FSW Jan Feb 18

FREE TAKE ME HOME South West A mine of information! What’s On? Choosing a nursery Events and things to do Half term activities with children Free activities Issue 273 January/February 2018 familiesonline.co.uk Contents 4-5 Local news 6 Families Top Five activities this month 07 New Year New You Start 2018 healthy and in a good job! 8 Mindful yoga at Battersea Yoga 9-21 NURSERY FEATURE •Your local nursery news •The benefits of starting a Bilingual Education at an early age •Outdoor nursery receives huge support from parents •Tips to prepare your child successfully for their The LIttle Forest Folk The LIttle Forest transition into Reception •Preschools – your ‘need to know’ guide •Teaching emotional intelligence with the Ruler programme Nursery feature pages 9-21 22-29 EDUCATION •Your local schools open days •Explore Learning gets behind “more maths Families®SW|Issue 273 for everyone!” •Developing creativity and artistic Jan/Feb 2018 development in primary schools TEL: 020 8696 9680 30-32 Travelling with children EDITORIAL: [email protected] Family fun under the Tuscan sun NEWS: [email protected] ADVERTS/ARTWORK: [email protected] A day in the life of Esprit Ski EVENTS, DIARY DATES, WHAT’S ON: Top recommendations for an Easter ski break [email protected] NEXT ISSUE: March 2018 33- 37 February Half term Activities DEADLINE: 1st Feburary 2018 Sport, arts & craft, music & drama, dance and ISSN 1354-9553 much more. All content ©Families SW 2018 39-45 Clubs & Classes • Families London SW is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise Your local clubs news: From cricket to French, company. All franchised magazines in the group are Swimming, Football to arts and craft. independently owned and operated under licence. Families® is a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. 47 FREE activities • The contents of Families SW are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in 49 Health & Welbeing any form without the prior consent of Families SW. Set your child free from screens • Printed by Ridgeway Press, Wilts • Designed by Shirley Trimmer 50-55 What’s On • Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, but Families SW, our distributors, the franchise company Families Diary dates Print Ltd and Lifecycle Marketing cannot be held responsible for Babies and toddlers the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents, or Theatre, any consequence thereof. Drama • Paper used to print Families is from fully-managed sustainable sources. Museums & Exhibitions Art activities Find us on Facebook and Twitter ADVERTISE IN OUR NEXT ISSUE Contact us on 020 8696 9680 FamiliesSWLon Familiesonline.co.uk Families South West 3 NEWS JOIN THE WI TO MAKE FRIENDS AND LEARN SKILLS We are delighted to learn that Battersea WI will be opening this New Year. Open to all women, it is a great opportunity to make friends and to enjoy monthly meetings with inspiring speakers and events with activities such as crafts, book groups, walking, visiting exhibitions/theatres. Check them out on social media (Twitter and Instagram: @Battersea_WI; or Facebook: @BatterseaWI). Part of the WI, the largest voluntary women’s organisations in the UK, you’ll gain educational opportunities SPIN A TALE DURING and the chance to learn new skills, take part in a wide variety of activities and campaign on issues that matter to you and your community. NATIONAL STORYTELLING WEEK There are also WI’s in Balham, Barnes, Clapham, Fulham & Chelsea, Kew, Putney, Streatham, Tooting, Wandsworth Common and Wimbledon. For more information contact Surrey The first week of February marks National Federation on [email protected] Storytelling Week, a chance to reflect on one of the oldest art forms in the world. We are all immersed in stories — from conversations retelling events in our lives, to watching our LACK OF SLEEP DAMAGING FOR CHILDREN favourite television shows. More than a third of primary school children are failing Speech and language therapists believe that to get sufficient sleep, according to new research. The storytelling is vital for children’s academic study has linked poor sleep with difficulties in paying success as it promotes narrative skills and attention in class, keeping up with school work, strengthens the ability of children to correctly forgetfulness and absenteeism. sequence ideas. To be a good reader and writer a child needs to be a good speaker and The research, carried out by the University of Leeds listener first. But above all, storytelling is fun. has shown that despite the NHS recommendation of Whether we are listening to someone else’s 10 hours, 36 per cent of primary age children get eight story or telling our own, inventing and adapting hours of sleep or less per night. Even more narratives can open doors to exciting new worryingly, 15 per cent get less than seven hours. worlds — both real and imaginary. The researchers found links between poor sleep and children having access to mobile phones or To find a local event or to look through its computer devices in their bedrooms. Other factors contributing to poor sleep were poor extensive archive visit www.sfs.org.uk parental sleep patterns and lack of routine. More information on the study can be found at www.leeds.ac.uk EASY AND HEALTHY LOCAL NURSERY OWNER PUBLISHES HER VEGETARIAN RECIPES MEMOIRS Eating less meat often means being more creative in the kitchen, and that is good thing! Learn to be Lima Nunes’s interest in Early Years began more inventive, have fun and enjoy a healthy early when reading books by Dr Maria relationship with what Montessori. She attended St Nicholas you eat with this great Montessori College in Princes Gate, London, book. Whether and amazingly was trained by teachers, who you’re looking for were actually trained by Maria Montessori tasty brunch ideas or herself! delicious dinners, After working for ILEA in London for 9 years, energizing snacks or she became a nursery manager, then a mouthwatering sweet Registered Person, remaining in the private treats, the author sector. Over the past 30 years, she has been shows you how to managing/owning nurseries for as many as make simple, 120 children and received a very ‘GOOD’ nutritious vegetarian Ofsted rating. One area of expertise included meals suitable for all managing various teams of staff, promoting that are easy for anyone to rustle up with the ‘Positive Parent Partnership’ and strong community spirit and being able to lead a team to minimum of fuss. Some recipes also include confidently care and educate the children for whom they are responsible. suggestions for vegan alternatives, while others are free from gluten, dairy and sugar – the most Educare Nursery, 27 Aldrington Road SW16 1TU. To read her memoir please contact Lima common intolerances. on 020 8677 9675 www.educarenurseryukltd.com Published by Eddison books, £13.99, available from Amazon 4 Families South West • January/February 2018 Familiesonline.co.uk NEWS MUMS WANT MORE FLEXIBLE WORKING JANUARY IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITIES TIME TO VOLUNTEER According to a survey by Workingmums.co.uk, almost three quarters of working mums identify If you have a bit of free time and skills to share flexible work as being crucial to getting more women into senior roles. The survey shows that why not volunteer? Link UP recruits volunteers mums feel flexible working is vital for them to manage work and family life and that 60% of those and works with charities throughout the borough who work flexibly would like even more flexibility. of Wandsworth bringing together individuals who are willing to share their professional skills with How can you persuade your employers to agree to working flexibly? local charities, community groups and social • Think through what the job requires and whether the tasks enterprises that need these skills to make a real you have to perform can be done at a different location ie difference in the Wandsworth community. All of from home, or at times outside of the standard working the volunteers are professionals and whilst some day. Take account of any additional costs or challenges this are in work others are retired, semi-retired or not might involve and discuss them honestly. currently working. • Give examples of the ways in which your work can be The charitable organisations projects are successfully carried out under any new working pattern you structured, have clear start and end dates, are are proposing, and show that it will not harm the business. flexible to fit in with busy lives and are designed to Point out any business advantages. make a difference. Link UP ensures that projects are a good fit for both the organisations and the • Research some case studies, ideally in your sector that volunteers. shows how the work pattern you are suggesting can be mutually beneficial to you and your employer. Link UP has been working on projects including IT, marketing, human resources, research, writing, If managers are dubious, suggest a trial period. Have a strategy development, and web design. compromise solution as a back-up. If you are interested in volunteering, or you are a For more information and flexible work opportunities, visit www.workingmums.co.uk charitable organisation in Wandsworth with a Enrol your project that needs children to a a skilled volunteer, MATHS TOPS POPULARITY POLL FOR FREE Explore please contact CHILDREN Learning trial! info@linkup- New research has shown that when battersea.org it comes to children’s favourite www.linkup-battersea.org subject it’s a numbers game as maths comes out on top. A survey carried by the extra tuition provider, Explore Learning has found that maths was the most enjoyed subject of four to 14 year olds (26%) followed by PE (20%) and art (16%).

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