Families Glasgow July -Aug 2013

Glasgow’s really useful magazine for families with children aged 0-12 Now in Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, North and South Lanarkshire

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� Issue 40 July/August 2013

Football fun for the holidays!

Specialist Baby and Toddler Swimming Classes Come out of your shell and learn to swim the Turtle Tots way!

Email us at laurel.brodie@turtletots.com or call on 07860 618 586 www.turtletots.com

Fun, action packed football coaching camps for all abilities Places available from Birth-5 years

www.somersetnursery.com 0141 204 3399 6 Fitzroy Place Glasgow G3 7RH

From ages 3 up to 10 Holiday camps and Regular coaching sessions Visit: www.firsttouchfootball.co.uk Call: 07796 954013 Email: coaching@firsttouchfootball.co.uk

news and views

IN THIS ISSUE…

10-17

8-9

18-19

2-5

News & Views All the latest news from local businesses including events to watch out for this summer.

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Nursery & School News News from local nurseries and schools including the opening of new nursery - Cassiltoun Stables Nursery in Castlemilk.

GET IN TOUCH editor@familiesglasgow.co.uk 0560 0984 953 Keep up to date at www.familiesglasgow.co.uk or find us on facebook COVER CREDITS PHOTO: Making Waves, www.makingwavesswimming.co.uk 0141 530 8007

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Summer Holiday Tips Tips for travelling and learning on holiday plus our pick of the best summer must haves for children rain or shine!!!

10-17

Summer Activities Guide Our biggest ever guide to fun filled summer camps, clubs and classes to keep all ages busy during the school holidays.

NEXT ISSUE Back to School Sept/Oct. Copy deadline: 2 August.

Special ad rates offers available call or email us to find out more.

We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers cannot be held responsible for the claims made by advertisers.

Designed by Mia Calderisi Phelan (DesignsbyMia) info@designsbymia.co.uk. Printed By Warners (Midlands) plc. Families Glasgow copies are FREE and available through numerous outlets throughout Glasgow. If you would like some copies for your parents please let us know and we will arrange for some to be delivered to you.

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Holiday Review Take the family to explore Europe with DFDS Seaways - one family’s trip to Amsterdam on a mini-cruise weekend.

20-24

Summer What’s On? Out and about for all the family - find out what’s on where in and around Glasgow over the Summer.

DON’T MISS OUT If you run a Glasgow business – whether it’s a playgroup, cafe, nursery,hotel, hairdressers, soft play, activity class, leisure centre etc – and you would like to be on the Families Glasgow distribution list, let us know how many copies you require by emailing – editor@families glasgow.co.uk

Copyright: Families Glasgow Magazine July 2013.

Competition rules: only one entry per household is allowed,

Disclaimer: Colour transparencies and any other original materials submitted for publication are sent at owners risk and, whilst every care is taken, neither Families Glasgow nor its agents accept liability for loss or damage. Families Glasgow is part of the Families group established in 1990 and headed by Families South West. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for the claims of the advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

under 16s must obtain parental consent before entering, the editor’s decision is final and that no correspondence will be entered into; winners will be drawn at random and notified after 26 July. Families Glasgow has no responsibility for lost, damaged or illegible entries, Families Glasgow is not liable for any delay or failure to deliver any prize nor for the quality of the prize nor for any loss or damage arising in connection with the competition. www.familiesglasgow.co.uk

Early Years Festival in East Renfrewshire!

OFFER! Easy2Name Off to School set Easy2Name are giving away 5 Off to School sets to, each set is worth £18.90 and contains 30 waterproof stickers, 30 iron on name tapes, 1 set of shoe covers, 1 bag tag and 1 shoe bag. We would definitely recommend these sets whether it is your child’s very first day of school or the start of a new school year.

To enter email your name and full contact details to competitions@familiesglasgow. co.uk. Please state clearly the name of your child and whether you require the shoe bag in red, lilac or blue.

The full Easy2Name range can be seen at www.easy2name.com

EAST Renfrewshire will be holding its third annual Early Years Festival encouraging you and your family to make use of the facilities you have on your doorstep! This is a special year for Eastwood Park as it is celebrating its 40th Birthday and the Early Years Festival offers something for everyone including visual art, theatre, music and storytelling to name but a few.

To make your visit as simple as possible there will be buggy parks at each venue for the festival duration. You can purchase your tickets online and you can also take advantage of its new ‘Print At Home’ option. The simplest and easiest way to visit Eastwood Park Theatre. So do join the celebrations. To find out more visit www.eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk

1st birthday celebrations for Ballet4Babies Ballet4Babies celebrated their First Birthday with a Bumper Birthday Party for Miss Miranda Mouse on Sunday 5 May at the Glasgow Fort.

The children enjoyed dancing, party games, party food and hugs from Miss Miranda Mouse and it was a great party to celebrate one year of ballet classes for children in Glasgow.

Ballet4Babies runs classes for children aged 6 months to five years in South side of Glasgow, Hillington and at Glasgow Fort.

For more information visit www.ballet4babies.co.uk or call 07759 119965.

5 % off your first year for all new bookings July - August

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news and views

Labels 4 Kids Discover the Zone continues to at Motherwell! build its business

ANN-MAREE Morrison, founder of Scottish company www.labels4kids. com was recently invited by 10 Downing Street and the UK Department of Business, Innovation and Skills to join their EU E-Commerce Task Force in London.

In addition to running up and down to London Ann-Maree has been busy developing the next generation of the Labels4Kids website to cater for international franchises and better meet the needs of the customer.

The new site was launched mid May and is a big change to the old one.

Still ironing out all the bugs will take a while but Ann-Maree would encourage Families customers to take a look around the new site and provide their feedback, both positive and negative.

“We have invested a huge amount of money in this site and it would be nice to know if it is meeting the needs of our customers and where we still need to work on improvement. The new site has many more video clips which can also be viewed on Labels4KidsTV on youtube, and an onscreen design facility for vinyl labels for some packs which will be rolled across all the vinyl labels if it works well for our customers,” says Ann-Maree.

Families Magazine customers can get 10% discount on the new site using the code families at the checkout.

10% Discount for Families readers

FOR a high-energy action-packed day out, why not head over to The Zone in Motherwell.

The unique family entertainment centre, on Hamilton Road, offers a number of interactive activities all under one roof.

Now under new ownership, The Zone now managed by Gilbert Findlay and his team, are working on introducing a number of new activities throughout 2013.

Adding to the popular Laser Zone, a Lazer Frenzy Maze has been added – the first of its kind in Scotland. Introducing a brand new way to entertain yourself and all the family. Try to defeat our Laser Maze by ducking and diving over and under the lasers to reach the checkpoint then escape as fast as you can without breaking any of the lasers to try and become the next top agent!

And for the dancers out there an interactive dance zone has been added with state of the art dance mats. So why not come down and join the fun and find out if you’re the next dance sensation in our Interactive Dance Zone! Dance to the beat with all your friends and family and prove you have the moves like Jagger!

Action-packed fun for all ages under one roof!! With many more changes and improvements still underway. There is fun to be had for all your friends and family, the Zone really is the place to be.

For more information, call 01698 261728 or visit www.zapme.co.uk

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ROLLER DISCO is back!

June, July & August @SWG3 RollerStop Shakedown: Family & Beginner Roller Disco Sessions throughout the summer for all ages, skate hire available visit rollerstop.co.uk Where? (100 East Vale Place g3 8QG) Come off Arglye Street in Finnieston at the new Sainsburys / 78 Bar. Skate hire available at all sessions: Drop in or book on the website:

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news and views

10 years of swimming with Water Babies WATER Babies in Scotland are celebrating 10 years of swimming and are now teaching over 2,000 babies per week, 7 days a week in over 25 venues. In that time they have raised over £750,000 nationally and £23,000 locally for Tommy’s the baby charity as well as being awarded 6 national awards, saving 10 babies’ lives and training hundreds of the country’s most highly qualified baby swimming teachers.

And in this special anniversary year, they will once again be asking all their mini swimmers to take part in Tommy’s sponsored Splashathon to try to raise even more than last time and take the Water Babies’ UK total raised for Tommy’s over the £1million mark! The

Splashathon activities will take place in every Water Babies class with babies and children from 1 month to 8 years’ old splashing for cash.

The next Water Babies term will begin in mid-August so if you’d like to be part of the next 10 years of splashing, call them on 0131 554 6682 or send them an email to woggle@waterbabies.co.uk

New Owner, Same Great Market at Baby Booty Sale Baby Sensory Classes

• Light shows

Award winning Baby Development classes for babies from birth to 13 months

• Brain games • Puppet shows • Bonding/Massage

Classes Running Weekly in Cumbernauld & North Glasgow To find out more details about classes visit our website www.babysensory.com

Contact: Gail Macdonald Tel: 07702806640 E-mail:glasgownorth@babysensory.co.uk

CAROLINE Brown of the Attic Markets has taken over as the new owner manager of Baby Booty Sale. Caroline already manages a varied range of events in Glasgow, including wedding shows, pamper evenings and nearly-new markets. She has a wealth of experience in event management and is delighted to take the reins of Glasgow’s original and favourite nearly-new baby and children’s market.

Caroline will be establishing a new market at Scotstoun Leisure Centre in July, following the impending closure of Kelvin Hall. Markets will continue monthly at Scotstoun throughout the remainder of 2013. Caroline also hopes to take Baby Booty Sale to new venues across Scotland and will visit some old haunts as well, including The Park Hotel in Kilmarnock and Hutchesons’ Grammar School! Look out for an exciting new schedule of markets in the coming months!

Look out for the forthcoming markets in June, July and August Sat 22nd June Kelvin Hall, Glasgow 10.30am - 1pm Sun 23rd June The Park Hotel, Kilmarnock 10.30am - 1pm Sun 21st July The Park Hotel, Kilmarnock 10.30am - 1pm Sat 27th July Scotstoun Leisure Centre 1.30pm - 4pm Sat 31st August Scotstoun Leisure 1.30pm - 4pm To register your interest in a stall at an upcoming event, please email: info@babybootysale.co.uk

Tommy’s Baby Race Returns to Bellahouston Park NOW in its second year The Baby Race, organised by baby charity Tommy’s and pre and post-natal fitness experts Buggyfit, will be taking place at Bellahouston Park on 14th September 2013.

This fun 5k race is a chance for all the family to get out and enjoy their local park

Music and Dance for Boys and Girls aged 6 months - 5 years www.ballet4babies.co.uk

Miss Claire info@ballet4babies.co.uk

0775 911 9965 4 July/August 2013

Families Glasgow

in all its summer glory and to also help fund pioneering medical research into pregnancy complications. Participants can choose to run or walk with their baby and buggy. All routes follow a designated path and are easy to navigate with a buggy.

So whether it’s those looking to improve their fitness post-pregnancy or a group of friends and family members who want to get together for a catch-up and stroll in the sunshine, the flexibility of the Baby Race allows everyone to enjoy it!

Sign up at www.tommys.org/ babyrace Registration costs £14.50 per person and includes a T-shirt, training plan, gifts and good bag brimming with treats from sponsors Cow & Gate and Forever friends which participants will receive after crossing the finish line.

news and views

Disco Duck will be dancing his way into Glasgow on Sunday 7th July.

WE are looking for Instructors in Scotland to run our fantastic Disco Duck Pre-School Dance Classes and Parties. Disco Duck pre-school classes are specifically designed by a dance examiner to encourage fitness, coordination, balance and confidence. With the help of our very own fluffy Disco Duck, we engage with the children (and their parents!), to ensure they have lots of fun whilst keeping fit at the same time.

Disco Duck has its own original funky music and a syllabus designed to develop specific learning outcomes based around the foundations of dance, and offers a doorway into dance for both boys and girls! As a Disco Duck Licensee, you can not only earn from classes and parties, but also from selling the range of merchandise on offer at a considerable profit.

The classes have recently been featured in both Practical Parenting and Pregnancy and Prima Baby Magazines. One of our Licensees, Fiona comments: “Had a fab first class, with 10 little ducklings, reaction was amazing - all the kids just wanted to kiss the duck and even had tears when the class finished!!! Now been asked what other classes we do?!? Amazing!

Roll on next week.”

Disco Duck would like to invite you to find out more. We are holding our very first Roadshow in Glasgow where you will learn about: • Turning your passion into a business – A talk from a leading expert on how to build a successful dance/fitness business • Welcome to our world – Talks from existing licensees as to how they have effectively used the licence to create successful Classes.

• The Disco Duck class – A snapshot of the Disco Duck class.

• Questions and answers – The chance to ask questions about the licence, view our exciting merchandise and class props and the opportunity to purchase your Disco Duck Licence on the day at a substantial discount.

WHEN: Sunday 7th July WHERE: MAD studios, 13 Main Street, Coatbridge, ML5 4WB To find out more or to book your place on our Roadshow please visit www.disco-duck.co.uk Or telephone: 01462 625781.

SPECIAL FAMILIES GLASGOW OFFER! Book our Roadshow for just £5 quoting the code FAM01 (The booking fee will then be refunded against the purchase of your Licence)

More Than a Game: How Scotland Shaped World Football 27 March to 18 August at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum EXPLORE the hidden history of Scottish football in a story 600 years in the making! From Shanghai to Sao Paulo, follow the pioneering players and dedicated fans who helped foster the modern game across the world.

Through team strips, memorabilia and original footage, find out more about the tanner ba’ street games that children around the world have played for decades. Marvel at the world-class performances witnessed by capacity crowds at Hampden Park.

There are trophies from competitions past, objects including a Jimmy Johnstone Faberge Egg, a bust of Jock Stein, a shirt worn by Gazza, and a pie stand from Hibernian’s Easter Road. There is training equipment, refereeing memorabilia and film footage dedicated to the Busby Babes in the Munich Air Disaster.

This family friendly exhibition let’s you can dress up in vintage-style kit, stand on a recreated terrace, put yourself in the referee’s boots with our unique interactive, and kick about

a virtual football!

Through this fascinating show, discover why football is Scotland’s national obsession - see team kit, trophies and rare items associated with the legends of Scottish football including James McFadden, Denis Law, Bill Shankly and Sir Alex Ferguson. This exhibition is being staged in partnership with the Scottish Football Museum Hampden. Tickets £5 adults/ £3 concession – Under 16s Go Free! www.glasgowmuseums.com

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July/August 2013

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nursery and school news

Cassiltoun Stables Nursery Now Open for Business FULL and part time spaces are now available at the newly opened Cassiltoun Stables Nursery at Machrie Road, Castlemilk. Perfectly located within easy reach to Rutherglen, Pollokshaws, Clarkston, Newton Mearns, Busby and East Kilbride, the Nursery has excellent parking facilities for easy drop off and pick up for parents.

The Nursery provides a wonderful environment for children from six weeks to three years of age including two bespoke baby rooms plus the perfect space for two and three year olds to develop their social skills in a small group. Children can get close to nature making the most of the spacious secure garden areas as well as local woodland. Home cooked meals and healthy snacks and drinks are provided, so if you want to find out more about this new local nursery call 0141 631 5235 to arrange a visit or pop in Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm. The Nursery will be open 51 weeks a year from 7.30am to 6pm.

Email: nursery@cassiltoun.org.uk

5% off your first year at Little Stars Nursery for all new bookings this summer (July/Aug) Families Glasgow readers can enjoy 5% off their first year at Little Stars Nursery. The State of the art nursery is close to the Digital Media Quarter including the Glasgow Science Centre, BBC and STV Studios plus Pacific Quay so brilliantly located for busy mums and dads working nearby. With safe parking for parents and good public transport links the nursery caters for all ages from babies of three months to five years.

To find out more about this fantastic nursery visit www.littlestarsnurseries.co.uk

Belmont House School Nursery a great place to start education BELMONT House School is a unique school with a roll of under 300 pupils from age 3-18 years.

The School offers a very wide range of academic subjects and extra-curricular opportunities from Nursery through to Senior 6. The School’s Nursery has partnership status with East Renfrewshire Council and is an

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exciting place to start education. Located in a spacious, vibrant building at the heart of the School, the Nursery provides 3-5 year olds with a wide range of educational experiences, cultivating solid foundations where confidence is developed, enquiry encouraged and a love of learning is established. There is a stimulating

active learning curriculum, building strong links for a seamless transition into Junior 1. Opening times from 8am-6pm provide wraparound care during term time and from end of June 2013 a new non-term time service will also be available.

To find out more visit www.belmontschool.co.uk

nursery and school news

A Kelvinside Academy Education Kelvinside Academy is about to open its new purpose built, state of the art nursery this summer and below the Rector at Kelvinside Academy explains why he believes a Kelvinside education will make a difference to your child’s academic and personal development.

“I am often asked by parents what sets Kelvinside Academy, an independent coeducational day school for children from 3 to 18 years, apart from other schools. I tell them that there are three main reasons for choosing Kelvinside Academy.

The right size Firstly, with a school roll of just under 600 pupils, Kelvinside Academy is large enough to provide a rich and challenging curriculum, both in and out of the classroom, and small enough to know each individual child. An all through school, Kelvinside Academy is a community with a family feel. We give pupils the individual attention they need and this is underpinned by high quality pastoral care and outstanding relationships. Every child feels and believes that he or she is valued and supported by the system; no one is lost in the crowd.

The right challenge The second reason is that students of all ages are inspired and encouraged to think for themselves, ask questions and strive for excellence. Academic

endeavour is balanced by the wide variety of extracurricular opportunities, such as sport, outdoor education, music, drama, clubs, cadets and community service, through which young people can express themselves and find their inner strengths. Challenges in and out of the classroom move boys and girls out of their comfort zones so that they discover more about themselves and the world around them. These challenges foster self-confidence, enterprise, resilience, leadership, service and teamwork.

Students leave Kelvinside as independent, well qualified and well rounded young people.

The right values Third and most importantly, Kelvinside Academy combines traditional values with a modern vision of why we educate children and of the skills and qualities we want young people to have. Parents share the vision and values of the school, including high expectations of courtesy and conduct. What makes a Kelvinside education different and special is the unique way it combines individual attention and inspiring teaching within a happy and disciplined environment.”

You can find out more about Kelvinside Academy at the forthcoming Open Day on 21st September or by visiting www.kelvinsideacademy.org.uk

Families Glasgow July/August 2013

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summer holiday top tips and must have products

The Big Summer Holiday - Tips for Travellers

By Robina Cowan Yippee! It’s the break we have all been dreaming of and looking forward to through the dank winter and spring months – here comes this year’s summer holiday. Hands up who remembers when it was just you and your beloved, grabbing a cheap deal, filling a backpack at the last minute and heading for the sun? Those were the good old days... Now you’re a family, there’s a third ‘p’ to add to ‘passport and packing’ – ‘planning’.

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and a few sweets (for bribing and wiping away tears). Oh the satisfying feeling to have what you need just at the right time!

Pack spare clothes in your hand luggage in case of ‘accidents’.

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

ON THE WAY •

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

Long car journeys are not all about being plugged into gadgets. Try story tapes - as a family, we are all totally addicted to the How to Train your Dragon series. The

BEFORE YOU GO •

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Label your child’s clothes, towels and backpacks, especially if you will be using kids’ clubs – they WILL go missing. Labels 4 Kids (www.labels4kids.com/fam) and Easy 2 Name (www.easy2name.com) both stock packs of instant labels so the job’s a breeze and it’s a much cheaper solution than replacing lost items. They also have ID wristbands so you can label the children with your contact details Use Google Street View with the children to look round your planned location and help get familiarised with the landscape, ‘foreign’ signs and local attractions. You can also use it to create a list of places to visit.

Photocopy everyone’s passport and keep the copies in a different place. If the originals go missing, proof that you had passports will make it much easier to tussle with overseas authorities when it’s time to come home.

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

Lost luggage is a nightmare. Rather than filling one suitcase per person, pack a couple of daytime and evening outfits for everyone in each case so you can all get started while the hotel/airline tracks down the missing bag.

Involve your children in the packing even if just a small part is their responsibility. It occupies them while you are busy and gets them into the holiday mood. Then check their choices: you may find fancy dress costumes and nothing sensible (OK, I admit this is from experience!)

Add a small ‘emergency bag’ to your hand luggage, with plasters, tissues, sachets of paracetamol, cotton wool, needle and thread, safety pins, wetwipes July/August 2013

Families Glasgow

have sympathy for you. Your priority is settling your child in the best way you can.

If your child has a favourite teddy or comfort blanket, make sure it’s in your hand luggage. It may help calm them and that in turn will calm you.

WHILE YOU’RE THERE

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Michelin I-Spy activity books are great fun, as are the free downloads from www.rac.co.uk/advice/car-knowledge/topten/car-games/. I made up some sheets myself for a journey through France and they kept my boys amused for hours.

For flights, Usborne’s 50 Things do on a Plane will keep them occupied, rrp £5.99, while the Top Trumps range is great for older children, especially if you’re willing to join in.

Flying is the one time I am relaxed about screen time - if you have electrical gadgets, use them. Make sure you have some child friendly headphones to hand so as not to ‘share’ your child’s love of Peppa Pig with the entire plane.

Sucky sweets (as they are known in our house) are great for little ones who struggle with their ears on take off. Give babies a bottle (or breastfeed) to stop their ears popping.

Pack an extra layer for the flight even if you’re flying from a warm UK to a tropical destination. Planes can be chilly and children won’t relax if they’re not cosy If your child is crying on the flight, don’t panic. Most of passengers on board will be either parents or grandparents and will

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Resist the temptation to Facebook your day’s antics - you’re advertising that you are away and your home’s empty. Not a good idea.

When packing to come home, check the back of every drawer, cupboard and even under the beds for favourite toys that might be lurking unseen. Have a quick rifle through the hotel/resort Lost Property box for mislaid hats/t-shirts etc (patting yourself on the back for labelling them beforehand).

WHEN YOU RETURN •

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

AND FINALLY Work on a 70:30 ratio. Holidays are not effortless when you have children, just as life at home is not effortless. If you can enjoy 70% of the time you are away together, that’s a result.

30% will be about tantrums, tiredness and bad moods. But if you come home knowing that for most of the time, you relaxed, laughed and enjoyed the time spent together as a family, it’s been a success!

summer holiday top tips and must have products

What I learned on my holidays...

THE long summer break is almost upon us - but whether you’re having a staycation or going away, why not fold some learning into your vacation plans? We’ve got 8 great ideas for skills you and your family can master over the weeks ahead – wherever you are.

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

Borrow one. You’ll be amazed at the amount of fun kids can have with a few torches under canvas.

Make sure they have lots of snacks – and don’t forget the singsongs!

Go wild swimming: swimming in rivers and lakes may sound an experience not a learning activity – but swimming in a natural environment helps kids learn about nature, and it’s a totally different experience

By Joanna Moorhead

from swimming in a pool, even an outdoor one. See www. wildswimming.co.uk for ideas of where to try it out.

Have a treasure hunt: there are loads of different ways to run a treasure hunt, so read up on the different methods online. It’s all down to good planning, so don’t stint on that: you’ll spend more time on planning than on the event itself. As a rough rule of thumb, kids can manage twice as many clues as their age.

Make a movie: with the arrival of the iPhone and the iPad, it’s never been easier to make a (surprisingly professional) home movie. Choose your location, put together your storyboard and... action! There are various apps that can make filming easier (eg filmic

pro, which locks the camera’s settings for the duration of a shot).

Find your way using a map and compass: whether you’re in a city or the country, whether it’s somewhere you know or somewhere new to you, there’s loads to learn from this. It’s tricky to work out the compass points, so a good activity to do en famille; also great to acclimatise children with maps and their usefulness.

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

Cook on a campfire: sausages

and marshmallows are the obvious contenders – but you can be more ambitious than that! You can cook anything on a campfire. Try frying eggs, grilling fish, warming burritos, making risotto. Kids will eat things they’d never eat at home when they’ve been whizzed up on a campfire.

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

Families Glasgow tried and tested Summer Holiday Essentials!

We check out a selection of the newest summer products for kids – must haves for this summer rain or shine!!!! £4 4

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Summer sandals

- perfect for exploring!

Keen Seacamp CNX sandals - £44.95

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FEATURES – Performance sandals for active children from renowned footwear company Keen. Designed to protect young feet while children explore. Ideal for a camping trip, family days out or beach getaway. Available in three colourful designs for girls and boys.

• Lightweight and water friendly.

• The uppers are made out of a soft polyester webbing with cushioned lining while the soles have integrated, contoured arches and metatarsal ridges to provide underfoot support.

• Grippy rubber sole units to help prevent children falling on unstable ground.

• Patented toe guards to protect kids from sharp hidden rocks while playing in the water.

• Excellent drainage so that feet don’t stay wet all day.

• Machine washable so after a long day’s play, a quick spin later they look as good as new.

STOCKISTS www.littleadventureshop.co.uk

£3 7

£2 4

Rainwear – just in case the summer sun isn’t shining. A great idea for festivals too.

Kozi Kids PU Unlined Rainwear - Rain dungarees £24.00 and jacket £37.80.

FEATURES – Practical rainwear from Kozi Kidz.

Perfect for outdoor family friendly events this summer. Eyecatching rainbow design to guarantee your child stands out in the crowd.

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Jacket has detachable hood and is generously sized to pop over any clothes – thick or thin.

100% waterproof so your child remains warm and dry whether puddle jumping or sitting on wet ground.

Rain dungarees have full adjustable braces and poppers at the waist for a comfortable and secure fit. They also have a handy foot strap meaning they can easily be fastened below a boot for maximum weather protection.

Machine washable so simply pop in the machine and it will be good as new.

X Avoid using fabric conditioner when washing PU Unlined Rainwear as it will compromise the waterproofing.

STOCKIST – Kozi Kidz

www.kozikidz.co.uk

£3

.80

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Make packing for your trip fun with an adorable Animal Wheelie Duffle.

LittleLife Animal Wheelie Duffle - £39.99

FEATURES – Available in five eye-catching animal designs including Ladybird, Turtle, Clownfish, Dinosaur and a Bee. All the duffles co-ordinate with LittleLife’s popular Animal Toddler Daysacks.

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Packing is easy thanks to a clever ‘stay-put’ lid and the duffle’s spacious, 20L compartment which has loads of room for your child’s holiday essentials.

Made from a hardwearing nylon fabric, it has a robust construction with smooth- running wheels.

Has a child-sized telescopic handle that is perfect for little hands.

Perfect for longer holidays or weekends away.

Meets most airlines’ hand luggage requirements for even great convenience.

STOCKISTS – for more information on LittleLife’s complete range of practical travel accessories visit www.littlelife.co.uk Families Glasgow

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summer activities, clubs and classes

Get Active with Glasgow Sport this summer!

Kids Summer Holiday Programme - 1 July – 9 August 2013 THE six week Sport and Multi Activity Holiday Programme from Glasgow Sport is packed with activities to make sure the Summer Holidays are energetic and full of fun! From multi activity to specialised sports training sessions there is something to suit everyone! Many of the sessions are free or discounted with your Glasgow Kidz Card or Glasgow Young Scot Card.

What’s on offer ?

Pre 5 Activities • • • •

Balanceability Football – Mini Kickers Gymnastics Swimming Lessons

An adult must remain in the building during all sessions for children under 5 years. Adults must accompany children under 8 years of age for pool activities.

Multi Activity Programmes •

Club 511 – pay as you go 2 hour fun session for 5-11 year olds with varied activities.

•

Glasgow Kids Club – weekly or daily bookings of 5 hr fun session for 5–11 yr olds.

•

Pool Activities – pay as you go varied pool fun for 5–15 year olds .

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Sports Development Programmes Athletics Badminton Balanceability Cycling Disability Sports Football Golf

Gymnastics Rugby Squash & Racketball Swimming Lessons Table Tennis Tennis

While many of these sessions are prebookable there are also a variety offering pay as you go admission on a first come first served basis to allow for flexibility in planning your summer fun.

Children at all Glasgow Primary Schools should receive their own personal copy of the Summer Activity brochure. However, additional copies with Booking Form and payment details can be obtained at your nearest Glasgow Club or visit www.glasgowlife.org.uk for further information.

summer activities, clubs and classes

Sports

MAKING WAVES

By Nicola Mitchell, Director of Making Waves TEACHING 1500 children every week, we understand what it means to parents when their children learn to swim. Our methods are unique, ensuring that each child progresses from their level of confidence and ability.

Learning to swim is a superb way to improve confidence, concentration and self-esteem. It is easy for children to see for themselves that they are getting better! Teaching children from the age of three, we are in the water in the early stages. This rapidly builds confidence in even the most timid of children- a vital component of what we do. With a dedicated team that aims to provide quality of service, our teachers and coordinators are trained to a high standard.

Our methods and practices ensure that children progress at a faster rate than with other lesson providers. Everyone is expected to meet a criteria before moving to the next level, regardless of age, although our teachers tailor the practices to suit each child to maximise effective learning within each group of children.

Our Holiday programmes are a very effective way of accelerating children’s confidence and learning. With courses running most weeks during the summer holidays, we are confident that you will find a course to suit. Progress during these courses is rapid, fun and amazing!

Some children begin with tears and tantrums on day 1 and are swimming unaided by the end of the course….!

Whether you are going on holiday, or staying at home, the skills and confidence that your children will gain during these weeks, will remain with them all through their life.

Learning to swim is a fantastic way to build confidence in any child. Swimming provides whole body exercise; it promotes a feeling of health and wellbeing and encourages a positive life habit. By encouraging your child to learn to

swim from a young age, you are affirming those beliefs in your child, making a positive choice for them. Later in life they will always be able to swim for fitness, for fun and for life.

A Local Parent explains Local parent, Fiona McCluskie explains how her boys have benefitted from learning to swim with Making Waves.

Just over 3 weeks ago, my eldest son Aiden (5) would refuse to go in for a shower as it was “too wet.” Logan (3) was just as bad, if not worse, when it came to anything to do with water!

Fast forward 3 weeks, and during their third lesson with Making Waves Swimming Lessons, I watched Aiden attempt to swim under water. I watched as Logan stuck his chin under the water and kicked his legs as he moved across the pool. I watched as Aiden threw his float to one side, declaring that he didn’t need it anymore. Three weeks. Three lessons.

Two confident, excited boys. One absolutely

gobsmacked, proud mummy!

I will admit, that during that first lesson, I sat with my stomach in knots and was a complete nervous wreck. There was no need though. The team at Making Waves take into account each child’s needs, ability and confidence levels. The involved, confident teaching style, the fantastic instructors and the passion of the owners of Making Waves is apparent. It’s all about the children, and that is all that you look for when putting your trust in other people to care for your kids.

Three lessons have transformed my boys.

They have confidence in the water that they never had before and I never dreamt they could have. Three weeks. I just can’t wait to see what they can achieve at the end of the 7 week block! Aiden’s already got his eye on an Olympic gold swimming medal....

For more information visit www.makingwavesswimming.co.uk or call 0141 530 8007

RANGERS ROADSHOWS & RESIDENTIAL CAMPS RANGERS Soccer School two-day Roadshows provide a challenging and exciting soccer environment for all young football fans.

The Roadshows have specially designed equipment to improve skill levels and develop techniques including: past and present Rangers player mannequins, dribble chase, target shot, free kicks, target pass and power shot.

All players will receive: • Expert tuition and learn fundamental techniques.

• A free pair of tickets to a Rangers Home match.

• Certificate of completion and skills profile card.

PLUS - every player that books on to a Roadshow during 2013 will be guaranteed to play on the pitch at Ibrox next season.

Roadshows run from 10am to 3pm and are open to boys and girls aged 7 - 16 years, of all abilities and cost just £50 per child.

If two-days aren’t enough for die-hard football fans, Rangers Residential Camps give boys & girls aged 8-16 years the opportunity to train, play and stay the Rangers way. Living the life of a professional footballer for five days, player’s performance will be assessed and evaluated to ensure that kids are grouped with others of a similar level and age. The

coaches then work to enhance technique, speed and game understanding. Our aim is that all children leave the programme with greater knowledge of the game.

All Residential Camp players will receive: • Five nights accommodation, full board meals and a nightly football fun activity.

• Coaching that mirrors the

unique syllabus of Rangers first team.

• Opportunity to train with Rangers youth players.

• Exclusive tour of the state-ofthe-art training facility at Murray Park .

• Behind the scenes tour of Ibrox Stadium • 24 hour supervision and support to participants.

PLUS - Not only will every player that books on to a Residential Camp during 2013 be guaranteed to play on the pitch at Ibrox next season, but they will have the opportunity to play in their very own Old Firm Match against Celtic Boys Club as part of the camp!

For more information or any queries on dates/payment schemes please email soccerschools@rangers.co.uk or call 0871 702 1972.

(Calls cost 10p per minute plus network extras).

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summer activities, clubs and classes Sports

Football fun for the holidays!

FIRST Touch Football summer camps are all about developing your child’s footballing ability and having fun. Delivered by enthusiastic coaches, there are sessions to suit all abilities and all ages from 3 years to 10 years.

Why First Touch Football?

We are a team of trained coaches passionate about the game. Our focus is and always has been coaching football, if your child is football daft like us then they will have a great time over the holidays. We offer different levels of coaching to suit your kid whether they are a complete beginner or the next football sensation!

1st July to 5th July - Bearsden Academy, Outdoor Astrograss Pitch • First Touch (3-4 years) Camp - £40.00 - 9.30am to 11.30am • Touch Two (5-7 years) Camp - £50.00

- 9.30am to 12.30pm • Development (5-7 years) Camp - £50.00 - 9.30am to 12.30pm • Kicker (8-10 years) Camp - £50.00 1.30pm to 4.30pm 8th July to 12th July - Victoria Park Outdoor, Grass • First Touch (3-4 years) Camp - £30.00 - 9.30am to 11.30am • First Touch (3-4 years) Camp - £30.00 1.30pm to 3.30pm • Touch Two (5-7 years) Camp - £40.00 9.30am to 12.30pm • Touch Two (5-7 years) Camp - £40.00 - 1.30pm to 4.30pm • Kicker (8-10 years) Camp - £40.00 - 9.30am to 12.30pm • Kicker (8-10 years) Camp - £40.00 1.30pm to 4.30pm

15th July to 19th July - Bearsden Academy Outdoor Astrograss Pitch Same as earlier Bearsden Camp 29th July to 2nd August - Victoria Park - Outdoor, Grass Same layout as earlier Victoria Park Camp Find out more and book online at www.firsttouchfootball.co.uk Phone for more information, call Euan on 07796 954 013 Email us, coaching@firsttouchfootball.co.uk

OFFERS! 10% Sibling Discount 15% Discount when you quote the words “FamiliesGlasgow” in your online booking!

Extras: £8 for early drop-off whole week (half an hour) £10 for a drop-in camp (one day)

Enjoy a week of cricket with The Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy from Activate Sport ACTIVATE Sport are running a week long Andrew Flintoff Academy course at Kelvinside Academy this summer from 1-5 July.

The Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy offers a fun filled action packed week of cricket for players of abilities ranging from 5 to 16 year olds.

Every academy features a visit from Fred or another International cricketer who will come down and share some tips with all the children.

Every full week attendee receives a goody bag, AFCA top and written feedback from their coaches. Our coaches will help improve techniques and develop children’s game awareness throughout the week. We offer fun innovative coaching based on the principals that made Freddie the player he was.

Call 0115 973 1676 www.activatesport.co.uk to find out about this course and other sport sessions this summer.

School holidays… with a twist Join our snow camp programme!

Snow Factor offers snow camps for children aged 7-15years to stay active, learn new skills and meet new friends in a ‘chilled out’ environment. From complete beginners, to coaching and freestyle, each

day is jam packed with activities within the Xscape centre. Its an excellent option for childcare and there is a massive range of camps for either half or full days.

To book contact 0871 222 5672 or visit www.snowfactor.com

FUN DRAMA CLASSES! • Classes are held weekly in your area A range of residential foreign language and adventure summer camp

Launch Camp - 23rd-24th July - ages 7-11 Edge Camp - 17th-19th July - ages 10-13 Summit Camp - 20th-22nd July - ages 13-17 International Camp - 4th-12th August - ages 14-17

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• 5 – 11 year olds • Also Youth Theatre for teenagers.

PHONE NOW TO BOOK YOUR FREE TRIAL LESSON! Tel 0141 847 1696 www.helenogrady.co.uk Email: helenogradydrama@hotmail.com

summer activities, clubs and classes

Pitch Perfect Fri 26 Jul

Mon 29 Jul – Fri 2 Aug

Want to perform on the King’s Theatre stage?

Or get behind the scenes? A five-day musical theatre course led by industry professionals.

Whether you want to improve performance skills, or haven’t had much experience, this course is for you.

10am – 4pm. Ages 8- 16. £130.

To book call 0844 871 7648

Design and Prop Making Mon 22 Jul - 10am-12pm

Develop creative ideas to design and build props that will feature in Alice in Barrlands!

Ages 8-16 . £15

Face Painting Tue 23 Jul - 10-11.30am

Children love being transformed into their favourite animal or character so come along and learn the art of face-painting.

All ages £12 per child + carer

Once Upon A Time….

Wed 24 Jul - 10.30-11.30am

Childhood classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar is brought to life using drama games and imaginative play in this delightful interactive story-time.

Age 6 years and under £8 per child and a grown up

Zombie Creations Thu 25 Jul - 10am-12pm Learn the tricks of the trade using theatrical and special effects make-up to create your own gruesome zombie character. The scarier, the better! Ages 9+ £15

One for all budding performers who want to brush up on their acting and singing skills. Led by the director of Alice in Barrlands, it’s perfect as a one-off master-class or as a warm up to the summer school.

10am-12pm Ages 8-12 and 1-3pm Ages 12+ £12

To book call 0844 871 7648

Summer academies at Cumbernauld Theatre P2 – P4 8 July - 12 July 9AM – 4PM Art Adventure – create, build and perform through a variety of artistic mediums.

P5 – P7 15 July - 19 July 9AM – 4PM Play in a Week – five days to create your very own play which will be presented on the Main Stage at 6pm on Friday 19th.

Drama is good for you – and fun too!

Drama

Alice In Barrlands Summer School at the Kings Theatre

THE internationally acclaimed Helen O’Grady Drama Academy runs classes weekly in locations throughout Glasgow. With a structured curriculum and trained, enthusiastic teachers, classes offer fun and engaging activities for children of 5 -15 years.

Our unique programme guarantees to improve confidence, self-esteem and verbal communication skills in every child. Each class offers new activities, fast-paced drama scenes and activities designed to be great fun and to promote talent and skill in the performing arts.

One parent said after a recent end of year show: “Attending Helen O’Grady Drama classes has made such a difference in my daughter. She has really found her voice and is becoming more confident every week. We can’t thank you enough.”

Places fill-up quickly, but a free-trial can be booked by contacting Principal Jackie Andrew on 0141 8471696 or at helenogradydrama@hotmail.com.

You can also check out our website at helenogrady.co.uk.

S1 + 22 July - 26 July 9AM – 4PM Making a Musical – take part in acting, singing and dance lessons preparing for a public showing of their work at 6pm on Friday 26th.

For the first time Cumbernauld Theatre are launching a drop-off / pick-up club where parents / guardians can drop their children off from 8.30am onwards and collect at 5pm where young people will be given further arts activities – it only costs an extra £2 a day , £5 if you book for the whole week!

To book please call 01236 732 887.

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summer activities, clubs and classes Music & Learning

Book now to learn a language this summer THIS summer, Articulate is offering residential camps in French, Spanish and German.

Taking place at Auchengillan Outdoor Centre just north of Glasgow, your child can experience summer camp without being too far from home. We teach languages in a fun and meaningful way through digital media projects and adventure sport! Your child will make a film in a foreign language and even take part in archery, fencing or climbing while developing their learning language skills. While Launch, Edge and Summit Camp are short immersion camps aimed at Scottish learners, International Camp will bring together language learners from

across Europe so they can learn from one another. Head to the website for a detailed programme for each camp as well as lots of practical information.

Articulate is run by enthusiastic, qualified

Award-winning tuition – 25% off when you join in July

Mini Music Makers classes in Glasgow What is Mini Music Makers?

Mini Music Makers runs 15 groups across Scotland, of which 5 are in Glasgow (Busby, East End, Kelvinbridge, Pollockshields, Tramway).

The classes have been specially developed to give babies and children, aged 0-5 years, an engaging introduction to music making. Weekly 40-minute sessions give you and your child the opportunity to make and enjoy music together in a fun and friendly setting.

What happens at Mini Music Maker classes?

At Mini Music Makers the main emphasis is on learning subconsciously through fun activities. Your child is sure to enjoy participating in circle games with parachutes, singing songs with puppets, tapping drums and shaking shakers with the group. You and your child will learn a range of new bouncing and tickling songs, nursery rhymes and circle games that you can take away and enjoy at home too.

How will your child benefit?

The structured NYCoS method offers your child a progressive journey through musical learning. Research in this area has shown that early musical activity can have huge benefits in many areas of child development including language, motor skills, memory and concentration. At Mini Music Makers your child

language teachers and has an experienced team of primary teachers, secondary teachers and native speakers of the foreign languages.

You can be sure your son or daughter is in good hands!

To reserve at place at camp, visit the booking section of the website at www.articulate-languagecamps.com or call 0773 339 1289.

By using the code families2013, you can buy a place at the net cost of running the camp - Launch Camp (£100), Edge Camp (£180), Summit Camp (£180) and International Camp (£600). We hope your child will join us this summer!

will be given access to these benefits whilst having fun and interacting with other children.

How will you benefit?

This is not only an opportunity to develop your bond with your child as you explore music together, but it is a chance for you to meet and socialise with like-minded parents of other young children in a relaxed environment.

Who are the leaders?

Our enthusiastic class leaders are fully trained in the unique NYCoS method of early years music education, based on the teachings of Hungarian Composer and Educator Zoltán Kodály. Our leaders come from a variety of backgrounds but most are trained musicians or nursery teachers.

To book a place at the classes contact Claire McBride on 0141 287 2943 or email claire. mcbride@nycos.co.uk.

Information about the classes is also available at www.nycos.co.uk/mini-music-makers.

EXPLORE Learning centres across the provide maths and English tuition to 5 to 14 year olds of all abilities, and also run special courses in 11+ exam preparation.The centres are open 7 days a week, and are Ofsted registered, meaning that families can use Childcare Vouchers to pay for membership. Children attend up to twice a week on a drop-in basis, meaning that Explore tuition fits easily into busy family life.

As Explore members, children work with tutors who are great educational role models, enthusiastic about learning and fantastic motivators. Each child has an individualised learning programme tailored to meet their needs, and all Explore courses map to the National Curriculum.This combination of benefits has led to the company being named Supplementary Education Provider of the Year at the prestigious Education Investor Awards for the past 2 years running.

July is the most popular time of the year for families to join Explore Learning, as parents across the country look for an engaging way to keep their children’s brains active over the long summer break. Also, families joining in July will receive 25% off their first full month of tuition at participating centres, so now is a great time to join if you haven’t already!

Explore Learning has centres across the UK - try us for free to find out how your family can benefit! To book your trial, visit www.explorelearning.co.uk or call your local centre.

For REGULAR events see our MASSIVE website listings on www.familiesglasgow.co.uk 14 July/August 2013

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summer activities, clubs and classes Activities for all the family

Lace up your skates this summer with Roller Stop AS the sun comes out (at last) the girls and guys at Glasgow’s amazing mobile roller disco, Roller Stop, are lacing up their skates, hooking up the PA and getting ready to roll all summer long at arts venue, SWG3.

With a great program of classes and exciting events every day of the week starting June 1st, there is something really going on down in Finnieston this summer! From Family Skate Sessions, Kids Lessons, Roller Fitness Classes and the infamous Roller Disco, there is something for everyone right through the summer from June – August.

Siobhan Lawson, 27, is the brains behind Roller Stop. She initially started out running a community arts company, The Arts Tree and after visiting parades around the world and picking up loads of cool tips and tricks at a London based roller disco, she tried it out with one of the community groups. It

Who knows how many people will lace up their boots this summer but in true Disco style the future’s looking bright for RollerStop.

With Kelvinhall closing, RollerStop will need a new home and they found one - for the summer at least - in SWG3 arts centre, Finnieston.

They will host fun activities and classes every day.

RollerStop is still searching for a large wooden floor venue in the run up to the Commonwealth Games next year.

Skate hire available from childrens 8 to an adult 13, booking essential. took off so well that in October 2011 she made it its own organisation. It all began at a community hall in Maryhill, Glasgow with just 8 people coming each week and now Siobhan and her skate team welcome 200 families every sunday!

Please visit www.rollerstop.co.uk for information and to make your booking.

Instructors are always on hand to help if you’re a bit wobbly on your wheels.

Group Booking and Private Parties are also available.

Family Events this summer with the National Trust for Scotland and in and around Glasgow Curse of the White Pearl Pollok House, Pollok Country Park, Tel 0844 493 2202 Mon 15, 22 & 29 Jul, 11am-1pm “Soon, everybody will be affected by the curse of the white pearl!”- extract from a letter found in the mistress’s bedroom!

Calling all budding detectives!

To solve the mystery of the White Pearl you will need to find answers to the clues through investigation and by asking our characters.

Booking is essential.

Usual entry prices apply plus £2 adult, £1 child.

For further information please call 0844 4932202 www.nts.org.uk

Family Fun Tours Culzean Castle and Country Park, Maybole, Ayrshire, KA19 8LE Tel 0844 493 2149

Every Sunday until 27 Oct, 11.30am-12.15pm Have a great family day out at Culzean and join us for a fun tour of the castle designed especially for families! www.nts.org.uk

Summer Art Attack David Livingstone Centre, 165 Station Road, Blantyre, G72 9BY Tel 0844 493 2207 Every Thursday from 4 Jul - 8 Aug, 1-3pm Uncover your child’s inner Picasso this summer! There’ll be different themes each week - and messy fun is guaranteed!

Booking is advised - £3 per child. www.nts.org.uk Families Glasgow

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summer activities, clubs and classes What’s on this summer

Celebrate the summer holidays with fun GO Wild in Summer activities at the National Museum of Rural Life in East Kilbride.

There are different activities every day from 29 June to 11 August, with something to suit all tastes – from mask making, badge making and photography to origami, clay modelling, paper bag puppets and bug hunts!

Visitors can also enjoy the museum’s 1950s working farm with farm animal favourites

such as pigs, sheep, cows, horses and hens.

Step back in time at the historic farmhouse, or explore the story of the Scottish countryside at the award-winning museum.

Our special exhibition, Garden Detectives, offers children the chance to see the natural world through the eyes of a detective.

Activities run every day from 29 June to 11 August at the National Museum of Rural

Life, Wester Kittochside, Philipshill Road, East Kilbride G76 9HR. Choose from two sessions each day at 11am and 2pm. Booking is essential on 0131 247 4369. All activities are included in museum admission: Adult £6.50/£5.50, Child £3 (under 5s free), Family (2 adults, 2 children) £17. For more information visit www.nms.ac.uk/rural.

Glasgow Libraries are having a scream this summer!

THERE’S a spine-tingling adventure waiting for children in all Glasgow Libraries this summer when they take part in the Creepy House Tesco Bank Summer Reading Challenge 2013.

Children can join our adventurers as they explore the Creepy House, simply by reading six books from the library. They can discover the secrets of The Awful Upstairs, The Gruesome Ground Floor and The Spine-Tingling Cellar and meet some of the hair-raising residents along the way!

This year’s theme ties into publishing trends for books that thrill children without being too scary. It is also a theme which will appeal to all primary school aged children and to both genders.

Children can also enjoy a series of themed events at Glasgow Libraries such as spooky story times, arts and crafts and book games – all for FREE. The summer holidays can be long and expensive so what better way to keep the kids happy than by taking advantage of this fantastic FREE world of fun and adventure at your local library.

So no matter what the weather brings this summer, there is no need for the kids to get bored! – get down to your local library to pick up a challenge pack, borrow a creepy read and start the reading journey!

The more books children read the better the chance to win prizes and rewards and complete the challenge by reaching the goal of 6 books!

The challenge runs from Saturday 29th June to Friday 9th August.

Look out for the Creepy House invitations being distributed to all children via Glasgow primary schools.

For more information visit your local library or www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries

See our website www.familiesglasgow.co.uk for loads more summer events and follow us on facebook!

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family travel

Family Mini Cruise to Europe

by James Patrick and Family What is a Mini-Cruise?

Basically it’s a return ferry trip. You catch a Friday overnight ‘cruise ferry’ from Newcastle, spend Saturday in Amsterdam and return overnight to arrive back in Newcastle on Sunday morning.

At first glance a 3 hour drive, followed by a 14 hour ferry trip, a 40 minute passport queue and 1 hour coach trip to visit the zoo for the afternoon and repeat this all over again for the return trip may seem a tad excessive but if your family likes ferries anyway then it’s a really good fun and different family weekend .

You arrive at the terminal around 4ish, check-in straightaway and you can normally board the ship within an hour. DFDS have someone immediately on hand to point you in the direction of your cabin – which is handy as not all ferries do so dozens of people find themselves clambering up and down stairs with their luggage when they realise they’re on the wrong side of the ship.

Accommodation

We dropped off our overnight bags in the cabin which can best be described as bijou.

The top beds fold down to sleep 4 and there is a toilet/shower room but that’s it. On a mini cruise you can leave your overnight bags in the cabin and there’s a lockable drawer for valuables.

There are also more expensive Commodore and Commodore De Luxe cabins which are more spacious and include TVs, complimentary breakfast, TVs and room service. There aren’t many and they get booked very early so if you want one book ahead.

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On-Board Facilities

Our kids love exploring ships: the long passageways, winding staircases and gangways all eventually end up somewhere fun like an amusement arcade, a shop, a kidz zone or a restaurant. Our ship, King Seaways, also had a cinema, a sports bar, a disco, a casino plus three or four restaurants and cafes with varying prices for food. There’s a nature area with talks and displays on the whales you might spot, Minke are common apparently, though we didn’t see any. The overall atmosphere of the ship was really buzzing too, with crowds of school children, teens, stag and hen nights, older people all in full holiday swing in the various areas of the ship.

Most times, we picked comfy seats and camped out near the children’s zone at the stern which had a bar and snacks and a magical surround view of the North Sea. Enjoying an ice cold Grolsch or two while the sun sets below the waves, keeping half an eye on the kids partying in the ball pit beside you is a fine way to spend any weekend! At fixed times, a children’s entertainer is on hand to create balloon animals and guide the littlies round the ship on a treasure hunt. Oddly, our kids won both the age group prizes so our eldest (8), unprompted, offered his prize to another family to make it ‘fair’. He then wanted to head up to the amusement area on his own with the older kids, but he’s still a bit young to go exploring by himself. Next year maybe… After dinner we went to the cinema to watch Life of Pi. (Which was about a ship wreck…!) but fortunately the kids seemed to forget where they were. Airlines don’t show movies that have plane crashes so I’m not not

sure why… whatever, it’s a great film.

If you have older kids or are happy to leave them asleep in your cabin you could head off to the Columbus Club, a disco with live band or the Compass Bar which is a lounge serving cocktails and wine tasting sessions or head up to the on deck, open air Sky Bar and watch the stars above a glistening sea.

What’s your policy on leaving the kids?

How old would they have to be for you to leave them in the cabin or in the hotel room while you have a drink or meal nearby?

Email feedback@familiesglasgow.co.uk

Food and Drink

The most popular restaurant on board by far is the Seven Seas Restaurant with an All You Can Eat Buffet for 38 Euros. (Excluding drinks).

There are two sittings and although they insist you turn up when you’ve booked, it definitely pays to wait half an hour and avoid the scrums.

There are 80 dishes to choose from and you can return as often as you want. The quality is superb, particularly the starters and the puddings, with small delicate portions so you can try as many as you want. (Strangely, there were adults queuing for the kids buffet, piling their plates to the brim with chicken nuggets and chips). The Blue Riband is the smart casual A la Carte restaurant and although romantic

family travel

they will provide high chairs and kids menu. The Explorers Steakhouse serves top quality beef (which I guess it should be at 30 euros per steak!).

Excursions

We enjoyed a day trip to Amsterdam’s historic Artis Zoo. This old fashioned Zoo is like a fabulous private tulip garden packed with exotic animals located in the middle of Amsterdam. After seeing Lions, Pumas, Elephants etc. we enjoyed a quiet sandwich beside the canal watching the kids in a giant climbing frame which was delightful as Amsterdam is such an attractive city. The kids had an absolute ball too.

There is only time for one excursion per mini cruise but you can choose from Amsterdam Sight Seeing Bus or a Canal Trip. Or just hang out by yourselves for the day- the shopping, cafes and bars are great and Amsterdam really is one of the friendliest, most beautiful cities in the world. The newly refurbished Rijksmuseum has just re-opened or visit the Anne Frank museum.

Just a small point....

The mini-cruises are obviously extremely popular with hen and stag nights with hundreds of locals on board and coached-in parties from Scotland. The atmosphere was fun and lively but there was no segregation on the tour buses this meant we enjoyed a constant stream of rather fruity language. Also my 3 year old daughter spotted one of their large pink balloons and requested one too, however, this particular pink balloon was most certainly not suitable for children! Hopefully in the summer, there will be more families on board so the company will filter their passengers accordingly…

We would definitely recommend the mini cruise as a great weekend getaway with the children though - it was great to take them somewhere new, they loved the adventure of it from exploring the ship, sleeping on board and then getting to see a new place. All in all it was relaxed, easy and by the time we got back we really felt like we’d had a good break and a great time!

Fact box Newcastle to Amsterdam Factbox • DFDS Seaways 2-night mini cruise to Amsterdam Zoo includes 2 nights onboard ship and entrance to Amsterdam Zoo • From £62pp based on four people sharing an inside en suite cabin, including coach transfers to and from Amsterdam • DFDS Seaways 2-night Marine Wildlife mini cruise from £69pp based on 2 adults and 2 children sharing an en suite cabin • Includes wildlife presentations and deck watches with ORCA officers and coach transfers to and from Amsterdam • DFDS Seaways 2-night mini cruise to Amsterdam from £48pp based on 4 people sharing an en suite cabin, includes coach transfers to and from Amsterdam. Alternatively save 30% with our early bird offer when booking 60 days in advance • There are three restaurants, bars, casino, cinema, shops and live music onboard • Departs Newcastle daily www.dfds.co.uk or call 0871 522 9976

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Cassiltoun Stables Nursery The very best start for your child - full and part time spaces available

Fabulous, fun ďŹ lled nursery

Open Monday to Friday, 51 weeks of the year from 7.30am to 6pm

Call 0141 631 5235 to arrange a visit or pop in Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm Ask about our introductory offers

Cassiltoun Stables Nursery 59 Machrie Road, Castlemilk G45 0AZ Email: nursery@cassiltoun.org.uk Company registration number SC423689, Registered Scottish Charity number SC043312, Care Inspectorate Registration number CS2012308178

20 July/August 2013

Families Glasgow

what’s on Until 18 August More than a Game: Football Exhibition Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum www.glasgowmuseum.com

22 June to 24 August (Saturdays) Summer Market & Funday Lagoon Leisure Centre, Paisley This spectacular Summer Market & Funday is being held regularly throughout the summer in Paisley’s Lagoon Leisure Centre Over 50 exhibitors from Candy to Cakes, from Homemade Soap to Handmade Jewellery, Clothes to Health and Well being. Not to mention Hoots Owls FREE bouncy castle, face painting, glitter tattoos, balloons Running 4 weekly on a Saturday throughout the summer.

Call 07803346489

29 June to 28 July 10am-4pm Captain Calder’s Treasure Hunt Calderglen Country Park “Welcome landlubbers, come along and help that old sea dog Captain Calder in his quest for the hidden clues”.

Suitable for 6-12 year olds. Younger children are welcome with an accompanying adult. Drop in. Cost £1 - £3 Tel: 01355 236 644

29 June onwards Summer Reading Challenge All Glasgow Libraries throughout the school holidays. Theme is Creepy House. www.glasgowlife.org.uk/libraries

29 June - 11 August 11am - 1pm/2pm - 4pm Den making, ranger walks, photography and much more National Museum of Rural Life.

Free with museum admission www.nms.ac.uk/rural

1 to 5 July 9am – 10am Little Athletics Eastwood High Sports Centre This exciting fun activity for pre-school children will teach Agility, Balance and Coordination skills, developing fundamental movement patterns. You will receive a goody bag at the end of the camp.

3 – 4 years ABC6/£18.50 Tel: 0141 577 3008

1 to 5 July 10am – 1pm Play in the park Overlee Park, Clarkston Lots of fun games to keep children amused! They may get dirty, but that’s part of the fun!

5 – 12 years PP3/£55.50 Tel: 0141 577 3008

1 to 5 July 10am – 1pm Star:Track Athletics Camp Eastwood High Sports Centre Fun running, jumping and throwing athletics activities. This is a great opportunity to make new friends and learn skills culminating in our Mini Commonwealth Games on the Friday.

5 – 12 years A11/£55.50 Tel: 0141 577 3008

1 to 5 July 12pm – 3pm Trampoline Barrhead Sports Centre Bounce, bounce and bounce some more.

7 – 16 years 12pm – 3pm TR3/£18.501pm – 2pm TR4/£18.50 2pm – 3pm TR5/£18.50 Tel: 0141 577 3008

3-7 July Early Years Festival Third annual Early Years Festival at Eastwood Park Theatre encouraging all the family to make use of the facilities on the doorstep. www.eastwoodparktheatre.co.uk/ boxoffice 0141 577 4956

5 August to 9 August 10am - 4pm Ultimate Dodgeball Barrhead Sports Centre DODGE, DUCK, DIVE and DIP in this exciting, fast-paced game!

5 – 15 years 12.30pm – 1.30pm £3.50 per session or £3 with ALL Access Card 0141 577 3008

1 July to 27 July Summer Academy 2013 Citizens Theatre This year Summer Academy celebrates 5 years! Meet new friends, have great fun and learn new drama skills in one of Scotland’s best loved theatres.

Times and prices vary.

Call the Box Office on 0141 429 0022 for more information and to book.

1 July to 9 August 10am - 12pm Mearns Castle Golf Academy Summer Coaching Camps Mearns Castle Golf Academy Two hours tuition each day with a PGA professional. All aspects of golf covered All clubs and balls provided free of charge.

Only £90 per week Spaces available so sign up NOW! For more information or to book your child’s place, please ask at reception or call 0141 644 8200

2 July Scottish Farmers Market Raceday Hamilton Park Some of the finest produce Scotland has to offer will be available at Hamilton Park for our Farmers’ Market Day. We’re giving you the opportunity to browse and shop at the stalls throughout the afternoon, and we’ll even be providing a cold storage service so you can keep your purchases in top condition whilst you take in the action on track.

Admission tickets are £12 when booked in advance online at least three working days prior to the event, or £13 at the gates on the day. Under 18s go FREE when accompanied by an adult.

01698 283806 Email: enquiries@hamilton-park.co.uk

3 July to 7 August

8 July to 12 July

10.30am - 12pm Boggy Beasties Whitelee Windfarm Visitor Centre, Eaglesham The Whitlee Rangers will be holding free, weekly activities for kids on Wednesdays over the Summer Holidays! You can register your kids for the FREE ‘Boggy Beasties’ summer holiday club, allowing you to leave children over five with the rangers every Wednesday morning for six weeks during the holidays, to take part in nature based activities.

Children under five must be accompanied by an adult. Please contact the rangers to request a booking form.

Whitelee-crs@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk 0141 614 0962

6 to 14 July East Kilbride Summer Festival East Kilbride Arts Centre Summer Fest will kick off on Saturday 6th July with an open day at the East Kilbride Arts Centre; there will be workshops, an open art exhibition, and kid’s activities including storytelling and a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party as well as entertainment in the Arts Centre Cafe.

There will also be Theatre acts and a Craft Fair held within the grounds.

There is something for everyone in this nine day festival which will be held in various venues throughout East Kilbride, including a mixture of professional acts and partnership projects with local community groups.

Telephone: 01355 261000

7 July 12pm – 4pm Classic Cars Mugdock Country Park Take a trip down memory lane with Triumph Sports Six Club Scotland Central and West Area. Whether bring back memories of bygone days or just the attraction of beautiful old cars, everyone finds looking at these Classics an irresistible attraction. www.mugdock-country-park.org.uk

7 July 12pm-4pm Subway Helping Hearts Family 5K Strathclyde Country Park Family 5K fun run at Strathclyde Country Park to help raise money for Heart Research UK. The day is open to all the family, you can choose to run, walk or push the buggy around the course.

Price: Adult- £5.99, Concession and Under 16 - free For more details on the event and how to register please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk/events/ subwayfamily5K

8 July 7.45pm Cinema Night: National Velvet (cert U) Mugdock Country Park A lovely film which can be enjoyed by the whole family. Join our Cinema Club, free, on the evening.

Booking essential.

0141 956 6100. or book online here www.mugdock-country-park.org. uk/makeabooking.html

Arts Kool Summer 2013 Eastwood Park Theatre Eastwood Park Theatre, Art Workshops are creative, crafty and full of fun.

Loads of activities for the budding artist. Dress for mess!

5 - 7 years 9.45am - 10.45am Standard - £26.50/ Concession - £13.25 5 - 7 years 11am - 12pm Standard - £26.50 / Concession - £13.25 8 - 12 years 1.30pm - 3pm Standard - £31.50 / Concession - £15.75 Book 0141 577 3008

11 July to 14 July Horrible Histories: Live On Stage The Town House, Hamilton So it’s time to prepare yourselves for Horrible Histories live on stage! Using actor and ground-breaking 3D special effects, these two astounding shows – Terrible Tudors and Vile Victorians – are guaranteed to thrill you and your children. Historical figures and events will come alive on stage and hover at your fingertips.

Tickets: Full Price £15, Concession £11, Family ticket of 4 £46.00. Purchase two family tickets for different shows £73.60.

Telephone: 01698 45229 www.sllcboxoffice.co.uk

13 July to 10 August (Saturdays) 10.30am - 11.30am Fun Makes Summer Holiday Programme Clarkston Stamperland Parish Church, Clarkston Fun Makes are running fun filled arts and crafts classes for kids on Saturday mornings over the Summer holidays!

All sessions are 1 hour long and cost £7. Ages 4 years upwards, younger children may attend accompanied by an adult.

Call 07767011341

14 July 10am – 5pm Heavy Horse Show National Museum of Rural Life Get close up to nearly 200 horses at one of Scotland’s biggest heavy horse shows. From Shetlands to Clydesdales, watch the horses compete in a range of classes. Children, watch the horses compete in a range of classes.

Children can take a pony ride or make a hobby horse in our kids’ craft session.

See some of the action from a previous Heavy Horse Show.

Family Tickets for 2 adults and 2 children £22. Price: Adult: £7.50, Child: £4 (under 5 free), Concession: £6.50 Telephone: 0300 123 6789

14 July 2pm-4pm Pram Safari Finlaystone Country Park A nature walk that even the babies can enjoy. Bring suitable outdoor clothes and footwear.

Entry to park Adults £4, children (3-16) £3, concessions £3 www.finlaystone.co.uk

For a massive summer activities listing see www.familiesglasgow.co.uk Families Glasgow

July/August 2013 21

what’s on For a massive summer activities listing see www.familiesglasgow.co.uk 15 July to 19 July

22 July to 27 July

9am – 12pm or 1pm - 4pm Jack and the Beanstalk Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock We will be developing our own drama based on the story of Jack and the Beanstalk with lots of time for songs, stories and games.

Ma’s cupboard is bare and Daisy must be sold, does the answer lie in magic beans and a sky-high beanstalk?

Standard - £52.50, Concession - £26.25

The Breadcrumb Trail-Summer School Citizens Theatre Scottish Ballet and Citizens Learning are running a week-long dance and drama residency for 6-8 year olds during the summer holidays. The participants will explore themes from Hansel & Gretel as well as outdoor activities that will culminate in an outdoor performance at the Hidden Gardens, Tramway.

Call the Box Office on 0141 429 0022 for more information and to book.

23 July to 27 July 15 July to 19 July 10am – 1pm Play in the Park Pro Soccer, Rouken Glen Park Lots of fun games to keep children amused! They may get dirty, but that’s all part of the fun!

5 – 12 years PP4/£55.50 0141 577 3008

27 July

17 July to 7 August (Wednesdays) 1pm - 4pm WoW Wednesdays at Clyde Muirshiel Castle Semple Visitor Centre, Lochwinnoch Come and join the Clyde Muirshiel WoW officer on Wednesdays over the summer holidays for fun nature activities!

Call 01505842803

5.30pm Wild Night Finlaystone Country Park Stay a night in the woods. Bring food, sleeping bags and mats, outdoor clothes and a tent.

Pre-booking essential. Entry to park Adults £4, children (3-16) £3, concessions £3 Tel: 01475 540505 www.finlaystone.co.uk

28 July

19 July to 21 July 1.30pm Mickey’s Rockin’ Road Show Braehead Arena Your fave characters come to life in a musical extravaganza starring Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy and scores more Disney friends.

Tickets £18-£30 www.braehead-arena.co.uk

20 July to 21 July

8am Wild Night Finlaystone Country Park Stay a night in the woods. Bring food, sleeping bags and mats, outdoor clothes and a tent.

Pre-booking essential. Entry to park Adults £4, children (3-16) £3, concessions £3 Tel: 01475 540505 www.finlaystone.co.uk

28 July

12pm Glasgow Show Glasgow Green Glasgow’s oldest park plays host to attractions from around the world, extreme sports, a live music stage, street theatre, countryside activities and all manner of fun for kids. www.glasgow.gov.uk

22 July to 27 July 10am – 4pm daily Outdoor Holiday Dance & Drama Hidden Gardens, Tramway As this project will run mainly outdoors, children should arrive each day with clothing to suit all weather, including wellies, waterproofs, sun cream and sun hat.

For 6-8 years. There will be a (free) performance for parents and friends at the end of the course on Sat 27 July in the Hidden Gardens. £95 full price (5 concession places available £80) 2nd child discount available. Ask Box Office for details.

Phone Box Office on 0141 429 0022 to book or visit the Citizens Theatre Box Office in person (no online booking).

22 July/August 2013

Merchant City Festival Various Venues Merchant City Glasgow’s swanky part of town continues to round together culture in its diverse festival. Previous years have seen comedy, theatre and art events cramming themselves into the area’s fashionable buildings, while street performers add to the festival atmosphere. www.merchantcityfestival.com

11am Scotia Aid Sierra Leone: Legends Football Match & Fun Day New Douglas Park Come along to New Douglas Park for the Legends Football Match, Hamilton Accies v Motherwell in aid of Scotia Aid! Monster Truck, Bungee Run, Mega Bouncy Castle, Gladiator Duel, Sumo Wrestling, Face Painting, Stalls.

Admission: Adult £8, Child £4 , Family £20 (2 Adults & 2 Children) Under 3 Go Free 01698 740041 or Email: info@scotiaaid.org

28 July – 25 August (Sundays) Kids Sunday Magic Show East Kilbride Arts Centre When Douglas Cameron performs his magic show, everyone leaves slightly puzzled but with a smile on their face. They don’t know how he did it but they certainly enjoyed themselves as they watched his astonishing antics. He will require some assistance from audience volunteers in order to show his wonders, and he may even turn one of them into a rabbit (but not for long).

Show is suitable for 3 year olds upwards. Price: Child: £5 Telephone: 01355 261000

Families Glasgow

29 July to 2 August 9am Alice in Barrlands Summer Panto King’s Theatre, Glasgow Get a unique peak behind the scenes at this five day musical theatre course.

Ages 8-16. Performance on 2 Aug at 3pm.

Cost £130. www.atgtickets.com

3 August 10am Pollok Family Day Pollok Country Park A chance for the whole family to enjoy entertainment and activities to get closer to nature. www.glasgow.gov.uk

3 August 11am-3pm Blantyre Village Gala Day David Livingstone Centre The Blantyre Village Gala Day returns on the 3rd August with more fun for all the family!

With a bouncy castle, facepainting, local history, Owl Magic and lots, lots more it’s sure to be a great family day out!

Telephone: 0844 493 2207

4 August 1pm-4pm Cowboys & Indians Finlaystone Country Park Fun and games around the forts.

Entry to park: Adults £4, children (316) £3, concessions £3 www.finlaystone.co.uk

5 August to 9 August 10am - 4pm Play in a Week: The Ground On Which We Stand Eastwood Park Theatre, Giffnock Join us to explore Eastwood Park Theatre inside and out. We will explore the world around us and the ground underneath our feet! You and your fellow explorers will spend the week devising a performance, using your voice, movement skills, as well as playing games and asking questions... lots of questions. You will learn new drama skills and share your work with friends and family at the end of the week. See you there!

Standard - £105, Concession - £52.50 0141 577 3008

6 August to 8 August 10am – 3pm ARTpark Summers Cool!

House for an Art Lover Working with a young artist, children will be encouraged to explore drawing, painting and model-making to develop a unique environmental art project that uses a variety of natural, recycled and found materials. Parents and guardians will be invited to a special garden party to view the final work. Please bring a packed lunch.

9-12 years fee £80* per child (includes all materials/equipment and garden party treats!)

For further information please contact Dianne Miller, Arts Development Officer by telephone 0141 270 5142 or email dmiller@houseforanartlover.co.uk

6 August to 9 August 9.30am Scottish Ballet Summer School Scottish Ballet, Glasgow Four days of ballet classes for young dancers with previous ballet experience, inspired by some of your favourite ballets, including The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel.

There are two sessions: Grades 1 and 2 from 10.30am - 12.30pm and Grades 4 and 5 from 1.30 - 3.30pm.

Cost £80. www.scottishballet.co.uk

7 August to 11 August 2013 UCI Juniors Track World Championships Emirates Arena, Glasgow Don’t miss out on seeing the next generation of track cycling stars burn up the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome this August!

Riders will battle for world titles across a range of race disciplines at speeds in excess of 85 kilometres per hour.

Watch as the next generation of track cycling greats make their bid for glory and the coveted rainbow jersey.

10 August 12pm – 3pm Ride the Braes – Mountain bike Cathkin Braes An opportunity to ride the Cathkin Braes Commonwealth Games Mountain bike track with your Countryside Rangers. Enjoy an off road ride in the green of the Braes; taking a peek at the wealth of animal and plant life along the way - in what is now one of the cities Local Nature Reserves.

The ride will be challenging in certain areas, though with alternative route options. However, a basic level of off road competency is needed. Please ensure you have a helmet and a maintained bicycle for your ride (cycling gloves advised).

Spaces will be limited, so booking is essential.

Please contact your Countryside Rangers on 0141 276 0927.

11 August 12pm – 3.30pm Farm Open Day Tollcross Children’s Farm Come along to the Children’s Farm for an exciting fun filled day of activities and crafts, balloon sculpture and face painting.

Fun for the whole family. www.glasgow.gov.uk

11 August to 17 August 12pm Piping Live!

The National Piping Centre, Glasgow Coinciding with the World Pipe Band Championships, this festival offers piping at the highest level.

From daytime entertainment in the form of exhibitions, performances, sessions, and a food and drink marquee, to the main stage evening concerts featuring world class Scottish and international performers to a late night festival club, the piping action is non-stop. www.pipinglive.co.uk

what’s on 16 August to 17 August 12pm World Pipe Band Championships Glasgow Green The best pipe bands from all over the world, featuring 8,000 pipers and drummers, compete for the most prestigious prizes and the coveted World Champion crown. As well as the music, a dedicated children’s zone, gourmet food and Highland games add to the day out. www.theworlds.co.uk

17 August 10.30am – 12pm Get Your Hands Dirty – Dig a Pond in a Day! Kirkintilloch Wildlife loves water so pull on your wellies and get over to Merkland Local Nature Reserve for the ‘dig a pond in a day’ challenge! Merkland conservation volunteers need your help! Everyone welcome, children must be accompanied by an adult. Meet in the Reserve car park off Merkland Drive, Kirkintilloch.

0141 956 6100. or book online here www.mugdock-country-park.org. uk/makeabooking.html

17 to 18 August 10am – 4.30pm Scotland’s Festival of History Chatelherault Country Park Take a trip back in time with live re-enactments from the Vikings to World War II as history comes to life in this spectacular setting. Experience battle scenes, archery - including the Silver Arrow tournament, weapon and falconry displays, jesters, jugglers and so much more!

You will also get the chance to roam about the stalls offering historic crafts, a large historic trading market, modern crafts as well as gift stalls and a food market.

Adult: £8, Concession (OAPs): £6, Child (Under 16): £1, Family (2 Adults and up to 4 Children): £17 TwoDay Family Tickets: £25 Telephone: 07963 128365

17 August to 19 August 4pm Dora the Explorer Live Theatre Royal, Glasgow A live musical adventure with Dora as she sets off in search of the City of Lost Toys with help from Map, Backpack, Boots, Diego and, of course, the audience!

Tickets £17-19. www.atgtickets.com

18 August 10am Cycle Glasgow Kelvingrove Park The 11th sponsored cycle organised by the University of Glasgow to promote this fun and healthy activity and raise essential funds for leukaemia research.

Families and riders of all abilities are welcome and you can chose between a 13 and a 26 mile route, both starting and finishing in Kelvingrove Park. £8, Children £3.50 www.glasgow.ac.uk/cycleglasgow

18 August 2pm – 4pm Mugdock Superdog 2013 Mugdock Country Park Can you control your canine companion in the countryside or is your best friend just barking mad?

Try out our crafty agility course and fun contests. All shapes and sizes welcome, but beginners only please.

Meet in the overflow car park near the Visitor Centre. Cost £1, all proceeds to Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre.

0141 956 6100 or book online here www.mugdock-country-park.org. uk/makeabooking.html

24 August 8.30pm Going Batty Pollok Country Park Grab the bat detectors and torches -it’s European Bat Weekend and we’re going on a bat hunt.

Ages 8+, all children must be accompanied.

24 August Its a Knockout Glasgow Green Ever watched Total Wipeout and thought you could do a better job?

Well here’s your chance in aid of the PPW Hospice! We are looking for teams of ten to join Graham Fisher’s International ‘It’s a Knockout’ competition on Glasgow Green. You’ll put on giant costumes and get soaked with foam as your team competes with others across giant inflatable assault courses and ten different games.

A deposit of £20 per person is needed with each team asked to raise a minimum sponsorship of £1,000 in total. There be a special prize for the team who raise the most sponsorship!

0141 4299811

25 August Kirkintilloch Canal Festival – What Lies Beneath?

Mugdock Country Park The canal is teaming with clever little creatures, some swim upsidedown, others breathe through their bottom, and many grow wings and fly away. What will you catch? Find the Ranger on the canal bank, all nets supplied.

0141 956 6100. or book online here www.mugdock-country-park.org. uk/makeabooking.html

25 August Unison & Co-op Fun Day New Lanark Visitor Centre UNISON are once again holding their annual family fun day at New Lanark, this time in conjunction with Co-op members, with lots for the kids and whole family to do. New Lanark visitors are welcome to take part in this event.

Telephone: 01555 6613455

Visit

www.familiesglasgow.co.uk for more local events, family outing ideas and our online party guide Families Glasgow

July/August 2013

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