families cheshire issue 15 jan-feb 2012

®

FREE

In this issue>What’s in a nursery?>Pre-preps and

education>Are we there yet?

Travelling with kids

Edition 15 • January/February 2012 The local magazine for families with children 0-12 years

Covering: Poynton, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Knutsford, Prestbury, Macclesfield, Congleton, Holmes Chapel, Sandbach, Northwich, Winsford, Crewe, Nantwich, Tarporley, Waverton, Chester and surrounding areas

www.familiescheshire.co.uk

WelcomeHappy 2012! Why is it that the days drag when you’re young but fly whenyou’re older? Do you suppose it’s just because we’re now having to move ourcreaking joints more slowly that it makes everything around us seem tohappen more quickly?

Last year passed in a blur of school runs, kids activities, birthdays, half terms andChristmas parties – with very little time to stop and take stock of the important stuff, liketruly appreciating friends and family and being grateful for all that we actually have.

So for us, 2012 is going to be about TIME. More quality time spent with ourhusbands, more fun time spent with the kids and more “me” time to recharge the ageingbatteries. And we hope that whatever you decide 2012 is going to be about for you andyour family – that it brings you fulfilment and happiness.

Bring on the year!

In this issue02: Locally speaking05: Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education13: Parenting14: Travel

16: Parents’ place19: Parties20: What’s on

Jayne Keep Caryl Hall

2 Families Cheshire | www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Locally speaking Inclusion in our locally speaking section is always FREEget in touch: [email protected]

Next issue: March/April 2012

Circulation: 25,000 copies of Families Cheshire areavailable through nurseries, schools, libraries, selectedshops and other points throughout Cheshire. If youwould like free copies for your organisation, please let us know.

Contact details: Families Cheshire, PO Box 581, Macclesfield, SK10 9FNTel: 01625 801 801 www.familiescheshire.co.uk

Editorial: [email protected]/artwork: [email protected], diary dates, out & about:[email protected]

Cover photograph by: teneight, Fence House, 84 Buxton Road, Macclesfield SK10 1JS. Tel: 01625 500 488 www.teneightstudios.co.uk

Design: Through Creative, The Old School, Byron Street, Macclesfield SK11 7QA.Tel: 01625 500 939 www.throughcreative.com

Print: Bishops Printers, Walton Road, Portsmouth,Hampshire PO6 1TR Tel: 023 9233 4900 www.bishops.co.uk

Families Cheshire is part of the Families group, establishedin 1990 and headed by Families South West. Allfranchised magazines in the group are independentlyowned and operated under license.

We take every care preparing the magazine, but thepublishers and distributors can’t be held responsiblefor the claims of advertisers, the accuracy of thecontents nor for any consequences.

Stockport Grammar School pupil,Jaina Mistry (14) of Stalybridge, hasbeaten off competition from 10 otherlocal students to be named the RedTractor Beef and Lamb Mmmake itwith Mince Challenge RegionalWinner 2011 for the North West.

Jaina was awarded the RegionalWinner title by James Martin afterwowing the judges with her innovativeMeatball Curry with Salad and Naan.

Points were scored for originality, nutritionand presentation. She won an iPod Touchplus £200 in vouchers. Fellow studentsfrom Stockport Grammar, Ed Robinson(14) and Katy Bacon (15) were alsohighly commended by James Martin.Jaina is now up against five otherRegional Winners in the race to becrowned the overall National Champion.

Speaking about Jaina’s win, JamesMartin said, “The standard of entries thisyear was extremely high and Jaina hasdone exceptionally well to be namedRegional Winner. Her recipe wasinnovative, nutritious and well presented– but most importantly, it tasted great! Itwas clear that everyone worked reallyhard, so choosing the National Championis going to be a really tough choice.

“It’s now more important than everbefore to inspire young people to cookproperly and this Challenge is a perfectplatform for them to learn about food,cooking and nutrition. I hope that Jaina’ssuccess will encourage more youngpeople from the local area to get cookingand to try out new and different recipes.”

SGS pupil crowned North WestYoung Chef Regional Winner 2011by celebrity chef James Martin

Kids Allowed Macclesfield has been deemed ‘Outstanding’ by Ofstedfollowing a recent “no notice” inspection.

The centre was judged on a widerange of criteria including leadership andmanagement, quality and standards,personal development and well-being.

Almost 100 children per week use thecentre, which only opened in May.Children from six weeks old to toddlers,and pre-schoolers, as well as an after-

school club – make use of the sensorytheatre, The Studio for soft play, musicand movement, as well as outdoor areasaccessible for every age-specific room.

As well as this award, Kids AllowedMacclesfield has received top marks fromEnvironmental Health after an assessmentof their kitchen.

For more information or to visit thenursery, call 01625 615 027.www.kidsallowed.com.

Local Nursery Gets Top Marks from Ofsted

Pregnancy is such a special time in awoman’s life and aquanatal is afabulous form of safe exercise duringand after pregnancy.

Puddle Ducks’ holistic approach combinesthe support and relaxation that comes froman aquatic environment with cardio vascularexercise to promote mental and physical well-being. Classes are an excellent preparationfor the rigours of labour and post natalfitness as well as being a great opportunityto make new friends. The programme issuitable for all stages of pregnancy, withexercises tailored to your changing sizeand shape. All teachers are accredited byThe Royal College of Midwives Trust.

Classes are held on Thursdays 12.45 – 1.30pm at Holiday Inn, Runcorn andSundays 8.00 – 8.45 pm at Manor HouseHotel, Alsager. For further information or to

book a place please ring the Mid Cheshireteam on 01477 410080 or [email protected].

Puddle Ducks now in HandforthPuddle Ducks Mid Cheshire are alsodelighted to be starting theirwonderful pre-school classes at theHallmark Hotel, Handforth. FromJanuary classes will be running onFridays between 12 noon and 2pmfor 0-4 year olds.

Puddle Ducks is a friendly and uniqueswimming programme. Classes arepacked full of fun with lots of music andrhyme. Children learn lifesaving,swimming and underwater skills whichcan lead to a lifetime love of swimming.For more details please visitwww.puddleducks.com.

Puddle Ducks Mid Cheshire launchesaquanatal classes

3www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire

Locally speaking

Fundraising boost for local groups

Tel: 01925 768188 or 07766 290802Email: [email protected]

• A range of full and part-time childcare services including, nannies, live in/out, babysitting, maternity nannies, emergency care, mothers help, housekeepers & special needs nannies.

• All candidates are thoroughly vetted, interviewed and reference checked

• Home visits, to enable us to fully understand your requirements

Achieving the difference...

Leading Nanny agency throughout Cheshire and North West

10% off

normal fees for

bookings made in Jan/Feb

Are you on the committee of a local PTA,Church, Sports club or other society?

Peel2Save has just been launched inWilmslow, Altrincham, Crewe & Nantwich andis a brilliant way for charities to raise money.The handy credit card sized Peel2Savecard folds out to reveal 64 sticker couponscontaining fantastic offers & discounts worthover £300 from local businesses. The cardsare given out free to local charities, sportsclubs, churches, PTA groups etc who sellthem for £10 each. £5 of this goes directlyto their fundraising activity so it’s an easyway to boost revenue whilst giving donorssomething of value.

Angela Bowcock from Peel2Save Wilmslowsaid: “With offers on the cards ranging fromfree days at local gyms, up to 25% off foodat lots of local restaurants and fab hairdressing

discounts, it’s a great opportunity for peopleto save money in the New Year. I had a mealout with friendswho used the Peel2Save cardand our bill was reduced by £22 – and that’sjust with 1 sticker! It’s great to think we cansave money whilst donating to a worthy cause.

Whether it’s for a new school computer,sports equipment or coach trip for the scouts,this is a great opportunity for local groupsto raise funds easily – we just need to findout who they are so that we can help, soplease get in touch!”

Within Cheshire there are currently cardsavailable for Altrincham, Crewe & Nantwich,Wilmslow, Warrington & even the TraffordCentre. Ring Angela on 01625 529900 /07800 609457 to find out how Peel2Savecould help your group. www.peel2save.co.uk.

The Cherry on the Cake!Cherry TreePrimary School inLymm has justlaunched theirschool cookbook.

Entitled ‘The BigRed Juicy Cookbook’(name created by

Oscar Schache aged 5 and cover designedby Jamie Reid aged 9), the book includesalmost 130 recipes written and illustratedby the pupils from the school as well as aforeword written by local celebrity chefAiden Byrne of The Church Green.

Mrs Helen Graham, Acting Head Teacherof the school says: “At Cherry Tree School,we are always looking for ways to celebratethe children’s creativity. This was an ideal

opportunity to allow our children to beimaginative, show off their artistic flair andalso consider the healthy eating messagesthat we promote. I am absolutely thrilledwith the final result and so proud of all thechildren who contributed.”

The book is priced at £9.50, plus postageof £1.40 if required, and is available bycalling the school on 01925 755885, orcan be purchased from The Church Green,The Terrace and Rushgreen Service Stationin Lymm village.

Aiden comments, “It’s great to see childrengetting excited about cooking and not be afraidto experiment with different flavours andtextures. I would encourage people to notonly buy this book for the great recipes, butto also financially support this great school.”

The fun and educational Tennis Tykesprogramme (for children from age 2)runs busy classes across Cheshireand has recently also opened up atFun4All in Macclesfield.

Ann Regan, a Pre School Co-ordinatorwho has seen the classes successfullytaught within their nursery, is supportiveof the classes saying: “We follow theEarly Years Foundation Stage and theTennis Tykes programme has proved veryimpressive in meeting a large number ofthese development goals. The childrenhave fun and at the same time the

programme increases their confidence,significantly improves their all-roundpersonal, social and emotionaldevelopment, their language, literacy,problem solving and numeracy skills aswell as achieving so much with theirphysical development. I wouldrecommend the programme to anyone.”The classes in the Spring term (week 23rd January to week ending30th March) will run in:-BramhallBramhall Lane Tennis Club SportsHall:Monday 9.30-10.15am (Ages 2-4) DidsburyUnited Reformed Church Hall:Friday 9.30-10.15am (Ages 2-4) Hale Bowdon Parish Centre:Wednesday 11-11.45am (Ages 2-3) /11.45-12.30pm (Ages 3½ & 4) Macclesfield Fun4All: time and day TBC– please see website for up to date informationWilmslow St John’s Church Centre:Mondays & Fridays 1.00-1.45pm (Ages 2-3) / 1.45-2.30pm (Ages 3½ & 4)

Tennis Tykes expands across Cheshire


Locally speaking

Great Budworth C of E Primary Schoolwas delighted to raise over £720for the NSPCC, their chosen charityfor the first half of the Autumn term,by holding sponsored spelling andmaths challenges. Mrs HelenRedman, the NSPCC SchoolsOrganiser gave an assembly talk toall the pupils to highlight theavailability of Childline. She alsoexplained that the money raisedwould be used by the NSPCC/Childline to continue funding essentialchildren’s services and projects,whilst providing much needed help

and counselling for children who arecurrently in crisis and suffering fromthe effects of cruelty.

Mrs Sandra Finney, Headteacher at theschool was particularly proud of thefundraising efforts of the children and wasdelighted that they took such an interestin helping children who come from differentbackgrounds. As a small school in abeautiful rural setting, she is keen for allthe pupils to understand what other people’slives can be like and to use thisunderstanding in a practical way to reflectthe school’s new motto “By God’s gracewe learn to love and love to learn”.

Small school, big hearts

House of R ompa nursery inWilmslow raised an impressive £225 for Children In Need at theirBakeathon at the end of last year. The activity lasted a whole week toensure all children were able to takepart – even those in the baby room!

Their final total was 1,343 PudseyBuns and a rather large Pudsey Cake thatwas shared between all the staff. Eachevening all the buns were sent home forthe children and parents to enjoy. Yum!www.houseofrompa.co.uk.

House of Rompa bakes for charity

Sometimes it seems that moderntechnology actually undermines ourexperience of nature. There’s the ever-present distraction of mobile phones,e-mail, surfing the internet and consolegames. Then we spend hours in frontof the television watching spectacularwildlife documentaries, leaving preciouslittle time to actually go and experiencethe natural world for ourselves.

On the other hand, no matter how young orold you are, it’s now easier than ever before toget a hands-on appreciation of our naturalhistory. With mobile phone apps that help usidentify everything from birdsong to tree leavesand fantastic online survey resources that guideus in investigations of lichens, earthwormsand climate change, it is hard to imaginea time when nature was more accessible.

One of the biggest steps forward has beenthe inclusion of members of the public inbiological recording schemes. Once thedomain of scientific researchers, our id spots,observations and photographs can all nowbe uploaded via the internet and contributeto the body of scientific knowledge.

It’s at this time of year that we all have theopportunity to be part of the World’s largestwildlife survey. The RSPB’s Big GardenBirdwatch has been running for over 30 yearsin which time Britons have clocked up morethan one million hours watching the wildbirds visiting their gardens. Since 2000 publicparticipation has grown impressively and lastyear an incredible 609,000 people took part.

Part of the success of this survey has tobe that it is quick and easy to do and thewhole family can get involved. Spend justone hour watching and counting the birds inyour garden (even from the comfort of yourarmchair) over the weekend of January28-29, then simply post your results tothe RSPB or enter them online.

With thousands of households over thewhole country taking part, a detailed pictureof the health of our British garden birdpopulations is built up, way beyond thescope of any formal scientific study. It’sthat snapshot that helps conservationorganisations, like The RSPB, identifypopulation trends and plan how best to helpthose species that are in trouble. Resultsfrom previous birdwatches have providedmuch needed (and sometimes surprising)information about our garden birds. Seriousdeclines in species like the House Sparrowhave been flagged up and details of whichof our wild birds fared best during recentharsh winters.

In the last few years many Cheshire schoolchildren have taken part in The Big (and Little)Schools Birdwatch - the version of the surveyfor groups and schools. Even the youngesthave enjoyed this great introduction tobirdwatching and the opportunity to feed theirresults into a national survey. It is wonderfuljust to see children inspired to start takinga closer look at the world around them.

Results from individual gardens matter.The more results that The RSPB collects, thebetter the quality of information that can begleaned from them. Why not take partyourself this year? It could be your first stepin helping to make a real difference to ourlocal and national wildlife as well as beinglots of fun for all the family.Top 10 Garden Birds - Recorded inCheshire Gardens as part of TheRSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch 20111. House Sparrow2. Blackbird3. Starling4. Blue tit5. Woodpigeon6. Chaffinch7. Long-tailed tit8. Great tit9. Robin10. GoldfinchFind out about inspirational wildlifeactivities and events for children, youngpeople and their families atwww.macclesfieldrspb.org.uk. Fordetails on how you can take part in TheRSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch and detailsof last year’s results:www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.

Watch the Birdie!Bug Hotel now open and buzzing!

Pupils at Holmes Chapel PrimarySchool recently put the finishingtouches to its Bug Hotel in the schoolgrounds. 19 pupils spent four weeksbuilding the structure using pallets

and donated recycled materials,including old hardback books,walking boots, roofing felt, straw andpinecones. The idea behind it is toentice insects through the hoteldoors and provide a safe and uniqueenvironment in which to thrive.

The Hotel was built during one of theschool’s successful Academy sessionsover the Autumn Term. Sessions are runby teachers and local people/businessesto allow children to gain additional skillsand participate in different activities.Recent academies included Card making,Christmas Art, Raptors, Recorders,Cheeky Chefs, Weaving and Press/News.Academy themes for the spring term arecurrently being finalised.

kidsunlimited day nurseries are gettingready to welcome the local residentsand businesses of Sale during their‘Meet the Manager’ event on Friday20 January 2012. The event, whichis being held at its sister nursery,kidsunlimited Timperley nursery onDeansgate Lane, will allow

prospective parents to view thefacilities within a kidsunlimitedsetting, to meet the new NurseryManager and some of the team, and ask any childcare questionsthat they might have.

The purpose-built nursery situated onthe Marsland Road opposite Sale Grammar

School will officially open in March 2012,providing specifically designed areas forbabies, toddlers and pre-school children.The nursery, the first of its kind in the Salearea, has already attracted much interestfrom local parents looking for a purpose-built facility offering an all-inclusive service.

kidsunlimited is a nationwide children’s

daycare provider with over 25 years’experience. They offer young childrenboundless opportunities to learn throughimagination, creativity and play, whileoffering parents the peace of mind thatcomes from knowing their childrencouldn’t be better cared for.www.kidsunlimited.co.uk.

A fresh new nursery arrives in Sale

by Tina Hanak, Group Leader, Macclesfield RSPB Wildlife Explorers

So, your little one’s growing up andit’s time to start thinking aboutnurseries. Day nurseries, nurseryschools, pre-schools – nurseriescome in all shapes and sizes andnavigating your way through themcan be daunting. Whether you’re goingback to work or just want your childto benefit from all that nursery has tooffer, here is our guide to finding thebest, and right, nursery for you.

Studies have shown that children whoattend nurseries can be more confidentand often go on to do better at school. Agood nursery will prepare your child forthose first few nerve-wracking weeks atschool, plus most children thrive on thestimulation at nursery. Another advantage isthe year-round care they offer, and you knowyour child is being looked after by qualifiedstaff who won’t become ill and need timeoff work – at least not all at the same time!Day nurseriesOpen usually 8am-6pm, day nurseriesare a good option for working parents asmany will take babies from 3 months.The day follows structured activitiesinterspersed with naps, meals and outdoorplay. Day nurseries offer continuity ofcare and your child doesn’t have to stayall day – many day nurseries will do halfdays or you can collect early.Nursery schoolsNursery schools are often more formal inthe way they structure sessions. Theyusually take children from 2½-3 yearsand provide a grounding for startingschool, teaching letters, shapes,numbers and sometimes even early-stage reading. Nursery schools givechildren the opportunity to make friendsof the same age as most require children

to do either 5 morning or 5 afternoonsessions, so the same children will bethere everyday. They are often smallerscale with a personal touch, too, butperhaps are not so convenient forworking families.Nursery classes in schoolsThe first step in ‘real’ school life, thesecan be excellent for children who areready for school and structured,educational play. They are convenient ifyou already have siblings at the school,but again sessions are often only 3 hourslong which may not be practical. Nurseryclasses in independent schools are morelikely to offer full school-day sessionsbut nursery classes attached to stateschools are free! It’s important toremember that a school nursery placedoes not automatically guarantee a placein reception.Pre-schools and playgroupsPlaygroups usually take children from2½yrs, offering short sessions to ‘ease’your child out of the home and into a moresociable learning environment where theycan play, learn and have fun. Playgroupshave a varied mix of toys, games, singing,story-time, arts and crafts and usually anoutdoor area. Parents are encouraged tobe active members of the playgroup andtheir small-scale settings are less dauntingfor shy children. They are also excellentvalue for money as they tend to be not-for-profit and are sometimes staffed byvolunteers, with parents staying to help out.Montessori nurseries and SteinerschoolsMontessori teaching is based on a methodwhich fosters and guides children’s in-built curiosity for learning. In a Montessorinursery it is the children themselves, who

• Start early! “It sounds ridiculous, but I putmy bump down for nursery when I waspregnant,” says Camille, mother of one.“OK, I wasted a few registration fees, butat least I got a place at the nursery Ireally wanted.”

• Near or far? Think about the time it takesto get to nursery. There’s a lot to be saidfor a nursery around the corner from home,and it helps bring down your carbon footprint.

• Does the nursery have a welcoming, happy,cheerful atmosphere? Some nurseriesoffer cosy, home-like environmentswhereas others have more room to runaround in. A child-friendly outdoor spacecan be a real draw when choosing anursery, especially for lively boys.Also, check basic things like security,cleanliness and equipment.

• “Looks aren’t everything,” says Kate,mother of 3. “If a nursery is a bit shabbyit could still be fantastic in terms ofquality of care. And perfect, pristineequipment is not being used!”

• Watch the staff. Look at their ages – theyounger staff may have energy but theolder ones have experience and usuallymore patience. “My preference is alwaysan owner-run nursery,” says Marianna,mum of 2. “It’s their own business andthey’ll really care about it.” Are the carersinteracting with the children or are theyjust chatting to each other? Look at staffturnover and ask if the nursery everuses agency staff.

• Consider your child’s routine. “My littleone sleeps 1-3pm,” says Alice, a first-time mum, “so afternoon nursery is nogood for me.” Many parents also want anursery that provides all meals – but doconsider what your child is being fedand where it is cooked!

• What does the nursery offer? How are thesessions structured? Look for a mix offun along with quieter activities. Are thereadditional classes such as French andballet? Do they take the older children onoutings? How much is your child learningin preparation for school? Do you wantthem to learn letters and numbers?

• “I wish someone had told me aboutnurseries that feed into schools,”complains Lissy. “I wanted my daughterto go to a school where she needed topass an assessment, but the nursery Isent her to didn’t prepare her and whenshe was asked to write her name at theassessment she burst into tears!” 3 to 5year olds are taught according to aframework set out by the Government’sEarly Years Foundation Stage but somenurseries will go far beyond thisacademically. On the other hand, someparents will run a mile from a nurserythat hothouses such young children.

• “I wanted a nursery for Annabel whereher key worker would chat to me everyday and tell me what she had been up to.Some nurseries I looked around seemedtoo busy to do that,” says Sarah.

• Read the latest OFSTED report - a greatway for detailed info on everything fromquality of care and education tocleanliness and opportunities for play.Although all nurseries follow OFSTEDguidelines, there’s room for interpretation!

• How flexible will the nursery be if you needto swap a day or add an afternoon? You’llsoon discover how useful this can be.

• The best way to choose a nursery is gutinstinct. Look at whether the children arerelaxed, happy, stimulated and engaged.“If it clicks, it’s probably right,” says Jo.

What’s in a nursery?choose from the range of activities offered.Using sensory materials to provideintellectual, physical and psychologicalstimuli, Montessori schools aim todevelop the child’s whole personality.

The aim of Steiner schools is to fosterimagination and creativity; they don'tintroduce formal education before theage of six, concentrating on creative playrather than the ‘three Rs’.

Both these options can be great, butmight not prepare a child who is going onto a particularly academic school (withentrance exams perhaps) but they do offera more holistic approach to learning.Workplace nurseriesMuch sought-after, workplace nurseriesprovide full or part-time childcare, but think

about the location. If your journey to workis an hour long your toddler may notappreciate the trip home at 6pm and anursery around the corner from homemight be a better idea.SureStart Children’s CentresA number of Centres offer affordable,flexible childcare for up to 10 hours a day.Worth considering!Nursery ChecklistOnce you’ve found a nursery, go and havea look. Go back again if you’re still notsure. A good nursery will welcome a visitand might even let your child join in. Bywatching the other children you’ll get agood idea of whether it's the rightenvironment for your child.

How to find the right nursery – a parent’s guide:

5

Nurseries, Pre-preps & Education

www.familiescheshire.co.uk | Families Cheshire



Nursery fees vary greatly, dependingon location, demand and what isoffered. They start at around £100 aweek and go up to 4 times that, butthere are ways to get help with the costs:• Nursery Education Grant - all 3

and 4 year olds are entitled to 15hours of free early-education aweek for 38 weeks of the year.This applies until they reachcompulsory school age (the termfollowing their fifth birthday), and

can be applied flexibly over aminimum of three days. Free earlyeducation places are available at arange of early years settingsincluding nursery schools andclasses, children’s centres, daynurseries, play groups and pre-schools and childminders. Your childwill be eligible for the NurseryEducation Grant from the term aftertheir third birthday. If you choose anursery which costs more than thefunding or use the nursery for more

hours the grant will be offsetagainst your bill.

• Your employer may providesubsidised onsite childcare, oroffer Childcare Vouchers as a portionof your salary. Download a guide atwww.childcarevouchers.co.ukor find out more about ChildcareVouchers atwww.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/ccin.htm.Check if your nursery will acceptChildcare Vouchers.

• You may be able to recoup someof your childcare costs throughthe tax credit scheme, dependingon the number of hours you workand your household income. Tofind out if you are eligible go towww.payingforchildcare.org.ukor www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/TaxCredits.

• Find out about the Early YearsFoundation Stage atwww.direct.gov.uk. Download a listof registered childcarers in your area.

• For local nurseries and links toOfsted reports go towww.findmyschool.co.uk.

• The National Day Nurseries Associationprovides information for parents.Search for NDNA member nurseriesat www.ndna.org.uk/parents.

• The Preschool Alliance www.pre-school.org.uk.

• SureStart has information about childcareoptions, tax credits and free nurseryplaces, plus links to the Children’sInformation Service www.direct.gov.ukand search for SureStart

• Try your local council’s Family InformationService: www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/fiswww.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/familyinformationservice.

• OFSTED www.ofsted.gov.uk.• For more articles on choosing a

nursery, early learning, independentor chain of nurseries, childminderversus nursery, tree nurseries,Montessori education and more visitwww.familiescheshire.co.uk.Remember, if you don’t want to readabout nurseries in Scotland thenmake sure you log in: this way you’llonly see results in your area!

Nursery Grants explained

More Information

7



The best early learning activities canbe found around the home, includingwithin your freezer! Ice is a fantastictool for encouraging children to observechanges and begin to question howand why things happen. Here a fewsimple and fun ideas that you can tryat home with your child.

In winter, we often see roads andpavements being ‘salted’ to prevent (ormelt) ice. This because adding salt to icewill lower the freezing point of the ice,effectively causing it to melt. Children arefascinated by this process and here aretwo fun activities you can try at home.Melting Ice Cube RacesPlace 2 identical ice cubes into twoseparate trays/containers; explain that weare going to have a melting race! You are

going to put salt on one of the ice cubes –which one does your child think will meltfirst? Have your child sprinkle salt ontoone of the ice cubes. The cube with thesalt will begin to melt more quickly thanthe unsalted ice. This activity willencourage your child to talk about thechanges they can see happening and whythey might be happening.Trapped!Ask your child to choose several small toysand explain that you are going to trap themin ice and the child will have to save them!Fill a container (this could be an ice cubetray, a margarine tub, a rubber glove, etc)with water and ask your child to put theirtoys inside, and place this into your freezer.Once frozen, remove the ice from itscontainer and put it on a tray. Challengeyour child to think of different ways to freetheir toy from the ice – What will help theice melt/break? What will make the icemelt/break fastest? What do we have athome that we could use? This activity willencourage your child to observe changesand explore the effects of different actionson materials.

The Private Day Nursery opened itsdoors to the babes and tots ofNorthwich in the Summer of 2011and is already proving popular. Setwithin a lovely Victorian house itfeels like a home from home for itsday time residents. The qualifiedstaff work hard to ensure everychild feels happy, cared for andvalued so they look forward tocoming in to nursery each morning.

The Nursery is split into three cosyrooms: for the babies (0-2 years), atoddler room for the 2-3 year olds and apre-school room. All rooms take part indaily activities to meet the EYFSeducational requirements and of courseto make the days fun and interesting. Inaddition to the rooms there is a lovelysafe and secure outside space where thechildren are taken to explore and havefun twice daily.

Toddlers and pre-school children areintroduced to letters and sounds,numbers and counting. They will learnthe initial skills of reading, writing andmathematics, all in preparation for whenthey start school. The children areencouraged to independently

investigatethe worldaroundthemthroughtheir play.They arealso encouraged to be independentlearners and to develop their creativethinking skills.

To keep up energy levels for all theplay and learning, home cooked food isprovided from a flavoursome menu packedwith the nutrition and goodness thatyour child needs to grow and be healthy.

Nicky Scott, the nursery managersays: “We are very proud of our nurseryand so we love to show it off. For thisreason we have an open door policyinviting all parents and children toexperience the nursery first hand beforedeciding to join us.” If you’d like to call in, the nursery is situated at 5Darwin Street, Castle, Northwich CW81BU, or if you have any questions youcan call on 01606 766 44.www.theprivatedaynursery.co.uk.

Ice Science – activities using ice at home to expand a child’s learning (Cool Science!)by Victoria Murray, Early Years Specialist at kidsunlimited nurseries

Northwich Nursery is a hit



January 2012 marks the beginningof an important anniversary for theoldest school in the North ofEngland, as Stockport GrammarSchool celebrates 525 years sinceits foundation by Sir Edmond Shaa,Mayor of London and Prime Wardenof the Goldsmiths’ Company. A yearof festivities opens with a GalaConcert, in collaboration withChorale and Cheshire Sinfonia, atthe Royal Northern College of Musicon the 25th February.

SGS has never rested on its laurels andthe conclusion of the Independent Schools’Inspectorate that “the pupils’ overallachievement and their learning, attitudesand skills are outstanding” was a welcomestart to the 524th year. Excellent pastoralguidance and over a hundred clubs andactivities make school life a happy andexciting experience for girls and boysfrom 3 to 18 years.

The school continues to invest in superbfacilities, with the construction of a new £4million teaching block well underway. Aseparate Junior School and Nursery on thesame site provides younger children witha caring and stimulating environment inwhich to learn, whilst enjoying the benefitsof strong links with the Senior School.

SGS is easy to reach with extensiveschool bus routes, including a new servicefrom Sale, Altrincham and Hale, and closeproximity to two railway stations. Means-tested bursaries are available at 11+ and16+, and music scholarships at 11+.

Parents and children are warmly invitedto Open Events and regular school dayvisits throughout the year.www.stockportgrammar.co.uk.

Celebrating 525 Years ofOutstanding Education

The Montessori method of educationwas developed by Dr. Maria Montessoriin the 20th Century and remains apopular and highly effective way ofeducating children here in the UK andthroughout the World. The approachis holistic and aims to develop thewhole child by prioritising socialinteractions, grace and courtesy skillsand sensory development, along withthe more usual creative, mathematicsand literacy areas of the curriculum.

Montessori observed that childrenlearn best when they are active in a task,so pioneered hands-on learning materialswhich, when executed correctly, areeffective in teaching children the basic

skills required to become happy andsecure independent learners.

Given the opportunity, children arenatural learners who want to explore theWorld. Harbouring this intrinsic curiosity, aMontessori setting provides an environmentrich in ‘real life’ activities whilst supportingindividual needs and rates of learning. Atthis age, it’s not about the end result, butabout the journey and experiences a childencounters in getting there.

When children are self-motivated tolearn, they develop positive self-imagesand grow in confidence; all theingredients for a successful school careerand happy life.

Montessori recognises that earlychildhood (from 0-6 years) is a pivotaltime when children are most receptive tolearning, hence attending the right nurseryand pre-school is crucial. If nothing else,allow the time to visit different types ofnursery environments - it may not alwaysbe the most convenient choice, howeveran extra few miles could make a hugedifference to your child’s future.

Alderley Day Nursery Montessori,Congleton Road, Nether Alderley.01625 860660 /www.alderleydaynursery.com.

The Montessori Way

9


www.familieschehsire.co.uk | Families Cheshire

Kids Count Pre-school and Nurseryhas been on site at Hartford CountyPrimary School since 1994 and hasan excellent reputation for qualitychildcare in the local area.

The pre-school offers flexible sessionsfor children aged three and up, withfunding from the government for up to sixfree 2½ hour sessions per week duringterm time, whilst the nursery offerssessions for children from the age of sixweeks to four years old all year round.

Kids Count offers quality childcare andeducation in a warm and nurturingenvironment, with a fully qualified andexperienced staff team who put your childat the heart of all they do.

The activities on offer vary widely, fromday to day and from age group to agegroup – no day is ever the same! The staff

team support the children in theirlearning, offering educational activities,although the emphasis is always on funand learning through play.

Kids Count has its own minibus andthe children are often taken on outingsaround the local area and to places ofinterest, linking into a particular theme ortopic that they are exploring. This canmean a visit to a museum, the locallibrary or to somewhere like Marbury Parkor Delamere Forest.

Offering affordable quality childcare ina unique and flexible way, Kids Countleads the way forward for families.

Kids Count Pre-school and Nursery,Hartford, Northwich.01606 74100 /www.kidscountonline.co.uk.

All kids count at Kids Count

Even the youngest children canproduce stunning performance levelsat the end of the Early YearsFoundation Stage.

The national expectation is for children toachieve 6 points from the Early LearningGoals across the six areas of learning. AtKing’s, all Reception children achieved thislevel with many achieving the top level of 9.For example, 50% of children achieved anIndicator 9 in Emotional Development, 54%gained an Indicator 9 in Linking Sounds andLetters, and 29% scored an Indicator 9 inCalculating. These verified and moderatedmarks have been achieved even though King’sis not a selective school at this age group.Another very important aspect was that theboys’ performance was also matching the girls’.

Mrs. Caroline Hulme McKibbin, Principalof the Infant and Junior Division said: “A

successful start to a child’s learning journey iscrucial to their future not only to build a strongplatform of learning and skills but to promoteconfidence and happiness in the classroom.”

Mrs. Catherine Bailey, Early YearsManager, added: “I feel there are three majorfactors behind the success of the children.First is the effectiveness of learning throughplay, where activities allow children toacquire skills and knowledge withoutrealising they are being taught. Mark makingfor instance is an enjoyable precursor towriting. Secondly, our outdoor classroom,which mirrors the indoor classroom, allowsan active, hands-on, physical approach,which is particularly stimulating for boys.The final factor is the staff : pupil ratio. We arefortunate at King’s to have a ratio of 1:6which enables close personal attention andhence aids the development of the children.”

When these three factors are combinedthe results can clearly be stunning. As asociety we should have high expectations ofour children because they will generallyreach, and often surpass, our expectations.Set our sights too low and we are failing them. The King’s School, Macclesfield.01625 260 000 /www.kingsmac.co.uk.

The King’s Learning Journey

As you will have found out by now,babies ‘don’t come with a manual’. Wecan help! With our expertise andguidance you can confidently enjoyand treasure all those precious firstmoments as they unfold. You and yourchild can develop into a happy family thatembraces life and all its opportunities.

Little Friends is not just childcare. It’s awell-established nursery genuinely committed

to supporting families in finding their ownway through parenting, work and life helpingto create a healthy balance that exceedsexpectations. We also offer free BabySigning sessions and Positive ParentingWorkshops – call us to find out more!

We look forward to welcoming you soon.Little Friends Day Nursery, Chester.01244 346456 /www.littlefriendsnursery.com.

Parents, Babies and Little Friends!



The most important influence onchildren in their early years is theirfamily. Mothers and fathers play themost crucial role in raising a child,and parenting which is both warmand authoritative is instrumental tothe development of children’semotional, social and intellectualdevelopment.

Research has been carried out, andevidence found to demonstrate that thequality of the relationship betweenparents, the quality of care a babyreceives and the attachment andbonding which takes place between ayoung child and its parents plays asignificant part in their learning andeducational attainment, social skills,self motivation, self esteem, behaviourand both physical and mental health.

The simple things that parents andcarers can share with their children inthe home environment such as timesharing books, talking together andplaying together have huge benefits onfuture development and children’sreadiness to begin formal education in aschool setting.

This coupled with high quality earlychildcare and education experiences, isessential in ensuring the best outcomesfor children.

Those children who achieve goodlevels of development in the foundationyears, go on to achieve well in the laterstages of their learning.

So, exactly how can parentsconfidently offer quality experienceswithin the home learning environment?

It’s unlikely that you consider timespent washing, cooking, cleaning etc.as quality time. However, such routineactivities can be turned into quality timespent with your child.

Many parents may find there are notenough hours in the day to go to work,complete all necessary jobs at homeand then spend quality time with theirchildren. So, why not include your childin the daily jobs of family life? Thesejobs provide endless learningopportunities for children whilst alsogiving you time together.

When sorting the washing you cancount, put items in pairs, talk aboutcolour, size, the weather (summerclothes/winter clothes) and as childrenget older and progress developmentally,so the conversations you have willprogress – how do you wash your clothesif you have no washing machine? Theweekly grocery shopping also gives upso many valuable lessons. Why notencourage your child to help write thelist before you go? Getting items fromthe shelf, counting them into the trolley,talking about the health implications offood choices, the list of jobs andlearning opportunities really is endless.So next time you put your child to bedand think “I really didn’t have any qualitytime with you today”, think whether theycould have helped you prepare theevening meal, laid the table or evenhave helped to wash up afterwards.

The importance of families and homelearning in the Foundation Years

In The Little Griffins Nursery, our aim isto provide a safe and healthy environmentwhere children can build a tower of sand,create a work of art in dough, feel thesensation of paint between their toes,learn songs that will make them laughand find friends in books. The nurseryis an environment in which children canflourish, grow and journey just as faras a child’s imagination can take them.

The activities in The Little Griffins Nurseryare wide and varied. Indoors they can playwith their favourite toys or experience ‘messyplay’ as they paint with their fingers and feetor sculpt models in clay. They can begin tomake sense of their world through pre-schoolscience activities or play with sand and water.Music and movement may capture theirimagination or perhaps they will enjoy cooking!Outside in our large private and safely fencedgarden, the children can play happily onclimbing apparatus, ride bikes or scooters orjust run around burning off that excess energy.

If you decide to place your child in ourschool you will find that Beech Hall providesan exciting and alternative approach toindependent education in Cheshire. Your childdoes not have to attend a big school toachieve academic success. In recent leaguetables for state and independent educationin East Cheshire, Beech Hall was the bestperforming small school in the region rankingabove many larger schools.

Beech Hall’s success is based in the

fundamental belief that the most effectiveteaching occurs when children are taught insmall class sizes where teachers can offerindividual attention and encouragement.In classes which are not allowed to exceed20 children our dedicated teachers are ableto help your child attain their best whetherthey are in the nursery, junior or senior school.

We offer a broad curriculum across theschool which includes sport, music, dramaand art giving our pupils an opportunity toparticipate, ‘have a go’ and grow in confidence.A full calendar of sporting fixtures will, invariably,lead to your child representing Beech Hallin one activity or another which is always asource of great personal pride to our pupils.

Recognising that often both parents havebusy working lives ‘wrap-around care’ extendsfrom 8.00am to 6.00pm. Once academiclessons finish at 4.00pm there is acomprehensive ‘after school’ activityprogramme offered to all ages. The activitiesfeature a wide range of sports includingLacrosse, Badminton, Rugby and Hockey aswell as Drama, Music and Art Clubs, all ofwhich are available to parents at no extra cost.

The beautiful ‘listed’ school buildingsoccupy a woodland setting with well equippedclassrooms, ICT suites, science labs, workshops,studio, gym, astro turf and swimming pool.

Our pupils come from a wide catchmentarea and we operate our own return busservices from Wilmslow, Alderley Edge,and Congleton.

Annually, the school also offers a limitednumber of scholarships and bursaries onapplication.

Little Griffins and Beech Hall School,Tytherington, Macclesfield.01625 422192 /www.beechhallschool.org.

Little Griffins at Beech Hall School– small setting, great achievements

By Nicky Cunningham,Little Friends Day Nursery

11



Abbey Gate College is a well-established, coeducational school forpupils aged 4 to 18 on the outskirtsof Chester, with Aldford School beinghome to the popular and successfulJunior and Infant Departments.

The Foundation stage is a very importanttime in your child’s education and at AldfordSchool, the exciting and challengingcurriculum programme gives the childrenevery opportunity to develop a love oflearning in a friendly, caring environment.

A variety of educational trips and visits areincorporated as well as daily use of theextensive grounds, wildlife garden and excitingadventure playground. The Infant Departmentdevelops and formalises the curriculum,keeping the experiential and exploratoryside of learning.

English and maths are introduced in theFoundation stage through a range of fun,multi-sensory and interactive activities andall children learn to read, write, count, add

and subtract by the end of their first yearat school. These skills are then developedin the Infant Department with mathematicalproblem solving, spelling and reading beingthe key focus as well as the learning ofcursive handwriting and ICT skills.

Both classes also receive a weekly lessonof French, drama, music and P.E. fromspecialist teachers and visit the SeniorSchool once a term for cookery in theHome Economics Department.

Each and every child is valued andtheir potential nurtured and encouraged.Education is far greater than simplyachieving super examination results; atAbbey Gate College the journey itself is ofequal importance, providing a stimulatingexperience, widening opportunities andproviding an education for life.Abbey Gate College & Aldford School,Chester.01244 620280 /www.abbeygatecollege.co.uk.

Abbey Gate College and Aldford School– nurturing, stimulating and successful



Day Nursery• Expert Child Care 0-7 Years• Specialist Baby Units• Free Baby Signing & Parent Workshops• Spacious Indoor And Outdoor FacilitiesLearning Centre• Pre-School Education• • OFSTED Commended• Dance/French Included

EST. 1995

www.littlefriendschester.co.ukEgerton St. Chester - close to city centreEmail: [email protected]

Quality Child Care & Individual Pre-School Education

Quality Assurance &Healthy Eating Awards

Tel: 01244 346 456

Reading Eggs is a highly interactive onlineprogram that makes learning to read a fun andenjoyable experience for all involved.Learn to read with Reading EggsReading Eggs was created as a unique online worldwhere children learn to read. It supports each child’slearning by offering individual lessons that allowchildren to progress at their own rate.And it really works!Children love the games, songs, golden eggs and otherrewards which, along with feeling proud of their reading,really motivate them to keep exploring and learning. Over1 million children across the world have already had theReading Eggs experience and the program is alreadybeing used by many teachers who incorporated theprogram into their daily lesson. Children love working andplaying on the computer and the Reading Eggs program isall about bringing out the best in each child.Educationally soundThe program has been developed by a highly experiencedteam of educational teachers, writers and developers.The Reading Eggs program focuses on a core readingcurriculum of phonics and sight words using skills andstrategies essential for sustained reading success. Itcompletely supports what children learn at school andwill help to improve your child’s progress.

Children love it!With interactive animations, fun games, great songsand lots of rewards, Reading Eggs is a great place tolearn to read. Children are highly motivated to returnagain and again. And it’s growing!Reading Eggs now has 120 big lessons which havebeen developed for 3-7 year olds and a placementtest at the start of the program will ensure childrenstart at the correct level for them. The next stage of theprogram, Reading Eggspress, is also now available for8-13 year olds and includes lessons, games andactivities covering comprehension and grammar.

You too can be one of the 90% of parents whoreported a noticeable improvement in their child’sreading skills after using the program.

Using promotional code UKJ23CHE you can trial thesite for free for an extended period of 5 weeks to seefor yourself what the program entails and why it hasbeen so successful. Simply visitwww.readingeggs.co.uk, register your emailaddress and once your account has been set up youcan enter the code on your parent dashboard.Happy Eggsploring!

Following a complete refurbishment last year, theNursery at Terra Nova is not only alive withcolour, excitement and inspiration for the yearahead, it has now become inhabited by some littleladybirds, crawling caterpillars and beautifulbutterflies as we get the school year off to a flyingstart.

The three clusters, separated by 6 monthly ageranges are the brainchild of Head of Pre-Prep andNursery, Rachel Cookson and have been created tobring the best out of our youngsters. So our earliestchildren are our ‘Little Ladybirds’ and will be guided byEmma Hargreaves, Crawling Caterpillars are ourmiddle-aged youngsters and will be nurtured by KateSmithers and finally our eldest children, or our‘Beautiful Butterflies’ will be gradually prepared byKaren Potts for the forthcoming move up to ‘Big School’or Reception as we all know it, next year.

Rachel Cookson commented, “Our Nursery childrenare a wonderful yet diverse mix of children, rangingfrom the age of 2 to 4. As they join us at different stagesof their development, they require different platformsand opportunities to inspire, challenge and extendthem. Whilst this was happening before, we now have asolid structure to ensure our youngsters enjoy the mostexciting and inspiring start to their education.”

Our Nursery children enjoy a vast range ofopportunities, from exploring a range of media,techniques and textures in the creative room. Twospacious classrooms offer a host of exciting andchallenging learning areas, including a dedicated storycorner, literacy and numeracy zones, imaginative role-play areas, small world, construction challenges,computer bays and an investigation area.

Fun and learning doesn’t just happen indoors either!Children love our special outdoor learning environment,which boasts a vast sandpit and adventure play area,two large fields and a vegetable and herb garden. Theyalso enjoy a paved area for riding bikes, a range ofplayhouses, outdoor painting and water-basedactivities. The Nursery at Terra Nova really is a specialplace to be.Terra Nova School, Jodrell Bank, Holmes Chapel.01477 571251 / www.terranovaschool.co.uk.

Ladybirds, Caterpillarsand Butterflies findtheir home in TerraNova Nursery

Learning to read can be easy and fun!

13

Parenting


It’s so easy to get caught in a cyclewhere everything feels as if it becomes apower battle – asking them to do a simpleeveryday task such as brushing their teeth,they don’t do it when asked, followed byescalating threats and confrontation;without even meaning it, the morning’s offto a bad start. And unfortunately this canalso start a cycle – you expectconfrontation next time and so on; it’sexhausting and upsetting for everyone.For recurring situations ofconfrontation think about what’sbehind their behaviour:• Is your response stronger or more punitive

than perhaps the situation deserves?• Are they upset, confused or fearful

and so unable to take on board themessage or to learn?

• Are they really doing it to annoy you?Or are they looking for respect and anopportunity to be trusted to makesome of their own choices?

• Do you really need to be involved inevery small detail? Might a ‘you aretrusted’ message be more effective inmoving towards getting things done?

Here are a few questions to askyourself before next time• Is this important? Whose problem is

it, mine or theirs?• Does it have to be done now?• Have I made it clear what I want them

to do and why?• With an older child, talking through

the problem and what might helpdevelops their problem-solving skillsand independence.

• Can I offer limited choice instead?‘WHEN you have done…, THEN youcan have/do…’, ‘Would you likeTHIS ONE or THAT…?’

• Am I too wound up to notice whenthey are responding or behaving well,and do I remember to praise thesesmall improvements?

Often if we step back, take a breath and calmdown, we can see other options which avoidconfrontation. They have an opportunity tolearn to be more capable and to make betterchoices the next time. Time andencouragement at these moments requiresastonishing levels of self-control by parents,but can make interactions so much moreconstructive. Children learn to be moreco-operative as they feel respected.

Trusting your child involves taking arisk as a parent. I remember being allowedto sit on the counter as a child of five andpaint the kitchen wall. I can still rememberhow much effort I put in when paintingaround the white light switch in a dark petrolgreen colour. I felt competent and trusted.No doubt my parents had to tidy up theedges, but I didn’t see that part. I was notbeing over-managed, I was shown whatto do and allowed to get on with it. So Idid my best.

Of course you need to have somenon-negotiables about areas such assafety, sleep, eating, family rules etcwhich are backed up with constructiveconsequences, but keep these to aminimum where possible. Then you can

move into more expansive areas;imagine your older children organizing abirthday celebration for you (give thema budget and prepare to be surprised!),or making dinner one evening, or theyoung ones packing their own luggagefor a trip to Granny’s, or perhapsgathering nice things for an afternoonpicnic. They’re likely to put heart andsoul into the job and OK things can getquirky, but maybe that is part of the fun.

Giving your child choices, evenlimited ‘This-one-or-that-one’ choicesmakes them feel trusted and capable.Feeling valued, they don’t need the powerbattles to say ‘Get off my back, I can doit!’ And when they make mistakes, orthings don’t quite work out we can onlyadmire them for having tried andencourage them to try another approach.

You can contact Dr Clare Bailey fromParenting Matters about individualconsultations held by phone or face-to-face,by calling 01494 677575 or by goingto www.parentingmatters.co.uk.Parenting Matters also run courses youcan do from home (or work) in smallgroups using an interactive web-based,coach-led presentation.

Why empowering your kids makes for a happier home life

‘The hardest part of raisinga child is teaching them toride bicycles. A shaky child ona bicycle for the first timeneeds both support andfreedom. The realisation thatthis is what the child willalways need can hit hard.’Sloan Wilson

‘Go and brush your teeth! Now! Why haven’t you done it yet??’ ‘I’m going to ask you twice only, then thenaughty step… OK… no bike, no TV!’. Sound familiar? And as you walk out of the room, do you wonderwhy it has to be such a battle? But put yourself in your children’s shoes – imagine being told to do thesame simple thing every day of your life, wouldn’t you prefer just to be trusted to get on with it?

Ben Hatch, author of Are We nearlyThere Yet?, his wife Dinah and theirtwo children Phoebe (3) and Charlie(1) spent 5 months touring Britain’sfamily-friendly attractions. In thecourse of 8000 miles they reviewed900 attractions, slept in tents,mobile homes, castles, hotels, and,once, in their car. They wereattacked by bats, had confrontationswith puff adders, Nazis and BilliePiper's pyjamas. Here, Ben offers upa few highlights and learnings:

• Not owning a sat-nav today is likebeing a 14th century sailor and tryingto round the Cape without a nauticalchart. We bought one halfway throughour trip. Put it this way, if I’d a choice –brakes or sat-nav? - I’d gladly drill ahole in the driver’s footwell and usemy feet to slow down.

• It’s unwise to allow Dinah, my wife,who has a raging cheloniaphobia (fearof tortoises and any creatures that looklike tortoises), to wander untendedthrough Birdworld in Farnham. I’m alsoaware now, that afterwards telling her,as she hyperventilates into a bag, “I’msorry, I thought Tortoise Hill was just adescription of what the hill looked like.Not a description of what lived on thehill,” cuts little ice.

• In Welly Boot Land at the SlimbridgeWetland Centre, after handlingducklings and feeding wild fowl(“There’s some for you swan. And yougoose. No, you've had yours heron”) itisn’t a good idea to take your eyes offyour children. There’s an artificial streamrunning through the play-park that ourchildren attempted, fully clothed, toswim up like salmons running to theirnative breeding grounds.

• At the Jorvik Viking Centre in York it’spossible, through responding to aseries of questions about your haircolour, and also, somewhat baffling,your sandwich filling of choice, to seehow much Viking blood you possess.

• After almost being blown up a field oflive ordnance inside a Military Zone,near Otterburn, we’ve learnt to be carefultaking the kids for nature wees and tolook out for signs saying: “Warning:This may explode and kill you.”

• It’s easy stealing lunch from hotelbreakfast buffets. Secretive initiallywe’d pilfer odd rolls when waitressesbacks were turned. A few weeks in,feral, we were snatching camemberttriangles, bacon, sausages andyoghurts then asking for napkins towrap it all up in.

• You can impersonate David Blaine onthe A719 between Dunure and Croy inScotland. Here there’s an opticalillusion created by the surroundinglandscape which means that if you putyour car in neutral and release thebrake it appears to slowly roll up hill.Known as the Electric Brae (braemeaning slope), the spot is marked bya stone cairn inscribed with anexplanation that you needn’t troubleyour awe-struck family with.

• On long journeys don’t overselldestinations as we did visiting theWensleydale Cheese Visitor Centre. On the strength of a Yorkshire TouristBoard leaflet featuring Wallace andGromit sticking their thumbs up, werashly promised life-size models of thecartoon characters wandering around.However, the only thing Wallace andGromit related was a chalk outline ofthem on the café’s specials board.We’d driven two hours to a working

cheese factory to show the kids theprocesses milling and tipping and forthem to learn how Wensleydale cheesedid in the last Nantwich InternationalCheese festival.

• At the The Roald Dahl Museum andStory Centre in Great Missenden, welearned that the great children’s writerkept on his writing desk a model of ahurricane plane in recognition of theone he flew in World War 2, apaperknife of his father’s and thethighbone he had removed by asurgeon who later remarked it was thebiggest he’d ever seen, it all helpfullymaking the loose orange peel,crumpet crumbs and broken monkeynut casing on my desk at home seemmildly more excusable to my wife.

• Cheap in-car dvd players areinadvisable. Ours kept disconnectingfrom the cigarette lighter and returningthe film to the beginning every timemy wife scratched her leg in thepassenger seat. Consequently despitewatching Finding Nemo 10 times ourkids are still unaware Nemo waseventually reunited with his father.

• Mother Shipton’s Cave in North Yorkshire,is where a 17th century prophetesslived, predicted both the Great Fire ofLondon and the advent of email.

• I now never to listen to my wife onhealth matters. In a serviced apartmentin Leeds she advised me a pain in myside was trapped wind and I should“cycle in the air” to alleviate it. I waseventually rushed (after she and thekids had finished watching Nina andNeurones on cbeebies) to the A & Edepartment of St James Hospital,Leeds where a kidney stone wasdiagnosed. Thanks, love.

• At Shakespeare’s Birthplace Museumin Stratford-upon-Avon we learnt thatwhen period costumed performerssuddenly jump out of nowhere andstart launching into performances ofShakespeare plays, these actors will

happily pose for snaps and alsopretend not to mind having their tightswiped with the luminous orangeresidue from your son’s Hip Organicspaghetti bolognaise.

• You can have fun in the ScottishCentral Highlands at Doune Castle,used in the filming of Monty Pythonand the Holy Grail, shouting from theramparts on our best John Cleesevoices: “I fart in your general direction.Your mother was a hamster and youfather smelled of elderberries.”

• At Chester Zoo, home to 7000animals, while the kids enjoyed thelions, we actually had more funwatching a schoolgirl from Rainhillgetting wedged in the Marmot Maniatunnel because of her overlargesandwich bag, prompting mournfulshouts from the darkness to herconcerned/highly amused friends,“Get Mrs Harris – I’m stook.”

• Manchester's Museum of Science andIndustry presents kids in its brain-taxing Xperiment Gallery with theopportunity to dress up, and to lift amini with their little finger, while in thecafé next door my wife and I very muchenjoyed listening to a competitivefather informing his bored-lookingdaughter that if could she spell beefbourguignon then she could have a£3.95 kids portion.

• If all distractions in the car fail, turn upClassic FM to max volume and kidyourself you aren’t muffling the kids’din with an even louder one, but thatyou’re educating them about Haydn.

Backed by an unlikely combination ofMumsnet, John Cleese and SophieKinsella, Are We Nearly There Yet? 8000Misguided Miles Round Britain isavailable from all good bookshops andfrom Amazon for £5.

Are we nearly there yet?

Travel


Jayne Keep says: “A very witty book that youcan't help but connect with. As Ben and his wifeDinah take their two toddlers on a 8000 mileroad trip around Britain in order to write aguidebook, we follow their rather amusingprogress. The book is all about familyrelationships; love, death and mishaps along theway interwoven with comedy and family friendlyattraction reviews. A slightly odd combinationbut it really works. Highly recommended!”

15

Travel


All aboard for summer 2012

The Alps in August

Switzerland isn’t just for skiing: in fact, the Alps can be oneof the loveliest places in Europe for a summer holiday enfamille. As well as beautiful weather, there’s a wealth ofsporty things to do for both smaller children and teenagers.Chilly Powder runs its Morzine chalet hotel through thesummer as well as the winter, offering the same attractions(professionally-cooked food, childcare etc) and with theemphasis on comfortable living alongside a wealth ofoutdoor pursuits. Morzine is an eight-hour drive fromCalais, or fly to Geneva and hire a car; the chalet has 17bedrooms and there’s even a hot tub in the garden.Perfect for: sporty families with children in differentage ranges.Midsummer prices: from around £120 per adult pernight, discount for children, half-board.Website: www.chillypowder.com

Away from the crowds in Norfolk

If you love Cornwall and Devon, but are frustrated by theprices and the crowds, why not head instead for Norfolk?Cottage prices for midsummer are cheaper, it will take youless time to get there and it’s much easier to get to andfrom the beaches and other attractions because the roadsare far less clogged. For a comfortable, child-friendlycottage look on the Recommended Family Holidays websiteunder the ‘East of England’ tab. Poppyland Cottages, forexample, have a range of properties dotted around a seriesof beautiful villages, and within easy reach of lovely BlueFlag beaches – and everything on the website has beenchecked for family-friendliness. Great pubs for lunchesand suppers out, too – and Norfolk is also a very goodoption for families who love cycling.Perfect for: Families with young children wanting toget away from the crowds.Midsummer prices: from around £21 per person, per night.Website: www.recommendedfamilyholidays.com

Camping meets boutique hotel

Molly Dishwasher isn’t just an unusual name for a holidayexperience – it’s an unusual experience, too. You stay ina shepherd’s hut nestled among acres of meadows andwoodland in deepest Sussex. A comfy double for you,bunk beds for the children, all squeezed into a small butbeautiful space with oodles of special little touches.Young children adore staying somewhere different, andthey love pulling their parents into their adventures –which is what makes Molly Dishwasher such a hit. Plusbreakfast included, a BBQ and food on hand, and loadsof places to explore in the area including Drusilla’s Zoo,Battle Abbey, Hever Castle and endless beaches.Perfect for: families with small children who want apint-sized adventure without having to travel too far.Midsummer prices: Around £20 per person per night.Website: www.mollydishwasher.com

Affordable luxury – and abroad too

Glamping is the way to go: much more reasonable pricesthan villas or hotels, and a wide range of family-friendlysites. And what’s new on the glamping block for 2012 isan ever-widening range of top-notch accommodation: for2012, Select Camp has a new range of what it’s callingits ‘lodge suites’ featuring a canopy bed, free-standingoval bath, fully-equipped kitchen, shower and toilet – anda separate junior lodge tent next to the main suite. SelectCamp also has four new sites, three in Italy and one inSpain – and coming soon, a brand new website whichshould make browsing and booking a lot easier too.Perfect for: Budget-conscious, adventurous families.Midsummer prices: from around £24 per person, per night.Website: www.selectcamp.co.uk

Hideaway in Robin Hood’s forestWhat child wouldn’t be excited to be holidaying in the centreof the wood made famous by the legendary Robin Hood?And what parent wouldn’t be happy to join them, now ForestHolidays are extending their venues to this one? The newlodges, which open this spring, will be set in the middle of3,300 acres of forest, and include basic cabins to de luxe‘golden oak plus’ cabins with their own hot tub. Loads to do forall ages – Sherwood Forest has a glorious labyrinth of cycletrails, plus farm parks, arts and craft centres and play areas.Perfect for: active families in search of a change fromCenter Parcs (and more of a bargain).Midsummer prices: From around £30 per person per night.Website: www.forestholidays.co.uk

Pamper yourself in DevonThe word ‘barton’ means ‘a small country estate’ in Devon,so head for Libbear Barton and what you’ll be buying is aslice of laid-back country high life, half an hour from thenearest beach. Libbear Barton is a 40-acre farm with fourproperties: the Georgian farmhouse (sleeping up to 14) andthree cottages. Rent one if you’re holidaying with yourimmediate family, or rent two or even all of them if you’rebringing your extended clan or another family or familiesalong (the maximum number of guests, if you take all theproperties, is 39). The whole place is kitted out with under-fives in mind, so you won’t need to worry about crammingthe car with clobber – even buggies are provided. You won’tneed to leave the farm every day, because there’s plentyto do there – an adventure playground, indoor swimmingpool, woodland and meadows, a fishing lake, games roomand loads and loads of play space. For those days whenyou do want to venture out, north Devon is teeming withfamily-friendly things to do, and the beautiful beach atBude is only 15 miles away.Perfect for: groups of families holidaying together.Midsummer prices: from £36 per person per night,based on full occupancy in July/August.More details: www.libbearbarton.co.uk

Further afield...

If you’re looking for something more exotic,recommendedfamilyhotels.com has a choice of hotelsin the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East andAfrica, as well as Europe – all recommended by real familieswho’ve stayed in them. Scottdunn.com, meanwhile, canhelp you craft the family holiday of a lifetime whether it’ssomewhere far-flung like Thailand or Nepal that you’re after,or luxury in the Med. Markwarner.co.uk have wonderfulfamily-friendly resorts in Corsica, Turkey, Portugal, Sardiniaand Greece – ideal destinations if you don’t want a long flight.

It’s the depths of winter, so every family’s thoughts naturally turn towhere they will be this summer. Joanna Moorhead has lots of ideas.

Poppyland Cottages

Logis la Cabane, Poitou Charente, SW France


Parents’ place

Make it a happy new year from

bananalane with free postage just

enter FAM2012 at checkout.

• Independent occupational therapy for children with additional needs

• Detailed assessment to determine root cause of a child's di�culty

• Work with families and children, providing purposeful activities to develop functional skills

www.mosaicchildrenstherapy.co.uk | [email protected]

57 Church Street, Davenham, Northwich, CW9 8NF | 01606 40195

Call Sam for more details on 07527 741530 or 01270 [email protected] www.babysensory.com facebook: BabySensory SouthCheshire

Award-winning Baby Development classes for babies from birth to 13 months.Classes across South Cheshire in Nantwich, Shavington, Middlewich, Holmes Chapel, Crewe and Madeley.

First session free – call Sam to register!

Tell us a bit about yourself. Hello myname’s Dan Coates and I run my ownEnvironmental education businesscalled Ranger Dan. Yes, it took me agesto think of the name! I teachenvironmental education within schoolsand also run field trips to my woodlandand to public sites such as BreretonHeath or Teggs Nose country parksamongst others. I teach Bush craft andsurvival skills, animal tracking,woodland crafts, environmental art,science based studies and loads more. Icurrently run the Saturday morningOWLS (outdoor woodland learningscheme) at the Wacky woods inAdlington; I also run Ranger Danbirthday parties from there. I live withmy partner Claire and our two childrenSammi 8 and Amy 5. They are both

wonderfully entertaining, funny andbeautiful children. Claire’s pretty goodtoo. We live in Macclesfield.How did you get started?Until Junethis year I worked as a Ranger for thecouncil, but unfortunately I was maderedundant which at the time wasdevastating. It was a terrible shock asthe environmental work we did withinschools, our events and trips were megapopular, but if the money’s not there,tough decisions have to be made Isuppose. With my severance pay Ibought a van, tools, bug boxes, a firstaid kit and very expensive insurance, bitthe bullet and went for it. Starting up onmy own was terrifying, I didn’t want tolet my family down, but if you don’t tryanything in life you will succeed atnothing. After all, I have loads ofexperience, I saw 15,000 schoolchildren in a 12 month period andenvironmental education had been mylife for the past ten years, so really all Ihad to do was believe in myself andstop worrying. During those ten years Ispent time listening to the old boys andheld on to their little gems ofinformation, asked for advice andworked hard to improve my own skills.Sometimes doing totally new thingsduring events, things I’d never donebefore, being scared makes you reallyconcentrate on what you’re doing. Hey,if it doesn’t work it will teach you how todo it right the next time. You don’t learnfrom perfection!

What does the future hold for thebusiness?I’m lucky that I had a verygood reputation with the local schoolsand teachers when I started mybusiness, but that came about because Ialways tried to do my best. I alwaysgave extra help to schools when I could.Things like building bird boxes andplanters for school grounds or helpingwith community projects. You get outwhat you put into life, if you do a littlebit extra people notice. Previously, Ihave worked as a gamekeeper inScotland after completing mycountryside and estate managementcourses at Reaseheath College. I alsoran my own little gardening and stonemasonry business during the holidaysand held down another job at the Flowerpot at the same time. If I keep going theway I have started off then I can seeRanger Dan growing really well. What is the best bit about what youdo? Money has never been a bigpriority, doing the job is what I love. Mybiggest payment is seeing the spark in achild’s eyes when they light a tinderbundle with a flint steel or hold a babyfrog for the first time; I’m as happy andexcited as they are.Any bad bits? There’s only one downsideto my job and that’s most days afterrunning around a wood all day playing hideand seek, lugging fire wood around andbuilding roman catapults, my fragileback is shot to pieces. Which sees mein bed before the kids most nights, extrabeauty sleep helps me stay gorgeous!

How do you fit work around familylife? My family life is great, Claire andthe kids help me when I have a birthdayparty at the woods, and the kids like itbecause they get to join in playing hideand seek and then do a bit of whittling.Oh and they eat the left over cakes!!They are very proud of me and I like tothink that I’m giving them a good startin life by passing on as much of myknowledge to them as I can. Childrenhave a massive appetite for knowledgeit’s our job to feed them! During theweek my work hours are based aroundschool hours as I deliver environmentalsessions most days. This means I finishearly and I’m home to cook the teabefore 4pm.What advice would you give toother dads or mums looking to workfor themselves? The best piece ofadvice that anyone has ever given mehas to be from someone you all know:Mr Ray Mears. I asked Ray what advicehe had for me starting up my ownbusiness and he said, “Teach them whatyou love to do and make sure they enjoywhat you teach them.” Now that’s a perfectway to go about any business and let’sface it Ray is very successful man and Iwill be forever grateful for that advice.

Ranger Dan can be contacted on 07765890385 or 01625 265093.www.rangerdan.co.uk.

Dan CoatesRanger Dan

Dads in business

Parents’ place

Being decidedly guilty of neglectingmy feet, I was pretty excited by theopportunity to try out the theHomedics HL150MYGB MySpaComplete Pedicure Foot Spa recently.

It certainly looks good, with a splash coverand accessible touch-toe button that meansyou don’t have to bend down to switch iton or alternate between the 2 settings(massage or massage, bubble and heat).

It also comes with interchangeablemassage attachments – a rolling ball,pumice or brush – that slot into the middle.The problem I found with these was thepositioning; unless you have pretty small

feet (and size 5½ is certainly not gigantic),it wasn’t very easy to move your feet overthem to take full advantage of the treatment.

The heat function is not meant to heatwater, just to maintain the temperature ofthe water that you put in – but to be honestI didn’t find that this was particularly effectiveand the water cooled down pretty quickly.

Having said that, it was a real treat just tosit still and let my feet have a bit of pampering.And because I only kept them in for about5 minutes, the heat wasn’t really an issue.

I followed it up with a bit of lightscrubbing with a foot file and then somerich foot cream and my feet felt

marvellous. It’s definitely something I’lluse more regularly.

Homedics HL150MYGB MySpaComplete Pedicure Foot Spa retails foraround £30 and is widely available onlineand in large high street stores.

Foot Pampering with MySpa

I found myself in a real dilemma overWinter coats for 2011/12. As a familywe spend a lot of time outdoorsregardless of the weather so Iwanted to find coats that would keepthe kids warm, dry and moan free (oris that too much to ask from a

coat??). After much research andopinion asking I placed an order withPolarn O. Pyret for their ‘Child WinterCoat’ for Lily (5) and Izzy (3).

Ordering clothing for girls withoutchecking their opinion first is always arisky business but it appears I got it right.The bright colours really appealed tothem. These extra tough coats are windand waterproof, yet breathable andflexible. Lily, found hers warm,comfortable and not all restrictive to playin. The cuffs feature thumb holes whichboth girls loved, although Izzy did find alittle fiddly to put on alone. The cuffs arealso adjustable, not only to keep out windand rain but also to grip a slightly longsleeve which was great for us as I boughtslightly larger sizes in the hope we couldget two Winters out of them, which with

the quality I am sure we will. The hood isfully removable and is a fabulous shapethat fits nicely so it stays up despite thewind. Reflectors feature on the back of thecoat, on the sleeves and on the hood for360 degree visibility. As well as keepingthe girls safe on the walk to school theyfound it most amusing to watch eachother glow!

From a mum point of view I find thesecoats easy to keep clean; my lot seem toget particularly dirty and I have been ableto easily wipe marks away, or to throwthem in the machine for a good washwithout losing any colour or shape.

The Child Winter Coat is available fromwww.polarnopyret.com in ages 1½years through to 12 years. In red, blue orpink. RRP £79.

Beating the Bollington Chill by Jayne Keep

by Jayne Keep

I never had aneed to use aset of reins orsimilar on thegirls as theywere never ‘runners’.Logan (18 months) is anothermatter so I was very pleased toreceive an Animal Toddler Daysack(complete with safety rein) fromLittlelife to try out.

Logan really enjoys filling his bag fora trip out, usually with a mini board book,a toy car or two and some snacks. Thebag is big enough to carry a few bits andbobs and still be compact and lightenough for a toddler to carry. The shoulderstraps are comfy and padded, plus thechest strap keeps the bag firmly in place.The fun ladybird design is bright andcolourful which appeals to Logan and hisbig sister Izzy (3) who would happilyclaim it as her own.

For me as mum the biggest appeal isthe removable safety rein so I know I canhang on to him if need be. Logan is notvery tolerant of restraint so this subtlestrap works well for him. The only downsideis that I don’t feel as secure with thestrap as opposed to reins when walkingby a busy road until he is a little olderand more steady on his feet.The Littlelife Animal Toddler Daysackcomes in a wide range of designs.Suitable from 6 months to 3 years. For more information visitwww.littlelife.co.uk.

Logan LOVESLittlelife

Reviewed by Caryl Hall


Parents’ place

Freelance designer and Mum Helenis behind the Flamingos and Dominosbrand. When she was expecting babynumber one she found the unisexclothing for newborns on the highstreet to be bland and boring so she

set about designing unisex fashionwith some fun.

I personally loved the designs as soonas I looked on her website(www.flamingosanddominoes.co.uk);the designs are quite retro and colourfulwithout being overly bright and garish.Helen sent me one of her Zebra print longsleeve tops to try on Isabella (3) wholoved it. Older sister Lily (5) was a tadmiffed that the tops are only available forages 0-4 years. The material is lovely andsoft and washes well. This top will be akeeper to hand down to little brotherLogan when he is older.

Fun Unisex Fashion fromFlamingos and Dominoes

Running from Saturday 10 March toSunday 18 March (Mother’s Day), thisweek is all about mums doingsomething yummy by hosting theirown fundraising events and spending

quality time with their children,family and friends. All the moneyraised will help CLIC Sargentcontinue to provide clinical, practicaland emotional support for childrenand young people with cancer.

You can hold any event you can think of - nomatter how much it raises, every penny counts!The most popular events are afternoon teasand cake sales, pamper parties, nearly newsales – anything goes! It can be as simpleas inviting your mum and friends to comeround for a coffee morning for a smalldonation, or as extravagant as gettingtogether with the girls to organise a YummyMummy party because you all deservesome fun! For more information, go towww.yummymummy.org.uk.

Yummy Mummy Week 2012

A new report recently published byUK charity MobileWise warns thatchildren’s health is being jeopardised

by the failure of Government and phonecompanies to respond to the growingbody of evidence linking mobilephone use with health hazards.

The new report Mobile phone healthrisks: the case for action to protect childrenbrings together, for the first time, more than200 peer-reviewed studies from a range ofresearch institutions that link mobiles toserious health problems. Endorsed by anumber of eminent doctors and scientists,the report highlights the growing and substantialbody of evidence that has been obscuredin the debate over these risks. Find thereport at www.familiesonline.co.uk/EMRresourcepage and read simple tipsto protect your family atwww.familiesonline.co.uk/EMRsafety.

Call to protect children from thehealth risks of mobile phones

As mummies we often see advertsfor baby fairs and expos – many ofus will have attended them. MummyFever events are like these but with atwist... these events are all aboutmummies – whether that is makinglife easier for us or just making usfeel better about ourselves.

All events are family friendly, their goalbeing to create Mummy-focused eventswhich have enough to occupy the littleones. They are launching a number ofMummy Fever events during 2012 andwould love for you to join them.

Date: Friday 17th February 2012Venue: Theatre Clwyd, Mold, FlintshireTime: 10.30-13.30 (Set up 10.00 andclose at 14.00)

Trade stands: £30 (includes fullpromotional package) Entry prices: Adults £2.00 (inadvance), £3.00 (on the day); Under5’s Free; Concesssions £1.50

Date: Saturday 3rd March 2012Venue:Woodhouse Park LifestyleCentre, Portway (at the junction withSelstead Road), Wythenshawe, M22 1QWTime: 10.00-13.00 (Set up 09.00)Trade stands: £30 (includes fullpromotional package) Entry prices: Adults £2.00 (inadvance), £3.00 (on the day); Under5’s Free; Concesssions £1.50

For more information, call Charlotte on07762 798 008 or [email protected]. Or go towww.mummyfever.co.uk.

Mummy Fever – events for mummies

by Jayne Keep


Advertise in Families CheshireCall Jayne on: 01625 801801 or email [email protected]


Dandy Farm My Little Pony Parties ishome to 11 American miniaturehorses of all ages and range fromfoals no more than 24 inches high upto the full grown adults at 33/34inches high. They have all been verycarefully selected from America fortheir temperament and breeding. Allthe horses have been with us sincethey were small, have grown up hereat Dandy Farm and introduced tochildren from a very young age.

The idea has been to create a centrefor small children to have a hands-onexperience with these little horses. It’s agreat opportunity for little ones to get involvedand gain confidence as well as learninghow to groom, lead the horses, be creativewhen dressing them up with bows andribbons and learn how to show them.

Whatever your child is interested in, wecan design a day, party or activity to suit youall. It’s such great fun! Contact Sarah-Janeon 01625 820 431 or 07832 127433,or visit www.mylittleponyparties.com.

My Little Pony Parties

Personalise and create exclusive sashesand banners to announce your excitingoccasion and stunning unique ribbonsto make a statement with your gift.

Party Sashes Galore are UK specialists inmaking your party or event a memorable one.They’re there to help you personalise for ANYoccasion and provide a stunning range ofsuperb quality custom made satin sashes,

banners and ribbons JUST FOR YOU to createa lasting impression. Why not become adesigner and create a funky, stylish, quirky,professional or corporate feel to your event?

With Party Sashes Galore you can createthat perfect finishing touch for every occasion.You can customise your ribbons using theirpersonalisation tool and see what your ribbonwill look like before buying. Change ribboncolours, text and images until you are happywith your design.

Party Sashes Galore allows you topersonalise your ribbons to offer maximumimpact for your announcements, celebrationsand promotional events. Make yourpersonalised announcement in style!

Contact Lorna on 0161 798 6245 oremail [email protected].

Welcome to Party Sashes Galore

For Isabella’s 3rd birthday party Ichose to shy away from the task ofentertaining tots and called on Nualafrom Kiddiewinks to do the job, andwhat a job she did. I had meet Nualapreviously at some social events andfound her so fun and full of energythat I was confident she would be abrilliant entertainer and I was right.

The party was a real whirlwind ofactivity to a soundtrack of lively music.The children followed Nula’s lead with ahuge variety of toys including pom-poms,hoola-hoops, bouncy dogs, musicalinstruments, magic wands, monkeys andmore. The variety of games was amazingas she worked in the traditional stuff likepass the parcel and music bumps with

pretend play and tricks. All of the childrenhad a wonderful time and Izzy loved everyminute of her special day.

As a mum I found Kiddiewinks lovelyto work with; Nuala spoke to me in depthbefore the party so she knew what Izzywould enjoy. We were provided withinvitations and personalised thank youcards which took a job off my list. PlusNuala even supplied presents for the partygames. Highly recommended!

For more information on the full range ofKiddiewinks parties call 0161 432 3624or visit www.kiddiewinksonline.com.

Party fun with Kiddiewinks by Jayne Keep

Parties

What’s onSat 28 JanManchester MuseumBig Saturday: Bug Art11am – 4pm. Make your own bug artinspired by the Museum’s bug collection.Most activities are free and drop-in butsome may need to be booked on the dayand may cost up to £1.50. All ages.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sun 29 JanWilmslow High SchoolKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12pm, Table costs £10 Entrance 50p07748 601248 /www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk

The LowryFree Family SundayDiscover free fun art and drama activitiesin the Galleries inspired by the currentexhibitions. Ages 5 – 12. 11am – 3pm0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 31 JanPeople’s History MuseumThe Little PHM – Mr Ordinary’s Prize11am – 12 noon £1 per child, adults freeUnder 5s, Booking essential0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

ActivitiesSat 14 & Sun 15 JanManchester Art GalleryImagine Weekend12 noon – 4pm. Free drop-in creativeplay for all ages. Experiment and playwith the material of the month. 0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Sat 21 JanNantwich Town CentreThe Battle of Nantwich The 2012 event marks the 40th re-enactment of the Battle of Nantwich. www.hollyholyday.org.uk

Sun 22, Fri 27 & Sun 29 JanImperial War MuseumWhat a Performance: Instruments of Song Klezmer, Greek and east European melodiesperformed by Manchester duo The DeliBabies to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.12.15 and 3.15pm. Ideal for all ageswww.iwm.org.uk

Sat 11 FebGlo Family, CheadleValentines Craft Workshop1pm0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

Sat 11 & Sun 12 FebManchester Art GalleryImagine Weekend12 noon – 4pmFree drop-in creative play for all ages.Experiment and play with the material ofthe month. 0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Churnet Valley RailwayDay out with ThomasPre-booking essential01538 758491 / www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Sat 11 – Sun 19 FebPeople’s History MuseumRadical Craft Table10 am – 5pmFree family friendly activity suitable for allages. Booking not required.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Tatton Park Scarecrow FestivalVisit Tatton’s Scarecrow Festival in theGardens and at the Farm this spring half-term. Over 30 scarecrows will be residentin the Gardens. Find the farmyardscarecrows and have a go at making yourown. Closed Monday. Normal openingtimes and prices apply. 01625 374400 /www.tattonpark.org.uk

Sun 12 FebBijou Club, Manchester M3 7NJBaby Loves Disco Valentines Party6 months to 7 years (must beaccompanied by an adult) 2pm – 5pmwww.babylovesdisco.co.uk

Mon 13 FebGlo Family, CheadleValentines Craft Workshop12 noon - 1pm 0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

Mon 13 – Fri 17 FebGlo Family, CheadleValentines Movie Week2pmIncludes a heart shaped treat!0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

The Lowry (The Studio)Art Zone: The Big Top11am – 12.30Roll up, roll up and join us to create thegreatest show on earth by making amagnificent mobile inspired by thecolourful sights and sounds of the circus.Limited places available.0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Wed 1 Feb Stockport Air Raid SheltersExplorer TourEvening Tour of Stockport Air Raid Shelters,including areas not seen on the public tour.You will be given the opportunity to see theextent of Stockport’s Air Raid preparations7.00pm Age 10+ and adultsBooking essential0161 474 1940 /www.airraidshelters.org.uk

Sat 4 FebManchester Art GalleryFamily Art ClubSpend quality time together as a familyand learn new art skills. 1pm – 3pmFREE – but arrive early as places are limited0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Fri 10 & Sat 11 FebManchester Art GalleryMini Art Club10.15 – 11.15am / 11.30am – 12.30pmFree Sensory play for you and yourbaby/toddler with a different theme eachmonth. Booking essential (from one weekbefore the event)0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

• Birthday Parties• Kids Clubs• Family Taster Sessions• Groups welcome

Quote FAMILIES to get 10% off any booking with this advert.

0161 230 7006, www.manchesterclimbingcentre.com, [email protected]

The North-West's Premier Climbing Venue.


What’s onTues 21 – Thurs 23 FebThe Lowry (The Studio)Drama Zone: Billy Goats, Wolves & BearsCreate a story using some classic animalcharacters from children’s stories in this funsession for the whole family. Packed full ofdrama games and role play, see if you cancreate a brand new story. Limited placesavailable. 11am – 12.30pm0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

From Sat 25 Feb throughout the yearLyme ParkLyme, the End of a Golden EraEver visited a country house and wantedthe freedom to explore, play the piano,take part in a theatrical, dress up or havetea on the lawn? During 2012 you can.Look out for Edwardian Apprenticeactivities throughout the year. 11am - 5pm01663 762023 / www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Sun 26 FebWilmslow High SchoolKids Car Boot & Swap Shop10am – 12pm, Table costs £10 Entrance 50p07748 601248 /www.kidscarbootandswapshop.co.uk

The LowryFree Family SundayDiscover free fun art and drama activitiesin the Galleries inspired by the currentexhibitions. Ages 5 – 12.11am – 3pm0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 28 FebPeople’s History MuseumThe Little PHM – Beeing SpecialEspecially for little ones11am – 12 noon £1 per child, adults freeFun interactive story session withpuppets, song, dance and a craft activityfor under 5s. Booking essential.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Churnet Valley RailwayDay out with ThomasPre-booking essential01538 758491 / www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Stockport Air Raid SheltersChildren’s Explorer TourExciting children’s version of the ever popularExplorer Tours. Brave the darkened tunnelsas you go back in time and experience thelife of a child during the war. 6.45pm – 8.00pmAge 7+ (must be accompanied by an adult)Booking essential0161 474 1940 /www.airraidshelters.org.uk

Thurs 16 FebGlo Family, CheadleValentines Craft Workshop - hosted byThe Creation Station 10 – 11am0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

Thurs 16 & Fri 17 FebSilk Museum, MacclesfieldChildren’s Craft Club : Deft DeceptionCamouflage and disguise, art work andmasks. Ages 6 – 12. Booking essential.01625 612045/613210www.silkmacclesfield.org.uk

Sat 18 & Sun 19 Feb Churnet Valley RailwayDay out with ThomasPre-booking essential01538 758491 / www.churnet-valley-railway.co.uk

Mon 20 – Fri 24 Feb The Lowry (The Studio)Art Zone: The Big Top11am – 12.30 Roll up, roll up and join usto create the greatest show on earth bymaking a magnificent mobile inspired bythe colourful sights and sounds of thecircus. Limited places available.0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 14 – Thurs 16 FebThe Lowry (The Studio)Drama Zone: Billy Goats, Wolves & BearsCreate a story using some classic animalcharacters from children’s stories in this funsession for the whole family. Packed full ofdrama games and role play, see if you cancreate a brand new story. Limited placesavailable. 11am – 12.30pm0843 208 6005 / www.thelowry.com

Hatworks, StockportFun with FeathersHave fun with feathers and see if this craftsession tickles your fancy!10.30am – 12.00 and 1.00pm – 2.30pmAges 5 –11 Limited places – booking essential0161 355 7770 / www.hatworks.org.uk

Tues 14 – Fri 17 FebManchester Art GallerySurprise! Surprise!1.00pm – 3.00pmExplore surfaces and textures around thegallery with magic rubbings andtransform patterns into beautiful picturesto take home. Free, drop in for all ages.Sign in from 12.30pm.0161 235 8888 /www.manchestergalleries.org

Wed 15 FebGlo Family, CheadleMum & Baby Yoga - FREE TASTER 9.30 – 10.15am0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

George H Carnall Leisure Centre,Kingsway Park M41 7FJGo Kiddy Karts Multi Activity Fun Day10am – 4pm £6.00 entry per child coversall activities (under 3 free) Adults pay perride, no entry fee No need to book, Ages3 – 14 Go Karts, BodyZorbs, Dance Mats,Inflatables, Trampolines, Giant Games,Whizz Wheels, Holistic therapies for adults07956 557653 / www.go-kiddy-karts.co.uk

Quarry Bank Mill, StyalWeaving activities at the MillWeave something wonderful at familydrop in sessions in the Mill.11am – 4pmNo booking necessary. Free event butnormal admission charges apply.01625 445845 /www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Tues 14 FebGlo Family, CheadleToddler Time Valentines Day Party10amValentines Make & Bake Workshop 1pm0844 504 7465 / www.glofamily.com

People’s History MuseumLiving History – Pauly’s WarLearn more about life during The Blitz1.15 – 2pm, Free Family friendly activityfor 7+, No booking required.0161 838 9190 / www.phm.org.uk

Tues 14 & Wed 15 FebTatton ParkDeer Feed and Trailer RideTake a trailer ride with the rangers towatch the daily deer feed. Get a closelook at hundreds of deer feeding in theirbeautiful natural setting. 9.30am to10.30am. £5 adult, £3 child01625 374400 / www.tattonpark.org.uk

Tues 14 & Thurs 16 FebQuarry Bank Mill, StyalWonderful Weaving WorkshopExperiment on a loom to create your ownwoven bookmark. 12 noon – 2pm£3 per child (normal admission charges apply)Booking essential01625 445845 /www.nationaltrust.org.uk


These listings are for guidance only – please check before you goto include your upcoming event in our listings, email [email protected]

What’s onFamily Shows16 Jan – 21 Jan MADS Theatre, MacclesfieldJack & The BeanstalkA classic panto presented by the awardwinning “Macclesfield Majestic Theatre Group”.07875 149943 / www.mmtg.co.uk

Fri 13 – Sun 15 Jan & Wed 18 – Sun 22 JanWaterside Arts Centre, SaleCinderellaA traditional pantomime with a moderntwist for all the family.0161 912 5616 /www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Joseph at the Lowry

Tues 10 – Sun 15 JanThe LowryJoseph and the Amazing TechnicolorDreamcoatKeith Jack, the hugely popular runner-upwho finished just a hair’s breadth behindwinner Lee Mead in hit BBC series AnyDream Will Do, takes on the title role,having won the hearts of the nation withhis sparkling charisma and sensationalsinging voice.0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com

Tues 17 JanBuxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre)Beanbag Stories - Science ExplosionA chance for your cheeky monkeys aged 6months to 4 to get lost in their imaginations.So come and experience stories, soundsand songs with Beanbag Stories – effective,creative play for shuffle bottoms and babies!For ages 2-4 (plus older & younger familymembers!)0845 127 2190 /www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Advertise in Families Cheshire

Call Jayne on: 01625 801801 or [email protected]


What’s onFri 20 – Sun 22 JanBuxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre)One Snowy NightOne Snowy Night is from the ever-popularTales from Percy’s Park series by NickButterworh which celebrated its 21stbirthday in 2010, when this stage versionpremiered in a sell-out Christmas season.Suitable for ages 3+0845 127 2190 /www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Sat 21 JanStockport PlazaChinese New Year ExtravaganzaFeaturing internationally acclaimed acrobattroupes from Chengdu, China – the home ofthe panda. The ‘costumed’ acrobatic pandasand the mighty dragon dance add charmand dynamics to the show, a colourful showpacked full of fun and excitement which isperfect for all ages!0161 477 7779 /www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Tues 24 JanBuxton Opera House Hansel & GretelAlthough it’s as old as the hills the story ofHansel & Gretel comes up shiny and newfor our consumerist times. Gothic, funny,scary and exciting!0845 127 2190 /www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Tue 24 Jan - Sat 28 JanThe LowryBeauty and the BeastA towering gothic fairytale performed by theBirmingham Royal Ballet.0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com


Tue 31 JanThe LowryBeauty and the Beast ballet repertoireworkshopA chance to improve your ballet techniqueand learn extracts from David Bintley’smagical production of Beauty and the Beast.There will be a small sharing at the end ofeach class to parents. An opportunity notto be missed!4.00-5.00pm Grade 2-3 (Approx age 8-10)*£12.00,5.15-6.30pm Grade 4-5/ Inter foundation(Approx age 11-13)* £15.00*or equivalent levelApplication forms at www.thelowry.comor contact Jenny Murphy [email protected]

Sat 4 FebWaterside Arts Centre, SaleThe Emperor’s New ClothesHilarious happenings, fantastic fooling,giggle until your tummy hurts! The Emperor’sNew Clothes is performed with puppets,masks and original music. Age 3+0161 912 5616 /www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Sat 4 & Sun 5 FebStockport PlazaChinese New Year ExtravaganzaFeaturing internationally acclaimed acrobattroupes from Chengdu, China – the home ofthe panda. The ‘costumed’ acrobatic pandasand the mighty dragon dance add charmand dynamics to the show, a colourfulshow packed full of fun and excitementwhich is perfect for all ages!0161 477 7779 /www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Wed 25 JanThe LowryBeauty and the Beast ballet repertoireworkshopA chance to improve your ballet techniqueand learn extracts from David Bintley’smagical production of Beauty and the Beast.There will be a small sharing at the end ofeach class to parents. An opportunity notto be missed!4.15-6.00pmIntermediate / Advanced (14+)*£18.00*or equivalent levelApplication forms at www.thelowry.comor contact Jenny Murphy [email protected]

Wed 25 Jan – Sat 10 MarPalace Theatre, ManchesterOliver! Starring Neil Morrissey as Fagin. Bringingvividly to life Dicken’s timeless characterswith its ever-popular story of the boy whoasked for more. 0844 871 3019 /www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

Sun 29 JanThe LowryRed Riding Hood’s Magic PurseA classic story told with a difference. Findout how Red Riding Hood’s Magic Pursesaves the day in this delightful show toldusing rod-glove puppets, shadow theatre,original music and songs. Ages 3 – 7

Beowulf at The Lowry

Beowulf – The Dragon SlayerTold with beautifully carved wooden puppets,this is the classic story of Beowulf, whocrosses land and sea to find adventure andfame, meets monsters and a dragon. Age 7+0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com

Sat 11 & Sun 12 FebBuxton Opera House The Wheels On The BusThis is classic sing-a-long fun at its verybest for children of all ages. You’ll findBuster the Bus Coming Round TheMountain, he’ll stop to count Ten GreenBottles. They’ll find Five Little Ducks andthen all go Apples & Bananas. So climb onboard, and buckle up for the ride of your life!0845 127 2190 /www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Sun 12 FebStockport PlazaSesame Street Live - Elmo Makes MusicYour family’s favourite Sesame Street friendsare taking to the stage to share their love ofmusic. “Big Bird “tweets”, Oscar the Grouch’sstomping trash can lids, Cookie Monster’scrumbling cookie jars and more becomeinstruments of beautiful music and noisy fun! 0161 477 7779 /www.stockportplaza.co.uk

Tues 14 Feb Waterside Arts Centre, SaleThe Owl and the PussycatEnjoy this absurd hogwash of nonsensefeaturing silly songs, babbling puppetsand smaller than life characters. Puppetry,live music and beautiful storytelling for 3-7 year olds and their families. Celebrate Valentine’s Day with a specialFamily Club session before theperformance from 12.30pm – 2.30pm.0161 912 5616 /www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Buxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre)Beanbag Stories - Roses are RedCome and experience stories, sounds andsongs with Beanbag Stories – effective,creative play for shuffle bottoms andbabies! Ages 2-4 (plus older & youngerfamily members!)0845 127 2190 /www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

These listings are for guidance only – please check before you goto include your upcoming event in our listings, email [email protected]

What’s onWed 15 & Thurs 16 FebManchester Opera HousePeppa PigPeppa and George are up to fun and gameson a day out on Grandad Dog’s boat. Helpthem, with Pedro Pony, Polly Parrot andZoe Zebra to follow the clues and find theirtreasure as they all enjoy a day of adventure.0844 871 3018 /www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

Thurs 16 FebWaterside Arts Centre, SaleVampiratesBased on the award-winning novels byJustin Somper. Age 9+0161 912 5616 /www.watersideartscentre.co.uk


Fri 17 – Sun 19 FebThe LowryChinese State CircusMarvel as the world’s greatest acrobatsjoin forces with the undisputed masters ofmartial arts, stretching the limits ofhuman achievement. 0843 2086000 / www.thelowry.com

Mon 20 – Wed 22 FebManchester Opera HouseGeorge’s Marvellous MedicineRoald Dahl’s amazing story about a youngboy who makes a marvellous new medicineto cure his Grandmother of her terrifyingtemper. When she drinks his special newpotion incredible things start to happen.0844 871 3018 /www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

Tues 21 – Sat 25 FebThe LowryThe King and IOne of the greatest musicals of all time andthis production is a lavish, grand scale spectacle.With giant gold Buddhas, sumptuouscostumes, a chorus of adorable children,acrobatic dancers and live music this beautifulproduction guarantees standing ovations.0843 208 6000 / www.thelowry.com

The King and I at The Lowry

Sat 25 FebWaterside Arts Centre, SaleMuttnik – the first dog in spaceYou can teach an old dog new tricks! Arefreshing slant on what happened to Laika,the dog sent into space aboard the RussianSputnik 2 rocket in 1957. Told with dance,music and puppetry, this enchanting tale feedsthe imagination and is suitable for age 3+.0161 912 5616 /www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Sun 26 FebBuxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre)Red Riding HoodPresented by Horse + BambooHorse + Bamboo present a gorgeouslyrendered re-telling of the classic girl-and-the-wolf tale. Exquisite visuals blend withpantomime-style silliness andspookymoments to create an enchanting piece oftheatre. Ideal for all ages over 4.0845 127 2190 /www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

Sat 3 MarWaterside Arts Centre, SaleThe Enormous TurnipStuff and Nonsense Theatre Companycome to Waterside Arts Centre with theirunswerving energy, eccentric puppetryand live music in a re-potted version of theworld-famous children’s story. Age 2+0161 912 5616 /www.watersideartscentre.co.uk

Buxton Opera House (Pavilion Arts Centre)There Was an Old Woman WhoSwallowed A FlyPresented by the team behind How The KoalaLearnt To Hug, this magical new show hasbeen written especially for parents to enjoywith their children, so come and relive thedelights of this most charming of tales witha feast of first class games, colourful animalcharacters and heart warming family fun.It’s the perfect treat for anyone aged 4 to 104!0845 127 2190 /www.buxtonoperahouse.org.uk

families cheshire issue 15 jan-feb 2012

Documents

families group

macclesfield sk10

families south west

little time

fun time

quality time

macclesfield sk11

old school