Kids Direct Wrexham Summer 2019

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Haf/Summer 2019

All the local information parents really need!

Yr holl wybodaeth leol mae rhieni yn angeni

For Wrexham, Mold & District children and their parents I blant a rhieni Wrecsam, Yr Wyddgrug a’r ardali Ponds the ORIGINAL lucky dip

by James Kendall What is Resilience by Cat Williams Holiday Clubs Galore!

Summer Reading Challenge Make it Memorable

by Sue Hall of Education Angel

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Established/Sefydlwyd 1987 Discover more at www.kidsdirect.org

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15% Discount at Park Hall Farm Win a set of “Stickyback to school stickers” with easy2name Kids Go Free at Techniquest 10% off at Easy2name

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Plus 10% off at Greenacres Farm Park

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KIDS DIRECT

SUMMER/HAF 2019

Call a member of our team today on 01978 669975 or email info@kidsdirect.org

All About Kids Direct Kids Direct Ltd is owned and published by Megan Kneale, JamiQ’s Building, Abbey Road, Wrexham Industrial Estate, Wrexham, LL13 9RZ Reg. Trademark no 1468409.

Printed by Warwick Printing 01926 883355 All enquiries about content and advertising to Megan Kneale 01978 669975 Sales - Alex Robinson info@kidsdirect.org Kids Direct is published four times a year and distributed to 15,000 families with children under 12.

Kids Direct publishes in Chester, Wrexham, Mold & District & South Wirral We believe all information to be correct but do not endorse any products or services.

Reproduction in whole or part of any of the text, illustrations or photography without the express permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden.

Front Cover Designed By Romana Stepaniva If you have difficulty contacting anyone featured in this edition of Kids Direct call us on 01978 669975 or E-Mail us at info@kidsdirect.org NEXT EDITION DUE SEPTEMBER 2019

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GREAT DAYS OUT

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If you are looking for an action-packed day out with the kids full of fun, excitement and adventure, then Park Hall Countryside Experience is the place to be. This great farm park can be found on the outskirts of Oswestry, easy to get to, just off the A483.

Each time you visit Park Hall there seems to be a new activity added to the already long list of things to do at the farm and this summer is no exception.

The first week of the school holidays gets off to a dazzling start with seven days of ‘Unicorn Magic’ which includes shows, quizzes, fun and games from 22 -28 July. Meet Floss the Fairy at the Unicorn Show and see the Unicorns in the Magical Stables From 29th July the Amazing Maize Maze opens and continues right through until September. It’s numerous paths and dead ends will test your navigation skills, you’ll never have so much fun getting lost! Outdoor adventure playgrounds, space hoppers, 3D climbing globe, play houses and go karts are on route to the maze so give those a go too!

Dinosaur week is a brilliant new event happening from 12 – 18 August. There are Dino shows every day, fossil digs, dino egg hunts and a dino trail and a chance to meet a humongous T Rex! Don’t miss out on the indoor action in the ‘Sand and Water Play one’, an innovative area of ‘hands on’ water activities situated next to the fantastic ‘Brickworks’ soft play construction zone. Also inside the massive play barns are giant slides, bouncy castles,music room, a role play village, the list goes on and on… so much under cover!

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GREAT DAYS OUT

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Techniquest Glyndŵr is the only place in North Wales you will find live science shows, 65 hands-on interactive activities, science garden plus a crazy science shop.

They're housed inside an unusual looking building right in the middle of the Glyndŵr University Campus. The science discovery centre offers a selfguided tour through all the exhibits and all the exhibits are from the world of science and illusions, great for hands-on interactive play and education, for all.

Check out their computer science clubs, astronomy sessions and play dates for toddlers, all inside Techniquest Glyndŵr.

Techniquest Glyndŵr also offers a unique party experience for the birthday child and their friends! As well as all the usual fun within their interactive exhibits, party guests can take part in one of their presenter-led shows that amuses & enthuses!

They do not offer food as part of the party package but you are welcome to bring your own or arrange for a delivery to be made to the centre.

They can reserve a small area within their cafe zone for smaller party groups or for larger groups they can provide a separate lunch room.

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KIDS DIRECT

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KIDS DIRECT A full weekend of boredom-busting fun-packed enjoyment!

Kick off the summer holidays with a bang at Theatr Clwyd’s Family Arts Festival.

An exciting long weekend for all the family, featuring incredible performances from the most exciting artists as well as free workshops and activities for all ages from babies to grandparents.

SUMMER/HAF 2019 Interwoven with original songs, Tabby McTat is the heart-warming tale of friendship and loyalty from the team behind Tiddler and Other Terrific Tales and og.

Other opportunities to get involved include free creative arts, drama and dance workshops, escape to another time in a storytelling session and see a variety of amazing shows for ages 0-99, including Inside, The Buildy Uppy Dance Show, Rala Rwdins, Chores and the Little Musician.

Toy Story 4 will be screening in their Cinema, including other films such as Stick Man, The Highway Rat and a variety of Welsh language animation.

Highlights include Tabby McTat from the bestselling book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler.

There is something for everyone in this low-cost creative weekend. See shows from as little as £2 a ticket, with Tabby McTat priced at only £5!

From Friday 26 – Sunday 28 of July Make a day of it!

For Further details see www.theatrclwyd.com or call 01352 701521/344101 Discover more at www.kidsdirect.org

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KIDS DIRECT

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GREAT DAYS OUT

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KIDS DIRECT

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GREAT DAYS OUT

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KIDS DIRECT Are the School holidays – a problem or opportunity?

With a shout of delight or a groan of dread, school holidays make everyone’s emotions run high!

Active Holiday Club provides high quality provision for children aged 4-12 years of age.

FUN FOR KIDS • I hav to go e so much home’ fun I d on’t w ant • Mak aweso ing explodin me’ g lem ons w • ‘I lov as e mak ing ne w frien •‘I like ds’ and ch I can go a nd rea ill’ d a bo ok

The Holiday Club is run by qualified, dedicated practitioners between 8am-5.30pm weekdays. Catering activities and experiences to children’s interests means there is something for everyone – from arts and crafts, mini makeovers, den building, survival skills, science experiments, Wii challenges, board games and trips – there is never a dull moment!

Open through most school holidays and with competitive rates, they make the need to juggle childcare and other commitments easier. Treat each day as a new adventure!

Recognising the need for a holiday club, they decided to include this service adjacent to their Little Scholars setting.

Little Scholars Nursery is open weekdays 7.30am-6pm providing full day care for children from 2months of age. In a purpose-built environment the children thrive. The child centred approach, implemented by highly qualified and experienced practitioners ensures children’s individual needs are planned for and met, enabling their early years to truly lay the foundations for life long skills. Whether you need a Holiday Club or regular childcare, for more information contact them or visit today!

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KIDS DIRECT

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FUN FOR KIDS

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KIDS DIRECT

DRAMA, DANCE & MUSIC

Theatretrain Schools across the region have recently completed three productions: THEATRETRAIN’S GREATEST HITS was performed at Theatr Clwyd in June; Wrexham School pupils appeared at THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL in London in a production called MOVE! along with twenty five other Theatretrain Schools from around the UK, and the older pupils, age 13+ have presented their productions of TEECHERS by John Godber at The Forum Studio theatre in Chester

the Friday Evening School at Chester's Forum Studio Theatre (the old Gateway Theatre) is also now open.

The group also offer TT Minis classes for children age 4-5. It’s a one and a half hour introduction to the performing arts. There is also a FREE half-hour Tinies class for three year olds.

The Theatretrain choir for 9-18 year olds performs a wide range of music from current pop hits to musical theatre.

Visit www.TheatretrainChoir.co.uk for details.

It's no wonder that Theatretrain have earned the reputation of being 'The Company That Loves To perform' as they continue to give their pupils plenty of opportunity to show off their skills. Theatretrain pupils have taken part in performances at The Forum Studio Theatre in Chester, The Stiwt in Wrexham, The Pavilion Theatre in Rhyl and Theatr Clwyd in Mold. All pupils are eligible to take part in Theatretrain productions without the need to audition.

The company are now ready for this year’s summer holiday workshops.

Children will be able to take part in week-long musical theatre workshops at The Forum Studio Theatre in Chester throughout August. Themes for this year are ‘The Greatest Showman’, ‘Disney on Broadway’, ‘Annie’ and ‘A Week In Oz’ Registration for the Autumn Term for the Saturday Morning Schools in Wrexham, Chester and Mold as well as

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SPORTS FOR KIDS

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The Summer Reading Challenge Heads to Space!

This summer, The Reading Agency and libraries will be taking children across England, Scotland and Wales on a journey into space.

Inspired by the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, Space Chase will take young readers on an outof-this-world adventure with our super space family, The Rockets.

illustrator Adam Stower.

The Summer Reading Challenge is an annual event aimed at 4-11 year olds. Children are encouraged to read six books of their choice during the summer holidays with collectable incentives and rewards, plus a certificate for every child who completes the challenge.

There are also a range of competitions open throughout the summer on the Summer Reading Challenge website.

The Challenge touches down in libraries across the UK this summer and features bespoke artwork from top children's

Children can sign up for the Challenge at their local library at the start of the summer holidays– and it is completely free.

For further details go to www.summerreadingchallenge.org .uk

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Play, Explore

DISCOVER

Ponds: The ORIGINAL Lucky Dip by James Kendall Over the school holidays, you might well be attending a summer fete with the kids.

One of the classic games at these fetes is the Lucky Dip. I remember from when I was small, the fun in reaching down into the unknown to pull out a random prize, usually something sweet or a toy.

At our Woodland Classroom workshops we’ve been hosting our own lucky dips throughout the year, but we’ve replaced the venue of the village fete for the village pond. When was the last time you went pond dipping with your kids? Every time we head out with our nets we always find something unexpected. You never know what you’re going to find and that’s the fun of it. Newts, sticklebacks, frogspawn, whirligig beetles, caddisfly larvae, the list goes on.

Frighteningly, we have lost around half a million ponds in the last century in Britain! So, it’s more important than ever that children are given the chance to fall in love with them and build fond memories attached to ponds so that they will want to save them for future generations.

“How do we make children interested in nature? Words and pictures are not enough. We need the nature for them to be interested in. A great crested newt in in my red plastic-castle bucket did it for me.” John LewisStempel (nature writer) You don’t need an expensive pond net or specialist equipment either. You can make your own net from all sorts of things lying around the house. A pair of old tights tied to a bamboo cane will do the trick. You’ll need a tray, jar or bucket as a viewer to put your finds in too.

There are a few important rules to follow when pond dipping: 1. Always approach the pond quietly and move slowly. I know this is not easy with kids but it will give you the best chance to see the pond life.

Make sneaking up a game in itself.

2. Fill your viewer with pond water.

3. Lower your net into the water and after a few gentle loops lift it out, place inside out into your viewer. Now you’re ready to see what you’ve caught.

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4. When you've finished dipping, carefully pour the contents (animals and plants) of your tray back into the pond. Plants might have eggs on them.

5. Always wash your net between dipping in different ponds. This reduces the chances of invasive species from spreading.

So, my summer challenge to you is to seek out a forgotten pond in your local park, nature reserve or farmer’s field (with permission of course). Go forth with home-made net and jar in hand, get dipping and reawaken an age-old childhood tradition. We would love to know what you find so please send us your pictures via Twitter: @woodlandclass

Get Your Kids Back To Nature With Us We host outdoor activities for kids all through the school holidays at the National Trust’s Erddig & Chirk Castle estates.

We host regular woodland sessions; including Little Rangers for parents & toddlers and Pathfinders for home educating families.

We also work with schools delivering outdoor education, nature connection, mindfulness and Forest School programmes.

To find out more about everything we offer, drop us an email at hey@woodlandclassroom.com www.woodlandclassroom.com Tel: 07876 794 098

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WHATS ON FOR KIDS JUNE - AUGUST

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, details do change. No responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions It is advisable to phone the venue concerned to check dates and times before setting out

17th June – 4th August Polly Pig Trail

29th June Teddy Bears Picnic

Blakemere Village - This Summer can you help Polly find her mischievous Piglets that are lost around Blakemere Village?

Complete a fun trail and fill in the activity pack along the way.

Great fun for 4-11 year olds! Activity Packs are available from the Visitor Information Centre Weekdays - 10am - 4pm Weekends 10:30am 4:00pm £3 per activity pack

Greenfield Valley Heritage Park - Bring a bear and your picnic to the park for a bear adventure. www.greenfieldvalley.com

29th June Family Bushcraft – Playing with Fire!

Woodland Classroom We're told as children not to play with fire, but if we discover it's secrets and learn how to be safe when lighting fires outdoors then it can be our best friend. It warms us, cooks our food, lights our way and hypnotises us whilst campfire tales are told. We believe that kids should know not only how to light fires, but also manage their risk and be responsible for their own safety and have an awareness of their impact on the environment. Advance Booking Essential https://woodlandclassroom .com

Theatre - “Borrowers don’t steal! Except from human beans…”

A brand-new version of Mary Norton’s irreverent children’s story of the little people who borrow in order to survive. Arietty, Pod and Homily Clock leave their home beneath the floorboards to explore the world beyond… A joy for all the family! www.grosvenorparkopenair theatre.co.uk

8 July: Toddler Days

20th July Wizard Academy

Techniquest Glyndwr Wrexham - The hugely popular Toddler Days concludes it's schedule with the theme of Adventure. A day just for kids five years old or younger, let them explore science for the first time in an adapted and adventurous centre. £5 with adults free! https://tqg.org.uk/

Greenfield Valley Heritage Park - So you want to be a wizard?

10th July Balsam Bashing

Come along to our wizards Academy. Learn to ride a broomstick, hunt for wizard gold and there is a prize for the best dressed Wizard! www.greenfieldvalley.com

Ty Mawr Country Park Help the Rangers to remove the alien plants that are damaging our river banks and native habitats. 1.30 to 3.30 16+ Free https://www.wrexham.gov. uk/english/leisure_tourism/ countryside_news.cfm 13th July – 25th August The Borrowers Grosvenor Park Open Air

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20 July Offa Carnival Belleview Park Wrexham Community Carnival with a range of attractions 11.00am – 3.00pm Free entry https://www.wrexham.gov.

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WHATS ON FOR KIDS JUNE - AUGUST uk/english/leisure_tourism/ countryside_news.cfm 20th July One Small Step, one giant celebration Join us at Catalyst to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

We will have Real moon rocks, A planetarium, Code-a-drone activities.

Community exhibition and performances, Hands-on science activities,Lego Come and meet trainee astronaut Dr Jackie Bell, star of the BBC programme Astronauts : Do you have what it takes? Admission to this event will be FREE but tickets are limited and must be booked in advance. There will be two sessions for the activities in Catalyst, a morning or an afternoon session but please bring a picnic, make a day of it and enjoy the outside area too where there will be a fun-fair too!

20 July: Techzone: Techniquest Glyndwr Wrexham - Explore everything about wearable tech with Techzone at TQG. With the likes of virtual reality and other futuristic favourites it's one you don't want to miss!

20-21 July: The Moon Landings 50th Anniversary

Celebrations Techniquest Glyndwr Wrexham - Mark the 50th anniversary of man landing on the moon with TQG! Discounted entry and heaps of space related activities take place during

a bumper weekend! The launch weekend of the 'Destination Space' programme, it's set to be one of the biggest weekends of the year for space in North Wales!

Entry is just £5 whilst you can get a family ticket for the special price of £19.69!

22nd July - 23rd August Holiday Club & Adventure Camp Tarvin Pre-School - Holiday Club for 2-6 year olds and Adventure Camp for 6-10 years Exciting Activities, themed weeks for more information contact us on 01829 741011/email: tarvin.preschool@btconnect .com 22nd – 28th July 2019 Unicorn Magic Park Hall Farm Seven magical days of unicorn themed events. www.parkhallfarm.co.uk

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23 July - 23 August Summer Activities on the Farm Tatton Park - Summer activites filled with fun at the Farm, meet our newlyhatched chicks in the hatchery. Learn more about Field to Fork and where your food comes

from.

Meet our new arrivals in daily farmyard facts.

Storytelling, milking and butter making and much more. www.tattonpark.org.uk 23th July Tennis Coaching Acton Park Wrexham – Free Tennis Coaching Meet at the courts 1pm – 3pm Free 23rd July – 30th August Wolf’s Den Erddig Hall, Wrexham open daily from 10am - 5pm, there will also be daily activities daily for you to enjoy.

Mondays 11am - 3pm – Marshmallow toasting in Wolf’s Den Tuesdays 1pm - 3pm – Croquet in the garden and seed planting

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WHATS ON FOR KIDS JUNE - AUGUST Wednesdays 11am - 3pm – Storytelling with Jake Evans Thursdays 11am - 3pm – 50 Things Thursdays Fridays 1pm - 3pm – Hobby Horse Gymkhana www.nationaltrust.org.uk/e rddig 25th July Clay Cows and Pottery Pigs Ty Mawr Country Park – Fun with clay Sessions 1.30pm – 3.30pm All Ages £2.70

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, details do change. No responsibility can be accepted for any errors or omissions It is advisable to phone the venue concerned to check dates and times before setting out

Tatton Park - Pick It! Cook It! Eat It! is a cookery workshop suitable for children aged 5 - 11 years old. www.tattonpark.org.uk 29 Jul Family Arts Festival Theatr Clwyd - A full weekend of boredombusting fun-packed enjoyment!

Kick off the summer holidays with a bang at Theatr Clwyd’s Family Arts Festival

31st July – End of Summer Amazing Maize Maze Park Hall Farm - – You’ll have great fun finding your way through the puzzle of pathways Returning for another fabulous summer season the maize maze is a must to try.

Navigate your way through

July 26th Let's Fish!

Ellesmere Port Boat Museum - Learn to fish sessions. Hosted by our local angling club partners, young people and their families can come along and try fishing for the first time.

This is event is part of the Canal & River Trust’s Let’s Fish!https://canalrivertrust. org.uk/enjoy-thewaterways/fishing/letsfishcampaign Booking essential 27 July Pick it, Cook it, Eat it!

An exciting long weekend for all the family, featuring incredible performances from the most exciting artists as well as free workshops and activities for all ages from babies to grandparents. come make a day of it!

For Further details see www.theatrclwyd.com 29 July- 30 August Mission to the Moon Jodrell Bank - Weekdays only. Our fun and interactive, family-friendly science shows last for 30 – 40 minutes. They are aimed at adults and children aged 7+.

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a labyrinth of pathways with lots of dead ends and u-turns. www.parkhallfarm.co.uk 31 July Family Orienteering Alyn Waters Country Park.

Family Fun. Suitable for begginers. Drop in 1.30pm – 3.30pm All Ages £2.70 per group 1 August Print a Picture Postcard Ty Mawr Country ParkPrint your very own postcards to send to friends and family!

1 August Secret Knome Trail An exciting adventure to find magical gnomes hidden in the Gardens.

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WHATS ON FOR KIDS JUNE - AUGUST www.tattonpark.org.uk

Llangollen Railway Station https://www.llangollenrailway.co.uk 17 August- 01 September: Superheroes

3-16 August: Supermaterials Techniquest Glyndwr, Wrexham - View the darkest object on earth, one of the strongest fire repellers with a secret truth and mind blowing tech, you don't want to miss these supermaterials.

7th August Junior Craft Class Ty Mawr Country Park – Needle felted stars and headbands. All materials are provided. 1.30pm3.30pm Age 8+ £10 per person. To book a place, please contact junemclaughlin@btinternet. com or phone 01978 711941 for further details.

(Adult supervision required for under 16’s)

Techniquest Glyndwr, Wrexham. We're in lockdown, there's radiation and you might be infected...what power might you have? Mind control, super strength, electric capabilities? Find out in Superheroes! Twice a day every weekend, free with admission!

Friday 23rd August: Quentin Blakes ‘Mr Magnolia’ Port Sunlight Viallge Mister Magnolia has many things, such as an old trumpet that goes rootytoot, some very fat owls learning to hoot, a big purple dinosaur who’s a magnificent brute, two sisters who play the flute, and even a swimming pool.

But he still only has one boot! Join Mister Magnolia on his wacky adventures,

interaction, it’s a day out not to be missed! Based on the book by the legendary Quentin Blake. Show starts at 2pm. www.portsunlightvillage.co m 24th August Bank Holiday Fun Blakemere Village - Spend the Summer Bank Holiday with us at Blakemere Village and enjoy Fun FREE activities within the Courtyard from 11am – 4pm. FREE Face painting – Saturday 24th August FREE Traditional Punch and Judy Shows– Sunday 25th August Each show includes a mixture of magic or balloon modelling and is great fun for all the family.

Shows will commence at: 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm & 3.30pm

9-11th August Days out with Thomas Peep! Peep! Thomas the

Tank Engine is back at

filled with Folksy Theatre’s bold characters, live music, puppetry and audience

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FREE Circus Skills Workshop – Monday 26th August. During your visit you can also take part in our Polly Pig Trail for just £3 per child, open daily.

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Meee in a Minute 60 ways to improve your life in 60 seconds Meee in a Minute - 60 ways to improve your life in 60 seconds, is a book of 60 short punchy chapters that each takes one-minute to read. A brand strategist with over 30 years’ experience, Sid Madge has channelled his expertise to found the Meee Programme – an initiative to help people understand and believe in themselves.

Bringing together Sid’s in-depth branding expertise with knowledge from psychology, neuroscience, education and sociology, Meee in a Minute encourages you to take a minute! It then shows you how to improve your life by providing advice, insights and short exercises that everyone can access.

Each chapter highlights common daily challenges and then provides a solution in a minute.

Don’t underestimate this book. Small, it is. So is a splinter. And that stops you in your tracks. This will do the same. Life is complex. It asks lots of questions of you. But some very smart people have worked out the answers.

You will find them in here. It’s the biggest smallest book ever.” David Hieatt, Co-founder of Hiut Denim Co and The Do Lectures For your own copy personally signed copy please visit www.meeebooks.com or email help@meee.global for more info Discover more at www.kidsdirect.org

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KIDS DIRECT

EDUCATION & CHILDCARE

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5 ways you can help an anxious child I help many children to understand and control their anxieties. Common ones include friendships, tests and exams, family relationships, self-image and ‘fitting in’.

Although anxious feelings are very common, I believe everyone can be helped to control and reduce anxiety so that we can feel in control and perform at our best.

Here are 5 things parents can explain: 1. Anxiety is useful.

Our brain is hard-wired to keep us safe. Just like a smoke alarm is triggered by smoke, in the same way our brain is triggered by anything that may or may not be a ‘threat’ to our well-being. Anxiety is useful (and even pleasant because we call mild anxiety anticipation and excitement) as long as we don’t let it take control.

2. Our brain frequently gets it wrong.

In the same way that a smoke alarm can be triggered by someone just burning the toast, our brain can get into the habit of triggering anxious feelings when there is actually no threat at all.

Our brain is very good at finding similarities, so, if we have one bad experience we will probably feel anxious about a similar situation next time, even though this new situation is different and probably nothing to worry about at all.

3. We are in control of our ‘fight or flight’ brain, and not the other way around.

When our ‘fight or flight’ instinct takes over our rational brain ‘can’t think straight’, so we sometimes think unhelpful thoughts (e.g. “I can’t cope with this”) or do unhelpful things that might make us feel worse in the long run.

The good news is that just like a smoke alarm can be reset, so can our brains; we can learn to stay calm and in control no matter what comes our way.

4. We can always find ways to cope The question our body is really asking when we feel anxious is “can I cope with this?” I believe the answer is always “yes” because we can always seek support from trusted family members, teachers or friends, and also, most ‘fears’ are F.E.A.R. (False Evidence Appearing Real) so 99.9" of the time they don’t happen, or even if they do, we will cope with them just fine if we believe in ourselves.

Speaking like a best friend to ourselves, and not a worst enemy e.g. say “I can do this”; “I only need to do my best”; It’s okay to say how I feel”; “Everything’s going to be okay”. e) Making a list of everything we are grateful for helps to keep worries in perspective f) Making a list of our ‘3 P’s of happiness’ Pleasure, Purpose and Peace e.g. Singing; Going for a walk; Helping someone else; Listening to music; Playing with a pet; Talking to a friend; Dancing; Baking; Doing a favourite hobby; Reading a book; Playing a game; Laughing.

5. Strategies for staying calm Here are my favourite strategies for keeping calm (please look these up online, see my blog or message me if you would like further free information). a) Using a nickname e.g. if we are afraid of spiders, we can say something like “Oh Steve what are you doing inside? Let me get a cup and piece of paper and put you outside” – this helps us remember that ‘Steve the spider’ should be frightened of us, not the other way around. b) ‘Square’ Breathing Technique c) Emotional Freedom (‘Tapping’) Technique d)

Discover more at www.kidsdirect.org

lts and ls ith adu orks w within schoo or, w s m d lia ell Cat Wil privately anhe is a counsrt for n childre rk-places. S er and expe ships n k and wor, TEDx spea nce, relatio o auth dia on resiliebeing. or e ll o m c e t. m the &w conten d n a lm r via tayca www.s contact hemail.com / lm@g 347. a c y ta cats 641 07799

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Make it Memorable

by Sue Hall of Education Angel Memory is key for learning.

‘How can I help my child remember their spellings?’ Is a question I’m often asked.

Helping your child learn their spellings can seem tricky, especially when they are trying hard, but the information doesn’t appear to ‘stick’.

Using the senses can help your child attach meaning to new information so they can remember it more easily.

Multisensory strategies for learning, involve using more than one sense to help remember information. This can help strengthen the memory and the ability to retrieve it. Auditory (sound), Visual (looking) and Kinaesthetic (touch/doing) are three key multisensory strategies.

What does your child find easy to remember? Can they easily recall song lyrics, dance routines, the names of sports stars, adverts on the TV or journeys (whether on foot or in the car)? Start there!

If you child can easily remember song lyrics, and verbal information they may find it easier to learn using auditory strategies. If they can easily remember pictures, colours or patterns, they may find it easier to remember using visual strategies. If they can easily remember routines and like learning through ‘doing’, they may find it easier to remember using kinaesthetic strategies.

Ways to help your child learn their spellings: For Auditory learners use sound.

Listen for similar sounds in words (word families). Sound out words. Use

songs & rhymes. One favourite way to remember how to spell ‘because’ is to use the rhyme Bunnies Eat Carrots And Uncle Sam’s Ears. It’s an unusual rhyme which helps children remember it.

For Visual learners use pictures, colour and shapes to learn spellings.

For Kinaesthetic learners, practical activities like writing words out, tracing words out in sand, making letter shapes from clay or pipe cleaners to build words can help.

Using a mini white board to write on/rub off spellings can help children try their ideas out without ‘fear of making a mess’.

You can combine different strategies.

How about chalking spellings on the patio using different colours to highlight spelling patterns, using ‘bath crayons’ to write on tiles during bath time or using icing pens to pipe words on cakes or biscuits (with the added reward that children can read them back and eat them).

Remember your child may not learn in the same way that you did. Where possible try and use a method that your child enjoys and keep it fun to aid memory. If a method clearly isn’t working, try another one. It’s OK to experiment with different ways to remember information so your child can discover and use the ones that suit them best.

Make it Memorable – if it’s fun – it’s more likely to be remembered.

Discover more at www.kidsdirect.org

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