Tag: idea

Ballerina film

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The Royal Academy of Dance have partnered with new film Ballerina, in cinemas on 19th December, and are celebrating the release of the enchanting new film by launching a nationwide series of Ballerina classes to inspire children to get involved in dance through acting, storytelling and characterisation.

Ballerina follows young orphan Felicie, who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer in Paris. With the help of her best friend Victor, Felicie must learn from her mistakes and fight like she never has before, but learns that nothing is impossible when it comes to achieving one’s dreams.

The Royal Academy of Dance’s Ballerina-inspired classes are available exclusively from RAD registered teachers and will explore the themes of friendship and never giving up on your dreams, as inspired by characters in the film. The classes also explore French culture through music and imagery and introduce young dancers to classical ballet repertoire. From acting out Felicie and Victor’s chores at the orphanage to imagining dancing on stage at the Paris Opera Ballet, children will be taken on a creative journey through movement and dance to realise Felicie’s dream of becoming a ballet dancer.

Children’s Storytelling is a wonderful way to inspire children about the world of dance. The Royal Academy of Dance are delighted to be partnering with Ballerina to take children on a dancing journey with Felicie and Victor in a series of nationwide classes.

The classes, which will run through January, will be available for children aged 4–7 and 8–13 across the country. Further details about upcoming Ballerina classes can be found here: Ballerina Classes

Watch the Ballerina trailer at Facebook Ballerina Film UK Trailer

 

Do some monster baking

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Halloween is becoming more and more popular in the UK, make sure this year you are ready to make some Halloween children’s party food that will impress your little monsters!!

Ghoulish Ghost Cakes

Dariole moulds are the ideal shape or these spooky little cakes but you could cheat and use a mini chocolates rolls under the white icing!

 

175g butter

175g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

175g self-raising flour

800g ready-to-roll white icing

1 tube black writing icing

 

Beat together the caster sugar, butter and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time with a tablespoon of flour for each egg. Beat well and fold in the remaining flour.

Spoon into 8 greased and floured dariole moulds, place on a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Cut the top of the cakes off to form a flat surface and then turn out onto a board or plate. Leave until completely cold.

Roll out the white icing on a surface dusted with cornflour and cut out 8 x 16cm circles (can use a saucer as a guide). Drape these over the sponge cakes to form ghost figures. Draw the ghost’s features using a tube of black writing icing

Makes 8 mini ghost cakes

Spider And Bat Cakes

These are fun to make with your children. You can make five of each design, divide the cake mixture in two and add one tablespoon of cocoa powder to half of it .

 

Fairy Cakes

100g (4 oz) soft margarine

100g (4 oz) caster sugar

2 eggs

100g (4 oz) self-raising flour

(substitute 2 tbsp cocoa powder for 2 tbsp of the flour for chocolate fairy cakes)

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

Spider Cake Decoration

100g / 4 oz milk chocolate

liquorice laces

10 chocolate marshmallow teacakes

Assorted liquorice sweets

Sugar-coated coloured chocolate buttons

 

Bat Cake Decoration

100g / 4 oz softened butter

175g (6 oz) icing sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tbsp milk

1 tube black writing icing

black liquorice sweets

edible silver balls

 

To make the fairy cakes: pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Cream the margarine and sugar together until light and fluffy and then beat in the eggs one at a time together with 1 tablespoon of the flour. Add the vanilla and fold in the remaining flour. Line a bun tin with paper cases and half fill each case with the mixture. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Remove and put on a wire rack to cool before decorating.

 

Spider Cakes

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Using a palette knife, cover each cake with some of the melted chocolate. Arrange six liquorice strips for the spider’s legs and stick a teacake in the centres. Finish with assorted liquorice sweets and sugar-coated coloured chocolate buttons as eyes.

 

Bat Cakes

To make the chocolate frosting, beat the butter until creamy. Sieve together the icing sugar and cocoa and gradually beat into the butter together with the milk using a wooden spoon. When the cakes have cooled, cut off the tops of the cakes and cut into three sections and use the two curved ends to make wings (reserve the middle section).

 

Draw a ‘V’ with black writing icing on the wings. Spread a thick layer of chocolate frosting over the surface of the cake, position the wings to that they stand up: you will need to cut small squares of cake from the middle section to position under the wings to prop them up. Stick edible silver balls on top of black liquorice sweets for the bat’s eyes.

 

Makes 10 to 12 spider cakes

Tombstone Sandwiches

You can use a variety of fillings like Marmite, Peanut Butter, Egg Mayonnaise, Cheese and Tomato to make these spine-chilling sandwiches.

 

Sliced bread

Grated carrot

Grated cheddar cheese

Mayonnaise

Salad cress

 

Cut the crusts off the bread and cut into rectangles. Using a plain round cutter or a saucer as a guide cut the top of the sandwich into a round tombstone shape. Mix together the grated carrot, cheese and mayonnaise (or use a filling of your choice) and sandwich the bread together with this mixture.

Arrange the tombstone sandwiches upright on a plate and sprinkle the cress around the sandwiches before serving.

Pantomimes in the South West

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CARDIFF

MARY POPPINS AT WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE

14 December 2016 – 14 January 2017

A Christmas treat to delight all the family. Take the children to enjoy the multi award-winning musical Mary Poppins at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff this winter. Follow the magical story of the world’s favourite nanny who arrives in Cherry Lane. Presented by Disney and Cameron Mackintosh, this stage adaptation of P L Travers unforgettable stories and the Walt Disney film features stunning choreography, amazing effects, a timeless score and unforgettable songs.

Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Place, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF10 5AL

BRISTOL

CINDERELLA AT BRISTOL HIPPODROME

10 December 2016 – 8 January 2017

Don’t miss sporting heroes Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean taking to the stage as the Fairy Godparents in Bristol Hippodrome’s production of Cinderella this Christmas. The national icons will be swapping their ice skates for inline skates to perform on stage. Featuring stunning skating sequences, fabulous costumes, dazzling sets, real Shetland ponies and unforgettable song and dance numbers, this magical pantomime tells the rags-to-riches tale that has delighted generations of children.

Bristol Hippodrome, St Augustine’s Parade, Bristol, BS1 4UZ

CORNWALL

JACK AND THE BEANSTALK AT HALL FOR CORNWALL

6 December 2016 – 31 December 2016

Starring Cornwall’s very own Kernow King and the much-loved Granville Saxton, Hall for Cornwall proudly presents this delightful children’s Christmas adventure which is suitable for all the family. Follow the adventures of Kenwyne and Aunty Flo, Cousin Jack and his Mum and the legendary giant Cormorant! Please visit the website for show dates and times.

Hall for Cornwall, Back Quay, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2LL

Take the kids to the Theatre

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See Peppa Pig’s Surprise at the Phoenix Theatre

London

Surprise! Peppa Pig, George and their friends are appearing in a brand new live stage show, Peppa Pig’s Surprise at the Phoenix Theatre, London from 15th December to 7th January – the perfect Christmas Treat!

It’s a lovely day out for the family and Peppa is playing outside with her friends. Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig have got a surprise for her and George – they can’t guess what it is, can you?

Enjoy fun, games and of course, surprises in this charming, colourful new show with new songs and new life size puppets, Peppa Pig’s Surprise promises to be the perfect theatre show for all pre-schoolers!

The Snowman at The Peacock Theatre

London

Delighting audiences for 19 hit years, this magical stage adaptation of Raymond Briggs’ much-loved book has transported a generation of children and their families into the wintery wonderland of a boy and a snowman that comes to life.

Twinkling with festive spirit, this is a joyful mix of exquisite dancing, storytelling, enchanting sets and live music, including the beautiful ‘Walking in the Air’. Expect plenty of excitement when snow falls into the theatre and gasps of delight when the Snowman literally flies through the sky.

Suitable for children aged two and upwards, The Snowman is the magical treat your family won’t forget and a perfect introduction to theatre for the young. Performances from 23rd November 2016 – 1st January 2017.

The Cat in the Hat at the Pleasance Theatre

London

Opening at the Pleasance Theatre on 6th December, The Cat in the Hat is the must-attend children’s show of the festive season!

From the moment his tall, red and white striped hat appears around the door, Sally and her brother know that The Cat in the Hat is the funniest, most mischievous cat they have ever met. Based on the much-loved book, expect towering hats, mischief and an imagination recharge!

Where to take the kids this winter

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Battersea Park Children’s Zoo.

There’s a world of enjoyment at Battersea Park Children’s Zoo. From feeding the farm animals, saying hello to our parrots or spying on the meerkats in the secret lookout, children will have hours of fun. With monkeys, snakes, pigs, donkeys, ring tailed lemurs, rabbits, emu, chipmunks, coati, wallabies and chickens, plus a fun-packed adventure playground with a real tractor and fire engine, it’s a great family day out.

NEW FOR 2016! The Zoo is offering new Keeper, Mini and Junior Keeper Experiences for children and adults. The kids will love being able to find out more about their favourite animals and what it’s like to feed and care for them. Sessions last from 1.5 to 2.5 hours, there are a variety of Keeper Experience’s available, and children must be accompanied by an adult, who goes free of charge.

Terms and conditions apply, with full details available on the website.

BeWILDerwood

For an amazing kids day out in Norfolk, not far from Norwich, visit the enchanted, award-winning Curious Treehouse Adventure Park, BeWILDerwood. Take lazy boat rides across The Scary Lake, cross jungle bridges, visit tree-houses, whizz down The Wobbly Wires, get befuddled in the marvellous Muddle Maze, build dens with bracken and sticks and dress up and join in with the enchanting daily storytelling.

This is a world with more than a little sprinkling of fairy dust; enough for the whole family! It’s also a great place for children to have the best birthday party ever in the woods.

Bodmin and Wenford railway

Discover the excitement and nostalgia of steam travel with a journey back in time on the Bodmin and Wenford railway, Cornwall’s only full size railway still operated by steam locomotives. Relax in style and enjoy a leisurely 13-mile round trip, through beautiful countryside, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of a bygone age, as the era of a Cornish branch line in the 1950s reveals itself during the course of your journey.

Children’s party mistakes

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Sometimes the best way of doing something well is to learn a few things that you should avoid doing. By discovering certain practices and helpful pointers, you can make your whole children’s party planning process a lot less stressful and you can ensure thing go as smoothly as possible.

Whether you are organising a celebration for your child’s birthday, a party to wash away the winter blues, or an event for any other occasion; here are some things you may want to avoid.

Inviting Too Many Guests

The stresses involved on the day of your party are likely to be directly proportionate to the amount of children you invite. Whilst it’s often a good idea to invite everyone in your child’s class, to avoid anyone feeling like they have been left out, this will ultimately depend on the space you have available and the amount of other parents you have managed to rope into helping you out. If the party is going to be staged in a small room or you only have limited help available, it may be wise to restrict the number of little guests so that things are a bit more manageable on the day.

Eating too early

One of the most anticipated and important parts of any kid’s party is the food, but if you offer this up too early then you could struggle to regain order amongst the troops. Instead, it is a good idea to build up to the food and have it near the end of the event. This way if anyone spills anything down them they haven’t got to sit through the rest of the party in dirty clothes, and you won’t have to try and get them settled again before they go home to their parents.

Trying to Do Everything Yourself

Although you will be proud of the party you have planned, there is a danger that doing everything yourself will make it a much more stressful process. This is especially true on the day. After you have put in all the effort prior to the occasion, why not take some time to relax during the actual event?

Ignoring The Wishes of Your Child

Although you will be doing most of the planning, the main aim of the kids party is to give your child the best time they could wish for. This means that you should think about them in every decision you make. There is little point in wasting money on expensive decorations and gourmet food if all they would like is a few balloons and their favourite snacks. It’s always a good idea to ask them their preferences for the party – maybe give them 3 or 4 suggestions to choose from so it helps with the decision making process, and then you can guarantee they are going to love whatever you plan for them. More importantly, it also means you’ve involved them in the process and it makes them feel much more like it’s their party. Try to avoid going to the other extreme though and allowing your child to have all the say, and giving them too much choice, or you may struggle to make any decisions about the party.

Helping your children with social skills

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Strong friendships are also important for their self-esteem and sense of belonging. Here are some ways you can support them in this area.

Help your child to discover his strengths and interests to help him choose the right place for him to learn social skills. Whatever your child enjoys, it is likely there are opportunities to teach social skills in your community and for him to join with others. For social skills teaching ideas, contact community resources such as the local library, church youth group, or other clubs or community parks.

Your child will benefit from social skills teaching inherent in social interaction outside the school setting. With your encouragement, even reluctant and shy children can be taught social skills through interaction with others through activities. Many relationships he builds will flow naturally back into the school environment.

Teach social skills by rehearsing social situations ahead of time. Role play meeting a new person with each other. Take turns being the greeter and “greetee.” Teach your child the art of getting others to talk about themselves. Help him see that by doing this, he can learn about his peers and find common interests. Kids can use friendly and polite questions to encourage kids to talk and break the ice. Focusing on others will also help your child feel less self-conscious. Help your child learn how to choose good friends to develop healthy relationships.

Teach your child social skills needed to make friends by helping him learn and practice children’s games and activities at home that are popular at school. Aside from being a good way to practice skills such as reading, counting, and fitness, learning these games will help your child participate in them with other children

Create a circle of friends by encouraging playtime with a few neighborhood children. Invest in some quality time and snacks, and you’ll grow friendships that may stay with your child throughout high school, maybe even for life. Friends from the same class at school can provide important social and emotional support.

How to shop with your kiddies

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Walking to the shop, take a deep breath.  This shopping trip can go well!! 

As we’re shopping let your children help you pick out fruit and veggies in the produce department, enjoying counting the number of apples they add to the bag, the different colours of peppers to choose from, and the funny names of the melons.

Set Expectations

Before going into the store tell your children exactly what you expect from them. 

Expect that they:

  • will stay nearby and not run through the store
  • will try to be aware of other people and not get in their way
  • will not throw a fit if they don’t get something
  • will be helpful and participate in the process.
  • Before we step foot in the store, remind them of my expectations.

Make A List

Go armed in the supermarket with clipboards, paper, and pencils, ready to check off each and everything on your lists.

  • Giving them a helpful children friendly activity or task keeps them engaged in the shopping experience.
  • Make Kids Your Helper
  • continually engaging the children in the shopping process.

Not only does this keep them from getting bored and restless, it also teaches them how to shop.

If you use these new tools, most of the time you will actually enjoy your shopping trips together.  It’s not always perfect and there will be times when you have a rough day, but that’s life?

The best books for happy kids

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Experts say that there are three very important times of day to connect with your children, when they first wake up, when they get home from school, and at bedtime.

Because bedtime is usually a chore, we’ve picked out the best books that make both you and your children laugh-out-loud.  After all, there’s no better medicine than laughter…

I Broke My Trunk; by Mo Willems

These books are amazing!  They are seriously funny for both kids and adults. The series is about two friends, Elephant and Piggy, and their hilariously funny conversations.  These books are witty, a bit quirky and always end in hilarious, unexpected ways.

Stuck; by Oliver Jeffers

The authors books are quirky and funny for both parents and kids.  Stuck , is a story of a boy whose kite gets stuck in a tree, so he throws up his shoe to get it down, but that gets stuck too.  Oh but he’s not deterred, this boy is determined to get down his kite…no matter what.  Things spiral a bit out of control in this book, and the boy’s antics will leave any kid rolling on the floor with laughter.

The book with no pictures; by B.J. Novak

The premise of this children’s book is that whoever reads the book, the storyteller has to read every word….no matter how silly the word is.  So parents are stuck yelling words like “Blork!” and sentences. Is there any better way to get kids to laugh, than by making the adults in their lives look silly?  

A Perfectly Messed-Up Story; by Patrick McDonnell

It’s a story about a boy named Louie, who just wants to tell you a story, but keeps getting interrupted by…you.  How dare you drop peanut butter and jelly on him when he’s telling his story?!  These little instructions send little Louie over the edge a bit, and he has to learn to persevere and be okay with a little bit of a mess.  

Clamping with the kids

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So what is glamping?  It is a term that means glamorous camping and has become synonymous with luxury camping – no more leaky tents or sites where you wake up with no tent because the wind is so high!  Glamping is all about having a unique experience that allows people to see things they would otherwise miss but no sacrificing comfort and amenities to do this. 

Glamping is also an eco-friendly option because many of the venues offering this type of break are made with environmentally friendly concerns foremost to the mind.  It takes a lot of resources to build and run even a small hotel but nowhere near as much to build a luxury treehouse or to convert and upgrade a caravan.

Glamping is a worldwide trend that allows people to stay somewhere unique.  Here in the UK we already have a wide range of exciting glamping spots.  One such example is the yurt at Springhill Farm campsite in East Sussex.  Complete with a double bed and inflatable furniture, the yurt is built in the style once used by Genghis Khan with a few modern touches and cooking is done in a fire pit outside.  The site is near Ashdown Forest, so perfect for a walk the next morning.

If you loved treehouses as a kid, then staying in one will be a perfect escape as an adult.  There are a number of treehouse glamping providers spread around the country and these are treehouses in the lap of luxury.  Enjoy a session in the hot tub before turning in for the night or take the whole family along in a treehouse that can house up to eight people.

Champing

Champing is perhaps the newest addition to the camping idea and involved staying in a historic church and using it as a base for a range of activities for children and sightseeing in the area.  The Churches Conservation Trust say there are currently 347 churches spread around the UK that are no longer places of worship and so are being made available for people to spend the night. 

Why is it good?

Camping, glamping and champing all offer different facilities and styles for holidaymakers but there is a hidden benefit to it all.  In a study conducted by the Institute of Education at Plymouth University, in collaboration with the Camping and Caravanning Club, it was shown that kids who spend at least one holiday each year camping outdoors do better in school than those that don’t.

The study involved asking parents across the country a series of question studying the educational, social and psychological benefits of camping to children of all ages.  The study discovered that four out of five parents thought that camping had a positive effect on school education of their children.

It also showed that 98% of parents believed their kids were more connected with nature due to their camping experience and appreciated the outdoors more while 95% thought the kids were happier.  93% thought that children learned skills that would be beneficial later in life because of their camping holidays.

Conclusion

So the evidence is clear from the study – camping is good for you and your children.  But with the range of options such as glamping in a treehouse or champing in a historic church, camping no longer needs to be something only done in the very best weather.  For people who aren’t so keen on putting up the tent in the middle of a field, there are now plenty of other options that allow all the benefits of camping with a little luxury included as well.  And after the holiday is over, the children will go back to school invigorated and filled with exciting stories to tell their teachers and friends that will continue to benefit them for some time afterwards.