Five top tips for parents: 1) Watch your kids while they play

3) Set time limits on playing games

5) Channel their game-playing positively

Mum Liz says: “I was shocked when I watched my son playing a fighting game. If he failed to clear a level he would get really angry. If I wanted to talk to him he would be very irritable and rude. I used to watch for those signs - frustration, aggression, rudeness - and if I felt a game was just too much for him, I’d encourage him to take time out.”

Agree time limits in advance according to the age of your child. Dad Jon says: “The longer children play the lower their concentration span is so a positive way to set time limits is to explain that to your kids. If they are stuck on a level, it might be worth them taking ‘time out’ to return to their challenge with a fresh mind. When they get back to the game after a break, they’ll be surprised how quickly they can overcome the obstacles which have been frustrating them.”

“As our boys enjoy sport, I try to encourage them to play some of the sporting games when there’s rarely an issue over content”, says mum Kate.

2) Use the guidance you’re given

All games sold in the UK include age ratings and most also have indicators of content on the cover.

In addition, there are several magazines and websites which review games. If your kids are serious gamers, then they may already buy magazines regularly - take a few minutes to flick through one and familiarise yourself with this world. Insist that you vet any games before they are bought - and try to make sure you see any games they borrow from friends before they start playing them.

Talk to the parents of your child’s friends to see if you can agree a consistent approach.

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4) Play the games with your kids Make it an activity you can do together. Dad Matt says: “Playing games with my children is a great way to monitor what’s out there.

It wouldn’t be fair to say ‘that’s unsuitable’ when I have no idea what the game is about or involves. I also find it a great way to bond, especially with the vast host of multiplayer games on the market. We often have our own family ‘team’ that looks out for each other and works together. It’s fun to have something in common.”

If you’re feeling exasperated about the amount of time your kids are spending playing games, remember that the computer games industry is big business. Encourage your kids, if they really love gaming, to get into the techie programming side of things.

They could even pursue a career reviewing games in magazines, or create games themselves. Who knows your kids may be the next big thing in computer games!

For further information visit www.careforthefamily.org.uk or call 029 2081 0800

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

Its’s all about love actually

Life doesn’t have to be complicated Life is very full for us, parents: holding a job, running a house, making sure the kids are ok, while also fostering a great relationship with our spouse. Amanda is a psychotherapist and founder of Inspired Living, which provides motivational and life-changing advice for people of all ages and gender who want to let go of the shadows of their past and gain new direction in their lives. We asked her to reveal the most common problems she comes across...

Q: My husband has not been really fully present in our relationship since our little girl was born.

I find myself having to deal with everything to do with our baby and he hardly even looks at her. He is cold and distant to me as well.

I am exhausted and would love to be able to share some of the responsibilities and just get him back to how he was before.

A: A new arrival in the house can create

major upheaval in a relationship and that can be a huge shock for both partners as it is usually not expected. It sounds from your letter as though you have both shut down from each other. So my advice would be to start to re-open the communication channels because the changes your little girl has brought to your household will need a lot of discussing before readjustments are made.

If you are able to, then organise for your little one to be looked after for a few hours once a week for the next few weeks and then go out the two of you. Before going, both of you write down what you would like to discuss and then decide between you which topics are to be covered that evening.

Stick to the chosen topic(s), do not bring in other problems, give yourself a time frame to discuss them in and find a resolution and then spend the rest of the evening rebonding, no more shop talk.

Q: How much space do you occupy?

Try this

A: As full-on parents, we often put ourselves

10 second exercise:

last because we don’t seem to have time to fit everything in, especially not space for ourselves. When was the last time you have you ever stopped to think about that?

We all go rushing about in our daily lives, getting on with work, kids, the weekly shop.

Often we think we don’t have time to take the time for ourselves. We don’t fill up some of the space we should take up.

So, how many times in the day do you not acknowledge how much space you should actually use up? If you’re not able to be conscious of that then who else is going to be? If you minimise the space that you›re meant to fill that›s when you invite in events and treatment that you don›t want in your life. If you’re being smaller, then your boss might feel he can have a go at you for nothing, or your partner might ignore your perfectly reasonable request, or you wind up feeling ill-treated,..

Occupy that space! And when you feel yourself sliding down that slippery slope of not filling up your space properly do the exercise, hold your head up high and grow bigger. It will change your life!

Stand up, plant your feet firmly on the ground and then just feel how much space you physically fill up. Feel how dense you are, how much room your arms take up in the space around you, the solidity of your legs.. anyway, you get the general idea.

If you›re not considerate to yourself and being aware of just how important your wellbeing, feelings, respect for yourself is, then you can’t be surprised when others don’t either. And you won’t get there if you make yourself small by lowering your expectations and minimising your needs. If you do that you are contributing to reducing yourself.

We often don’t listen to ourselves because we’re so used to not taking our feelings and needs into account. It’s often very hard to take a step back and realise that it›s actually really important for our welfare and health to honour ourselves. If we›re depleted and not existing fully then how can we possibly keep it all together and be properly available to others and be happy.

For more answers to your questions see www.familiesonline.co.uk/ loveactually

Communication an issue?

Try this: Download a tried and tested pre-prepared list of 13 questions and spend 30 minutes with your husband to exchange and communicate.

This is a multi-step process, created by Dr Demartini, in which you keep refining your answers until your hierarchy of values finally emerges with crystal clarity.

We’ve tried it, it‘s an amazing process!

If you would like your questions answered for free (in full confidence), then please write to Amanda at: Amanda@familiesmagazine.co.uk

For more on this article and others on relationships and personal development see www.familiesonline.co.uk/ loveactually

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July - August 2013

The big summer holiday

- tips for travellers

By Robina Cowan

Here at Families (now a mighty group of 40 local magazines), the editors have children spanning all ages from three months to the early twenties, so you could say we’ve been there, done that. We put our heads together to pool our experience and best ideas for you.

Happy travelling!

Before you go •

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Label your child’s clothes, towels and backpacks, especially if you will be using kids’ clubs - they WILL go missing.

Labels 4 Kids (www.labels4kids. com/fam) and Easy 2 Name (www. easy2name.com) both stock packs of instant labels so the job’s a breeze and it’s a much cheaper solution than replacing lost items. They also have ID wristbands so you can label the children with your contact details Use Google Street View with the children to look round your planned location and help get familiarised with the landscape, ‘foreign’ signs and local attractions. You can also use it to create a list of places to visit Research and teach everyone how to say basics in the language of the country you’re going to: ‘good morning, please, thank you, yes, and no’ go a long way to fostering good relations with the locals Photocopy everyone’s passport and keep the copies in a different place. If the originals go missing, proof that you had passports will make it much easier to tussle with overseas authorities when it’s time to come home Have up to date pictures of your children on your phone - if they go missing you can show authorities what they look like

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Image - Monsoon

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Families Dorset

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Long car journeys are not all about being plugged into gadgets. Try story tapes - as a family we are all totally addicted to the How to Train your Dragon series. The Michelin I-Spy activity books are great fun, as are the free downloads from www.rac.co.uk/ advice/car-knowledge/top-ten/cargames/. I made up some sheets myself for a journey through France and they kept my boys amused for hours For flights, Usborne’s 50 Things do on a Plane will keep them occupied, rrp £5.99, while the Top Trumps range is great for older children, especially if you’re willing to join in Flying is the one time I am relaxed about screen time - if you have electrical gadgets, use them. Make sure you have some child friendly headphones to hand so as not to ‘share’ your child’s love of Peppa Pig with the entire plane Sucky sweets (as they are known in our house) are great for little ones who struggle with their ears on take off. Give babies a bottle (or breastfeed) to stop their ears popping

If your child is crying on the flight, don’t panic. Most of passengers on board will be either parents or grandparents and will have sympathy for you. Your priority is settling your child in the best way you can. If your child has a favourite teddy or comfort blanket, make sure it’s in your hand luggage. It may help calm them and that in turn will calm you.

While you’re there •

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On the way

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If you have older children with their own mobile phones, get them a free TravelSim card, preloaded with 10 Euros so they don’t run up scary bills on their home accounts ‘just checking Facebook’.

Available from www.travelsim.com Freeze food to await your return - even fresh milk can be frozen - so you don’t come home to an empty kitchen. Some very organised mothers even do an online shop towards the end of their holiday, for delivery on their first day home. Now, that’s organisation!

Leave a spare set of keys with a friendly neighbour in case of home emergencies, losing yours or locking yourself out (I’ve done that just when we were about to leave!)

Cancel the newspapers and ask your friendly neighbour to return the wheelie bins to your property on collection day, so you’re not advertising an empty home.

Resist the temptation to Facebook your day’s antics - you’re advertising that you are away and your home’s empty. Not a good idea When packing to come home, check the back of every drawer, cupboard and even under the beds for favourite toys that might be lurking unseen. Have a quick rifle through the hotel/ resort Lost Property box for mislaid hats/ t-shirts etc (patting yourself on the back for labelling them beforehand).

When you return •

Take your holiday laundry for a service wash - it’s a small price to pay for not having to sort, wash and dry all those gritty beach towels and sunscreen covered t-shirts.

And finally •

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Work on a 70:30 ratio. Holidays are not effortless when you have children, just as life at home is not effortless. If you can enjoy 70% of the time you are away together, that’s a result. 30% will be about tantrums, tiredness and bad moods. But if you come home knowing that for most of the time, you relaxed, laughed and enjoyed the time spent together as a family, it’s been a success!

July - August 2013

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New Skills to Learn in the Holidays

By Joanna Moorhead

1) Sleep outdoors: nothing says ‘summer’ like the chance to kip outside. If you can, find a campsite where you can go for a few days; but if you can’t get away, put up a tent in the garden. No tent?

Borrow one. You’ll be amazed at the amount of fun kids can have with a few torches under canvas. Make sure they have lots of snacks – and don’t forget the singsongs!

whether you’re in a city or the country, whether it’s somewhere you know or somewhere new to you, there’s loads to learn from this.

It’s tricky to work out the compass points, so a good activity to do en famille; also great to acclimatise children with maps and their usefulness.

2) Find a geocache: geocaching is like a treasure hunt where you use a GPS device to find a container which will have some small items (maybe toys) inside. It’s fun, exciting, and there’s lots to learn (about orienteering, geography, exploration, the environment). For more information see www.geocaching.com

11) Track wild animals: again this is something that can be done in the outback, the local park, or your back garden. Your children are looking for signs that animals have been here: pawprints, claw marks, scuff marks and – most fascinating of all for most kids – poo.

3) Go wild swimming: swimming in rivers and lakes may sound an experience not a learning activity – but swimming in a natural environment helps kids learn about nature, and it’s a totally different experience from swimming in a pool, even an outdoor one.

See www.wildswimming.co.uk for ideas of where to try it out.

12) Catch a fish: if you’re new to fishing, use a net. Find water

4) Climb a tree: there’s so much to learn in tree-climbing: how

to deal with the unexpected, how to trust your own judgement, how to take a risk and how to manage failure. You learn that it’s harder to come down than to go up, and you learn how to look after your friend who falls out of the tree. And they’re all life skills that are useful for ever.

5) Fly a kite: gem up on wind direction, find a suitable open space, and make or invest in a kite. Read up online on how to launch a kite, and go for it! You’ll get a tremendous sense of satisfaction as your kite dances across the sky.

6) Have a treasure hunt: there are loads of different ways to run a treasure hunt, so read up on the different methods online.

It’s all down to good planning, so don’t stint on that: you’ll spend more time on planning than on the event itself. As a rough rule of thumb, kids can manage twice as many clues as their age.

7) Make a movie: with the arrival of the iPhone and the iPad,

it’s never been easier to make a (surprisingly professional) home movie. Choose your location, put together your storyboard and... action! There are various apps that can make filming easier (eg filmic pro, which locks the camera’s settings for the duration of a shot).

8) Build a den: it’s come to symbolise childhood freedom, and there’s little doubt it’s an activity children (and their parents) absolutely love. Dens are best built in woods, but even a small garden or a bedroom will do as a venue. The secret is to allow your child to let his/her imagination run wild (and not worry too much about the tidying up afterwards).

9) Ride a horse: some kids are pony-mad, but even those who don’t do regular lessons usually love at least the occasional chance to ride. Look up a riding school and see what they can offer in terms of a one-off experience; ideally, you’ll want to go too.

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Image: Next

The long summer break is almost upon us; but whether you’re having a staycation or going away, why not fold some learning into your vacation plans? We’ve got 20 great ideas for skills you and your family can master over the weeks ahead – wherever you are.

Families Dorset

10) Find your way using a map and compass:

that’s clean and clear, and where you can see there are lots of fish.

Then be patient, and ready to pounce.

13) Identify wild flowers: there are so many beautiful wild flowers, and it feels knowledgeable when you know what’s what.

Choose an area rich in wild foliage, and take a book or leaflet with you to help you with identification.

14) Cook on a campfire: sausages and marshmallows are the obvious contenders – but you can be more ambitious than that!

You can cook anything on a campfire. Try frying eggs, grilling fish, warming burritos, making risotto. Kids will eat things they’d never eat at home when they’ve been whizzed up on a campfire.

15) Go bird watching: if you’ve never done it, and know little about birds, the best thing to do is go to an RSPB sanctuary.

Take your binoculars, read the guides, and use the hides.

16) Build a raft: there are courses in raft-building; but there are also instructions (on the internet). It takes time, and teamwork, and effort; but there’s nothing like the feeling of finding it floats!

17) Identify at least ten constellations: invest in a good chart, wait for a dark night, keep your eyes peeled. You get a huge sense of satisfaction, and awe, when you manage to do it.

18) Make a family tree: learning about your family history

is a fascinating way to put flesh on the bones of history lessons.

What’s more, grandparents and great-aunts and uncles won’t always be around to fill you in – so ask the questions now.

19) Start a collection: it can be anything – football cards,

postcards, photographs of funfairs you’ve visited, pebbles from beaches you’ve been to. You can collect experiences as well as items: keep a book where you short review of every film you watch, every book you read, or a description of every day out you have. Collections aren’t about WHAT they are, they’re about learning to organise your thoughts in a coherent, logical way.

20) Learn a good card or magic trick: it takes practice, but it’s enormous fun and if you get good at your trick, you really can surprise people (especially visitors). It’s part-performance, part-agility, part-confidence; all useful skills for every child.

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

Days Out

Local Family Summer Days Out Please visit the website prior to visiting to double check on opening times and prices Abbotsbury Children’s Farm

Abbotsbury Children’s Farm

This is a great place for the young family looking for things to do in Dorset. There are lots of animals for the children to meet, greet and feed. Considered one of the best Children’s Farms in Dorset, there are fun things to do every day. Children can cuddle the guinea pigs, ride the ponies, race the tractors, play in the large undercover play area and bottle feed the baby goats. The baby goats also race around a track twice a day, after the race the children are invited to take a goat for a warm down walk on a lead.

Open 10am - 5pm Entry fee: family £37 www.abbotsbury-tourism.co.uk

Farmer Palmers

Farmer Palmer’s is an award winning, family run, tourist attraction just outside Poole, Dorset. We offer free parking, easy access and a great value family day out. We have lots of new animal arrivals throughout the year so there’s always lots to see and do!

Open 10am - 5.30pm Entry fee: family £29.50 www.farmerpalmers.co.uk

Dorset Heavy Horse Farm Park and Rescue Centre

Enjoy interesting tours, talks and displays, Free Heavy Horse Wagon Rides, Tractor and Trailer rides and even the chance to Drive a real Farm tractor!! There’s a busy timetable of hands on interaction with the friendly farm animals including over 20 rescued heavy horses, donkeys, miniature ponies, kunie kunie pigs, goats, sheep, alpacas, rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens, ducks, snow dogs and many more!

Open 10am - 5pm Entry fee: family £30.95 www.dorset-heavy-horse-centre.co.uk

Honeybrook Farm

Attractive farm and riverside park.

Open 9.30am - 5pm Entry fee: £6 per car including two occupants, and £1 per extra person thereafter www.honeybrook.org

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Families Dorset

Monkey World

Over 240 primates of 17 different species, Monkey World is the largest primate rescue centre in the world!

Open 10am - 6pm daily Entry fee: family £25 www.monkeyworld.org

Nothe Fort

Located at the entrance to Weymouth Harbour the Fort is a labyrinth of underground passageways and outdoor areas with stunning views of the Jurassic Coast.

Constructed on three levels, which are easily accessed by means of a lift, the Fort is filled with displays, mammoth guns and cinema areas that chart the history of this large and magnificent Victorian structure. Nothe Fort is now one of Weymouth’s major attractions and a venue for a wide range of events.

You don’t have to be a military enthusiast to enjoy Nothe Fort, it’s a great day out for all the family with lots to see and explore.

Open 10.30am - 5.30pm Entry fee: family £15 www.nothefort.org.uk

Oceanarium: The Bournemouth Aquarium Take an underwater adventure around the waters of the world and come face to face with hundreds of awesome creatures. Home to all your favourites from flamboyant clownfish and tiny terrapins, to stunning sharks and the infamous piranha.

Open 10am - 6pm Entry fee: family £25.50 www. oceanarium.co.uk

Sandworld

Sandworld is Weymouth’s first sand sculpture festival, and one of only a handful ever held in the UK. Our aim is to bring the best sand artists from around the world to your doorstep, so that you can see what we have seen on our travels, and share the universal joy that is sand sculpting!

Open fron 10.30am Entry fee: family £18.00 www.sandworld.co.uk

Snowtrax: The Alpine Activity Centre

Family friendly centre full of exciting activities for the kids. Try riding the Ski Bobs or spinning down the slopes in a Ringo. Your day won’t be complete without a visit to our Alpine Adventure Park, full of trampolines, swings & a huge fort, it couldn’t be more fun!

Open from 9am - 10pm (8.30am on Sat) Entry fee: varies depending on activity www.snowtrax.eu

Swanage Railway

Our award-winning standard gauge preserved steam railway is located in Dorset with easy access from neighbouring Hampshire and the South of England.

Visitors can experience a unique journey through six miles of beautiful scenery passing the magnificent ruins of Corfe Castle.

Open: See website for details Entry fee: family ticket from £30 www.swanagerailway.co.uk

The Tank Museum

Exhibitions tell the story of armoured warfare from World War One to the present day.

As you explore the Museum’s six large halls you will come face to face with vehicles that have seen action in all the major wars of the 20th Century and hear first-hand accounts from those who fought in them.

Open 10am - 5pm daily Entry fee: family £33 www.tankmuseum.org

Weymouth Sea Life Tower

Soaring high above the Weymouth resort - the new Weymouth SEA LIFE Tower will provide up to 69 passengers at a time with stunning panoramic views of the Jurassic coastline - The UK’s only World Heritage Site, and out over Weymouth Bay, Chesil Beach and Portland. Turning through a full 360 degrees and climbing to over 170 feet above sea level this is an experience not to be missed!

Open 10am - 6pm Entry fee: from £15.50 per person www.weymouth-tower.com

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

Days Out

Days Out Close To Home Marwell Zoo

Beaulieu

Beaulieu is a great family day out with lots for everyone to enjoy including the world famous National Motor Museum, Palace House, home of the Montagu family, historic Beaulieu Abbey, BOND IN MOTION, the official collection of original James Bond vehicles, and World of Top Gear.

Open 10am - 6pm daily Entry fee: family £52.50 www.beaulieu.co.uk

Bucklers Hard

During the 18th century, Buckler’s Hard was a centre for shipbuilding and was the birthplace of some of the most fearsome warships to ever set sail, including three ships built for Nelson’s Trafalgar fleet, HMS Swiftsure, HMS Euryalus, and ‘Nelson’s favourite’, HMS Agamemnon.

Open 10am - 6pm daily Entry fee: family £18 www.bucklershard.co.uk

Crealy Great Adventure Park

Devon, EX5 1DR Devon’s Crealy Great Adventure Park is an award winning family attraction located just minutes from junction 30 of the M5 near Exeter. The Park has over 60 rides and attractions set in over 100 acres of glorious Devon countryside. There are over 100 animals, 30 outdoor attractions and a variety of other activities to choose from. With heart-stopping rides for thrill seekers to softplay and animal petting for younger guests, Devon’s Crealy is the South West’s number one family day out.

Open 10am - 5.30pm Entry fee: family £63.80 www.crealy.co.uk

Spinnaker Tower

Exbury Gardens

There are over 20 miles of pathways, three woods and parkland to explore, and surprises lying await behind every corner. Summer is a favourite time for families to picnic in the gardens and are two designated picnic areas to enjoy. Open 10am - 5pm daily Entry fee: family £35 (includes train) www.exbury.co.uk

Intech Science Centre and Planetarium

The South’s hands-on interactive science and technology centre. The main exhibition spaces offers 100 interactive exhibits, which demonstrate the science and technology of the world around us in an engaging and exciting way. The Astrium Planetarium offers a digital state- of-the-art theatre with a variety of shows to suit all interests.

Open 10am - 4pm weekdays, 10am -5pm Saturday and Sunday Entry fee: family £27.90 www.intech-uk.com

SeaCity Museum

Southampton Open 10am - 5pm daily Entry fee: family £25 www.seacitymuseum.co.uk

Spinnaker Tower

The 170 metre viewing tower has introduced brand new i-VIEW screens on the view decks, providing a detailed outlook on the stunning view from 100 metres above sea level. Visitors can explore the view on the interactive touch screens which feature key points of interest in the 23 mile view and 1700 years of history, including the chance to trace the Mary Rose’s journey from her resting place on the sea bed to the new museum in the Historic Dockyard.

Open 10am - 5pm daily Entry fee: family £25 www.spinnakertower.co.uk

The New Forest Show

The New Forest and Hampshire County Show is an annual agricultural show held for three days from 30 July at New Park, Brockenhurst. A great family day out, the show attracts, on average, 95,000 visitors every year and brings together a celebration of traditional country pursuits, crafts, produce and entertainment.

Open 10.30am - 4pm daily Entry fee: family £36.55 in advance

Marwell Zoo

Get close to the wonders of the natural world and play a big part in helping to save them.

140 acre park, home to over 180 species of exotic and endangered species in beautiful surroundings.

Open 10am - 5pm daily Entry fee: family £60 www.marwell.org.uk

Rainy days?

OPENING TIMES Mon-Thurs: 0930-1730 Fri: 0930-1600 Sat: 0930-1530 Sun: Private Parties

01202

HOW TO FIND US

425577

128/130 Seabourne Road Southbourne Bournemouth BH5 2HZ

www.thegoodplaycafe.co.uk

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Families Dorset

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

Out & About

What’s On

Throughout July & August Lyme Regis Fossil Walks Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays Adult £7, Child £5 www.lymeregisfossilwalks.com Let Brandon Lennon, local Lyme Regis professional fossil collector with 25 years experience take you on a guided tour along part of Lyme Bay’s famous Jurassic Coast. Have a fun, informative trip finding your own fossils!

Throughout July Go! Rhinos Trail Marwell Southampton City Centre www.gorhinos.co.uk Rhino sculptures will inhabit the streets of Southampton, showcasing the wealth of artistic talent in the area, while highlighting the significant conservation threat facing wild rhinos.

7 July Beaminster’s Big Day Beaminster Square From 11.30, Free Event www.bbigday.wordpress.com Beaminster’s Big Day is a fun day for the whole community . There is a parade from the Square to Beaminster Secondary School where the main event takes place from 12:00 to 15:00. There will be carnival costumes, street theatre plus lots of music, dance, and other entertainment. There will be food and drink for sale and visitors are welcome to bring picnics.

13 July Summer Fun Beaulieu 10am-6pm www.beaulieu.co.uk Holiday activities including falconry, games on Palace House lawns, go karts and much more.

Event runs until 1 September.

Katsuma from the Moshi Monsters visits Adventure Wonderland www.adventurewonderland.co.uk

6 July Wargamers Weekend The Tank Museum 10am-5pm www.tankmuseum.org The annual War Gamers event returns to The Tank Museum, as hobbyists take over the museum for the weekend. War gaming clubs from across the country will be exhibiting different strategy games for visitors to view and join in. Specialist traders will also be dispersed around the Museum so gamers can add to their collections... and for novices to start their own! This is a must see event for anyone; especially those with an interest in war gaming and the associated hobbies of diorama building, modelling and play table making.

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Families Dorset

Katsuma has taken a short break from his latest mission on the streets of Monstro City to visit Adventure Wonderland and will be appearing at intervals on 13th July!

13 July - 10 August Wild Art Workshop Brownsea Island (Saturdays) All Tickets £5 www.nationaltrust.org.uk Spend the session being led by our tutor in the wonders of wild art. You will be able to explore and experiment with land art, creating your very own masterpiece using what nature has left around you.

13 July - 28 September Horse riding open mornings New Forest Northern Commons (Saturdays) 9.30am – 12.30pm www.nationaltrust.org.uk Join us at Foxbury for one of

our free open mornings for local horse riders. Gates will be open twice monthly on a Saturday morning throughout the season for local riders to come and enjoy Foxbury exclusively.

20 July Summer holidays at Marwell Marwell Zoo 10am-6pm,£14-£18 www.marwell.org.uk See our ring-tailed coatis in their new home.

Events runs to 1 September.

21 July Wildzone: Rockpooling at Freshwater Bay Compton Bay and Downs 2.30pm – 4.30pm, Child £3 www.nationaltrust.org.uk Check out the crazy creatures in a rock pool and discover the amazing secret life left behind once the tide’s gone out. The Wildzone is a programme of fun hands-on activities for accompanied children aged 5-13, introducing them to wildlife and nature.

25 July - 4 September Summer Holiday Tank Action Displays The Tank Museum 1pm www.tankmuseum.org Imagine the awesome power of tanks brought to life, in front of your very eyes...

Don’t miss the explosive Tank Action Displays, every weekday during the Summer Holidays. Watch in awe as tanks from as early as World War Two roll into action with thundering engines and life-like explosions! Complete with expert commentary, you will discover how tanks work, how they developed and how they are used on the battlefield. Then explore The Tank Museum’s six large halls, where you will come face to face with over 200 battle hardened armoured vehicles.

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

26 July Teddy Bears Picnic Kingston Lacy House www.nationaltrust.org.uk Bring your teddy bear and a picnic and enjoy some stories.

Children with bears are free.

Help Kingston Bear find his friends in the house with the teddy bear trail. Free event.

Normal admission charges apply.

27 July - 3 August Swanage Regatta and Carnival www. swanagecarnival.com For one week at the end of July and the beginning of August, Swanage will be radiating to the sound, fun and excitement of the annual Regatta & Carnival, the South Coast’s Premier event. This ‘must do’ attraction has so much to offer everyone, from the magnificent two mile carnival procession, vibrant with dance, sound and colour, to the beat of live bands playing on the Main Stage and in the carnival marquee. Three amazing firework displays, art competitions for children and adults, talent show, treasure hunts, dog show, parachute jumps, and all the water and land sports, and not to be missed, the amazing Red Arrows, about one hundred events in total and far too many to list here.

26 July – 23 August Friday Family Fiesta Lower Gardens and Seafront, Bournemouth www.bournemouth.co.uk Bournemouth’s yearly Friday night event over Summer.

Family entertainment in the Lower Gardens from the early evening finishing with firework displays at 10.00pm

28 July Mudeford Lifeboat Funday www.mudefordlifeboatfunday.org

The Fun Day is both significant and unique, in that ALL the July - August 2013

Out & About We aim to be as accurate as possible but the listings are compiled several weeks beforehand and may be subject to change. Please contact venues in advance to check details and prices.

money raised at this event goes directly to maintaining this lifeboat service at Mudeford. You can expect the same winning format of raft and duck races, RNLI rescue demonstrations, Aircraft displays and plenty more for you to see and do besides. And this year we’re aiming to be even bigger and better than before! Mudeford Lifeboat Funday is a great day out for all the family.

29 July – 1 September Medieval Village with Knight & Damsel Academy Corfe Castle 10am – 5pm www.nationaltrust.org.uk Step back in time to the 14th and 15th centuries, come and immerse yourself in the Hundred Years War. An action packed, family fun day out, with interactive activities for budding knights and damsels.

29 July – 25 August Kids Family Fun Festival Bournemouth Lower Gardens, BH2 5AQ 11am – 5pm www.bournemouth.co.uk With plenty of FREE exciting family events throughout the Lower Gardens, it’s a dazling summer in Bournemouth - so just turn up and join in the fun!

More than 100 free shows and activities featuring magicians, puppet shows, comedy capers, clowns, ‘Have-a-go’ workshops, games and non-stop entertainment. This event keeps the kids entertained throughout the summer holidays so mum and dad can have a break

29 July Peppa Pig Adventure Wonderland www.adventurewonderland.co.uk

Children’s favourite Peppa Pig will be here to delight her many fans old and new. The last time she visited the park she was hugely popular, so make sure you get here nice and early to take

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Families Dorset

advantage of the opportunity to see her – and don’t forget to bring your camera!

She will be appearing at various intervals throughout the day – but make sure there are no muddy puddles nearby because you know what she likes to do!

30 July Bike Treasure Hunt Kingston Lacy House Wimborne www.nationaltrust.org.uk Join in the fun of a self-guided treasure hunt around Kingston Lacy parkland on your bike. An adventure and prizes for all the family. All Tickets £5, including first clue. Booking essential on 01202 883402 (line 8)

Throughout August Go! Rhinos Trail Marwell Southampton City Centre www.gorhinos.co.uk Rhino sculptures will inhabit the streets of Southampton, showcasing the wealth of artistic talent in the area, while highlighting the significant conservation threat facing wild rhinos.

be rewarded with a feast of freshly baked wood-fired fish accompanied by delicious salads and leaves. For each adult that books, one child (up to the age of 14) can join for free.

River Cottage Pizza Bites Cookery School, River Cottage HQ Axminster, EX13 8TB 10am – 1pm www.rivercottage.net Come and try one of our new bite-sized courses. These short courses, running through the school holidays, are designed with the family in mind. Bring the kids, don an apron and get stuck in. A hands-on practical course where you’ll cover the basics of pizza and bread making. After all the hard work you’ll be rewarded with a feast of freshly baked pizza accompanied by delicious River Cottage salads.

29 July – 4 August Bournemouth Carnival www.bournemouthcarnival.info Events for children up to 16 years of age are held at Durley and Alum Chines with prizes to be won. Local children compete for the Squires Cup, awarded to the school with the most pupils in attendance during the week. There is also a variety of entertainment in the Lower Gardens Bandstand and on the Pier Approach to suit all age groups. The end of the week sees the Grand Carnival Parade through the town and a social event in the evening to celebrate the successes of the week.

Summer Fun Beaulieu 10am - 6pm www.beaulieu.co.uk Holiday activities including falconry, games on Palace House lawns, go karts and much more.

River Cottage Fish Bites Cookery School, River Cottage HQ Axminster, EX13 8TB 2pm – 5pm www.rivercottage.net Join the River Cottage chefs for our new bite-sized courses.

These new short courses, running during school holidays, are designed with the family in mind. Bring the kids, don an apron and get stuck in. This is a hands-on practical course and you will try your hand at filleting, boning, tying and stuffing fish. You will discover the art of smoking and cover the basic aspects of fish cookery.

After all the hard work you’ll To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013

Out & About

What’s On 29 July – 12 August The Big Den Build (Mondays) Brownsea Island All tickets £2 www.nationaltrust.org.uk Come and join our outdoor team as they show you the best way to build a shelter for outdoors, using only nature’s materials.

1 – 4 August Camp Bestival www.campbestival.net 0844 888 4410 to book day tickets Festi-holiday paradise Camp Bestival is a multi-award winning four-day festival taking place at Lulworth Castle, Dorset.

It’s the ultimate family festival, with something for everyone.

Nothe Fort Weymouth, DT4 8UF 10.30am - 4.30pm, Admission £6, free for under 5s www.nothefort.org.uk A colourful event involving re-enactors from the Nothe Fort Artillery Volunteers with Bugles, Drums and Cannons.

The two day period will be packed full of events, many interactive. Sideshows include Hoopla, Coconut Shy and Stocks, Ghosts Talks, Victorian School Room, Face Painting, Maypole Dancing, Fossil Painting and Victorian Crafts. Throughout the day there will be live cannon firing displays – so plenty of loud bangs and the chance to inspect the guns at close quarters. A great day out for the family as well as military enthusiasts.

17 August

6 -10 August Stomp Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre www.bic.co.uk Combining percussion, dance, theatre and comedy, STOMP remains one of the most original shows in the world.

The performers use a variety of everyday objects - from dustbin lids to water bottles - to great effect, creating some of the most infectious and unusual sounds ever to be seen on stage.

Humpty Dumpty: A Wibbly Wobbly World of Words Bournemouth Library: 10.15am & 11.15am Kinson Library: 2.45pm Suitable for ages 4–7 www.paviliondance.org.uk Interactive promenade performance that takes children and their adults on an exciting journey travelling around the library, in between bookshelves and through a magical landscape of words and actions that encourages active literacy and learning.

Tickets: £5 per child, adults free. Tickets must be booked in advance from Pavilion Dance, no ticket sales available in either library on the day.

01202 203630

20 August 10 – 11 August Durlston BioBlitz Durlston Country Park 11am – 4pm, Free Event www.durlston.co.uk A weekend of wildlife spotting birds, bats, butterflies, bugs and beasties! Walks, talks, games and activities. All ages welcome.

Nothe Fort Victorian Fayre

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Families Dorset

Captain Barnacles from The Octonauts to visit Adventure Wonderland www.adventurewonderland.co.uk

After a highly successful visit last year, we are pleased to welcome the return of the eminent Captain Barnacles from TVs The Octonauts. The underwater super hero will be making his way here to see our young visitors at regular intervals throughout the day, as part of his fact finding environmental

mission to the Jurassic coast area. So bring all the family down to see him on 20th August

young TV star has come to work his magic with a little help from his visiting fans, so come along and see him at intervals throughout the day!

8 August Dolphins and the Deep Blue Sea Durlston Country Park 2.30pm www.durlston.co.uk Children’s Event. Games and activities to discover the amazing lives of Durlston’s Dolphins.

Booking Essential. £3. Meet at Learning Centre.

21 August Weymouth Carnival Dorset, DT4 7AN www.weymouthcarnival.co.uk 10am – 10pm The whole day will be packed with fun and excitement with something for all ages including sand castle competitions, team tug of war, live music, grand procession, fireworks and aerial displays.

Gillingham & Shaftesbury Agricultural Show Motcombe Turnpike Showground, SP7 9PL 8.30am – 6.30pm www.gillshaftshow.co.uk The day is packed full of events and activities, including Double Harness Scurry Driving, Terrier & Ferret Racing, plus live music from the Plonkers and the Gillingham Imperial Silver Band. Celebrity farmer Johnny Ball with the NFU ‘Lets Talk Farming’ roadshow will be the main attraction in the Education Area. A great family day out.

28 August Tree Fu Tom visits Adventure Wonderland

29 August Wildlife Detectives Durlston Country Park 2.30pm www.durlston.co.uk Children’s Event. Games and activities to solve a wildlife mystery. Booking essential £3.

Meet at Learning Centre

29 August– 1 Sept Bournemouth Air Festival Bournemouth Sea Front www.bournemouthair.co.uk The UK’s leading seaside resort will be transformed into a spectacular, award-winning aviation-inspired event. Truly a festival in every sense of the word, this is undoubtedly the largest seafront show of its kind in Europe. Incredible jets, display teams and aircraft – the skies will be the stage for another great year of fantastic aerial shows and breath-taking acrobatics.

31 August Open Air Movie Night at Monkey World!

7.30pm, Family Ticket £15 www.monkeyworld.org Monkey World will host its first ever open air movie night ! An opportunity to sit under the stars and watch the fantastic movie, Harry Potter and the Philosopher›s Stone. Bring a picnic, bring your family and friends and experience the magic and wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter as you›ve never seen it before! Please bring your own chairs and blankets. To book tickets call 01929 401018.

www.adventurewonderland.co.uk

A brand new visitor this year is the wonderful and magical Tree Fu Tom travelling to Adventure Wonderland for the first time from the enchanted world of Treetopolis. This very popular

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

To include your event in our What's On guide, send your event details to: editor@familiesdorset.co.uk July - August 2013

Ed’s Reading Room is an exciting free online book and story club for primary children in homes and schools. Each month, recently published books are selected as Ed’s Books of the Month for Owlets (age 5-7) and Owls (over 7s). On the website, there are fun literacy activities to accompany each book, including wordsearches, quizzes, poetry and reviews, and there are new original stories in Edtime Stories. There are also lots of other fun online activities, complementary to the curriculum. For further information visit www.edontheweb.com.

FOR AGES 5-7 YEARS Monty Wins the Cup

by Jake Sparks (Egmont £4.99)

ED SAYS: ‘Danny’s birthday begins with an amazing surprise.

He receives a shiny silver key for his very own racing car – a car that runs on chocolate milkshake!

Danny is very excited and enters Monty in the Tooting Wallop Road Race.

Although a shadow is cast over the race when the sneering Hugo de Horrible arrives on the scene, Danny is determined to show what Monty can do.

‘This is a delightful story for young readers. It is an exciting adventure with colourful characters complemented by fantastic illustrations throughout.’

My Funny Family on Holiday

by Chris Higgins (Hodder £4.99)

ED SAYS: ‘Hooray! It’s

holiday time and Mattie’s family are going to Cornwall.

As usual Mattie has lots of things on her Worry List – worst of all, what if they forgot somebody? When they arrive at Sunset Farm there so many new things to see and do. Camping is great fun and when it gets dark after the barbecue on the beach, it is absolutely magical sitting by the fire under the night sky. But who is Mattie’s new friend? And what is the story behind the old photograph?

‘This story about Mattie’s family holiday is beautifully told. It can be enjoyed by boys and girls alike, on their own or reading together.’

FOR AGES 7 YEARS PLUS The Abominators

by J L Smith (Little, Brown £4.99) ED SAYS: ‘The Abominators are top of the class for mischief.

When Cecil Trumpington-Potts starts Grimely East there is nothing more he would like than to be in the gang. But they have other ideas – they don’t want to be friends with someone they regard as a namby-pamby toff.

They set Cecil three tasks that they think he has no chance whatsoever of doing. But what if Cecil succeeded? Would they have to let him become a member of the gang?

‘This is a hilarious story that will have boys and girls laughing out loud at Cecil’s attempts to be cool enough to be one of the Abominators. The book is packed full of brilliant illustrations.’

The Mystery of Wickworth Manor

by Elen Caldecott (Bloomsbury £5.99)

ED SAYS: ‘Curtis

and Paige are two very different people who are thrown together on a school trip. They are supposed to be mixing with all the other children while canoeing, climbing and taking part in Art projects. However, when they find an old painting at the top of Wickworth Manor, they become involved in solving a mystery from years ago to do with the family at the manor.

Could dreadful deeds to do with the slave trade have taken place?

And can Curtis and Paige solve the mystery using their own different methods?

‘This is a brilliantly written book.

There is an underlying serious tone but the story reads as a fun, action-packed adventure.’

Summer Reading Challenge Children's reading can 'dip' during the summer and research shows that taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge can help children keep up their reading skills during the long summer holiday. The annual Summer Reading Challenge helps gets three quarters of a million children aged 4-11 into libraries to keep up their reading skills and confidence over the summer break. Children are encouraged to read six books from whatever genre they like - fact books, joke books, picture books, audio books - just as long as they are borrowed from the library.

Each year sees a different theme - this year’s it’s ‘Creepy House’.

Each time your child finishes a book they’ll receive stickers and rewards - and there's a certificate for everyone who finishes. It doesn’t matter what level your child is at either as the challenge is open to children of all reading abilities. Your child’s school will probably give you some information but if you want to know more visit www.creepy-house.co.uk where you’ll find out all about the challenge. You’ll also find a brilliant ‘book sorter’ which allows children to search for books that will suit their age and tastes.

Maths & English tuition Explore Learning centres provide maths and English tuition to children aged 5-14, designed to improve knowledge, confidence and enjoyment of learning.

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Explore Parent.

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

HILDCARE

01202 233 909

USE THEM AT EXPLORE!

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Castlepoint, Bournemouth

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

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Explore helps children make fantastic academic progress, in addition the vibrant atmosphere keeps them engaged and focussed enabling them to have fun while they learn.

www.explorelearning.co.uk/bournemouth

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FOR LARGE VISITOR ATTRACTION

The world’s largest official collection of original James Bond vehicles at the National Motor Museum

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D O N ’T M IS S National Motor Museum Palace House & Gardens Beaulieu Abbey BOND IN MOTION World of Top Gear Beaulieu, New Forest, Hampshire SO42 7ZN

16

Families Dorset

Exit 2 M27

Open daily 10am

Tel 01590 612345 www.beaulieu.co.uk

To advertise your business with us call 07876 761623

July - August 2013