Families SE London New Year 2018 issue 189

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FR EE

TAKE M E

South East

IN THIS ISSUE HERE COMES 2018 And we’re ready!

ONLINE EDITIONg

with workin website links

Issue 190 January February 2018

HALF TERM Workshops and holiday clubs

WHAT’S ON Where to go, what to see, what do together

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I’m not really one for new year’s resolutions myself (it’s too cold and as a summer person I peak when the sun is out); but if we have one here at Families, it is that we will continue to do what we’ve done best for over 21 years now (count ‘em!) - support and champion local family businesses.

If you have a service or product range you’d like parents to know about in 2018, ask us how we can help you reach them across southeast London.

Meanwhile, we’re just getting to the end of our Christmas tree, which has festively crackled into the new year - as fragrant firewood.

Warm wishes to all our readers for 2018.

Robina Cowan, editor

IN THIS ISSUE 2-3

Local News and Views A new special needs nursery, respite breaks for families, reading to children and National Storytelling Week

4-5

Education News Top ranking for Alleyn’s juniors, SHS pupils row for King’s College Hospital, and taking the fear out of maths

6

Mothers Mean Business Catching up with fitness instructor Jenni Liew of Baby Steps Fitness

7

Family Health Family-friendly sports in Dulwich, starting the new year with yoga, and children who need more sleep - and nuts

8-9

Family Life How to get your child talking about their day rather than grunting and shrugging their shoulders, residency issues during divorce, and flexible working opportunities for mothers

10

The Book Page Justine’s favourite new books to curl up with when it’s cold outside

11

Holiday Clubs and Workshops Safe, fun childcare and activities when school’s out for half term

12-15 What’s On Our pick of the best events, shows and workshops to see you into the new year Front cover: Children wear beanie hats, toasty thermal tops and superwarm salopettes, all from Muddy Puddles, 01299 407150 www.muddypuddles.com Easter issue out 2 March, deadline 9 February

Families South East PO Box 11591, London SE26 6WB 020 8699 7240, editor@familiesse.co.uk

www.familiesse.co.uk for back issues and our media pack

Families London South East

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

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LocalNews email your news to editor@familiesse.co.uk

Bubbly nursery A new day nursery is opening to look after children with special needs.

Bubbly nursery will support and encourage children to meet all areas of development; including those who already have diagnoses, or are undergoing assessment.

The staff have expert knowledge and skills in supporting children, while the facilities include sensory and soft play areas, special toys and equipment, music and art therapy, wheelchair access and a playground.

The nursery is based at St Dunstan Church, Bellingham Green SE6, 020 8461 48269. www.bubblyspecialneedsnursery.co.uk

Mothers who make Mothers Who Make, a grassroots national initiative that supports mothers who are artists, is set for a national takeover.

The network has been supported by Arts Council England to develop hubs across the UK, commission new work and create a digital platform. Mothers Who Make are committed to creating spaces where every kind of maker is welcomed, and every kind of mother. The organisation has received support from some of the UK’s top cultural venues including the National Theatre, Southbank Centre, Manchester’s HOME and Bristol’s Old Vic Theatre. From 2018 its plans are to grow through crowdfunding to add new hubs across London - at the BAC, Arcola Theatre and JW3, as well as regional venues across the country. Each hub is facilitated by a local artist, and is accessible for all mothers and their children. https://homemcr.org

Marvellous mathematicians The regional finals of the National Young Mathematicians’ Awards took place at Explore Learning Lewisham, and the regional winners were declared as Sir Francis Drake Primary School for their fantastic team work, their systematic working and most importantly their mathematical thinking.

Children from across the borough battled it out for a place at the annual event, organised by tuition provider Explore Learning, and the NRICH Project at the University of Cambridge.

Explore Learning offers tailored, out of school maths and English tuition, exam preparation workshops and parent information evenings throughout the year so that everyone feels confident at home. There are local centres in Lewisham, New Cross Gate, Sydenham, Abbey Wood, Brixton and Greenwich.

For a FREE trial session, call 033 0124 3802, or book online. www.explorelearning.co.uk

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YHA launches new Family Breaks initiative Leading youth charity YHA is offering a free two-night stay with meals to families in London who are struggling with challenging circumstances, to enable them to have some quality family time. The scheme prioritises applications from children and young people who are experiencing exceptionally challenging lives, or who are facing a crisis or emergency situation which may result in financial hardship on a daily basis.

All the Youth Hostels available within the programme are located within city, rural and coastal areas that are easily accessible by public transport. Families will be provided with a private room and meals throughout their stay, and up to two adults and their children can apply for a short break.

To contact the YHA Breaks team, email breaks@yha.org, call Freephone 0800 0191 700, or download an application form online. www.yha.org.uk/support-programmes/families

The gift of reading Could you help a child who needs extra help with their reading?

The charity Beanstalk trains and recruits volunteers to help children in local primary schools, helping them develop their confidence and reading skills.

As a reading helper you will play a vital role in nurturing children to be the best they can be: confidence and self-esteem will be developed through fun, literacy-based activities, raising both reading attainment and future aspirations.

To find out more, call 0845 450 0307 or visit the charity online. www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk

Spin a tale during National Storytelling Week

The nation’s 100 favourite stories As part of the 2018 Share A Story campaign, World Book Day launched a search to find the ultimate list of the Nation’s 100 favourite stories to share for children and young people of all ages.

The shortlist featured favourites from authors, illustrators, teachers, children and young people, librarians, booksellers, literacy experts and parents to give a diverse and interesting choice of new books and stories to discover.

Following a public vote, the final list of the Top 100 Stories to Share will be revealed on 1 March for World Book Day. www.worldbookday.com

The first week of February marks National Storytelling Week, a chance to reflect on one of the oldest art forms in the world. We are all immersed in stories - from conversations retelling events in our lives, to watching our favourite television shows.

Speech and language therapists believe that storytelling is vital for children’s academic success as it promotes narrative skills and strengthens the ability of children to correctly sequence ideas. To be a good reader and writer a child needs to be a good speaker and listener first. But above all, storytelling is fun.

Whether we are listening to someone else’s story or telling our own, inventing and adapting narratives can open doors to exciting new worlds - both real and imaginary.

National Storytelling Week takes place in storytelling clubs, theatres, museums, schools, hospitals, spoken word venues, and care homes.

The Society for Storytelling has lots of information as “the home of UK oral storytelling” and offers free packs for schools to download. Find or add a local event, and look through its extensive archive online. www.sfs.org.uk

Leaf and Groove supports community library And finally, in what has turned out to be particularly book themed news this month (nothing wrong with that); Leaf and Groove is now open.

Launched thanks to crowdfunding and supported by donations from the local community, the shop is selling pre-loved books and vinyl to generate income for Forest Hill community library.

The shop is open every day except Wednesdays at 57 Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill SE23 3HN, where stock donations are also welcome.

If the Christmas aftermath has left you feeling that even £3 for a second-hand paperback is a pinch, don’t forget you can join any local library and borrow a cracking read - for free.

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EDUCATION NEWS

Alleyn’s is a top ranked junior school

Fitness facilities for hire

Congratulations to Alleyn’s Junior School, which made it into the top 5 of the Sunday Times Parent Power Top 100 Independent Preparatory Schools in England list. Published in November, the list has the school at number 5, making it the highest ranked co-educational independent prep school in this survey, which is based on schools whose Year 6 children took SATs National Curriculum tests in May 2016.

Headmaster Simon Severino said: “At Alleyn’s Junior School we pride ourselves on taking a holistic approach to the education and well-being of our boys and girls, and we are pleased that these results are achieved within this wider context.” www.alleyns.org.uk

Charlton Park Academy has joined forces with School Lettings Solutions (SLS) to manage its facilities and provide space for community activities such as fitness classes, dance workshops and craft groups.

The Greenwich-based academy will play host to activities such as swimming groups and football classes. In addition, local groups can hire the sports hall, main hall, fitness suite and hydro pool for regular classes or ad hoc events.

It is hoped the partnership will open up new opportunities to the academy’s students, as well as people of all ages from the local area.

For bookings, call 020 8261 7337, email charltonpark@schoollettings.org or read more online. www.charltonpark.schoolbookings.co.uk

School rowers pull together for tumour survivor’s Transatlantic record bid Sydenham High School’s rowers are travelling 3000 miles without leaving London to support a Cushing’s disease survivor’s Transatlantic record attempt and raise money for King’s College Hospital.

Kiko Matthews is raising money for the new critical care unit at King’s College Hospital by attempting to become the fastest female to cross the Atlantic solo and unsupported. The team from Sydenham High is aiming to raise £1,000 for her cause by rowing a total of 3,000 miles in training the actual distance Kiko will be rowing in January (minus the Atlantic’s 40ft waves!)

More than 25 rowers have been taking to the school’s ergo machines, to add to their river training, to clock up the necessary miles and reach their sponsorship target. Kiko herself joined them on the river for a training session and was paired with 16-year old rower Elena (pictured). Afterwards Kiko announced on Twitter: “Having a year 11 girl in charge and showing me the ropes was awesome.

Totally loved my afternoon.”

The Sydenham High team was inspired to support Kiko after she was the guest speaker at senior school prize giving in July. They are one of one hundred female supporters and groups being recruited by Kiko through her 100TogetHER fundraising campaign. www.kikomatthews.co.uk/100together www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net

B L A C K H E AT H P R E PA R ATO RY S C H O O L IAPS co-educational school for 3 -11 years

Overlooking Blackheath and set in five acres of beautiful grounds, this leading prep school offers an outstanding education.

Regular open mornings are held throughout the term when you can come and join us on a normal working day.

Spring open mornings Senior School & Sixth Form Tuesday 13 March 9.30-11.30am

Junior School Wednesday 21 March 9.30 - 11.00am

Bursaries may be available in some of our Prep classes.

4 St. Germans Place, Blackheath, London. SE3 0NJ Tel: 020 8858 0692 Email: info@blackheathprepschool.com www.blackheathprepschool.com Company limited by guarantee No. 672569 Charitable Status No. 312732

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Book online at sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net 020 8557 7000 | 15 & 19 Westwood Hill, London SE26 6BL A rst-class education for girls aged 4–18, since 1887

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EDUCATION NEWS 2) Teach them about interest rates. Does your child turn to the bank of Mum and Dad to borrow money? Give them some options.

1) They can either save up their pocket money or do jobs to earn the money. 2) You will give them the money upfront, but they then have to pay you back with interest. So, if they want £50 they have to give you £55 back over a set period of time. This way they will start to understand about the debt they could create by using loans.

Explore Learning gets behind

“more maths for everyone” In November 2017, the government released their budget which stated they were committed to investing more money for maths teaching in schools. Whatever your political belief and aside from the debate, we can all get behind the chancellor’s sentiment of “more maths for everyone”.

Helping the next generation to master maths concepts, be confident mathematicians and proud problem solvers is our responsibility as educators and parents.

Charlotte Gater, Head of Education at Explore Learning added “This way we can help children to develop the skills needed, not only in so many jobs, but also to be financially

healthy. Whilst listening to the budget speech, and the chancellor’s comments on how much the country spends on debt, it is clear that we need to teach children the importance of good financial management.

Charlotte has put together some top tips to help you help your children have a good understanding of budgets: 1) Get them involved with shopping. Give them a budget to spend for the week and get them to meal plan. Encourage them to shop around different brands or supermarkets to see if they can get more for their money.

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MOTHERS MEAN BUSINESS

Jenni Liew runs

Baby Steps Fitness sessions across southeast London, and runs around after her two young boys in between Families caught up with her to find out more FSE: Have you always been a fitness instructor or did motherhood change your career?

Motherhood had a huge impact on my priorities and values. As my maternity leave ended, I knew that I needed a flexible career so that I could take care of my two young boys. I had always dreamed of becoming a fitness instructor and it finally felt like the time was right to just go for it. So I retrained to become a fitness instructor back in January last year.

FSE: How is Baby Steps Fitness different from other aerobic classes?

Baby Steps Fitness provides mums with hassle-free, on-site childcare for the duration of their exercise classes. Children of any age are welcome at the mum and baby/ toddler classes and I provide games and toys to keep them occupied while mum works out. I have a brilliant class helper who supervises and entertains the children, meaning that mums can enjoy the class without worrying about their little ones!

The main reason I started Baby Steps Fitness was because I myself struggled to find classes that would accommodate my boys. I needed to know that my children were safe and having fun before I could focus on my own health and wellbeing.

Baby Steps Fitness is also geared towards easing mums back into exercise after having children. The classes serve as a way for mums to get the energy boost they need in order to be able to cope with the everyday demands of motherhood. Being a mum, I also understood that most of us want to socialise with like-minded mums, so I make sure that all of my classes are light hearted and social.

FSE: You run Mummy Wellbeing workshops too - what do they offer?

The workshops focus on giving mums the know-how, tools and confidence to start looking after their own wellbeing. Being a parent is indeed an extraordinary experience that we would not give up for the world, but our own health and wellbeing tends to end up at the bottom of the pile. I strongly believe that a happy mummy means a happy baby!

A real passion of mine is helping mums find new ways to look after themselves, so the workshops can be seen as an educational and beneficial resource. I love being able to help mums with common post-pregnancy questions such as, ‘what exercise can I do to tackle back pain?’ and ‘how do I improve the weakness in my core muscles?’ The workshops cover a variety of relevant topics and wellbeing areas

6 Families South East

and I have had guest speakers such as nutritionists at the workshops. There have also been meditation sessions and discussions for the future of the workshops.

FSE: As a mum yourself, do your two boys keep you fitter or wear you out?

Haha, I love this question! They definitely are good at maintaining my fitness levels. Now my youngest is on the move, they seem to love running in opposite directions! However, I would say that they tend to wear me out emotionally, so I find that meditation and practising mindfulness helps to lift my spirit and mental energy.

FSE: What do you love most about your job?

That’s easy - the mums I work with! They are all amazing, inspirational and a pleasure to be around. I enjoy being able to give them the opportunity to do something for themselves, completely guilt-free. They know that their children are having just as much fun at the classes as they are!

FSE: How easy or difficult is it to juggle your work and family life?

Starting my own business has been a steep learning curve. At first, I think I greatly underestimated how much time and effort goes into starting and maintaining a business. But along the way, I have learnt to organise my time so that when I’m at work I’m at work, and when I’m with my children, I’m with my children.

Keeping work and family life separate has helped me to create a great balance between the two. I go into work mode, which is a joy because I love teaching my classes, and then I switch to family mode where I am totally present with my husband and children.

FSE: When you have time off yourself, what do you like to do?

When I have time to myself, I find going to a cafe and reading a motivational book uplifting. I also practise meditation. I’m a strong believer in ‘me time’. Doing something for myself means that I am a much calmer and more positive wife and mother.

FSE: Have you always lived in southeast London? If not, what brought you here?

I was living in Sussex and then moved to southeast London when I started maternity leave with my oldest son, three years ago.

People told me that I was a crazy person, having a baby and moving to London! But my husband and his family have always lived here, and I do adore the area. It’s so convenient and well-geared towards parents with young children.

FSE: Do you have a favourite shop/ cafe or park in southeast London?

One of my favourite cafes is The Plumtree Cafe in Greenwich. The staff are lovely, they have amazing cakes and a small play area, so my children can play whilst I enjoy my cup of tea in peace!

FSE: How can readers find out more about what you do?

Full details about my classes can be found on my website: www.babystepsfitness.co.uk and you can also follow me on my Facebook page of the same name.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch with me at: babystepsfitnesslondon@gmail.com

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F A M I LY H E A LT H

Lack of sleep damaging for children

Clubs, classes and membership at Dulwich College Sports Club Get fit, have fun and meet new people in 2018 with the diverse range of sports, classes, courses, children’s parties and activities for all the family at Dulwich College Sports Club.

With no joining fee in January/ February there has never been a better time to join this family friendly sports club or to check out all the resident clubs and activities available to the whole community. www.dcsportsclub.co.uk

And breathe...

By looking after ourselves and taking time to relax, regenerate and re-balance our busy lives, we can get back on top of things, take a breath or two and start to enjoy the new year afresh.

Anna Ferla has been teaching Hatha yoga since 2001 and helps her classes achieve grounding, lengthening and strengthening. There are classes for all in Lee and Hither Green, including antenatal classes, small mother and baby classes, and workshops for people who are interesting in becoming a yoga teacher towards a new career. www.annaferlayoga.co.uk

More than a third of primary school children are failing to get sufficient sleep, according to new research.

The study has linked poor sleep with difficulties in paying attention in class, keeping up with school work, forgetfulness and absenteeism.

The research, carried out by the University of Leeds has shown that despite the NHS recommendation of 10 hours, 36 per cent of primary age children get eight hours of sleep or less per night. Even more worryingly, 15 per cent get less than seven hours.

The researchers found links between poor sleep and children having access to mobile phones or computer devices in their bedrooms. They said parents should consider removing technology from their children’s bedrooms. The researchers further claim that where parents are able to encourage children to not have technology in the bedroom at all, sleep outcomes are much better.

Other factors contributing to poor sleep were poor parental sleep patterns and lack of routine.

More information on the study can be found at www.leeds.ac.uk

Nutty children Only 1 in 10 parents are aware of the high nutritional value of nuts. This may explain why three quarters of parents say they don’t regularly give them to their children as a snack; instead choosing to give their child crisps at least once a week.

A study of 1,000 parents with children aged 5-12 found that one of the biggest reasons parents say they don’t give their children nuts is that they think they’re too salty, when in fact a 20g bag of plain almonds contains 64% less salt than a portion of ready salted crisps at the same weight.

GP and TV presenter Dr Dawn Harper said: “Despite the fact almost a quarter of parents say they give their children a snack as a way of getting extra nutrients into their diet, they also reveal that they prefer to give their child sugary and salty snacks like crisps and cereal bars than nuts as a snack.

Nuts are a great, tasty way of getting good fats, and key vitamins and minerals into the diet which can help children’s growth, development and cognitive function.”

Advice from the NHS is that as long as there’s no diagnosed nut or other allergy, or history of nut or other allergies in the immediate family, you can give babies nuts once they’re six months old, as long as they’re crushed or ground into nut butter; and children over the age of five are able to eat whole nuts.

Don’t be sore There’s no avoiding all the coughs and colds that are shared in winter, and sore throats are often the first sign of infection.

Throaty Soothe is a new sore throat treatment range for children, which can be used from the age of 12 months. The syrup and lozenges combine natural ingredients to help treat sore throats and coughs, without paracetamol or ibuprofen. Key ingredients are Icelandic moss, mallow and zinc, providing safe and effective treatment options. The rrp is £6.99, from high street pharmacies and Tesco stores.

The children will be yelling at each other again before you know it. www.throatysoothe.co.uk

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F A M I LY L I F E

How to get your child talking about their day

By Sophia Heaton

We all want to hear about our child’s day - what they did in the playground, who they sat with at lunch, whether they understood what was going on, and, most importantly, whether they had a “good” day.

So we frequently ask, “How was your day?”

In response, we often get grunts and shrugged shoulders. As an alternative we try asking, “What did you do at school today?” This time you get the customary one-word answer: “Nothing.”

Rather than push harder for answers to your standard end-of-the-day questions, why not try some new conversation primers?

Here are some tips for getting your child to open up when they come home.

books that you chose?” Take the time to sit down and read the books with your child affirming their choice and encouraging them in their reading habits. Discuss what your child feels went right in the football match - or what went wrong!

Model “sharing” about your day “I had a great day today. I talked to nanna about...” or “I met a new friend and we had coffee.” It is important to share your interests, friends, challenges and joys with your kids so they see that communication modelled for them.

Use ‘reflective listening’ This is a way of re-framing questions into statements that invite a response and de-personalise conversations. Instead of asking “Are you worried about your test?” you could say something like “Lots of kids your age get worried about tests.” This makes it easier for your child to reply.

Be ready and available to listen When your child wants to speak, stop and listen to them. Turn off the TV or put away the phone, look up and show that you are listening fully and you value what they have to say.

Give children time to unwind Ask open-ended questions “How was school today?” is too vague and children need more specific questions to help them recall their day. Avoid questions that can be answered in one word, especially with a “yes” or “no.” Instead, try some open-ended questions like, “Tell me about what you played at break today?” or “I wonder what you had for lunch today?”

Use their artwork to start conversations A child’s artwork can refer both to school activities or things of specific interest to your child. Take advantage of these masterpieces by asking open ended questions of your little artist and don’t forget to listen to the answers.

Showing interest in their work can increase your child’s self-esteem, as well as provide vital emotional and mental links between school and home.

Know their timetable This way you can start talking about library day, sports or art class. “What kind of books did the librarian show you today?” or “Tell me about the

Whilst it may seem your child is brushing you off, they are likely to be tired and attempting to disengage from school business. Give them a snack for an energy boost and a run in the park before you get home. They’ve been hemmed in all day by walls and instructions and need to cut loose for a bit. They’ll be more inclined to give you a glimpse of their day once they’ve been fed and exercised!

Play talking games Playing the ‘sad and glad’ game will encourage your child to talk without feeling they are being bombarded by questions. At the dinner table everyone takes turns answering “I was glad today because...” and “I was sad today because...” You can extend it to “mad” too what made you cross. This is a good way to open up discussions.

Give your child special one-to-one time This doesn’t mean special treats or hot chocolates but doing something together every day, just the two of you. It could be as simple as preparing a meal. These are times when easy conversations occur.

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Try communicating without words The best way to connect with your child may not necessarily be through talking. Talk is not how all kids express themselves: play is. Many children prefer to reconnect with a hug, by playing a game or even rough housing. Some are more physical than verbal, so you might ask them to give you thumbs up or thumbs down about their day instead of discussing it.

Avoid face-to-face interrogations You might do better in situations where you’re not face-to-face such as in the car, at bathtime, or when you are cooking. In this way, your child won’t feel put on the spot.

Listen before you talk Let your child lead you into conversations on their own. Sometimes your child will drop hints without your asking, like “We planted seeds today!” or “Where’s the atlas? I need to find Antarctica.” These are perfect openings to talk together about their day.

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F A M I LY L I F E

International dimension in divorce requires careful thought

By Grant Saw solicitors The increasing movement of people around the world has led to a massive increase in the number of marriages between different nationalities.

That increase has been paralleled by an increase in the ‘tax reach’ of countries, as they seek to ensure that their tax revenues are protected in a world in which people increasingly move their residence and employment across national boundaries.

The upshot of this is that it is now relatively common for a person’s tax residence not to be ‘where they live’ and people can be tax resident in more than one jurisdiction under different rules. Also, many countries seek to tax their residents or citizens on a ‘world income’ basis, eg: the UK and USA. Therefore, things can get very complicated for couples of different nationalities or fiscal residence and when such a couple divorces,

the issues raised can be even more complicated and can impact heavily on the negotiations between the couple as regards the financial settlement they reach.

Issues that can create tax problems in such divorces include the timing of the official separation, especially if properties are subsequently sold when one of the owners is a non-resident. In that case, the tax on the non-resident’s gain in property value will be based on the increase since 6 April 2015 for UK tax purposes.

There are also complex rules for ascertaining whether the ‘principal private residence’ exemption should apply. In addition, such cases require not only a thorough grasp of the UK tax situation but also an appreciation of the applicable tax system in the divorcing person’s country of residence and/ or citizenship.

If your relationship is breaking up, Grant Saw

solicitors can advise you how to make sure you obtain a fair settlement which takes all necessary factors. Call 020 8858 6971 or read more online. www.grantsaw.com

Mums want more flexible working According to a survey by Workingmums.co.uk, almost three quarters of working mothers identify flexible work as being crucial to getting more women into senior roles.

The survey shows that mothers feel flexible working is vital for them to manage work and family life and that 60% of those who work flexibly would like even more flexibility.

So what can individuals do to help persuade their employers to agree to them working flexibly? Here are some tips: • Think through what the job requires and whether the tasks you have to perform can be done at a different location ie from home, or at times outside of the standard working day. Take account of any additional costs or challenges this might involve and discuss them honestly.

• Give examples of the ways in which your

work can be successfully carried out under any new working pattern you are proposing, and show that it will not harm the business. Point out any business advantages.

• Research some case studies, ideally in your sector that shows how the work pattern you are suggesting can be mutually beneficial to you and your employer.

• If managers are dubious, suggest a trial period.

• Have a compromise solution as a back-up.

Working Mums has plenty of advice on

returning to work, home based business opportunities, information on top employers, and lists full, part time and flexible jobs. www.workingmums.co.uk

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The Bookseller Crow

is a fantastic, volume stuffed shop run by some of the most knowledgeable bookworms in the business.

Call in for the feel of a real bookshop, or if you’re too busy, pick up the phone or head to their website for a fast mailorder service. Justine Crow recommends this month’s best titles.

There’s nothing quite looking at a squeaky clean New Year and wondering what to fill it up with. It’s rather like this page. For me ideas flow from what is in the zeitgeist, plus what is going on under my own scruffy roof. Recently an industry commentator referring to book sales remarked that there was a “trend void.”

Once we’d stopped sniggering at the sheer ghastliness of the phrase, we agreed he was talking total tripe because in our shop and at home, we have witnessed two recent commercial phenomena: women and veganism. Judging by the wealth of titles about both due out in 2018, Mr Trend Void could do with a New Year’s resolution to get out more.

EAT SMART! by Niomi Smart - Harpercollins rrp £14.99. While publishers and food writers fall over themselves to make the word vegan sound cool Veganomics, Cooking for Veginners, Veganeezy - the real persuaders, the Instagrammers and YouTubers who effortlessly exert their influence on our offspring, use the term “plant-based.” You have to hand it to them - for something that is all the rage, the term doesn’t exactly make my stomach rumble. But then again, though I love spinach, I know this isn’t aimed at me - I use social media to find me a plumber, not a lifestyle. Besides, as I said to my eldest: “By all means rustle up the roasted fennel, lentil and fig salad for lunch... But can I have an egg on mine?”

EAT UP! by Ruby Tandoh - Profile rrp £12.99.

I suspect this most successful of all the Bake Off winners is not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions in general given her well-known disdain for the diet industry. This is a mischievous manifesto that aims to stop everyone feeling so darn guilty about what they put in their gobs, debunking bad science and food infatuation. I think by law every cookbook sold on the back of a fad should come with a copy of Eat Up! for perfect balance. Make that two eggs. And some lardons. Please.

BREDDOS TACOS by Nud Dudhia & Chris Whitney Quadrille rrp £15.00. This is a craze I’m sure our Ruby would whole-heartedly endorse, however. Mexican is the Crows’ comfort food. And who isn’t happy with a plate of green and brown sludge topped off with salty crunchiness and a shot of something hot to the mucus membranes? It’s a cuisine that brings vegans and carnivores to the same table afterall, and pretty much kills arguments stone dead if I do it for Sunday

dinner. This isn’t a particularly new book but it formed the basis of one of our most memorable 2017 family lunches when we ate the middle out of a cold miserable afternoon amidst the hipsters and their hangovers in the trendy east end where the creators of this divine collection of mule-kicking dishes have their café.

TACOS! by Alex Stupak - Phaidon rrp £9.95. And just in case the toddler in your life hasn’t become addicted yet, here’s an ingenious board book dedicated to the art of preparing all things edibly Mexican. With press-out kitchen utensils and ingredients, this is the one instance in which you can hand your two & a half year old a machete and some chillies and yell: “Start chopping!” Hopefully the neighbour won’t panic and call in social services.

COOKING STEP BY STEP - DK rrp £13.99. At home we have hundreds of recipe books - him-at-the-till reads them like Booker prize winners - but possibly the most significant is a well-thumbed Usborne Beginner’s Cookbook, each page stained and flavoured by the dish in question. The key to its success is versatility and if I was ever daft enough to have small kids again (he’d have to catch me first), this one would be a worthy successor. Along with the imperative quesadillas and guacamole, there are imaginative meals like tofu brochettes as well as traditional roasts and a half decent baking section.

We still use our old Beginners for chocolate brownies - an excellent kids’ cookbook is a proper legacy. Any book that advocates combining pizza with muffins (two of the finest foods known to humankind), as this new one does, is destined to be a household favourite for generations to come.

A GALAXY OF HER OWN by Libby Jackson Century rrp £16.99. And speaking of destinations, further to the fantasy trend void as alluded to by the so-called expert, here’s an extremely worthwhile set of stories about the generally unsung ladies who boldly go where no man etc etc. In fact Nichelle Nichols, the Star Trek sci-fi icon, is featured here along with other incredibly influential females, from Emilie du Chatelet, a ground-breaking physicist born in 1706 when women weren’t even allowed into public libraries, to Professor Monica Grady who is an actual rocket scientist right now.

WOMEN IN SPORT by Rachel Ignotofsky - Hodder rrp £12.99. Another in the ‘recently discovered talents of the other 50% of the population genre’ (catchy) this collection profiles the likes of Billie Jean King and Serena (she needs no surname), Simone Biles and skateboard pioneer Patti McGee along with other hard-working athletes from across many disciplines.

If the government is serious about getting our girls enjoying sport beyond the security and anonymity of the primary playground, they must donate a copy of this to every school in the country. Drums fingers...

I’m waiting...

POLITICS FOR BEGINNERS - Usborne rrp £9.99.

Here we have answers to frankly vital queries such as what is a democracy, how do we get one, who is in charge and what does immigration mean? Clever old Usborne, if it does as well instructing our youngsters about free speech and human rights as it does with brownies and flapjacks in the previously mentioned well-thumbed cookbook, then maybe at least some of the next generation won’t be inclined to burn the planet to bits.

THE REVOLUTION HANDBOOK by Alice Skinner Hodder rrp £8.99. Hey, I don’t need a telescope to spy a new genre developing here... For slightly older kids, with chapters on everything from debating and campaigning, to social media and voting, referencing celebrities who speak up such as Lily Allen and Tinie Tempah, as well as fake news and spin. We wrinklies better watch out - sometime soon we’ll be shunted sideways by discontented youth far better informed than we are. But they have to tidy their bedrooms first.

THE GIFT OF SLEEP by Elizabeth Sloane - Allen & Unwin rrp £14.99. Ah, revolution of much more prosiac kind - a step-by-step sleep program that doesn’t resort to a bottle for comfort. And that’s just the parents. I can honestly say that there’s about five years of my adult life as a parent for which I have no political recollection at all - I barely recognised my own cat, let alone who was prime minister. I was so sleep bereft, I undertook school walking bus duties in my slippers, put my trousers on back to front and once went out in a t-shirt that I’d forgotten had been consigned to the cupboard under the sink as a duster. I couldn’t understand why I could smell Windolene wherever I went. Until I caught sight of myself in the mirror. That, my friends, is the true definition of a trend void.

The Bookseller Crow, 50 Westow St. Crystal Palace, London SE19 3AF Telephone: 020 8771 8831 email: info@booksellercrow.co.uk Twitter @booksellercrow www.booksellercrow.co.uk 10 Families South East

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Half term

Holiday Clubs and Workshops HOLIDAY DROP OFF 12-16 February and 26 March - 13 April, DULWICH COLLEGE SPORTS CLUB, Pond Cottages, West Dulwich SE21 7LE, 020 3488 1410, www.holidaydropoff.com Your children will have a blast at HDO’s fantastic multi-sports camps! Children take part in a whole range of incredible indoor and outdoor sports to keep them happy and active through the school holidays, including swimming pool inflatable sessions and HDO’s amazing inflatable obstacle course. Ages 5-14, 9am-4pm with extended hours available, from £37.50 per day, sibling and full week discounts available.

UNDER 1 ROOF HOLIDAY CLUB UNDER 1 ROOF, Unit 9, The IO Centre, Skeffington Street, Royal Arsenal Riverside SE18 6SR, 020 3247 4417, www.under1roofkids.com Under 1 Roof’s holiday club takes full advantage of the centre’s sports facilities and indoor and outdoor play areas, providing safe

and fun childcare during school holidays.

Ages 5-11, £25 per day or £100 for a full week.

SPARK4KIDS CODING WORKSHOPS Holiday coding workshops, 020 8090 1444, www.spark4kids.com Spark4Kids run holiday workshops to introduce children to children Computer Coding, Minecraft Modding, Robotics, Games Design, Python, HTML/CSS and JavaScript in a fun, engaging environment. Ages 5-7 years, and 8+. Visit the website for more details.

NIMBLE ARTS HOLIDAY CLUB 12-16 February, HEBER SCHOOL, East Dulwich SE22, and HORNIMAN PRIMARY, Forest Hill SE23, 0333 014 2576, www.nimblearts.co.uk Creative holiday fun where no two days are ever the same. Immersive adventure and arts activities are tailored around a chosen theme.

Ages 4-11, open from 8am-6pm each day, from £40 a day, book by day or week.

HOLIDAY DROP OFF

1 4/2/2013 5:05:13 PM

1 4/2/2013 5:05:13 PM

cla hool dance funky presc boys for girls and

sses

Tiny Tots

age 2.5-3

Little Aces

age 3-4

Junior Champs age 5-7

Grand Slammers age 8-11

fun filled tennis games and activities indoors with sponge balls and mini tennis rackets classes held across SE London for more information and to book call Anne-Marie: 07973 982790 email: info@diddidance.com

FREE introductory session phone 07877 391005

www.tennis-4-kids.com email: gordon@tennis-4-kids.com

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What’sOn

THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM

MORE

ONLINE familiesonline.co.uk

D I A R Y DAT E S F O R GROWNUPS HAVEN’T STOPPED DANCING YET

BRING YOUR OWN BABY COMEDY

20 January, St SWITHUN’S CHURCH HALL, St Swithun’s Road SE13 6RW, and 3 March at THE TRAFALGAR TAVERN, Greenwich SE10 9NW, 0796 716 3247, www.haventstoppeddancingyet.co.uk HSDY’s hugely popular Disco Parties feature hula-hooping vinyl DJ Da’Lynne playing 70s and 80s soul, funk and disco classics, dance line-ups to get everyone into the groove, free retro sweets and ice pops & glitter face-painting. Perfect for grown ups who still love to fill a dance floor. 7.30pm start, tickets £15 in advance, £18 on the door.

VARIOUS VENUES, www.byobcomedy.com Relax and be entertained by the funniest comedy stars in the country at a BYOB lunchtime show. The UK’s premier baby friendly comedy club provides soft flooring, toys, buggy parking and baby changing at each venue so your baby is happy too. Every month there’s a brand new line-up. Tickets from £8.

BURNS NIGHT CEILILDH 27 January, CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698, www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark Celebrate a Burns Night Ceilidh at Cutty Sark, the 148 year old Clipper Ship named after one of Robert Burns’ very own most beloved poems, Tam O’Shanter. The Shipsters are London’s top ceiliedh band, guaranteed to keep you dancing all night with their mix of original and contemporary Scottish folk music. 7-11pm, tickets £30.

THE MOONWALK LONDON 2018 www.walkthewalk.org Sign up to join thousands of walkers on 12 May this year for Walk the Walk’s iconic challenge, walking through the streets of London at midnight wearing brightly decorated bras. This year’s theme incorporates the Wild West: grab your partner and dosey doe while raising money and awareness for breast cancer. Ages 13+, registration £49.50.

M U S E U M S & EVENTS JUNIOR KITCHEN

THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM

17 February, THE TEST KITCHEN, 54 Frith Street, Soho W1D 4SL, 020 7734 8487, www.thetestkitchen.uk A chance for children to create innovative dishes under the guidance of twice-awarded Michelin star chef Adam Simmonds.

Adam will pass on his tips and tricks of the trade while the kids get to grips with ingredients presented to them in a fun and relaxed environment. Ages 8-11, 10am-12.30pm, £55 per child incudes a two-course lunch for junior and accompanying adult, plus an apron and chef’s hat to take home.

HORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk Museum open 10.30am-5.30pm daily, general admission free, charges apply for special exhibitions and the aquarium. The museum’s music gallery and hands-on base, regular weekend and holiday drop-ins and workshops allow family visitors to explore the collection through arts and crafts, music, stories and hands-on sessions. All this within 16 acres of beautiful green space which has the oldest nature trail in London, an animal corner and a Farmers’ Market every Saturday.

CARNIVAL DANCE WORKSHOP, 15+16 February. Learn to dance like you’re partying through the streets of Brazil with Gandaia Arts. Energetic rhythms, flowing dance and hoop skirts will get you into the mood of this family-friendly workshop of the Maracatu performance from North East Brazil. Age 4+, £5.

COLOUR: THE RAINBOW REVEALED, From 16 February. Be dazzled by prisms showing how colours are made, peer through a giant human eyeball to find out how we see colour and discover how animals use colour to attract and hide.

BUTTERFLY HOUSE. Get up close with hundreds of beautiful butterflies in a tropical indoor garden. The specially-planted habitat is the perfect place to experience free-flying butterflies and discover amazing facts about the life-cycle and behaviour of these fascinating creatures. Adults £6, children £6, families £15.

THE TOWER OF LONDON St KATHARINE’S & WAPPING, EC3N 4AB, www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london ACTIVITY TRAILS, daily. Explore the home of the Queen’s Crown Jewels and the rooms of Edward 1 with a family trail, packed with fun quizzes, activities, facts and illustrations.

ROYAL BEASTS, daily. Discover the fascinating stories of the many exotic animals kept at the Tower of London and explore how they lived in the Royal Menagerie.

MEDIEVAL LIFE, until 9 February. Step back seven hundred years in time and into the palace of King Edward 1, Hammer of the Scots. Enter a world of chivalrous knights and beautiful ladies, troublesome lords and royal prisoners. There are money problems at home, too, as the King leads his armies off to war. Join the knights and ladies at any time between 11am-12:30pm and 1.30-3.30pm.

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM

GRANT MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R, 020 7601 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Examine intricately-designed banknotes, feel the weight of a genuine gold bar and see the pikes and muskets that were once used to defend the Bank. Children’s activity sheets provide fun for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm Mondays to Fridays, admission free.

THE ADVENTURES OF TOAD, 12-16 February. The fantastic stories from The Wind in the Willows are brought to life by a costumed storyteller in fun and engaging sessions which run throughout the day and are free.

UCL Rockefeller Building, 21 University Street WC1E 6DE, 020 3108 2052, www.ucl.ac.uk/culture CREATURE CREATIONS, 20 January and 3 March. Create works of art inspired by some of the weird and wonderful animals that call the Grant Museum home, or invent your very own brand new animal, give it a name and add it to the collection. 1.304.30pm, free family drop-in.

EXPLORE ZOOLOGY, 3 February and 17 March. Have you ever wondered how sharp a shark’s tooth is or how many scales a pangolin has? Take along your budding zoologists for family hands-on specimen based activities and quiz enthusiastic museum educators about the natural world. 1-4pm, free drop-in.

12 Families South East

ADVENT

GRANT MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY

JUNIOR KITCHEN

40 Brunswick Square, Camden Town WC1N 1AZ, 020 7841 3600, www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk Britain’s first home for abandoned children and London’s first public art gallery reveals the stories of the Foundling Hospital’s founder Thomas Coram, the artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel. It houses significant collections of eighteenth-century art, interiors, social history and music. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and from 11am Sundays.

Admission free for under 16s, £8.25 adults.

MOBILE POETRY, 13 February. Discover the natural world depicted in The Lost Words exhibition with artist Anne Harild. Use collage, cut-out letters and card to create your own poem mobile featuring animals and plants in the show. 10.30am, 1pm and 3pm, age 5+, free.

THE LUCKY BUTTON ORCHESTRA, 14 February. Inspired by Michael Morpurgo’s new book, explore the musical legacy of the Foundling Hospital. Make your own musical instrument to take home and play. 10.30am, 1pm and 3pm, age 5-10, free.

ANIMAL DRAMATICS, 15 February. Animate the creatures found in exhibition The Lost Words in this drama and art workshop. Make a mask and bring your chosen animal to life.

10.30am, 1pm and 3pm, age 7+, free.

THE LOST GARDENS, 16 February. Make a dream garden for the foundlings at the hospital. 11am and 2pm, age 5+, free.

CHARLES DICKENS MUSEUM 48 Doughty Street WC1N 2LX, 020 7405 2127, www.dickensmuseum.com Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £9 adults, £4 children. A visit to the Museum includes a free family trail for each child. Suitable for children between 4 and 12 years, the trail takes children on a journey of discovery through No. 48 Doughty Street, where Dickens once lived with his wife and young family.

Exploration of the basement reveals a wonderful Victorian kitchen, full of period and replica items you can interact with. Try your hand at grinding coffee and look out for resident hedgehog, Bill Spikes!

There are costumes for dressing up in both the kitchen and the attic to give a flavour of what life was like upstairs and down. There is even a beautiful Victorian toy theatre in the timeline room where you can put on your own play.

FULHAM PALACE Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA, 020 7736 3233, www.fulhampalace.org The Museum of Fulham Palace charts the long history of the palace site, from Prehistoric times and Roman settlement, through Medieval, Tudor, Georgian and Victorian bishops to the present day. The museum collection includes paintings, archaeology and artefacts. Open noon-4pm Sundays, 12.30-3.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, admission free.

BUILDING THE PALACE, 14 February. Open the door to the Palace’s awesome architects and baffling buildings at this fun filled day of hands on activities: help build a Palace made of paper, try your hand at brick rubbing, make a Tudor arch or create a 3D diorama. 11am-3pm, £2.

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN 66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea SW3 4HS, www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk CHOCOLATE TUESDAY, 13 February. Look into the history, geography and science of chocolate and celebrate this very special substance. The day will include craft activities, a Garden tour, chocolate tasting and the chance to create your own mixtures to take away. There’ll be a gourmet tasting session with staff from Rococo Chocolates. Age 7+.

LOTIONS & POTIONS, 14 February. Can a food be a medicine?

Can a poison be a medicine? Find out something of the history of medicine and the amazing power of plants to heal and soothe as you make some of your own natural and low-cost remedies to take away as well as a mini medicinal garden. Age 7+, £15.

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, Warehouse 1, West India Quay E14 4AL, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands Find out more about London’s history, through displays covering events such as the Great Plague, Londoners’ jobs and occupations, and Roman life. Open daily 10am-6pm, admission free. On Sundays, museum hosts help visitors explore the galleries through fun, hands-on activities at 11am and 2pm.

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ADVENTURES OF TOAD – BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 5BD, 020 7942 5000, www.nhm.ac.uk Dinosaurs, volcanoes, precious gems and creepy crawlies discover the diversity of the natural world through the nation’s finest collection of natural history specimens. Fascinating exhibitions display up to 70 million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals, with a hands-on education centre where you can meet real scientists at work. Museum open 10am-5.50pm, admission free.

HOPE, THE BLUE WHALE. Meet London’s newest icon, Hope, the blue whale, now diving through the heart of Hinze Hall. Driven to the brink of extinction by hunting, the blue whale was the first species that humans made a decision to save. It tells a story of hope, evolution, diversity in the world today and our urgent role in the planet’s future.

WHALES, BENEATH THE SURFACE, until February. More than 100 specimens from the Museum’s research collection have been brought out from behind-the-scenes for the first time to show the huge diversity of whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Get up close to a variety of different species, from the vast sperm whale, the largest toothed predator on Earth that’s similar in length to a double decker bus, through to the compact 1.5 metre long harbour porpoise, one of the smallest cetaceans. Family tickets £30.

INVESTIGATE FOR FAMILIES, every weekend. Get a feel for how scientists work by having a go yourself. Explore hundreds of real nature specimens that form the evidence Museum scientists use in their daily work. Drop-in, ages 3-11, 11am-5pm.

DINO SNORES, once a month on Saturdays. Discover what really happens at the museum when the staff and visitors have gone home. Children aged 7-11 years, from 7pm to 9.50am the following day. Tickets £60.

SOUTHBANK

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH

SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX, 0844 847 9944, www.southbankcentre.co.uk RUG RHYMES, 12, 19 and 26 January. A short session of nursery rhymes, poems and rhyming stories for the very young.

IMAGINE CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL, 7-18 February. Southbank Centre’s annual multi-arts children’s festival returns for its seventeenth year with 12 days of jam-packed fun over half-term week. Enjoy the best children’s theatre, family activities and events by inspirational authors including Jacqueline Wilson and Francesca Simon. Be tickled by Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes, wriggle along to dance-theatre Tidy Up and join radio personalities and debut authors, Greg James and Chris Smith, for an action-packed Kid Normalevent. Firm favourites such as Bedtime Stories and Fun DMC also return, along with plenty of new activities. Plus, over 50 per cent of workshops and activities are completely free.

FUNHARMONICS FAMILY CONCERT, 25 February. This event marks the 30th anniversary year of the LPO’s Education and Community programme. Joining the Orchestra are brilliant young instrumentalists and singers from London Music Masters, Junior Trinity. 12pm, from £12.

ABBA: SUPER TROOPERS, until 29 April. Chart-topping Swedish pop sensation ABBA are celebrated in a new, immersive exhibition that charts their music, lyrics, creative process, and irrefutable influence as one of the most iconic pop bands of the modern age. See original costumes, handwritten notes and sketches, personal photographs, music and instruments, memorabilia and film, embedded into theatrical “sets”, and interact with musical tracks. Ages 7+, tickets from £15.

National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Cutty Sark, Greenwich SE10, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk Royal Museums Greenwich holds the world’s largest maritime collection. It is housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site and incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House, and Cutty Sark. The Museums works to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people, and is also a major centre of education and research. On Saturdays and Sundays free performances and workshops entertain family visitors, while on Tuesdays preschoolers can make music and play with parents and carers.

Open 10am-5pm daily. General admission is free; some buildings, special exhibitions and events have an admission fee.

DEATH IN THE ICE. Explore the mysterious fate of Sir John Franklin and his crew on their final expedition - a mystery that still remains unsolved today. With over 200 objects on display, alongside finds from HMS Erebus - whose resting place was only discovered in 2014 - the exhibition begins to answer questions about what may have happened to those men on their fateful journey to the Arctic all those years ago.

THE GREAT EXPLORER is an interactive game for families.

Borrow a tablet device and set sail across The Great Map to explore distant lands and discover treasures from all around the world. Where will you visit and what will you find? Take a photo and share your adventure. 11am-4pm, free.

CHARACTER ENCOUNTERS, Saturdays. Join an exciting performance and journey bringing maritime history to life. 12noon, 1, 2 and 3pm.

VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM V&A MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 2RL, 020 7942 2000, www.vam.ac.uk/families Pick up a family trail from the Information Desk and explore the museum through puzzles, drawing and observation. Suitable for 7-12 year-olds. There are also hundreds of exciting hands-on exhibits containing plenty to touch and try out. Museum open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.

BACK-PACKS, Saturdays. Pick up a back pack and explore the museum with fantastic jigsaws, stories, puzzles and games.

10.30am-5pm.

WINNIE-THE-POOH: EXPLORING A CLASSIC, until 8 April.

Experience the timeless and universal appeal of this much-loved bear and discover the story behind the creative partnership of A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard, brought to life through sketches, letters, photographs, cartoons, ceramics and fashion. Tickets £8.

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD MUSEUM OF LONDON MUSEUM OF LONDON, 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN, www.museumoflondon.org.uk VOTES FOR WOMEN WEEKEND, 3+4 February. Join Digital Drama and create banners inspired by the iconic designs of the Suffragettes. Discover the hidden stories of the women and men behind the Suffragette movement through performances, digital workshops, poetry and more. 11am-4pm, ages 10+, free.

ROMAN LONDON FAMILY WALK, 4+14 February, 3 March.

Travel back 2000 years and walk the streets of Roman Londinium!

From the Museum on London Wall to Leadenhall Market, you will see the size of Roman London AD 120 and discover its landmarks, now hidden beneath our 21st century skyscrapers. On the way, imagine you are a Roman soldier at the fort gate into the city or a gladiator as you enter the remains of the city’s amphitheatre.

Listen to fascinating facts and surprising anecdotes as you explore Roman London together as a family. 11-11.45am, ages 5+, children £5, adults £7.50, booking advised.

FANTASY FAMILY TREE, 25 February. Take inspiration from the museum’s photography collection, use an array of iPad apps and create an imaginary family tree with photos of your ‘ancestors’ in different poses. 12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free.

SALAD CITIES, 10+11 February. Create your own models of a building or a place in London and make it better by sowing cress and other salad seeds onto your model. Take it home and watch your seeds sprout. Then harvest your crop and eat your own ‘micro greens’. 12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free.

LIVING WALL, 10+12 February. Design and create beautiful arrangements of plants and flowers using a multitude of different materials including paper constructions, plus real herbs, spices and more. Add your creations to a living wall and watch it grow.

12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free.

SEED BOMBS, 11+14 February. Have you heard of guerrilla gardening? Learn about the tricks Londoners get up to when planting flowers in the city. Choose your seed mix, follow the recipe and make your own seed bombs! Learn about where you are allowed to use your seed bombs and where you are not.

12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free.

SUSTAINABLE SHOES, 13 February. Learn all about sustainable fashion and create your own shoes from recycled materials. Take your inspiration from the museum collection, from Roman footwear to 21st century designs. 12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free

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Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, www.museumofchildhood.org.uk This gem of a museum houses dolls, dolls’ houses, puppets, teddy bears, games, childcare, clothing, furniture and art and photography. Everyday drop-in activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, and trails. There’s dressing-up, role play and an under 3’s area, an indoor sandpit, and regular special events. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.

MICHAEL MORPORGO: A LIFETIME IN STORIES, until 25 February. An exhibition celebrating the life and exceptional writing power of one of Britain’s best-loved storymakers. Exhibits include draft manuscripts, photographs, notebooks and correspondence that chronicle Michael’s creative and writing career, including the writing of War Horse, Kensuke’s Kingdom and The Butterfly Lion, as well as artwork loaned by some of Britain’s greatest illustrators, including Sir Quentin Blake, Patrick Benson and Michael Foreman.

Explore an atmospheric soundscape and learn about Morpurgo’s themes of war, farming, and friendship as well as seeing inspiring original material for famed works like War Horse. Free.

HAMPTON COURT PALACE East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU, www.hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace THE MAGIC GARDEN. Discover something new around every twist and turn in an immersive world populated by mythical beasts, including a 25m dragon! Take the family to become Tudor Knights, besiege the battlements, storm the Tiltyard Towers and explore a mysterious secret grotto. Included in palace admission.

FAMILY GHOST TOURS, 7, 14 and 21 January. Take in the palace’s ghoulish locations with spine-tingling commentary. Hear from 500 years of chilling tales, such as the Tudor royal nurse whose spirit is said to stalk her former apartments and the mysterious figure ‘Skeletor’ caught on CCTV in the palace in the dead of night. From £7.

STORY TIME, 7 January, 4 February and 4 March. These special story-telling sessions include toys to help bring the magic of stories to life. Age 3-7, drop-in.

HEAVENLY HAMPTON, 10-18 February. Discover the story of Katherine Parr’s secret wedding to Thomas Seymour, and enjoy family activities throughout the day such as learning traditional dances.

GREAT PALACE QUEST, 10-18 February. A time-travelling voyage of discovery in search of the Palace Quest code word.

Involves puzzles, games, crafts and meeting characters from the past.

CUTTY SARK CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698, www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark The world famous 19th century tea clipper offers visitors four levels to explore. Take in the views from the main deck and steer at the ship’s wheel, meet the crew who worked on board, explore the various cargoes from wool to whiskey, and see how tea was loaded on board through interactive displays, props, information boards and animations. Family friendly events run at weekends and during school holidays. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £7 children, £13.50 adults, from £24 families.

Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal Museum Greenwich attractions.

ZODIAC ZOO, 3 February. Celebrate Chinese New Year on board Cutty Sark. Learn how to roll, loop, curl and twist paper in an animal themed paper quilling workshop. Create a beautiful picture with help from an artist and take your design home with you to decorate your room. 11.30am and 2pm, included in admission price.

THE BRITISH MUSEUM BRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8181, www.britishmuseum.org The British Museum was founded in 1753, the first national public museum in the world. Each year nearly 6 million visitors pour through the doors to see the museum’s collection of ancient and historical artefacts including the ever-popular Egyptian mummies, or to take in the latest block-buster exhibition. Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free, charge for some exhibitions.

LIVING WITH GODS, until 8 April. Belief is a key aspect of human behaviour and this exhibition explores behaviours inherent in everything from modern urban ideas of wellness and mindfulness to pilgrimage and prayer. Exhibits include everyday objects relating to world faiths, traditional indigenous, archaeological and modern civil practices. See intriguing pieces from the end of the last Ice Age that depict beings that do not exist in nature, and familiar objects of everyday practices of all periods - including a remarkable 18th-century replica of a Hindu ceremonial chariot.

Admission free for under 16s, adults £15.

DIGITAL DISCOVERY CENTRE, weekends. Learn, discover and create in the Museum’s digital centre. Free activities and workshops using the latest Samsung digital equipment, enabling children to bring the world’s history and cultures to life through advanced technology.

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM St THOMAS’S HOSPITAL, 2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7EW, 020 7188 4400, www.florence-nightingale.co.uk Known as ‘The Lady with the Lamp’, Florence Nightingale was a pioneering nurse, writer, and noted statistician. The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates her life and work, through personal material associated with Florence Nightingale, items relating to the Crimean War and nursing artefacts. Open 10am7pm daily, admission £7.50 adults, £3.80 children.

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IMAGINE CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

HOPE - NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

PIG

MoreWhat’sOn T H E AT RE SH OWS BLACKHEATH HALLS

THE ALBANY

23 Lee Road, Blackheath SE3 9RQ, 020 8318 9758, www.blackheathhalls.com PIGS & BEARS DON’T COME IN PAIRS! 10 February. The perplexing question of fairytales - what really happened between the wolf and his three porky friends? Why was Goldilocks wandering in the woods? The wonderful Theatre of Widdershins brings fun, laughter, some gorgeous puppets and a soundtrack that will stick in your head long after you’ve left the theatre. 11am and 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £8.50.

A REAL MERMAID’S TALE, 3 March. Follow intrepid explorer, Amelia Buttersnap, on an exciting adventure on the high seas with pirates, monstrous sea creatures and mermaid treasure. A fun and exciting show full of magic, puppetry and mutinous rats. 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £8.50.

ALBANY, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 5AG, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk DISCO KIDS: OLD SKOOL DISCO, 28 January. Grab your pink leg warmers, don your ankle boots, make you hair as big as can be and party like it’s the ‘80s. Google vintage Kyle and Jason, Tina Turner, or the kids from Fame for inspiration. 2-5pm, under 7s and their grownups, tickets £6, families £20.

DISGUSTING SONGS FOR REVOLTING CHILDREN, 4 February. A devilishly cheeky hour of songs, poems and comedy from award-winning musical comedian, Jay Foreman. 1 and 3pm, ages 6+, tickets £7, families £24.

BRIGHT SPARKS, 11 February. A humorous, playful and visually exciting original play, exploring the beauty of difference and how things are always better when we work together. Watch two opposite characters get their wires crossed and their noodles in a muddle as they strive to find ways to work and play together.

1 and 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £7, families £24.

NOISY HOLIDAYS, 4 March. The Noisy Animals are looking forward to their dream holiday and have some brilliant ideas about where in the world they want to go. Kid Carpet just wants them all to be together but will he be able to keep everyone happy when he can’t even get them in the car? This lively show contains a mix of live music, theatre, comedy, puppetry and animation. 1 and 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £7, families £24.

GREENWICH THEATRE GREENWICH THEATRE, Crooms Hill SE10 8ES, 020 8858 7755, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk THE ENORMOUS TURNIP, 10 February. Young Rosie dreams of carving a special turnip lantern for the Festival of Light. Little does she know how absolutely ENORMOUS her turnip will grow! One Moment In Time presents this classic folk tale, featuring beautifully hand-crafted puppets and sets, storytelling, live music, songs and lots of joining in! 12, 2 and 3.30pm, ages 3-8, tickets £11 adults, £8.50 children.

A NECKLACE OF RAINDROPS, 11 February. A necklace of raindrops that keeps its owner dry in the heaviest rainstorm; a house that stands on one leg and a granny who sews magic into every stitch - these are just some of the objects and characters that delight and entrance in a re-telling of Joan Aiken’s spellbinding stories. 11am, 1 and 3pm, ages 5+, tickets £11 adults, £8.50 children.

LEAF, 12 February. A playful theatrical experience for the very young inspired by nature and the seasons. 11am, 1 and 3pm, ages 0-3, tickets £11 adults, £8.50 children.

THE GINGERBREAD MAN, 13 February. Chase after the cheeky gingerbread hero as he sets off on the biggest adventure of his life! Out of the kitchen, through the town, across the fields... 12 and 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £13.50 adults, £8.50 children.

PANDORA’S BOX, 14 February. A spellbinding new play, fusing drama, storytelling, illustration, music and dance, performed by a cast of professional actors and a chorus of local young people and community members. 2.30 and 7.30pm, ages 7+, tickets £13.50, £8.50 children.

HOOT OWL, MASTER OF DISGUISE, 16 February. Hoot Owl is no ordinary owl - he’s a Master of Disguise who plans to use his cunning camouflage powers to gobble up the tiny animals of the night. Original songs, colourful puppets, animation, hilarity, ridiculousness and rapid costume changes abound in this wildly inventive new show based on the ‘Laugh Out Loud Book Award’shortlisted picture book by Sean Taylor. 2pm, ages 4+, tickets £13.50, £8.50 children.

TOM THUMB, 17 February. One night tiny Tom overhears Mum and Dad talking - there’s nothing left to eat so they are going to leave him and his six brothers in the forest! This wee wonder of a show is full of Lyngo magic with feathery spinning birds, a flying house and a portable forest. Cbeebies Patrick Lynch, who has been performing it for more than a decade, brings this classic story to life in a playful and fascinating show. 11am and 2pm, ages 3+, tickets £11 adults, £8.50 children.

THE LITTLE MOCHI MAN, 4 March. “A little cooked rice ball, Mochi Man, despite being the very last scrap in the pan, runs away to seek his fortune, in the country of Japan!” With ‘origami’ puppets, animation and specially composed music, this is the perfect introduction to Japan for young children. Ages 4+, tickets £11, £8.50 children.

14 Families South East

NOISY HOLIDAYS – ALBANY

PINOCCHIO – NATIONAL THEATRE

PEACOCK THEATRE Portugal Street WC2A 2HT, www.sadlerswellscom ZIPPOS CIRQUE BERSERK, 5-17 February. A jaw-dropping spectacular that combines contemporary cirque-style artistry with adrenaline-fuelled stunt action. This talented troupe includes over thirty jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, daredevil stuntmen and the world’s most hair-raising circus act, the motorcycle Globe of Death.

CHURCHILL THEATRE High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA, 020 3285 6000, www.churchilltheatre.co.uk TIDDLER AND OTHER TERRIFIC TALES, 10+11 February.

Under the sea, out on the farm and into the jungle, four terrific tales are woven together with live music, puppetry and a whole host of colourful characters from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s best-loved titles. Funky moves, toe tapping tunes and giggles are guaranteed. Tickets £15.

THE JUNGLE BOOK, 28 February - 4 March. Mowgli the man cub battles for survival in this heart-warming coming-of-age story about a boy raised by wolves in the jungle. An exciting new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s family classic comes to life from the team behind Goodnight Mister Tom and Michael Morpurgo’s Running Wild. Ages 5+.

UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7845 0580, www.unicorntheatre.com UP CLUB, Saturdays in January and February. Join the Unicorn Play Club most Saturdays and try portrait painting, potato printing, giant rocket making and more. 12noon - 2pm, free drop in.

BABY SHOW, until 29 July. It’s baby’s first adventure. Join in with a sensory performance with captivating images and intriguing sounds that keep little ones rapt. 6-18 months with parent/ carers, £10 per baby and child.

SEESAW, 26 January - 11 March. Being little can be hard work.

There are holes to dig, sand castles to make, treasures to find, adventures to be had. It’s much easier when you have a friend to help. But what if making friends is hard work too?

Seesaw explores the push and pull of friendship, and the ups and downs of being very young. Ages 3-6, tickets £10.

SENSACIONAL, until 1 July. Take your toddler along to a sound and light show in which they are the participants. Watch as your child puts on a white suit and becomes part of a digital world of ladybirds, shapes, squiggles and squarks that won’t keep still, no matter how hard you try to catch them! Bursting with colour and joy, this immensely popular interactive and immersive digital experience has become a regular feature in our programme that families return to again and again. Ages 18 months - 3 years, tickets £10 per child and up to two adults.

THE NATIONAL THEATRE ROYAL NATIONAL THEATRE, Upper Ground, South Bank SE1 9PX, 020 7452 3000, www.nationaltheatre.org.uk PINOCCHIO, until 7 April. On a quest to be truly alive, Pinocchio leaves Geppetto’s workshop with Jiminy Cricket in tow. Their electrifying adventure takes them from alpine forests to Pleasure Island to the bottom of the ocean. For the first time on stage, featuring unforgettable music and songs from the Walt Disney film including I’ve Got No Strings, Give a Little Whistle and When You Wish upon a Star in dazzling new arrangements, Pinocchio comes to life as never before. Tickets from £15.

AN ACTOR’S LIFE FOR ME: PINOCCHIO WORKSHOP, 13 and 20 January. Explore the world of Pinocchio in a fun family workshop where drama, music and design combine in a quest to bring to life the story of the famous puppet-boy. Using costume, improvisation, songs and story-making, families will create scenes exploring how lies and bad behaviour lead to the belly of a beast.

11am, children £8, adults £12.

PLAYFUL PUPPETS, 27 January. Become a puppeteer for the day in this practical and fun family workshop. Together you’ll bring exciting new characters to life and enter the magical mischievous world of Pinocchio. This workshop has been created specifically for families with disabled children aged 6-12, but is open to all.

11am, children £3, adults £5.

LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE, 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street N1 2DN, 020 7226 1787, www.littleangeltheatre.com GO NOAH GO! until 4 February. A Great Flood is coming and Mr and Mrs Noah have been set the most impossible task: to take two of each animal and build them a home. A magical ark that is built on stage, over 50 carved animals and a host of songs to sing along with make this production one of Little Angel Theatre’s most successful and impressive shows, combining puppetry, masks, stories and songs. Ages 5-10, tickets from £13.

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PIGS & BEARS – BLACKHEATH HALLS

SENSACIONAL – UNICORN THEATRE

ZIPPOS CIRCUS BERSERK

CH I NESE NE W YEA R YEAR OF THE DOG FAMILY DAY

WEST END PARADE

CHINATOWN W1D

16 February, MUSEUM OF LONDON, 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN, www.museumoflondon.org.uk Celebrate the Year of the Dog at this special family day. Learn how to ribbon dance, try your hand at traditional calligraphy, listen to traditional Chinese stories, watch a lion dance and much more.

From 11am, ages 3+, free drop in activities.

18 February, CENTRAL LONDON Watch colourful floats and more than 30 teams take part in a vibrant Chinese New Year parade to welcome in the Year of the Dog. The parade starts at 10am with a dragon and lion dance in Charing Cross Road, before snaking its way through Chinatown.

Walk down to Trafalgar Square from 12noon for the main stage performances, featuring traditional Chinese dance and music shows, contemporary hip-hop acts and an exciting line-up of artists from China.

Look out for stone lions, contemporary art sculptures and Chinese gates as you explore the area: all these impressive decorations make perfect photo opportunities and give an insight into Chinese culture and religion, particularly during seasonal celebrations.

Then when your legs are tired, take your pick from the many restaurants for a fabulous taste of the Far East.

WISHES FOR THE CHINESE NEW YEAR 16 February, MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, Warehouse 1, West India Quay E14 4AL, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands What will you wish for? Help decorate the museum’s giant dragon puppet with your well wishes for Chinese New Year. Noon and 2.30pm, ages 5+, free drop in.

FAMILY ZONE 18 February, LEICESTER SQUARE WC2H 7BP Take part in cultural activities and family-friendly performances, including calligraphy, Chinese music, street food, dressing up in traditional outfits and more.

YEAR OF THE DOG FAMILY DAY – MUSEUM OF LONDON

A RT A CT IV IT IE S NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY

TOVE JANSSON - DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY

DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, 020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends and bank holidays. Admission free for accompanied children, £8 adults. Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child.

TOVE JANSSON (1914-2001), until 28 January. Known internationally as creator of the Moomin characters and books, a phenomenon which continues to stretch across generations, Jansson’s wider outputs of graphic illustration and painting are relatively unseen outside her home country of Finland. ‘Tove Jansson’ brings together 150 works, tracing the key stages of her prolific career including her surrealist-inspired paintings of the 1930s and abstract work of the ‘60s, her satirical anti-war cartoons and book jacket designs, as well as a comprehensive display of early sketches for the Moomin characters and original comic strips. Tickets £15.50 adults, children and Friends free.

MINI MASTERPIECES: TOVE JANSSON AND THE WORLD OF THE MOOMINS, 18 January. Experience the delights of the collection with your little one. Enjoy the exhibition with creative activities tailored for you and your baby, followed by a hands-on, sensory art session. Ages 6-24 months, 10am and 11.30am, £12 per adult and child.

ART PLAY, first and last Sunday of each month. Creative drop-in workshops for adults and children, with a different activity each session. Make anything and everything from bunting to block printing and all things in between. 2-3.45pm.

FREE FAMILY TRAIL. Ask a gallery assistant or stop by at the Gallery Friends desk for a free trail; updated frequently and available for the permanent and temporary exhibitions.

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NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk The gallery features thousands of portraits of the most famous people in British history, from the 16th century to the present day.

Join a free drop-in Sunday session, inspired by the Collections, take part in free Family Art Workshops with hands-on activities including drawing, painting and animation, or find out fascinating facts and stories about famous people with an interactive Family Audiovisual Guide. Open 10am-6pm daily.

FULL STEAM AHEAD, 12-16 February. A week of holiday activities inspired by art and science. During the week there will be the chance to take part in a range of experimental activities including photography and mixing pigments. The workshop on 12 February will be led by deaf artist Christopher Sacre with BSL interpretation. 11am-4pm, free.

THE WALLACE COLLECTION THE WALLACE COLLECTION, Hertford House, Manchester Square W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500, www.wallacecollection.org The Wallace Collection displays wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, in their main London townhouse. Family multi-media tours and trails bring the exhibits to life for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission free.

THE LITTLE DRAW, 4 February. Use specialist drawing, handling and surface design techniques to respond to stimulating forms and colour palettes. All ages, 1.30-4.30pm, free.

ANIMAL PORTRAITS, 14+15 February. Explore how animals have been portrayed in art over the centuries from family pets to cheeky monkeys and ferocious lions, then learn how to draw and paint your own animal portrait. 10.30am-3.30pm, ages 8-11 and 12-15, £20.

THE DRAGON’S PEARL, 16 February. Cutting grass in the hills one day, Tchang makes a wonderful discovery which will change his life forever. Celebrate Chinese New Year with a retelling of this ancient myth, then make your own animal mask inspired by the Chinese zodiac. Age 4+, 11am-12.30pm, free.

ART AT SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSE SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3PB, 020 7440 4263, www.soane.org Tucked away in Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the heart of London, this magical, mysterious museum encourages young visitors to explore Soane’s treasures and develop new skills with specialist guidance. Sir John Soane (1753- 1737) was an inveterate collector, filling every nook and cranny of his beautiful home with items that fascinated him. From fossils to classical fragments from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and from contemporary paintings to architectural models, drawings and literature, he intended that after his death both his house and its extraordinary contents should be used to educate and inspire. Free drop-in activities run on the third Saturday of every month, with activities for all ages and families can take part together from 1.30-4.40pm.

SOMERSET HOUSE SOMERSET HOUSE, Strand WC2, 020 7845 4600, www.somersethouse.org.uk Art and culture in the heart of London in a stunning riverside setting. Open daily, admission free with a charge for some exhibitions. Free family workshops run on occasional Saturdays check the website for details. Children aged 6-12 years must be accompanied by an adult.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2N 5DN, 020 7747 2885, www.nationalgallery.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, Fridays to 9pm, admission free.

With over 2,300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons to visit the gallery, along with free hands-on art workshops and magic carpet storytellling for families at weekends and during school holidays. No need to book, but places are limited and allocated on arrival up to one hour before the start.

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THE SPORTS CLUB

get fit, have fun, meet people

What are you looking for in a Sports Club?

17-19 Blackwater Street East Dulwich SE22 8SD

NO JOINING FEE (normally £100) in January and February 2018

Greenwich Office Norman House 110-114 Norman Road London SE10 9EH

16 Families South East

Blackheath Office 9 Hare & Billet Road Blackheath London SE3 0RN

Please see our website where you can also take a virtual tour, book a club visit or arrange for a taster swim with our compliments.

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

dcsportsclub.co.uk

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Families South East Tel: 020 8699 7240 Email: info@familiesse.co.uk Contact: Robina Cowan Website: www.familiesse.co.uk MAGAZINE DESIGN: Lancasters 020 8658 9975 www.lancasters.co.uk Printed on paper from sustainable forests. www.ridgewaypress.co.uk

020 7720 1144