Mum's the Word Magazine - Online Spring

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mum’s the word

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magazine March/April 2015

a magazine by mums for mums

Bumper Easter What’s On Guide Easter fun for all the family!

Little Stars!

The Zodiacs spin on junior Personality traits

cooking with kids win! family tickets mum’s kitchen

puzzling times what’s on - local fun crafty creations

To subscribe to this magazine please contact us at info@mumsthewordmag.co.uk

mum’s the word 1

Enjoy an ‘egg-stra’ special

Easter Sunday 5th April

with all the family at Holiday Inn Telford / Ironbridge

Enjoy a delicious 3 course meal with a childrens menu and even a visit from the Easter Bunny! £14.95 per adult £8.95 per child (12 years and under) or

Ramada

Telford Ironbridge

Serving a family carvery in our relaxing restaurant, with an Easter egg for the children! £15.25 per adult £7.65 per child (12 years and under)

To book call: 01952 527 388 functions@southwatereventgroup.com 2 mum’s the word

e m o c l Wtoe mum’s the word Contents magazine 4

Hey Mums!

Yaay Spring is here! Despite having a pretty mild Winter (and a distinct lack of snow to play in!) it’s my favourite time of year. We can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the kids aren’t going to either be couped up inside driving us mad or begging us to get outside with temperatures cold enough to freeze our tootsies off!

So without further ado... Here’s the latest mag with absolutely loads of Easter Activities for the family in the What’s On Section, the usual puzzles so the kids will give mum a peaceful five minutes and some great ideas to cook both with and without the children! Plus a couple of competitions for Theatre tickets it’s all go y’know!

I’ve also put together a little guide on your mini ones zodiac traits as I found that it helped me understand Jasper when he was on a particularly relentless day! As always take a look at the fab businesses we’ve put in here for you - all to give mums inspiration and if you’d like us to do anything in particular drop us a line! Enjoy!

Nik x

Get in Touch...

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Heavens Above

A heads up on what your little ones zodiac sign can reveal

Puzzling Times

Easter Themed fun - Spot the Dif ference, Wordsearches and more..

What’s On Guide

Packed with ideas for all the family to enjoy together over Easter!

Crafty Creations

Loads of ideas for decorating the Easter Eggs and some happy bunnnies too

Mums Kitchen

Quick cook and yummy Fish Chowder for the fasters and fish lovers

Kids Kitchen

Make these great cup cakes with a ‘surprise’ inside and then decorate with Easter sweets and goodies!

StoryTime Together

Sit down for some time together with this tale for the kids with a moral

mum’s the word

Magazine

email: info@mumsthewordmag.co.uk tel: 01952 461345 mob: 07549 946852 facebook.com/mumsthewordmag twitter: @mumsthewordmag mum’s the word 3

Heaven’s Above!!

I often find it ironic that I run a parenting magazine yet my ‘adorable Tasmanian Devil’ very frequently has me clueless on which juicy parenting snippet I should be applying to the latest scheme he’s foiling me with.

into a head-to-head with them - they really do have a whole arsenal of hidden depths they save for best and then apply the ‘element of surprise’ when you’re least suspecting it!

This is the main reason Mum’s the Word is touted as a ‘real parenting’ magazine rather than the perfect parenting practices that we all know are out there I’m more than happy to confess to ‘parenting lapses’ such as allowing him to watch TV if the alternative is a screaming fit of mammoth proportions on a day where I’d love to be hibernating in Outer Mongolia just for some peace rather than ‘negotiating’ with a nearly three year old whirlwind of energy.

I will openly admit I have a spiritual side to me but when I looked into the character traits of Jasper according to his Zodiac sign I was genuinely gobsmacked as it captured his nature perfectly and has helped me to understand him a little better (a ‘little’ being the operative word here - come on mums we can’t have miracles here can we!?)

It was on one of these days that I decided I needed some extra insight into the inner workings of my juvenile genius - you think you know your child until you get

The Pisces Child February 19 – March 20

As the most intuitive sign of the zodiac, Pisces babies are old souls, born with wise and knowing personalities. They see everything that’s going on and often adopt the feelings of others around them. Many grow up to make excellent visual artists, engineers, and photographers.

Caretaking Pisces can be a bit bossy with their peers - they have very vivid imaginations and will make up games for everyone to play - as they are so personable they may feel hurt if others don’t want to join in the fun. Creative and compassionate, they may get swept away by emotion at the expense of common sense and need ‘grounding’ with clear, firmly enforced rules at home.

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So, apologies for such a large article but because I found it of use I thought I’d share it with you in the hope that even a tiny bit of it helps your understanding of the ‘alien in your house’ and may actually come in handy - feel free to share anything you find helpful!

Playtime

Creative - lots of art supplies, even a child friendly digital camera, Drawing and collaging will captivate them for hours. Baking or helping around the house works well too. Pisces rules the feet, so they enjoy active sports like football, skating, and running and as a water sign they’ll love swimming.

Dancing and performing will allow their creative expression to be released too Their naturally wise ways can develop a “mother hen” or “loner” vibe if around adults too much so socialising and ‘playing’ early helps their peer integration.

Parenting

Firm boundaries and family rules are needed here to allow your little fish to feel safe. Allow them to be the child - don’t let them adopt the parental role they’ll lean towards. As they have a very trusting nature you need to teach them safe practice around strangers early on.

The Taurus Child

The Aries Child

April 20-May 20

March 21-April 19

Aries babies often come into the world quiet and self-possessed and then wham! Out comes their vocal and showstopping nature! They love performing for people and even if they don’t crave the stage they will still need plenty of attention, especially from their favourite adult.

Because Aries is a masculine sign, many of them tend to favor their fathers. Active and energetic, bold and brave you’ll have to keep an eye on them from day dot as they are very confident with new situations. They may also be more accidentprone so childproofing the house is essential. When it comes to eating, Aries is picky, preferring to eat the same food over and over for days.

Playtime:

Aries rules the mind, so plenty of challenging puzzles and educational games. Independent and temperamental, they need time alone and their own space - don’t force them to play with others when they’re in their moods. As natural leaders they can be bossy especially girls and organise everyone around them so socialising with older children can help them have fun without being the boss.

Boy Aries are the brutes of the zodiac, so give them soft toys to punch and pound on. Aries has a need for speed so toy racecars and fire engines, especially in their favorite color red or just allowing plenty of running freely. Fashionable Aries loves to play dress up. Get them their own costumes and stage-makeup, or they could wind up raiding your room.

Parenting

Competitive and intelligent - Aries loves a prize so clap and cheer lots but not EVERY time or they can become demanding. Extremely sharp little rams need you to talk on a level with them so they understand the meaning behind things.

Tantrums - As the zodiac’s divas, they can throw world-class temper tantrums when they don’t get their way. Teach them to accept the word “no” as early as you can.

Generally of a sweet and laid back disposition these are definitely little bulls! Often neat and orderly and calm when all is well. As Taurus rules the five senses when they are hungry, tired, or ready to play, be prepared as they’re very likely to start screaming and shouting to get your attention. With their tiny fists and feet, they love to punch, hit and kick but give them soft or inflatable toys so no one winds up black-andblue.

Not always the speediest of learners but will always finish what they start and like honesty and may be stubborn if you try to change their way of doing something.

Playtime

Family-oriented and possessive, Taurus may prefer playing with siblings above anyone else and they like to ‘possess’ their material possessions they may not like to share so arrange for regular playtime with another child.

Outdoors lovers and active - as Taurus is an earth sign take them to the park as they thrive in the outdoors. Sign them up for an outdoor sports team when they are old enough to play. Taurus rules the throat so they adore singing and anything related to instruments or musical.

Parenting Hitting is a biggie with the Bulls so don’t laugh off any physical battles - they need nipping in the bud.

Taurus loves to feel useful so allow them to help around the house and as appreciation motivates them reward them with praise.

As you don’t want the proverbial Bull in a China Shop scenario with disciplne, use the dripping tap effect - repeating yourself calmly but firmly over and over and your little bull will calm themselves into your way of thinking.

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The Gemini Child

The Cancer Child

May 21 – June 20

Congratulations! You’ve just given birth to a real, live Baby Einstein as Gemini babies are born with a touch of genius to them. They may exhibit an early musical gift, talk or read before other children but whatever the case, life won’t be dull when a Gemini baby is crawling around the house! Naturally curious, they’ll want to touch everything in sight and will keep you on your toes.

Ruled by the communication planet Mercury, these chatty children may talk to themselves or an imaginary friend, and in some cases might even develop their own language before learning to speak their parents’ tongue.

Playtime:

Gemini is the sign of the twins so they thrive in a social setting with others close to their own age - get them into preschool and playgroups as early as possible.

Try to teach them a foreign language. Being the sign of the communicator, Gemini picks up more easily than other children on new dialects

June 21 – July 22

Within in each Cancer child you will find an earth mother. They are the nurturers of the zodiac and care deeply about those they love. They will bring home all the stray children and pets in the neighborhood.

They are very sensitive to their own, as well as, other’s feelings and emotions. They are very intuitive and imaginative.

You can usually find a Cancer at home. They often have their own special spot or private room and can be prone to mood swings so you need to respect their space as like their symbol the crab, they will snap at you when anyone tries to threaten the shell they place around themselves when upset. They love to save everything too so may be mini hoarders.

Boys may struggle with their maternal side a little they’re likely to be very close to mummy but struggle to express themeselves which may manifest itself as aggression so they need to learn early on to vent it.

Playtime:

Thoughtful and artistic - Cancer babes will love drawing, painting and making collages. Picture books are ideal for helping them learn to read. They also love playing ‘housey’ or ‘parent’ type games with dolls, teddies or even the pets.

Often having advanced technical abilities Geminis are good with computers, but watch out or they could get addicted to video games. Give them hands-on toys like musical instruments. They may learn how to play by ear. They’ll also enjoy scientific Space - Let them decorate their rooms. Having a toys, like detective kits or chemistry sets. comfy, cozy ‘crab shell’ is important to Cancer’s sense of security. You may discover a budding interior Parenting designer in your little one!

Be prepared to answer the question ‘why’ with a decent answer as these clued up Twins like to Parenting understand things properly and respond well to logic. Your gentle natured crab craves a calm home life so They are prone to bend the truth so dont let the fibs stability is key and disputes or upsets affect them at a pass by - teach them the power of their words and primal level. They also take a while to ‘warm’ to new encourage the whole truth! people so introduce new people at their own pace Consistency and decisiveness is imperitive as their dual nature can mean a struggle for them to make up their minds so they need a stable structure around them. They also need a channel for their ingenuity to avoid them becoming restless or bored without a focus for their heightened skills which can often be mistaken for ADHD or other destructive behavoural traits.

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- allow them to socialise at an early age to limit the option for them to develop a ‘loner’ complex.

Despite their shy demeanor they can often hide behind an exaggerated ‘mothering’ role - conversely though don’t assume that because they are quiet they are ok - they have a tendency to not want to speak up so free flowing emotional conversation at an early age will help.

The Leo Child

July 23 – August 22 The most confident of the zodiac, Leo babies are generally happy, smiley, and outgoing. They are also the sign that rules drama, so when the temper tantrums do come, look out!

They love bright colors and sounds. Paint their rooms in vivid hues and set up the musical mobiles but don’t buy too many noisy toys unless you want a headache!

These childen love to play, be it a board game, dolls, tag, running around with pets or on a computer. As long as they can be creative and free, they are happy.

This sign loves to please, so once they find out what makes the adults coo over them, out comes the show-off streak. Getting them to sleep won’t be easy. These tykes have energy to burn and love to stay up all night singing and chatting. Enroll them in a drama, dance or gymnastics class early to channel their theatrical talents into a productive outlet.

Playtime

Get your little Lion a great big backpack. They like to travel with toys and their favorite stuffed animal or doll in tow. Scouts is a brilliant way to get the adventure and natural leadership they possess into their life regularly As the King of the Jungle they have a natural caretaking streak and love to care for pets as well as people - as they crave attention more than others the love from the pet will work well to keep them happy.

Parenting

Young Leos love attention, but run to their side every time they cry, and you might just have a demanding diva on your hands. Teach them how to be unselfish by encouraging them to help others like friends, siblings, relatives thrive on positive reinforcement Encouraging words are often all that are needed to keep your Leo working hard and on the right path.

They also hate failure so teach them it’s about the lesson learnt by the experience and not the result so they are happy to try new things.

Silver Threads Hall www.thesilverthreadshall.org.uk

Party Time!

It’s messy time!!

er ly £10 p from on luding hour inc toys!

Parties, Messy Play, Baby Ballet, Musical Movers - just some of the fantastic groups we run!

Check out our Facebook page for details!

Affordable fun for families! Starting at just £1.50 per family for drop in sessions - contact Alan for more info on groups or hall hire...

Wellington Road Donnington Telford Tel: Alan Watkins (Manager) 07518 496840 mum’s the word 7

The Virgo Child

The Libra Child

August 23 – September 22 The perfectionists of the zodiac are here! Great at organizing anything, from their toys to the table. No detail is missed by our Virgo children. They can be extreme in their behavior. You often see very neat and tidy Virgos on one end of the scale and slobs on the other end.

Great at taking care of others. They are very happy when they can help another person. Nothing makes them happier than to take care of sick people and animals. Very good with their hands, they can fix anything that breaks.

Virgos can be great writers and communicators but can be very critical and analytical. Make sure they do not criticise others or themselves too often. You can always trust a Virgo with important tasks and responsibilities. Make sure they get enough praise to counter their self-criticism. They often focus on health and exercise. Their extremist behavior can lead to compulsive exercising and hypochondriac behavior so it is very important to keep them in good balanced habits.

Playtime

Because they love to help so much make games out of chores. Being one of the chattier signs they love your conversation so include them in your chats and duties. Give them lots of hands-on activities like crafts or building blocks. With their active minds, they’ll also enjoy puzzles and books

Parenting

Virgo is the sign of the perfectionist and these children can be quite hard on themselves so even constructive criticism is taken very personally. Let them know it’s okay to make mistakes, so they don’t wind up hiding their troubles from you or developing self-destructive behaviors.

Virgos are clever and know how to confuse parents with long-winded stories or excuses. It’s ok to let them watch TV as they crave the interaction and learning experience.It may also be worth enrolling them in pre-school early to channel their active mind.

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September 23 – October 22 Symbolised by the Scales of Justice, little Libras are keenly aware of right and wrong.

Their sense of balance and harmony makes them highly creative. Libra is the sign that rules marriage, so divorce or the loss of a parent can hit them harder than most. They need to be reminded that they are loved over and over again or they can become brooding and are prone to outbursts of anger.

Very indecisive they struggle to make up their minds and can also become lazy so teach them how to make decisions early on, Charming and polite, they are easy to be with most of the time. As such Social Butterflies they do not often want to be without people so the earlier you can start them in social situations the better. These children are very artistic and love beauty and art of all kinds.

Playtime

Ruled by beautifying Venus, Libras like to make everything pretty. Let them decorate their rooms and set them up with lots of coloring books and dolls they can dress up. Boy Libras may spend hours building elaborate model cars and planes by hand.

Plays, pageants, shows - any excuse to dress up and perform is their heaven and they adore special occasions like Christmas so let them organise their brithday parties early on. Generous to a fault they’ll share everything and they thrive in one-on-one games like Tennis.

Parenting

Being ruled by the scales of justice, their favorite battle cry is, ‘that’s not fair!’. Ask them to explain why they feel this way. A logical discussion often helps them understand why the rules are in place so they’ll get it.

As they get so absorbed in their activities they hate managing time so help them with this. They also respond well to praise so shower them with affection - try to factor in some one-to-one time as even a tiny bit of this willl go a long way.

The Scorpio Child

October 23 – November 21 These children are the most intense of all the zodiac.

Scorpios will not let anything go until they get to the bottom of an issue. This sign makes great detectives. They love puzzles of all kinds. Give them a mystery book and they will love you forever.

These children are the extremist of the zodiac. If they put their mind to it, they can be very powerful and get anything they want so as a parent, it is important to not allow them to manipulate others into getting what they want, Don’t mistake their silence for calm though - they don’t openly share their emotions. They can be stubborn but bear with them - it will always be well worth it with their loyalty and trust and they are extremely intuitive so may actually tell you something you didn’t know about yourself along the way!

The Sagittarius Child November 22 – December 21

As the fun loving children of the zodiac these children are enthusiastic, optimistic and generally happy. They are very active physically and mentally and often love school and the process of learning. They have a keen appreciation of philosophy and religion at an early age. They definitely have their own idea of what is the truth and love to tell the world. The Sagittarius child will argue when your theory does not match theirs.

Travelling is a must for these children even from an early age - they will love travelling to foreign countries and seeing the world. They love to meet people of different cultures and talk about different beliefs.

They easily adapt to different cultures and ways of living and are often seen in libraries and museums in search of learning something new. Very generous and friendly, they love life and people. They are so honest, that they can be tactless. They do not mean to hurt others, they are just telling the truth.

Playtime

As the sign that rules transformation, many Scorpios love having an alter ego. Give them lots of dressup clothes so they can go into costume. You may be shocked at how well they can emulate their favorite TV character or copy an accent. If you want to teach them a foreign language, they’ll pick up on it quickly at a young age.

Maths & English Tuition

They love to compete, so enter them in contests where they can shine as individuals especially anything water based with them being a water sign.

This sign is especially talented in the arts or music.

Start them young with toy instruments and craft sets and they’ll entertain themselves for hours.

Parenting

Your little Scorpio has a great memory but can carry negativie experiences for years so a calm and grudge-free life is required. They also have a jealous streak so allow for one-to-one time with them. Sharing doesn’t come easily so you’ll hear ‘mine’ very often! They can develop an addictive nature so encourage them to try new things often but crack all these factors and you’ll have a very accommodating and loyal little one. mum’s the word 9

The Capricorn Child

Playtime

As the zodiac’s wild child, they like to be outside, playing in the dirt so forget about the fussy outfits it’s easy-wash from hereon. They also love animals so allowing pets especially ones that can roam with them makes the perfect match.

These free spirits hate being confined by rules.

They’ll prefer freeform play, but will benefit from learning the proper directions of a game and mastering them and will get on with everyone due to their open mindedness.

Parenting

Never, ever lie to them. Sagittarius is the sign of the truth-teller and will instantly lose trust and respect for you if you try to pull a fast one on them. Invite them to offer solutions to problems that come up. These little pleasers love to give advice, be acknowledged for their wisdom and are likely to come up with creative and brilliant solutions.

Don’t expect them to sit still for too long or confine them in any way. This restless, impatient sign needs a constant change of scenery, even if that means having a computer with lots of different games on it.

Mums Night Off?

December 22 – January 19

One of the most serious of all the zodiacs these children appear to be grown up at a very early age and can have a difficult time having fun. They see homework and work in general more fun then playing. These children will put themselves on a schedule if you do not.

They are very ambitious, practical and hard working.

The Capricorn child is very good with their money and learn at an early age the value of money. They can be a little cold so teaching them the emotions behind actions may be required, however their quest for perfectionism can leave them very disappointed if they cannot achieve it so a little guidance with this will equip them well for later years.

Playtime

This athletic sign rules the knees, and they tend to excel in sports like soccer or anything that involves running as they are an earth sign and love the outdoors. Natural leaders, they are also likely to wind up being nominated for team captain.

As the zodiac’s most ambitious sign, Capricorns love going to work with Mommy and Daddy, or pretending that they own their own business. Set them up with a toy cash register and watch their imaginations flow.

Their natural sense of order makes them good drummers and bassists. Give them musical instruments and pray you can stand the noise!

Have a ‘Divine’ evening in with the girls!

Have a few friends round and Mystic Jane will come along and read your Psychic Tarot cards!

Only £25 each and for groups of 6 or more hostess will receive a reading free

Mystic Jane

Psychic Tarot Card Readings - Private or Group Readings

www.mysticjane.co.uk 10 mum’s the word

07952 746858

Parenting

Encourage them to be children when they are young. Teach them the value of playing and having fun. Generally, these children will be very ambitious and successful. They must learn there is more to life than just working so teach them the value of just playing.

Capricorns tend to be reserved and quiet, and like solving problems on their own. Don’t pry into their every thought. Just let them know that you’re always available for help or advice if they need it and let them come to you.

The Aquarius Child

January 20 – February 18 Aquarians, like Gemini’s are the “Baby Einsteins” of the zodiac, born with a touch of genius but they also have a daredevil streak to match. Start socialising your Aquarius with peers early as this popular sign will crave the company of lots of friends. Their desire for variety may mean they start lots of projects but don’t always finish them they can be like this with friendships too so teach them the value of people.

Aquarians can be a bit eccentric and quirky so allow them to express this. Generous with siblings, they hate to see anyone treated unfairly. They’ll stick up for the underdog and fight for the rights of their peer group.

Playtime

Aquarius rules teamwork, so sign your water bearer up for a group sport like netball or football and dont be surprised if this little cracker makes it to the top!

Daredevil Aquarius is competitive too, so a sport like gymnastics or horseback riding will captivate them.

Outdoor space and animals make them very happy - they take the passing of pets very hard though so it’s important they understand they’ll outlive them early on.

Aquarians love wizards and science fiction. Teach them magic tricks and get them a chemistry set.

They’ll have fun wowing the crowds with their inventions. They’ll also be whizzes at any computer game they try.

Parenting

Your Aquarius will either be super popular or a genius.

In the latter case, consider putting your Aquarius in an alternative school so they can be around other children of equal intelligence and not feel like a misfit.

Inclusion is big to them and they love having something to look forward to so talk in terms of the near future a lot and reward with activities done together.

A serious disliker of authority these little rebels will keep you on your toes so make sure you follow through with any threats of punishment or you’ll regret it - you have been warned!

Didn’t seem to fit your child?

If you didn’t find the traits of your childs sign particularly fitting, you may find it useful to check their Rising (or also referred to as their Ascending) Sign. I wasn’t aware that what most of us refer to as our Star Signs are actually our Sun Signs as our Zodiac sign is determined by which sign the Sun was in when we were born.

For me personally Jasper is an Aries and it’s a pretty strong sign so his traits are obvious and spot on! However my daughter who is Cancer has a much quieter and more gentle demeanor so it’s harder to gauge the traits of a quieter sign but there were a few things that I just thought ‘no that’s not her’. So I then went on line and searched for ‘Rising Sign Calculator’, I input her date, time and place of birth and it produced

Capricorn as her Rising Sign. When I read this it was far more fitting and the combo of the two has again given some pretty signifacant insight.

So I’m not trying to turn you all into ‘Mystic Meg Mums’ but I think if reading this only revealed one snippet of understanding that is relevant it may help over the years.

Jasper is such a headstrong little man that having this extra insight kind of answers my unspoken question ‘why the heck is he behaving like this??’so when I often look to the Heavens when pushed to my parenting limits and silently plead for help in this instance it actually feels like they’ve been pretty helpful!

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It’s Puzzle Time again! We’ve got some Easter fun here to keep you busy so who is wide awake and wants to let mum have five minutes peace and quiet while you exercise your brain and work out these tricky tests?

Spot the Difference!

These two pictures look very similar but when you look more closely you may see there are ten differences between them. Can you find all ten?

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Help each pencil to find it’s way to the pictures in the centre and then colour in the pretty Easter eggs.

Take a close look at the squares above. Two of them have not come from the picture - can you tell which two they are?

Oh dear! The Easter Bunny has got all of the letters muddled up in his egg! Can you find the words hiding in the jumbled letters?

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The Magic of Christmas

N

ow, admittedly I am often referred to as a Big Kid or just a tad on the loopy side but I have recently heard there are some utter lunatics out there claiming there is no such thing as - brace yourself folks - Santa Claus!

What?!? Whoever heard of such craziness??

I think it’s definitely Santa who brings all the magic to Christmas but maybe that’s me! Every Christmas Eve I get all excited because I know my children have been good again this year so Santa will bring them some truly special presents - Santa even noticed how my daughter had a growing spurt the one year so he really does pay a LOT of attention kids!

A few years ago Santa must have been in a huge hurry as he left such a mess in our house! Sooty footprints all over the carpet, mince pies and cookies dropped on the floor, milk spilled all over the fireplace and all of the reindeers oats and carrots were everywhere! So children - make sure you’re very good and keep the magic of Santa Claus going strong this year - close your eyes, Hay wishLeisure hard and send Santa messages that you DO believe Cheslyn Centre 01922 your 417790 he’s real -Leisure because I promise you01902 - your844032 Christmas will always be magical if Codsall Centre he knows you believe in his magic!

Penkridge Leisure Centre 01785 714152 Wombourne Leisure Why not use the letterCentre on page 01902 23 to 898202 tell him what you’re wishing for this Christmas...

SSTAFFS.GOV.UK/SUSSED 14 mum’s the word

Affordable School Holiday Activities for Local Children This Easter children in South Staffordshire have got the opportunity to attend a huge range of activities taking place at South Staffordshire Council’s leisure centres which are set to keep them entertained throughout the Easter break.

The SUSSED school holiday programmes are running at Cheslyn Hay, Codsall, Penkridge and Wombourne Leisure centres from Tuesday 7th April – Friday 17th April and cater for children aged 5 – 12 years.

Some of the activities on offer include Fizz Pop Science sessions, The Animal Man, Trampolining, Diddi Cars and Go-karting, and various sports courses in addition to Crash Course Swimming Lessons!

For more information visit www.sstaffs.gov.uk/ sussed or call the leisure centres direct to book: • Cheslyn Hay Leisure Centre: 01922 417790 • Codsall Leisure Centre: 01902 844032 • Penkridge Leisure Centre: 01785 714152 • Wombourne Leisure Centre: 01902 898202

Cut out the voucher below and bring into your nearest South Staffordshire Council Leisure Centre!

FREE JUNIOR SWIM PASS Term and Conditions

Voucher valid 7th -17th April 2015 ~ this voucher can be redeemed for 1 free junior or adult swim pass ~ Children under 8 must be accompanied in the water by an adult and ratios apply ~ This voucher can only be taken advantage of once by any one person ~ For times of swimming sessions visit www.sstaffs.gov. uk/sussed or contact your local South Staffordshire Council leisure centre direct.

Name___________________________________ Leisure Centre____________________________ Postcode________________________________ Adult [ ] Child [ ]

Mums The Word Magazine– March/April Edition 2015

mum’s the word 15

mums

What’s On

With nicer weather on the way after the winter the kids can’t wait to get outside again and clear their cobwebs so here’s a fab selection of things to do together over the next couple of months with Easter being a huge highlight - I certainly can’t wait!

17 - 18 March

Octonauts

25 March - 3.45 - 4.45

Little Potters After School

Join in on an hour of messy creativity for children and their parents or carers. Make and glaze a piece of clay artwork, which will be fired for you and available to collect from The Hive. This is an after school pottery workshop aimed at 4 – 7 year olds, although younger siblings are welcome to come along too. Workshop duration is 1 hour.

Materials included in price. The Hive Belmont www.hiveonline.org.uk

Get ready to embark on an exciting new mission with the quirky and courageous underwater 28 March to 12 April 11- 4 adventure heroes, The Octonauts!

Starring Self-Led Trail – Help Olaf find the Snow Queen Captain Barnacles, Kwazii, and Peso, the brand Follow the clues on the trail map and help Olaf new stage show, Octonauts and the Deep Sea find the Snow Queen and her friends. The trail will Volcano Adventure brings the entire crew of the Octonauts to life on stage for the very first time!

Visit amazing underwater worlds full of adventure, with surprises around every corner, in this action-packed, musical interactive new stage show www.theatresevern.co.uk

21 March 10.30 to 12

Brunch with Peppa Pig

Join us for a character brunch starring kids favourites Peppa Pig For more information or to book please contact us on 01902 429216 or email: events@hotels-wolverhampton.com Mercure Wolvehampton Goldthorn Hotel Wolverhampton £7.95 per person

25 March 10 - 11

Little Potters

An hour of messy creativity for children and their parents or carers. Make and glaze a piece of clay artwork, which will be fired for you and available to collect from The Hive. This is a workshop aimed at under 5s Materials included in the price. The Hive Belmont www.hiveonline.org.uk

16 mum’s the word

involve a walk of 1 mile along woodland paths and slopes.

Trail maps available from the Visitor Centre daily throughout the Easter holidays. Severn Valley Country Park Maps £2.00 each.

28 March - 12 April

Easter Railway Fun

An intensive full daily service throughout the Easter Holidays please see website for details. www.svr.co.uk

28 March – 12 April

Easter Opening

Weston Park opens for Easter - please see back page for Weston Park info...

28 March 10 to 4pm

Spring into the Park

Telford Town Park presents Spring into the Park a brand new free family event making its debut.

With an Easter

theme, the event will be a spring extravaganza with activities happening in pockets across the park.

There will be a fun fair, scout and leisure activities, a petting farm with the chance to hold bunnies and chicks, feed the lambs and donkey rides. You will also be able to take a horse and cart ride to Stirchley Chimney. And if you go down into to the park that day, you’ll find a teddy bears picnic and an Easter egg hunt with a yummy reward for all those who take part. www.telfordtownpark.co.uk There will also be arts and crafts activities in Southwater, where you will be able to make Easter bonnets, lily pads to go on the lake and get your face painted. Telford Town Park, Hinkshay Road, TF3 4EH

Win! Win! Win! A family ticket to see Tree Fu Tom Live at The Place, Oakengates!

Saturday 16th May - 1pm

www.treefutomlive.co.uk Competition provided by Premier Stage Productions

29 March

Wrekin Forest School Family Easter Day

An Easter Ehgg Hunt with a difference! Aimed at all the family there’s something for everyone and a great excuse to all get outside together!

Archery, Bug Hunting, Den Building and loads more - well that’s Dad sorted anyway!

30 March - 2 April 11.30 to 3.30pm

Make and fly your own Bird Glider

Take inspiration from our ‘feathered’ flying friends with an activity entitled ‘Bird Gliders’. Families are invited to join us in Hangar 1 to colour and make your own bird glider.

On completion, see how well your glider flies by trying to land it on the roundel target zone.

Tree Fu Tom Live! is set in the enchanted world of Treetopolis where movement creates magic.

Tom appears to be a normal boy but putting on his magic belt and performing a special sequence of magic action-movements known as Tree Fu sees him transform into a mighty magical super-hero!

Tree Fu Tom Live! is full of fun, music and laughter and Tom will certainly need your help to do the Tree Fu moves that could help save the day.

Be part of the Magic!

To enter email info@mumsthewordmag.co.uk with the answer to this question before 5pm on Friday 10th April...

What does Tom wear on his wrist?

T&C’s Apply ~ Prize not transferrable

mum’s the word 17

mums

What’s On

The bird glider activity costs £2.00 per person and all materials will be supplied.

Royal Air Force Museum Cosford, Shifnal, Shropshire, www.rafmuseum.org

30 March

Pirate and Princess Supershow

JUngle Boogie is putting ona fab fun day with the animal mand here too! Please see advert on page 19 for full details

31 March 10am

Attingham Adventures: Big Bird Day

Join us for Attingham Adventures on selected Tuesdays in the school holidays, where we’ll be getting messy, exploring the outdoors and ticking off lots of your 50 Things to do before you’re 11 3/4. Price: Child £5 www. nationaltrust.org.uk Attingham Park

Museum, Coalport, Ironbridge, TF8 7HT

near

1–11 April, (excluding Sundays)

Easter Tile Decorating Workshops

Join an Easter themed drop-in tile decorating workshop and try the tube lining technique to produce a tile featuring your own design and choice of colours. Activities vary from day-to-day; tiles cost from £5 each and can be fired and sent home later for a small extra charge to cover postage and packing. It takes up to 1½ hours to decorate your tile so last admission to the workshops is at 3.15pm. Museum opens 10am - 5pm dailyMuseum admission charges apply.

For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org. uk Jackfield Tile Museum, Jackfield, near Ironbridge, Shropshire TF8 7LJ

1–3 April and 6–10 April

1-12 April

Join hands-on workshops to decorate your own mug, china flowers or fridge magnet or design and make cottages, castles and lighthouses based on Coalport Cottage designs.

Sessions from 11am-1pm and 2-4pm; activities vary from day to day and carry an additional charge, museum admission charges apply. For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www. ironbridge.org.uk Coalport C h i n a

Family workshops - celebrate the Year of Light and Light Technologies looking at reflection and how light can be used to make electricity with kaleidoscopes and shadow puppet workshops. Additional charges apply and activities vary from day to day between 10.30am-3.45pm.

Enginuity, Coach Road, Coalbrookdale, near Ironbridge TF8 7DQ. For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.

Home Sweet Home Drop-in Workshops

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Drop-in Light Workshops

org.uk

1-12 April

Easter Shadow Lamp Making

Drop-in craft activity to make your own Easter-themed shadow lamp to take home; sessions 11am-1pm and 2pm4pm; Museum opens 10am - 5pm daily activities vary dayto-day and carry an extra charge.

Blists Hill Victorian Town, www.ironbridge.org.uk

1 - 12 April

The Great Easter Bunny Hunt

Follow a new themed trail and hunt for bunnies hiding in the Blists Hill woods. There’s a sweet treat for everyone that finds all the bunnies. Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, near Ironbridge TF7 5DU Museum opens 10am - 5pm daily For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

1 - 12 April

Traditional Easter Celebrations

Watch the townsfolk trying the unusual pastime of egg dancing and afterwards have-a-go yourself. Once blindfolded, dance across the street without stepping on eggs that are carefully placed along your route.

Meet the Victorian townsfolk and join a sing-a-long in the New Inn Public House. Blists Hill Victorian Town, Madeley, near

Book u o y r chil d 's ticket no w !

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www. jungle-boogie.co.uk www.jungle-boogie.co.uk www.facebook.com/mryipadee www.facebook.com/mryipadee mum’s the word 19

mums

What’s On

Ironbridge TF7 5DU Museum opens 10am - 5pm daily For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www. ironbridge.org.uk

1 April - 10 to 12 & 1.30 to 3.30

Story Time – Olaf and the Snow Queen

Join the Ranger while listening to the Snow Queen story. Look out for Olaf, Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Elsa along the way. This event will involve a walk of 1 mile along woodland paths and slopes. Come dressed as your favourite character! Booking essential. Severn Valley Country Park www.shropshire.gov.uk/severnvalley-country-park £3.50 children, Adults free.

2 April

Wrekin Forest School Holiday Club

Holiday Club with a difference!

We will tailor make sessions that are safe and secure for your children. Activities may include basic exploration and construction, whittling, bow and arrow making, shelter building, tree & bug hunting & identification, face painting, bead making, knot tying skills, out-door cooking, fire lighting skills, nature detectives, woodcraft creation, see some of the animals made previously (making a pig, giraffe or a hedgehog just became easy), archery, air rifle shooting and a wealth of other stimulating projects. - See more www.wrekinforestschool. co.uk

When there’s trouble under the sea, the Octonauts dive into action!

You could win a family ticket for four and embark on an exciting new mission with our underwater adventure super heroes, Captain Barnacles, Kwazii and Peso, in the brand new live stage show, Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano Adventure.

Visit strange new worlds full of mysteries to unravel, with surprises around every corner this action packed interactive show features music and all your favourite characters live on stage for the very first time!

To enter simply email info@mumsthewordmag.co.uk telling us the name of the penguin by Fri 4th April at 5pm when the lucky winner will be drawn out of the email hat.

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Wolverhampton, WV1 1DE BOX OFFICE: 01902 42 92 12 20 mum’s the word

WIN! WIN! WIN!

A Family Ticket to see Octonauts at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre!

Wed 15th April ~ 4.30pm T&C’s Apply - Prize not Transferrable

3 April 10 -12, 1.30 - 3.30

4 April 10.30 to 12pm

Working in teams, use the handheld GPS unit to navigate around the park looking for treasure chests holding special eggs. Places very limited— booking essential. All children must be accompanied by an adult for this event. Severn Valley Country Park www. shropshire.gov.uk/severnvalley-country-park Children £3.50, Adults free.

Join us for a character brunch starring kids favourites Mickey & Mini Price - £8.50 per adult / £4.50 per child aged between 2-12 / Under 2- £2.50 For more information or to book please contact us on 01902 429216 Mercure Wolverhampton Goldthorn Hotel Wolverhampton

Geocaching Easter Egg Hunt

3 - 6 April 11 to 4pm

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt

Hop to it! Come and hunt the hares hiding in our gardens.

Join in the fun at Wightwick whatever the weather; we have trails and crafts for everyone over the Easter weekend and of course a chocolate. www.nationaltrust. org.uk Wightwick Manor and Gardens Price: Child £2.50

4 April

Easter Craft Fair

Enjoy a day out to Apley Farm Shop’s wonderful Easter Craft Fair. Enjoy wandering around various stalls picking up Easter presents or treat yourself. Apley Farm Shop has so much going on this Easter and is a perfect day out for all the family! We have local crafters selling handmade stationary, jewellery, accessories, photography, art, kitchenware, presents and so much more. Apley Farm Shop, Norton, Near Shifnal, www. apleyfarmshop.co.uk

4 - 6 April 11 to 4pm

Easter Brunch with Mickey and Mini

4 - 19 April

Easter fun on the farm

Get the kids out into the fresh air this Easter school holiday with a visit to Lower Drayton Farm. In addition to the farm’s usual attractions there’s the chance to help bottle feed our friendly lambs, meet the Easter Bunny, a fun Easter Egg hunt, egg & spoon races and some great seasonal craft activities in the indoor play room – plus our brand new nature trail to explore. www.lowerdraytonfarm.co.uk Child £2.50; Adult £4.50 – Grandparents & under 2s free!

Opening times: 10am – 4pm (last admission) Lower Drayton Farm, Penkridge, Stafford

6 April

Wrekin Forest School Holiday Club

Holiday Club with a difference!

Please see advert or 2 April entry for more details

6–10 April

Home Sweet Home Drop-in Workshops

Coalport China Museum Please see 1-3 April for details...

Cadbury Easter egg trail

Can you find what’s hiding in our grounds? www. nationaltrust.org.uk Moseley Old Hall All Tickets £2.50

6 - 10 April 1– 2.30pm

Easter Around the World

Half term family fun over the Easter holidays. Try out some Easter customs from other

countries including kite flying, egg racing and some tasty foods. £3.50 per accompanied child aged 3-11. Booking advisable Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre

7 April - 10 April 11.30 to 3.30pm

Make and fly your own Bird Glider

Royal Air Force Museum Cosford. Please see 30 March for more details..

7 April 10am

Attingham Adventures: Kite Creators

Join us for Attingham Adventures on selected Tuesdays in the school holidays, where we’ll be getting messy, exploring the outdoors and ticking off lots of your 50 Things to do before you’re 11 3/4 Child £5 www.nationaltrust.org.uk Attingham Park

7 April - 12 April Shows at 10.30am, 1pm & 3pm

The Circus is in Town

John Lawson’s Circus is back at Webbs, West Hagley with a brand new show..

With an entirely human cast performing aerial acrobatics, juggling feats, balancing acts and some crazy clown capers, this fun show lasts an hour and children will love it! BOOK IN ADVANCE TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT. Visit www.webbs.co.uk for more details, £6 per person. Webbs, Kidderminster Road South, West Hagley, Stourbridge, West Midlands DY9 0JB

8 April 2 - 4pm

Minibeast Roadshow Tipton Library

at

Meet our large collection of mini-beasts at this popular venue. From Stick Insects to Giant Snails, Snakes to Giant mum’s the word 21

mums

What’s On

Bullfrog, the session is sure to inspire both young and old.

Admission is free. Tel: 07811 403713 www.naturalworldexperience. com

8 April 10 - 12pm

10 April 1.30 - 3.30pm

Easter Fun! – Spring has Sprung!

Severn Valley Country Park Please see 8th April for details

10 April 9.30 - 12.30pm

Py jama Drama Sunbeam Easter Fun! – Spring has Workshop Sprung!

‘Garden Invasion’ - The sun is Come along and celebrate spring in the Severn Valley.

Make a grass head bursting with green ‘hair’ and a spring collage to decorate Ethelfleda’s Well. Severn Valley Country Park www.shropshire. gov.uk/severn-valley-countrypark Booking essential. — Children £3.50, Adults free.

10 April 10 -12

Geocache Easter Egg Hunt

A fab excuse to get all the family in the fresh air - what goodies will you find? Severn Valley Country Park Please see 3 April for details..

22 mum’s the word

shining, the paddling pool is out and the barbeque is sizzling.

But we’re not the only ones who like a bite of a burger on a hot summer’s day – watch out everyone, it’s a garden invasion! Children 5 – 7 years Cost: £15.00 Come along, get creative and join in the fun! Contact: Jane on 01691 898 508 or facebook.com/ pyjamaDramaNorthShropshire

10 April 12.45 - 1.30pm

Py jama Drama Raindrop & Rainbow Special

‘Wake up Sleepy Bunny’ Poor old Easter bunny has

lost his bounce! He can’t stop falling asleep and if we can’t find a way to wake him up our Easter hunt won’t be very egg-citing! The Venue Children 2 – 5 years Cost: £5 Come along, get creative and join in the fun! Contact: Jane on 01691 898 508 or email: JaneL@pyjamadrama. com or facebook.com/ PyjamaDramaNorthShropshire

Tuesday 14, 21 and 28 April

Tile Decorating Workshops

Join a drop-in tile decorating workshop between 10am and 3.30pm and try the tube lining technique to produce your own ceramic masterpiece; You could make a collection of coasters, a circular door plaque or a gift for a loved one on a heart shaped tile.

Activities vary from day-to-day; tiles cost from £5 each and can be fired and sent home later for a small extra charge to cover

postage and packing. It takes up to 1½ hours to decorate your tile so last admission to the workshops is 2pm.

Jackfield Tile Museum, Jackfield, near Ironbridge, Shropshire TF8 7LJ Museum opens 10am - 5pm daily For details call 01952 433 424 or visit www.ironbridge.org.uk

Apley Farm Shop May Day BIG Weekend

14 - 19 April 7.30 to 9.45 pm

Peppa Pig Family Fun Weekend

at’s on

p o d ! w d g , t g t

Godspell

In the words of Stephen Schwartz, ‘Godspell is, above all, about the formation of a 25 Oct to 2 Nov community’.In presenting this unique piece of musical theatre at the heart of Telford, TADLOP will be setting that heart beating with the Enjoy our self-led trail around the park. amazing musical arrangements of Godspell’s Follow the scary clues to see if you can spectacular 2012 Broadway revival. Please see work out Halloween puzzle to win a advert for the full details.

Spooky Halloween Trail

small prize.Trail Maps £1.50 1 - 4 May Available from the visitor centre Shrewsbury daily Children’s Bookfest 11am-4pm, Severn Valley Book festival for the young.

Talks Country with top Park, Alveley, Bridgnorth, Shropshire, authors, drama, workshops and film.

Please see Shropshire 6NG the website WV15 for more information about each www.shrewsburybookfest.co.uk t:event.

01746 781 192 2 - 4 May

Kids! Fancy a WILD time??

Come and try your hand at something new during the school holidays!

Cooking on an open fire Bow and Arrow Making, Low rope adventures Archery

Holiday Club Birthday Parties

Den Building, Bug Hunting

Enjoy family fun, out door activities, craft, maypole dancing, delicious food and drink at Apley Farm Shop Free entry Sat 9.30 - 17.30 Sun 10.00 - 16.00 Mon 9.30 - 17.30 Apley Farm Shop, Norton www.apleyfarmshop.co.uk

9 - 10 May

Children’s favourite Peppa Pig will joined by Daddy Pig as she returns for another Family Fun Weekend at the Severn Valley Railway. Peppa and Daddy will appear at intervals at The Engine House, Highley, during the event as they headline a fun-packed programme of activities taking place at each of the Railway’s six unique stations on 9th and 10th May. Families can also enjoy magic shows from A Box of Tricks and all their favourite Peppa Pig episodes at our very own cinema at The Engine House, a kids disco hosted at intervals by family favourite Disco Daddy at Kidderminster, as well as a bouncy castle, inflatable play area and surf simulator at Arley plus face painting and arts & crafts activities at Bridgnorth.

Easter Fun for all the Family!

Where the whole family can come and engage in the fun of exploring in our wonderful outdoor environment.

Don’t miss out on air rifle shooting, archery, construction, den building, bug hunting, face painting, bead making, sensory sessions, team building games and cooking on the open fire, and much, much more!

Wrekin Forest School Easter Special Easter Egg Hunt fun, Sunday 29th March 2-5pm

Why not try our fantastic Holiday Club for something different...? www.wrekinforestschool.co.uk t: 07888 851813 / 01743 341826

Upcoming dates: Thu 2nd April, Tues 7th April, Thu 28th May mum’s the word 23

Crafty Creations It wouldn’t be right if we didn’t have decorating eggs as a crafty treat so here’s a handful of ideas on what to do with your eggs after you’re either hard boiled them or blown them.

Crazy Creatures

es i l i m a F Happy No eggs can esca pe being turned into cute or crazy cri tters! Use up bits of paper, googly eyes, pom poms, pipe cleaners and de corate your own favourite pets!

rtrait a po ke e it u not q ny,,, Ma !

Well ies ! can e s is un best budd hee C s s y e r a S u en he lik ers and yo but t b m me family

Table Place Na me Eggs

s g g E r e t s a E rd a o Blackb

Perfect for

aint...

lackboard p

Use up old b

essages e kids their m th e iv g n ve ..

You could e ur PE kit kids. n’t forget yo o d y a d e for th 24 mum’s the word

th

e Easter D Either pain inner Table t the eggs ! to your ow or here yo n design u can dip the eggs leaving ab in dye out a third e still for a fe xposed (h old it w momen ts while th takes) and e dye then remo ve carefu allow to d lly and ry before d ecorating.

Happy Bunnies!

These bunnies are a great way of using up your toilet tissue or kitchen roll tubes and the best thing is they are a great size for displaying your decorated eggs once finished.

Cut a toilet tissue tube in half and then cut some ears from the other half of the tube. Paint the ears and tube and set aside to dry at which point you can glue or tape the ears to the tube.

You can then decorate with button noses and any beads, ribbons or crafty items you can get your hands on and you have your very own Easter Bunnies. These are also perfect for putting your delights in for your Easter Bunny Trail - simply wrap your mini eggs in tissue and pop inside the bunnies!

Help develop your child’s creativity · co-operation · listening · communication · language skills and have fun together!

Classes in your local area Contact Eleanor for more information on: 07708 754216 or email: eleanor.pittam@musicalsteps.co.uk Eleanor’s Musical Steps

www.musicalsteps.co.uk

@MusicalStepsEP

mum’s the word 25

we’re Recruitin g!!

And more importantly... ...we’re perfect for parents!

Here at Mum’s the Word we absolutely understand the gauntlet of modern day parenting and we’re passionate about helping parents in any way we can by linking you in with local businesses and resources. That’s why we’d love parents to be able join our team as you’ll understand what our mums love to read about!

So - are you...

Well motivated and enjoy working with people?

Great on the telephone and computer?

Great at managing your time and multi tasking?

Experienced in sales, design, management or marketing?

Forward thinking, driven and enjoy variety and learning?

Understanding of the needs of our readership?

Email Nik for in formation .

Contact det ails can be fou nd on Page 3.

What we are offerin g...

Various working from home opportunities in sales, marketing and design Flexible hours to suit you and your family on a part time or full time basis, Initial and ongoing training and support, Opportunity for long term progression, A boss who knows that the children always come first!

If you’d love to join our team get in in touch!

26 mum’s the word

mum’s the word 13

mums

kitchen

mums quic k n easy fish chowder Did you know...

Good Friday used to be called Long Friday, because of the long fast imposed upon this day. While some Christians still believe in fasting on Good Friday, others maintain their religious adherance to Easter by eating fish on Good Friday, instead of meat so here’s a yummy quick fishy delight - simply leave out the bacon if you’re omitting meat..

The Golden Ball Ironbridge

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins serves: 4

in gredients

1 onion, finely chopped 500g potatoes 4 bacon (rashers) 200g fish (cod, haddock, salmon or trout) 2 carrots, sliced ½ tbsp olive oil ½ tsp turmeric 4 tbsp single cream 1.5l stock ¼ tsp herbs

method Come and visit the oldest and finest inn in Ironbridge!

Dice half the potatoes and boil the remaining potatoes and mash with some of the stock until creamy.

Great for a family meal!

Dice the bacon and fish, heat some oil and add the bacon and fry for 2 minutes.

Or for parents night off why not come along for our live music or open mic night??

Add the onion and potato cubes and cook for 5 minutes until no oil is left - add the stock, turmeric and herbs.

New Bridge Rd, Ironbridge, TF8 7BA 01952 432179 www.goldenballironbridge.co.uk

Simmer for 5 minutes until the potato cubes and fish are tender - add cream

Serving freshly cooked food all sourced locally we offer a very warm welcome to all ages...

Children’s Menu Large Beer Garden Real Ale Selection Monthly Live Music

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes Mix in the mashed potatoes and carrots until the soup is thick then add the fish.

mum’s the word 27

kids

kitchen ‘surprise’ Chocolate Easter cup Cakes Cupcakes have been ever increasing in popularity over the last few years but their simplicity makes them such a winner with the kids! Make these chocolate cup cakes and then go craft crazy with the decoration of them we’ve got plenty of ideas here so hope you have loads of fun guys and people will just love the ‘surprise’ in the middle of the cake!

Makes: up to 10 cakes Prep Time: 20 mins Cook time: 15 mins play time: as long as mum wants!

in gredients 200g self raising flour, sifted 100g caster sugar 40g cocoa powder 2 tsp baking powder 10 cadbury mini creme eggs 100g vegetable oil 180g buttermilk 1 egg, lightly whisked 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp salt

method Preheat oven to 180c and place cup cake cases in a muffin pan.

Mix self raising flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder in large mixing bowl until combined.

In a separate bowl; mix vegetable oil, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and salt until combined.

Make a well in the dry ingredients bowl, pour in the wet ingredients and mix until JUST combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not over mix, the mixture should be lumpy. This helps keep the cakes moist.

Enter our Facebook Pumpkin Carving Evenly distribute the amixture Competition to win prize! into the

cases and place a mini creme egg in the centre of each one, stood up straight.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

28 mum’s the word

Sorry Mums! It’s confession time! I usually try to offer recipes that are cheap and cheerful and not shop bought but when I saw how much faffing it was to make your own fondant (and having a messy 3 year old!) I’m suggesting buying shop bought fondant as there’s a time to make life easier and this is one of them!

However if you buy a few food colourings I think you’ll more than get your money’s worth by giving the kids an edible playdough session! Check out these great cake topper ideas which are all easy to replicate - with artistic licence of course!

One small suggestion - wear gloves for kneading in the colours and maybe make a few in advance. For the little spikes on your cakes either use a piping bag or a good quality sandwich bag with a teensy hole cut out of the corner - maybe even have a few with varying colours on the go.

Introducin g...

Village Cookware & Cakery - set up recently by Laura and Lorraine they are based near Shifnal and have a fab range of cookware for us to play with!

It’s always great to get the kids involved in cooking as it creates a love of food as well as keeps them occupied and an outlet for their creativity.

They have some fab sets for the kids and loads of edible glitter and ‘pretties’ for us mums (as well as making amazing cakes themselves too!) - good luck with your new venture ladies!

We supply beautiful Homemade Celebration Cakes, Cupcakes & Cake Pops Free local delivery.*

ply We supCake l beautifumemade o Pops, H n Cakes & tio Celebraupcakes C cal Free lo ry* delive

For all your cookware & cakery needs!

For all your cookware & cakery needs!

Delicious Cakes – Cake Stands – Baking & Storage Solutions Cake Decorations – Cutters & Moulds – Sugarcraft Supplies Delicious Cakes ~ Cake Stands And Much Much More!

Baking & Storage Solutions ~ Cake Decorations

WWW.VILLAGECOOKWARE.CO.UK Cutters & Moulds ~ Sugarcraft Supplies Tel: 07927 811 229 E-mail: villagecookware@hotmail.com And much much more!

Blymhill Common, Shifnal, Shropshire *Free delivery within a 10 mile radius

www.villagecookware.co.uk Tel: 07927 811 229 * Free delivery within a 10 mile radius

Blymhill Common, Shifnal Email: villagecookware@hotmail.com

mum’s the word 29

The Whatnot Fruit

R

elax, be still and listen - listen carefully to this tale about some travellers who arrived one evening at the edge of a village. They were tired, so they decided to stop for the night and were looking forward to a well earned rest. That is, until they discovered an exotic fruit and suddenly everything changed. Do you want to know what happened? Let’s see if we can find out!

Now... setting up camp was a busy time for the travellers. They bustled around as they lifted colourful carpets from their caravans and laid them out on the ground. Then, they gathered wood and built a big fire. Soon, pots and pans were rattling away merrily on the fire sending delicious aromas floating over the little camp. When dinner was finally ready everyone gathered together around the fire to eat.

mango tree so I’m not sure - see what your father thinks’ replied her mother.

After they had eaten their food, a little girl from the group called Polly turned to her mother and pointed to a huge tree full of sweet and juicy looking multi coloured fruits.

‘Mother - I’m still a little hungry’ She said ‘ Please may we have some fruits from that tree for dessert? They look so delicious!’

‘Father, father, can we eat some fruits from that tree?

Pleeease??’ pleaded Polly.

Together Polly and her father went over to the tree and he picked one of the brightly coloured fruits. He sniffed at it and then let it drop to the ground. ‘Listen Polly, listen children’ he said ‘I know you’re all tempted to eat these fruits, but I don’t think they are mangoes, so we shouldn’t take a chance.

As your mother said, we don’t know what fruits they really are, so none of us should eat them.

‘Yes they do look tempting’ said her mother.

‘But I don’t recognise that tree or it’s fruits.

You know we shouldn’t eat anything we don’t recognise or haven’t eaten before they could turn out to be poisonous’.

‘But some of them look like big juicy mangoes mother’ said Polly ‘Well the fruits do look like mangoes but the tree does not look like a

But Polly wasn’t listening and she picked up the fruit that her father had dropped. Her mouth was still watering because it looked so delicious. She turned her back to the others ‘What harm could it do if I just have one little bite?’ she thought to herself. Before anyone could notice she had peeled back a patch of the fruits skin and bitten into the juicy flesh.

30 mum’s the word

‘Mmm it’s so sweet!’ she exclaimed and took another bite. Some of the other children saw her and copied her.

‘Polly!’ cried her mother ‘What are you doing?!’ Polly turned her face to her mother, the juice from the fruit staining her lips. ‘I.. I.. feel a little strange..’ she started to say but the look of disbelief on her mothers face stopped her mid sentence. ‘You’re turning orange like the fruit!’ her mother cried. Polly looked down at her fingers, which were gradually going bright orange and watched, spellbound as the colour spread down to her legs. She was now orange from head to toe!

There were shrieks of disbelief as the other few children that had eaten the fruit started to turn orange. No one knew what to do as one by one, the children started to fall deeply asleep. Nobody could wake them!

Some of the travellers went to the village to ask for help but nobody answered their door.

The worried travellers kept watch over their children all night and even when the birds began to sing, and the sun climbed above the nearby hill, Polly and her friends still lay fast asleep and bright orange.

Now, in the past when travellers had come to this village, nearly ALL of them had eaten fruit from the tempting tree called ‘The Whatnot Fruit’. Then while all the travellers were sleeping the bad villagers would creep out and help themselves to all of their possessions. And so this morning they came to steal as usual but were surprised to find everyone awake except for a few children!

They were so shocked they asked ‘How come you didn’t ALL eat the fruit? Everyone else always has’ ‘Well firstly we didn’t recognise the fruits so we didn’t think they were safe, and secondly we wondered why so much fruit was left unpicked when the tree was so close to the village - it seemed very strange’ ‘You’re very wise and your caution has saved you’ confessed one of the thieves and he

told them with shame what they usually did to the sleeping travellers.

‘Well’ said Pollys father ‘How about making a deal? We won’t tell anyone about this if you explain how we wake our sleeping children, as well as pick all the whatnot fruits, bury them and promise never to trick people in this way again.

The thieves didn’t want their village to get a bad reputation so they agreed. ‘The fruit is harmless - your children are just in an enchanted sleep and will waken in a few hours feeling completely normal. And indeed later that day the children started to stir and to everyones relief turned back to their normal colour and usual selves! Polly learned from her experience and no matter how delicious something looked she and her friends never ate anything they. didn’t know well again

Moral Story...

Moral of of thethe Story...

If something appears to too be too good If something appears to be good to be it probably A wise to be truetrue - it -probably is. is.

A wise person knows matter person knows thatthat no no matter howhow tempting something appears, tempting something appears, we we should always treat it with caution. should always treat it with caution.

Stories provide a great to discussing Stories provide a great start start to discussing behaviour and character with your children. behaviour and character with your children. this story similar to a situation HowHow is thisisstory similar to a situation your your childchild did they behave maymay havehave beenbeen in? in?

HowHow did they behave and what happened?

How could it have and what happened? How could it have different would beenbeen different and and how how would this this havehave affected the outcome? affected the outcome? mum’s the word 31

32 mum’s the word