Families East Kent Magazine March-April 2018 Issue 2

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RECRUITING NOW Successsful ‘business mum’ is seeking 5 working partners to work part-time from home, alongside and without compromising family commitments or current career.

If you have a supervisory, managerial, sales, marketing, recruitment or self-employed background, or you wish to develop an extrordinary lifestyle,

Please call Vicki King 07501 433 922

Issue 2 March/April 2018 familiesonline.co.uk

IN THIS ISSUE Easter days out Enjoy wild times outdoors What’s on in March & April

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Race Ahead with reading!

Registered charity number 1153487 (England and Wales) SC046840 (Scotland). Company limited by guarantee number 08570737.

Through-the-post library of reading scheme books for 4 to 9 year olds.

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Book rental for young readers. www.readingchest.co.uk

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6 issues per year delivered directly to parents and carers in Canterbury, Ashford, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Faversham, Thanet, Dover, Deal, Folkestone and surrounding areas.

To feature in our May/June issue, email: editor@familieseastkent.co.uk or call 07789 882467. Book by 2 April Regular features include: Clubs & Classes I Parties I Holiday Clubs Education I Childcare I Parenting I Seasonal Events Plus, we produce a great guide to what’s on in the area for Families in every issue!

2 Families East Kent

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East Kent Managing Editor Rebecca Carr editor@familieseastkent.co.uk 07789 882 467 Advertising Amanda Biggs amanda@familiespublishing.co.uk Next issue May/June 2018 Booking deadline 2 April Artwork deadline 9 April Printed By Holbrooks Printers Ltd Distributing to: Ashford, Canterbury, Faversham, Whistable, Herne Bay, Broadstairs, Margate, Ramsgate, Deal, Dover, Folkestone and all the areas in between.

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Contents 4. News & views

6. Times tables - how to teach your kids easily 7. Education news 8. Sports clubs & outdoor activities 9. Holiday clubs & classes 10. What’s on in March & April 12. Eggcellent Easter holiday fun 14. Enjoy wild times outdoors 15. Seasonal book reviews

Cover Image: Depositphotos © Families East Kent 2018 Families East Kent is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families East Kent are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families East Kent. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families East Kent ; our distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequence thereof.

Free Magazines for your school, nursery, cafe, shop or club - just ask! editor@familieseastkent.co.uk or 07789 882467 East Kent

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Editor’s Welcome Spring is almost here which means it is time to emerge from our woolly winter cocoons and start to look forward to spring weather and plan the Easter holidays. With that in mind, we have a great what’s on guide in this issue and a highlight of some fun family easter days out and events to enjoy!

The clocks go forward on Sunday 25 March plus it is Mother’s Day on Sunday 11 March so why not treat Mum to a lovely afternoon tea at Hever Castle & Gardens or Smallhythe Place, the details are included in this issue.

Take a look at our holiday clubs and classes feature where you can get a free trial with Perform Drama with classes available in Ashford, Canterbury, Faversham, Folkestone or Whitstable.

If you have any news or events to share with our readers, please do get in touch with me and if you run a local business; parties, clubs and classes, holiday clubs, education, nurseries, play centres and would like to target parents and families in the area in our next issue you can email me at editor@familieseastkent.co.uk. Plus, don’t forget to like us on Facebook for up-to-date information, competitions and much more.

Rebecca

Best wishes Rebecca Carr I Editor Families East Kent 3

News & views

Entries now open for 2018 Wicked Young Writer Awards Now in its 8th year, the Wicked Young Writer Awards is a chance for young people, aged between 5 and 25, to write about absolutely anything! It’s your chance to get creative and write on any theme that interests you.

Be unique! The judges want to hear your voices through original writing and stories.

There are six fiction award categories in total: 5-7 years old, 8-10 years old, 11-14 years old, 15-17 years old and 18-25 years old. In these categories, any creative writing will be accepted. You can write a story, play, or poem. There is a 750-word limit, entries can be hand-written or typed and writing must be original and your own ideas.

The closing date this year is Monday 12th March 2018. For more details on the Awards, including tips for young writers, and to submit your entries, visit the official website www.wickedyoungwriterawards.com

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Enjoy Mother’s Day Weekend at Hever Castle Treat mum to a delicious lunch or tempting afternoon tea at Hever Castle & Gardens this Mother’s Day. The historic Castle and stunning gardens is the perfect place to say thank you and enjoy a family day out over the weekend of 10 and 11 March.

Children can make a heart shaped keyring in a free craft workshop or take part in a cupcake decorating workshop. Work up an appetite for lunch with a wander around the stunning 125 acre grounds or let the kids run off some energy in the Tudor Towers adventure playground.

Celebrate with a delicious Mother’s Day Weekend Lunch or Afternoon Tea (pre-booking essential) in the elegant Guthrie Pavilion Restaurant situated in the Italian Garden overlooking the Lake. Enjoy a selection of starters from the family sharing board including spiced carrot soup, beetroot houmous and aubergine and roast vegetable roulade, opt for meat or fish with roast guinea fowl or salmon for main or try the vegetarian option; aubergine, butternut squash and mushroom tian. And if you can’t decide what to have for dessert there is a trio of sweet treats to finish off your meal. All the mouth-watering courses are served to your table.

Normal entry costs to the Castle & Gardens apply and the cupcake decorating workshop is an additional charge. Visit hevercastle.co.uk for more information and to make a reservation.

73 questions a day! So what’s the problem?

British children aged 1 to 6 ask an average 73 questions every day ... half of which parents struggle to answer, according to a recent study conducted by One Poll. Children are at their most inquisitive at 4 years old and boys and girls tend to be just as curious as each other.

Almost a third of parents in the study find this constant barrage of questions exhausting, lasting as it often does from the time children wake until they drop off to sleep at night. Almost half of the parents interviewed admit that they struggle to find an answer 50% of the time, turning to Google for help, whilst nearly one third confessed to making up answers on the spot.

Fathers field the most questions but mothers still deal with an average of 413 per week.

Don’t miss an issue! Download the latest magazine and our back catalogue at issuu www.issuu.com

To help parents deal with some of their children’s more challenging questions, Tots Town at Argos has teamed up with child psychologist Dr. Sam Wass and created a series of videos which can be found on YouTube.

It’s time for schools and families to register for Wear A Hat Day

mum2mum market Saturday 24 March

St John’s Church of England Primary School, Canterbury

9:30-11:30am

Must see indoor nearly new sale

www.mum2mummarket.co.uk 4 Families East Kent

Calling all schools, parents and teachers! Please get involved in Wear A Hat Day 2018. Taking place on Thursday 29 March, this is the UK’s premier brain tumour research fundraising event. Don’t worry if you can’t make it that day, just choose another. Join in the fun as schools and families across the UK get involved to help raise funds for research into brain tumours.

“Wear A Hat Day is a perfect opportunity to bring the whole school together and support this game-changing charity.” – Mr Dan Gross, Deputy Head Curriculum, Beachborough School.

It’s easy to register online at www.wearahatday.org and receive your fundraising pack.

In 2017, families and schools came together alongside other organisations and communities across the UK and helped raise over £300,000 to fund our vital research. With your help we can double this in 2018. So register for Wear A Hat Day 2018 and get involved. familiesonline.co.uk

Reading rewards Research repeatedly shows that reading for pleasure when younger has a bigger impact on children’s academic success than their parents’ level of education, or economic background.

Although reading is an important part of the school curriculum – sometimes the enjoyment factor gets lost and children never develop a love of reading.

Pressures on the timetable mean that children spend more time dissecting books and learning about subjunctives, conjunctions and subordinates rather than enjoying and appreciating a good story.

So, it is more important than ever to develop good reading habits at home by showing that reading is fun!

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Start by reading more yourself. Read aloud to your children and with your children as often as possible.

Don’t let children battle through a book from school, just so you can tick a box in a reading record. If you can see they are not enjoying it - help them out! Either forget the book totally and start something else, or try reading alternate pages.

Where possible, let children choose their own reading material, ideally at the right level of ability. If a book is too challenging, it will put them off. There is nothing wrong with the reading same books over again.

The single most important thing you can do to help with your child’s development and education is to encourage good reading habits and hopefully develop a lifelong love of reading.

For more reading advice and access to a huge range of reading scheme books perfectly suited to your child’s reading level, visit www.readingchest.co.uk

Children’s authors top the pops in libraries The kids are taking over the libraries!

Seven children’s authors - Julia Donaldson, Daisy Meadows, Roderick Hunt, Francesca Simon, Adam Blade, Jacqueline Wilson and Roald Dahl – are among the top 10 most borrowed authors in UK libraries, according to figures from annual data released by the British Library.

David Walliams’ popularity continues to soar and he’s now the nineteenth most borrowed author, up from forty first place in 2014-15. Jeff Kinney does not make it into the top ten authors but his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is clearly a big hit with kids with eight titles in the series featuring in the top 10 most borrowed children’s fiction titles.

For parents looking for something for their ‘reluctant reader,’ this library data provides a helpful guide to what other children love.

For more details on most borrowed children’s authors and titles visit www.bl.uk/plr

British Science Week 2018- a celebration of science and technology British Science Week, run by the British Science Association is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths, featuring entertaining and engaging events and activities across the UK for people of all ages.

Why not take part in the Kent Festival of Science which takes place on 5th and 6th April at Canterbury Chirst Church University.

This year’s Festival will include an amazing variety of shows, demonstrations hands on fun…and you might all learn something along the way! Tickets are £8.50 but early booking is advisable, visit sciencefestival.org.uk

Density Experiment Thanks to Chris Snowden STEM & Public Engagement Manager and the team at Eureka! The National Children’s Museum for this great science experiment that you can do with your children at home.

A simple way to demonstrate density, and the properties of different liquids to your children at home – using the kind of liquids that many households will already have in your kitchen cupboards.

If you have the same amount, or volume, of two liquids - for example 100ml of honey and 100ml of water, the honey is more dense, and therefore weighs more. Using this principle, and a few other common household liquids, you can try something really cool.

You’ll need: «honey «washing up liquid « water (try putting food colouring in to make it really stand out) « vegetable oil « a glass to pour them all in « an adult to help you!

Step 1: Honey! Squeeze some honey into the bottom of your glass, making sure it doesn’t drip onto the sides of the glass.

Step 2: Washing up liquid. Squirt this on top of the honey – again without touching the sides of the glass. See how it settles on top of the honey? That’s because it is more dense! If it mixes up a bit, just leave it to settle for a few minutes before…

Step 3: Water. We’re going to add this a little differently this time though – instead of carefully avoiding touching the sides of the glass, with the water it works best if you pour it carefully down the side of the glass. Again leave it to settle until you have clear layers if you need to.

Step 4: Vegetable oil. Trickle it down the side of the glass – just like you did with the water. Again, leave to settle if needed. And here you are – you’re very own density column. Cool huh?

Why not experiment further with some other liquids you have in your kitchen cupboards? You could even play a game of higher or lower.

Or if you want to look at the density of solid objects, add things like a cherry tomato, a bolt or a ping pong ball and see what happens.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

If you have any local news to share with our readers, and would like to include it in our May/June issue, email it to editor@familieseastkent.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Families East Kent 5

times tables Hands up who got their iPhone out the last time they had to add anything up? You’re not the only one. Relying on a calculator is easy and convenient but getting to grips with maths and, in particular, times tables, is vital for children if they are to succeed at school.

How to teach your kids…easily How can you help them know it?

Buy posters of times tables or make your own; you can then stick them up throughout the house. On the wall opposite the loo, or under a magnet on the fridge, so that they are taking it in without even realising it. You can even tape it to the ceiling above their bed so that they have something to talk about with you when you’re snuggling down, instead of a bed-time story.

Start with the twos Adding two to a previous number is something most children will find achievable in primary school and this sets up a pattern for learning about the other times tables. The 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 pattern has an easy rhythm to help children remember it.

Apply it to real life

Helping your little ones at home and doing some extra work to ensure they feel confident in their learning can almost be as important as what they do in the classroom. It can, however, be tricky to navigate the teaching journey when you’re not actually a teacher.

The thing that can really turn children off learning their times tables is the practise it will take. Mixing up the way they spend their time practising is important for sparking their interest and holding their attention.

Here are some top tips to help you.

What should they know?

How and what children learn in primary school sets them up for success in secondary school. If the foundations are in place for them to be able to work out an equation like 3x6=18 without using a calculator, then they will find it easier when it comes to tackling harder arithmetic. The education curriculum changes, but at the moment, children are required to know 12x12 by the age of nine.

6 Families East Kent

If times tables is something your children can apply to daily life, they will show much more of an interest. Instead of testing what they know, be playful about it when you’re at the supermarket and they’re helping you with the shopping (it can happen sometimes).

If you’re buying loose fruit and veg, ask them if they know what the price would be if you bought three instead of two.

Find out what works best for your child Like anything with children, once you discover what works best for them – stick to it. If your child learns best using visual aids then go down that route. If, on the other hand, listening and chanting helps them learn, then explore the different types of apps available on the iPad or computer and try downloading some of them. It may be a good idea to keep these activities supervised so that if your child does make a mistake and comes up with a wrong answer, you are on hand to explain where they may have gone wrong and encourage them to try again.

Pick out the patterns Come on, admit it; everyone has a favourite times table. It’s probably your favourite because you find it the easiest to remember or you like the pattern.

Picking up on things like this will make it easier for your little ones to learn. The 9 times table has one of the easiest patterns to remember because, whilst the tens go up each time, the other number just goes down; 9, 18, 27, 36, 45, 54, 63, 72, 81 and 90.

Don’t bring your own feelings into it Teaching methods have changed a lot since us parents were learning our times tables. Your children are probably learning in a completely different way now so chances are that you may have to brush up on your arithmetic too.

Ordering yourself something like Maths for Mums and Dads could help if you are feeling outside of our comfort zone when you’re topping up the teaching at home. Discovering new ways of learning can make it fun for both of you.

Build their confidence There is more to maths than arithmetic and it’s important that your little ones don’t lose interest in maths as a subject because it feels too difficult or seems too time consuming. Break down learning into bite-size chunks and make it as playful as possible. Encourage your children and praise them for trying when they do. Show them how far they have come since last week or last month and this should spur them on to keep improving.

To advertise your business to over 40,000 parents in East Kent in our next issue call 07789 882467 or email editor@familieseastkent.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk

Education News

Technology good for kids learning Recent research indicates that a staggering 96% of teachers believe technology has had a positive impact on the way children participate and learn in a lesson, whilst 56% believe that pupils are more engaged when technology is used, according to a survey conducted

by Smoothwall, a web filtering provider for schools.

An impressive 86% of teachers also say that technology has made them perform better and prepare more varied and exciting lessons. And parents are on board too. A survey conducted by The Knowledge Academy shows that 91% of parents believe technology is making it easier for them to be involved with their child’s education and 68% say that technology has increased their ability to help children with school work.

Think Differently.

Think Dover College for exceptional education If you’re thinking of Early Years nursery provision, or looking for a real alternative to state Junior School, think ‘Dover College’.

The Early Years at Dover College Junior School offers competitively priced nursery education with a focus on creativity and learning. We offer spacious and stimulating indoor and outdoor learning environments including playgrounds and a Discovery Garden, all within the beautiful and secure campus of Dover College. Children develop their understanding of letters and sounds from the age of 3, as well as advancing key skills in mathematics.

Dover College offers 30 hours of funded provision to those eligible.

Moving through the Junior School, our Reception class upwards offers children the very best start to formal education.

Our focus is on individual learning and academic results, all in small class sizes of no more than 15.

Children are taught a range of languages, including Mandarin, and specialist teaching in subjects such as music, science and drama. We have a wide-ranging sports, music and arts provision and offer plenty of after-school activities such as drama, dance, yoga, IT and sports clubs.

All our children are welcome to attend our Breakfast Club, and enjoy delicious homecooked lunches in the College’s Great Hall.

We operate extensive mini-bus routes locally and, as well as a competitive feestructure, offer sibling discounts.

For more information or to book a visit to discover the Junior School at Dover College for yourself, email: jsadmissions@ dovercollege.org.uk or call 01304 244535.

Visit dovercollege.org.uk familiesonline.co.uk

However, there are some concerns. At least a third of teachers are worried about using technology in class because they cannot control what each child is doing whist it is being used. A similar number of parents also think that children already have too much access to technology and don’t need it at school. More information at www.smoothwall.com and www.theknowledgeacademy.com

How to make the most of parents’ evening Parents’ evening is your opportunity to get feedback on how your child’s doing at school, so how can you get the most of your time in there?

Plan: your appointment might only be for five or ten minutes so prioritise what you want to cover in advance. What do you need to know the most and what do you want to communicate to the teacher? Write a list and put it in order of importance in case you run short of time. Take a pen/ pencil and paper to write notes.

Be realistic about what the teacher will tell you: the style of feedback teachers give has changed since most of us were kids – it tends to be less blunt and less about direct comparisons with classmates.

Don’t expect class rankings for example.

Stay ‘on point’ Parents’ evenings usually run to tight schedules and most teachers will stick strictly to the time limits. Save the general chit-chat for another day and keep the conversation focused.

Be open-minded about less flattering feedback: You might receive negative feedback, albeit this should be constructive. Even if you don’t agree, stay calm and at least hear the teacher out respectfully before asking further questions.

Don’t be surprised if the teacher talks about a ‘different child’ (not literally!)

Sometimes children behave or perform differently at school compared to at home – your child might be extremely chatty with you but very quiet in the classroom for example.

Need more information or still got concerns? It’s normally fine to request a follow-up meeting with the teacher.

Distributors Wanted Ashford & Canterbury

Are you looking for some extra income? Do you have a few hours spare for 1 - 2 days every two months within school hours?

Families East Kent Magazine is looking for distributors to delivery our magazine to local schools, nurseries and family attractions. If you live in the area, are reliable, have a car and would like to earn extra money, please email for more information: editor@familieseastkent.co.uk Call Rebecca 07789 882467 I editor@familieseastkent.co.uk Families East Kent 7

Sports clubs and outdoor activities How to get your little ones involved in sports clubs and which outdoor activities to choose from. Adrian Warner explains...

Sport can also help kids learn important life lessons such as how to deal with winning and losing. It also encourages them to make friends and learn how to be part of a team.

Outdoor sports are a great way for children to get some fresh air and have fun with their friends. But how do you choose which sport is right for your child?

It’s important for children to get a flavour of a range of sports available and decide for themselves which one they prefer. Sport should always be fun, especially for small kids, so to help you decide which one to introduce your child to, here are five outdoor options they will love:

3. Tennis – Children from three years old can learn the basic rules and skills of tennis using smaller courts and nets and with childsized rackets. Some clubs will also have squash and badminton courts, so your child can try out a range of games with friendly coaches. Broadstairs and St Peter’s Lawn Tennis Club run a full mini tennis programme for children from 5 years. Polo Farm Tennis, Canterbury offers a comprehensive programme for children from 3-18.

4. Hockey – For children, the game will be much gentler than that for adults and sticks and pitches are smaller. Some clubs have a game called “Quicksticks” which is suitable from seven years, which is a four-a-side game that can be played anywhere and uses 8 Families East Kent

Adrian Warner has been a sports journalist for 30 years and has reported from 13 Olympic Games and 5 World Cups for Reuters, London’s Evening Standard and the BBC. He also lectures in Sports Journalism at the University of Bedfordshire.

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2. Rugby – Firstly, don’t panic: the first years of rugby are not about scrums, mauls and tackling and you don’t need to worry about the complicated rules of the game either. Boys and girls alike are encouraged to play a simple, non-contact game together involving tags, in which tackles are replaced by touching a player or removing a tag from their clothing. The focus here is on developing passing and running skills. Rugbytots run fun classes for ages 2 - 7 years with classes throughout East Kent. Thanet Wanderers RUFC run junior teams for boys and girls from ages 6+ and Folkestone Rugby Club run an under 16 club.

5. Multi-Sports – If you are not sure which sport to choose, look out for multi-sports sessions run by companies or local authorities where kids can try out a variety of sports such as athletics, rugby, football, netball, tennis and cricket. These are often available in the summer holidays and are a great way for kids to find out what they really like. Super Camps run holiday courses in Canterbury and Deal. Barracudas run sessions in Canterbury during the summer holidays.

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1. Football - There are a number of clubs around the country that offer coaching during the school holidays for boys and girls aged from five to 11. These are usually a morning or afternoon class where young children are introduced to the basic skills of the sport. Little Kickers run fun-filled football classes from 18 months - 7 years across East Kent. Thanet Colts FC run soccer schools for boys and girls ages 4 - 11. Ashford Angels FC is Ashford’s only all girls football club.

a bigger ball for safety. Kent Hockey runs under 16 clubs at Herne Bay, Canterbury and Ashford.

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Holiday Clubs and Classes News

Mum thrilled with confidence boost from Perform Drama

All Stars Cricket a brand-new initiative running across East Kent this Summer

BOOK A FREE TRIAL TODAY

With Perform drama classes well-established in East Kent, we spoke to Jessica Harrison to find out why she has been sending her children, Ellie (9) and George (6), to Perform since the age of 4.

“Ellie is a natural performer” says Jessica, “so Perform was always going to work for her. George is a more reserved child who likes to play by himself. But, actually, George probably gets more out of Perform than Ellie! He has grown so much in confidence since attending.”

“Perform is not like a stage school. The children perform a show, but the focus is on fun games and exercises that teach them incredible life skills, like making eye contact, speaking out clearly and making conversation” reports Jessica.

“Initially George mumbled a couple of words in the shows. Now he speaks out in a strong voice and smiles all the way through.

This confidence has really improved his everyday interactions with family, school friends and teachers.”

“These days, we spend so much time looking at our phones.

Through Perform my children now understand the importance of engaging with others – and they don’t even know they’ve learned this!”

To book a FREE TRIAL in Ashford, Canterbury, Faversham, Folkestone or Whitstable visit www.perform.org.uk/try

All Stars Cricket is a brand-new initiative from the England and Wales Cricket Board aimed at providing children aged five to eight with a great first experience in cricket. It provides boys and girls from 5 to 8 years old an opportunity to become a star.

The course includes an 8 week All Stars Cricket programme held at accredited cricket clubs in East Kent, (1 x hour session per week) and a home-delivered pack that includes a bat, ball, activity book and personalised rucksack, cap and t-shirt. They are a perfect way for children to learn about cricket and make friends in a fun and safe environment. The courses will be delivered by trained volunteers who deliver game-based activities that teach basic cricket skills like catching, throwing, hitting a moving ball and social skills like team work and communication. Held at accredited cricket clubs these courses are a perfect way for children to learn about cricket and make friends in safe, and most importantly, fun environment.

The course costs RRP £40 (price may vary) and clubs will be encouraged to deliver their programmes from 11 May through to July.

The Centres in East Kent include; Broadstairs Cricket Club, Thanet District, St Margaret’s, Nonington, Sibton Park, Folkestone, Grasmere Park, Saltwood, Hythe, Littlebourne, Canterbury, St Lawrence and Highland Court Cricket Club, Elham Valley and Westgate-On-Sea. For more information or to register for a summer of #BigMoments please visit allstarscricket.co.uk

Barracudas Activity Day camps available in Canterbury this summer It can be hard to keep children entertained during the school holidays. With an unrivalled choice of activities and more ‘Outstanding’ Ofsted ratings than any other comparable provider, Barracudas is an excellent choice for both parents and children alike.

For as little as £3.64 an hour, children have a choice of quality activities for every session, run by friendly, professional and enthusiastic staff in exceptional settings.

They’re so confident that your child will have ‘such an amazing experience at Barracudas they can’t wait to come back’ that they offer a ‘money back guarantee’ for all new bookers!

For a 100% stress free school holiday, choose Barracudas. Visit www.barracudas.co.uk

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Do you run clubs & classes or holiday clubs for children 0 - 16 years?

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WHAT’S ON March & April

Your essential guide to family events this March & April. We take great care in compiling our events guide, but check with the venues before you leave home just in case times or prices have changed since we went to print.

To promote your local event, nearly new sale, theatre shows or community event in the next What’s on guide please email editor@familieseastkent.co.uk Every Sunday Junior Park Run Betteshanger Park Deal, CT14 0BF A free 2km junior parkrun takes place every Sunday at 9am. It is suitable for ages 4-14 and open to all abilities.

Throughout March & April Explorer Trail Westgate Parks, St. Peter’s Street, Canterbury, CT1 2BQ Pick up an Explorer Trails from the Westgate Towers Museum or the Beaney Library and join Julius the roman soldier on a voyage of discovery through the Westgate Parks. £2.50 (including a pack of crayons).

Throughout March & April Mini Flippers Flip Out, Ashford, TN24 8DH, Chatham Medway, ME4 4ZJ Mini Flippers is an amazing way for your little ones to explore and socialise, as well as develop coordination and balance. MonFri 9am - 2pm session. £5.

Every Friday Messy Sensory Craft for babies and toddlers Espression Interactive Arts Cafe Canterbury, CT1 2DZ 10-11.30am creative, sensory and messy play for babies to preschool aged children.

Every Saturday Make with Kate Cookery Lessons Dame Janet Primary School Ramsgate, CT12 6QY Cookery lessons for children ages 5+ on Saturday mornings from 10.30 - 11.30am. Call Kate on 07846 052329 for more details or to book.

Every Saturday (term time only) Saturday Morning Art Club Espression Interactive Arts Cafe Canterbury, CT1 2DZ Call 01227 765665. 10am-12noon.

Have fun whilst trying out and developing different art skills.

Ceramics, mosaics, creative clay, drawing, games and more. Ages 5–12.

MORE

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Unit 11 March Snowdrops Walk Hever Castle Nr Edenbridge, TN8 7NG Follow a trail of thousands of snowdrops starting to emerge from their winter hibernation on our Snowdrop Walk – the first sign that spring is just around the corner. Then stroll through the gardens and enjoy the early blossoms of camellia and quince.

10 March Judy’s Vintage Fair Dreamland Margate, CT9 1XJ Now the largest vintage fair of its kind and hailed as a ‘shopping phenomenon,’ Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair offers a selection of vintage, re-worked and handmade stalls all handpicked by fashion experts. Entry £2.

10 March & 7 April Ashford Sling Meet with Library Dobbies Garden Centre Ashford, TN25 4BN Try on some slings to find one you like. Hire a sling for a month to see if you really like it. Any questions you have about slings, we are here to help. 10am – 12 noon.

10 - 11 March Mother’s Day Hever Castle Nr Edenbridge, TN8 7NG Treat mum to a delicious lunch or tempting afternoon tea at Hever Castle & Gardens. The historic Castle and stunning gardens is the perfect place to enjoy a family day out over the weekend. Children can make a heart shaped keyring in a free craft workshop or take part in a cupcake decorating workshop for an additional charge.

2 April Three Billy Goats Gruff and Other Furry Tails Smallhythe Place, Tenterden, TN30 7NG The perplexing question of fairytales what really happened between the wolf and his three porky friends? Why was Goldilocks wandering in the woods? How did the goats overcome a mighty troll?

Performed by Theatre of Widdershins with the help of fun, laughter and some characterful puppets. £8. 1 -2pm. nationaltrust.org.uk/smallhythe-place 11 March Mother’s Day Celebration Maidstone Museum Maidstone, ME14 1LH Enjoy a delicious cream tea served in our historic library, with a behind-the-scenes tour and special insight into our fabulous costume collection. Early booking advised as spaces are limited.

11 March Mother’s Day House Tour, Coffee & Cake Smallhythe Place National Trust Tenterden, TN30 7NG Join us this Mothering Sunday for a special guided tour of Smallhythe Place, as our House Steward opens up and uncovers the treasures and history nestled in the walls of this early sixteenth century cottage. Followed by coffee and cake in the Theatre Tearoom, this Mother’s Day is an opportunity to treat Mum to a visit with a difference. £12.50.

14 March & 11 April Faversham Sling Meet with Library Station House Selling, ME13 9PW Try on some slings to find one you like. Hire a sling for a month to see if you really like it. 10am – 12 noon.

15 - 18 March Ramsgate International Film Festival Various Locations The Festival focus is to show new works, help promote film makers but also bring a different screening experience and encourage the local audience to view and appreciate independent cinema. Visit ramsgateiftvfest.org for more information.

15 March & 19 April Canterbury Sling Meet with Library Expression Arts Café, CT1 2DZ Try on some slings to find one you like. Hire a sling for a month to see if you really like it. 10am - 12noon.

17 March NCT Nearly New Sale Towers School Ashford TN24 9AL The cost of kitting out your child for the first five years can run into thousands of pounds. Our amazing NCT Nearly New Sales are the perfect solution, offering affordable preloved mother, baby and children’s clothes and essentials.

17 & 18 March Bugs & Grubs Weekend Kent Life Maidstone, ME14 3AU Get up close with nature this March, chuck on your wellies and join us for a weekend of bug themed activities and animal encounters. 10am - 5pm.

22 March & 26 April Dover Sling Meet with Library Buckland and Whitfield Children’s Centre Dover CT16 2BN Try on some slings to find one you like. Hire a sling for a month to see if you really like it. 10am - 12 noon.

25 March All to Discover Fair Discovery Event Centre Sandwich, CT13 9FF 70 tables available for quality, handcrafted, arts and crafts, food and produce stalls, Wellbeing, nail and body art and much more.

10am - 4pm. Call 07970 722962 for more details.

Spring at Smallhythe Place Spring into spring at Smallhythe Place. Weave your way through an explosion of colour, as daffodils and bluebells stretch up through the gardens creating a sea of yellow and purple. Discover the winning images from the Kent Wildlife Trust Photography Competition on display in the Barn Theatre, and explore the history of Ellen Terry's former home. On Easter Monday join us for some family theatre, as we explore the perplexing Go crunching through fallen leaves and discover a forest question of fairy tales with 'Three Billy Goats Gruff teeming with wildlife and autumn colours, with walking and Other Furry Tails'. There is something for routes for all ages and abilities. everyone this season.

Add some colour to your weekend this autumn at Gibside

nationaltrust.org.uk/gibside Call 01580 762334 for details nationaltrust.org.uk/smallhythe-place When you visit, donate, volunteer or join the National Trust, your

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Photography Competition are being showcased at Smallhythe Place. 11am-5pm. Free entry (normal admission charges apply).

21 - 25 March Dazzling Daffodils Hever Castle Nr Edenbridge, TN8 7NG Visitors to Hever Castle & Gardens’ new event Dazzling Daffodils can enjoy the sight of 14,000 daffodils. The brand new event will throw the spotlight on the narcissus family and showcase the new and the best in daffodils. Master grower Johnny Walkers of Walkers Bulbs, and winner of 35 RHS gold medals, will be onsite giving talks and tours and sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of bulbs accrued over a lifetime growing daffodils. hevercastle.co.uk 30 March - 15 April Alice’s Circus Adventures Groombridge Place, Tunbridge Wells, TN3 9QG All the family can meet the Mad Hatter, Alice, The Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat and of course the forgetful White Rabbit! See the characters thrill audiences with their circus tricks high up on the Aerial Hoop and Aerial Trapeze in the forest and join the Mad Hatter for fun filled craft activities!

31 March Faversham Hat Festival Faversham, ME13 7JB Faversham Hat Festival is an annual event for all those who are hat mad! A hat making workshop will be running on Good Friday.

The parade will take you from the Hat Shop, through the town showcasing your wonderful hat, up Preston Street and into the Alexander Centre where your hat will be judged in categories.

31 March Big Fish Little Fish Dreamland, Margate, CT9 1XJ 2 - 4pm. Join in once again with the award winning Big Fish Little Fish family ravers and their mates Camp Bestival as they bring acid house, techno, house and drum ‘n’ bass back to Dreamland.

30 March - 15 April Easter Themed BFG Art Y Fact The Beaney, Canterbury, CT1 2RA Creative activity inspired by Roald Dahl’s The Big Friendly Giant. We provide all the materials needed to create an Easter-themed BFG ‘art y fact’ £1 per person, drop in.

2 - 7 April Kent wildlife Trust Photography Exhibition Smallhythe Place National Trust Tenterden, TN30 7NG The 12 winning images from the 2017 Kent Wildlife Trust familiesonline.co.uk

3 April Discover Dungeness Day Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway New Romney, TN28 8PL Get the family together and enjoy a great day out on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway.

Jump on board the train and alight at Dungeness, take a short walk to the Old Lighthouse and the beach. Pre booking for this event is essential. rhdr.org.uk 6 April Canterbury Christ Church University Medieval Weekend The Canterbury Tales Visitor Attraaction, CT1 2TG Unique storytelling around the campfire in our Medieval Story Garden, at The Canterbury Tales.

Pre-booking essential, limited spaces, £10 adults, £8 children.

10 April Half term Beastie Day Brogdale, Faversham, ME13 8XZ Hunt for and collect bugs in the orchards, meet the Bug Roadshow’s impressive collection of Mega Bugs and get creative and build your very own bug to take home with you! Book for a Live Bug Show then Spend the day discovering, exploring and having fun! Tickets must be pre-purchased visit www. brogdalecollections.org 21 April St George’s Dragon Day Maidstone Museum, ME14 1LH St George is patron saint of many countries as well as England, so celebrate a multicultural St George’s Dragon Day by following our flag trail. Make your own dragon and have your face painted. Small charge for some activities, payable on the day.

29 April Faversham Charter Market Doggy Day Market Place, ME13 7AS A celebration of all things doggy.

Classes include Cutest Couple and the Best Sausage Eater and will be joined on the market by dog related businesses and charities.

24 March mum2mum Market Canterbury St John’s Church of England Primary School Canterbury CT1 1BD Market features everything maternity, baby and kids upto age 6 including prams, cots, bouncers, nappy bins, sterilisers, baby mobiles, toys, clothes, books in good or new condition. Sellers £20, payable in advance www. mum2mummarket.co.uk.Buyers £2 or 2 for 1 available online or via Facebook mum2mummarketKent.

Kids free. Free parking at CT1 1AF, 9:30-11:30am.

What’s on

Theatre & Cinema

Theatre Royal Margate Margate, CT9 1PW Box Office 01843 292795 18 March Monstersaurus £7 I 2pm I 3+ This energetic show full of thrills, spills, magic and mayhem will delight the whole family with original music and plenty of audience participation.

6 & 7 April Alice in Wonderland £16/Conc £14 I All ages Join Alice as she takes a tumble down the rabbit hole into the wonderful world of Wonderland!

Fri 6 April at 5pm and Sat 7 April at 1pm & 4.30pm.

The Marlow Theatre The Friars, Canterbury, CT1 2AS Box Office 01227 787787 5 April Fairytales Gone Bad: Grannylocks/The Monstrous Duckling £10.25 I 11am I 3+ Join performance poet Joseph Coelho, National Poetry Day Ambassador, as he unravels familiar fairytales to create fresh contemporary classics in an enchanting performance for young and old alike.

5 April Fairytales Gone Bad: Zombierella/Blood-red Hood £10.25 I 3pm I 6+ A mysterious vaudeville storyteller with a magical top-hat and coat unwinds the true stories behind the happily ever afters, which are maybe not as charming as you remember!

10 April Noggin the Nog £10.25 I 11am & 3pm Accompanied by the brave and mighty Thor Nogson and the great green bird Graculus, we go North on a journey of adventure and discovery to battle the fearsome Ice Dragon and the dastardly deeds of Noggin’s wicked uncle; Nogbad the Bad!

25 - 29 April The Jungle Book From £8.75 I 7pm I Weekend Matinees 2pm I 6+ Loved as a wild and fun tale of family, belonging and identity, this production is packed with memorable characters, new songs and brilliant storytelling.

Folkestone Quarterhouse Folkestone, CT20 1BN Box office 01303 760750 29 - 31 March Guess How Much I Love You £10 adult/£9 child I 3+ Join Little and Big Nutbrown Hare, from the best-selling Guess How Much I Love You and I Love You All Year Round collection, as they leap off the page and onto the stage in this magical journey through the seasons.

29 April Nick Sharratt’s Big Draw-Along £6 adult/£5 child I 5+ Join this much-loved children’s writer and illustrator in a familyfriendly, fun filled draw-along for all ages.

Gulbenkian University of Kent Canterbury, CT2 7NB Box Office 01227 769075 11 March Much Ado About Puffin £1-£8 I 4+ Join Open Attic as they traverse stormy seas and reckless tides to bring you this funny tale of a man all alone, a friendly puffin, and a whole lot of fuss over nothing.

25 March Red Riding Hood and the Wolf £1-£8 I 4+ Enjoy a new spin on this classic story – about two misfits who just want to fit in.

18-25 March Family Film: Early Man £1-£3 I PG 31 March Family Film: Trolls £1-£3 I PG

Families East Kent 11

Your guide to

eggcellent Easter holiday fun Here’s our pick of some local Easter activities and family days out in East Kent and surrounding areas

All aboard the steam train

Explore museums and our heritage

At Spa Valley Railway in Tunbridge Wells you can take part in their Easter Specials Weekend and enjoy unlimited train rides on a full size steam engine plus face painting and arts and crafts from Friday 30 March - Monday 2 April. Also this Easter, on 14, 15, 21 and 22 April, you can enjoy Days out with Thomas at Spa Valley Railway. Meet Thomas and friends shake hands with the Fat Controller and take part in Thomas themed activities to book visit spavalleyrailway.co.uk

At Canterbury Museums & Gallery you can enjoy a family friendly exhibition of Quentin Blake’s BFG illustrations until 20 May, plus some art activities from 30 March - 15 April.

Catch a show at the Theatre Guess How Much I love you is on at Folkestone Quarterhouse from 29 - 31 March. Explore this playful story through puppets, live music and interactive play for ages 3+.

24 March - 15 April Find the Lindt Gold Bunny at Hever Castle Family fun at Hever Castle & Gardens throughout the Easter holidays promises to put a spring in your step with the return of the magic of the Lindt Gold Bunny. Complete the trail and see what Lindt chocolate treat the Easter Bunny has in store for you.

Celebrate spring by making and decorating an Easter bonnet at daily craft workshops (from 30 March with small additional charge) and a chance to show off your creations in a parade in front of the Castle every day and prizes for the best bonnets.

As well as the Easter themed activities a visit to Hever Castle in spring offers a great chance to explore the stunning gardens and visitors aged 7-14 can explore the new Tudor Towers adventure playground with its own moat, drawbridge and three turrets. It features three slides and two poles and lots of interactive elements including musical instruments, a roof maze and hidden boxes to find. Plus, challenge yourself in the Yew Maze and see how long it takes you to find the way out.

Hever Castle, Nr Edenbridge, TN8 7NG

Head to the Farm Celebrate the arrival of spring at Hadlow College with their Lambing day on 10 and 11 March from 11am - 4pm.

Enjoy a fun filled family day, enjoy local produce stands, food stalls, climbing wall, birds of prey display, course information and, of course, meet the newborn lambs.

There are also Lambing days at Broadlees Farm, Dover between 30 March - 15 April from 1 - 4pm.

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It’s not Easter without an egg hunt….

The National Trust, Smallyhythe Place are holding their Cadbury egg hunts daily from 30 March - 2 April. Brogdale Farm in Faversham are hosting an egg hunt on 30, 31 March and 1 April.

Find the Lindt Gold Bunny at Hever Castle & Gardens from 24 March - 15 April. Explore the beautiful gardens, make special family memories and discover where the Lindt Gold Bunny is hiding. Belmont House in Faversham are hosting their Easter Egg hunt on 1 April between 11am - 3pm, plus join Powell-Cotton Museum at Quex Gardens for their Easter QuExtravaganza on 1 April from 10am - 5pm.

30 March - 2 April The National Trust Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts at Smallhythe Place National Trust Step into spring, connect with nature and the outdoors with Cadbury Easter Egg Hunts in the garden at Smallhythe Place.

Solve riddles to help you in your search for hidden clues, or for our younger explorers tick off our top nature highlights around the garden. Once the quest is complete you will be rewarded with a delicious Cadbury Easter treat from the Theatre Tearoom. £3. 11am - 4pm.

Smallhythe Place, Tenterden, TN30 7NG

Not forgetting Easter family days out Kent’s most successful animal park, Howletts near Canterbury, offers a wild day out, like no other! Wildwood Wild Animal Park is a year-round experience for all the family. Take a walk on the wild side at Wingham Wildlife Park where you can see more species than any other zoo in Kent. If the weather is good, take a trip to Ramsgate Main Sands Beach or the Viking Bay beach in Broadstairs. Dreamland, the original pleasure park is full of stylishly restored, recreated and retro-fitted rides and amusements from the Golden Age of British seaside holidays. familiesonline.co.uk

More Easter holiday events and activities 30 March Romney Rainbow Sheep Easter Trail Kent Wildlife Trust, Romney Marsh Visitor Centre, New Romney, TN28 8AY A wildlife themed Easter trail for all the family. Help Romney Rainbow Sheep to find the clues in the gardens and grounds around Romney Marsh visitor centre. Each child taking part in the trail will receive a chocolate prize. The trail will be outside so wear suitable clothing and footwear. 11am-3pm £5 per trail.

30 March - 2 April Medieval Easter Weekend Dover Castle, CT16 1HU Take a journey back in time where medieval knights and princesses roam. Re-live the story of George and the Dragon, as St George valiantly battles with the dastardly dragon on horseback. With storytelling and fire eating jesters too, it’s a medieval fun-packed weekend of time travel for kids of all ages! 10am - 5pm.

30 March - 2 April Easter Fun The Rare Breeds Centre, Ashford, TN26 3RJ Lots of Easter activities and fun including Creepy Crawlie’s

Simple Easter Crafts

falconry displays, trailer rides, choccy bunny hunt, plus see the baby lambs and much more.

30 March - 2 April Easter Specials Spa Valley Railway Tunbridge Wells, TN2 5QY Unlimited rides, face painting, arts and crafts and sport the Easter Bunny competition and more.

Easter Egg Bunting What you’ll need: Plain white paper Poster paints Stickers Glitter

30 March - 15 April Easter Themed BFG ‘Art Y Fact’ The Beaney, Canterbury, CT1 2RA Creative activity inspired by Roald Dahl’s The Big Friendly Giant. We provide all the materials needed to create an Easter-themed BFG ‘art y fact’ £1 per person, drop in.

1.

Cut out lots of Easter egg shapes from the paper

2. Get the kids to use paint to create patterns on the eggs; stripes and circles work well.

30 March - 15 April Spring into Easter Kent Life, Maidstone, ME14 3AU Celebrate Easter and the baby boom that comes with Spring.

Lots of child activities to take part in. Enjoy indoor and outdoor play areas, bouncy castle, donkey rides, cuddle corner and so much more! Extra charges may apply.

10am - 6pm.

3. Next, use the scraps of craft fabrics and stickers to make the eggs even more decorative.

4. Use some glue to create lines or shapes and scatter the glitter for the final touch.

5. When the egg shapes are dry, hang them on a piece of string with the colourful pegs. If you can’t find pegs, use coloured paper clips or simply thread the string through a hole in the top of each egg.

30 March - 15 April Easter Quest Leeds Castle Maidstone, ME17 1PL Explore Leeds Castle and seek out clues that are hidden around the Castle grounds this Easter on a fun quest for children of all ages.

Answer all of the questions and receive a chocolate treat as a fun reward. There is an additional £1 charge for the Easter Quest.

31 March - 1 April Easter fun Brogdale Farm Faversham, ME13 8XZ Hop into the Easter fun at Brogdale. Meet the baby animals, live hatching chicks and hunt for giant eggs in the orchards.

Get your face painted and create some fantastic Easter crafts plus much much more! You might even spot the Easter bunny hopping about, fun for all the family.

1 April Easter QuExtravaganza Powell-Cotton Museum & Quex Gardens, Birchington, CT7 0BH Join us for something a little extra on Easter Sunday. Can you track down the clues, solve the puzzle and claim your prize? If you spot Peter Rabbit on your travels,

don’t forget to take a selfie. Craft activities and face painting are available throughout the day. To avoid disappointment, book the face painting on arrival. 10am 5pm.

1 April Easter Egg Hunt Belmont House Faversham, ME13 0HH Bring the family along to enjoy our first event of the season. Explore the gardens and search for the Easter eggs to get your very own chocolate reward. Afterwards, children can head back to the Orangery to get creative with the Easter crafting session. 11am 3pm, £5 per child, £1 per adult.

3 - 13 April Easter Activities Maidstone Museum Maidstone, ME14 1LH Enjoy two weeks of creative workshops inspired by abstract artists this Easter! Ages 4 – 11 years. Sessions Mon - Fri only at 10.30am, 11.30am and 1pm.

Don’t forget to say you saw these listed in Families East Kent Magazine Families East Kent 13

familiesonline.co.uk HEV-Easter-Ad-Families-87x130-2018-AW.indd 1

Glue Scraps of paper, fabric and wool Mini pegs String

23/01/2018 15:01

Here are some simple tips to encourage Wild Times 1. Create a Den in the garden. Get the kids to help build it. They could even camp in it overnight!

2. Invest in some wellies and waterproofs so that you can go outside, rain or shine.

Enjoy wild times outdoors One of the greatest joys you can have as a parent is to see your kids run free outside - watching the delight on their faces and listening to their laughter as they hide in long grass, get muddy or roll down a hill. With increasing pressure from work and school, families are struggling to find free time to be in nature. It seems there is an epidemic of families and children who aren’t getting to go outside enough.

According to a report commissioned by Persil for their ‘Dirt is Good’ campaign, British children are spending less time outside than adult prisoners! 74% of kids are spending less than an hour outdoors every day. A third only spend half an hour, and one in five don’t go out at all. Also, a recent government funded survey showed that one in nine kids haven’t been in a natural environment, like a park, forest or beach for at least 12 months.

Being outside is good for children’s general wellbeing and mental cognition. Kids are shown to be happier, healthier, more confident and less anxious when they spend time in nature. Equally, adults benefit from being outside with their children too. Serotonin levels are higher in your body after you have spent time in daylight and being in fresh air also helps you sleep better.

With increasing pressure at school, parents who work, after-school clubs, screen time and homework to do, children generally have a lot less free time. Unstructured time outside and in nature is something that has become a luxury rather than a necessity.

Organisations like The Wild Network are trying to encourage families to get back outside.

Their mission is to ‘rewild’ childhood and give children more #wildtime. Their groundbreaking film has been seen across the world, and they have a wild time learning project in which over 200 schools have taken part. You can find out more by going to their website www. thewildnetwork.com.

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Spokesman for the Wild Network, Mark Sears says: “Over the last five years, we have seen an avalanche of evidence that shows that time spent outdoors offers huge benefits to children as well as their wider families and communities. Wild Time is one of the few things left that is fun, free and good for you and yet most families don’t get enough of it.

Other than the more obvious benefits like better physical and mental wellbeing, which are increasingly well evidenced it is now proven that Wild Time can support learning too through better concentration, imagination, resilience and capacity to rapidly process risk all vital tools that children will need to thrive in the 21st century.”

3. Grow some fruit and vegetables.

You can do this by using pots on the windowsill or by using a small patch in the garden.

4. Start an animal watch list that children can tick off.

5. Create some landscape art. Use twigs, leaves, shells or stones, and photograph what you have made.

6. Make walks fun – do some of the walk blindfolded! Or make a treasure map of things your children have to find.

7. Try geocaching (www.geocaching.com).

This does involve using an app but might encourage a reluctant nature explorer If you want more time in nature with your family who won’t be parted from a device. try and make time at the weekends to take them to a beach, wood, forest or river. If you’re on a budget, or short on time, find your local park and enjoy the green, open space. Do some running races, climb a tree and make a camp.

The urban farm movement is also a great way to give your children a taste of the country life.

The best thing about spending time in nature is that is free as the air you breathe. Pack some sandwiches and the world is your oyster. Keep your phone in your bag and gadgets at home.

Enjoy playing hide and seek, rock pooling, jumping a stream and finding bugs under a rotten branch.

8. Let older children have some freedom.

Get them to walk, explore and go out on their bikes without adults.

9. Research some outdoor activities or exercise classes that you can do as a family, like an outdoor boot camp or mountain bike riding.

10. Sign up to the National Trust’s ‘50 Things To Do Before You’re 11 ¾.’

Other resources Check out the nature detectives with the Woodland Trust, who have lots of fun ideas for kids of all ages. www. woodlandtrust.org.uk/naturedetectives Try www.ifootpath.com, a great app for walking in the UK, it costs just £1.99.

Buy The Adventure Map of Britain for £14.99 at www.marvellousmaps.com It’s a wonderful visual guide of fun things to do in the UK.

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0-2 YEARS Ten Fat Sausages

By Michelle Robinson & Tor Freeman Andersen RRP 11.99 Poor old sausages – they do their best to make life easier for kids learning to count and what do they get to be in return? Somebody’s tea, that’s what. Well, not today! Today they get to escape the humdrum pan they are sizzling in and have an adventure. Sausage by sausage. An ingenious idea with plenty of sauce.

BOOK REVIEWS FOR THE SEASON

By Justine Crow It’s possibly my natural rebelliousness but as all those resolutions from the beginning of the year fade away, like volunteers for the washing up at weekends, I’m thinking about all things edible and my choice of items for this page mainly reflect that. Serve yourself!

Fish Boy

By Chloe Daykin Faber RRP 6.99 This wonderful novel starts with chips.

Literally, chips poised for the oven while our hero Billy drips seawater on the kitchen floor and his dad demands no trunks at the table.

This book may contain other teatime staples such as baked beans, tuna and even Twix bars but Billy loves the ocean most of all. It is both his refuge and his playground and when Patrick Green arrives with “fingers like steel,” the bullies no longer get to use “Fish Fingers” as an insult.

Moo Cow, Moo Cow Please Eat Nicely!

By Jo Lodge

9-12 YEARS

Macmillan RRP 5.99 How are your table manners you little lot?

I know the answer already. Terrible! You are either slurping up the grub like a duck in the silt, chewing widely like a day-dreaming heifer or belching like a contented swine. Teatime resembles a veritable farmyard when it comes to you toddlers but this clever board book teaches all you mucky pups how to eat politely.

3-5 YEARS Tacos

By Lotte Nieminen Phaidon RPP 9.99

This is a great cooking primer that requires no flames. Follow the recipe, pop out the kitchen utensils and ingredients, get mashing and chopping, add the toppings et voila!

Or whatever “voila!” is in Spanish... your very own mess free taco. I love the fact that the book is billed as ‘interactive.’ We are so accustomed to that term being technological it comes as a bit of a shock to discover this means with tabs and flaps. Mind you, surely all books are interactive by their very nature.

There Was an Old Giant Who Swallowed a Clock

By Becky Davies Little Tiger Press RRP 11.99 I’m always grateful for the traditional ‘I Know An Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly’ rhyme as it has rescued many a traffic tantrum by virtue of its unlikeliness alone – the children’s tears have stopped familiesonline.co.uk

My Sweet Orange Tree

By Jose Mauro de Vasconcelos Pushkin RRP 10.99

dead in their tracks by the time it gets to the swallowing of the cat as they digest the sheer incredulity of it all. This takes the fun one step further and swaps the old biddy for a giant, the insect for a clock and some knitting to stifle the ticking… (DO keep up).

Never out of print in its home country since being published in the 1960s, we Brits finally get to sample the delights of this Brazilian classic. Zezé wants to be a “poet with a bow-tie” when he grows up – a laudable ambition if you ask me – but until then he passes the time in a down-at-heel district of Rio having fun with his imaginary friends.

And then one day a real one shows up….

One Pan 100 Brilliant Meals

By Mari Mererid Williams Ebury RRP 12.99

6-8 YEARS Cooking Step-byStep Dorling Kindersley RRP 13.99

I believe a good children’s cookbook leaves a lasting legacy. Certainly in our household we return to the same old tome again and again for the most beloved and useful recipes. This has more than 50 different dishes for young cooks, from the traditional such as roast chicken and quiche to new modern classics like gazpacho, hummous and guacamole all illustrated in the DK house-style that is almost good enough to eat.

Graceland, is where Justin Timberlake was born. And that huckleberries are a real thing and they grow in Boise. So there!

Whilst not strictly a junior cookbook, this is billed as being specifically useful for busy families, young professionals and students.

Certainly the notion of rustling something uncomplicated up in a single pot is attractive to the older offspring in our house, not to mention the subsequent minimal dishwashing action. Here the budding chef gets to dazzle us with gnocchi, lasagne and even pizza. Suddenly I’m feeling peckish.

Can’t think why…

Justine Crow is co-founder of the famous South London bookshop ‘Bookseller Crow on the Hill’ based in Crystal Palace. As well as being a blogger and reviewer, parent of three and qualified swimming teacher, she also co-authored The Little Book of Nits published by Bloomsbury.

Families East Kent 15

Discover

The Junior School

at Dover College

An Independent Day School for boys and girls aged from 3 to 11 • Superb facilities • Small class sizes • Creative curriculum • Specialist teaching in sports, music and languages • Sibling discounts • Breakfast and after-school clubs • Extensive mini-bus routes To find out more, email: jsadmissions@dovercollege.org.uk

Families East Kent

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