F EASTER 2016 R ISSUE NO. 176 E ESTABLISHED 1996 E

® southeast london familiesse.co.uk

WHERE’S THE BUNNY? Easter egg hunts

IT’S TWINS! A bookful of tips from a local mother

WHAT’S ON Where to go, what to do, what to see in April

online edition with working website links IT’S ALL BONNETS and bunnies this month as we count down to the Easter holidays. With the clocks going forward - hurray more daylight - it’s the perfect time to jump on a bus and go see what London has to offer its younger residents. That, and chocolate eggs are in season in the shops. After a chilly start to Local News l email your news to [email protected] the year, things are looking up. Robina Cowan, editor

IN THIS ISSUE Under 1 Roof in Woolwich Leap year 2016 will be a memorable one for Under 1 Roof Kids as it opened its 2-3 Local News and Views doors in Woolwich at the end A new family centre opens in Woolwich, win theatre tickets, of February. Twist & Pulse visit southeast London, East Dulwich has a A concept yet to be found new nanny agency, and baking for charity elsewhere in the UK for 0-11 year olds, the centre boasts (take a deep breath): a 4-5 Education News children’s theatre, large Literacy and numeracy at home, a cafe club in a school, play café, 84-place nursery, women who Think Big, and safe cycling London themed retail village, sensory room, children’s well-being and therapy room, music room, conference room, co-working space and networking room, children’s-only hair salon, preschool soft play studio and a messy play room - phew! l6 Easter Workshops and Daycamps Providing services for all the family and minimising the shuttling between Childcare, activities and workshops to brighten up the classes and events that many parents give their time to, there will be a full holidays schedule of activities seven days a week with themed events and children’s shows every weekend. An extensive education programme is in place for schools to come and use the facilities and Under 1 Roof will host its own Kids Council once a month to make sure the really important people are involved in 7 Great Easter Egg Hunts key decisions. The nursery children have access to all of the bespoke provision How to organise your own - and chocolatey events in and on site ensuring no two days at nursery will be the same! around southeast London The centre welcomes families of all shapes, sizes and origin. It was important to the founders that Under 1 Roof was set up in Woolwich. Many family services are centred in south west London and as southeast Londoners, they wanted to l8 It’s a Nutty Life! fill a gap locally. With the closure of Sure Start Centres and threats to the library Nutty’s Children’s Parties will be ten years old this year - we services, the need for high-quality children’s services is increasing. Woolwich chat to founder Danny Nutt - plus goody bags to be won itself is a vibrant, mixed and ever-developing community, which fits perfectly with the centre’s ethos. Unlike other large family attractions, Under 1 Roof strives to be innovative and offer unique, high-quality provision at affordable prices ensuring that everyone feels welcome. It’s free to come in to enjoy the 9 It’s Twins - Now What? community and events and then choose how you spend your money in the Local author (and mother of twins) Jessica Bomford on life shops, café and scheduled sessions. with twins Under 1 Roof was founded by three close friends, all of whom already run l their own established children’s businesses. Anne-Marie Martin the owner of diddi dance, preschool dance specialists, now owns 41 franchises across the LO UK. She is mum to Bobby and Lily and sits on the board of many advisory 10 The Book Page panels into franchising and children’s activity standards. Laura Sydonie runs Justine Crow’s review of new books for children and Theatre tots, early years drama specialists, with branches in the UK, USA and parents, for spring China. Laura has three boys, Jack, Tobias and Sidney and also works as an educational consultant and writer - she is currently working on a commission for

Shakespeare 400 for The National Archives of Great Britain. Matt Milchard is the director of Pyramid and has a martial arts gym onsite at Under 1 Roof, which will 11- 15 W hat’s On

Wonderful family events, shows and creative workshops

t o en joy in April

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2 families south east - april 2016 familiesse.co.uk run classes for parents and children. He is dad to Oliver and India and also runs Just Kids Parties, WIN tickets to see James and the whose clients includes Bank of America, Mattel and Giant Peach at Greenwich Theatre Variety Club Children’s charity. Roald Dahl’s classic James and the Giant Peach is coming to Anne-Marie told Families : “Under 1 Roof will be Greenwich Theatre from 21-24 April prior to a worldwide tour - and a unique centre for families and children based in you could win tickets for you and your family. southeast London. Time is precious and parents Produced by Sell A Door Theatre Company, James and the Giant can often have to spend time going from one place Peach tells of an English orphan boy called James Henry Trotter who to next to cater for the needs of their child. We enters a gigantic, magical peach and has a wild, surreal cross-world understand those needs and have created an adventure with seven magically-altered garden bugs he meets along environment ideal for children, which will take the the way. strain away for parents.” This is a show about an ordinary boy on one extraordinary Under 1 Roof opened its doors at Royal adventure, and is perfect for all the family. Morning, afternoon and Arsenal Riverside in Woolwich on 27 February. evening performances available, tickets from £15. For bookings, call Find out more at www.under1roofkids.com. 020 8858 7755 or book online at www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk. For your chance to win a family ticket for four, click ‘competitions’ on our website Meet Tony Bradman www.familiesse.co.uk before the 31 March dealine - good luck! On Shakespeare’s birthday the great Tony Bradman BGT runners-up visit SE London theatre school will be visiting the Bookseller Crow at 50 Westow Street, Crystal Palace. A very chuffed Justine told Freedom Academy students aged 7 to 18 were given fantastic guest us: “He will be at the workshops from Britain’s Got Talent runners-up Twist and Pulse. Bookseller Crow on the The duo ran two street style workshops at Freedom Academy’s East Hill from 11am onwards Dulwich venue which incorporated their unique and challenging moves. on Saturday 23 April, Principal Katherine Henry said: “Twist & Pulse visited us as part of our Spring signing & reading The technique term. The guys were a real inspiration to our students and having Boy and the Globe , gained places at Brit School where many of our students also go on to train, (Barrington Stoke, they were full of advice for our budding performers, and fantastic role models.” £5.99), his novel for For more information on Freedom Academy’s performing arts classes, visit youngsters set during www.freedomacademy.co.uk. Shakespeare’s time at the famous theatre in London, and all Bake & Brew for the Children’s Society day long there will be Easter is a great time to head to the kitchen, bake Easter treats with your children, and raise money for a tragedy & comedy mask making great cause at the same time. and other thespy art activities with our shop That’s what young pupils at London-based J’s Dance Factory are doing to show their support for artist-in-residence, David Vallade.” Check a national children’s charity. www.booksellercrow.co.uk for details. A group of young dancers have rolled up their sleeves to support The Children’s Society’s baking The Bookseller’s Association will be running a campaign. ‘Bake & Brew’ encourages children and parents to bake together and raise money for vulnerable The Bard is My Bag campaign too with brilliant children during the school holidays. special edition tote-bags to win and take home with Six-year-old dance student Dylan from Lewisham, was new to the kitchen, but loved making chocolate every purchase. nests: “Runny chocolate is really yummy. But the best bit was licking the spoon. The Easter biscuits looked so good - my mum loved them.” Abbeville Nannies comes Company founder Jessica Elliott is enthusiastic about the project. She commented: “J’s Dance Factory was to East Dulwich founded on my desire to make a social contribution and help children from all backgrounds have the same chance Abbeville Nannies have opened a new office in East to succeed.” Dulwich, in response to increasing demand for The Children’s Society’s resident baker Owain has nannies and mothers’ helps in the SE London area. shared some of his tips, and simple recipes for Simnel Established in 2001, the agency offers a Cake, Easter Nests and Easter Biscuits. professional and friendly service for families based For these and everything you need to organise your own in south west and south east London. This includes fundraising event, see www.childrenssociety.org.uk/bake. nannies, mother’s helps, maternity nurses and nannies, night nannies, temporary nannies and evening babysitters. The agency helps with all types of childcare including full-time, part-time, permanent, temporary, daily and live-in. The new office is at 17-19 Blackwater Street SE22 8SD. For more information, see www.abbevillenannies.co.uk or telephone 020 7720 1144.

W OW SH E S LIIV L 17-19 Blackw ater Street East Dulwich SE22 8SD THU 21 APRIL – SUN 24TH APRIL 020 8858 4447 | greenwichtheatre.org.uk 020 7720 1144

familiesse.co.uk april 2016 - families south east 3 leduclation newls lllll How to boost your child’s literacy and numeracy Inspiring tuition - free trial By Liat Hughes Joshi session Literacy and numeracy are central to your child’s Reading and Explore Learning learning in primary school and will underpin many aspects of centres provide of the subjects they’ll cover during their secondary numeracy maths and English education. They are of course crucial to later life too. are both tuition for 5 to 14 Whether they’re already acing their algebra or still typically year olds of all struggling with basic sums, here are some ideas on taught quite abilities, and are how to give these key skills a boost. differently open seven days from when a week to fit into A little extra learning at home can work most of us were children, so do attend any busy family life. wonders... but don’t go overboard! curriculum information evenings the school holds, As Explore Realistically, it isn’t always possible for teaching staff or ask their teacher for more information about members, children in busy classrooms of 30 pupils to provide the methods. work with tutors one-on-one attention children benefit from - perhaps who are great looking at improving handwriting or listening to Employ tech to your advantage educational role models, enthusiastic about reading daily. By sitting with your child and working There are some brilliant educational apps and learning and fantastic motivators. Each child has on specific areas, you can make a huge difference websites out there with masses of kid appeal. Try to an individualised learning programme, and all to their attainment. Keep it sensible though - even find ones which align with the National Curriculum Explore courses map to the National Curriculum. just ten or fifteen minutes a day for Key Stage 1 (or at least use British English to avoid conflict with There are Explore Learning centres in Greenwich, children can have an impact, yet still leaves hours what’s done at school). New Cross Gate, Sydenham and Brixton. To find out and hours for Lego building, climbing trees or Many of the best apps have an inbuilt system of how your child can benefit from membership, read playing with friends. rewards and some even provide parents with more and book a free trial at progress reports. Find some recommendations www.explorelearning.co.uk. Find out about the methods their school uses at http://bit.ly/1MCPkSu. to ensure consistency If you want to do some work at home, it will help Liat Hughes Joshi is a parenting journalist and the your son or daughter greatly if the methods you author of four books including New Old-fashioned Think Big launches in use are consistent with those they’re being taught Parenting and How to Unplug Your Child (both south London at school - otherwise you can do more harm than published by Summersdale) and Raising Children: good by confusing them. The Primary Years (Pearson). Think Big is a new voluntary project run by a community of female Top tips to get your child walking or cycling business owners in and Big Pedal 2016 to school: around East Dulwich. The 2016 Big Pedal • Plan your route together in advance, finding Think Big held its runs from 18-29 quieter roads and cycle paths wherever possible launch at the beginning April. Run by of March at Elm Green • Practise the journey at the weekend when the Sustrans, this year School in Tulse Hill, where roads are likely to be quieter the charity is looking entrepreneurial project to parents to be • Make sure your child’s bike fits and that all your volunteers encouraged sixth formers to think about involved as well. bikes are roadworthy what young women can achieve. Drawing on their The competition is own experiences, the speakers discussed how the UK’s largest inter-school cycling and scooting • If you’re on the road with children, take up a young women today can empower themselves to competition - last year’s participants travelled position behind them as you’re likely to be more create their own work by being adaptable and over three million miles on their bikes and scooters; visible to anyone approaching. If there are two spotting opportunities. equivalent to 15 trips to the moon. adults in your group, it’s a good idea to have Clare Empson, founder of Think Big Project said, Big Pedal aims to help parents and teachers plan one at the back and one in front of the children “I know so many women who are running their own their journeys to school on bikes and scooters and • Look into local cycle training schemes to help successful businesses, some after working for beyond. children develop skills and increase their larger organisations, and the Think Big Project is Felix Hilton, Sustrans’ senior project officer has confidence on the roads. looking to inspire the next generation of female worked in schools promoting cycling for over ten entrepreneurs by sharing our paths to where we years. He said: “Cycling with your children can be Sustrans runs the Big Pedal to encourage are now. We’d like to show them that life may take incredibly rewarding, not only for you but for them children and parents to travel to school in ways that them in all sorts of positive directions they may not as well. They will pick up on your enthusiasm and are healthy, better for the environment and that help have thought about if they are willing to take the your confidence helps to build theirs. It’s also reduce congestion at the school gates. opportunities out there.” incredibly fun and great exercise, and by introducing Visit www.sustrans.org.uk/bigpedal for more Read more at www.thinkbigproject.uk or on your children to the excitement of cycling you’re information on cycling with children - such as what Twitter @inspirethinkbig. Think Big Project is a not providing them with an invaluable life skill.” to look for when buying a bike, and safety tips. for profit organisation, supported by Daisy Lets.

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4 families south east - april 2016 familiesse.co.uk llllllll The “private school effect” Attending an independent school in England puts pupils ahead academically at the age of four, eight, 10 and 16, according to newly-published research. The ‘academic value added’ report by the Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) at Durham University, is the first of its type. It looks at the differences in attainment between pupils who are educated in independent and state schools from junior or prep school through to GCSE, controlling for differences such as prior ability, socio-economic status and gender. Saturday café shop & drop Professor Robert Coe, one of the researchers at Charlton Manor primary school has set up a Saturday café club where local CEM at Durham University who contributed to the parents can drop off their children for a few hours to play and enjoy a healthy study, said: “It is always difficult to unpick the causes lunch while they shop or tackle their weekend tasks. of any differences, and we think it is unlikely to be The club is run by Blessing Mayomi, who runs the school’s crèche and purely an effect of better teaching in independent after-school club. Headteacher Tim Baker told Families : “We’re giving the schools, but we find a clear and significant difference in the GCSEs achieved children activities while they are here and will also provide a cheap healthy that is not explained by any of the factors we can account for.” To read more on lunch.” the report, go to www.isc.co.uk. Charlton Manor is an award-winning primary school for 3 - 11 year olds. The It is estimated that around one in 10 London pupils attend independent school’s innovative curriculum includes a child-led school bank, a ‘history street’ schools, many of which offer scholarships and bursaries to make the fees more comparing different periods of history up to the present day, and a child-led affordable. For southeast London contacts, admissions criteria and open day news team, radio station, YouTube channel and newspaper. The school is dates, go to http://bit.ly/1RCRgtJ. passionate about gardening and outdoor learning, involving all pupils in the outdoor environment and especially in their multi-award winning secret garden where pupils have the opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of the www.thameschristiancollege.org.uk outside world, prepare for events such as the Chelsea Flower Show, learn bee-keeping skills and care for chickens. Cooking, healthy eating and making healthy choices are part of the curriculum and all pupils are inspired to make healthy choices and all learn to cook in the state-of-the-art teaching kitchen, led and supported by two teaching chefs. Charlton Manor has been awarded the International School Award by the British Council for its impressive partnerships with other schools around the world and the way in which they bring the outside world into the classroom - and we can see why. The café is open from 10am to 2pm every Saturday at the school in Indus Road where a child’s healthy lunch is £8. For more information, call the school Smaller school. on 020 8856 6525 or see www.charltonmanorprimary.co.uk. Bigger opportunities. Personal attention. Great results. Affordable. Scholarships available

OPEN MORNING WEDNESDAY 27 th APRIL 11.00-13.00

For full list of open mornings, enrolment and fee details contact 020 7228 3933 Thames Christian College, London SW11 2HB. Five minutes’ walk from Clapham Junction.

Developing independent thinkers and learners

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Register for Open Days www.schs.gdst.net For an individual tour please contact us on 020 8674 6912 or email [email protected]

Streatham & Clapham Preparatory School Nursery and Prep School (girls 3-11) Wavertree Road, SW2 3SR 020 8674 6912 [email protected]

familiesse.co.uk april 2016 - families south east 5 l lllllll Easter Holiday workshops and daycamps

SPARK4KIDS CODING WORKSHOPS TENNIS-4-KIDS Easter Holiday coding workshops in DULWICH, 020 8090 1444, 29 March - 1 April and 4-7 April in EAST DULWICH, 07877 391005, www.spark4kids.com www.tennis-4-kids.com Spark4Kids holiday workshops are designed to teach robotics, coding, Rally round for a smashing time learning to play tennis with other children. electronics, games development, touch-typing as well as Minecraft in a fun, Tennis-4-Kids run mini sessions giving children lots of fun learning basic to Tiny Tots Little Aces Junior Champs Grand Slammers engaging environment. Ages 5-7 and 8+. Term-time classes are also advanced skills. The friendly coaches run small groups for 3-11 year-olds age 2.5-3 age 3-4 age 5-7 age 8-11 available - see website for details. from beginners to Grandslammers, with all equipment provided. Term times fun filled tennis games and activities indoors sessions available too. with sponge balls and mini tennis rackets DOWNHAM HEALTH & LEISURE FUNKY MONKEY KEYBOARD’S ‘ONE CENTRE HIT WONDER’ HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS FREE introductory session 7-9 Moorside Road, Bromley BR1 5EP, 020 8461 9200, www.1life.co.uk 4-8 April in Beckenham, Herne Hill & Sydenham, 0800 107 7949, or find Downham at www.fitforsport.co.uk phone 07877 391005 www.funkymonkey.info ACTIVITY CAMP. Fit for Sport’s Ofsted-registered holiday childcare activity Learn how to read, write and play notes C-A and try some famous tunes in www.tennis-4-kids.com camps are designed to engage and educate children through activity, with small groups of up to 10 children. Introduction to theory, keyboard games, email: [email protected] swimming, ballgames, active challenges and arts and crafts based on quizzes and art activities all based around music. 10am-12.30pm, ages seasonal themes. Ages 4-12 years, standard 9.30am-4.30pm days can 5-9 years. £110 for the week (£105 siblings) includes all equipment, mid be extended from 8.30am-5.30pm. For full details and bookings, see morning snack and workbook to take home. www.fitforsport.co.uk or call 0845 456 3233. FOOTBALL CAMP. Crystal Palace Football Club host football camps at MAGPIE DANCE EASTER SCHOOL Downham Health & Leisure Centre during the school holidays for 5-12 year 6-8 April, CHURCHILL THEATRE, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA, olds. Learn football skills and techniques as well as playing games and 020 8290 6633, www.magpiedance.org.uk/easter-school tournaments. The days run from 10-3pm, you can book daily or as a week. Magpie’s annual Easter School enables young people with learning For more information email [email protected] or to book call disabilities to explore creative movement and related arts in a supportive, 020 8461 9200. safe and stimulating atmosphere. All Magpie Dance Youth Group activities SWIMMING LESSON CRASH COURSES. During the school holidays are carried out in a clear, understandable, open and fair way, with the children can improve their swimming skills by taking part in intensive young people fully involved in their planning, execution and evaluation. week-long courses for half an hour each day. For more information email These creative sessions are fun, a way to make friends and no previous [email protected] or call 020 8461 9200. dance experience is necessary! Ages 9-15 and 16-25 years, £20 per day. SWIMMING POOL INFLATABLE SESSIONS. Throughout the school FIRST HAND EXPERIENCES ‘WAKE holidays, and every weekend the giant pool inflatable is available for UP!’ EASTER HOLIDAY DAY CAMPS children from 8-15 year olds for only £2.90 per session. 29 March - 1 April and 4-8 April, GREENWICH STEINER SCHOOL, Woodlands, 90 Mycenae Road SE3 7SE, 01843 652 833, email SUPER CAMPS [email protected], www.firsthandexperiences.co.uk 29 March - 8 April, Various venues including Blackheath High School in First Hand Experiences’ children’s camps, parties, clubs and sleep away BLACKHEATH, St Dunstan’s School in CATFORD and Dunraven School in adventures explore seasonal, nature based themes that celebrate the STREATHAM, 01235 467300, www.supercamps.co.uk natural world. Camps run from 9am-3.30pm each day, from £140 for a full Super Camps run multi-activity, Ofsted-registered daycamps designed to week, sibling discounts and half days for 4 year-olds available. offer holiday childcare to parents while appealing to children of all types OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Celebrate the coming of Spring with trips to and ages. Each child explores and experiences a daily schedule of different London’s wild green spaces, forests and local working farms. activities with others their own age, under the guidance of superbly-trained HEALTHY WHOLE FOOD Freshly prepared picnic lunches, gardening staff. The venues offer sports, outdoor and indoor games, arts and crafts and cooking. activities. Ages 4-14 years, 8am-6pm, bookings available by day from ART & CRAFT Back at the base, revive traditional arts & crafts with a £37.60 or £188 for a week days. modern twist MUSIC, GAMES & THEATRE Original songs, immersive theatre, games INTENSIVE TOUCH TYPING and laughter! School holidays and termtime classes in SYDENHAM, 020 7515 1707, www.yes-tuitionandtraining.co.uk SOUTH EAST LONDON TENNIS Learn a new skill with a touch typing courses run by YES. Children find EASTER TENNIS CAMPS them fun, and they work - most children are tapping away proficiently in 29 March - 1 April and 5-8 April in CATFORD, 0773 993 6999, email just ten hours. Sessions can be booked to fit around other holiday [email protected], www.southeastlondontennis.com commitments so children can progress at their own pace. Four-day group activities with professional coaches in weekly blocks. i Each session includes tennis coaching, games and other team events, didd ® THE HIVE OUTDOOR MISSIONS with a mini tournament at the end of each week. Facilities are available for nce 21 -29 March at ELTHAM COLLEGE, 020 3435 6848, wet-weather activities if necessary. Beginners and improvers welcome. da s hool dance classe www.thehive-kids.com 4 to 6 year olds, Catford Wanderers Tennis Club, 9.30am- 11.30am, £30 for funky presc boys for girls and Sign up for a week of amazing outdoor missions, with not one but five to a four day course or £10 per day. choose from! Explore habitats, conservation and biology to defeat an 7 to 10 year olds, Prendergast Playing Fields SE6, 9am-12pm, £45 for a eco-hating scientist group; Learn to make cosmetics, dyes and magic 4 day course or £15 per day. potions by mixing science with herbs, flowers and essential oils; Follow a 11 to 15 year olds, Catford Wanderers Tennis Club, 1-4pm, £45 for a 4 day pirate map to find lost jewels; Build amazing dens, go on quests, light fires, parties course or £15 per day. nurseries and make your own adventures into amazing stories; or Design and craft classes your very own bow and arrows like a traditional archer, then them with a 1 mix of target and distance practice! Ages 5 ⁄2 to 11 years, bookable by day or full week. l origina sic 16 danc fun and mu e s relaxed tyles iPREP TUITION: COMPREHENSION AND classes across CREATIVE WRITING South East London WORKSHOPS 4-6 April in DULWICH, 020 7733 1416, SE1 - SE18 call Anne-Marie: 07973 982790 www.ipreptutoringuk.com SE19 - SE27 call Nicola: 07832 913282 iPrep Tutoring holiday workshops ww w.di dd i d a n ce. com are designed to provide children with the opportunity to hone their exam techniques whilst improving their comprehension and creative writing skills. This workshop is suitable for children in years 4, 5 and 6 as well as for those preparing for 11+examinations. The three day workshop runs from 10am-1pm each day and costs £135 per child. Term time workshops are also available. See website for more details.

6 families south east - april 2016 familiesse.co.uk llllllll

Some ground rules The Great Easter Egg Hunt So that the children all feel they have been By Sally J. Hall treated fairly and for safety, it’s important to Easter means different things to different Some nice ideas to do the day before, have some rules: people. But for the kids it is quite simple; it especially if it’s raining • When they have collected three eggs, they must means time off school and plenty of Easter Get the children to decorate the holders they will come back to ‘base’ before going off again eggs! So why not organise an Easter Egg Hunt collect the eggs in. Decorate paper bags, line • Give the kids clear boundaries that they must with your children and their friends? baskets with straw and tie on a ribbon and add not stray outside. If you’re outdoors, place small Here’s how to make this year’s Easter’s egg a label with the child’s name on it to the pots. kids with grown-ups or older children for safety hunt one that will be talked about for years to • Help kids get a fair share by collecting different come. Where can you do an Easter Egg hunt? colour eggs each - wrap them in coloured At home, inside the house. Great if the weather’s paper. Make those for the small kids easier What is an Easter Egg Hunt? bad. Lock rooms that you don’t want the children in. to spot The day before Easter Sunday, the grown-ups hide In the garden. If it’s fine, this is ideal. Put the eggs • Get older children to help younger ones eggs and other treats around the house. Then the out in the morning. Why not make bunny footprints • Don’t allow the kids to eat the eggs as they find kids have to find them on Easter morning. For many from flour or talc near each hidden egg? them - they have to bring them all back to base parents, the planning is almost as much fun as • Once the game is over, allow them to eat one or watching the kids finding the eggs and you can Make it better two and then the rest should be taken home. make it as simple or as complex as you like. Make it more fun with activities along the way. Tell an Easter themed story, or play some games. First, the shopping list Sally J. Hall is a writer and editor who has • Buy a few eggs per child. Look for packs that Give us a clue written for all the main parenting titles as are cheaper than individual eggs Add an extra dimension with clues. You could well as The Independent and The Mail . • Find holders for the children to collect the eggs also make a treasure map for them to follow. She is author of Eco Baby and in such as paper bags, baskets plastic bowls or Think of a theme; numbered contributing author to Watch My Baby flower pots pictures of bunnies, pirates Grow (Dorling Kindersley). • Perhaps buy some small gifts as well as eggs - looking for buried treasure, books or colouring pens fairies looking for • Make a list of where you have hidden all the magic eggs. eggs.

LONDON WETLAND Hunting out and about CENTRE 25 March - 10 April, Queen Elizabeth’s You don’t need to go far to find where the Walk, Barnes SW13 9WT, 020 8409 4400, Easter Bunny has planned trails and www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/london Spring is a wonderful time to visit WWT Easter Egg hunts - here are some London Wetland Centre as new life favourites. For plenty more around is bursting out all around with babies, bugs and buds in abundance. Open southeast London and Kent, see our from 9.30am. Family tickets £32.94 web listings at www.familiesse.co.uk. online, valid for up to 6 months. LONDON WETLAND CENTRE GIANT EASTER DUCK HUNT, 25 March - 10 April. Some giant rubber EASTER BONNET PARADE HORNIMAN MUSEUM AND GARDENS ducks are playing hide-and-seek at the WWT Wetland Centre this Easter - 26 March, SYDENHAM HIGH STREET SE26 30 March - 10 April, HORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London can you find them all? Pick up an activity sheet and set off to find these Road, Forest Hill SE23, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk rubbery yellow visitors. There are prizes and yummy treats to be won, The fun starts at Here For Good community centre, 17 Sydenham Road, as well as a certificate for taking part. Trail £1. where under 10s can make an Easter bonnet from 12noon and 2pm. EASTER FAIR, 26 + 27 March. Hop around the gardens with the While you’re there, why not make your own Lego brick duckling to take This will be followed by a parade along the high street with participating Horniman Bunny, go on an Easter Egg trail, take part in craft activities, home as a fantastic souvenir; £5. stores offering mini Easter eggs to the children until 3pm. discover what’s in the arts and crafts market, and enjoy food and drink, GREENWICH MARKET and more. 10.30am-4.30pm. Free and fabulous craft activities inspired by springtime and Easter. FULHAM PALACE EASTER TRAIL GREENWICH MARKET SE10 9HZ, 020 8269 5096, 27+28 March, FULHAM PALACE, Bishops Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA, Different activities each day include Easter Bunny Messengers, Pecking www.greenwichmarketlondon.com 020 7736 3233, www.fulhampalace.org Hens, Bee Headdresses and Leafy Plant Masks. Discover London’s only historic market set within a World Heritage site Search around the museum and garden for clues that will lead you to a chocolate FAMILY ART FUN: 28 March - 8 April where you’re sure to find something different. Enjoy a relaxing day out prize. 1-3.30pm, no booking necessary, suitable for ages 2+, £2 per child. with a great choice of take away food from the market and a range of except Wednesdays and weekends. Easter holiday craft activities cafes, restaurants, gastro pubs and wine bars within an easy stroll. inspired by the Dinosaurs: Monster Open 10am-5.30pm Tuesdays to Sundays, with many market shops Families exhibition, and the beginning and pubs open all week. of Spring. 11am-2.45pm, free ticketed event. EGGSTRAORDINARY FUN, 25 -29 March. Decorate your own chocolate Easter Eggs, shop for hot cross buns, Simnel cakes and EGGSTRAVAGANZA, 30 March. A day ethically sourced, sugar free eggs by Blowing Dandelion. Open of activities about eggs and egg-laying 10.30am-5pm. animals. Decorate your own egg, see extraordinary eggs from the museum’s BLACKHEATH MORRIS MEN, 28 March. Enjoy a display of traditional handling collection, take part in an egg Morris dancing in the afternoon including the annual Easter lifting event and spoon race and enjoy Easter themed Camps - Clubs - Sleep Away Adventures when the dancers raise a girl in the chair. folk dancing. 11am-3.30pm. EASTER ABOARD THE CUTTY SARK 25-28 April, CUTTY SARK, King William Walk , Greenwich, KEW: CHOCOLATE London SE10 9HT, 020 8858 442, www.rmg.co.u k SENSATIONS Cutty Sark’s chickens have been laying their eggs in some strange 21 March - 10 April, ROYAL BOTANICAL places, how many can you spot around the ship? Join in the hunt for GARDENS, Brentford Gate, Kew, a chance to win a family ticket to Camp Bestival! Included in Cutty Sark London TW9 3AB, 020 8332 5655, admission price. www.kew.org Celebrating the Natural World! This Easter, activities at Kew will be all about BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM: chocolate, exploring the journey from cacao EASTER ADVENTURE tree to our favourite sweet treat. Chocolate 19 March - 8 April, BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, Sensations runs in collaboration with Lindt. London EC2R, 020 7601 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum Open daily from 10am, entry included with HealthyWhole Food - Art and Craft - Follow the trail to find the chicks and egg hidden in the museum - there day admission. Music, Games & Theatre - Outdoor Adventure is a chocolate egg for every child. Then colour in an Easter animal mask to take home. 10am-4.30pm. EASTER EGG HUNT Fulham -Wembley Park - Greenwich THE LONDON EYE AT SEVERNDROOG 5-21 April, LONDON EYE, County Hall, South Bank SE1 7BP, 3 April, SEVERNDROOG CASTLE, www.firsthandexperiences.co.uk 0871 781 3000, www.londoneye.com Castle Wood, Shooters Hill, SE18 3RT, www.severndroogcastle.org.uk Pick up an activity pack bursting with fun tasks and help Edwin the [email protected] Easter Bunny find his bunny pals (and tasty Lindt chocolate treats). A hunt plus storytelling and crafts. T. 0 1843 652 833 Ages 4-9. 12.30-4.30pm

familiesse.co.uk april 2016 - families south east 7 It’s a Nutty Life!

Southeast London’s Danny Nutt is a seasoned COMPETITION: Win one of 3 x Nutty’s goody bags! actor, voice-over artist, DJ and children’s party Items include: a Nutty’s CD filled with 9 original party entertainer with his own 8 and 6 year-old children: songs, a pirate eyepatch, Nutty’s stickers and a super how fun must playdates be when his children’s hero treasure hunt pack that they use for their party friends come home for tea - we suspect a lot! bags. To win one, simply answer the following Danny owns and runs Nutty’s Children’s Parties, question: “What are the names of the two spin-off which offer a variety of fun-packed Adventure Adventure Party themes for popular Nutty’s character, So yes, I’ve definitely noticed a surge in interest of Parties, discos, drama workshop parties, football Explorer Dan?” (Need help? Sneak a peak at our Princess Adventure, for example, as a result of parties and holiday workshops for 3-11 year-olds. www.nuttyschildrensparties.co.uk). the hit Disney film, Frozen. Also, Danijel The Space All parties are run by experienced, professional Email your answers to Warrior - our Star Wars friendly theme. The latter has actors and most themes can be catered for. Their [email protected]. been particularly popular recently since the release huge roster of themes and original characters The first three correct winners picked at random of The Force Awakens. Which is great as I love Star include: Pirate Dan’s Treasure Hunt, The Princess on Friday 15 April will win. Wars and so do most of the guys who work for me! Adventure (for fans of Frozen) Danijel The Space Warrior (for fans of Star Wars), Wizard Dee (for fans of Harry Potter) plus many more. Do you enjoy running your own business - Acting professional, party supremo and holiday With Nutty’s Parties turning 10 years old this and why? workshops for children - what are your plans summer, Families caught up with Danny to discuss DN: Yes, definitely. Despite dealing with all the for the next 10 years? how he feels about reaching this milestone. bookings, creating new characters, doing the DN: The main thing with regards to Nutty’s is to marketing, sourcing costumes and props, having keep children happy, build our client base and have What inspired you to set up Nutty’s Children’s regular rehearsals with my team, meetings, running a great time. We cover the whole of London (and Parties in the first place? parties myself, etc (apart from a part time assistant) also have a small team in Newcastle Upon Tyne). DN: I used to work for a couple of kids’ parties - I love it as I have complete creative control. This is We also want to build on more of the extras we offer companies on an ad hoc basis in between acting really important to me. As an actor alone, it can be - like party bags - and take the concept to other jobs. I really enjoyed it and realised at that point that really frustrating, going for auditions, constant areas of the UK - such as Manchester and Bristol. I loved working with children. After landing a lovely rejection, waiting for the phone to ring from your We will also run more holiday workshops to focus on theatre role in faraway Plymouth, I had to pull out agent - you really don’t have any control. I think the drama aspects of what we offer. of a couple of bookings I had lined up and when I actors are being more and more self-motivated to From a personal level, I want to have more returned, there was no work for me. My mum one do other things nowadays and using their creativity control over the acting work I do and I definitely day said, ‘why don’t you set up a children’s parties in different ways. want to make more short films. (Danny recently company on your own?’ After careful thought about wrote, co-directed and starred in a short film called the pitfalls, lack of security and control within the Fun never goes out of fashion, but have you ‘Forward To The Past’ which is due to hit the festival acting profession, I decided to give it a go. After a seen big changes in party theme requests circuit this year). I’ve also always loved singing year of doing a few parties here and there, I was since 2006? and songwriting and, apart from the original songs about to be a father myself and thought - I can’t go DN: At Nutty’s we pride ourselves on our original I perform at parties and on the CD, I would love to off doing theatre tours for long periods of time on characters and stories. It really seems to help do more ‘grown-up’ songwriting and record an low pay and miss my child growing up - so I spent capture the kids’ imaginations more effectively. album one day. I’m 40 now, but as I always say to more time on building up the business and the rest However, we’re also aware that there are some myself- ‘it’s never too late’... Ultimately, I want to is history... rather popular films out there which we can’t ignore! continue to be my own boss, as I absolutely love it.

8 families south east - april 2016 familiesse.co.uk Family life lfamily llife llllll How to parent twins by Jessica Bomford Twins attract an immense amount of interest from strangers, friends and family alike. As their parents, it is a great privilege to watch their relationship develop and to see their personalities blossom. But behind the cuteness is a lot of hard work - from coping with the double demands of two newborn babies to ensuring that your lovely twins are happy individuals too. How to parent twins is a never-ending question, but here are a few starter suggestions: Covering London and Surrey Be flexible If you need help finding your Caring for newborn twins is exhausting. Don’t beat yourself up if things haven’t worked out as you perfect Nanny please call us on imagined. Your birth plan may have been abandoned, Write down the details 0208 777 4211 or you may not be feeding your babies in the way that As your twins get older, they will love to hear All our nannies are personally interviewed you’d planned. This does not mean you’re a failure, it anecdotes about themselves as babies. So make and background checked to meet just shows the need to be flexible in the face of reality. sure you have a few special, individual stories to tell our strict requirements. If you are giving your babies love, milk, lots of cuddles them. Keep a notebook to jot down a few funny things Registration is free with a low placement and a regular change of nappy then you are doing or milestone moments that each child says and does fee payable once a nanny has been placed a brilliant job and deserve a pat on the back. Be - the memory of those early years blurs very quickly. with your family. confident in the choices you’ve made. This is a Make sure you label your photos too, particularly if special time of bonding with your twins, try not to your twins are identical. let guilt or regret muscle in on the act. www.nannybank.co.uk Find twin buddies Dealing with celebrity Having twins is a very special parental privilege, status but it can sometimes feel a bit lonely. Often, family For most of their lives, twins will be asked about their and friends don’t really get how different caring for relationship by curious strangers and friends. Parents twins can be and, with two babies to organise, it can field most of these questions initially, but as they get be difficult simply to get out of the house. Finding older your twins will become aware of the attention. other parents of twins can be a life saver. Try local Some observations can be insensitive (“I can tell them groups such as Dulwich and District Twins Club, apart! He’s got a fatter face.”) or plain annoying which organises park meet ups, a playgroup and (“Are they telepathic?”). As they get older, talk to your regular nearly new sales; or the weekly playgroup children about some of the things strangers say and hosted by SE23 Twins. Here you will find like-minded help them understand why people are so interested in parents who not only make you feel normal for a twins. Remind each child that they have so much while, and can also give you invaluable advice and more to offer than simply being twins. reassurance. Stress? Anxiety? Twins are special - and so Fatigue? Insomnia? Treat your twins as Tailored care from our mind and are you body team individuals When you are having a bad day, the last thing you feel The Vale Practice Counselling, Acupuncture, Osteopathy, Although many people will not be able to tell your like doing is to stop and give a cheesy thumbs up to Cranial Osteopathy, Nutrition, Massage, Reflexology children apart (and even non-identical twins can have the two tiny tyrants who are depriving you of sleep and much more... this problem), your twins are different people with and sanity. Parenting twins may be the hardest and 64 Grove Vale, London SE22 8DT their own personalities. The more you recognise and most rewarding job you will ever do, so make sure T. 020 8299 9798 E. [email protected] nurture this, the more others will follow your lead. It is you take a step back every now and then to remind really hard to chisel out one-on-one time with each yourself of the good bits and of how far you’ve all www.thevalepractice.co.uk twin, but try to maximise the chances you get for eye come. contact and “chats” at nappy changing and feeding times. About the author Jessica Bomford lives in Forest Hill and is a journalist, author and mother of three boys, two of whom are identical twins. Babysitting Based on first hand and Flexible Childcare experience, her book It’s Twins! Now What? rrp £9.99 S is newly published by 100% DB D CHECKE Summersdale and is available CARERS CHILD NEW- dow from independent bookshops nload our free babysitting including Kirkdale Bookshop • Babysitting app! in Sydenham. • Flexible Daytime Childcare READER OFFER: We have two copies of • Temporary Nannies Jessica’s book to give away to readers. Email • Part Time Nannies [email protected] with ‘Twins’ in the • PHeorlmidaanye Nnat nNnainens ies subject line before 31 March 2016, when we will pull two names out of our Easter bonnet. 0844 879 7189 www.likeminders.co.uk

familiesse.co.uk april 2016 - families south east 9 The Bookseller Crow is a fantastic, volume stuffed shop run by some of the most knowledgeable bookworms in the business. Call in for the feel of a real bookshop, or if you’re too busy, pick up the phone or point your mouse at their website for a fast mailorder service. Justine Crow recommends this month’s best titles.

I know it is hard for you to believe that I have a child at university now - how can world beyond the living room and has much to say on everything someone who looks so young etc etc? Personally, I still can’t get my head around the from snail trails on the ground to the trails of the stars above. fact that my hippy genes actually produced a real student. Most of my close family - CHALK ON THE WILD SIDE by Lorie King Kaehler & Donna

the exception being one of my sisters who managed to go to polytechnic - including Starry - Walter Foster rrp £12.99. I love chalk. Not only is it cheap, me, missed the further education bus completely. But while I’m versatile and washable but it is absolutely useless for drawing on thrilled that First Born is getting the very most out of her course a tablet, mobile phone or laptop and therefore, like gardening and (thus she is blissfully aware of the anvil of debt that will dangle den-building, gets everybody off the ruddy sofa. Perhaps your over her subsequently enriched mind for the rest of her life) chalk art repertoire however, like mine, is rusty and therefore and enjoying campus life, nothing quite prepared me for her confined to rubbish hop-scotch pitches and outlines that leave announcement that she had successfully secured an allotment the patio looking like a crime scene? Fear not. These people have too. “Wha?” was my thoughtless response. “Muuuum, can’t you devised chalk volcanoes and fluorescent chalk and scented chalk just be pleased for me?” she begged. so that you don’t have to. But if you prefer your creations to DIY GARDEN PROJECTS by Mat Pember - Hardie Grant remain on the paving slab, there are also some old-fashioned rrp £20 . Secretly, I was pleased. We Crows may not be the analogue ideas to ensure your street scrawling thoroughly annoys brainiest birds on the planet but we are pretty good at NOT killing the neighbours. And there isn’t a thing they can do about it, green things, albeit in an uninformed manner. But the honeymoon except hope for rain. period didn’t last long. “Who’s going to look after it while you are 3,2,1... DRAW! by Serge Bloch - Wide-eyed rrp £9.99. Oooh, this studying?” I asked. “Who is going to feed it and love it and be is one heckuva classy activity book that provides photographed there for it throughout the summer months when you are images of things like pretzels and teddy bears and light-bulbs elsewhere trying to earn some money to pay for this blasted degree?” When she discovered that the plot she’d been given and loo-roll (told you it was classy) for fledgling artists to was probably the least arable of the lot (they didn’t see you, the customise themselves. gullible student, coming then, eh love?), she decided to forgo the TO THE MOON, illustrated by Sarah Yoon - Laurence King rrp adoption afterall and try some grow-bags in the mouldy backyard £9.95. Is there anything more to add to the colouring book genre? her landlord calls a garden instead. Tapping into the trend for On my recent trip to New York (can I just say that LOUDLY in case upcycling and re-making, this book has plenty of help in the you didn’t hear) at least a hectare of shelf space in Barnes & vertical growing, irrigation dept and, importantly, with stuff that Noble was given over to the “coloring” books craze and I had costs nowt. to avert my gaze, as if the ubiquitous mis-spelling alone wasn’t If there was ever a title to tempt a slightly green-fingered, enough to induce a migraine, let alone the bombardment of impoverished student, surely GROW YOUR OWN CAKE, Holly wobbly black and white lines. Billed as the tallest “in the world” Farrell & Jason Ingram, Frances Lincoln rrp £16.99 takes top prize at 15 feet high, here it does indeed seem as if there is a lot further at the village show. With a veritable harvest of hints on buying, to go with those frayed felt-tips. And how pleasing for the author growing and basic technical stuff like pruning, it also boasts many to have a name that rhymes with her towering creation. economical recipes for delicious bakes, both sweet and savoury. HEATHER HAS TWO MUMMIES by Lesléa Newman & Laura It strikes me that it is handy not only for mopping up gluts from Cornell - Walker rrp £6.99. A new edition of an infamous classic - the veg patch, but also fridge leftovers, though strangely, no talk about the palaver it caused when it was first published and recipe that incorporates Pot Noodles. astonishing to think that it is old enough to need updating. DEN BUILDING by Jane Hewitt & Cathy Cross - Crown House Sensational in 1989 when Thatcher was on the throne and busty rrp £9.99. Hmm. I’m not sure how I feel about this business. Yes, I birds wearing bikinis chasing Benny Hill around was considered agree that constructing dens is a tremendous way to keep the suitable family viewing, it now seems like an extremely sensibly kids occupied, that it is challenging and creative and (with a rictus story, pedestrian even, that reflects just another version of grin) a whole shed full of fun. I also concur that making a giant family life. indoor bird’s nest out of shredded paper and an empty - derrr - THROUGH MY WINDOW by Tony Bradman & Eileen Browne, paddling pool is an ingenious antidote to cabin fever on foul FL, rrp £6.99 has also been reissued, in honour of its 30th weather days, and these ideas for using readily available struc - birthday. Ground-breaking in its day for being a picture book that tures like rotary airers and trampolines, tables and umbrellas, features a normal child who is a touch poorly and watches the all slung over with duvets and rugs are a superb ruse to get them world go by outside whilst waiting for her mum to come home playing outside when the wind drops. But, my house already with a surprise, it was considered unusual because it challenged resembles something out of a favela, do I really want Woodstock genders - dad being the stay-at-home carer – plus, shock horror, in the back garden too? But, as Wavy Gravy once commented the imaginative little patient wasn’t the standard industry shade from that famous stage, “It’s your trip, so be my guest.” THE CHILDREN’S GARDEN by Matthew Appleby - Frances of pink. Lincoln rrp £14.99. Not all of us have enough acres for our very Along with BOY AND THE GLOBE , as mentioned last month by own festival. At a dinner party with a postcode I can only dream the same Tony Bradman above, it won’t have escaped you that of, chatting to a very refined lady about growing flowers to cut for Shakespeare has a big birthday/ deathday anniversary in April the house (don’t we all?), I admitted that my garden was only and there are an awful lot of publishers clambering onto ye olde “20 by 20” and therefore not terribly fit for anything other than bande-wagonne, but WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT storing bikes. She rolled her well-bred eyes: “Oh for heaven’s SHAKESPEARE? by Michael Rosen, Walker rrp £5.99, is a sakes, even I could do something with twenty square metres.” reissue worth a revisit for 7s and onwards. “That’s feet,” I replied. No doubt she has planters bigger than I call First Born wondering if she has been to the garden centre that. But here size doesn’t matter, with tips on getting the tiddlers yet. “Oh no,” as if I’ve asked the most dated question ever, to nurture edible crops in pots, make homemade seed-bombs, gushing: “I’ve been to the university Burlesque Society - we’re explore mini-beast habitats and create balcony gardens, it also working on a show!” I take a side-glance at the gardening book has plenty on larger projects that involve lawns and jousting. Yes, I’ve earmarked to post to her, ditch it and wrap up a copy of the you read that correctly, and I’m sure my refined dinner party latest by Laura ‘Everyday Sexism’ Bates instead. GIRL UP , companion would approve. Simon & Schuster, rrp £12.99 reminds us all, eloquently and OUTSIDE, A GUIDE TO DISCOVERING NATURE by Maria Ana passionately, that the Benny Hill days are over. Mindyou, those Peixe Dias et al - Frances Lincoln rrp £18.99. My, the air is fresh on gold lamé elbow length gloves ARE extremely useful for wearing this month’s page, eh? This is a rather picturesque guide to the when clearing stinging nettles. The Bookseller Crow, 50 Westow St. Crystal Palace, London SE19 3AF Telephone: 020 8771 8831 email: [email protected] www.booksellercrow.co.uk

fami - 10 families south eafsatm - naipolvriiel em20sb1es6 r e/ d.eccoem.ubek r 2015 familiesse.co.uk liesse.c ZIPPO’S CIRCUS LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY What ’sOn Diary Dates for Grownups CUTTY SARK YOGA AT THE SHARD CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, Saturdays, THE VIEW FROM THE SHARD, Joiner 020 8858 2698, www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark Street, , London Bridge, London, SE1 9RN, 0844 JAMES ACASTER: RESET, 3 April. See one of the 4997111, www.yogasphere.eu most brilliant and distinctive young comedians of a While yogis of past have tried to levitate to higher generation flex his comedic muscles on board Cutty spheres, Yogasphere are literally bringing the highest Sark in this ‘work in progress’. 7.45pm, £12.50. weekly yoga classes in the world to the top of The AUSTENTATIOUS - AN IMPROVISED JANE Shard at London Bridge. 8.30am start, £40, book first. AUSTEN NOVEL, 8 April. Performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment, Austentatious is an entirely improvised comedy play in the style of the FIRST AID FOR BABIES AND wondrous and witty Jane Austen. Based on nothing TODDLERS more than a title from the audience, a seasoned cast Various dates in BALHAM and WESTMINSTER, presents an eloquent, irreverent, 100% improvised take www.firstaidforlife.org.uk on the works of Britain’s best-loved novelist. 7.45pm A three-hour course covering care of the unconscious start, £17.50. baby and child as well as most commonly occurring SILENT DISCO, 22 April. Time Out’s legendary silent injuries and illnesses such as choking, bleeding, disco is sailing down the river to Greenwich once again. breaks, bleeds, burns, head injury and febrile Get ready to climb on board Cutty Sark for a nose convulsions. 9.30am-12.30pm, from £45 per person. around the world-famous ship before donning a pair of headphones and dancing the night away. 8.30pm - midnight, £29.99. FANCY BETTY NEARLY NEW WOMENSWEAR SALES FLYING SOLO Term time Thursdays (closed 31 March and 7 April), 21 April, CANADA WATER CULTURE SPACE, Canada Open House at 60 Kirkdale, Sydenham SE26 4BJ, Water Library, 21 Surrey Quays Road, Rotherhithe, www.fancybetty.com London, SE16 7AR, 020 7525 2931, Fancy Betty's nearly new sales specialise in women's www.canadawaterculturespace.org.uk clothing and accessories that are in excellent pre-loved Join Amber as she races against the clock, herself and condition. Think great quality second hand, think barely a man with a fridge on his back. This heart-warming, worn, think 'posh' jumble. If you love great quality extraordinary one-woman show is a ferociously urgent clothing and want to breathe life back into pre-loved and honest story about family, survival, guilt and fashion - or sell yours - you've found the right place. self-delusion. 7.30pm, tickets £12, concessions £10. 9.30am-11am. Theatre, Shows and Music EGGcellent Free FAMILY MAGIC SHOWS LITTLE LORD FAUNTLEROY Easter admission 28 March, THE IVY HOUSE, 40 Stuart Road, Nunhead 21-24 April, PEACOCK THEATRE, Portugal Street, SE15 3BE, www.magicmindreadingandmayhem.co.uk Holborn WC2A 2HT, 020 7863 8222, A show featuring two magical acts from Klassy & www.sadlerswells.com Adventure Amigo’s Magic, where live animals will be plucked from London Children’s Ballet is a leader in producing thin air and one lucky person will be cut in half. Plenty beautiful, entertaining ballets for a family audience. This of audience participation; a chance to meet Fluffy the is the world premiere of Little Lord Fauntleroy, a ballet 29 March–8 April Rabbit and a Free Bunny Copter to take home. 1pm based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic tale about 10:00am –4.30pm and 4pm starts, tickets £6 children, £7.50 adults, £20 a poor American boy who discovers he is heir to an family of four. English title and fortune. Through this little boy’s ALBANY THEATRE courage, quirky charm and eternal optimism, he softens the heart of his fearsome old grandfather and restores ALBANY THEATRE, Douglas Way, Deptford SE8 4AG, 020 8692 4446, www.thealbany.org.uk his broken family. CIRCUS FAMILY WORKSHOP, 17 April. Tumble, fly, The production is performed by a cast of 60 talented swing and spin with your child as you learn circus skills young dancers, aged 9-16. Composer Richard Norriss together. 12noon, 1.30pm + 3pm, £14 for two. and choreographer Jenna Lee have teamed up to create their second ballet after the sell-out success Follow the trail to find the chicks and egg hidden HANDA’S HEN, 10 April. Handa and Akeyo are back, of LCB’s Snow White in April 2015. Tickets from £14. in the museum. You can then colour in an Easter and this time they are searching for Grandma’s black hen, Mondi. During their search they find two fluttery animal mask of your choice to take home. There is a butterflies, three stripy mice, four little lizards behind chocolate egg for every child. the pots... But where is Mondi? 11am, 1pm + 3pm, £7, £24 family ticket. ZIPPO’S CIRCUS - MEGA THE INSECT CIRCUS, 5-8 April. The Bug Show is DOME 10:00am–5:00pm Share your experience in Town. Stroll Up, Stroll Up for the epitome of 24 March - 5 April, BLACKHEATH COMMON, Shooter’s Monday to Friday. @boemuseum Entomological Entertainment as the Insect Circus Hill Road SE3 0UA, 6-12 April, BROCKWELL PARK, comes to the Albany. 11am and 2pm, £10, £32 family Herne Hill SE24 9AA, www.zippos.co.uk Closed weekends and @boemuseum ticket. Zippo’s sparkling new touring show is an action-packed Bank Holidays. Entrance T: 020 7601 5545 THREE KEEPERS, 24 April. Welcome to Flounder treat of ceiling-walking, flying trapeze, jugglers on in Bartholomew Lane, Rock Lighthouse, where three men live and work, with horseback, a contortioniste archer, human only each other and the seagulls for company. When pyramid acrobats, a knife-thrower, comic performers, London EC2R 8AH the storm of the century threatens Flounder Rock, will and the incredible wheel of death - all introduced by the the lamp shine true? Will disaster strike? 1pm and 3pm, supreme ringmaster Norman Barrett MBE, along with www.bankofengland.co.uk/ museum £7, £24 family ticket. his performing budgies.

familiesse.co.uk april 2016 - families south east 11 THE HANDA’S HEN AT THE ALBANY THEATRE KLASSY & AMIGO’S MAGIC AN ICY MAN AT CANADA WATER

THE FAIRFIELD FAIRFIELD HALLS, Park Lane, Croydon CR9 1DG, 020 8688 9291, www.fairfield.co.uk More What ’sOn THE RAILWAY CHILDREN, 23-26 March. Join Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis on the adventure of a lifetime as they tell the story of how they Find even more activities: www.familiesse.co.uk then click What's On became The Railway Children, in this new musical adaptation by Stephen Kingsbury and Ben Sleep. Tickets from £17. CANADA WATER CULTURE SPACE JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH CANADA WATER LIBRARY, 21 Surrey Quays Road, Rotherhithe SE16 21-24 April, GREENWICH THEATRE, Crooms Hill, Greenwich SE10 8ES, HERE BE MONSTERS, 29 March. Join the villainous Captain 7AR, 020 7525 2931, www.canadawaterculturespace.org.uk 020 8858 7755, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk. Roald Dahl’s classic Cut-Throat and his fearsome crew in a sea-faring adventure packed full James and the Giant Peach, produced by Sell A Door The atre of magical story-telling, original music and thrills galore! Adults £12.50, THE BOY WHO NEVER GREW UP, 2 April. Welcome to a world where children £10.50, family ticket £44. you never grow up. Inspired by J.M. Barrie’s classic tale Peter Pan with Company, sets out on a worldwide adventure this summer touring the music, puppetry and fun, this isn’t just the story you’ve seen on screen or UK, Middle East and Asia - and opens at the Greenwich Theatre in April. THE WIZARD OF OZ, 30+31 March. Dorothy and her cute dog Toto read in the book - there are adventures of your own to be had. 1pm + The plot centres on an English orphan boy called James Henry enter the wonderful Land of Oz. During their travels down the yellow brick 3pm, £7, family ticket £24. Trotter who enters a gigantic, magical peach and has a wild, surreal road they meet some lovely friends including a Scarecrow, a Tin Man and even a Lion who really wants some courage. The four new friends AN ICY MAN, 6 April. On a winter’s night, a woman goes out walking in cross-world adventure with seven magically-altered garden bugs he meets along the way. travel to see the great and powerful Wizard of Oz, but won’t be easy as the snow and encounters a stranger in a frozen field. The next morning the Wicked Witch of the West is determined to stop them by any means she wakes up and finds that everything has changed. An Icy Man draws James and the Giant Peach is adapted by David Wood. David began necessary! £19.50, concessions £17.50, family ticket £71. on Northern folklore, myths and legends as part of an intimate story - writing as a student at Oxford University in the sixties. He wrote his first telling experience which gathers audiences around a miniature model of play for children in 1967 and has since written over sixty more. They are BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, 1+2 April. Beauty lives a provincial life with a snowbound village. 6pm + 8pm, tickets from £8. performed all over the world and include The Gingerbread Man, The Owl her father. Her world is shaken when a terrifying Beast takes her captive and the evil Enchantress holds her kingdom to ransom. This production NEED A LITTLE HELP, 8+9 April. Based on the experiences of young and the Pussycat Went to See, The Selfish Shelfish, The See Saw Tree, carers, Need a Little Help is a deeply moving and joyfully uplifting piece Save the Human and The Plotters of Cabbage Patch Corner. stars Keith Chegwin, Anne Hegerty from ITV’s The Chase and the of interactive and physical theatre. 11am, 1pm + 3pm, family ticket £24. legendary Basil Brush. Tickets £15.50 children, £18.50 adults, £60 This is a show about an ordinary boy on one extraordinary adventure, families. FLAT PACK, 16 April. A pair of hapless newlyweds are given a flat pack and is perfect for all the family. Morning, afternoon and evening first home as a wedding gift, the instructions for which get muddled as performances available, tickets from £15. ANNIE, 2-7 May. The world’s favourite family musical comes to Croydon, starring Birds of a Feather star Lesley Joseph as the tyrannical Miss they attempt to build it with hilarious results. Told without words and WIN TICKETS: For your chance to win a family ticket for four, accompanied by live music in true silent movie style, this is a charming Hannigan, and the unforgettable songs Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, click ‘competitions’ on our website www.familiesse.co.uk before I Don’t Need Anything But You, and Tomorrow. Tickets from £30. show for the whole family. 1pm + 3pm, £7, family ticket £24. the 31 March dealine - good luck! MONSTERSAURUS, 30 April. This brand new show from the creators of Aliens Love Underpants is monstrously good. Follow young inventor Monty as he creates a whole world of whacky inventions and incredible POLKA THEATRE monsters. Full of thrills, spills, magic and mayhem, this show will POLKA THEATRE, 240 Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB, 020 8543 UNICORN THEATRE 4888, www.polkatheatre.com delight the whole family - with original music and plenty of audience UNICORN THEATRE, 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7645 0560, participation. 1pm + 3pm, £7, families £24. www.unicorntheatre.com THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES, 16+17 April. Illusions of grandeur are burst like soap bubbles as the well-known story of vanity is recounted MINOTAUR, Until 2 April. In Crete, in an impossible labyrinth, lives a with a washing machine, a clothes line, puppets and song. A welcome GREENWICH THEATRE fearsome and lonely beast with the head of a bull and the body of a man. return from skilful puppeteer, Martin Bridle, who rummages in the GREENWICH THEATRE, Crooms Hill, Greenwich SE10 8ES, Only his sister Ariadne cares for him, and she dreams of setting them washing basket to create this funny and imaginative version of The 020 8858 7755, www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk both free from the rule of their selfish father, the King. This playful, clever Emperor’s New Clothes. Tickets £12, concessions £9. retelling of the well known Greek myth is an action-packed treat. Ages THE MARVELLOUS IMAGINARY MENAGERIE, 25 March. Have you 8+, tickets from £10. RUMPELSTILTSKIN, 22-24 April. A fairytale favourite spun before your ever wanted to count a Decapus’s legs? Or wondered what a Whistling eyes in this woolly wonderland of a show with weaving, puppetry and Pank eats? Would you like to catch a glimpse of the fabled ‘Massive UP CLUB, Saturdays. Join the Unicorn play club every Saturday. Take music. Auntie spins as hard as she can to make the King’s special Paw’, or lick a Tresillian Toad? Or perhaps see a cow that looks like Brian part in free activities from rocket building to portrait painting, giant Jenga jumper, but the royals are out of cash and the Prince just wants to be May? Then you’ve come to the right place! 2pm / £11 children, £13.50 tournaments, cake decorating and lots more. 12noon-1.30pm. a shepherd. Everyone gets their threads in a twist and then Rumpel adults, £40 families. MY FATHER, ODYSSEUS, 13 March - 10 April. Telemachus’ father left you-know-who steps in... Tickets £12, concessions. COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS, 31 March. The best stand-ups and sketch long ago to fight a war. He doesn’t remember him. Now the man of the SNOW WHITE, 23 March - 10 April. With endless meals to prepare, a acts from the international circuit do their thing for a family audience. It’s house, he must step up to defend his father’s legacy and protect his never ending pile of dishes to wash - not to mention the huge mirror that just like a normal comedy club - but without the rude bits, and it’s on in mother from the suitors that lounge around the court. Meanwhile, the needs polishing morning, noon and night - life’s never easy for the royal the day. 2pm, parent tickets £11, children £8.50. great Odysseus has been trapped by the goddess Kalypso for ten long servants downstairs at the palace. And why does the Queen keep asking A POCKETFUL OF GRIMMS, 2 April. A new show presenting an years. Lost in his memories of past glories he longs to return home. for more apples? Tickets £13/50, concessions £10. Ages 11+, tickets from £8. exciting and high-energy collection of some of the most loved and less BED TIME, 27 April - 1 May. It’s bed time, but it’s not quite time to go well known stories collected by the Brothers Grimm, featuring Hansel THE POLAR BEARS GO UP, 17 April - 1 May. There aren’t many to sleep... Celebrate this very special time of day with songs, storytelling, and Gretel, the original Beauty and the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin and more. balloons in the Arctic. So when you find one, it’s precious. And if it silliness and maybe even a pillow fight! Put on your PJs and come join AT THE END OF EVERYTHING ELSE, 4+5 April. When her best gets lost, you have to go and find it. The Polar Bears must step up and us, just before it’s time to switch off the light and say goodnight. Tickets friend, a little yellow bird named Tito, goes missing, Icka puts her explore unknown territory: the sky above their heads. They climb trees, £12, concessions £9. inventive mind to the test and sets off on a mission over land and jump on clouds and reach for the stars as they race each other all the sea to save him... way into space (and stop for a sandwich along the way, of course). Ages 2-5, tickets from £10. FAIRYTALES GONE BAD, 6 April. Grannylocks & The Monstrous CHURCHILL THEATRE BROMLEY Duckling for ages 3+ (at 11am), Zombie-rella & Blood Red Hound for CHURCHILL THEATRE, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA, 0844 871 7620, ages 6+ (at 2pm) www.churchilltheatre.co.uk THE GIRL AND THE GIRAFFE, 9 April. One day whilst Girl is playing in SOUTHBANK MISTER MAKER & THE SHAPES, 10 April. Mister Maker’s first ever her garden, she spots something peculiar on the other side of the fence. live theatre tour is packed full of arty adventures, a big ‘make’ to take Climbing up as high as she can to get a better view, she is surprised SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8PX, 0844 847 9944, www.southbankcentre.co.uk part in, super songs to join in with, and a fabulous supporting cast - when she comes face to face with...Giraffe! not forgetting Mister Maker’s colourful all-dancing friends The Shapes. THE WONDERCRUMP WORLD OF ROALD DAHL, until 3 July. 12noon and 3pm, tickets from £11. Did you know that Roald Dahl used to be a spy? And also a fighter pilot, NOYE’S FLUDDE inventor and historian of chocolate? Learn about Roald Dahl’s extraordi - STIG OF THE DUMP, 18 April. This timeless children’s classic, in a 7+8 April, BLACKHEATH HALLS, Lee Road, , Blackheath, London, nary life and the surprising inspiration for his most famous characters clever new stage version, remains as charming and entertaining as SE13 9RQ, 020 8318 9758, www.trinitylaban.ac.uk and stories. The tour features unique items from the Roald Dahl Museum ever. It all starts when Barney falls over the edge of an old chalk pit and & Story Centre archives. Ages 8-12, £10 adult, £8 child. tumbles through the roof of a hidden den. When he looks round he sees For the fourth year running Blackheath Halls will be staging the children’s Stig, a caveman, with shaggy black hair and bright black eyes. 1.30 and opera. Britten’s Noye’s Fludde was written with children performers in 5pm, tickets from £10. mind. 6pm, £10 adults, £5 children. BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL POP FACTOR, THE CONCERT! 2016 Until 9 April, VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE, Victoria Street SW1E 5EA, CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE 6 April, BROADWAY THEATRE, Catford Broadway, London, SE6 4RU, 0844 248 5000, www.billyelliotthemusical.com FACTORY 020 8690 0002, www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk Set against the background of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy Elliot the THEATRE ROYAL, Drury Lane, Covent Garden WC2B 5JF, 020 7850 A celebration of the biggest popstars and current chart hits. From Musical is the inspirational story of one boy’s struggle to realise his 8790, www.reallyuseful.com/theatres/theatre-royal-drury-lane Taylor Swift to Ed Sheeran, Katy Perry to Olly Murs, professional dream to dance against the odds. Featuring a timeless score by Elton Roald Dahl’s deliciously dark tale of young Charlie Bucket and the performers bring fully live vocals and energetic choreography, plus John, sensational dance and a powerful story, Billy Elliot is an uplifting mysterious confectioner Willy Wonka comes to life in an action packed dance competitions with prize giveaways, providing a non-stop, high and spectacular theatrical experience that will stay with you forever. West End musical directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes. energy ride for the whole family. 2.30pm. Tickets 13 adults, £11 children. Tickets from £29.50, family tickets from £105. Tickets from £16.50.

12 families south east - april 2016 familiesse.co.uk

FLAT PACK AT CANADA WATER THE GIRL AND THE GIRAFFE

ROYAL OPERA HOUSE FIRST OPERA: WELCOME PERFORMANCES. Welcome ROYAL OPERA HOUSE, Bow Street, London WC2E 9D, 07304 4000, performances are for families who have never been to a ballet or opera www.roh.org.uk at the Royal Opera House before. You don’t need to know anything FAMILY SUNDAYS, Last Sunday of each month. Explore the Royal about either - just come along and give it a try. Tickets £5-£20. Opera House, its artists and the world of opera and ballet. Sundays are packed full of creative and practical activities for all the family including BACKSTAGE TOURS. Each tour is a unique experience, and may informal performances from Royal Ballet dancers, plus interactive singing include opportunities to see The Royal Ballet in class, or the magnificent and dance activities. Ages 6+, 12-4pm, £5 adults, £3 children. backstage technology in operation. Suitable for ages 8+, book first. JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH The Great Outdoors LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM HYDE PARK WOODLANDS FARM TRUST LONDON TRANSPORT MUSEUM, 39 Wellington Street, Covent Garden Royal Parks Education Centre, HYDE PARK, London W2 2UH, 020 7036 THE WOODLANDS FARM TRUST, 331 Shooters Hill, Welling, Kent DA16 WC2E 7BB, 020 7379 6433, www.ltmuseum.co.uk 8056, www.supporttheroyalparks.org/experiences 3RP, 020 8319 8900, www.thewoodlandsfarmtrust.org Let your children’s imaginations run wild as they are transported back in The Royal Parks Foundation Education Centre in Hyde Park is perfectly EARLY SPRING BIRD WALK, 3 April. A bird walk where what you see time at the historical and interactive London Transport Museum. Filled placed to host a range of outdoor activities exploring nature in the Park. will depend not only on the weather but on how spring has advanced, so with buses, trains, and taxis they can take the wheel, try their hand as a It is a unique eco-friendly building, set in an acre of enclosed grounds, both winter and summer visitors are possible. Wear sturdy footwear and tube conductor or bump around with the other passengers in the back, and the perfect base for outdoor learning. Facilities include state-of-the- suitable outdoor clothing. Walks include climbing a small stile. In the as they explore the vehicles of London’s past and present. Museum art equipment and web cams in nest boxes and underwater. With a wide event of bad weather the walk will be cancelled. Meet in farmyard by open 10am-6pm Mondays to Thursdays and weekends, from 11am variety of habitats to study, from log piles to meadows and ponds, second building on the left at 10am. £2 per person; £1 children under Fridays. Admission free for under 17s, £16 adults. Tickets are valid for there’s no end to discovery. 18 (not suitable for very young children). 12 months’ unlimited admission. ANIMAL MAGIC, 30+31 March. A drop-in day where you can go pond LAMBING DAY, 10 April. Take the family to see new-born lambs and ALL ABOARD. In the museum’s playzone, under 7s can get into the dipping to uncover a secret underwater world, explore hidden garden stock up on quality local preserves, cakes, honey and more. A treasure driver’s seat of a real bus, repair a mini Tube train and play in the ‘Lost habitats, follow a discovery trail and join in with nature inspired arts and hunt, craft activities and cafe add to the day out, with all stall proceeds Property’ office. They can also enjoy ‘sailing’ the Thames Nipper, serve crafts workshops. 11am-3pm, free for the whole family, (suggested £1 going towards keeping Woodlands Farm running as a conservation passengers in the Nipper Cafe, fly the Emirates Air Line cable car, make donation for the ‘habitat in a box’ workshop). project and valuable resource for the community. Open 11am-4:30pm, driver announcements and help customers at the mini information desk SPRING HATCHLINGS, 5 April. An action packed day of fun for 8-11 admission free - donations welcome. using a magnetic message board, maps and clocks. year-olds in the Education Centre. Includes pond dipping, exploring the THE FAMILY STATION. Visit the Family Station, pick up a coin bag and wilder parts of Hyde Park where baby birds live, with a Nature Explorers choose some activities to do as you explore the museum. Whether you Club badge and passport to take home. 10am-3pm, £15, book first SEVERNDROOG WOODLAND TRAIL fold your own bus and drive it between the vehicles, design your own online. Thursdays and Fridays from 31 March - 8 April, SEVERNDROOG poster-postcards or take photos through flickr frames, there is something CASTLE, Castle Wood, Shooters Hill, SE18 3RT, here for families with children of all ages. Open weekends and school FLOWER POWER, 6+7 April. A host of activities including flower www.severndroogcastle.org.uk crafting, bookmark making, a discovery trail, a visit to a sensory wildlife holidays, suitable for families with 3-12 year-olds. garden and a peek in a mini beast hotel. Make a paper pot and plant a Explore the Oxleas Woodlands Trail from the castle to the secret garden. seed to take home. 11am-3pm, free (suggested £1 donation for the plant workshop). BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R, 020 7601 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum The Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England from Events and Attractions its foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Examine intricately-designed banknotes, feel the weight of a genuine gold bar and see the pikes and muskets that were once used to defend the Bank. THE HORNIMAN MUSEUM STORYSTOCK: CIRCUS OF STORIES Children’s activity sheets provide fun for younger visitors. Open 10am- HORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill 6-8 April, OMNIBUS CLAPHAM, 1 Clapham Common Northside, SW4 5pm Mondays to Fridays, admission free. SE23, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk 0QW, 020 7498 4699, www.omnibus-clapham.org Museum open 10.30am-5.30pm daily, general admission free, charges If you’re a Wimpy Kid, you like to Potter or are as mad as a Hatter, like SCIENCE MUSEUM Tigers for Tea, doodle your days away or have a Midas touch, Storystock apply for special exhibitions and the aquarium. The museum’s music SCIENCE MUSEUM, Exhibition Road SW7 2DD, 0870 870 4868, is for you. Bookish acts will bring stories to life through live shows, gallery and hands-on base, regular weekend and holiday drop-ins and www.sciencemuseum.org.uk workshops allow family visitors to explore the collection through arts and storytelling, creative workshops, parties and story treasure hunts. The event is hosted by the fabulous Storymaster with an all-day creative Aiming to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science, crafts, music, stories and hands-on sessions. All this within 16 acres of doodling cafe, pop—up author signings, competitions, Tales on Moon the Science Museum makes sense of the science that shapes our lives, beautiful green space which has the oldest nature trail in London, an Lane bookshop, quizzes and games for young readers, aged from 2-11 sparking curiosity, releasing creativity and changing the future by animal corner and a Farmers’ Market every Saturday. years. 10am - 5pm, event tickets from £4, bookable online. engaging people of all generations and backgrounds in science, For Easter events, see page 7. engineering, medicine, technology, design and enterprise. Open daily 10am-6pm except 24-26 December. LONDON SEALIFE AQUARIUM TREASURES OF THE FAN MUSEUM LAUNCHPAD SCIENCE SHOWS. The largest free interactive science Until 5 June, THE FAN MUSEUM, 12 Crooms Hill, Greenwich SE10 gallery in the UK is packed with exhibits which allow visitors to launch SEA LIFE London Aquarium, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road SE1 8ER, 020 8305 1441, www.thefanmuseum.org.uk a rocket, turn their head into a sound box and control a magnetic cloud. 7PB, 0871 663 1678, www.visitsealife.com/london The UK’s only museum dedicated to the history of fans and craft of Ages 8-14, free. See thousands of sea creatures in over two million litres of water, living fan making celebrates its twentieth fifth anniversary in 2016, and is THE MECHANICS OF GENIUS. Predominantly recognised as one of in over 65 displays over three floors. Brave the Shark Reef Encounter, celebrating with a curators’ hand-picked collection of eye-poppingly history’s greatest painters, Leonardo da Vinci was also a uniquely gifted join in with public feeding sessions and watch the diving displays. There beautiful carved, painted, lacquered, gilt and feather fans dating back scientist and engineer. This major interactive exhibition brings to life are real penguins too! Open from 10am daily, admission from £19.98 hundreds of years. Open 11am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays, noon-5pm the intricate mechanical concepts of this restless and curious mind. adults, £14.41 children. Sundays, Admission £4 adults, £3 children. Entry £10.

familiesse.co.uk april 2016 - families south east 13 ANNIE AT THE FAIRFIELD POP FACTOR AT CATFORD BROADWAY TREASURES OF THE FAN MUSEUM More What ’sOn Find even more activities: www.familiesse.co.uk then click What's On

THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM 40 Brunswick Square, Camden Town WC1N 1AZ, 020 7841 3600, NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 5BD, www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk 020 7942 5000, www.nhm.ac.uk Britain’s first home for abandoned children and London’s first public art Dinosaurs, volcanoes, precious gems and creepy crawlies - discover gallery, The Foundling Museum reveals the stories of the Foundling the diversity of the natural world through the nation’s finest collection Hospital’s founder Thomas Coram, the artist William Hogarth and of natural history specimens. Fascinating exhibitions display up to 70 composer George Frideric Handel. It houses significant collections of million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals, with a hands-on eighteenth-century art, interiors, social history and music. Open 10am- education centre where you can meet real scientists at work. Museum 5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and from 11am Sundays. Admission free open 10am-5.50pm, admission free. for under 16s, £8.25 adults. DINO SNORES, once a month on Saturdays. Discover what really SHH! WE HAVE A PLAN, 5 April. Illustrator Chris Haughton leads a happens at the museum when the staff and visitors have gone home. very special family workshop inspired by his hilarious children’s book Children aged 7-11 years, from 7pm to 9.50am the following day. BRITISH MUSEUM Shh! We Have a Plan. Join the fun adventure to capture a beautiful bird Tickets £60. perched high in a tree, using puppets and collage. Sessions from SENSATIONAL BUTTERFLIES, 24 March - 11 September. Follow 10.30am, 1 and 3pm, free for children and up to two accompanying chomping caterpillars turning into beautiful butterflies and discover IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM adults. fascinating facts about one of our planet’s most amazing life cycles. IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, Lambeth Road, London SE1, 020 7416 5000, BACH TO BABY, 14 April. A classical concert for babies and their Get a close-up view of butterfly specimens through a magnifier, and www.iwm.org.uk families, performed by mother and pianist Miaomiao Yu along with other see the secrets of butterfly wings revealed through a stunning scanning electron microscope image. The tropical butterfly house is a spring and IWM London tells the story of wars through the recollection of people internationally renowned musicians. Inspired by Handel’s involvement who lived through them, both fighting the cause and at home. Family- with the Foundling Hospital, and performed in the Museum’s Picture summer favourite for children, as well as adults escaping the bustle of the city. Family ticket £22. friendly attractions a recreated Family in Wartime house, and creative Gallery, Bach to Baby brings the past alive through music and song, for and object discovery sessions for families on Sundays. Open little ones and their families. 10.30am-11.30am, adults £10 on the door, 10am-6pm daily except 24-26 December, admission free. children free. V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200, MOVING ANIMATION, 25-10 April. Create your own spinning drawing, SPINNING TALES, 23 April. Led by artist Jan Cullen, explore characters www.museumofchildhood.org.uk based on a popular 19th century toy called a Thaumatrope. Mark 100 in the exhibition Drawing on Childhood and create an optical toy that years since the introduction of the iconic British Brodie helmet during the brings the story of these child heroes to life. Ages 5+, sessions from This gem of a museum houses dolls, dolls’ houses, puppets, teddy First World War and come up with your own hat and helmet drawings, 10.30am, 1 and 3pm, free for children and up to two accompanying bears, games, childcare, clothing, furniture and art and photography. and find out how to make them move like an animation. 11am-4pm adults. Everyday drop-in activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, and trails. There’s dressing-up, role play and an under 3’s area, an indoor sandpit, SECRET WAR. From the development of MI5 and MI6 before the First DRAWING ON CHILDHOOD, until 1 May. Drawing on Childhood and regular special events. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free. World War, to Cold War intelligence-gathering and the contemporary use brings together the work of major illustrators from the eighteenth century of highly-trained elite forces, the exhibition examines the facts behind to the present day with powerful images of characters in fiction who are SHORT FILMS MARATHON, 25-27 March. See back-to-back the secrecy and why the need for secret agencies remains a subject of orphaned, adopted, fostered or found. Original drawings, first editions screenings of Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate’s animated classics continued debate today. and special illustrated editions feature characters as diverse as James including the Clangers, Bagpuss, Noggin the Nog and Ivor the Engine. Trotter (James and the Giant Peach), Hetty Feather, Rapunzel and 2-4pm, free drop-in for all ages. Cinderella, by artists including Quentin Blake, George Cruikshank, David EASTER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES, 25 March - 8 April. Drop-in activities ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICH Hockney, Mabel Lucie Atwell, Phiz (Hablot K. Browne), Arthur Rackham, for all ages, including the small films marathon, puppet workshop, National Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory and Thomas Rowlandson, Nick Sharratt and Stref. cosmic shoebox workshop, and drawing workshops. Cutty Sark, Greenwich SE10, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk ST GEORGE’S DAY, 23 April. Discover the delights of English folk Royal Museums Greenwich holds the world’s largest maritime collection. music and dance traditions with rousing song, dance and instrumental It is housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS performances by the Trad Academy. Enjoy the quintessentially English World Heritage Site and incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS, Clive Steps, King Charles Street SW1A, sound of the Becontree Brass band and take part in arts and craft the 17th-century Queen’s House, and Cutty Sark. The Museums work to www.iwm.org.uk activities. 11.30am-4.30pm, free drop in for all ages. illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and the The Churchill War Rooms were originally the Cabinet War Rooms, IT’S A HARD WORLD FOR LITTLE THINGS, until 17 July. Children stars and their relationship with people, and is also a major centre of created in 1938 as underground storage areas for the Office of Works Carrying Heavy Objects is a series of six large-scale drawings that depict education and research. On Saturdays and Sundays free performances and workshops entertain family visitors, while on Tuesdays preschoolers Building in Whitehall. They were soon converted to house the central children and the burdens that they carry. The graphite drawings by C A can make music and play with parents and carers. Open 10am-5pm core of government and to become a temporary military information Halpin show children carrying physical, societal and political loads such daily. General admission is free; some buildings, special exhibitions and centre serving the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of Staff of the air, naval as: water; a blackboard; each other; in grief and love, or in the loneliness events have an admission fee. and land forces. Visitors can hear the first-hand personal accounts of of a runaway boy. The images explore children’s absolute will to survive those who worked in the Cabinet War Rooms during the war. Learn in a sometimes-hostile adult world and reflects the plight of children on SAMUEL PEPYS, PLAGUE, FIRE, REVOLUTION, until 28 March what life and conditions were like underground and experiencing the a global and domestic scale; the show features local children and 2016. Pepys, one of the most colourful characters of the 17th-century, authenticity and emotional resonance of walking through the corridors others from around the world. witnessed many of the great events that shaped Stuart Britain, bringing where Churchill made history. Open 9.30am-6pm, admission free for them brilliantly to life in his famous and candid diary. The exhibition has under 16s, £15.95 adults. CHILDREN AT THE V&A 200 objects from museums, galleries and private collections. 10am- V&A MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 2RL, 020 7942 2000, 5pm, tickets £12 adults, £6 children. www.vam.ac.uk/families HMS BELFAST Pick up a family trail from the Information Desk and explore the museum CUTTY SARK On the THAMES at The Queen’s Walk by Morgans Lane, Tooley Street through puzzles, drawing and observation. Suitable for 7-12 year-olds. CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698, SE1 2JH, www.iwm.org.uk There are also hundreds of exciting hands-on exhibits containing plenty www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysark Discover the exciting stories of those who served HMS Belfast; exploring to touch and try out. Museum open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free. The world famous 19th century tea clipper offers visitors four levels to the nine decks where sailors once hurried up and down its ladders, or BACK-PACKS, Saturdays. Pick up a back pack and explore the explore. Take in the views from the main deck and steer at the ship’s take a look at the mess desk where her 950-strong crew ate and slept. museum with fantastic jigsaws, stories, puzzles and games. wheel, meet the crew who worked on board, explore the various cargoes Open 10am-5pm, admission £16 adults, children £8, family tickets 10.30am-5pm. from wool to whiskey, and see how tea was loaded on board through from £28. interactive displays, props, information boards and animations. Family GUN TURRET EXPERIENCE. Immerse yourself in the Gun Turret MUSEUM OF LONDON friendly events run at weekends and during school holidays. Open Experience, a chance to see what fighting at sea would have really been MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, West India Quay E14, 020 7001 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £7 children, £13.50 adults, like. Overlooking the front of the ship, or Fo’c’sle, is the forward most of 9844, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklands, and MUSEUM OF from £24 families. Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal HMS Belfast’s Triple Gun Turrets. Lights, audio, videos and projections LONDON, London Wall EC2Y 5HN, 020 7001 9844, Museum Greenwich attractions. will recreate the experience, highlighting the hectic and cramped www.museumoflondon.org.uk NANNIE THE WITCH, 27 March. Dance, sing and set sail on an conditions that would have seen twenty-six men in this confined space Open daily 10am-6pm, admission free. Regular programmes of adventure with Nannie, Cutty Sark’s figurehead. 11am, 12, 1.30 and at any one time. Entry included in general admission price. weekend and holiday events and workshops help visitors find out more 2.30pm. TATTOO T-SHIRTS, 25 March - 10 April. Impress your friends and about London’s history, covering events such as the Great Plague, EASTER EGG HUNT, 25-28 March. Cutty Sark’s chickens have been family by designing your very own t-shirt, inspired by traditional Navy Londoners’ jobs and occupations, and Roman life. On Sundays, laying their eggs in some strange places, how many can you spot tattoos, and the sailor legend of Davy Jones’s Locker. 11am 12.30pm museum hosts help visitors explore the galleries through fun, hands-on around the ship? Join in the hunt for a chance to win a family ticket to and 2pm - 4pm. activities at 11am and 2pm. Camp Bestival!

14 families south east - april 2016 familiesse.co.uk OUTDOOR DISCOVERY IN HYDE PARK

LAND YACHTS, 29-31 March. Make your own amazing land yacht GEFFRYE MUSEUM powered by the wind, just like Cutty Sark, and take part in some fun GEFFRYE MUSEUM, Kingsland Road science demos to find out about ships and sailing. 11.30 and 2pm. E2 8EA, 020 7739 9893, www.geffrye-museum.org.uk CUTTY SARK COMICS, 5-7 April. Take inspiration from the ship’s many DRAWING ON CHILDHOOD AT THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM characters and stories to design your own comic strip. 11.30am and Special workshops and quizzes 2pm, suitable for all ages. inspire creativity and provide amusement for accompanied 5-11 year-olds on the first Saturday of each month and during school holidays. Places allocated 30 minutes THE BRITISH MUSEUM in advance of each workshop. Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays BRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8181, www.britishmuseum.org to Saturdays, from noon Sundays. The British Museum was founded in 1753, the first national public SPRING HAS SPRUNG, 5-8 April. Celebrate the new season by museum in the world. Each year nearly 6 million visitors pour through the decorating plant pots, making scented herb bags and creating garden doors to see the museum’s collection of ancient and historical artefacts animals from clay. 10.30am-12.30pm and 2-4pm. Ages 5-16, free. including the ever-popular Egyptian mummies, or to take in the latest block-buster exhibition. Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free, SWEPT UNDER THE CARPET, until 4 September. A new exhibition charge for some exhibitions. which explores domestic service and the experiences of servants living SHOE MANIA, 4-8 April. Family activities about amazing shoes and working in middle-class homes over the last four hundred years, including shoe stories, designing shoes, trying on and shining up shoes giving a glimpse into a world often overlooked by historians. NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM - all inspired by the exhibition ‘Life and Sole: footwear from the Islamic world’. IGHTHAM MOTE DIGITAL DISCOVERY CENTRE, weekends. Learn, discover and create IGHTHAM MOTE, Mote Road, , Ivy Hatch, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 0NT, in the Museum’s digital centre. Free activities and workshops using the TOWER BRIDGE EXHIBITION 01732 810378, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ightham-mote TOWER BRIDGE, Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP, 020 7403 3761, latest Samsung digital equipment, enabling children to bring the world’s Step into history at Ightham's medieval moated manor house, garden www.towerbridge.org.uk history and cultures to life through advanced technology. and estate. Highlights include the picturesque courtyard, Great Hall, Tower Bridge houses four unique venues; the award-winning high level crypt, Tudor painted ceiling, Grade I listed dog kennel and private Walkways, the small luxurious North Tower Lounge, the majestic Victorian apartments. FIREPOWER - THE ROYAL ARTILLERY Engine Rooms and the charming Bridge Master’s Dining Room. Enjoy MUSEUM stunning London views from over the Thames and continue to the FULHAM PALACE ROYAL ARSENAL, Woolwich SE18 6ST, 020 8855 7755, Victorian Engine Rooms to learn about the inner workings of the most FULHAM PALACE, Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA, 020 7736 3233, www.firepower.org.uk famous bridge in the World. Tower Bridge still lifts to enable large ships www.fulhampalace.org Firepower, the Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich tells the powerful and to pass through - check the website before your visit to add to the The Museum of Fulham Palace charts the long history of the palace site, dramatic story of artillery, scientific discoveries made through warfare excitement. There’s a free app, where you can play games and learn from Prehistoric times and Roman settlement, through Medieval, Tudor, and human stories of courage and endeavour. The ‘ground shaking’ Georgian and Victorian bishops to the present day. The museum more about the iconic landmark before your visit. Open 10am-6pm April - Field of Fire audio-visual show puts you in the midst of battle as shells collection includes paintings, archaeology and artefacts. Open whizz overhead and guns roar. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays. September, 9.30am-5.30pm October - March. Admission £3.40 children, noon-4pm Sundays, 12.30-3.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, Admission £2.50 children, £5.30 adults, £12.50 families. £8 adults, family tickets from £12.50. admission free.

Art Activities

DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY SOMERSET HOUSE FAMILY EVENTS DULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD, NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, SOMERSET HOUSE, Strand WC2, 020 7845 4600, 020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.uk www.somersethouse.org.uk Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends The gallery features thousands of portraits of the most famous people in Free family workshops run on Saturdays from 2-3.30pm. and bank holidays. Admission free for accompanied children, £6 adults. British history, from the 16th century to the present day. Open 10am-6pm Tickets available from 1pm from the information desk. Children aged Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child. daily. 6-12 years must be accompanied by an adult. I AM VAN DYCK, until 24 April. Van Dyck’s final self-portrait of c.1640, DROP IN FAMILY SUNDAYS. On the third Sunday of every month, newly acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, will hang beside families are invited to drop-in with children aged 3+ to take part in THE NATIONAL GALLERY self-portraits by renowned contemporary artist Mark Wallinger, to explore portrait-related events. different notions of self-portraiture. The display will also reveal new TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2N 5DN, 020 7747 2885, information on the Gallery’s best-known Van Dycks through X-Ray www.nationalgallery.org.uk technology. THE WALLACE COLLECTION Open daily 10am-6pm, Fridays to 9pm, admission free. ARTPLAY, first and last Sunday of each month. Creative drop-in THE WALLACE COLLECTION, Hertford House, Manchester Square W1U With over 2,300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasons workshops for adults and children, with a different activity each session. 3BN, 020 7563 9500, www.wallacecollection.org to visit the gallery, along with free hands-on art workshops for families at Make anything and everything from bunting to block printing and all weekends and during school holidays. No need to book, but places are things in between. 2-3.45pm. The Wallace Collection displays wonderful works of art collected in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of limited and allocated on arrival up to one hour before the start. FREE FAMILY TRAIL. Ask a gallery assistant or stop by at the Gallery Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, in their Friends desk for a free trail; updated frequently and available for the main London townhouse. Family multi-media tours and trails bring the permanent and temporary exhibitions. FAMILIES AT THE TATE exhibits to life for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission TATE BRITAIN, Millbank SW1, 020 7887 8888, www.tate.org.uk/britain free. Open daily 10am-5.50pm, and until 10pm the first Friday of the month. MARVELLOUS MOSAIC MAKING PAINTING PORTRAITS, 31 March. Learn how to paint a portrait using Family trails are available daily from the Information Desks and are free 30 March - 8 April, CROFTON ROMAN VILLA, Crofton Road, Orpington, acrylic paints with artist Alison Kusner. 10.30am-3.30pm, £12 per child. for 5yrs and under. Go on a journey around Tate Britain and post your Kent BR6 8AF, 01689 860939 THE LITTLE DRAW, 3 April. A drop-in workshop for all ages and discoveries into your ‘Post it’ box as you go. When you get home, open Discover all there is to know about Roman mosaics and make your abilities. 1.30-4.30pm. up the box and show your friends what you found. Or you could follow own mosaic to take home. For up to 11 year olds, children to be the ‘Join up’ trail: play the listening game, search for shapes, patterns accompanied. 10.30am and 2pm, £4 per child, adult carer free. and talking hands, and make your own sculptures. ART AT SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSE Every weekend the free Art Trolley encourages children to imagine and SIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3PB, create, make colourful collages, style a wonderful sculpture or perhaps 020 7440 4263, www.soane.org THE CONSERVATOIRE make a sketchbook and fill it with great ideas. THE CONSERVATOIRE, 19-21 Lee Road, Blackheath SE3 9RQ, Sir John Soane filled every nook and cranny of his beautiful home with 020 8852 0234, www.conservatoire.org.uk items that fascinated him. From fossils to classical fragments from The Conservatoire is Blackheath’s local independent arts centre, offering Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and from contemporary paintings to TATE MODERN a broad mix of music, art, drama and cultural classes for all ages. architectural models, drawings and literature, both his house and its BANKSIDE, London SE1 9TG, www.tate.org.uk EASTER HOLIDAY COURSES, 28 March - 8 April. Every day will offer a extraordinary contents serve to educate and inspire. Free drop-in Visit at weekends when gallery artists lead family workshops inspired by different activity around a space theme, such making rockets and marble activities run on the third Saturday of every month, with activities for current exhibitions. Drop-in every weekend plus Thursdays and Fridays galaxies, painting lunar landscapes and creating story books. all ages and families can take part together from 1.30-4.40pm. during school holidays, 11am-4pm.

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16 families south east - april 2016 familiesse.co.uk