Families North Yorkshire Magazine November/December 21

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IN THIS ISSUE

Christmas What’s On Family life NEW! Dad blog Gift Guides November/December 2021

Familiesonline.co.uk

Familiesonline.co.uk November/December 1

yorks school of magic

Christmas

Meet santa

Immersive character adventure and themed cafe in york city centre Tickets from £12.95 Meet santa ,cast spells, Be part of the story

www.averymagicaladventure.co.uk

York Castle Museum Presents

On select dates from November 2021 – January 2022

Discover more at yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk

York Museums Trust 28316 YMT Kirkgate Christmas 2021 – Families of York Ad ART.indd 2 November/December

Pre-booking advised 1

21/10/2021 15:35 Familiesonline.co.uk

CONTENTS

In this issue

Welcome

4 8 10 15 16

Education Dad blog Christmas Part 1 Early Years Ladder Challenge downloadable 17 Health 18 Family Life 20 Clubs and Holiday camps 21 Christmas Part 2

Get in touch

Competition winners from our July/August issue Chantal Platt, Lili Phung, Jax Blunt, Karolina Holmes and Emily Adams who received an Orchard Toys Game Bundle.

See recipients of a children’s wellbeing activity book and Readmio app.

Families is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of Families Print Ltd. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine but Families Print Ltd, its distributors, franchisees and LCMB Ltd cannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or any consequences thereof.

It’s time to start planning for Christmas!

We have everything you need right here, from fun-to-make Christmas decorations and teachers’ gifts to Christmas recipes, games, gifts, songs, audiobooks and ideas to keep the kids busy on Christmas Eve. In our Education section, find out how to manage the stresses sometimes associated with homework and tips for encouraging your child to become an independent learner.

Do you have a child with a challenge to undertake?

Download the Ladder Challenge from this issue to take it step by step.

We have an excitng new addition to our magazine too as we welcome Ian Northeast, top 10 UK Dad blogger, writing a column for us each issue.

Finally, we have some great treats for you in our Christmas Gift Giveaway. Don’t forget to apply!

And sign up at familiesmag.co.uk/go to receive every issue of this magazine free to your inbox.

Wishing all our families a happy Christmas!

Laura x

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T&Cs apply November/December 3

EDUCATION

Finding the right tutor for your child

By Kate Hilpern Here’s some ideas of where to start.

Word of mouth. Asking around is the most effective and popular way to source good tutors. Parents whose children have just done the relevant exam, if that’s what you’re preparing for, are often the best source.

Your child’s school. Talk to your child’s teachers. They may be happy to help out a little outside school or know of other people who tutor.

Tutor agencies. While you are not getting a tutor recommended to you by someone you know, you can pick the one who seems most compatible and switch if it doesn’t work out.

Website agencies. Parents can interview or chat with as many potential tutors as they like before agreeing to start tutoring. Be aware, however, that there may be little support if things go wrong.

What questions should you ask a prospective tutor?

What is your educational background? Particularly in the subject they are teaching.

How much tutoring experience do you have? Are they fully up to date with the current curriculum?

4 November/December

How will you tell if you’re suited to tutoring my child? Do they adapt to children who might be very shy or boisterous?

What are your tutoring methods?

Is the work all done in the session?

Will there be additional homework?

What is your success rate? If they tutor for specific exams, do they achieve consistently good results?

What hours are you available and where do you tutor?

How long do you expect the tutoring to last? Do they teach fixed blocks or until everyone agrees the child is ready to ‘go solo?’

What are your fees? Any additional costs? Terms and conditions? Are materials and textbooks included?

What happens if either of you have to cancel a session?

Can you provide references and DBS records?

Kate Hilpern is from The Good Schools Guide, the leading impartial source of information on schools in the UK, helping parents with every aspect of choosing the best education for their children.

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Encouraging your child to become an independent learner

By Bradley Busch and Edward Watson As children get older and progress within the education system, how they manage their time and how efficiently and effectively they study independently becomes an ever-increasing premium skill. So, what does academic research tell us about how parents can help facilitate this?

Let’s look at three different but related techniques.

Introduce learners to effective goal setting. This must include Improving self-reflection. The more flexibility, short and long-term goals and enough challenge to maintain self-aware learners are, the more motivation. likely they are to manage potential distractions. Self-monitoring is READ MORE a skill that can be developed by encouraging children to ask The themselves good questions, such as Mount School York ‘how can I get better?’ and ‘where do I do my best work?’

We know girls can

Research suggests that most students are poor at estimating how long a task will take to complete, as they get distracted or face unexpected obstacles along the way. This is called ‘The Planning Fallacy.’ Find out more here.

Familiesonline.co.uk

“

Our daughter is thriving in the all-girls environment.

She has developed an inner confidence.

The wonderful bespoke curriculum has sparked her imagination and joy of learning.

“

Better time management. Left to their own devices, people tend to procrastinate. Some studies have found that seventy five per cent of students consider themselves procrastinators, with fifty per cent procrastinating regularly and to a level that is considered problematic.

An exceptional eduaction for girls Early Years - Sixth Form

mountschoolyork.co.uk November/December 5

EDUCATION

DIY Christmas gifts for teachers Fabulously creative and low-cost presents that will excite your kids and delight their teachers.

Make Christmas brownies in a jar

Create origami bookmarks

Make a homemade candle

Make scented soap

Bake a bird feeder

Paint a Sharpie mug

Plant a succulent mini pot

Make a rice heat bag

Create a tissue paper vase

6 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

What homework should my child get?

By Lisa Wander and Catherine Loble Here’s our rough guide.

Reception. Formal homework is rarely set. However, children are likely to bring home first reading books. Listening to your child read is invaluable.

Years 1 and 2. One or two literacy or numeracy tasks weekly. Children should spend no longer than thirty minutes on each task. Daily reading with your child is essential.

Years 3 and 4. Most schools set two homework activities per week of up to forty five minutes each, typically, one literacy and one numeracy.

Years 5 and 6. Two or three pieces of homework weekly totalling approximately two hours per week, in preparation for SATs and transition to secondary school.

Top tips for homework support A quiet, designated homework area where everything they need is accessible.

A regular study time. Avoid late in the day. Encourage regular breaks.

Eliminate distractions. Ensure screens are off and out of reach.

Start with the hardest work first.

Then the rest of the work will feel easier!

Praise work and effort to encourage a positive response to homework.

Teach by example. Work at the same time in the same space, if possible.

Accept help, when needed, from YouTube videos, websites like Khan Academy or even tutors.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Lisa and Catherine are cofounders of EmParenting, which works with schools and parents to strengthen children’s core qualities like kindness and offers insights and tools to nurture their development and wellbeing.

Enter our Christmas Gift Giveaway!

T&Cs apply Young Drivers Driving Experience

Silverstone Lap of Lights Experience

Brave Girls’ Book Club

Storytime magazine subscription

More gifts available

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November/December 7

DAD BLOG

Dads, dads and more dads

By Ian Northeast We are everywhere these days. The school runs, nursery runs, library clubs and toddler groups. You just can’t seem to avoid us. This hasn’t always been the case though. I’m a single dad and have been for the best part of nine years. I remember the lonesome, head down, hood up school pickups of yesteryear.

Often the sole male parent in the playground.

Thankfully, this has changed and I have welcomed some male company joining me at the school gates. Don’t get me wrong. Mums are great. However, sometimes a dad chat was needed.

Over the last eighteen months or so, life has changed for us all. Working from home has become the norm. Bosses and companies have needed to adjust and allow a more flexible workspace or environment. And this is great for working parents. A silver lining isn’t a phrase often associated with the recent pandemic. However, for many, it has produced one. Full time working parents have not only seen it, but they are also adopting it well.

‘discuss’ much. All of this can cause a detrimental effect on mental health.

However, we now have another outlet, that if needed, we can utilise and reach out to. We have other Dads. We are everywhere these days. The school runs, nursery runs, library clubs and toddler groups. You just can’t seem to avoid us.

And this is a great thing, long may it continue. We can take more of the parenting responsibility. Not only that, we can enjoy it, benefit from it and smile more while doing it. Plus, as an added bonus our kids get to see us more. Not just the grumpy dad at weekends, who has worked all week and is feeling the For me, as a dad, it is fabulous seeing so strain of work. We can be the fun dad, many more dads knocking about with who picks up after school, guilt-free, their kids at times that have previously knowing that we are just as productive been untenable. Popping to the park after at work and enjoy the freedoms that we school, first steps, first words to name now have. just a few.

And this is why as a Dad, I have found Flexible working by definition gives an unexpected silver lining to the us the ability to change our work-life pandemic and will embrace it. Viva the balance. Bosses now appreciate that dad’s revolution. productivity and flexibility can work together in harmony. This isn’t just great Ian writes over at Dad’s Delicious for our children. For dads it is amazing.

Dinners, where he covers food, family, Not only do we get to spend more time fatherhood and fun. with the kids. We get to socialise too. We are making friends.

He can also be found on social media on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Dads are a strange bunch. We tend Tiktok not to talk much. We certainly don’t 8 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

TWEEN

Tween sleep habits

By Chris Skeat

It’s just as hard for tweens to get a good night’s sleep, as it is for their parents! Pre-teen/teen experts at wearetwixt offer tips on healthy sleep habits for this age group.

Children ages 10 to 12 years should get between nine hours fifteen minutes and nine hours forty five minutes of sleep a night (NHS). But, at puberty (on average, between 10-12 for girls and 12-16 for boys), children’s natural sleep patterns may start shifting.

Sleep is essential for forming and maintaining pathways in the brain that facilitate learning and create new memories but research shows we’re now having two hours less sleep a night than in the 1960s.

A key reason? The blue light from digital screens suppresses the body’s sleep hormone, melatonin, which helps us drift off.

bed the first week, building to sixty or ninety minutes.

How can bedtime routines and bedroom set ups also improve tween sleep?

READ MORE

Banish the blue-light According to a BBC survey, fifty seven per cent of the UK’s children sleep with their mobile phones by their bed and forty two percent of children always keep their phones with them, never turning them off.

But a pre-bedtime screen time cutoff and no access to technology in the bedroom is crucial for a good night’s sleep.

Switch off before bedtime Fifteen to twenty minutes before Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 9

CHRISTMAS

Great Christmas gifts for kids Check out our Families gift guide for ideas that will inspire and excite your child - many without lots of packaging!

Brave Girls’ Book Club subscription box

Storytime magazine subscription

Baked In Junior Baking Club subscription box

Diverse stories & powerful protagonists.

Ages 7-12. £17 per month.

For story-loving kids!

Ages 4-11. From £38.99.

Child-friendly recipes for mini-bakers. Ages 5-11.

From £7.50 per month.

Young Driver driving lessons

Scamp & Dude superpower PJs

So Slime DIY Ice Cream Factory

SnapWatch

Waboba Moon Ball

Get behind the wheel for a memorable driving experience. Ages 4+.

Snaps around the wrist and stays. Interactive, easy to use. Ages 5-12. £9.99 + p&p.

10 November/December

PJs with Superpower Button! Boosts and comforts when most needed. From £28.

Pops and bounces to 100ft!

Ages 5+.

Create three squishy slime ice creams - fluffy, icee and scented.

Ages 6+. £20.

Wildflower kit

Three bamboo pots ready to plant. Six hundred seeds to attract bees! £20.

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

Christmas gift ideas for adults Eco-friendly, no-clutter and truly memory-making. Check out the Families guide to gift experiences for parents.

Family Photography

Capture those special moments & treasure those memories for years to come. Grab your gift voucher this Christmas.

WSET Level 1 Award in Wines

Give the gift of wine knowledge! Highlyregarded award, perfect for beginners.

Box 42 Uncharted Love Island box Tropical fun. Themed activities & Spotify playlist. From £31.99 per mth.

Books that Matter Silverstone driving Bloom & Wild book box experience letterbox flowers Thought-provoking and inspiring novel, plus feminist and bookish gifts. From £17 per mth.

Epsom Bakehouse bread making Learn to bake, online classes. Baguettes to brioche. From £19.99.

Familiesonline.co.uk

Huge range of letterbox bouquets delivered monthly for your giftee to curate.

Get behind the wheel of a single-seater race car or top of the range supercar. From £189.

Flying lesson

Fender Play guitar lessons

Learn how to pilot an aircraft in two amazing thirty minute lessons.

Legendary guitar brand with online platform.

Easy-to-follow lessons.

November/December 11

CHRISTMAS

Christmas audiobooks for the family Grab some blankets and mugs of hot chocolate and curl up to listen to these fabulous Christmas tales.

A Christmas Carol

Mog’s Christmas

A Season of Gifts

Enid Blyton’s Christmas Stories

A Boy Called Christmas

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Ages 6+ (2 hours & 44 minutes).

Ages 2+ (8 minutes).

Ages 9+ (3 hours & 50 minutes).

Ages 7+ (4 hours & 42 minutes).

Ages 9+ (4 hours & 26 minutes).

Ages 3+ (12 minutes).

Tumtum and Nutmeg’s Christmas Adventure

Mrs Claus and the Christmas Adventure

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Ages 3+ (1 hour & 26 minutes).

12 November/December

Ages 4+ (1 hour & 9 minutes).

Ages 8+ (1 hour & 26 minutes).

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

Keeping kids busy on Christmas Eve Daytime

Evening

Bake some Christmas goodies.

Make gingerbread, shortbread cookies or cakes for everyone to enjoy.

Make handmade decorations.

Allow the kids to decorate their bedrooms with bunting or paper chains and make some lastminute items for the tree.

Feed the birds. Hang edible treats or a feeder in the garden so birds can have a Christmas dinner too.

Go ice-skating. Nothing more festive than visiting a local popup ice rink!

Attend a nativity service. Local churches often welcome all to their yearly, special celebration.

Do a local Christmas light tour.

Get some fresh air and check out the neighbourhood decorations.

Snuggle up. Have a pizza dinner, watch a film or read a Christmas story.

Go carol singing. Wrap up warm and treat neighbours to your angelic voices - keeping a safe distance, of course.

Enjoy a Christmas Eve box.

Great for relieving restlessness, if the budget allows. Source a board game or jigsaw from a charity shop and add new PJs, a Christmas decoration, mug, activity book and healthy snacks.

Don’t forget to leave a snack out for Santa and his reindeers!

Make wildlife-friendly reindeer food!

Make a great snack to help Santa’s reindeers keep going on Christmas Eve. It’s good for other wildlife too!

Check out this great reindeer food recipe from the RSPCA. READ MORE

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November/December 13

CHRISTMAS

Best family Christmas recipes For the best fun cooking and eating!

Kid-friendly fruit mince pies

Gingerbread men

Strawberry Santa pancakes

Snowman marshmallow pops

White Christmas crackles

Peanut butter cookie dough reindeers

Snowman pizza

Easy family Christmas nut roast

Cheese stars

14 November/December

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EARLY YEARS

Improving your little one’s speech and language post-pandemic

By Joanne Jones Masks, social distancing, no parenting clubs or classes and no visitors to the house...that was the theme of the pandemic.

Consequently, children have had less experience of full faces, watched fewer mouths and played fewer turn-taking games such as ‘I smile, you smile’ with strangers.

Babies and toddlers acquire many of the skills involved in learning to talk from copying and reading facial expressions and copying mouth movements. So, post-pandemic, many parents report that their children are struggling to learn language or to use the words they already know in conversation.

together.

• Your child is not using ‘learned phrases’ to communicate.

• Your child is not chewing or only eating a limited diet and words are not being used.

If any of the above signs ring true for you, firstly, talk to your Health Visitor and ask about a referral to Speech Therapy.

Here are the key signs to look out for that might mean your young child would benefit from some extra Waiting times may be lengthy but help: there are things you can do to help • Your baby/toddler is not babbling your child make progress in the meantime. and making a variety of sounds.

• Your baby/toddler is not watching You are your child’s best teacher your face when you talk. and you can make up for their limited earlier experiences.

• Your baby/toddler is not developing their play abilities to Implement some of the following include a variety of skills. ideas.

• Your child is not using some words by 18 months old.

READ MORE • Your two year old is not combining two or more words Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 15

EARLY YEARS

The Ladder Challenge

Help your child take on a difficult challenge – one step at a time! Download this activity and instructions to get started.

The Ladder Challenge Taking on a difficult challenge – one step at a time Instructions for use We face new challenges every day, and some can seem so big that we want to run in the opposite direction to avoid them!

The best thing to do to make a challenge less scary is to break it down into steps so you can build up the confidence to tackle it.

Look at the ladder on the next page to see how a big challenge can be broken down into simple steps.

Now use the empty ladder and write the thing you find most challenging at the top.

Next, think about what smaller steps you can take to reach your goal and write them on each step – ask your grownup to help if you like.

Building up your confidence with each step will equip you with the positive mindset needed to tackle any challenge.

The Ladder Challenge is an activity for children taken from The Happy Workbook: The Feel Good Activity Book by Imogen Harrison, published by Summersdale.

Final rehearsal the night before

Practise in front of your family

Sing song loudly on s way to sc the ho in the car ol Practise front of yoin grown-upur

Read alou on your owd n

DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE!

16 November/December

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FAMILY LIFE

Become weight neutral!

It’s all too easy to talk about food and weight with and in front of our children in a way that may foster unhelpful attitudes towards body image and nutrition.

Do you use either of the comments below or similar?

Download our chart for some suggestions for alternative ways of thinking and speaking which may help foster more nurturing, mindful, conscious and intuitive eating habits and skills.

I can’t eat dessert because I’m on a diet.

Cakes and chocolate are bad for you.

Say This Nothing!

Swap these often used for others phrases Instead of Th is

Any comment about your ow child’s weight. n or another adu lt/ I wish I was ligh any thing that ter/heavier, had more muscl good bodies. rejects yours es…or or their body.

Being overwe ight is unheal All bodies are thy. different and worth looking after.

We have to los e weight to get I love moving happy. my body in new healthy and be and different ways. I nee d to exercise I’m not hungry more so I can for dessert rig eat treats. ht now.

I can’t eat des sert because Are you hungry I’m on a diet. in your head or in your tummy ?

You can only hav dinner. (Overr e dessert if you eat up all idin of moralising goo g hunger and fullness cue your s and d/bad/treat/hea guilt/virtue cyc lthy reinforces We can enjoy le). a cakes and cho and carrots and colate and pep pers grapes and app Cakes and cho le and banana colate are bad s… for you.

Did you know veggies can hel bodies do am azing things? p our brains and You must eat up your veggie s because the good for you. y are I’m hungry! a burger sounds nice today.

I’m going to be Let ’s get outsid bad and have a burger for lun e for some fre sh air. ch.

We need to go We’re not hav for a walk to bur ing n some calorie and yoghurt ins cake right now, we’re hav s. ing fruit We’re tead. not having cak e for snack, bec healthy. ause it’s not Our bodies are am azing! They’re change shape designed to many times as I wish I cou older. we grow up and get be big and ld lose the baby weight; boy s should strong!

Isn’t it wonde rfu kinds of faces l to have 7.5+ billion differe and bodies on nt Isn’t so-and-so the planet? (appearance really pretty, handsome, stro pra good/bad/bet ise reinforces stereotypes ng (to someone ter/worse)? and who has change d weight) However well How are you? inte will always hav ntioned… ‘weight change e praising an eat unknown impact , we cou praise’ ld ing condition or sim disorder, an underlying be health ply equating wo rth with body size.

Nothing!

All bodies are

With thanks to through intuit Nutriri, an organisation cre ive eating an ated by volun d movement for joy courses, teers to offer weight neutr al support, hypnotherapy 1:1 or in group s.

DOWNLOAD NOW! Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 17

FAMILY LIFE

Living safely with a dog

Understanding under 5s

By Caroline Wilkinson

By Dr Sarah Mundy

For children, having a dog for a pet can provide so many social benefits - from having a ‘friend’ to share their worries with, to learning how to be caring and responsible. In fact, being around dogs has benefits for the whole family, with the household more likely to be physically active and suffer lower levels of stress.

One moment a young child can seem like a rational human being, the next, for no apparent reason, a little monster! How do we understand what’s going on for them?

To enjoy all the benefits, we need to ensure that children are helped to act safely around the dogs they live with. So how can we do this?

READ MORE

Our ability to understand our children, think about their feelings and experiences and hold their mental states in mind is ‘predictive of their child’s attachment relationships, ability to understand and manage their feelings and social and play skills’ (Fonagy et al, 2002).

READ MORE

Top tip for dog care Write a list of the daily jobs including feeding, providing water, grooming, providing social interaction, training and walking.

Assign a job to each family member.

It eases the load on you PLUS it gives everyone an opportunity to have a social relationship with your dog.

18 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

FAMILY LIFE

Overcoming racial bullying

Moving from two incomes to one

By Tamsy Ashman

By Steve Hennessy

Studies show that, recently, racial bullying has increased in schools. A poll of one thousand children aged 6 to 15 found about thirty two percent of children had heard someone be racist at school. (The Guardian, 2020). So what can we do to overcome racial bullying?

READ MORE

Only Mums & Dads support parents to make the best decisions for their family during separation/divorce. Their inbox indicates that one of the most common anxieties for a couple separating is transitioning from a two-income to a single-income household.

READ MORE

Travelling with children with different surnames

Enter our Christmas Gift Giveaway!

By Emma Newman

T&Cs apply

So Slime DIY Ice Cream Station

Planning to head abroad this year? Are you are a parent with a different surname to your child? If so, you may be required to prove that you are your child’s legal guardian. So what documentation do you need to take when you travel?

READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk

SnapWatch

Waboba Moon Ball

More gifts available

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November/December 19

CLUBS AND HOLIDAY CAMPS

Plenty of fun to be had at Camp QE Camp QE offers fun and exciting multiactivity camps throughout the school holidays. The camps are for children aged 5-13 yrs and are day-only. Plus, you don’t have to be a QE student to attend!

So my two boys, aged 7 and 10 went along in Oct half term to give it a try and what was their verdict? “We loved it!” When I asked them if they wanted to go back, the answer was a firm YES! The boys enjoyed a range of games and fun activities including pumpkin carving and they were made to feel welcome

by the leaders and the other children.

Camp attendees are placed into colour groups according to age, but my two chose to stay together being new and this wasn’t a problem. Hot food and snacks are all provided. The facilities are simply amazing and if you can afford it, Camp QE is well worth it.

The camp runs 9am-4pm & free wrap around care is available from 8am - 5.30pm. Cost: Full Week (5 Days): £250pc 3 Day camp: £150pc Single day: £55 pc. 10% sibling discount.

20 November/December

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CHRISTMAS WHAT’S ON

The Magic Hatter’s Christmas Shows

The Christmas Experience at Lotherton

The Magic Hatter brings his much-loved comedy magic and seasonal silliness to York with two new Christmas shows – a live show and a digital show to watch at home!

27 Nov to 2 Jan The Christmas Experience at Lotherton returns once again this year to bring some wonderful added magic to your family’s Christmas.

A Very Magical Adventure in York

York Castle Museum: A Christmas Tale

Christmas is coming to York and old Saint Nicholas is on the way to make a special visit inside York’s School of Magic! As the new students enrolling in the school of Magic you are required to help save York and Christmas from the clutches of dark magic.

Our famous Victorian Street, Kirkgate, will be transformed into a glistening snowcovered ‘stage’ where spectacular large-scale projections present a very special Christmas story full of festive cheer​!

RHS Harlow Carr GLOW Winter Illuminations

Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland

18 Nov - 29 Dec The popular outdoor illuminations trail return once more. Giving visitors the chance to experience the garden in a completely new light, Glow highlights the garden’s most spectacular vistas after dark.

Familiesonline.co.uk

The popular outdoor ice rink, vintage funfair and Santa’s Grotto will be open from 19 Nov to Sun 9 Jan with tickets on sale now.

November/December 21

CHRISTMAS

Make you own Christmas decorations Get the whole family in the mood for Christmas with a crafty decoration-making afternoon.

Lemon star biscuits

Button snowflake

DIY wrapping paper

Sugar charms

Christmas crackers

Glue string ball

Paper snowflake wreath

Paper Christmas tree decorations

Festive pine cone mouse

22 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

Christmas song sing-along Tunes to get the whole family busting their lungs and up and dancing!

Santa Shark

Underneath the tree

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Rudolph the RedNosed Reindeer

Last Christmas

Frosty the Snowman

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

All I Want for Christmas is You

Merry Christmas Everybody

Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 23

CHRISTMAS

27 Nov 2021 – 2 Jan 2022 Step into our new festive woodland walk. Meet Santa, Mrs. Claus, the elves and much more.

Advance booking required.

Visit thechristmasexperience.co.uk

LMG286_Lotherton_TCE2021_FamiliesLeeds_180x130_AW.indd 1

23/09/2021 17:56

festive fun at york designer outlet!

skate

play

shop

fri 19 november 2021 – sun 9 january 2022

dine

BOOK NOW YorkshiresWinterWonderland.com

24 November/December

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WINTER TRAVEL

Home from home with Chilly Powder Do you prefer winter or summer in the Alps… or both?

Look out for the review of our summer holiday this year in our Mar/Apr 2022 issue.

Francesca, Paul and their three children live in Morzine in France For more about Chilly Powder all year round and have a good chalets for summer and winter click knowledge of Alpine traditions and the HERE. Morzine people. Having adapted their chalet holiday style over the years to suit the tastes of their regular guests, they offer the perfect ski and summer holidays for either families, couples or mixed groups in relaxing luxury, with fantastic food and outstanding facilities, with unrivalled in-house childcare facilities.

For many returning guests, including my own family, Chilly Powder is considered a real home from home.

I U G Q I N Z X X F P J Y O U L N B T A X Q N L M B F C Q L X I C E F I S H I N G E D I V H N E A N Q S J B I J A W N A S U W S N O W F L A K E T G Z N N S T N D U Y F I A D F G X O V U K Z O E R F A L D B E C W E Z E Y O W H E G N W Z I Z

Festive Fun Word search There are lots of fun and exciting things to see and do on a trip to Santa’s Lapland, can you help us find them all in this word search?

Santa, Reindeer, Snowflake, Elves, Husky, Snowmobile, Ice Fishing, Sleigh, Snow Hockey

H M S M G Z G M E I Z S Z M B O N L S A N T A O Q N K T B G C K E K T G C P M B K D A H R K T I Y E L V E S P I Y E L W E X G O Q U M Y A X Z L X E Z Y S H A K S A E F U S J E I R R O E H I H O C P B C K J H G

Imagine seeing all these in person in snowy Lapland, to find out more visit SantasLapland.com DOWNLOAD WORD SEARCH

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DOWNLOAD MORE ACTIVITIES

November/December 25

CHRISTMAS

Christmas games for the family Some of the best fun at Christmas can be had playing games. Here’s our top seasonal picks.

Christmas song emoji guessing game

Christmas bingo

Outdoor Christmas scavenger hunt

Christmas charades

Christmas memory match

Christmas scent game

Candy cane fishing game

Who am I?

Pin the nose on the reindeer

26 November/December

Familiesonline.co.uk

CHRISTMAS

What can I recycle after Christmas?

Christmas trees

Christmas cards

Cut, real Christmas trees: can be recycled and councils often have a specific collection for this.

Living Christmas trees: can be replanted for use next year.

Artificial Christmas trees: CANNOT be recycled. Reuse or give away.

Save to make into gift tags.

Cut into pieces for kids’ projects.

Or recycle BUT only AFTER cutting off any glitter, ribbons, foil, plastic and other unrecyclable elements.

MORE INFO

MORE INFO

Wrapping paper

Decorations

Plastic based or containing foil or glitter: CANNOT be recycled.

Plastic, glitter or glass: CANNOT be recycled. Reuse or donate to charity shops if in good condition.

Natural wreaths: compost if they have no glitter.

Fairy lights: CAN be recycled at household waste recycling centres.

MORE INFO

Other paper: scrunch into a ball. If it stays scrunched it can probably be recycled. Remove all sticky tape and decorations first.

AND check with your council as some won’t take it.

MORE INFO Familiesonline.co.uk

November/December 27