Issuu

FREE

IN THIS ISSUE

Education Autumn activities Halloween Family life

Free gifts for new and existing subscribers SEE INSIDE

September/October 2021

Familiesonline.co.uk

Familiesonline.co.uk September/October 1

Spooky Skeletons Trail Sat 23 - Sun 31 October Follow the spooky skeletons trail around the estate and see the bats in action at the Nocturnal House. Book in advance to guarantee entry.

lotherton.leeds.gov.uk

2 September/October

Familiesonline.co.uk

CONTENTS

In this issue

Welcome

6 14 15

Back to school already! Our Education feature will help ease the transition and provides helpful tips and support.

16 19 22 24 27 30

Education Tween Scavenger hunt downloadable Autumn activities Halloween Family life Bonfire Night Black History Month Toys

Get in touch 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.

Autumn is a beautiful season and a great time for getting outside with the family. Hunt down some autumn trees in our downloadable Scavenger Hunt, enjoy some Autumn crafts and get organised early for Halloween with our great costume and decoration ideas. Get prepared for Ride to School Week with our family cycling feature and challenge your kids with our Black History Month quiz. How many faces can they match to names? Whether you’re an existing subscriber to our magazine or haven’t signed up yet, take advantage of our fabulous free gifts for you in this issue! Enjoy!

Laura x

October getaways from £190*

1st - 31st October 2021 A whole month of fang-tastic fun. Themed activities, entertainment every night of the week, family cinema, Halloween parties and Away Resorts LIVE. Plus plenty of spooky surprises along the way too! • Bar and restaurant • Outdoor play areas • Sports court • On-site shop • Dog friendly

To book, visit awayresorts.co.uk or call 03432 496310 @BeachcomberAwayResorts @AwayResortsUK @AwayResortsHolidays *Price based on a two night break in Comfort accommodation, correct at time of print.

Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 3

For What’s On near you, pick up your local print magazine! Magazine

Not sure where?

FREE

TAKE ME

HOME

FRE E

TAKE

ME HO

Magazine

30 yea .co.ukrs

u familiesonline d

1 July/August 202

es Maga

ri P

to be

ili

years

30 ud

IT’s FREE!

Maga

Pr o

ies

Fa m

Ask us now

r to be P

May/June 2021

familiesonline.co.uk

Celebrating 200 years of objects, people and stories. 3 Sept — 9 Jan 2022 Discover our new special exhibition. Free entry.

@LeedsCityMuseum citymuseum.leeds.gov.uk 4 September/October

Familiesonline.co.uk

Ey up Leeds. Autumn, it’s crunch time! Enjoy indoor and outdoor days out across our eight exciting museums and galleries. Visit our website to find out what’s on at half term!

museumsandgalleries.leeds.gov.uk

“There is an amazing sense of female empowerment throughout the school - from the Reception class right through the Senior School.My daughters know they can achieve anything and they are in the right environment to realise their dreams and ambitions.” Current Parent

The

Mount School York

We know girls can

At The Mount Junior School we are passionate about girls and their education. We have developed a curriculum designed to challenge and inspire young girls to support their natural curiosity and stimulate their creativity.

OPEN DAY - Saturday 9 October An exceptional education for girls age 3 -18 Familiesonline.co.uk

mountschoolyork.co.uk September/October 5

EDUCATION

Tips for a positive Parents’ Evening By Annabel Gray Despite the sore throat and spinning head by the end, as a teacher, I used to love parents’ evenings. Those ten minutes can make all the difference to a child’s experience and outcomes at school. So, to make the most of them:

What do you want to know? Their level? Their test results? How they interact with others? How confident they are? What the homework is about? How to do long division? This is your chance! Don’t waste it!

Work these top tips into your parents’ evening and you’ll feel positive, productive and informed by the end of it. Want other tips to support your child’s learning? READ MORE

FRE

TAKE

Cardiff & Vale

IT’S FREE! IN THIS ISSUE

Magazine

ili

es Mag

years

Holiday act ivities Summer Lea rning Health Family food

Free gifts for existing sub new and scribers

6 September/October

ME HO

Celebrate their work. Pandemicpermitting, let your child show you their work on display and their books. Most parents are surprised at the quality of the work their children do at school.

Be proud. Your kids are amazing! Tell them that!

Come armed with questions. The most productive meetings are when a parent brings all the queries they have to the meeting so they can be ironed out quickly.

Smile. The teacher you are meeting spends just as much time as you do with your child and will know them very well. Make them feel at ease and create a positive vibe from the outset.

Focus on solutions. If there are tricky issues to tackle, from either side of the desk, focus on solutions rather than blame. Like you, teachers want the best for your child. If an issue can’t be resolved, book a further meeting.

Attend. Obvious maybe – but vital if you want to show your child that you value their learning.

r to be P

Readmio App

SEE INSIDE

July/August 2021

email: editor@fam

iliescardiff.co.uk

familiesonline.c o.uk

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Dealing with back to school anxiety By Lisa Wander and Catherine Loble For most children, back to school anxiety fades quickly. But how do we support our children when it lingers? Prevent common worries from becoming deep-rooted by establishing good practice and routines. For children whose worries persist, this simple five step programme can to our children is that they don’t help. need to worry. Take care of the basics. Ensure a Not sure how to be an ‘active good sleep routine, healthy snacks listener?’ and regular exercise. Provide empathy. Find READ MORE uninterrupted opportunities to listen to your child’s worries, expectations Get the kids modelling! and fears. Car journeys, bath time Receive 3 FREE Plasticine® gifts and walks are ideal. Listen actively, when you sign up to our magazine* withholding judgement and advice. Validate their feelings. You receive: Toolz Problem solve. Discuss coping Kit strategies, ideally led by your child. Showing confidence in their own problem solving abilities nurtures greater resilience. Softeez Highlight the positives. Encourage Multi Noodle Doodle your child to recognise the fun Pack Creator Kit elements of school and not fixate on the negatives. Use questions like: ‘What was your favourite thing for lunch?’ and ‘What was the funniest A family modelling favourite, ideal thing that happened today?’ for kids to make Be mindful of your own emotions Worth more than £12.99 and create. and reactions. They can create *while stocks SIGN UP HERE learnt behaviour. By staying calm last Magazine IT’S FREE! T&Cs and seeming positive, the message Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 7

EDUCATION

Teacher talk

Getting your school acronyms muddled? Confused by terminology your child’s teacher is using? Check out our handy guide. Blended Learning: A mixture of face-to-face and online teaching. Blending: The merging together of the separate sounds in a word. CAHMS: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services CATS: Cognitive Abilities Tests. These assess strengths and weaknesses in reasoning and are used in some primary and secondary schools. Circle time: This is time that children spend sitting on the mat or on chairs in a circle to discuss a particular topic. Core subjects: These are the subjects making up the core part of the overall curriculum, such as English and maths. Differentiation: Teachers can vary activities in class depending on the ability of different children and make sure that each student is appropriately challenged. DfE: Department for Education. EAL: English as an additional language. Early Help Assessment (EHA): An assessment which identifies children and families who need support. Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): The Early Years Foundation Stage includes Nursery and Reception classes. The focus here is learning through high quality play. When your child moves from 8 September/October

Reception into Year 1, more formal teaching is introduced. Fine motor skills: The ability to make movements using the small muscles in our hands and wrists. These are important when learning to write or threading a needle, for instance. Foundation subjects: Non-core subjects eg History, Geography, IT, DT, Modern Foreign Languages, RE, Music, PE and Art. Want the rest of the alphabet? READ MORE

Pick up your local print magazine! Not sure where? Ask us now For more on near you

Magazine Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Can dyslexia be the key to success? By Jemma Zoe Smith

It can be worrying when your child is diagnosed with dyslexia and, with one in ten people in the UK challenged by dyslexia to some degree, this is a situation that many parents face. I’m dyslexic. I hold three Oxford degrees, am a qualified teacher and run two businesses. I was diagnosed after my first year at university, meaning that I went through school without any support or accommodations. I knew that I had to work for longer than others (I started my GCSE revision the day I started Year 10) and certain subjects, like French, were much trickier.

population. Famous dyslexic entrepreneurs include Sir Richard Branson, Anita Roddick and Jamie Oliver. So can dyslexic students actually have an advantage over their peers? READ MORE

Several teachers mentioned that I may want to look into dyslexia as I displayed some of the traits such as poor organisation and time management. But because I scored well in exams and no-one really knew about it in my family, it wasn’t something I looked into until university. The days of believing that students with dyslexia just need to try harder are over; now, schools and universities employ dyslexia specialists and provide accommodations such as extra time for exams, so that dyslexic students aren’t left at a disadvantage. In fact, concrete evidence shows that a high percentage of entrepreneurs are dyslexic, compared with the general Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 9

Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate An Excellent rated (ISI) school welcoming children aged 3 months to 19 years. Find out how we can help support your child to achieve their aspirations in our unique prep, middle and senior four-school model. Call to arrange a private tour or join us at our next open day on 2 October 2021. www.qe.org

Shortlisted for Independent School of the Year for Performing Arts and Independent Prep School of the Year.

“To be the best that I can, with the gifts that I have.” www.qe.org | admissions@qe.org | 01423 333330 | York YO26 9SS 10 September/October

Familiesonline.co.uk

EDUCATION

Ride to school safely It’s Ride to School Week starting 27 September! To get your family riding to school (and beyond) safely, check out our great videos and articles.

Teaching your child to ride a bike

Safety-checking your child’s bike

Cycling as a family By Catherine Ellis

There’s no better time than the Autumn to start cycling: it’s generally mild but not too warm, it’s a beautiful season and cycling is a great way to see it unfold. But preparation is key to ensuring you get the best out of the experience and take an appropriate route. READ MORE Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 11

EDUCATION

Top questions to ask on a school visit By Emma Lewry Choosing a school for your child is a big decision that can feel charged with pressure and uncertainty. As a teacher, former head teacher and a mum, I’ve been through the process from both sides of the classroom door, so here’s my simple advice to make the most of your visits. Firstly, read my tips on preparation for your visit here: So what should you ask at the school? • What’s the best thing about your school? • What are you working on to improve as a school currently? • What do the children say about your school? (or ask a child if you can!) • How are your classes organised? Are the mixed ages and abilities? • How do you deal with behaviour incidents and bullying? • About any logistics that are important to you; Do you offer a breakfast club? Do you teach

Watch Emma’s top school visit tips

particular sports or musical instruments? What time does the school day start? For more essentials to get the most out of a school visit and dealing with NOT being able to visit in person. READ MORE

Ages Free gift 5+ for our subscribers!*

Equazen Family Pack (180 capsules) Support your child’s brain health! Clinically researched combination of Omega 3 & Omega 6

APPLY HERE *while stock last

Magazine 12 September/October

T&Cs apply

Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 13

TWEEN

The best foods for pre-teens By Katie O’Connell We have a running joke in our family. If it’s not burger-shaped, my son won’t eat it. Finding out what we should be feeding our tweens is one challenge, working out what they will actually eat is another! Teen and pre-teen experts at wearetwixt offered us this advice from Katie, nutritionist and gut health expert. Fats are not the enemy Healthy fats are probably the most important food group for growing tweens and are vital to healthy brain development. The best sources are fish, nuts and seeds. I recommend oily fish twice a week - salmon, sardines, mackerel, tuna (fresh not tinned), herrings, prawns and whitebait – and a handful of nuts a day.

Sprinkle mixed seeds over breakfast cereal, salads, in sandwiches and stir fries. Katie O’Connell is an experienced nutritionist offering consultations to parents and children. Find out more.

Fishy and nutty food ideas Chuck a handful of prawns into a stir fry/pasta sauce with some chilli and lime. Mackerel has a mild flavour that works well mashed into a dip with a squeeze of lemon and garlic. Add pesto or cherry tomatoes to baked salmon steaks; serve with potato wedges. Try salty anchovies in pasta sauce or on pizza. They taste great amongst other complicated flavours. Spread nut butters - peanut, almond or hazelnut- onto toast. Slice apple wedges for dipping in a small bowl of peanut butter. 14 September/October

Familiesonline.co.uk

Autumn tree Scavenger Hunt

AUTUMN

Get outdoors and go on a treasure hunt with your kids, matching leaves to their trees and trees to their fruit. Download this activity and instructions.

DOWNLOAD FOR YOUR KIDS HERE

Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 15

AUTUMN

Best Autumn crafts for all ages Celebrate the season and get creative with these colourful and rewarding activities.

Autumn garland

Apple stamping

Hanging leaves

Pine cone peanut butter bird feeder

Leaf people

Paper plate flappy owl

Pine cone people

Nature ‘tic tac toe’ game

Nature wand

16 September/October

Familiesonline.co.uk

AUTUMN

Autumn outside It’s a great season to be outside with the kids and here’s how to keep them happy and busy enjoying nature.

Track local wildlife

Create a journey stick

Spider web safari

Geocaching

Make a leaf stack

Build a den

Discover a wood near you

Make a mini garden

Build a hedgehog home

Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 17

ENVIRONMENT

Growing oak trees from acorns According to the Woodland Trust, trees are our most powerful weapon in the fight against climate change. Join Luke Cook and The Acorn Project to give nature a helping hand in encouraging acorns to grow into trees. 1

Here’s what to do. 1. Start looking for green or brown acorns around mid-September. Make sure they have no insect damage or holes/cracks from falling. 2. Take the caps off your acorns. Fill a clear container up with water and drop in the acorns. Fertile acorns will sink. Non-fertile ones can be put outside for birds and squirrels (but out of reach of dogs, as acorns are poisonous for them). 3. Keep your fertile acorns in a cool, dark place until they sprout. When the roots appear, fill a small

18 September/October

container with compost and some gravel. A yoghurt pot or plastic bottle cut in half, with drainage holes at the bottom works well. Make a hole and plant the acorn (about an inch below the surface). Cover with compost and put outside/in a dark spot until shoots appear (usually in the spring). 4. Look around your local area to see where trees could be planted. Council-owned parks, schools and hospitals are likely to be grateful for your saplings!

Familiesonline.co.uk

HALLOWEEN

DIY Halloween costumes Does your heart sink when your child asks if you can make them a costume for Halloween? If so, check out this great but simple ideas.

No sew spider

Luna Lovegood

No sew ghost

Zombie

Mummy

Pirate

Duct tape skeleton

Velcro vampire

Halloween face painting - step by step

Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 19

HALLOWEEN

Halloween decoration ideas Get into the spirit of the Halloween season with these fabulous decoration ideas.

Milk carton ghosts

Halloween shadow puppet activity

Easy jar lantern

Witches cauldrons

Pumpkin paper plates

Puffy ghosts

Conker spider

Mini broomstick

Flapping bat

20 September/October

Familiesonline.co.uk

Autumn carnival half term fun RHS members go free

RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262.

Sat 23 Oct – Sun 31 Oct Celebrate autumn from around the world this half term. With wonderful hands-on activities for all ages.

Your visit supports our work as a charity

Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 21

FAMILY LIFE

The benefits of family pets

Kids’ books that promote diversity

By Caroline Wilkinson

By Tamsy Ashman

While raising kids can feel like enough of a job without the added responsibility of pets, bringing animals into your family home can be incredibly beneficial. A pet can provide huge confidence-boosting opportunities for children and can also reduce anxiety levels. READ MORE

As conversations about race continue to dominate the headlines, it’s the perfect time to explore books featuring people from different racial backgrounds with your child. Here’s some recommendations. READ MORE

Giveaway! Giveaway! Art Lab Pouring Art Studio

Ages 6+

3 available

Let budding artists explore colour & design T&Cs apply

Magazine 22 September/October

Turn your child’s life adventures into personalised tales with a Tales of Me book 5 of each book available APPLY HERE

APPLY HERE Magazine

IT’S FREE! *while stock last T&Cs apply

Familiesonline.co.uk

FAMILY LIFE

Is it really over?

Journaling for kids

All relationships have ups and downs but when the balance has tipped very much in favour of downs, you may be wondering whether your marriage can be saved or whether divorce could be the right decision.

Journaling is an excellent activity for kids. It creates an outlet for thoughts and feelings and a safe space for children of all ages to explore their emotions.

By Rhiannon Ford

You may have talked to your spouse about your unhappiness and not received a satisfactory response? Or feel you’ve done everything you can to improve your relationship and it’s just not working? Find out what to do next.

Check out the FREE resources at Only Mums & OnlyDads and find out about 101 Questions Answered About Separating With Children, an invaluable resource for parents in the early days of separation. Familiesonline.co.uk

FAMILY LIFE By Stacie Swift

Journaling can foster greater self-awareness, self-belief and help with decision making. It’s also a great tool for encouraging gratitude, kindness and positivity. Check out my five starter activities for children. READ MORE

Make it Your Story Academic excellence and exceptional extra-curricular opportunities in a nurturing environment, where education is truly tailored to the individual.

Call 01845 575040 September/October 23

BONFIRE NIGHT

Staying safe on Bonfire Night Animals and children (particularly younger ones) often find fireworks scary. Help them relax and stay safe using a few simple tips. Indoor pets Keep your pets in the house whenever you think there will be fireworks; Walk dogs during daylight hours; Shut windows and doors, close blinds and curtains; Put on some music or television to mask the firework sounds; Create a quiet space or hiding places where your pet can feel secure; Make sure your pet can’t escape if startled by a sudden noise.

Outside pets Partly cover outside cages, hutches and pens with blankets. Provide extra bedding inside cages and hutches so small animals can burrow in. Consider bringing outside pets indoors – this may need to be done gradually so plan ahead. More at RSPCA

Make Christmas Magical Take your family on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to meet Santa in Lapland and enjoy an experience you’ll never forget!

Limited availability for 2021 Visit SantasLapland.com

half page ad 1.indd 1 24 September/October

09/08/2021 13:57 Familiesonline.co.uk

BONFIRE NIGHT

Bonfire Night for under 5s It’s a fun night for older kids but little ones can sometimes get overwhelmed by the loud bangs and noise. So here are some ideas to help them celebrate more quietly!

Firecracker pull string pinata

Firework star hat

Sparkly fireworks picture

Fork stamped fireworks

Edible sparklers

Shaving foam fireworks

Toilet roll rocket

Pretend bonfire

Firework cookies

Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 25

Give your child a Bright Beginning! . For children ages 15 months to 5 years with funding for 2, 3 & 4 year olds . Open 7:30am to 6pm, all year round

. Fully self-contained and secure with 2 large outdoor play areas . Ofsted registered with ‘Outstanding’ rating

Call us today! 019 04 613566

CLASSES FOR CHILDREN 4MTHS-12YRS

JOIN US www.harrogate@thelittlegym.co.uk www.leeds@thelittlegym.co.uk www.york@thelittlegym.co.uk

47 Rawcliffe Drive, York, YO30 6PD Email: info@bright-beginnings.info www.bright-beginnings.info

26 September/October

Familiesonline.co.uk

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Black History Month ‘Who’s Who’ Quiz Look at these photos and clues with your kids and match them to the list of important figures from black history on the next page. How many do you know?

His art is displayed in galleries all around the world.

Famous for her books for young adults, including Noughts and Crosses.

First black driver to win a Formula One championship.

Born a slave in Maryland, She paid her own way to the Crimean War, setting USA, she led military campaigns to free slaves. up a hotel for soldiers.

He served twenty seven years in prison and was finally freed in 1990.

She was a ‘human computer’ making the calculations required for space flight.

He campaigned for laws to end racial segregation and discrimination in the USA.

He served two terms as president, leaving office with a sixty percent approval rate. Familiesonline.co.uk

September/October 27

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

What do you know about Black History Month? October marks Black History Month (BHM) in the United Kingdom. The event was first officially recognised by the US government in 1976 and was first celebrated in the UK in 1987. Events celebrating African and Caribbean cultures will take place across the UK until October 31. People from African and Caribbean backgrounds have been a fundamental part of British history for centuries. However, many have highlighted that their value and contribution to society is often overlooked, ignored, or distorted. Many schools still teach a history curriculum which focuses on traditional events and the achievements of white figures. BHM gives everyone the chance to

share, celebrate and learn about the impact of black heritage and culture – something we should, of course, be doing all year round. BHM also goes further than the traditional concentration on slavery and segregation in the history of African and Caribbean people, giving us the chance to uplift figures previously disregarded in British and world history. www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk

Answers. Left to right Row 1: 1. Chris Ofili 2. Malorie Blackman 3. Lewis Hamilton Row 2: Harriet Tubman, Mary Seacole, Nelson Mandela Row 3: Barack Obama, Katherine Johnson, Martin Luther-King Jr.

KIDS ART CLASSES

Who’s Who Quiz names Barack Obama Chris Ofili Harriet Tubman Katherine Johnson Lewis Hamilton Malorie Blackman Martin Luther King Jr Mary Seacole Nelson Mandela 28 September/October

ONLINE OR IN PERSON IN YORK

TERM TIME CLASSES & HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS SIGN UP NOW

For kids ages 6-16 Adult beginner classes available too /BlankCanvasArtClub 07773 819 603 blankcanvasartclub@gmail.com blankcanvas.art.club Familiesonline.co.uk