Families SE London October 2017 issue 187

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FR EE

TAKE M E

South East ONLINE EDITION

with working website links

IN THIS ISSUE Hurray for Half Term Holiday Camps and Halloween events

What’s On Where to go, what to see, what do to this month

Issue 187 October 2017

familiesonline.co.uk

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Yes it’s definitely autumn. From the annual leaf fall, crisply underfoot like a brand new tenner, to all things Halloween, where the worst of the ghoulfest is the orange plastic pound shop tat that will be booking its slot in a landfill site come November. Far more satisfying to craft it yourself - log onto FamiliesOnline for all manner of easy-peasy DIY makes, from decorations to face painting tips and kitchen bakes. Who’s for an eyeball cupcake?

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

Robina Cowan, editor

NEWS FOR PARENTS

IN THIS ISSUE 2-3

4-5

Local News and Views

Edible Rotherhithe

A new community allotment, free adult training courses, children’s activities and maths whizzes

A disused strip of land on the Silverlock Estate in Rotherhithe is being transformed into a welcoming community allotment.

Edible Rotherhithe will encourage local people to grow their own food and outdoor activity, and gather together for community dinners made from produce grown on the site.

Local residents will be able to join basic carpentry, DIY and arts and crafts workshops to learn new skills and meet their neighbours. An amphitheatre will host community film and theatre events, while children can enjoy the outdoor children’s storytelling area.

Started with a crowdfunding campaign, the project recently received a boost in the form of £1000 from organic skin and haircare brand Green People, in celebration of the company’s 20th year of driving positive change in the beauty world. www.ediblerotherhithe.co.uk

Education News Making the most of Parents’ Evenings, the benefits of out of school tutoring, and happiness in schools

6-7

Half Term Workshops and Clubs Making a song and dance - holiday activities for musical, sporty, theatrical and crafty children

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Halloween Events Broomsticks at the ready - the witching hour cometh...

9

The Book Page Justine heads into autum, as seen through this season’s new books

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Family Health Avoiding family injuries, by the Vale Practice Team

11

What’s New New products and tips to make your life easier

12-15 What’s On Our pick of the best events, shows, workshops and firework displays to brighten up October Christmas issue out 10 November, deadline 17 October

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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A head start into employment Improve your career prospects or simply learn something new with free courses available from MI ComputSolutions.

With government support, the organisation offers courses in a range of subjects including accounting and business finance, business and office skills, health and care skills, English and Mathematics, ICT (computers), Customer Service, Hospitality, Early years & Childcare, Teaching assistant, employability; and structured apprenticeship training, voluntary and traineeship programmes with a chance to gain employment and a qualification.

MI Computsolutions (trading as MI Skills Development Organisation) is a voluntary organisation established in Lewisham since 2003 and based in south London with centres in Deptford and Brixton. All programmes are certificated with awarding bodies such as OCR, EDEXCEL, CACHE, City and Guilds.

Call 020 8694 5721 or 020 7501 6450, email training@micomputsoultion.co.uk or read more online. www.micomputsolutions.co.uk

Parents eligible for childcare compensation Thousands of parents who have missed out on Tax-Free Childcare due to technical problems with the Childcare Service website may be able to claim compensation from the Government.

The Childcare Service website, which is run by HMRC, has been plagued with technical glitches since it went live in April, affecting parents’ ability to register for Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours’ childcare.

In order to receive 30 hours’ free childcare in September, eligible parents needed to have received a code from HMRC by 31 August and taken it to their childcare provider to secure a place.

New guidance published on the gov.uk website states that: “If you’ve been unable to access Tax-Free Childcare through your childcare account for technical reasons, you may be able to claim compensation.”

For more information call HMRC on 0300 123 4097 or put ‘childcare service compensation’ in the gov.uk website search box.

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Whisk up some dough

Free tennis in East Dulwich

The Lullaby Trust have cooked up the perfect fundraising campaign for baking fanatics.

Bake it for Babies is a new initiative welcoming everyone to hold a bake sale from 6 - 12 November to help raise vital funds to save babies’ lives.

The Lullaby Trust funds vital research into the causes and prevention of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, which sadly affects around 250 babies and toddlers in the UK every year.

Everyone who signs up will receive a free fundraising pack full of all the ingredients they need to cook up the best of bake sales, and once registered you’ll also receive a free Lullaby Trust t-shirt and cake toppers. www.lullabytrust.org.uk

AC T I V I TI E S FO R C HI LDR EN Superhero fun with diddi dance

Femi’s coding bootcamp

This October, little ones across the country will be donning their dancing shoes, masks and capes to join in with the superhero party of the year. Dress up with the help of Catboy, Gekko and Owlette, the superhero trio from Entertainment One’s popular children’s TV show PJ Masks, at over 600 diddi dance classes nationwide.

The fun themed pre-schoolers’ dancing classes will be taking place from 30 October to 5 November; all in aid of the wonderful Youth Sport Trust charity - book yours now. www.diddidance.com

An extraordinary, award-winning philanthropist is bringing children’s coding workshops to Forest Hill this half term.

Aged just 11, Femi Owolade-Coombes has run events for two years all around the country including at the Tate Modern, and internationally to young people in Bangladesh sponsored by the Micro:Bit Foundation. In May, Femi was one of only 20 young people in the world to receive an inaugural Legacy Award from The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, and he has his own blog.

Back on his home turf, Femi will be teaching morning bootcamps for beginners from 25 to 27 October, supported by experienced tutors with full enhanced DBS checks. The sessions, for 5-7 and 8-14 year-olds will be held at Canvas & Cream cafe, £25 per child includes snacks and drinks.

For bookings and details, find ‘HackerFemo’ on Eventbrite; and read his inspiring story on his website. www.eventbrite.co.uk www.hackerfemo.com

17-19 Blackwater Street East Dulwich SE22 8SD

020 7720 1144 familiesonline.co.uk

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

Tennis-4-Kids classes are played indoors with small rackets, sponge balls and a scaled down court, offering a fun-filled introduction to the sport for children aged 21⁄2 to 11 years.

On 26 October new children can trial an open day session in East Dulwich. Sessions are free, but book first to claim your slot. If you can’t make the day, free introductory classes are also available during termtimes in Herne Hill, Forest Hill and East Dulwich. Call 07877 391 005 or book online. www.tennis-4-kids.com

The National Young Mathematicians’ Awards Explore Learning is inviting pupils across the UK to compete in the only team maths competition for primary schools in the country, run in collaboration with the NRICH project at the University of Cambridge.

Each school entering a team will have the challenge of tackling a never-before-seen mathematical problem and battle through the heats to win a place at the grand final to be held in Cambridge in December.

The annual competition is free to enter with the main aim of inspiring the next generation of mathematicians. The registration deadline is 20 October with the first rounds taking place on 8 and 9 November. If you are a parent of a maths whizz, why not ask your school to register a team? www.explorelearning.co.uk/schools/ national-young-mathematicians-awards

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

Families South East 3

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EDUCATION NEWS

Make the most of

parents’ evening

By Liat Hughes Joshi

Don’t be surprised if the teacher talks about a ‘different child’ We don’t mean literally a different child, but don’t be shocked if some of the descriptions of your son or daughter aren’t so familiar.

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?

Parents’ evening is your big opportunity to get feedback on how your child is doing at school, but with as little as five or ten minutes a couple of times a year, how can you get the most of your time in there?

Plan and prioritise Maximise what you get out of the meeting by working out priorities in advance. What do you need to know the most and what do you want to communicate to the teacher? Have a chat with your child to see if they have any worries or issues you could discuss and find out more about what they do and don’t enjoy at school.

Then 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 if you’re likely to forget what was said afterwards.

expecting to know your child’s position in the class versus other children, or whether they’re on a higher reading level than specific classmates, you’ll be disappointed. At best you might be told they are ‘in the top quarter’ or ‘middle group’. Equally, if your little one is only in reception, it’s pointless grilling the teacher about their future job prospects or chances of Oxbridge. They simply won’t know.

Don’t get sidetracked

Behaviour, friendships and how your child has settled into the class are all just as important as reading, writing and maths.

Parents’ evenings usually run to tight schedules and most teachers will stick strictly to the time limits (it’s not unheard of for them to use an egg timer), not least to avoid making subsequent appointments run annoyingly late for other mums and dads. So save the general chit-chat for another day or you risk half your time being wasted talking about the weather.

Be realistic about what the teacher will tell you

Be open-minded about less flattering feedback

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. So if you go in

Most of us head into parents’ evening wanting to hear fabulous things about our children but the reality is you might receive negative feedback, albeit this should be constructive. It can

Don’t just focus on academic matters

If any issues were left unresolved or you have concerns once you’ve digested the feedback, it’s normally fine to request a follow-up meeting with the teacher.

Parents’ evening question ideas: Do ask: • Has my child settled well into school life/ in the class this year?

• What are his/ her strengths and weaknesses?

• How is he/ she doing compared to expectations for this age and stage?

• Is there anything we can be doing to help support his/ her learning or behaviour at home?

• ... About friendships and behaviour, not just academic matters.

Don’t ask...

About other children’s academic performance this is confidential. You shouldn’t be given class rankings in primary schools.

About the author Liat Hughes Joshi is a parenting journalist and the author of four books including New Oldfashioned Parenting and How to Unplug Your Child (both published by Summersdale) and Raising Children: The Primary Years (Pearson).

Smile - you’re at school

Mental health support

Here’s something to smile about in the face of autumn - the National Happiness Awards are back, and in a brand new category this year, judges are looking for the nation’s most upbeat and inspiring children.

Happiness in schools is a serious business. Schools, pupils and teachers are under more pressure than ever and happiness skills such as confidence, resilience and problem-solving - which are not covered in the National Curriculum, but are in huge demand from employers - have been shown to help teachers and pupils cope with the demands of education and improve engagement and results.

Britain’s only nationwide happiness awards honour those in education who make a real difference to learning through happiness. They include categories for the Happiest School, Happiest School Employee and now, Happiest Pupil. The winners of each will be celebrated at a gala awards ceremony in November.

The awards are run by learning and development company, Laughology, which is the pioneer behind the acclaimed Happy-Centred Schools programme. The awards recognise the vital role happiness plays in boosting pupil confidence and learning. Nominations are invited from individuals, parents, staff, schools, local authorities and communities before the 20 October closing date. www.laughology.co.uk

Primary school teachers in England say that they do not feel adequately trained to support children with mental health problems. The findings come in a YouGov online poll commissioned by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families (AFNCCF), in the light of the government’s commitment to tackle the “burning injustice” of mental ill-health.

92% of primary school teachers in England agree that primary schools have a crucial role in identifying pupils who have mental health problems, but only 10% strongly agree they had the necessary training to feel confident about what action to take when a child experiences a mental health problem.

‘You’re never too young to talk mental health’ is a new campaign by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, which was launched on 18 September by patron HRH The Duchess of Cambridge. The children’s charity is providing free support, resources and training for teachers and pupils in primary schools to help them address mental health issues.

A leaflet for parents and carers has also been published. www.annafreud.org

4 Families South East

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Schoolwear from www.marksandspencer.com

Schoolwear from www.marksandspencer.com

how to...

be hard to take this on board if you don’t agree but stay calm and at least hear out the teacher respectfully before asking further questions or making your points back.

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EDUCATION NEWS

“Explore Learning has always been incredibly welcoming to my family” Explore Learning provides English and maths tuition to children aged four to 14, with 127 centres across the country.

Families caught up with two local mothers to ask how it is helping with their children’s school work. Melanie has a nine year-old daughter Olivia; Jennifer’s daughter Lana is also nine.

How long have you been going to Explore, and how has it helped?

What kind of child do you think Explore Learning is for?

MT: We have been going to Explore for nine months. I felt my daughter could benefit from a new challenge and she would need to prepare for entrance exams for secondary school. There’s been a definite improvement: her school report has just shown her to be ‘above the expected’ for her age range.

JT: We’ve been going for seven months. I wanted to understand what levels Lana was at, and give her help in preparing for 11+ grammar school tests. Because Explore measure the levels and tailor the work she does, it means she is making continuous progress - in both maths and English. I also really like they way they focus on a particular topic if she needs more practice and help.

They work with each child to help answer questions by encouraging them to re-read passages and give them pointers, to enable them to become independent learners.

MT: All sorts - show me a child who doesn’t like using a computer, boosting their reward cards for effort, and a play session afterwards!

JT: Any child who needs more confidence to answer questions, who needs some reassurance, or who has a set goal to work towards.

What do you particularly like about Explore Learning?

MT: The personalised curriculum, and the approach of the friendly tutors. Olivia knows she is progressing because she gets constant feedback and praise. As mentioned before, the classes are helping her feel more confident for SATs and entrance exams. She likes surf club where she gets to finish her learning session with fun games with the tutors and other children and is motivated by the lizard rewards cards.

JT: Lana loves the computer based learning and responds well to the tutors’ ongoing

REGISTER FOR WEAR A HAT DAY 2018

feedback and encouragement; while we are kept clearly up to date with her progress.

Explore Sydenham has always been incredibly welcoming to my family. During Lana’s trial my two year-old twins were able to sit and play games on spare computers. All the tutors know all our names, and we have a really nice friendship.

What would you say to other parents about Explore Learning?

MT: Go and do a trial session - it’s free so you have nothing to lose. Once signed up, find another parent you can buddy up with to share the runs.

JT: It works! Book a trial session; there is no obligation. Attend regularly to make the most of the centre and keep up your child’s enthusiasm.

About Explore Learning - and free trials Explore Learning offers tailored maths and English tuition from expert staff, and 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 - all of which offer FREE trial sessions, and are open throughout the summer holidays. Book a place by calling 020 3909 2119, or online. www.explorelearning.co.uk

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IAPS co-educational school for 3-11 years

Register for Wear A Hat Day 2018 and start planning your event!

Wear A Hat Day is the UK’s premier brain tumour research fundraising event.

It takes place on Thursday 29th March 2018. March is also UK Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Schools and families across the country get involved to help raise funds for research into brain tumors’.

Brain tumors kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer… yet just 1% of the national spend on cancer research has been allocated to this devastating disease. Families are being left devastated by his dreadful disease. This is unacceptable!

Brain Tumour Research is the only national charity in the UK that is purely dedicated to raising funds for continuous and sustainable scientific research into brain tumours.

Taking part can be as simple as putting on a hat and donating on the day, but most families like to create entertaining fundraising events. Many schools for example have inventive hat competitions, parades and fashion shows and raise hundreds if not thousands of pounds.

On average, organisations raise £250, with small ones £50 and some raising more than £2,000! Whatever target you set yourselves aim to smash it!!

More information, event ideas and fundraising tips can be found online: www.wearahatday.org.

Register now on www.wearahatday.org and start planning your hattastic fundraising event.

Your fundraising pack will be sent out in early 2018 and will include leaflets, posters, balloons, wristbands and badges to help promote your event and smash your fundraising target!

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Together we will find a cure

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CLUBS & CLASSES

INSPIRE YOUR CHILD through music

MY halloween October 23rd-26TH

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Learn new skills

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Build confidence

spooky half-term fun activities for kids

October 27th making workshops,

Costume best carved

Make new friends

Award winning, Ofsted registered Holiday Camps and Term Time courses for children aged 4-11

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Call your local Stagecoach: Dulwich 020 8949 4116 Blackheath 020 7112 8242 Sydenham 020 7228 0981 Upper Norwood 0744 253 2386 www.stagecoach.co.uk

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CLUBS & CLASSES

Brockley Strings Club

Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes Infinite Jest

Half Term Workshops and Clubs FRIGHTFUL FINGERS Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes Halloween Workshops, 23-25 October in BLACKHEATH, HERNE HILL, STREATHAM and SEVENOAKS, 01732 457100, www.funkymonkey.info Funky Monkey Keyboard Classes’ one-day workshops for beginners have a different theme depending on the season and are a perfect opportunity to make music the fun way. In small groups, children learn how to write and play notes C-G and try some famous tunes using electronic keyboards. It’s a wonderful, relaxed introduction to practical and theoretical music, and with music based games, quizzes and art activities thrown in for good measure, you’ll be amazed how much they can learn whilst having fun.

THE STRINGS CLUB HOLIDAY CAMP 23-27 October, PRENDERGAST SCHOOL, Adelaide Avenue SE4 1LE, 0121 296 9204, www.thestringsclub.org/brockley Interactive workshops where children learn together and play together, making music with guitars, violins and ukeleles. Each day is different and includes musical theatre, body percussion and beat boxing alongside the instrument tuition. Ages 4-11, 9.30am-4pm with wrap around hours available, bookable by half or full days from £20 per session.

YES TUITION AND TRAINING INTENSIVE TOUCH TYPING Half term and Saturdays in SYDENHAM, 020 7515 1707, www.yes-tuitionandtraining.co.uk Effortless touch-typing is so much more efficient than ‘pecking’ the keyboard, speeding up school work and adding a new skill. YES courses are fun, they work and are particularly beneficial for children with dyslexia or dyspraxia. Sessions can be booked to fit around other holiday commitments so children can progress at their own pace. Ages 7-18, holiday sessions £22, sibling discounts available.

INFINITE JEST DRAMA CAMPS 23-27 October in NUNHEAD, www.infinitejest.co.uk Drama workshops inspired by one of Shakespeare’s plays, including improvisation, physical theatre, stage combat, costume design, song and dance. Ages 5-8 and 8-11, £160 per child includes a free pizza lunch from 400 Rabbits.

NIMBLE ARTS HOLIDAY CLUB 23-27 October, HEBER SCHOOL East Dulwich SE22 and HORNIMAN PRIMARY SCHOOL Forest Hill SE23, www.nimblearts.co.uk Five days of spooktacular fun including creative arts workshops, 3D print design, movie making, storytelling, dressing up, games, challenges and a bouncy castle. Ages 4-11, 8am-6pm each day, extended hours and sibling discounts available.

Intensive Touch Typing

South East London Tennis Camps

SOUTH EAST LONDON TENNIS CAMPS 23-26 October, CATFORD WANDERERS TENNIS CLUB SE6, 0773 993 6999, www.southeastlondontennis.com Tennis coaching, games and other team events with a mini tournament on the last day, run by enthusiastic, professional coaches. Beginners and improvers welcome, ages 4-15 in age appropriate groups, from £12.50 a day/ £37.50 per week.

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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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Horrors!

Here come this year's

Halloween Events SPOOKY HALF TERM FUN 23-26 October, GREENWICH MARKET SE10, www.greenwichmarket.com A week of children’s craft activities and fun including sewing, painting and crafting with clever designer makers, daily from 10am-5pm.

On Friday 27th, make your own Halloween outfit with Miss Libby Rose at her free sewing workshops. Also The Gore Store returns for some scary facepainting, creepy story-telling, dancing and a freaky fashion show. 12noon -6pm HALLOWEEN CRAFTS AT WIGWAM 28 October, WIGWAM TOY SHOP, 109 Rosendale Road, West Dulwich SE21 8EZ, www.wigwamfamily.co.uk Dress up and turn up for a morning of Halloween crafts while munching on spooky donuts from the Dulwich Bakery.

10am-12.30pm, free for children and accompanied parents.

DISCO KIDS: SPOOKTACULAR 29 October, THE ALBANY, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 5AG, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk Dust off your scariest costumes and dance to a frighteningly fun Disco Kids Halloween special, featuring ghostly music from DJ Jean Genie. 1 and 3pm, ages 4+, family tickets £24.

HALF TERM HORRORS 23-27 October, ELTHAM PALACE and Gardens, Court Yard, Eltham SE19 5QE, and DOWN HOUSE, Luxted Road, Orpington, Kent BR6 7JT, www.english-heritage.org.uk Creepy crafts await at eerie English Heritage properties this half term. Show off your spooktacular costumes and frighten the staff in a costume competition, and take part in a pumpkin carving sessions - whose face will you create? Pumpkin carving £4 on top of admission fee.

TRICK OR TREAT RUN 28 October, SOUTHWARK PARK, Gomm Road SE16, www.trickortreatrun.co.uk Thousands of runners will arrive in fancy dress to run 2.5km or 5km around a spooky, traffic free route to raise funds for Breast Cancer Care. The course will feature several Halloween themed zones along with a number of spooky surprises, and an event village party which will include a DJ and themed bar.

HALLOWEEN BOAT TRIP 28+29 October, LONDON CANAL MUSEUM, 12-13 New Wharf Road N1 9RT, www.canalmuseum.org.uk Take a unique trip through Islington Tunnel on board one of London’s community narrowboats, decorated for the occasion with a friendly witch amongst the crew, and surprise sights in the darkness of the 198 year old tunnel. There will also be special activities for children in the museum, including Ghost Stories, Face Painting and a Spooky Treasure Hunt.

HAIR RAISING HALLOWEEN AT SHREK’S ADVENTURE 21-29 October, DREAMWORKS TOURS: SHREK’S ADVENTURE, South Bank SE1, www.shreksadventure.com/london Whisk away your family on a 4D magic bus tour with Donkey as your driver before crash-landing in Shrek’s swamp where an immersive adventure awaits. Poppy is throwing a hairraising Halloween party and the trolls are giving her a helping hand to make it extra magical.

Follow the Trolls Trail and track down colourful creatures lurking in the swamp. Adults £27.50, children £22 on the door, discounted online.

HALLOWEEN AT THE HORNIMAN 28 + 29 October, HORNIMAN MUSEUM AND GARDENS, 100 London Road SE23 3PQ, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk The Halloween Fair is filled with arts and crafts stalls, spooky animal handling and more. Dress up in your scariest costume and have some fiendish fun. 10.30am-4.30pm, admission free.

HALLOWEEN WEEK AT RIPLEYS 22-30 October, RIPLEYS OF LONDON, The London Pavillion, 1 Piccadilly Circus W1J 0DA, 020 3238 0022, www.ripleyslondon.com Ripleys will be turning the West End green to celebrate Halloween. See some of the scariest costumes and props worn in the Wicked show by some of the biggest names in theatre, get into character with the face painters and take home a balloon-modelled broomstick. Tickets from £20.99, book first.

CORALINE AND HALLOWEEN FUN 28 October, HITHER GREEN CINEMA, Hither Green Lane SE13 6RW, www.hithergreencinema.com Dress up for a special screening of Coraline (PG), with pumpkin carving, crafts and games.

2-4.30pm, children’s tickets £7, accompanying adults free.

PUMPKIN QUIZ TRAIL 21-29 October, BATTERSEA PARK CHILDREN’S ZOO, Battersea Park, Chelsea Bridge Gate SW11 4NJ, 020 7924 5826, www.batterseaparkzoo.co.uk Buy a quiz sheet and follow the zoo’s trail to find which animals are taking part in the Halloween fun.

8 Families South East

HORRIBLE HAMPTON 22-28 October, HAMPTON COURT PALACE, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU, www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace Discover the most rotten parts of Tudor history, joining the Court as an apprentice for the dirty jobs needed to make sure the palace runs smoothly. This fun series of interactive presentations for families promises to uncover the mad, bad and awful side of life as a Tudor.

SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY 26, 27 and 28 October, CHIDDINSTONE CASTLE, Hill Hoath Road, Chiddinstone, Kent TN8 7AD, 01892 870347, www.chiddingstonecastle.org.uk Meet the School’s Headmaster Wizard on arrival and be ‘sorted’ into your house. Then attend special classes of Potion Making, Choir Practice, Spell School and the Flying School.

Real wizards and witches (well, real theatrical performers) will make sure you experience an amazing day. Ages 7-12, 11am-1.30pm or 2-4.30pm, family tickets £40.

HALLOWEEN AT HEVER 21-29 October, HEVER CASTLE & GARDENS, Hever, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 7NG, 01732 865224, www.hevercastle.co.uk Dress in your creepiest costume, follow the eerie Halloween trail, help ward off vampires with a spooky activity and sink your teeth into a sweet treat at the cupcake decorating workshop. Meet Viscous Vampire and his Goblin friend in the Creepy Crypt and hear terrifying tales of goblins, trolls, witches and vampires. Family admission ticket £44.50.

SPOOKY HALF TERM 21-27 October, PENSHURST PLACE, Tonbridge, Kent TN11 8DG, 01892 870866, www.penshurstplace.com Follow the Halloween Garden Trail at Penshurst Place to discover bygone stories and traditions of All Hallows’ Eve and the Day of the Dead, before cackling your way to The Old Coach House for creepy crafts galore. Once there, make a batty hanging bat, a spinning spiral snake and a ghoulish ghost to take home!

On the 28th, talented storytellers will regale spine-tingling, ‘not-very-scary’ tales for young children. Dress for the occasion and join the parade to show off your costumes with prizes on offer for the best dressed. Activities included with admission charge.

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Families october 2017.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2017 9:36 am Page 9

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.

The dishwasher is broken. Yada yada, yes I know... first world problems. But it made me realise that kitchens are rarely designed by people who actually wash up. Otherwise, instead of looking at tiles scabbed in ketchup, neck cricked beneath the cupboard positioned above the sink - who the hell put that there? Whilst chasing bowls in the milky water, I could be enjoying the view as I scour the pans, contemplatively regarding the autumn leaves, the foxes on the trampoline, the sunsets and the night sky. Yep, that’ll be my sleeves that are still rolled up at midnight.

MARY’S HOUSEHOLD TIPS & TRICKS by Mary Berry - Michael Joseph rrp £20. This is how bad it has got. I don’t even like cakes. Well, not unless I’m vulnerable. But as another of our national treasures if ever there was an over-wrung epithet - Berry was around long before the soggy bottom show. When I first started selling books, her craft was merely ‘cooking’. Now she’s been parachuted into the publishing schedules to strike while the iron is hot (see what I did there?) to show us how to be better at sorting out all our domestic chaos, from banishing moths to scrubbing pots. Hundreds of them.

THE LITTLE BOOK OF STRESS RELIEF by David Posen - Firefly rrp £9.95. Or you could downsize and chuck Mary in the sink. I’m fond of the ‘little book of..’ genre funnily enough, whether for nits or night time animal sounds, as it signals a manageable approach that fits in well with the maelstrom of Western family life and all its consequential first world anxiety.

THE STORY OF THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF

by Anita Singh - Head of Zeus rrp £20. Nope...

THE LITTLE LIBRARY COOKBOOK by Kate Young - Head of Zues rrp £25. Yes! Not such a little price but it’s what you’d expect for a labour of love that includes recipes for Paddington Bear’s Marmalade, Neopolitan pizza inspired by Elena Ferrante and “tea at Manderley”. Featuring brekkie, lunch, dins and best of all - midnight feasts.

THIS COOKBOOK IS GROSS by Susanna Tee QED rrp £9.99. Ah, this is not quite so attractive. Well, not to me with my pale dish-cloth fingernails and disposition weakened by a single ridiculous mixer tap. But the children will love it, especially as it has some perfectly disgusting suggestions for party grub at Halloween - I mean, jellyworms and snotcorn?

What’s not to like? Did I just say grub? Eeeeuuew.

RAINY DAY KIDS ADVENTURE BOOK by Steph Scott - Pavilion rrp £9.99. If there’s one thing that ALL kids without exception are good at, it’s getting wet.

Afterall, it’s one of the reasons we don’t train them to do the dishes from a young age. My regular readers (all two of them) know that in my other life I’m also permanently soaked as a swimming teacher and I can tell you now, I know exactly which kids are left on the sofa with a tablet and who gets encouraged to go outside regularly to play, merely by watching them climb out of the pool without using any steps. Here we find many cost-free and simple distractions among the puddles so you have no excuse not to get them splashing. Meanwhile, I wish I’d bought shares in the wellington boot industry.

HURRICANE by David Wiesner - Andersen rrp £6.99.

You’ll need your boots for this extravagantly illustrated tale of fallen trees and friendship. Glorious stuff. And topical. And imaginative. No point in being in denial.

THE GROTLYN by Benji Davies - Harper Collins rrp £12.99. Just in time for the spooky season comes a mysterious entity who gives everyone the colly-wobbles, not to mention bumps, in the night.

This author-cum-illustrator is rapidly attaining super-star status in the book world and I’m not surprised after seeing his highly atmospheric tongue in cheek artwork that depicts a Dickensian childscape, lit by a flicker.

A WEREWOLF NAMED OLIVER JAMES by Nicholas Frith - Scholastic rrp £6.99. And here there’s a touch of the whirlwind Tasmanian Devil Warner Bros style about the creature our young unassuming hero morphs into accidently one innocently moonlit night.

At first he doesn’t understand why everybody is hiding from him but suddenly he has supernatural strength and can run faster than a train and leap higher than the tallest building, but what the heck will his mum and dad say when he gets home? Apart from wipe your feet, obviously.

WHOOSH! WENT THE WITCH by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler rrp £6.99. A board-book tie-in with a modern classic that features a button to press each time, you guessed it, our favourite warty nosed wonder woman takes off. Guaranteed to drive me nuts in the bookshop, naturally. Which is why it will be displayed waaaaaay up high....

TWINKLE TWINKLE ABC by Barney Saltzberg Phaidon rrp £8.95. Two of the most sung toddler

songs in the entire universe share the same tune.

If, like me, you are pestered by ear-worms (I once went a full three days with the theme tune to Big Cook, Little Cook battering my sanity), you may want to look away now. For the rest of you lucky, lucky people with not enough weirdness in your lives, this is a board-book - youth speak klaxon - “mash-up” of both tenacious ditties. Good luck shaking them off.

GREATEST ANIMAL STORIES edited by Michael Morpurgo - Oxford rrp £9.99. The paperback edition of an anthology with a zoological twist - all the very different stories herded into this cheery literary pen, ahem, feature our four legged friends (granted, a couple of two legged and several multi-legged put in an appearance too), from the centuries old fairy tale Puss in Boots to the musical fable Peter and the Wolf.

THE WIZARDS OF ONCE by Cressida Cowell Hodder rrp £12.99. Cue trumpet fanfare, this novel heralds a new series by the industry’s resident dragon whisperer and layer of golden eggs who never needs to write a book again ever in her lifetime.

But the creative muse is a stubborn beast, thus we are plunged back into a similar Arthurian fairytale landscape, this time inhabited by philosophical giants and insectine sprites, along with a boy wizard finding his way.

THE SNOW ANGEL by Lauren St John, illustrated by Catherine Hyde - Head of Zeus rrp £7.99. And cue rising shriek - both these accomplished authors have been in my very own shop and it is sooooo gratifying to see this collaboration. Already casually referred to as “a Christmas classic,” the story travels from the heat of Kenya to the painfully contrasting sharp air of Scotland via shocking headline events, taking in the politics of survival and hope, plus one very special mountain.

So, as we drift inexorably towards the season of giving, I shall be demanding an extra early present one that comes with a salt indicator and super-soak setting. For now though I am enjoying the dregs of a misspent Autumn having encouraged the offspring to indulge my whim by helping me to find various uses for the five kilos of blackberries harvested from the country park down the road. You know you’ve done a good job of parenting when you spot GIN DAY! scrawled on the calendar in a delightfully childish hand indicating just when the bramble embrocation can finally be sampled. Here’s to the nights drawing in.

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 familiesonline.co.uk

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FA M I LY

H E A LT H

Family Injury Guide

by The Vale Practice team There’s usually one in most families... one who repeatedly gets injured or hurt in some way. In my family it was me. I’ve done it all; fallen off climbing frames, been concussed by cricket balls, pulled a muscle running over-exuberantly down a jetty to dive into the water, I even had the classic cartoon moment when I stood on a garden rake and it cracked me over the head, leaving a permanent scar.

It’s not always the children though; there are hundreds of ways parents can damage themselves, from tripping over discarded toys or weekend DIY jobs around the house to mopping up spills on the kitchen floor or simply taking out the bins. Even poor Roger Federer had to undergo the only surgery he’s ever had in his tennis career after he tore a ligament in his knee whilst running a bath for his twin daughters.

Accidents may be unavoidable, and with the diversity of sports and activities available to both adults and children now, from marathons and team sports, through to sewing classes and cycling events, there is always a chance of both traumatic or overuse injuries. The Vale Practice can give you a few ideas on how to avoid some more common injuries and keep your family in tip-top condition.

Warm up Whatever you’re about to do, be it the 100m sprint in the fathers’ race at your child’s sports day, tackling unruly roses in the garden, or training for your first triathlon, always allow time for a warm up. Though there is some controversy as to whether it can truly stave off injury, it does stimulate your cardiovascular system, raising your body temperature and increasing blood flow to your muscles in order to ease you into activity. Dedicating as little as 5-10 minutes at this stage can lessen the risk of injury, reducing stress on your heart and other muscles. A good example of a warm up would be to do the activity and movement pattern of the activity you’re about to undertake, but at a slower pace, and incrementally increase the speed and intensity. If that’s not possible a brief 5-10 minute walk around the block or garden may be enough to prep your body for most activities. A few stretches can also be incorporated into your warm up, as they will aid flexibility and the range of motion around a joint, but be sure to do these once you’ve warmed and primed your muscles.

Following your activity with a five minute cool down, either by continuing your activity at a slower pace or with a gentle walk or slower paced run allows your body to gradually return to your normal heart rate and blood pressure.

Do regular activity Exercising regularly will help prevent injuries when out at the weekend with your family, as well as increasing your general fitness and wellbeing so that you are more able to participate in fun family activities. As we get older, regular exercise is vital for maintaining mobility, keeping muscle tone, reducing the risk of cardiovascular problems. It also helps reduce the risk of all sorts of health problems in later life including arthritis and osteoporosis. It is recommended that adults do at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week, and children 60 minutes a day. Adults should also do at least

10 Families South East

two sessions a week of strengthening exercises targeting key muscle groups such as the core, legs and arms. Start off with 15 minute sessions then increase the session length. Balance exercises, such as standing on one leg while engaging the core, are also a great way of minimising your risk of everyday injury. Regular osteopathy or massage can also help reduce injury risks, keeping the body in good biomechanical order. If you are regularly exercising and have persistent niggles, then it is always worth seeking expert advice.

Don’t do too much in one go If you’ve not been exercising regularly be sure to start back into activity slowly. It might be tempting to go out and spend all day in the garden clearing ready for winter, go for a 5k run or lose track of time and spend far too long bent double in the loft sorting through years of junk you’ve squirreled away, but if you’ve been quite sedentary after a relaxing summer prior to this burst of activity it’s likely you’ll feel the consequences. If you’re doing lots of heavy lifting always bend with the knees whilst engaging your core muscles to protect your lower back from injury. If possible spend an hour the first day getting your body used to the new movements, and gauge how you feel the following day. If you are pain free, try doing a little more the next time, slowly building up the hours.

Don’t overdo one activity Prolonged time spent doing one activity repetitively, whether it be painting the bedroom or answering emails, can also lead to injuries.

According to Ofcom, smartphones are now in the pockets of two thirds of all UK adults, with that figure rising to 90% in the 16-24 year age group with ownership also rising to 50% in the 55-64 group, almost doubling since 2012. An average use of about two hours a day, mostly for browsing the internet, texting, accessing social media, etc, rather than phone calls, is creating a general change in people’s postural habits to increasingly head-down activities.

Research has found that the gravitational demand on the neck during use of a smart phone or tablet computer is two to five times more than when the neck is in a neutral posture. So, as the head weighs 5kg on average that’s a massive 10 - 25kg your poor neck muscles have to hang on to as you look down at your device. Unsurprisingly this can lead to neck and back pain and other repetitive strain type injuries. Try to keep your tablet or mobile device at a more neutral angle if possible, either using a tablet stand or by holding your smart phone higher.

If your task is weight bearing, such as breast feeding a baby, be sure to use pillows and supports to allow your body to be in a relaxed position, as you may be there some time and tension can quickly build up in your neck, shoulders, upper back, arms, wrists and hands.

If you tend to get absorbed into your activities, set a timer to remind you to get up and move about, go to the loo or make a cup of tea; anything to allow your body to unwind and move in a different pattern. Also consider switching tasks after a short while to allow one area of your body to rest, such as your neck, arms and hands if you’ve been pruning, texting etc while you tackle another task for a while.

Stay hydrated It might sound simple, but staying hydrated is important for muscle and joint health. We can quickly become dehydrated in warmer months, muscles require fluids and electrolytes to function properly, and keeping up your water intake will ensure your muscles have enough water to function. Always carry a bottle of water with you while exercising. If you’re doing a repetitive or seated activity like computer work or house work, stopping for a drink also means you take regular breaks from one specific movement or activity, giving your body the rest it needs.

If you do injure yourself Pain and injury can sometimes result no matter how fit, prepared and warmed up we are. For a recent injury like a sprained ankle or twisted knee, apply an ice pack to the affected area for 15-20 minutes every two to three hours. A bag of frozen peas works well, just be sure to wrap the ice pack in a damp towel to avoid ice burns.

Applying an ice pack early and often for the first 48 hours will help minimise swelling, and decreasing swelling around an injury will help to control the pain.

As long as the injury doesn’t stop you being able to weight bear on the affected area, it is important to keep moving as much as possible with gentle exercise during the acute phase of the injury. This can prevent muscles tightening up too much. Should the pain last longer than expected, or be worrying you in anyway, always trust your instincts and seek expert professional advice from qualified health professional.

Helping hands The Vale Practice is open Monday to Saturday, with a great team of osteopaths, massage therapists and acupuncturists who are highly trained in treatment and management of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. For advice and appointments, call 020 8299 9798 or read more online. www.thevalepractice.co.uk

References: www.nhs.uk/Conditions/sports-injuries/Pages/ treatment.aspx www.scoi.com/patient-resources/health-articles/ should-you-ice-or-heat-injury www.holyfamily-hospital.org/6/article/tips-avoidingsports-related-injuries-during-summer-months www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/latest/media/mediareleases/2015/cmr-uk-2015 www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20045517?pg=1

Injured? Postural fatigue?

Under performing in work or sports?

Professional and effective solutions for your aches and pains.

The Vale Practice

Osteopathy, Cranial Osteopathy, Acupuncture, Nutrition, Massage, Counselling and Reflexology...

64 Grove Vale, London SE22 8DT

T. 020 8299 9798

www.thevalepractice.co.uk E. info@thevalepractice.co.uk

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Families october 2017.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2017 9:37 am Page 11

What’sNew Tracking eczema flare ups A first-of-its-kind study, which followed a cohort of 200 parents over the course of 12 months, found that when tracking their child’s eczema on a regular basis the majority (60%) reported an improvement in their child’s skin condition. Nearly all (89%) of parents participating in Epaderm Junior’s ‘Eczema Tracker’ study are now more confident in managing their child’s skin condition as a direct result of the tracker and 99% would recommend use of the tracker to other parents.

During National Eczema Week in September, Epaderm Junior launched the tracker online, to help more parents manage their child’s skin. See online for more on skin conditions, effective treatments, and the tracker as a free download. www.epaderm.com

No more nappies

No more tangles Did you know children’s hair is thinner than adults’ hair and doesn’t fully mature until they are in their teens? Young hair contains less melanin than adults’ and lacks a central core, making the strands more transparent and prone to breakages, not to mention pesky knots and tangles.

Johnson’s has launched a mild hypoallergenic Kids’ haircare range, developed especially for the delicate nature of their hair even after a day’s rolling around in mud or twiddling their curls with sticky fingers. The Shiny Drops products promote shiny locks, while No More Tangles tackle knots, rrp from £2.49 in Boots and other major retailers. www.johnsonsbaby.co.uk

Kitchen helper

The average age of potty training is steadily increasing, with a staggering 70% of primary schools reporting on children starting school still wearing nappies, leading to fundamental health and behavioural issues.

Known affectionately as ‘The Potty Lady’, Amanda Jenner is the UK’s leading expert on potty training. She is passionate about campaigning to help educate the public and schools about the ever-increasing issues of delayed toilet training, and her over-arching mission is to get the government involved.

Amanda’s Potty Training Academy provides a consistent, reward-based approach that works across home and childcare environments. The programme was designed following many years of research, together with hands-on experience working with children, parents, carers and nursery schools alike. Log on for tips and training packs. www.pottytrainingacademy.co.uk

Next up, a time-saving kitchen gadget that makes light work of daily kitchen chores. With 10 pre-programmed functions, the Nutribaby(+) is built to perform a multitude of tasks: • Steamer: maintaining freshness, flavour, minerals and vitamins • Blender: prepare healthy smoothies, soups, sauces and purées • Heats: bottles and jars • Sterilises: bottles and accessories • Defrosts: meals prepared in advance A week’s worth of baby meals, or a healthy feast for the whole family sounds good, doesn’t it?

Easy to clean and dishwasher safe, Nutribaby(+) is free from Bisphenol A (BPA) and comes with a lifetime guarantee, £139.99 from John Lewis in store and online. www.babymoov.co.uk

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THE BABY SHOW

ELEPHANT SOCIAL MARKET

What’sOn

Find even more activities: www.familiesonline.co.uk then click What's On

MORE ONLINE familiesonline.co.uk

D I A R Y DAT E S F O R GROWNUPS NCT DULWICH & DISTRICT NEARLY NEW SALE

VEGFEST UK

14 October, ST FAITH’S COMMUNITY CENTRE, Red Post Hill, Herne Hill SE24 9JQ, nns.dulwich@nct.org.uk Shop for quality pre-loved clothes, toys, books and equipment for babies and young children. Meet other local parents and visit the pop-up cafe for tea, Starbucks coffee and delicious homemade cakes & biscuits. 10.15am-12.15pm, 10am entry for NCT membership cardholders. Entry £1.50 adults, children free.

ELEPHANT SOCIAL MARKET Fridays and Saturdays, CASTLE SQUARE next to Elephant Park SE17 1AY, www.theartworks.london Working with local charities and community groups, Elephant Social Market is a new, vibrant and family-friendly hub for the local neighbourhood celebrating art, food, music and conversation.

Drop in for a delicious line up of street food, farmers’ market traders, cooking demos, local designers, crafts, live music, art and workshops. Open 11am-6pm.

BRING YOUR OWN BABY COMEDY 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.

21-22 October, OLYMPIA LONDON, Olympia Way W14 8UX, www.london.vegfest.co.uk The biggest vegan festival of the year is coming to London, bringing cooks, nutritionists, food producers and even vegan comedians. Sample vegan chocolate, cakes and desserts, dairy-free cheese, meat free meats and much more. Meet like-minded new friends and possibly find love at one of the biggest vegan meetups of the year. Hear what the experts have to say - and pick their brains asking those questions that you are not sure who else to ask. Advance tickets £12 adults, £15 on the door, accompanied under 16s free.

THE FERTILITY SHOW 4-5 November, OLYMPIA, Olympia Way W14 8UX, www.fertilityshow.co.uk The Show is entering its ninth year of helping all those looking to start, or extend, a family by providing expert advice about the fertility journey and exploring treatment options such as IVF, egg and sperm donation and surrogacy. Expert talks from the world’s leading fertility specialists join more than 100 exhibitors including organisations and advice groups, UK and overseas clinics, charities and patient care groups, acupuncture, nutritionists and councillors. Tickets £15 on the door, reduced when pre-booked.

BABY TO TODDLER SHOW THE BABY SHOW 20-22 October, OLYMPIA LONDON, Olympia Way W14 8UX, www.thebabyshow.co.uk The UK’s biggest pregnancy and parenting event is returning to Olympia for a 15th year. The event offers new and expectant parents a huge choice of parenting must-haves all under one roof including expert speakers and free workshops. Over 200 exhibitors showcase their latest and best products with the like of Mothercare, iCandy, Tommee Tippee, Peg Perego, VTech, Chicco, Stokke and Britax, with fantastic discounted prices.

Emma’s Diary will have their essential Collect-by-Car service to save you carrying your purchases around all day, while the fully equipped Tommee Tippee Feeding Area is ready and waiting for when your little one gets hungry. MadeForMums will be hosting a brilliant buggy testing track where you can give each brand a whirl over to see which buggy you like best. The major baby retailers will be there alongside smaller, boutique brands launching their products for the very first time. Pre-booked tickets from £14.45 for Friday, £15.45 for Saturday and Sunday, and £20 on the door.

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12 Families South East

18 +19 November, EXCEL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway EC16 1XL, www.babytotoddlerevents.co.uk From the organisers of The Baby Show, Baby To Toddler is created for parents of children aged 0-4 years and parents-to-be. A two day event for modern parents, this year’s ExCel show coincides with the Black Friday sales period, offering a fantastic one-stop shop for everything you need to see you through the early years.

Buggies, toys, books, fashion, feeding, bathing, furniture - you name it, Baby To Toddler has it all. Over 100 carefully selected exhibitors showcase the leading brands, so you’ll be sure to get your hands on the latest must-have products. Product experts will be on hand to walk you through the best products for you and your family, and naturally there are plenty of baby changing stations, feeding areas and an activity-filled KidsZone for the youngest visitors. Open 10am-5pm each day, tickets £12 on the door, under 16s free.

READER OFFER: Save over 40% on admission by pre-booking online with the code FAMILIESSE.

BABY TO TODDLER SHOW

THE AFFORDABLE ART FAIR 19-22 October, BATTERSEA EVOLUTION, Battersea Park SW11 4NJ, 0871 231 0830, www.affordableartfair.com Browse thousands of pieces of original contemporary art on sale from 100 to 6000. A range of expert talks explore everything you need to know about how to start or grow an art collection, and a series of hands-on workshops help you understand the fascinating techniques used by artists at the fair. Tickets £12 on the door weekday, £15 weekend, advanced tickets reduced cost, free for accompanied under 16s.

THEATRE SHOWS GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS Weekends until 29 October, upstairs at the SYDENHAM CENTRE, 44a Sydenham Road SE26 5QX, bookings 020 8778 4701, www.spontaneousproductions.co.uk Join Goldilocks - or G-Lox as she likes to call herself, on a journey of discovery in the woods. There’ll be porridge and lots of surprises; take your own teddy bear and become part of the story.

Spontaneous Productions stage original theatre for young audiences, reinventing classic tales with a modern twist, original songs and music. 2 and 4pm, ages 3+, £6 children, £10 adults.

DANCE UMBRELLA FESTIVAL 11-28 October, VARIOUS VENUES, www.danceumbrella.co.uk This year’s programme is jam-packed with world-leading choreographers and dancers and opens with Origami at Battersea Power Station. The London skyline will be dramatically altered as gravity-defying Japanese dancer and circus aerialist, Satchie Noro performs on a moving, 40ft shipping container in front of the iconic building. Families will be able to enjoy this spectacular, free, outdoor performance in several other locations along the banks of the River Thames and Croydon.

Another highlight for families is the charming and inventive DOT, by award-winning Spanish company Cia Maduixa, combines dance, theatre and technology. This inventive show takes place at several locations across London. Full of wonder for young audiences, the fast-paced, precise design brings world of colour and light to life, inspired by American artist Sol Lewitt.

DR SEUSS’S THE LORAX 24 October - 5 November, THE OLD VIC, The Cut SE1 8NB, 0844 871 7628, www.oldvictheatre.com The irrepressible, big-hearted, moustachioed critter is back. This dazzlingly funny, moving, and inspiring show sees the go-getting Once-ler come face to face with the magical Lorax in a battle over the beloved truffula trees and the whole of Paradise Valley.

Adapted for the stage by David Greig with music and lyrics by Charlie Fink and designs by multi-Olivier Award winning Rob Howell, Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax is a brilliant riot of eye-popping colour, gorgeous puppetry and infectious music to enchant adults and children alike. Tickets from £12, under 16s half price.

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Families october 2017.qxp_Layout 1 26/09/2017 9:37 am Page 13

THE ENORMOUS TURNIP, 27 + 28 October. Rosie races against time to grow an enormous turnip so she can carve a lantern for a special Festival of Light in her village. Featuring beautifully hand-crafted puppets and sets, storytelling, live music, songs and lots of joining in, this is a classic folk tale with a magical twist. 1 and 3pm, ages 3+, family tickets £24.

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BLACKHEATH HALLS 23 Lee Road, Blackheath SE3 9RQ, 020 8318 9758, www.blackheathhalls.com BILLY GOATS GRUFF, 7 October. Who’s that trip trapping over my bridge? This is the simple story of three hungry goats and a grumpy old troll, told with a gently ecological message. Watch out for the dance of the goats, the flying troll and load and loads of rubbish. Garlic Theatre create a magical world to entrance and delight a young audience with puppets, live music, storytelling and singing. Ages 3-6, tickets £8.50.

HAVEN’T STOPPED DANCING YET, 7 October. An Autumn party for all grown-ups who want to dance to the music they remember the first time round! With a mix of disco, soul & funk from the 70s and 80s, dance line ups, free retro sweets and ice pops, it is certain to be a fun night to remember for anyone up for a party. 7.30pm start, tickets £18 on the door, £15 in advance.

THE STEADFAST TIN SOLDIER, 21 October. There once was a remarkable tin soldier who fell in love with a beautiful paper dancer and then tumbled out of a window so beginning a perilous journey into the unknown... This playful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s poetic story uses light, projected animations and simple materials that are skilfully transformed through puppetry to create a theatrical experience that will engage and touch young hearts and minds. 11.30am and 3pm, ages 3+, tickets £8.50.

ALADDIN, 18 November. This colourful tale from the Arabian Nights is set in the Middle East: a place of mystery, enchantment and strange, mythical creatures. Large scale contemporary Shadow Puppet theatre tells of a poor street boy who falls hopelessly in love with a Royal Princess. What magic would he need just to see her again? Follow Aladdin’s wild and dangerous adventures as he gets caught up in excitement way beyond his control. 11.30am and 3pm, ages 4+, tickets £8.50.

THE NUTCRACKER, 25 November. Journey through the magical night with Clara and her Nutcracker Prince, meet the Mouse King and join the Sugar Plum Fairy in the beautiful Land of Sweets. After sell-out tours, Let’s All Dance presents this much-loved Christmas classic for the festive season once again. With dazzling dancing, all the famous characters and sumptuous music, this shortened version is a perfect treat for the whole family. Fantastic dancers, crystal-clear storytelling and stunning visuals enchant audiences of all ages, immersing them in the spectacular world of professional dance. 1.30 and 3.45pm, tickets £10 children, £14 adults.

GREENWICH THEATRE GREENWICH THEATRE, Crooms Hill SE10 8ES, 020 8858 7755, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk THE DREAM FACTORY, 21-22 October. Following the story of a young girl who has lost her ability to dream, we embark on a magical adventure to find out where dreams are made, what they look like... and even what they smell like! With breathtaking puppetry, enchanting storytelling and an exquisite musical score, immerse yourselves in a dream world where anything is possible. Tickets £11.

THE LORAX

ALEENA’S GARDEN, 23 October. Join Aleena in her beautiful garden, help bring the seeds to life, meet the animals that live there, watch the flowers and trees bloom and the seasons change.

Colour The Clouds Theatre Company present an interactive sensory adventure for very little children and their grown-ups.

Ages 0-3, tickets £6 children, £11 adults.

THE THREE MUSKETEERS, 23 October. Chaos, mayhem and stupidity reign supreme as children’s comedy trio the Three Half Pints swish their swords, buff their boots and flourish their feathers in their most ridiculous adventure yet! The seventeenth century has never been so silly! Will they defeat the dastardly evil-doers?

Will they save the damsel in distress? Will they actually read the book before writing the show? Ages 5+, tickets £8.50 children, £13.50 adults.

ME, 24 October. The world is a very big place, especially for a tiny baby penguin who is just finding her feet. The shimmering stars and glistening snow spin around our little hero, while the mountains tower high and the wind rushes to and fro. And although baby penguin may be small her family know she’s the biggest thing of all. A Little Angel Theatre production based on the book by Emma Dodd published by The Templar Company Limited. Ages 2+, tickets £8.50 children, £13.50 adults.

YANA AND THE YETI, 26 October. It’s 1950, and with the looming threat of the Cold War a poor community on the edge of a Siberian forest find themselves cut off from civilisation. Yana lives with her only living relative, her Aunt. One day she joins the other children of the village on a trip out into the snow but when she doesn’t return to the village that evening the alarm is raised. Whilst lost in the frozen landscape, Yana has a chance encounter with another child, a child scared and alone much like herself... but a child who knows the ways of the snow. Ages 8+, tickets £8.50 children, £13.50 adults.

HOW TIME FLIES, 28 October. HandMade Theatre presents an original and quirky show inspired by the wonderful and intriguing world of archaeology. Join the eccentric team of archaeologists inside their beautiful field tent, as they guide you through a dig to find long lost artefacts. An interactive show bursting with puppets, songs, facts and fun, suitable for the whole family to enjoy! Tickets £8.50 children, £13.50 adults.

CANADA WATER SPACE 21 Surrey Quays Road SE16 7AR, www.canadawaterculturespace.org.uk STORY JAM, 19 October. Top tellers and songsters get together to sing stories and tell songs, shanties and sagas. There’s a cello, a choir, one man and his uke and lots more. With a different line-up of tellers each month, enjoy tales from every corner of the world. 7.30pm, ages 14+, tickets £8, concs £7.

ALEENA’S GARDEN, 21 October. An exciting, interactive journey through the natural world with lights, sound, touch, smells, original music and simple signing. 1 and 3pm, ages 0-3, family tickets £24.

BETTER TOGETHER, 26 October. Follow the story of three delightful clowns, Tropizo, Doa and Squiggle, on their journey towards becoming the best of friends. Watch the Clowns tumble, laugh, play and get messy as they overcome their differences and learn the strength of acceptance and togetherness. 1 and 3pm, ages 4+, family tickets £24.

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ALBANY, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 5AG, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk THE CLASS PROJECT, 25 October. A show about belonging.

About tribes and families. About the place you belong because you were born there, the places that are in your blood, but also the places you adopt and pretend are your home and the places where you change yourself to try and belong in. 7.30pm, ages 11+, tickets £14, concs £10.

ALEENA’S GARDEN, 22 October. An exciting, interactive journey through the natural world with lights, sound, touch, smells, original music and simple signing. 1 and 3pm, ages 0-3, family tickets £24.

DOT, 26 October. Blending a sequence of precise digital projections, dancers’ bodies and a bespoke score, DOT is as mind-bogglingly clever as it is charming. It revolves around worlds of light, colour and imagination, revealing a choreographic playground of wonder and discovery. 11am and 2pm, ages 3+, family tickets £32.

ME... 26 October. The world is a very big place, especially for a tiny baby penguin who is just finding his feet. The shimmering stars and glistening snow spin around our little hero, while the mountains tower high and the wind rushes to and fro. But although baby penguin is small, his family know he’s the biggest thing of all.

1 and 3pm, ages 2+, family tickets £24.

MOONFALL, 5 November. Join a princess like no other as she embarks on the biggest journey of her life - to the Moon!

Moonfall use an aerial rope and hoop and combine these exciting disciplines with beautiful and imaginative play to tell a completely original story. 1 and 3pm, ages 4+, family tickets £24.

STORY JAM, 9 November. Top tellers and songsters get together to sing stories and tell songs, shanties and sagas. With a different line-up of tellers each month, enjoy tales from every corner of the world. 7.30pm, ages 14+, tickets £8, concs £7.

THE SNOWMAN 23 November - 31 December, PEACOCK THEATRE Portugal Street WC2A 2HT, 0844 412 4322, www.peacocktheatre.com Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without a trip to see The Snowman! Now in its 20th hit year, this enchanting stage show of Raymond Briggs’ classic book tells the story of a boy and his magical snowman’s wintery wonderland adventure. As a friendship is kindled, the two embark on a starry-skied adventure to the North Pole, where they meet dancing penguins, an Ice Princess, Father Christmas and escape the clutches of Jack Frost. Tickets from £15.

UNICORN THEATRE 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7845 0580, www.unicorntheatre.com LAIKA, until 12 November. Meet Laika, the space dog and first living creature to orbit earth, in a moving sci-fi adventure. That was in 1957. Today it is 2057, and Sami lives with his mum. She’s an astronaut who understands that there could be a better future out in space. But Sami’s life is down here. So now they must face the prospect of letting go, saying goodbye heading off into the unknown. A moving sci-fi adventure, inventively and beautifully told using puppetry, movement and music. Tickets from £10.

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BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

THE SNOWMAN

MoreWhat’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesonline.co.uk then click What's On

SOUTHBANK SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX, 0844 847 9944, www.southbankcentre.co.uk PRAM JAM, 23 October. Take your little ones to a London Literature Festival-themed Pram Jam session, including nursery rhymes, poems and rhyming stories. Under 5s, 10.15am-11am, £5.

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside SE1 9DT, 020 7401 9919, www.shakespearesglobe.com Learn about Shakespeare’s world and his plays through interactive activities and demonstrations. Ages 5+, £10 family tickets available for a limited period.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, until 15 October. Set in Mexico, in 1910, Shakespeare’s classic tale of antagonistic romance and madcap humour explodes on to the Globe stage with a fusion of Latin music, desert flowers and revolutionary politics in this bold new production. Tickets from £5.

LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE LITTLE ANGEL THEATRE, 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street N1 2DN, 020 7226 1787, www.littleangeltheatre.com GOBLIN’S PETER AND THE WOLF, 23-26 October. Peter and Grandad have gone camping for the weekend. Grandad says stick to the campsite but Peter has other ideas. Join Peter on a hilarious adventure through the fields and forest as he discovers new sounds and noises. Featuring animal antics of singing birds, waddling ducks, sneaky cats, and a rocking wolf. With new music lovingly inspired by Prokofiev’s classic, this is Peter and the Wolf as you’ve never seen it before. Ages 3-7, tickets £10 children, £12 adults.

BLOWN AWAY, 30 October - 1 November. Meet Penguin Blue and friends as they go on an acrobatic Antarctic adventure full of good ideas, homesickness and the perils of kites. Packed full of spectacular circus, magical puppetry and catchy songs Metta Theatre’s joyous stage adaptation of Rob Biddulph’s award-winning children’s book is fun for all the family. Ages 3-7, tickets £10 children, £12 adults.

WOW! SAID THE OWL, until 5 November. The acclaimed children’s book by award-winning author, Tim Hopgood, is brought to life through a blend of beautiful storytelling, puppetry and music. Directed by Joy Haynes, this show will delight and excite very young audiences. Ages 2-5, tickets £10.50 children, £12.50 adults; all tickets £5 at 5pm on Fridays.

ZERAFFA GIRAFFA, until 4 November. An emotionally engaging tale that explores what it is like to be different. Based on the book by award-winning children’s author Dianne Hofmeyr, Zeraffa Giraffa is inspired by the astonishing true tale of a real giraffe.

This adaptation has beautiful hand-made puppets and an original musical score that will bring you along Zeraffa’s epic journey across land and sea. Ages 4-8, tickets £12 children, £14 adults; all tickets £5 at 5pm on Fridays.

STICK MAN LIVE 22 October - 7 January, LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX, 020 7734 2222, www.stickmanlive.com “Stick Man lives in the family tree, with his Stick Lady Love and their Stick Children three...” This delightful adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s amazing tale of The Stickman is full of live music, songs, funky moves and puppetry from a small yet brilliant professional cast. Ages 3+.

M US E U M S & EVENT S JUNIOR SUSHI MASTER 14 October, The Jamie Oliver Cookery School, JAMIE’S ITALIAN, Ariel Way W12 7GB, www.jamieolivercookeryschool.com A fun cookery class where children learn how to make delicious sushi rolls. 10-11.30am.

KIDTROPOLIS 23 -26 October, EXCEL, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway E16 1XL, www.kidtropolis.co.uk Kidtropolis is the doorway to an immersive world of children’s brands, toys, games, and inspirational activities - celebrating everything that is fun for families with under 12s. Live shows and appearances will include Naomi Wilkinson’s Wild and Scary Show; Rainbow’s Bungle, Zippy and George; Peppa Pig; Sooty, Sweep and Soo; Comedian Julian Clary; dance troop Flawless and more.

Learn to play the official Pokemon Trading Card Game with Esdevium Games, make your own YouTube videos with the Tubers Academy, and meet representatives from top toy brands.

Book for 9am-1.30pm or 2-6.30pm, tickets from £13.

THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM 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.

14 Families South East

ROBOT ZOO, until 29 October. Your last chance to see a robotic rhino, a squid with 18-foot tentacles and a huge housefly with a vacuum cleaner for a mouth. Robot Zoo houses larger-than-life robot animals made from familiar machine parts and gadgets, in an exciting hands-on family exhibition revealing some of nature’s most amazing adaptations. Interactive games and challenges explain how a chameleon changes colour, what makes grasshoppers leap so high, and why a platypus looks so strange.

Children £4.40, adults £7.70, families £18.70.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON 14 October, CABBAGES AND FROCKS MARKET, St Marylebone Parish Church, Marylebone High Street W1U 5BA, www.cabbagesandfrocks.co.uk Go walkies to Marylebone for an afternoon of dog displays, the latest in canine couture and doggy accessories. Enter your own pooch into a free competition: best dog trick, waggy tail, ‘A bit of ruff’ for mixed breeds, miniatures and toy breeds, matching pairs, best puppy and more. Pick up some tips from distinguished dog trainer Rob Alleyne, author ‘The Trouble-free Dog’ and behavioural trainer on the BBC3 series Dog Borstal. 11am - 5pm.

THE STRINGS CLUB DISCOVERY DAY 21 October, GREENWICH CENTRE LIBRARY, 12 Lambarde Square SE10 9HB, 0121 296 9204, www.thestringsclub.org/greenwich Choosing an instrument for your child to learn can be a difficult and expensive process, so The Strings Club discovery days offer a great opportunity to try out new instruments. Packed full of unmissable musical activities, The Strings Club promise to inspire your child from the offset, taking them on a memorable musical adventure. On the day, they can try two new instruments and get two lessons for free! Choose from the ukelele, violin and guitar and once inspired, there are term time classes and holiday camps.

Ages 4-11, 10.30am-12noon, free but book first.

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.

MUSEUMS AT NIGHT, 27 October. A rare opportunity for an evening visit, with a spooky spin. Listen to the mysterious tales of the Bank Nun and many more ghostly stories from the Bank’s past.

THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM 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.

BACH TO BABY, 12 October. The award-winning classical concert series for babies, toddlers and parents, performed by pianist Miaomiao Yu along with other internationally-renowned musicians. 10.30am, children free, adults £12.

HALF TERM WORKSHOPS, 24-27 October. A week of free children’s art workshops, inspired by museum exhibits.

CHARLES DICKENS MUSEUM 48 Doughty Street WC1N 2LX, www.dickensmuseum.com HIGHLIGHTING THE COLLECTION, last Sunday of every month. Discover a unique set of Dickensian curiosities, from a cheque signed by Dickens to a beautiful dolls house, an engraved snuff box and even a collection of original props from The Invisible Woman.

THE HOUSEMAID’S TOUR, 15 October. Step back in time to 1839; Dickens and his young family are preparing to leave for a journey to their ‘home from home’ - a relaxing holiday in Broadstairs is just the ticket. But during their absence, the housemaid is up to no good. From £10.

TWISTS AND TURNS, 29 October. Follow in Dickens’s footsteps as he wandered the streets near his home, seeing places and hearing about the people and events that inspired him to write Oliver Twist.11am, £10, age 12+.

MUSEUM OF LONDON MUSEUM OF LONDON, 150 London Wall EC2Y 5HN, www.museumoflondon.org.uk PADDINGTON’S HALF TERM, 21-29 October. To coincide with the launch of the film Paddington 2, daily activities will include exclusive competitions, special guests and a display of original Paddington costumes and props. Ages 5+,11am-4pm.

NIGHT OWLS HALLOWEEN SLEEPOVER, 27 October.

Trick-or-treat your way around the galleries, solve a spooky crime by torchlight with the help of a mysterious character and help us tell some ghostly tales from Victorian London. Bed down in the museum galleries, before a bright and early light breakfast and a family friendly film in the morning. From 6pm to morning, ages 7-11, £60 per person.

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.

CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY, 14 October. Try your hand at traditional Chinese calligraphy and celebrate London’s original Chinatown in this art workshop. Noon-1.30pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free.

THE RAVEST SHOW ON EARTH! 15 October. The museum and Big Fish Little Fish have teamed up again to bring you another award winning family rave. Party animals big and small will be able to enjoy a circus themed family-friendly rave. Get involved with our multi-sensory dancefloor delights, live DJ, glitter cannons, giant balloons, bubble machines and famous parachute dance.

2-4.30pm, ages 5+, free.

ABDUL MIAH, STORY OF A SAILOR, 22 October. Meet Abdul Miah, a Lascar sailor who came to England in the 19th century.

Discover why he left Kolkata and his experiences when he arrived in London, the city at the heart of the British Empire, in the 1890s.

1-1.30, 2-2.30 and 3-3.30pm, ages 5+, free.

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A NEW LIFE, 23 and 24 October. During the Second World War, many children from Eastern Europe came to the UK to escape the war. Learn about these children and imagine what their lives were like as you design your own suitcase and treasures to pack in this art workshop. 12-1.30pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free.

EVACUEE EXPERIENCES, 23 and 24 October. Hear the real stories of children who left London during the war for the safety of the countryside in this drama workshop. 1-1.45, 2-2.45 and 3-3.45pm, ages 5+, free.

LONDON IS THE PLACE FOR ME, 26 October. Take part in this creative poetry workshop which explores the experiences of immigrants, particularly those who came to London on the Windrush. Reflect upon the journeys they made and the challenges they faced in an unknown city. 12-12.45pm, 1-1.45pm, 2-2.45pm and 4-4.45pm, ages 5+, free.

FOLLOW THE DOTTED LINES, 27 October. Cinnamon, saffron and sugar! Ever wondered where wares like these come from and how they get to London? Discover the different spice routes leading to Britain, then plot these on a world map that you decorate and design in this art workshop. 12-1.30pm and 2.30-4pm, ages 5+, free.

SPICES FOR SALE, 27 October. Meet a Victorian spice seller who has left his home in North Africa to live in London. Talk to him about what first brought him to the city, smell the variety of spices he has on offer and learn where all of his wares have come from in this drop-in drama session. 12-1pm, 1.30-2.30pm and 3.30-4.30pm, ages 5+, free.

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD 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 2018. 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.

MUSEUMS AT NIGHT 26-28 October, various venues across London, www.museumsatnight.org.uk Visit the top museums across the capital, with special evening and late night events, talks, walks and workshops.

SOUTHBANK SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX, 0844 847 9944, www.southbankcentre.co.uk YOUNG ADULT LITERATURE WEEKENDER, 28+29 October.

A weekend of the most exciting YA novelists, bloggers, vloggers, poets and spoken word artists from rising stars to legends of the genre, including Tracy Chevalier, Juno Dawson, Hannah Witton, Samantha Shannon and Niviaq Korneliussen. 11.45am-5pm.

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH 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.

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.

SHE TELLS SEA TALES, 23-28 October. A storytelling festival of high seas adventure. Brace yourself for tales of freak storms, giant waves and mysterious stowaways, as well as the true story of the luckiest sailor aboard Cutty Sarkwho only just survived to tell his tale.10.30am-4pm, all ages.

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.

FAMILY ARCHAEOLOGY EXPERIENCE, 14 October. Get hands-on with the past, investigate fascinating finds and dig for genuine historical treasures. 1.30-2.15pm under 8s, 2.30-3.15pm ages 8+, £7.50, book first.

AN EDIBLE ADVENTURE, 21 October. Eat your way around the vibrant Walled Garden with this edible tour of delicious produce, and see for yourself how your favourite greens grow. Getting your 10-a-day has never been so fun! 11am and 2pm, children to be accompanied by an adult, free but book first.

ASTONISHING ARCHAEOLOGY, 25 October. Roll up your sleeves and prepare to get mucky as you dig up the past and get hands-on with archaeology at this family activity day. 11am-3pm, free, no booking necessary.

FIREWORK DISPLAYS ROTARY CLUB FIREWORKS

FIREWORKS IN THE PARK

4 November, CLUB LANGLEY, 2 Hawsbrook Lane, Beckenham BR3 3SR, www.westwickhamfireworks.co.uk

4 November, CROYDON ROAD RECREATION GROUND, Beckenham BR3 3PR, www.beckenhamfireworks.com Beckenham Fireworks in the Park is a family-friendly fireworks display that has been run since 1946! Arrive early to enjoy the funfair, food stalls and facepainting. This year there will be a quiet display (no loud bangs) at 6pm which is suitable for smaller children and is autism-friendly. The main firework display with music will start at 7.45pm. Gates open 5pm, entry free for under 11s, £5 11+ children, £10 adults.

West Wickham Rotary Club will light the skies with a magnificent display set to music, with all profits going to charities and local schools. Gates open 5.30pm, display at 7pm. Tickets £6.50 on the gate for adults £3.50 children. Advance family tickets £15.

DULWICH SPORTS CLUB BONFIRE & FIREWORKS NIGHT 4 November, DULWICH SPORTS CLUB, Burbage Road SE24 (entrance Great Arches Road), www.dulwichsports.co.uk A family orientated firework display with a bonfire, food and beverage stalls. Doors open 5pm, fireworks from 7pm. Under 10s free, adults £10 on the door - £7 if you book first.

BLACKHEATH FIREWORKS

THE LORD MAYOR’S FIREWORKS

4 November, BLACKHEATH SE3, www.lewisham.gov.uk/fireworks

11 November, riverside between WATERLOO BRIDGE and BLACKFRIARS BRIDGE, www.lordmayorsshow.london/fireworks The London Lord Mayor fireworks mark the end of the Lord Mayor’s Show and the beginning of a new mayoral year for the newest Lord Mayor of London. It’s an amazing display that can be seen for miles around. 5.15pm start.

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THE BIG DRAW: LIVING LINES 1-31 October, VARIOUS VENUES nationwide, www.thebigdraw.org From cave men to the big screen and everything in between, this year, the theme of the world’s biggest drawing festival aims to unite pixels, pencils and people from across the globe to celebrate the universal language of drawing. Many free events are running in galleries, museums, libraries, schools and community organisations across the nation - see the website for details.

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), 25 October - 28 January 2018.

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.

MUSEUMS AT NIGHT: TOVE JANSSON, 28 October. Enjoy the Tove Jansson exhibition after dark. Go on a theatrical journey, make your own fabric Moomin creatures and help build a magical world in the Mausoleum. 6-9.30pm, children £20, accompanying adults free.

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.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY 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.

Open 10am-6pm daily.

DROP IN FAMILY SUNDAYS. On the third Sunday of every month, families are invited to drop-in with children aged 3+ to take part in portrait-related events.

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.

DROP IN AND DRAW, 25+26 October. Join artist Luisa Rivera in the Great Gallery to create your own Spanish masterpiece inspired by the works of El Greco, Goya, Velazquez and others, as part of this year’s Big Draw Festival. 10.30am-12.30pm and 2-4pm, ages 5+.

SOUNDSCAPES AND LANDSCAPES, 27 October. Collect musical and visual ingredients from the galleries before mixing them together in the Wigmore Hall as an original work of musical art. 10.30am-3.300pm, ages 5+, tickets from £12, book first at www.wigmore-hall.org.uk.

CRYSTAL PALACE FIREWORKS 5 November, CRYSTAL PALACE PARK SE19 2AA, www.crystalpalacefireworks.co.uk Not one but two fireworks displays, plus food and drink stalls.

Gates open 6pm, children’s quieter fireworks 7pm, main display with music 8.30pm. Tickets from £4.50 children, £8.50 adults online; book first.

One of the biggest free community events in the capital, Blackheath Fireworks deliver an afternoon and evening of entertainment for all ages, with a funfair from mid day, food stalls and bars from 5pm, fireworks from 8pm. Admission free.

ART ACTIVITIES

OOOH, AH FIREWORKS NIGHT!

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THE MAGICAL CHRISTMAS SHOW FOR ALL THE FAMILY Children’s events Oct-Nov 2017

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SATURDAY 18 NOVEMBER 11.30am & 3pm

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Tickets £14 adults £10 children

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All tickets £8.50 unless otherwise stated Box office 020 8463 0100 Website blackheathhalls.com facebook.com/ facebook.com/Blackheathhalls @blackheathhalls Blackheathhalls

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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.russellpress.com

based on Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman Music and lyrics by Howard Blake