IN THIS ISSUE ∞ Childcare solutions in school holidays: Camps, Activities and Classes ∞ Demystifying Phonics ∞ What’s On for Families Issue 128 May/June 2019 familiesonline.co.uk WATFORD BUSHEY RICKMANSWORTH M1 STANMORE M25 HATCH END NORTHWOOD EDGWARE HARROW WEALD HAREFIELD PINNER KINGSBURY HARROW WEST RUISLIP HENDON WEMBLEY ICKENHAM DOLLIS HILL SUDBURY PARK NORTHOLT BRONDESBURY PARK WEMBLEY UXBRIDGE A40 QUEENS PARK WILLESDEN KILBURN Welcome to the IN THIS ISSUE: May/June issue! 5. How to turn off screens without a meltdown 6. Demystifying Phonic CONTACT US: 7. How to encourage a love of www.facebook.com/FamiliesNWLondon music Families North West 10. Parenting @FamiliesNWLon 12-15. Childcare in school holidays London Magazine Readership of over 60,000 local parents, carers 17. Local Classes Editors: and teachers every issue. 23. Children’s Theatre Heather Waddington and Janine Mergler Published seven times a year. For families from birth to twelve. P.O. Box 2378, Watford WD18 1RF T: 01923 237 004 UPCOMING ISSUE: E: [email protected] Cover image: July/August 2019 - What to do with the kids this depositphotos.com Listings and Features Editor: summer! Deadline: 1 June 2019 Anna Blackshaw September 2019 – Back to School and Local Clubs E: [email protected] and Classes – Deadline: 10 August 2019 Feature images used under license from www.FamiliesNWLondon.co.uk Send in your news, stories and advertising bookings to depositphotos.com. Other images have been the details left. supplied by independent sources. Where is Families North West London? Families North West London Magazine is part of Families Print Ltd, a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group Families North West London Magazine is distributed are independently owned and operated under licence. Families is bi-monthly throughout north west London. An area a registered trademark of LCMB Ltd, Remenham House, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of bordered by the A40 to the south, by the A5/M1 to the Families NW London Magazine are fully protected by copyright and east and out towards the M25 in the north and west. none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced You can collect a copy FREE from scores of outlets: in any form without prior consent of Families North West London schools, nurseries, play groups, clubs and classes, sports Magazine. Every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine, centres, children’s libraries, family doctors and baby but Families North West London Magazine, its distributors, the franchise company, Families Print Ltd, and LCMB Ltd cannot be held clinics, theatres, your local council offices and children’s responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the shops. If you would like to stock copies to give to contents, or any consequence thereof. parents, please let us know. NEWS North West London women win national NCT New Children’s Garden at the volunteering award Roya Haghighat-Khah and Sinead Walker from North West Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew! London have been highly commended at the national NCT Stars Awards, which fittingly took place at the Space Centre in The Royal Botanic Leicester. Gardens, Kew has Roya and Sinead embarked on its resurrected the long- most ambitious dormant North West design project in London NCT branch. recent years, with They transformed it, the creation of a making it accessible giant new Children’s and appealing to all Garden due to open parents through their to the public on 18 excellent use of social May 2019. Covering media. They have 10,000m², it’s the size shown commitment of nearly 40 tennis to building accessible courts, and has been and inclusive support designed by Kew networks for new garden designers around the elements that plants need to grow: earth, air, parents and parents-to-be in the area. sun and water. Children will be able to play and explore as they wind their way through a landscape filled with over 100 mature trees, discovering In accepting the award, Roya said: “We’re delighted to receive hidden treasures and adventure, and developing their love of nature, plants this award. The revival and growth of our North West London and the outdoors along the way. networks was fuelled by the generosity, enthusiasm and skill of an incredible team of volunteers. Not to mention the copious Suzie Jewell, Children’s Garden Designer, RBG Kew said: “With the amount of support from our local community, and cake, lots of Children’s Garden we really hoped to design and create a unique space it!” for children to play in, that would not only be fun and stimulate their imagination, but also give them a different perspective on how the plants Anyone interested in volunteering for NCT or finding out about grow and why they are so important. I hope that this will lead to a deeper activities and events in their area can contact the local NCT connection with nature and a lifelong love of plants.” branch via NCT’s website or call NCT’s enquiries line on 0300 330 0770. www.kew.org 2 Families North West London familiesonline.co.uk NEWS CCMH Mental health awareness conference for parents and teachers Taking place on Saturday 15 June 2019 at The Child Centre for Mental Health in Islington (N1) the latest conference hosted by Local recruiter celebrates CCMH will address ‘What children and teenagers need to know about life in order to live well’. 12 years of flexible working Through fascinating Ten2Two, local experts in part-time recruitment and flexible film footage and recruitment, is celebrating its twelfth year in business this year. deeply moving case material, teachers Since their launch in 2007, they have seen the employment and parents can landscape shift in favour of more flexible working arrangements learn how to and a greater acceptance from employers that embracing present science flexibility can add value at all levels across an organisation. MD, and psychology- Deborah O’Sullivan says “when we first launched we would have informed key to explain to our clients the various types of working formats information to young people on vital topics such as living with your available and that part-time roles weren’t just for junior positions. emotional brain, why love hurts, how to make up after a row and Now, our clients come to us asking for all levels of candidates knowing your brain chemicals so you can calm down effectively in all sorts of formats from three days per week, five short days, after stressful emotions instead of self-harming or turning to drink remote working or other flexible working formats.” or drugs. Other topics to be covered include what drugs do to your Ten2Two helps mothers (and fathers!) achieve a work-life brain, the key causes of depression and anxiety, how to prevent balance by finding rewarding work with local employers working mental illness, how to keep going when you want to give up, why hours that suit life’s other demands such as the school run or people want to die and why they want to live, what you need to nursery schedule. Their slogan says it all – Drop kids off. Have a know about sexuality and gender, how to manage friendships well career. Pick kids up. They are looking forward to expanding their and how to be a great parent. business reach further during the year. To find out more visit www.childmentalhealthcentre.org. Find out more and register at www.ten2two.org The cost per delegate is £183. familiesonline.co.uk Families North West London 3 NEWS Little feet can make a big Why I love teaching difference this June Perform holiday courses Barnardo’s Big Toddle returns to raise Perform Producer, Gemma Payne, tells Families money for vulnerable children why she loves running Perform’s drama, dance Last year’s Barnardo’s annual and singing holiday courses. Big Toddle fundraiser saw thousands of under-fives take part in short, sponsored “toddles” to raise money for the UK’s largest children’s charity, which supports more than 301,000 children, young people, parents and carers across the UK. The charity is now once again calling for children, families and nurseries to join in the fun this summer as Big Toddle Week returns with an animal theme from June 24th – 30th. Those who register by May 20 will receive a Big Toddle pack containing information and fundraising ideas. To register to hold your own Big Toddle, find out more about the Dudley Zoo Big Toddle or for further information, visit www. bigtoddle.org.uk or call 0800 008 7005. Holidays should be fun and my job is to take the children on a magical adventure they will remember. Together, we work Gujutots celebrates their on songs, dances and character and it’s a joy to see the quieter ones come out of their shell and the bubbly ones become FIRST birthday! focused on learning song lyrics and lines. In the year since Gujutots launched their first class in April 2018 On the last day, there’s a show for friends and family and the hundreds of under 5’s have enjoyed learning Gujarati using this fresh parents are so surprised and proud when they see what their new approach. child has achieved. The children’s faces light up when they The themed, interactive Gujarati classes were started by local mum hear the applause and they know they’ve done a good job as of two, Smitty Hindocha, who spotted a gap in the market. “Parents they run to their families for a cuddle. It’s a busy week but the recognise it can be difficult to speak in Gujarati at home so by attending feeling when you’ve put together something memorable and Gujutots classes, children get an opportunity to practice their Gujarati entertaining for the parents is just magical.