Families Sussex Coast - September/October 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

Back to School

Tips on supporting your child through the school transition

Fun Halloween craft ideas

Feed their imaginations with some simple spooky ideas!

Scared of the Dark

What to say when they are scared at bedtime

Issue 55 September/October 2017 familiesonline.co.uk

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Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 1

Che stnut Tree Hou se Rei nde er Run! c

Grab your antlers this December and hold your very own Reindeer Run for Chestnut Tree House!

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For more information: 01903 871820 www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk Registered charity number: 256789

Open Morning Saturday 30th September at 9.30am

Beautiful Horsham nursery set within the expansive grounds of Farlington School Forest Schools programme Early Years Vouchers accepted • Co-ed nursery age 3-5 • Extended day provision •

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www.farlingtonschool.com

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FREE antlers and red noses!

Choose your own date in December Raise sponsorship for us

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Managing Editor Mandy Earle editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk Advertising Sales Patricia Holloway Contributors Gram Canyon Zoe Holland Next issue November/December 2017 Booking deadline 9th October Artwork deadline 13th October For all enquiries please call 02393 117 561 Covering Littlehampton, Arundel, Worthing, Shoreham-by-Sea, Portslade, Brighton, Hove, Newhaven, Lewes, Eastbourne and all the places in between

© Families Sussex Coast 2017

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

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News and views Great Minds and how to grow them Supporting your child during the school transition But, you're too young to have arthritis?

What to do when they are scared of the dark Halloween craft ideas and Trick or Treat etiquette What's on Guide to family events The Dadifesto - Dad's guide to an untidy abode

Editor’s Note This is a great time of year; it feels like a second shot at the 'getting organised' resolution and, as you pack them off for their new school year in the crisp, white, soon-tobe-stained shirts, you can happily convince yourself that this year you WILL keep on top of thing!

Homework will be completed far in advance of the night before it's due.

Lunches will be carefully prepared, uniform will be ironed and we will absolutely leave on time for school every morning. It also feels like an acceptable time to start eating roast dinners and apple crumbles again.

Don’t miss our What’s On Guide featuring the best spooky events and ghostly goings-on, some crafty ideas to keep the kids occupied during half-term and tips on how to support your child through the transition of the new school year.

Best wishes,

Mandy Earle | Editor

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Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 3

Perform Parties Perform parties are high energy, fun and totally infectious.

Based around a colourful theme, Perform’s enthusiastic party leaders use a magical mix of songs, games and laughter guaranteed to ensure every child is part of an enthralling adventure. From the moment the lively leaders walk in the door, they'll give your child and friends the best birthday party they've ever had.

Whether your child wants to be a swashbuckling pirate, a shimmering mermaid or a dazzling superhero, they'll be sure to have a brilliant time.

If you have a local news item or event you would like to share with our readers email editor@familiessussexcoast.co.uk

Previous party booker Caroline Versallion says: “Hannah enraptured the guests immediately. They smiled and laughed beginning to end and hung on her every word. It took all the stress away from me. Hannah was brilliant. I would definitely use her again.”

To find out more or book a party call 0207 255 9120 or visit performparties.co.uk

Could your child benefit from tutoring?

Your child might benefit from being tutored if: • Results/grades/achievements are lower than expected.

• Your child’s confidence is slipping and they could do with a boost in a particular subject (or across the board).

How to find the right tutor Tutors have different styles and approaches to working. It’s worth thinking about what approach you feel would work for your child.

Some children might prefer to have a tutor come to their home, whilst others might find it easier to study away from home and to attend a tuition centre.

• They need to improve their grades in order to pass a forthcoming exam.

Whatever you choose, it’s vital to make sure any tutor has had a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.

• They need to be challenged more in a particular subject.

Written by Polly Warren.

Polly is a teacher with years of experience across many different educational settings, and now Centre Manager of First Class Learning’s (FCL) study centre in Brighton. FCL has study centres throughout the UK and provides a strong, flexible and dynamic learning system that focuses on the key maths and English learning outcomes for the National Curriculum.

For more advice contact Polly on 01273 730873 or brighton@firstclasslearning.co.uk www.firstclasslearning.co.uk/brightonwithdean

PW Performers bring gymnastics and soft play fun to Churchill Square Youngsters from across Brighton can now enjoy all the fun of a soft play and gymnastics area whilst learning and developing a whole range of skills, as the newest addition at Churchill Square is now open.

Run by popular Sussex-based group, PW Performers, children from six months to four years old can enjoy the soft play area whilst those aged three to 15 can take part in gymnastics classes that run throughout the week.

“The soft play and gymnastic area is open every day with a great range of classes for children run by the team from PW Performers and I’m sure that it’s going to prove a real hit with children and parents alike.”

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Hold a reindeer this December!

Last Christmas, 49 schools, nurseries, colleges and groups across Sussex and South East Hampshire took part in a Reindeer Run challenge, raising vital funds for Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice.

Children across the region hopped, skipped, jumped and ran for charity, with a range of ‘Reindeer Runs’, from obstacle courses and laps around the playground to themed PE lessons and park runs.

If you want to get involved this year, Chestnut Tree House will provide everything you need for your Reindeer Run event, including free reindeer antlers and red noses for everyone taking part, posters, helpful hints and sponsorship forms.

For more information on Reindeer Runs and how to get involved, visit www.chestnuttree-house.org.uk/reindeerruns

How will your sponsorship money help?

Chestnut Tree House currently cares for 300 children and young people with lifeshortening conditions across Brighton & Hove, East Sussex, West Sussex and South East Hampshire

It costs Chestnut Tree House over £3.5 million each year to provide all its specialist care services The charity receives less than 7% of its care costs from central government funding • £5 pays for one minute of all Chestnut Tree House care services • £35 enables a child to experience a magical hour in Chestnut Tree House’s multi-sensory room with a specially-trained member of staff • £230 gives a life-limited child the chance to visit Chestnut Tree House for the day and enjoy a range of activities

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

Wear A Hat Day is the UK’s premier brain tumour research fundraising event. It takes place on Thursday 29th March 2018.

March is also UK Brain Tumour Awareness Month. Schools and families across the country get involved to help raise funds for research into brain tumors’.

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

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

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

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

More information, event ideas and

fundraising tips can be found online: www.wearahatday.org.

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

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

Brighton Digital Festival: exploration of digital culture From 14th September to 13th October, Brighton Digital Festival celebrates the richness of the creative and cultural industries in our city and explores the ways in which digital technology continues to shape our lives and our thinking.

With a huge range of events including those for families and young people, BDF is a platform that supports and encourages people across the city to experience and explore digital technology and culture. Check out our What's On pages for a selection of family events or visit brightondigitalfestival.co.uk

Family

Matters with Zoe Holland

Autumn always creeps up without me noticing. We're in the throes of enjoying lazy Summer school holiday, then boom...the mornings are crisp, the leaves start changing colour and the children are a year further in their school careers. It's an exciting time with the chaos of going back to school, growing into new uniform and adapting to new routines and time tables.

September often treats us to an Indian Summer...those last few days of tee shirt weather before the coats and boots come out for the rest of the year. We find this time of year is our favourite to explore some of our local National Trust properties.

Sheffield Park boasts some of the most dramatically vibrant Autumnal leaf displays I've seen. Acer trees in bright reds, yellows and oranges are reflected in the lakes to create some wonderful photo opportunities...and there's plenty of leaves for the children to stomp about in! Over in Sevenoaks, Knole is another one of our favourite Autumn spots with guaranteed sightings of deer against frosty backdrops of rolling countryside. Then there's the gorgeous kitchen gardens at Wakehurst and Batemans where the children can see their Halloween pumpkins ripening ready for carving. We seem to get the most use out of our membership card at this time of year with the children exploring the gardens and open spaces and us grown-ups appreciating the aesthetics and sheer beauty of these historical gems.

October brings the relief

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of half term and a host of exciting Halloween activities. Despite the big day not falling in our week off we spend the October break visiting local attractions with their spooky decorations, pumpkin carving sessions and fancy dress competitions. We particularly like visiting the Spookfest at Tulley's Farm where the highlights are riding the Horrid Hayride and jumping out of our skin thanks to fantastic actors and puppets. By the time Halloween actually arrives we might have dressed up 4 times and carved our body weight in pumpkins!

As we pull out the thicker duvet and find ourselves turning the heating up, we try to embrace the cosiness. The days may be getting shorter and the mornings

certainly fresher...but simultaneously we embark on a new season, a new school year and best of all new adventures!

Zoe is a Mum, Step-Mum, Teacher and local explorer from East Sussex. She writes Jugglingonrollerskates.com, a family focused blog featuring events, places to eat, days out and short breaks.

Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 5

Great Minds and How to Grow Them

By Wendy Berliner

With the children back to school, or just starting, you could be forgiven for thinking you are handing them over to the professionals and your job is just to make sure they get enough good food, rest and enjoyment so that they flourish in class.

Perhaps you think your teaching job is limited to hearing the little ones read while you make sure the bigger ones do their homework. But it’s more than that. What parents do at home educationally can make the difference between whether their children succeed at school or not.

The latest research from education and neuroscience proves how malleable the brain is, how learning potential can grow, how IQ isn’t fixed – it can go up if you invest in it, and it can probably go down if you don’t.

The truth is that with the right support at home, the vast majority of children could deliver performance at school more commonly associated with the gifted and talented. There’s room for a lot more at the top of the class.

In our new book Great Minds and How to Grow Them, Professor Deborah Eyre, a lifetime specialist in advanced learning, and myself, an education journalist who has taken a special interest in why some children from similar backgrounds do badly at school whilst others don’t, have looked at the research in detail and come up with guidance any parent can use at home, fitting it seamlessly and easily into normal daily life.

What follows are five top ideas you can use at home. They come from Deborah’s High Performance Learning system which is being introduced in schools in the UK and abroad and is detailed for parents in Great Minds and How to Grow Them.

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Cultivate confidence and resilience

Encourage open mindedness

If a child thinks they can, they keep trying. It’s the ones that think they can’t who fall behind – the ones who say ‘I’m rubbish at this’. Don’t sort everything out for them – and that includes tying their shoelaces as much as it does doing their homework. And model the behaviour – don’t give up too easily on things in your life.

Being open to new ideas is the hallmark of an advanced learner.

Start with being open minded yourself so you model what it’s like to be receptive of ideas that differ from your own.

Key words: How could you do this?

Have you done anything similar before? What did you do then? ‘I know you can. I know it’s hard to do now but I know you can learn how to do this in time if you work at it.’

Practice

Develop critical or logical thinking The ability to deduct, hypothesise, reason and seek evidence is probably the characteristic most associated with academic success.

Keywords: ‘Why do you think. . . (bread goes mouldy, babies cry, leaves fall when autumn comes, people disagree about climate change?)’ ‘I wonder if that happened because of this?’ ‘How could I find out the truth about that?’

Encourage them to monitor their progress Very important to the high performer is knowing how they are doing, knowing they are on track with their homework for example, knowing they need to put more effort into improving certain things.

Key words: ‘What do you need to be able to do this? How can you check you’re on track? How can you tell whether you are doing it right?

Keywords: ‘That’s different to us, isn’t that interesting?’ ‘I never thought of it like that, but that is such a good approach.’

It’s the only way to get good at something. Make sure it is regular, deliberate and planned, working towards achievable incremental goals and you practise what you can’t do until you can do it well.

Key words: ‘You are really good at that now, what’s the next step up from (playing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on your recorder, writing a story of 100 words/ swimming a width of the pool?)’

Great Minds and How to Grow Them by Wendy Berliner and Deborah Eyre.

For a 20% discount and free delivery of the book use webcode: GMGT230 on www. routledge.com Reader offer open till 31 December 2017.

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Supporting your child through their transition

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Maths & English Tuition in Brighton We can help your child to: • Improve school performance • Gain confidence and self-esteem • Develop independent study skills

Many children sail through the transition into a new class at the start of each school year, but for others it can be an anxious time. Here are a few tips to help you support your child through this transition.

Polly Warren

01273 730873

Acknowledge feelings

brighton@firstclasslearning.co.uk www.firstclasslearning.co.uk/brighton-withdean

It’s important that your child feels listened to, so rather than saying; ‘Don’t worry, it will be fine,’ let them know that you understand eg. ‘It’s a bit worrying when you have to get used to a new teacher isn’t it?’

Business Mums (and Dads!) Wanted!

Don’t feed their anxiety

That said, there is a fine line between sympathizing with your child and ‘feeding’ their worry. Stay upbeat, if you are feeling anxious too, try not to let it show.

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Normalise

Tell your child that they are not alone, lots of other children will be a bit nervous as well, nerves are perfectly normal.

If you have Supervisory. Managerial, Sales, Marketing, Recruiting or a Self-Employed background, or you wish to develop an extraordinary lifestyle, call to find out more

Be prepared

Talk through any worries that your child may have and make sure that they know what to do in certain situations.

If your child keeps asking questions don’t answer yourself, but get them to tell you the answer eg. ‘What did we say you would do if you forgot your PE kit?’ Get them to imagine themselves solving this problem.

Katie Bridge 07909 681884 | 01273 656067

Talk to the school

Make sure the new teacher knows about it if your child is particularly anxious, and keep in touch with them in the early days of the new term.

And finally…

Our nursery is part of Springfield School and is for children aged 3 and 4 years old.

Give your child time to settle. You may find they regress in their behaviour at home during this settling in time, but if they feel secure and loved at home coping with new challenges will be gradually get easier.

Breakfast Club

By Jane Rogers – The Cambridge Parent Coach Find Jane’s books ‘How to encourage good behaviour so you can enjoy your children’ and ‘How to use positive discipline to improve your child’s behaviour’ on Amazon. Follow The Cambridge Parent Coach on facebook.

Life-changing, life-enhancing swimming lessons for ALL ages

Open during school hours

Highly Qualified Staff

The nursery is situated within the school building and is part of the everyday life at the school. We have highly qualified practitioners with years of experience in Early Years that work closely with the Reception staff team to ensure there is a quality approach to early learning and care, in a bright and stimulating environment with quality resources.

If you are interested please call into or phone the school office to book an appointment to see us and to request an information pack.

Springfield Infant School Sackville Road, Worthing BN14 8BQ Tel Number: 01903 219243 office@springfield.w-sussex.sch.uk

07985 514000 Lindfield · Littlehampton

We are highly committed to giving your child the best start to life.

“Space to grow and wings to fly”

eastsussex@angelasswimschool.co.uk

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Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 7

But, you’re too young to have arthritis?

Many people mistakenly link all arthritis to old age, confusing it with osteoarthritis which is commonly a wear and tear disease generally affecting the older population.

RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis) and JIA (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis) are actually autoimmune conditions in which the immune system attacks the joint tissue causing inflammation, stiffness, pain and extreme fatigue. If left untreated, the joints can lose their shape and alignment and lead to permanent disability.

We spoke to Lauren aged 6 who has JIA and her mum Victoria who live in East Sussex: Q: How does the illness affect Lauren?

Victoria: “It mainly effects Laurens knees,

elbows and eyes - she develops Uveitis on and off which is inflammation of the eye.

Q: What has the treatment been like?

Victoria: "She has had symptoms for around three years and is now treated with the drug Humira which is an injection every fortnight.

She has had steroid injections into her joints several times when things get very bad”.

Q: It must be really difficult for you to see her in pain?

Victoria: "It is really hard at times, but she

is so brave and really doesn't let the JIA get in her way! She loves Taekwondo, and was in a recent dance show. There have been a lot of blood tests over the years, especially in the beginning, which she found upsetting and painful, which did get to me."

Q: How does your illness make you feel?

Lauren: “Sad, angry upset and tired”

Q: What helps make you feel better when you're in pain?

FACT Rheumatoid arthritis can affect people of any age. Around three quarters of people with rheumatoid arthritis are first diagnosed when of working age and women are three times as likely as men to have the disease.

FACT

Although a whopping 690,000 people in the UK have RA and 12,000 children under the age of 16 have JIA, there is still very little known about the causes of these often debilitating diseases, or a cure.

Katy Pieris – 34 years old, Sales Manager Katy was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at 28. She was far from home at a wedding in Australia when the worst of the flare-ups occurred, prompting her to seek a doctor’s opinion. Katy is a fun loving active person who after diagnosis had to give up her favourite sport, tennis. ''The hardest thing about having an illness like this, is how unpredictable it can be,'' says Katy. ''I can have very good days and very bad days where it can affect my hands, wrists and feet which make day to day tasks difficult and painful.''

Currently pregnant with her first child, due in November, Katy was advised to come off of the medication that was keeping the RA under control due to it being dangerous for her unborn child. She feels a little nervous about

breastfeeding and how she will manage with the care of her baby if her illness flares up. Her partner and work have been very supportive and she hopes to go back to work flexibly after her maternity leave.

She hasn’t let the illness define her – going on to run two marathons and performing in the opening ceremony at the 2012 Olympic Games. Currently Katy has her RA under control and has an inspiring motto: “Life is for living and you just have to get on with it”.

Lauren: “Calpol and a cold compress makes it

less painful. So does my taggies, Peppa Pig and cuddles.’’

Q: How to you find school? What's your favourite lesson?

Lauren: “When it hurts, my friends help look after me. My favourite subjects are RE, writing and art.”

Q: What are some of your favourite things?

Lauren: “I like crafts, parties, baking and

reading. I love the film Trolls and Scooby Doo!"

Lauren with her Mum, Granny and little brother and sister, William and Isabelle

FACT JIA is an inflammation of one or more joints in a child under the age of 16 years. Juvenile means that the child was under 16 when the arthritis started, idiopathic means there is no other explanation for the inflammation in their joints and arthritis means that there is swelling and inflammation in the child’s joints.

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Lauren recovering at The Evelina Hospital in London after having her knee and ankle injected with steroids last August

Lauren with her prize for her winning self-portrait for the “JIA and Me” competition run by JIA@NRAS last summer. The portrait now hangs in the JIA offices.

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I'm scared of the dark!

By Kathryn Mewes

I am sure you remember as a child the ‘delay tactics’ used to prevent bedtime. Times have changed but children haven’t.

They all push their boundaries and often the word ‘scared’ causes a strong reaction from a parent. The more you react the more the word ‘scared’ is used.

The dark is a baby’s favourite place and this doesn’t change as children get older.

Unfortunately, sometimes we make the mistake. We are the ones that plant the seed in the child’s head.

We innocently make statements such as: “Don’t worry, I am here.”

“I will leave the landing light on and then you will be OK.”

To children aged 3 and older let them know: ‘The only time children grow is when they are asleep.’

‘If there is light in your bedroom your brain tells your body it is daytime and then it is difficult to fall to sleep.’

‘The moment the room is dark your body relaxes, falls to sleep and starts to grow!’

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What to say to their comments as you leave They say: “I need the light on.”

Reply promptly: “Nothing to see at bedtime. Remember, your body grows when you sleep.”

They say: “Stay with me.”

It is so important to remain consistent.

The moment you start letting your child dictate the bedtime routine things can start to go terribly wrong.

Reply: “Lay and relax and think of the day we went to the zoo. Name all the animals in your head. I love you very much, see you at breakfast time.”

When they claim they are ‘Scared of the dark’

They say: “I am scared.”

Sit in the room during the early evening with your child. They lay on their bed, you sit on the floor and have a chat in the pitch dark.

Talk about day trips gone by or family holiday memories. This gives them something to think about when bedtime comes around.

Explain to them about how our body can relax far easier in the dark.

State the fact that the bedroom is the same whether in darkness or light.

Nothing changes when the light turns off.

Say to them “I love the darkness, my body instantly starts to relax.”

]

"Sometimes we make the mistake and are the ones that plant the seed in the child’s head"

Reply: “You are in your beautiful room, your cosy bed. That is a silly word to use at bedtime. Lay and relax and think of everyone in your class. Try and say all of their names and then all the teachers names in the school. See you at breakfast time.”

The key is to keep calm and not to over complicate the situation. When your child claims they are scared promptly reassure them We need to turn our lights off to the world – that is how we rest and grow.

For further information and advice on guiding your child to sleep at night read the book The 3 Day Nanny by Kathryn Mewes or go to her website bespokenanny.com

“It is OK the dark won’t hurt you.”

“There is nothing to be scared of.”

By doing this we are flagging up the possibility for concern. This alarms the child and before you know it they are saying: “I am scared, you need to leave the light on!”, “Don’t go, I need you here.”

What is the best approach?

Many children reach the stage of wanting to ‘change up’ the bedtime routine by demanding more stories or the light on, the door open, a drink, a snack – believe me I have heard them all!

It is best to talk through the bedtime routine with your child once they are aged 18 months or older.

Talk while they’re in the bath “Now, after bath time we are going to stay upstairs. We are going into your bedroom to have 2 stories. After story time we are going to have a big hug and then I will say ‘See you at breakfast time’. The light will be turned off and I will close the door as I leave.”

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Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 9

Halloween spirit Getting into the

Have some creative fun this half term with some simple activities

Trick or Treat Etiquette

By Justina Gapper

Custard monsters Layer broken-up chocolate brownie and custard into a short glass. Once filled to the top, use 2 mini marshmallows and chocolate buttons to create eyes.

If you and your children are going trick or treating for the first time, here are a few guidelines.

Floating ice hands All you need to make these creepy floating drink coolers are clean rubber gloves, water and a freezer! Secure the wrist of the glove tightly with an elastic band while the water freezes.

What age can children start?

There’s no minimum age! Many parents enjoy dressing up and venturing out with their toddlers, whilst others take babies along in prams with older siblings.

What are the rules?

Only approach homes that have a visible “invitation” – whether it’s a pumpkin, lantern or other Halloween decorations displayed.

Don’t knock if the lights are off and don’t knock more than once. Alternatively, you may decide to knock only on doors of friends and neighbours that you have pre-warned of the visit!

What if my children don’t like the treat?

Muddy worm puddings Make up a batch of chocolate Angel delight, and poke jelly worms out of the top as though they're coming out of the ground. Then sprinkle with grated chocolate to look like dirt!

Toilet roll characters!

Create these mummies and friendly bats out of toilet rolls, black paint and some bandage or toilet paper. Add googly eyes to finish the look!

Make sure your children are briefed to say “please” and “thank you” in addition to “trick or treat,” plus they should try to be appreciative of any treat they are given.

What’s the trick all about?

The word "trick" refers to the "threat" to perform mischief on the homeowners or their property if no treat is given. These days it is uncommon to have raw egg splattered over your driveway by pranksters, but it’s safest not to answer the door to raucous groups of older teenagers, or if you suspect your visitors are not well-intentioned.

If you are asked for a “trick,” what should you do?

One harmless but fun idea is to get the homeowner to close their eyes and put their hand in a witch’s hat or toy cauldron filled with a gooey mess or plastic spiders, rubbery worms and insects.

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Hand print spiders Cut out your handprints (cutting off the thumbs), overlap the lefts on top of the rights to create these spiders and hang them around the house with string. Make it a family activity to create spiders of all different sizes!

Get loads of cool craft ideas at mollymoocrafts.com

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Scream Barn Farm BOOK ONLIN E AND SAVE !

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Spring Barn Farm, Kingston Road, BN7 3ND

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IT’S AN EXCITING AUTUMN AT AR U N D EL WETLAN D CE NTRE

With a SPOOKTACULAR October half term and the return of the ® trail awesome LEGO brick animal in November!

Discover more at

wwt.org.uk/arundel

Please mention that you saw these events in...

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Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 11 31/07/2017 12:14

Autumn Colour Trail at Hever Castle

8 - 10 September Annual Ace Cafe Reunion

characters, courtesy of the UK Garrison. Free entry, all ages welcome! 11am – 4pm.

24th Annual Motorcycle London to Brighton Run from 11.30am onwards. The Brighton Burn Up & Ride With The Rockers has been an integral part of Ace Cafe Reunions since 1996, and is a free day out by the seafront.

9 September Town Show Family Fun Day

Madeira Drive, Brighton Seafront

We’ve scoured the area for the best local family events this September and October so you don’t have to!

We take great care in compiling our events Spot the guide, but please do contact venues before dot for FREE events! you leave home as things can change.

6, 13, 20 and 27 September Miniature Worlds After School Course Theatre Royal, New Road, Brighton, BN1 1SD

An intriguing, fun and creative 4 week course for 6 – 10 year olds. Imagine a secret, hidden world in the theatre, populated by tiny people; what would it look like and what would they do? Artist Abigail Horn will support you to create your own magical, miniature world just the right size for a Borrower! Your purchase includes entry to all 4 weeks of the course.

7 and 14 September Family Treasure Hunts

Proud Country House, Stanmer Park, Brighton, BN1 9QA As part of the Summer Kids Fest, the Family Treasure Hunts will comprise of fun questions to do with things you can see on route, challenges for the family to complete which will involve taking photos as proof of completion and the odd general knowledge question thrown in. The route covers

12 | Families Sussex Coast Magazine

a section of the beautiful woodlands around Stanmer House and a small mini loop towards Stanmer village. The hunt will last approx. 1.5 hours and is an excellent fun activity for the whole family. Sessions between 9am-11am.

8 – 10 September Worthing Light Festival

East Beach Studios, Beach Parade, Worthing BN11 2ES

Explore this exhibition of stunning, sustainable art installations that light up on the beach. Stroll amongst the artwork day and night. Bring a picnic or a midnight feast and stay a while to enjoy the atmosphere. Free event.

8 September Crazy Raystede Sportathon

Sussex County Cricket Club, County Ground, Eaton Road, Hove, BN3 3AN 10 Unique Challenges, 20 teams and the winning team gets a trophy! A friendly competition, raising money for animals in need. Spectators are also welcome to come along and join in the craziness for a £5 donation from adults, children can come for free.

9 September Kapow

Preston Park, Preston Drove, Brighton, BN1 6LA

Preston Park will become home to the biggest inflatable obstacle course the city has ever seen. The super hero themed Kapow race will be a gigantic, foam filled 5k challenge with ten immense inflatables for you to bounce over, squeeze through, slip and slide around. With high velocity foam cannons, UV bubble pod and a foam maze. Anyone over 1.2m tall can join in the crazy, bouncy fun and help raise money for Martlets Hospice. £25 for over 16s/£10 for children/£65 for a family of four. Children need to be accompanied by an adult. Book online at www. themartlets.org.uk/events

9 September Sussex Beacon Summer Fete The Sussex Beacon, Bevendean Road, Brighton, BN2 4DE

Come along to The Sussex Beacon's fabulous Summer Fete. For one day only, they open up their beautiful gardens to the public for a family day of games, live entertainment, prizes, delicious lunches, cakes and photo opportunities with your favourite Star Wars

Rosemead Park, Littlehampton

Family entertainment, superb performances and high quality stalls are some of the fantastic things on offer at the Town Show & Family Fun Day organised

by Littlehampton Town Council and the Town Show Committee. Returning for its 15th year, it is undoubtedly one of the biggest community celebrations in the Town calendar. 12 – 5pm.

9 and 23 September Hove Park Railway Open Days Hove Park, Goldstone Crescent, BN3 6LR, 01273 292 704

Hove Park Railway is run by a band of enthusiastic, steam loving volunteers who enjoy socialising, building, maintaining and running steam, electric and all sorts of other model engineering items. They open their trains for fun on selected days for the public to enjoy it. The Trains run from 2pm until 5pm with last ticket sale at 4:45pm

10 September Sussex Ukulele Festival 2017 Ropetackle Arts Centre, Little High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 5EG

This year’s festival will retain its participatory feel with workshops, jams and collaboration between ukulele players of all ages and abilities. Beginners workshops are free so come along to get started. You can even borrow a uke! 11.30am to 6pm.

Admission for daytime festival is £2.

familiesonline.co.uk

10 September Bands in the Royal Pavilion Gardens

14 September – 13 October Exploring Senses and Pop-Up

Soak up the last of the summer sun and enjoy live music in the Royal Pavilion Gardens as Linden Wind Orchestra perform the last session of the year.

A unique Maker Lab and Art Gallery experience with activities, events, exhibitions, and performances combining hands on making, arts, crafts, digital, science, music, fashion, and film. Suitable for all ages Open most days of the week between 10am-9pm.

Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1EE

10 September Brighton Dome Heritage Open Day

Brighton Dome, Church Street, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 1UE

A free day packed with entertainment and activities.

Get some insider knowledge in the behind the scenes tours (and get a glimpse of the famed underground tunnel running beneath the Royal Pavilion Estate), buff up on your local history knowledge with a series of talks, enjoy live music, games and a spot of crafting for kids and adults.

10 September K9 Challenge

Stanmer Park, Brighton, BN1 9QA

A running/walking with dogs event through the woods and grassland of Stanmer Park.

Earn yourself a medal and t-shirt and your dog a collar tag & doggy treat bag! 11am.

13 September Bring Your Own Baby Comedy Brighton

Komedia, 44-47 Gardner Street, Brighton, BN1 1UN, 01273647100

The UK's premier baby friendly comedy club for adults over 18 and babies Under 12 months.

The brilliant comics will be performing their usual adult material, which is why they have a 12 month age limit for younger guests. 12pm (Doors at 11.15am) £10 (babies free).

76-81 Kings Road Arches, Brighton Seafront BN1

16 September Coder Dojo Brighton

I-Crossing 4th Floor, 13 Black Lion Street, BN1 1ND

Free coding sessions for 6-16 year olds to learn how to create on a computer. Coder Dojo Brighton is where you can come and learn how to create on your computer, to programme on it - and know how to control it! They are a group of volunteers who want to help the next generation of coders start off in life and careers with a big advantage, in whatever you choose to do.

11am - 4pm.

16 September Worthing Beach Clean

Meeting place - Beach House Grounds, Worthing

Join the UK’s biggest beach clean and litter survey to show Worthing coastline some love!

Interested in volunteering for the Worthing Beach Clean?

You will need to register by emailing beachclean17@ virginmedia.com. 10:30am to 1pm. Free event.

16 – 17 September Food and Drink Festival

Steyne Gardens Worthing BN11 1NZ

Over 40 stalls in the gardens, cookery demonstrations and other food related activities. for all ages will help make this a culinary weekend to remember. Demonstrations and activities in the marquee will be from 11am to 3.30pm.

Entry is free. 10am to 5pm

familiesonline.co.uk

14 September – 13 October Exploring Senses ‘Land of Make Believe’ Maker Labs Exhibition

Land of Make Believe

Various dates and locations

Free, drop-in mobile maker labs with hands on making, combining simple basic materials like cardboard and toys with the latest digital technologies and electronics.

Visiting libraries on the following dates: 23rd Sept from 12 - 3pm at Whitehawk Library

Jubilee Library, Brighton

An event suitable for all ages and part of the Brighton Digital Festival, we will be mixing up hands on making skills including Toy Hacking, 3D pens, and cardboard crafting, with digital activities including 3D scanning, 3D modelling, 3D printing, electronics and interactive sound art 'Talking Pictures. This exhibition is free and open during Jubilee Library opening hours.

1st Oct from 12 - 4pm at Hangleton Library 7th Oct from 12 - 4pm at Patcham Library 8th Oct from 12 - 4pm at Jubilee Library

23 September The Colour Run 2017

24 September Apple Day

Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1GA

Stanmer Park, Brighton, BN1 9QA

Dress in white, and run, walk, skip or hop 5km with your friends, family or colleagues and finish the day head-totoe in kaleidoscopic colour.

This year participants will enter a magical world, filled with a Cloud Foam Zone, unicorn mascots and a variety of new colour zones on route.

The run is not timed and welcomes participants of all ages. thecolorrun.co.uk

An annual family event in and around the orchards, featuring masses of apple-themed activities, food and drink, storytelling, music, apple identification and a range of stalls. Free event but there is a parking charge.

30 September Happy Feet

Jubilee Square, Brighton, BN1 1GE

A dazzling dance-off, led by the Ragroof team of Fabulous Flappers, Disco Divas, and Latino Groovers. Starting with a cheeky Charleston, leading to Big Band Swing, Rock ’n’ Roll, and Hand Jive, and – without missing a beat – moving and grooving right up to the present moment.

Everyone is welcome to join the dance - no dance experience needed!

Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 13

30 September Brighton’s Biggest Animation Challenge Jubilee Library, BN1

Press Play Films and the Jubilee Library are putting on Brighton's biggest animation challenge this October. Lara (film maker and artist) will be helping families to produce a stop-motion pixilation animation where children will be in the final film and help to direct it. 10am - 4:30pm.

For children, adults and families aged 5+ (younger ones welcome to watch and enjoy the fun!) Tickets £8 per participant or £20 for family of 4.

30 September The Orchard Nursery Open Morning Strood Park, Horsham RH12 3PN 01403 254967

Visit this beautiful Horsham nursery set within the expansive grounds of Farlington School on their Open Morning from 9:30am.

The Nursery is bright cheerful and buzzing with discovery with plenty of room for outside adventures. Learn about their fantastic Forest Schools programme. Early Years vouchers accepted and extended day provision available. www. farlingtonschool.com

1 - 29 October Autumn Colour Trail Hever Castle, Kent

As the air turns crisp and a rich display of autumn colour envelops the countryside, pack your wellies and head to Hever Castle to enjoy the crunch of leaves underfoot and spectacular autumn tints.

The Castle is at its most photogenic during the autumn months when the Boston Ivy on the front turns a vivid shade of red. Visitors can take their own self-guides tours with the help of the Autumn Colour Trail or for the first time this year enjoy guided tours of the lake led by the gardening team.

1 October Brightona

Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1PS

Annual motorcycle event with live music, trade stalls, competitions, bikes, hotrods, trikes, scooters and lots more!

14 | Families Sussex Coast Magazine

1 October The Brighton Market

Brighton Marina Square, BN2 5WA

Arts, crafts, vintage, food, produce and free entertainment. The Brighton Market aims to be the destination for the entire family (including your dog) it promises to be a fun way to spend your Sunday, with free entry and free parking.

7 October Big Fish Little Fish Family Rave

Stanmer House, Brighton, BN1 9QA

Go 'wild' at the 'Animal Fantastical' Brighton family rave. Multi-sensory dancefloor with glitter cannons, bubbles, giant balloons and parachute dance finale.

Kids £5 - Adults £7. 2-4pm. bigfishlittlefishevents.co.uk

7 October Brighton Breeze

Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1PS

Find your spot on Madeira Drive and watch as hundreds of VW vehicles complete their run from London to Brighton. The fun run includes campervans and beatles plus lots of entertainment on the seafront.

7 and 8 October Pop-up Animation Workshop The Spire St Mark's Chapel, Eastern Rd, Brighton BN2 5JN Pop up animation studio for 7 to 14 year olds - learn animation and produce a film! Designed to work as stand alone days or as a 2– day package. Tickets £45 for one day or £80 for both. 7th October (ages 7+): Timelapse animation - Explore short animation as an art form.

8th October (ages 9+): Lego animating - A day of making, breaking and animating Lego and minifigures!

29 October B.Game presents Level UP! Brighton Youth Centre, 64 Edward St, Brighton BN2 0JR

B.Game is a Youth lead social group which hold events and meetings that are free and accessible to young people and the public. Sharing experiences with gaming through a variety of mediums such as cards games, board games, RPGs and console gaming. Whether you are the Mario Kart champion or the Tekken button masher, share your love and appreciation

of gaming, whilst also introducing new faces to the world of gaming. Only in Brighton a chance to play all your favourites and more under one roof! 6 - 10pm.

7 and 21 October Hove Park Railway Open Day Hove Park, Goldstone Crescent, BN3 6LR

See listing on 9th September for more information.

21 – 29 October Spooktacular half term

Arundel Wetland Centre, Mill Road Arundel BN18 9PB

Discover the gross and grotty side of nature at ‘The Yuck Show’ with Professor Batwing, running twice a day during October half-term. Kids can also explore the Spooktacular Trail, pond dip for minibeasties and create a creepy craft, all included in your admission price. Families can take a boo-tiful boat safari and feed ravenous webbed creatures (ducks) at the hand feeding bay. So much fun it’s scary! Find out more at wwt. org.uk/arundel

21 - 29 October Halloween half term fun Hever Castle, Kent

Prepare to be spooked this Halloween at Hever Castle & Gardens. Meet Viscous Vampire and his Goblin friend in the Creepy Crypt and hear terrifying tales of goblins, trolls, witches and vampires.

Follow the eerie Halloween trail, help ward off vampires with a spooky activity and sink your teeth into a sweet treat at the cupcake decorating workshop. With prizes for the best creepy costumes, a visit to Hever Castle is sure to be fang-tastic fun for all the family.

21 - 29 October Scream Barn Farm

Spring Barn Farm, Kingston Road, Lewes, BN7 3ND

Find lots of Halloween fun, live actors, pumpkin carving, creepy crafts, a witchy walkway and a terrible tattoo parlour daily during half term at Spring Barn Farm.

Book your tickets online to save money!

23 - 31 October 'Not too scary' Halloween fun Blackberry Farm Park, Whitesmith Nr Lewes, BN8 6JD

Find crafts, pumpkin carving, story-telling, face painting and a spooky egg hunts and the farm this half term. Half price entry for all children in fancy dress!

23 – 27 October Roman Army Week

Fishbourne Roman Palace Chichester PO19 3QR

Join the Fishbourne Roman Army this half-term! Get an army “tattoo” and try your hand at spear practice. Sign up with the recruitment officer and learn to write your name in Latin before completing a range of tasks to “earn” a day’s pay. Other activities include archery, sword practice and dressingup Roman-style. Once you have completed the activities, return to the recruitment officer, to receive a certificate and a (replica) Roman coin as your first day’s pay!\

28 October Mister Maker the Shapes Live Brighton Theatre Royal, Brighton, BN1 1SD

Join CBeebies' Mister Maker in his hit live theatre tour! There's a big ‘make’ to take part in, lots of audience participation and....The Shapes! Yes, you’ll be able to share the fun with Circle, Square, Rectangle and Triangle too! 10am & 1pm / £17.65 each.

28, 31 October and 4 November Worthing Spooky Tours Worthing Pavillion Theatre

Join this 2km Spooky Tour of Worthing led by Mortimore Spirimawgus for a frightfully good evening of eerie stories, places and people. No need to book, just turn up on the night! Meet outside Worthing Pavilion Theatre at 7pm.

Tickets: £7 adults or £5 children.

familiesonline.co.uk

Perform offer no-obligation FREE trial sessions for newcomers

Perform weekly drama, dance and singing classes

The Dadifesto

The View From Dads That Don't Believe The Hype with Gram Canyon

Dad’s guide to an unceasingly tidy abode OK, this is a misleading title. I could easily boil it down to one point – Forget about it – it’s not possible. But that wouldn’t be terribly interesting.

crushing alcoholic concoction known to man. Though I’ve not yet worked out a labour saving method for removing the carpet fibres, toenails, fluff and beard hairs from the fruit, but I’ll get there.

Where the £%!*$ are my keys?!

These are some real places I’ve found my keys. (Thanks children!)

It’s worth mentioning that while I’m not your classic stay at home Dad, my work is flexible and allows me to often be at home during the day. My wife, on the other hand, works long hours meaning that alongside breakfasting, dressing, dropping off/picking up, feeding, bathing and fighting the kids to bed, domestic chores often fall to me. Which I secretly love.

- In their Grandma’s handbag, conveniently after she’s completed the 250 mile journey to her home in the west country.

- In the toilet cistern/dishwasher/ kettle/slowcooker/box of cereal.

Classes are held at the following venues

Now my mind, at the best of times is akin to an uncatalogued junk shop in a state of severe dereliction. With rats and moths. If my physical environment mirrors this, then anxiety beckons, but having 30 month old twins with an unbridled capacity for unleashing high havoc, coping mechanisms will have to suffice! I would like to share them with you.

Haywards Heath

Make your own Moonshine

Confidence building fun for 4-12s. A unique mix of drama, dance and singing specially formulated to bring out every child's true potential.

Classes are kept small to ensure lots of individual attention.

Perform offer no-obligation FREE trial sessions for newcomers.

The current term runs from 2nd September - 17th December 2017, so book your free trial today!

Clair Hall, Perrymount Road, RH16 3DN

Horsham

- Holbrook Tithe Barn, Pondtail Road RH12 5JF - Brighton Road Baptist Church, Brighton Road RH13 5BD

Hove

- St Andrews (old Church) Hall, Church Road BN3 2AD

Rottingdean

- Rottingdean Public Hall, Park Road BN2 7HL Contact 020 7255 9120 or email enquiries@perform.org.uk.

My children can’t get enough fruit.

That’s a good thing, right? They say it’s better for you than Chewits and chicken nuggets! But anyway, the point is, not a day goes by that I don’t find rotting, fizzy half fermented pieces of banana, orange segments, apples, pears, mangos, strawberries etc. in the most undesirable of places; In my sock, down the side of the sofa, the pockets of my jeans, under my pillow. Then, while thinking about how I could reduce the enormous amount of waste we produce, a genius idea hit me. So I’ve put a 5 gallon bucket in the shed, bought some yeast, and I’m going to make the filthiest, brain-

www.perform.org.uk

- In the freezer, encased in a large block of ice.

- In the fish tank.

- Buried in the garden. In an obvious and shallow grave, mercifully.

- Inside a large plastic dinosaur that required major (and fatal) surgery to remove. Deep inside the internal workings of a Trombone.

Stick this list to your fridge and consult as and when necessary.

Go Greek

Found a plate in a peculiar nook or cranny? A disgusting plate covered in green fuzz and the remnants of a delicious meal, that’s been in said cranny for way longer than it ought to have been? Be cultured and salute our Mediterranean cousins, by dropping it from head height onto a hard surface, brushing the broken pieces into a dustpan, and promptly into the bin.

You’ll also benefit from your fairy liquid (and dignity) lasting that bit longer.

Don’t compare

Whatever you do, do not trawl parenting sites and forums looking for tips on how to circumvent the paradox of keeping a tidy home when you also share that space with a collective of unheeding, id-driven half-heights.

Seriously, the only purpose this will serve is to make you feel like the worst parent alive. Especially when you read about that one parent who claims that, barring a stray pubic hair on the toilet seat, their palace is fit for a royal visit at all times. They’re either lying, or have way too much time on their hands.

Learn to Love that messy vibe folks. It’s here to stay!

Gram is a regular contributor to: www.dontbelievethehype.biz | The World's First Agency Of Dad

familiesonline.co.uk

Families Sussex Coast Magazine | 15

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