Kidscene Magazine Issue 35

May/June

2018

Your handbag sized guide

www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

Issue 35

Happy babies & children in a safe, stimulated environment, where they can develop & reach their full potential

Big s t n e Mom parent-postcard-generic-a (3).pdf

2

28/02/2018

rs Cricket With All Staed All Stars c Gyda chri

10:54

Big moments start Mae sawl moment with All Stars Cricket fawr yn dechrau gyda chriced All Stars An 8 week, fun and active programme for girls and boys aged 5-8!

Giving children the chance to play, learn great skills and meet new friends. All Stars will also recieve their very own personlised kit!

Play at your local All Stars Cricket centre Starting from May 2018 - Register at allstarscricket.co.uk

Rhaglen 8 wythnos ddifyr ac egnĂŻolar gyfer bechgyn a merched 5-8 oed!

Rhoi cyfle i blant chwarae, dysgu sgiliau gwych a chwrdd â ffrindiau newydd. Bydd chwaraewyr All Stars hefyd yn derbyn eu pecyn personol eu hunain!

Chwaraewch yn eich Canolfan Griced All Stars leol Criced All Stars yn dechrau ym Mai 2018 - Ewch i allstarscricket.co.uk i gofrestru

Get The Party Started! mA Y / j U NE pa g e

5/6

W h at ’ s O n

15

L EG O B I S C U I TS

8

E X A M ST R ESS

16

a D V I C E : F R I EN D SH I P

17

boo k r e vi e w s

25

5 T O P T I PS

29

M U M P R EN U E R

We are a group of mums who have started holding KIDS DISCO events. Aside from DJing a wide selection of music (Funky House with the odd Ghostbuster, Boney M. and kids current top hits woven into the mix), we also provide face and nail painting and hair beading for the kids. There will be cakes, juice, coffees and drinks available to purchase at the bar. At our discos, we always manage to get the parents dancing with the kids which creates a vibrant atmosphere and a memorable occasion.

Once you have kids its difficult to get out on Saturday night, so these are a great opportunity to let your hair down and have a dance!

We are available for Party Hire.

Come and try it out on Saturday May 19th from 2-3.30pm at the Schooner Inn, Prospect Place SA1.

pa g e 1 2

pa g e 1 5

pa g e 2 5

20,000 copies of Kidscene Magazine are delivered directly into primary schools from SA1 to SA15 areas bi-monthly.

Next edition | Copy deadline

July/August 2018 | June 17th 2018

Call | 07388 054097 sales@kidscenemagazine.co.uk www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk Follow us | kidsceneswansea  @kidscene1

All Stars Cricket Returns for 2018! parent-postcard-generic-a (3).pdf

1

28/02/2018

10:54

The ECB's programme to inspire the next generation of cricketers will run in over 2,000 clubs across England and Wales this summer.

All Stars Cricket is a fantastic initiative from the England and Wales Cricket Board that began in 2017 and is aimed at providing children aged five to eight with a great first experience in cricket.

×

The National Waterfront Museum in Swansea is the perfect place to celebrate Wales’s Year of the Sea 2018. Situated on the city’s marina, it’s an all-weather venue giving an insight into 300 years of Wales’s industrial and innovative past. Learn about some of the people who lived in the city in days gone by, find out what jobs people did in the past and marvel at some of the great inventions, such as Trevithick’s locomotive and one of the earliest Welsh aeroplanes.

Big s t n e m Mo

2017 was a strong first year for All Stars Cricket and we are looking to build on that again this summer.

By registering for All Stars Cricket, your child will be guaranteed eight weeks of jam-packed fun, activity and skills development. The programme is suitable for all children new to cricket and sport as the sessions are designed to teach the basic skills of the game. For an hour a week over an eight-week period, our fully trained and vetted activators will deliver game-based activities that teach basic cricket skills such as:

The Museum also offers regularly changing exhibitions.

And in this Year of the Sea the Pirates have come to Swansea, in an exhibition looking at tales of treachery, treason and treasure. Find out what it was really like to be a pirate and learn which were criminals and which ones Batting – hitting a moving ball acted within the law. The summer also sees a whole host Throwing – underarm and overarm of pirate-themed activities - look out for our pirate school, cket – small and large balls rs CriCatching a pirate pantomime and pirate science, or you can make With All Sta All StarsBowling – overarm d ce a pirate decoder or follow our pirate rat trail. Dates and Gyda chri Running – lots of movement Teamwork – fun games with friends details can be found at museum.wales/swansea.

Communication – the basics of cricket Spirit of Cricket – how to respect others

Every child that registers for the All Stars Cricket Programme will receive a bonus participant pack including, a backpack, cricket bat, cricket ball, a personalised shirt with name, cap and activity book.

Every child that returns to the All Stars Cricket from 2017 will receive the new kit to progress their development as an All Star, it includes: a new backpack, cricket bat and ball, a new star design personalised shirt, stumps and an activity book.

All Stars Cricket is also fantastic for parents. For an hour a week all mums and dads are invited to get involved and play cricket with their children.

We know this is a great way to spend time with your child and create memories that will last a lifetime.

5th-7th - 3 Days of Steam, Food and Drink at Gwili Railway. Taste the best Welsh food and drink at Gwili railway over the Bank Holiday Weekend.

5th - 31st - Celebrity Dusty Duck Trail at the WWT Wetlands, Llanelli.

7th - The Gnoll Park Big Day Out. Free admission (car park charges apply), free donkey rides, free petting farm, free meet & greet characters plays more...

The phenomenal celebrity-designed Dusty Ducks are coming back to WWT Llanelli this spring! Originally designed by the world-famous Aardman studios to celebrate WWT’s 70th anniversary, Dusty is a big duck on an exciting adventure – exploring, trying new things and of course making friends along the way.

From Saturday 5 May to Sunday 3 June, our resident six-foot-tall Dusty will have 14 celebrity-designed and inspired sidekicks in tow, forming a vibrant family-friendly trail encouraging visitors to get out and about around our wonderful grounds.

Celebrity Dusty Ducks include Chris Packham’s Bowie-themed Ziggy StarDusty, Steve Backshall’s Explorer Dusty, Joanna Lumley’s Absolutely Fabulous Patsy Dusty and Justin Fletcher's Pirate Justy Dusty. Grab a trail leaflet on arrival and set off to find your favourite Dusty. PLUS, complete the questions on your trail card to win a bag of Dusty Duck goodies!

20th - Magical Unicorns in the Park - Gnoll Park. Free admission, photo opportunities with the magical unicorns plus 50 free glitter tattoos to the first 50 children plus lots of unicorn prizes throughout the day.

12th-13th - Dylan Thomas Celebration Weekend at the Dylan Thomas Centre.

18th - Fantastic Night @ the Museum - National Waterfront Museum. Join us after hours for a special 3D gallery screening of JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016, 12 A). The evening will also feature a fantastical gallery trail and a chance to design to your own popcorn box, filled with multi-coloured popcorn! 6.30pm and £3.50 per person. Age 12+.

19th - 2018 Superhero Fun Day at Gnoll Park, Neath. 12-4pm.

19th - Kids Disco at the Schooner Inn, Prospect Place SA1. 2-3.30pm.

| www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

19th - Hero Heaven Day at Gnoll Park. Family Fun Day 12-4pm.

Free admission ( £2 to park car for the day). Free superhero show and free meet and greet with your fave superhero characters.

24th -27th - Seussical Jnr The Musical presented by CATS at the Gwyn Hall, Neath.

19th - Wales on Wheels at the Waterfront Museum. 11-4pm.

Vehicles of all kinds gather around the Museum for a celebration of rolling Wales. From motorcycles, buses and trucks, to the Museum’s amazing Penydarren steam locomotive.

5

up skateboarding? Well now is your chance! The guys from Swansea's Exist Skatepark will be onsite during the 'Wales on Wheels' event to offer up some skateboarding tips and tricks. It's a super fun way to promote a healthy lifestyle, broadens horizons and explores young people's potential hidden talents. No need to bring a board. All experience levels and ages welcome."

12-4pm.

19th - Wales on Wheels – Pop up Skate Park at the Waterfront Museum. "Ever thought about taking

26th - 3 Cool Things to Make with a Balloon at the Waterfront Museum. Stretch it, inflate it, pop it! –celebrate the humble balloon by making 3 cool crafts including a balloon rocket and a pom pom popper! 12.30-3.30pm.

26th - 3rd June - Half term fun: Nature at St Fagans. 12-4pm. It’s Summer Half Term and our theme this week is Nature. Come and join us for some fun, family friendly activities inspired by the plants and animals that fill the Museum at this time of year.

26th - Wild West Day at Gnoll Park. 12-4pm. HOWDY FOLKS!!!

Come along and join in the fun with party games and competitions!

Plus we will be providing free rides on the Bucking Bronco! Saddle Up Cowboys!

26th - Margam International Kite Festival at Margam Park.

26th-28th - Welsh Craft and Gift Fair at Gwili Railway.

27th - Character Fun Day at Gnoll Park. 11-5pm. Free admission. Meet & greet your favourite characters for free.

27th & 2nd, 3rd - Dylan’s Travels: Family Self-led Activities at the Dylan Thomas Centre. 10-4pm.

Our family friendly Learning Space will be open for free themed self-led creative writing activities, puzzles, word searches and crafts all inspired Dylan’s adventures and travels. As well as this there’ll also be puppets, games, reading corner and dressing up costumes.

28th - 'Pirates of Port Talbot' Family Fun Day (including the Margam International Kite Festival) at Margam Park 10am. Come dressed as your favourite character and join in the swash buckling fun and mayhem.

Advance tickets available online.

Adults £7, Children £5 (3's and under are free), Family (2+2) £23.

28th - Bank Holiday Fun Day at Gnoll Park. 11-5pm. Free Donkey Rides - Free Petting Farm - Free Character Meet and Greet, plus party games, prizes, kiddies rides, stalls and refreshments.

29th - Animal Zone: Beast Creator at Plantasia. Houston we have a problem!…a new strain of plant munching Aphid might be heading for Plantasia…we need to find an answer fast! Don’t miss your chance to meet some of nature’s pest controllers and problem solvers including cockroaches, millipedes, scorpions, vinegaroons, tarantulas, geckos, skinks, snakes and a monitor lizard!

29th - Animal Farm Day at Gnoll Park. Meet all your favourite animals and have the opportunity to hold, pet and feed them! From 12pm.

30th - Story Telling at Gnoll Park.

Come along and hear some of your favourite stories! From 12pm.

30th - Crafty Fun for Children at Oystermouth Castle. 11.30-3.30pm.

Join us for a crafty workshop in the castle and make your own mediaeval crown, princess tiara, badge or bookmark.

for children with brain conditions.

For more information regarding Cerebra please visit www.cerebra. org.uk. Book your place now at www.theconquest.co.uk/ffos-lasracecourse-event/ 3rd - Meet the Beekeepers at St Fagans. 11-1pm & 2-4pm. Free event.

31st - 1st Dylan’s Travels: Family Self-led Activities at the Dylan Thomas Centre. 10-1pm. Our family friendly Learning Space will be open for free themed self-led creative writing activities, puzzles, word searches and crafts all inspired Dylan's adventures and travels. As well as this there'll also be puppets, games, reading corner and dressing up costumes. Drop in. Free event.

31st - Free Donkey Rides at Gnoll Park. From 12-4pm.

9th - Fairy Fever Day at Gnoll Park.

FREE photos from the photobooth!

Come dressed as your favourite fairy!

Look out for the fairy hunt and much more! Dress up as your favourite fairy for prizes. From 11-4pm.

9th - 1st July - June Weekends at WWT Wetlands, Llanelli. Including Den Building, Minibeast hunt and mini pond dipping, Flamingo talk/ Flamingo watch with telescope, Pond dipping and Craft workshops (times vary).

10th - Llys Nini Dog Show at Gnoll Park. From 11-4pm. Free admission. £1 for event dogs per category payable on the day.

14th - 17th - Swansea International Jazz Festival.

24th - JCP Swansea Half Marathon and 1K Family Fun Run.

1st - All Aboard! A Creative Writing Workshop for 8-11 year olds with Emily Hinshelwood at the Dylan Thomas Centre. Dylan Thomas travelled to all sorts of places including America, Czechoslovakia, Ireland and Iran. He captured the sounds, smells and feel of different places in his writing. In this workshop, you'll think back on places you've been to and you'll use these to inspire your own writing. 2-4pm.

2nd - Creepy Creatures at Oystermouth Castle. Meet experienced reptile handler Geraint 'The Snake Man', hear about his experiences keeping reptiles and meet some friendly creepy creatures including snakes, tarantulas, tortoises, lizards, axolotls and more!

Normal charges apply.

3rd - The Conquest 5k Inflatable Challenge at Ffos Las Racecourse.

The Conquest Inflatable Challenge is coming to Ffos Las Racecourse and the event is not for the faint-hearted!

Tackle our six giant inflatables and see if you can complete the challenge! 10-3pm. All proceeds from this event go to our charity partner Cerebra, who work wonders

26th - 30th - Tickledom Basil and the Ice Witch at Swansea Grand Theatre. Make your way to the happy land of Tickledom for a new musical adventure with the flower folk. Has Fluella the Ice Witch struck again? When Princess Violet loses her knowledge of flowers, plants and herbs, Basil sets off on a perilous journey to discover the truth and find the mysterious Evergreen who he hopes can break the spell.

30th - 1st - Wales Airshow 2018.

The Wales Airshow will return on June 30 and July 1 – 2018.

Breathtaking aerobatic displays, state-of-the-art aircraft and vintage planes from the past will again be thrilling hundreds of thousands of visitors in the skies above Swansea this summer.

Interested in fostering? Have a spare bedroom?

Help a child reach their full potential!

Diddordeb mewn maethu?

Oes ystafell wely sbâr gennych?

Helpwch blentyn i gyrraedd ei lawn botensial!

Join Foster Swansea today and receive outstanding support from Swansea’s longest established fostering service.

Ymunwch â Maethu Abertawe heddiw a chewch gefnogaeth ragorol gan y gwasanaeth maethu hynaf yn Abertawe.

 0300 555 0111 / 01792 533212  www.fosterswansea.org / www.maethuabertawe.org

Exam Stress!

How can Osteopathy Help you?

the very time they need to be functioning well. All this, in conjunction with growth spurts and hormones. It’s a lot for any young person to have to deal with!

How can Osteopathy help?

Here at Health First Osteopathy we are happy to treat students of all ages. We are aware that teenagers are not often forthcoming when they are not feeling on top form, and they often find it difficult to explain that they are a bit ‘up tight’, both emotionally and physically. Gentle osteopathic treatment can often help to relieve some of the mechanical stresses and strains associated with long hours of study, and we are also able to offer advice about the best ways to position computers and laptops to reduce postural strain.

We will always take a full case history and undertake a thorough biomechanical assessment of all patients, to ensure that there is nothing else contributing to the presenting symptoms before beginning treatment.

What can you do to help?

• Make sure your children take regular breaks.

• Make sure they are staying hydrated.

• Try to get them moving (even if it is just walking up and down stairs to get a drink).

When we hear the word stress we think about daily adult stress. As adults we know how we can be affected by stress and worry – we may not sleep, we may not have an appetite or turn to food for comfort, we may get to sleep but wake with thoughts rushing around in our head at 3am – and it’s worth remembering that some children can also be affected in similar ways, especially at this time in the academic year.

Yes, its exam season!

We are all aware of the emotional stress but what about the physical effects of this stress?

Stress affects the body’s ‘fight /flight’ response mechanism and makes our body produce certain hormones that help us deal with the ‘danger’.

This is a normal response to things that make us feel threatened or upset our balance in some way, it triggers the release of adrenaline and cortisol in the adrenal glands. These hormones help us to focus on the possible danger, divert energy to the heart, brain and muscles, and help us stay alert until danger has passed.

We often see teenagers and children with ‘tension’ type problems across their shoulder girdle, upper back and necks at this time of year. Some of our patients will come in with headaches and migraines, which have often been exacerbated by studying for long periods of time at a computer, or worse, slumped on their beds with a lap top on their knees.

Carrying school bags of heavy books can result in low back and shoulder problems, and added to the levels of general anxiety, patients often find themselves distressed and uncomfortable at

Award Winning Academy G&K Martial Arts Academy

www.kickboxinginswansea.co.uk Call us on:

07787 154409

Email us on: info@kickboxinginswansea.co.uk

TWO WEEK

FREE

TRIAL

West Swansea Hawks Girls Only Rugby Girls and women's rugby has gathered so much pace in the last few years with the women's Six Nations and the Women's World Cup that it seemed right that girls get the opportunity to play girls only rugby.

Women and girls rugby around Wales has enjoyed a fantastic upturn in players profile and interest in recent years. Last year almost 10,000 girls played rugby across the 95 schools, colleges and universities with a hub officer and with our girls only rugby centres 'Hawks'.

Another 2000 started taking part in rugby outside of the school environment, with the WRU pledging to continue investing in women's and girls rugby. Its a great time to get involved!

With this support West Swansea Hawks girls Rugby Centre formed 2 years ago, dedicated to girls only rugby from under 7's to under 18's.

All players are welcome from absolute beginners to the seasoned professional, Hawks is affiliated by the WRU and Ospreys in the community. The coaching team is formed of men and women and are all WRU qualified coaches.

Training is every Monday evening from 6:00pm until 7:30pm at Gowerton Rugby Club, Victoria Road, Swansea.

For the 2nd year we have been lucky to have "Siwan Lillicrap" Wales international and Ospreys women's rugby player as our West Swansea Hawks Ambassador.

West Swansea Hawks is headed up by Dave GrahamWoollard the team and cluster manager with support coaches and volunteers.

With the diverse range of players, training is focused around a fun and all inclusive environment, ensuring all girls participate, learn and most importantly make friends.

There are also organised rugby festivals where all levels are catered for. We focus the "stage not age" principal allowing all girls to be involved from Tag to Touch to Full contact games. The festivals are played at different venues around Wales with all clusters and teams attending and playing multiple mini games as well as full games for the older girls.

There has never been a better time to be involved in the growing sport of girls only rugby.

If you would like more information on West Swansea Hawks and you are interested in joining then please contact us at Twitter or Facebook @WestSwanseahawk or email westswanseahawks@gmail.com

AM D

DIM FREE

Bu môr-ladron yn codi braw ar forwyr am ganrifoedd – ond sut oedden nhw’n byw go iawn? Dewch i ddysgu mwy yn ein harddangosfa Môr-ladron: Mwy na Chwedlau.

Pirates terrorised the high seas for centuries – but what was their life really like? Find out with our new exhibition Pirates: The Truth Behind the Tales.

Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau

National Waterfront Museum

30 Mawrth – 30 Medi 2018

30 March – 30 September 2018

Rhan o Flwyddyn y Môr 2018

Part of 2018 Year of the Sea

/waterfrontmuseum

@the_waterfront amgueddfa.cymru | museum.wales (029) 2057 3600

SAT 5TH MAY PIRATE & PRINCESS DAY 11AM - 5PM FREE ADMISSION free pirate show, free meet

& greet a princess, kiddies rides, stalls & refreshments.

SUN 6TH MAY CHARACTER FUN DAY FREE ADMISSION Free meet and greet lots of your

favourite characters, plus there will be kiddies rides, stalls & refreshments.

MON 7TH MAY THE GNOLL PARK BIG DAY OUT FREE ADMISSION Free donkey rides,

Free petting farm, Free meet & greet characters plus lots more.

SAT 19TH MAY HERO HEAVEN DAY FREE ADMISSION Free Super Hero Show

The Gnoll Park

Summer FUN DAYS

Free meet & greet your favourite super heroes.

SUN 20TH MAY MAGICAL UNICORNS IN THE PARK FREE ADMISSION Photo opportunities with the

magical unicorns plus 50 free glitter tattoos to the first 50 children plus lots of unicorn prizes throughout the day.

SAT 26TH MAY WILD WEST DAY 12 - 4PM FREE ADMISSION Dress up in your wild west clothes

for lots of prizes and free goes on the bucking bronco (subject to availability) SUN 27TH MAY CHARACTER FUN DAY 11AM - 5PM FREE ADMISSION Meet & greet lots of your

favourite characters for free.

MON 28TH MAY BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY MADNESS 11AM - 5PM FREE ADMISSION FREE donkey rides,free petting

farm, free meet & greet characters, plus party games, prizes, kiddies rides, stalls and refreshments.

TUES 29TH MAY ANIMAL FARM 12 - 4PM FREE ADMISSION Free petting farm.

WED 30TH MAY STORY TELLING FREE ADMISSION free story telling.

THURS 31ST MAY FREE DONKEY RIDES BETWEEN 12 - 4PM

SAT 9TH JUNE FAIRY FEVER DAY 11AM - 4PM FREE ADMISSION Free Photo Booth, free fairy hunt,

dress up as your favourite fairy for prizes.

SUN 10TH JUNE LLYS NINI DOG SHOW 11AM - 4PM

Everyone welcome free admission to the event dogs are £1 for each category entered payable to lays mini on the day.

All the events are at ...

Information correct at the time of print.

The Gnoll Park, Fairy land, Neath, SA11 3BS Any enquiries please call 07854 460512

CAR P ARK just

for th

£2

e day

!

We welcome the BIGGEST line-up of events to Swansea this summer ensuring your little one has plenty of activities for when it rains and adventures for when the sun shines

Check out our top picks for May and June: 1-31 May Clyne in Bloom, Clyne Gardens, Blackpill

29-31 May Animal Zone: Beast Creator, Plantasia

12-13 May Dylan Day: Celebration Weekend, Dylan Thomas Centre

30 May Crafty Fun for Children Oystermouth Castle

26-27 May BBC Music’s The Biggest Weekend Singleton Park

2-10 June Gower Walking Festival Gower

There’s on more loads d dicate our de e too websit

Radio Partner / Partner Radio

14-17 June Swansea International Jazz Festival, various venues

ay.com

nseab joyswa

en

2 June Creepy Creatures Oystermouth Castle

24 June JCP Swansea Half Marathon & 1k Family Fun Run, Swansea City Centre 24 June Eid in the Park, Abbey Meadow, Swansea University 30 June - 1 July Wales Airshow Swansea Bay

Rydym yn croesawu’r rhestr FWYAF o ddigwyddiadau i Abertawe’r haf hwn, gan sicrhau bod gan eich plentyn ddigon o weithgareddau ar gyfer diwrnodau gwlyb ac anturiaethau ar gyfer diwrnodau heulog

Cymerwch gip ar ein hoff ddigwyddiadau ar gyfer mis Mai a mis Mehefin: 1-31 Mai Gerddi Clun yn eu Blodau, Gerddi Clun, Blackpill 12-13 Mai Diwrnod Dylan: Penwythnos o Ddathlu Canolfan Dylan Thomas 26-27 Mai Y Penwythnos Mwyaf gan BBC Music Parc Singleton

29-31 Mai 24 Mehefin Parth Anifeiliaid: Creu Hanner Marathon JCP Bwystfilod, Plantasia Abertawe a Ras Hwyl 1k i Deuluoedd, Canol Dinas 30 Mai Abertawe Hwyl gyda Chrefftau 24 Mehefin i Blant, Castell Ystumllwynarth Eid yn y Parc, Dôl yr Abaty, Prifysgol Abertawe 2 Mehefin Creaduriaid Annifyr 30 Meh - 1 Gorff Castell Ystumllwynarth Sioe Awyr Cymru Bae Abertawe 2-10 Mehefin Gŵyl Gerdded Gŵyr Ma Gŵyr llawer e mwy 14-17 Mehefin ddigw yddia o dau a ein gw Gŵyl Jazz Ryngwladol r e f a n Abertawe, lleoliadau hefyd joioba amrywiol e

aberta

we.com

I ngredients :

Lego Biscuits

* 300g plain flour * 150g caster sugar * 250g butter * 1 egg * 1 tsp vanilla essence * Gel or paste food colours of your choice (we used red, yellow and blue) * 150g Smarties or mini-smarties

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a lovehate relationship with Lego blocks. I love the way they keep the kids occupied and encourage creative play. I hate picking them up (accidentally vacuuming them up) and of course, stepping on them barefoot- Ouch!

Luckily with these Lego biscuits you get all the benefits of keeping kids occupied and creative play and none of the down sides (apart for a bit of washing up!).

You will need 2x baking sheets lined with baking paper or well greased.

Preheat oven to 180° C or Gas mark 4.

15

Separate your dough into three balls and add a small amount of food colour to each ball (my tip would be to dip a toothpick in the colour to add) knead well until you have your desired colour.

Now it’s rolling time! My kids’ favourite part! Roll each ball separately out to 1-2cm, and use a butter knife or other kid-friendly knife to cut rectangles out of your dough. If any of your doughs are a bit sticky add more flour and also use plenty of flour on the worktop and rolling pin.

Place your rectangles on the baking sheet and top with the same colour smarties in rows of 2 or 3 depending on the size of your rectangles.

Bake for about 10 minutes or until your biscuits are just starting to turn golden on the edges.

Mix the butter and sugar together until smooth then mix in the egg and vanilla.

Allow to cool before serving.

Add the flour and mix well until you have fairly stiff dough. My kids like to get their hands in at this stage- If you’re feeling brave this will bring the dough together quicker.

If you enjoyed this and fancy trying a few more kid-friendly recipes head over to our website baking-with-kids.com or find us on Instagram @baking_with_kids

| www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk

" Help! I feel like I need to discourage my child's friendship with another child in their class. I feel like this friendship is causing harm to my child.

What can I do?"

I’m wondering why you feel you need to discourage your child away from this friendship? From experience (and in my experience, this actually isn’t all that unusual) it could be one of two reasons; you either have concerns about the child, or you have concerns about the child’s parents/carers. If it is the child, you should ask yourself why you have these concerns. Are they valid and fair? Primary school aged children generally mix with a wide variety of other children during the school dayduring playtime, lunchtime, group lessons etc, and although they will have a few closer friendships within these groups they generally socialise with all children within their year groups.

It is almost impossible to choose your child’s friends for them, for these reasons. I would be more inclined to talk to my child about their new friend- perhaps ask questions about their hobbies and interests, things they might have in common, and perhaps arrange to meet at the local park together with their parents/carers to see their interaction for yourself. This brings me to the second reason why you might want to discourage a friendship- the child’s parents/ carers. If it is this reason, then you need to ask yourself the same questions- is your judgement of them valid and fair?

Talk to them. Introduce yourself if you don’t know them very well. Explain that your child is friendly with their child, and perhaps you could all go to the local park together after school or at the weekend. This way, you can get to know them and hopefully gain some reassurance about this friendship.

Ultimately, you want the best for your child. When your child starts school, the main concern is quite rightly on the child- will she settle, will he make friends, will she manage going to the toilet by herself, will he manage to unwrap his sandwich at lunchtime…the list of things parents worry about is endless. But it can be hard for parents too as you feel a sense of loss as your child spends time away from you learning to be more independent, and making friends entirely without your input. Don’t be afraid to talk to your child’s teacher about this. Either have a quick word at the end of the day, or make an appointment for a longer chat.

Teachers are very good at spotting developing friendships within their classes and will be able to tell you how your child is socialising, and who with and also if there are any concerns. The teacher will not be able to discuss

details about other children or their parents/carers but will hopefully be able to give you a clearer picture of who your child is most friendly with. Also, and this is important to remember- children’s friendships change. A lot. Their best best friend in the whole world could well end up being replaced next week with a new best best BEST friend. And a new one the week after!

Young children don’t see people the same way adults do, and they don’t make the same judgements- so unless there is a safety or safeguarding concern, I would watch and wait and let your child decide who to be friends with, and encourage them to be kind to others and include everyone in their play. That way, your child will learn not only who they want to be friends with and why, but develop their own sense of self too.

Lucy

Win a family ticket to see Tickledom at Swansea Grand Theatre on Saturday 30th June at 4pm.

Here is a selection of delightful picture books...

whizzes round keeping busy and channeling his energy by doing more constructive things.

The story shows that feelings of anger are a natural, emotional response that everyone experiences but there are appropriate ways to curb and express them. Being angry doesn’t make you a bad person but you might make bad impact if you let it always get the better of you.

A great story about self-development and ideal for parents dealing with young children’s misbehavior.

Through the fun story line and colourful illustrations the book brings home the message that temper tantrums aren’t socially acceptable.

The story is not at all overly preachy or didactic, but told with an empathetic, understanding in a light hearted way.

Then Fergal realizes that other animals also get cross but they have ways of dealing with their feelings. For example to cool down Crow talks to his friends, and Hare

17

The story builds pace as the evidence starts to pile up, though on first inspection it seems quite random.

Nibbled cheese, stolen items such as a tin of biscuits, PC Vicker’s knickers and silk handkerchiefs. But perhaps it is not as random as you might first think.

The climax of the story shows Rubi looking out of her window into the night sky as the organ grinder’s monkey makes an escape in a homemade silk hanky hot air balloon.

With his master left behind fuming, it all makes perfect sense and the realisations that Rubi’s fears were unfounded. This unexpected ending links neatly to the opening page.

The Grotlyn is an unusual rhyming story both in story’s content, and dark illustrations. It’s based on the premise of the power that our imaginations can have if we allow them to take over without knowledge or concrete facts. Its sophisticated theme ends on a joyous note as the little monkey gets his freedom.

Having a hot temper isn’t too good, let alone when it belongs to a fire breathing dragon! Even though as dragons go, Fergal is a nice young chap. When his fiery temper flares so does his fiery breathe which can result in some disastrous consequences!

No one likes it when things aren’t going their way but unfortunately everyone has to tow the line at times.

So his friends decide to ignore him.

When Fergal complains to his mum she tells him a way to manage his temper - count to ten.

one, other people have heard or snatched a glimpse of the Grotlyn or so they think. Who or what is this strange creature?

“I know when the Grotlyn’s been Slipping through your house unseen…”

As Rubi goes to bed she remembers the organ grinder’s tune as it replays in her head, planting the seed in her imagination that the mysterious Grotlyn that is lurking about in town.

As she lies in the dark, this plays on her imagination. She isn’t the only

| www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk |

26

every time he goes to bed.

One night the stars in the sky spell out a message “Lost one small star”.

The children want to send the star home safely but no matter how hard they try they can’t. So they send a message A touching, heartwarming bedtime story about a little boy, his sister and a lost star.

When a little boy finds a star, he and his sister ask everyone what it is but no one knows. So he keeps it in a jar.

A lovely, magical story filled with childlike wonder and charming companionship of the little boy and his sister as they work together to get their new friend back where he belongs. Very sweet.

back up into the night sky. With the message received, the stars send down a sparkly, silver frond to take the missing soul back.

At an early year’s level, the cheeky puzzle at the end – (did Square really mean to get his own back on Triangle or what it a lucky fluke?) - will encourage children to start thinking critically for themselves and the difference between taking something literally and working it out using other factors for yourself.

At first the little boy is sad but then he realizes now he will always have a new friend to twinkle him goodnight

It looks deceptively simple but is an excellently crafted, well thought out book.

Tickledom Productions p r e s e nt s

M U S I C & LY R I C S M AT T HE W BRIND

B O O K & LY R I C S J O H N M A N DE R S

A NEW SHOW f OR 2018

A new musical adventure with your A classic in the making. The book works on different levels.

Children can follow the fun, clear storyline and parents will understand the ironical humour.

The story focuses on two shape characters, Triangle and Square.

Triangle goes over to see Square and plays a trick on him. He scares him by telling him that there are 10 million snakes. Then he runs back home with Square chasing him.

He runs inside but when Square tries to follow Triangle through his triangular door, his square shape won’t let him in. Square inadvertently blocks out all the light in the house. Now Triangle is frightened because he doesn’t like the dark. Of course when Square realizes what he has done, he says he did it on purpose!

There is a playful casualness to the straightforward, elegant narrative that complements the more adult striking, stylistic illustrations.

favourite flower folk.

Tues 26 - Sat 30 June Tues - Thurs | 10.00am & 1.00pm Fri | 10.00am & 7.00pm Sat | 4.00pm

Maw 26 - Sad 30 Mehefin Maw - Iau | 10.00am a 1.00pm Gwe | 10.00am a 7.00pm Sad | 4.00pm

Make your way to the happy land of Tickledom for a new musical adventure with the flower folk. Has Fluella the Ice Witch struck again?

When Princess Violet loses her knowledge of flowers, plants and herbs, Basil sets off on a perilous journey to discover the truth and find the mysterious Evergreen who he hopes can break the spell.

Make your way to the happy land of Tickledom for a new musical adventure with the flower folk. Has Fluella the Ice Witch struck again?

When Princess Violet loses her knowledge of flowers, plants and herbs, Basil sets off on a perilous journey to discover the truth and find the mysterious Evergreen who he hopes can break the spell.

£11.00 - £15.00, Family ticket (4) £42.00, Schools £8.00

£11.00 - £15.00, Tocyn teulu (4) £52.00, Ysgolion £10.00

SWANSEA GRAND THEATRE Call 01792 475715 for ages 3 — 103

Unlock your child’s potential with our expertly led singing, dancing and acting classes for 4 - 18 year olds.

Find out more today: stagecoach.co.uk/swansea swansea@stagecoach.co.uk 01792 204848

Creative Courage For Life Stagecoach Performing Arts is the trading name of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Limited. Stagecoach Theatre Arts schools are operated under franchise and are independently owned by their Principals. Stagecoach and Creative Courage For Life are registered trademarks of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Limited.

AM FRE DD E IM

30 Jun/Meh - 1 Jul/Gorff 2018

Swansea/Abertawe walesairshow.co.uk sioeawyrcymru.co.uk

Radio Partner/ Partner Radio

Down the a load pp Lawr lwyth yr ap wch

The Speech Clinic

Independent Speech and Language Therapy for children and adults across South Wales Clinics in Swansea and Cardiff Home and school visits Assessment, diagnosis, therapy and reports Speech sounds pronunciation Language delay Stammering Autistic spectrum disorder Learning difficulties Stroke rehabilitation

The Speech Clinic 56 Walter Road, Swansea SA1 5PY T: 01792 206 784 | M: 07934 432 116 E: reception@thespeechclinic.co.uk www.thespeechclinic.co.uk

Live Learn Swim Continuous courses now available all year round Find us on social media

01792 513513 Wales National Pool Swansea, Sketty Lane, Swansea SA2 8QG enquiries@walesnationalpoolswansea.co.uk

www.plantasia.org

4 SHOWS A DAY

, 10.30am, 12pm 2pm & 3.15pm

4 SIOE Y DYDD

10.30am, 12pm , 2pm a 3.15pm

29 – 31 May / Mai

Animal Zone: Beast Creator

Interactive Animal Shows Adult £5.95 / Child £4.95 (Children under 3 free)

Parth Anifeiliaid: Creu Bwystfilod

Sioeau Anifeiliaid Rhyngweithiol £5.95 i oedolion / £4.95 i blant (Am ddim i blant dan 3 oed) Pre-booking essential / Rhaid cadw lle Tickets non-refundable / Ni ellir ad-dalu pris tocynnau

( 01792 474555

10% OFF / GOSTYNGIAD O 10% Enjoy 10% off admission until 30 June 2018* with this voucher!

Not to be used with another offer. *Excludes special events 29 – 31 May

Cewch ostyngiad o 10% oddi ar y ffi fynediad tan 30 Mehefin 2018* gyda’r daleb hon!

Ddim i’w defnyddio gyda chynnig arall. *Ac eithrio digwyddiadau arbennig 29 – 31 Mai.

3 Eat, sleep, poo – repeat!

Tummy time is a super-skill for babies! It strengthens muscles vital for sitting, crawling and walking and develops body awareness, visual skills and hand skills.

Do little and often: It doesn’t have to be flat on the floor. Pop your little one over your knees, on your chest or even carry him tummy down for a few moments in the day.

Aim for 60 – 90 minutes of tummy time play by around 4 months old (not all in one go!) Use distraction, attention and love to increase the time and if you are struggling, get support.

Many people who haven’t had a baby believe that’s all new baby’s do.

Not quite the truth as new parents awake (again) at 3am in the morning will agree!

As a paediatric physiotherapist for 16 + years, I’ve seen many changes in how babies are cared for, along with increasing numbers of children with developmental problems that could potentially have been avoided.

Here are my top 5 tips for helping your baby to play, learn and grow

1

Check your baby looks both ways

Often babies are born with tight neck muscles from being so squished. If you notice that he favours looking to one side or that he tilts his head one way more than the other, seek a professional opinion.

If unresolved, it could lead to flat head syndrome and difficulties with tummy time and other skills.

2

Begin with a blanket

Babies need plenty of opportunity to stretch and move. When in bouncers, car seats or other equipment, they are held in a position that they cannot move out of. This is not good for their spines, it increases the risk of flat spots developing on the head and it limits sensory, social and physical development. Please only use car seats in cars!

Practice tummy time from day one

4

Save the wet wipes

Babies learn through exploring with their hands and mouths.

I can’t over – emphasise the importance of messy play. Unfortunately, wet wipes make it so easy to keep babies (floors and ourselves!) clean that we sometimes forget to let little ones get messy. They really need this opportunity though so keep wet wipes to the end of the meal and let your baby get stuck in!

5

If you are worried, get help

Always go with your instincts. If you think that your baby is struggling with something and you’d like reassurance, please seek a professional opinion.

It’s much better to be proactive and get early intervention than to wait until a concern becomes a problem.

For more information on how you can help your baby’s development, visit www.physilittlemovers.co.uk or contact Bron on Facebook at Early Years Physio

Traeth a Pharc Gwledig

Country Park & Beach Parc Gwledig Pen-bre yw un o'r prif atyniadau i ymwelwyr yng Nghymru, gan gynnig cyfuniad unigryw o'r arfordir a chefn gwlad.

Pembrey Country Park is one of Wales’s Top Visitor attractions providing a unique blend of coast and countryside.

Mae'r parc mewn 500 erw o goetir, sydd ar hyd wyth milltir o draeth euraidd. Mae gennym bopeth sydd ei angen i chi gael diwrnod perffaith allan gyda'r teulu, penwythnos mewn pabell, neu wyliau ymlaciol mewn llecyn dymunol dros ben.

Set inside 500 acres of woodland and alongside eight miles of golden sands, we’ve got everything to provide a perfect family day out, weekend camping break or a relaxing holiday in idyllic surroundings.

Parc Gwledig Pen-bre, Pen-bre, Llanelli, Sir Gaerfyrddin SA16 0EJ.

32 pitch c 0 ampsi (electr te ic an from £ d non-electr Only £ 15 per nigh ic) 5 o 0 2 3 a d New fo per car pe t gy r day r 2018 Gwersyllfa ysylltiad ch for on 7 day pass leiniau (â do) o £15 ly £15 u hebd trydan ne ond £5 y car y im y noson. D d ar gyfer 2018 yd w e N . m diwrnod niwrnod a 01554 742424 7 n y c to ig parcgwledigpenbre.cymru £15 yn un pembreycountrypark.wales

Monster all day family fun!

Look, we know there’s a risk of getting devoured by a ravenous dinosaur at Tenby Dinosaur Park, but, come on, we reckon you‘ll agree it’s a risk worth taking when you see what we’ve got to offer and the fun you can have…if you can just, well, avoid being eaten.

There’s so much to see and do here anyway, it’s absolutely mind-bogglingly bonkers. You can whizz, race, spin and bounce to your heart’s content.

Head out on the woodland trail, meet over 30 dinosaurs on the boardwalks over swamps, you’ll hear all sorts of strange noises and have lots of surprises. Great for adrenalin junkie kids, mums and dads are the Skiddy Car Drifting Circuit, Jurassic Chariots and Giant Astra Slide.

It’s great on the amazing Bubble Ride where you walk on water brilliant Tubey Ride.1 22/03/2018 12:58 Page 1 Dinoand Parkthe 52x148.qxp_Layout

Indoor Playland has 3 separate soft play areas for toddlers and hard play for bigger kids. There’s fossil hunting where each child takes home a fossil of their own and Computersaurus Alley in the Activity Centre offers screens for all ages with CD Roms and educational games.

When you see our latest new-for-2018 attractions: Adventure Net, Hurricane Cars and our fancy Curling and Skittles Lane, and our bright and jolly Dino Lair to play hide and seek from all the predators you might just faint with excitement.!

Loads of fun for everyone with 30+ Dinos on woodland trail.

Le Mans Racers, Quad Bikes, 4x4's, Tubey Run, Bubble Ride, 18 hole Golf, Trampolines, Astra Slide.

New for 2018; NET ADVENTURE Bounce and Climb

to your hearts content. Drive the new crazy

HURRICANE CARS. Explore the tunnels and twists of our DINOSAUR LAIR.

Dinosaur Park, Tenby SA70 8RB On Sageston to Tenby Road.

Tel: 01834 845272 | www.thedinosaurpark.co.uk

www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk | 3 4

and toddler zones so that the little ones can have fun and can make some little friends while their mums get a great workout and are able to watch over them.

Mum to Mumpreneur

Exercise has been shown to be very effective in reducing symptoms of maternal mental health conditions, and with this in mind, I also have a Postnatal Depression/Anxiety referral scheme for this class. Health professionals such as midwives, health visitors, nurses and GPs are able to refer a mum who has been diagnosed with PND/PNA and I will fund 6 weeks of free classes.

One Fit Core which is a 6 week pelvic floor and core rehabilitation course designed by a women’s health physiotherapist for those mums struggling with pelvic floor weakness or tummy muscle separation postnatally.

Tell us about your business

I’m Eleanor and I run the One Fit Mama franchise in Swansea. One Fit Mama is a maternal fitness company that provides a range of classes to help mums keep fit at each stage of motherhood. There are four types of classes: One Fit Mama, One Fit Core, One Fit Bump and One Tough Mama.

One Fit Mama classes are regular weekly sessions that are designed to help mums get fit and feel great without having to worry about arranging childcare. The classes last 45 minutes and are circuit based. I combine moderate exercises safe for the postnatal period, with special baby

Where did you begin and what motivated you to start your own business?

I trained as a medic, and have always had a passion for maternal wellbeing. After having my two boys in 2015 and 2017, working shift work as a doctor and juggling two little ones was making me really unhappy. After my youngest son was born, I struggled with postnatal anxiety.

I wasn’t doing anything for ‘me’ anymore and was feeling very isolated. I started to attend One Fit Mama classes where we used to live in Swindon and finally I had found a class where I could exercise, releasing those feel good hormones, get my fitness back and meet other friendly mums. And the best part was that I could take my little

ones with me, with no worry about arranging someone to look after them. Attending classes helped hugely with my recovery, and my instructor was a fabulous support. The founder of One Fit Mama, Sophia, suffered with Postnatal depression and so emotional well-being is a big part of what we do. After moving to Swansea to be closer to my family, I made the decision to do some extra training to become an instructor myself. I loved what the classes had done for me and the fact that there is a big focus on holistic wellbeing for mums. It isn’t just about providing an exercise class - it’s about having somewhere where mums can do something for themselves with a ‘tribe’ of other mums supporting!

How many children do you have- tell us a bit about your family.

My two boys are now 2 and a half and 15 months old.

They are very busy and love being outdoors! My partner is a GP trainee and we met at medical school. We have a 6 year old rabbit called Hugo and a 4 year old guinea pig called Lily, who are inseparable.

How do you juggle childcare?

I often take the boys along to my classes! If my mum is available, they love spending the morning with their Mamgu. My partner occasionally does evening shifts so can look after the boys while I run classes and they have some ‘Boys time’. My little ones do love coming along, but I have lots of kit and it takes me a lot longer to pack away when they are with me! I call them my helpers, but it is much more tiring for me running classes and keeping them happy, fed, entertained and behaving well too!

what do you do to relax?

We really enjoy a couple of hours on the beach! There is something about the sea air that just makes everything better and I can feel any stresses lifting! The boys are so content collecting rocks, making sand castles and splashing in the water so I find that I am able to just enjoy the fresh air, open space and scenery with happy children!

The boys have always been water babies so when my partner is off, we also try and head to the pool when we can!

What's been your biggest challenge AND how have you overcome it?

My biggest challenge has been learning how to juggle home life with my admin and tasks for One Fit Mama.

Having my little ones at home makes it really difficult for me to get admin work done during the day, so I rely on evenings to catch up. My boys have never been great sleepers, and I am often very tired in the evening, especially after classes so it can be tough working after putting them to bed. I am gradually getting better at sneaking in bits of admin during the day - I utilise any car journeys when I am a passenger, nap time and snack time to catch up on emails, training and accounts. I take Sunday evenings off completely, to allow me and my partner to have some couple time.

What's the one piece of advice you would give up other mums wanting to start their own business?

I would definitely recommend other mums to try and make sure you have a support network around you before you start! Having family and friends on board makes the

world of difference and if you have a couple of willing babysitters lined up, this will give you the chance to have some time to focus on your business and catch up, undisturbed by little people now and again. I have met a couple of other mums who run baby classes locally and have a team of instructors working in different regions who I speak to regularly via video conference and it’s also really useful to have a support network on the business side too! If I am ever struggling, it is great to be able to talk it through with someone who understands the challenges.

Timetable: Tuesdays Mum & Baby fitness at Newton Village Hall 11am Thursdays Mum & Baby/Toddler fitness at Pontlliw Village Hall 10am Fridays Mum & toddler/Mum and Baby 9:45/10:45 One Fit Core courses run every 6-8 weeks, at Holy Trinity Church Hall in Sketty Contact details: Eleanor Johns One Fit Mama Regional Instructor Swansea Email: swansea@onefitmama.co.uk Facebook page: @OneFitMamaSwansea Contact number: 07730 387417 www.kidscenemagazine.co.uk |

30

• 0000 0000 Gorseinon CENTRE 01792 89 11 44 Address Sketty 01792 Web Address 29 99 96