Happy New Year! Issue 84 Jan/Feb 2019 familiesonline.co.uk 2 Families Herts familiesonline.co.uk From your Editor… In this issue: News & Views: 4 Welcome to the first issue of 2019. At Families Herts the aim is to provide useful information that is also an interesting read. So, in the Childcare Feature you will find out about the Montessori approach to Childcare: 6 early years learning and development. Plus, Ruth Martin of Artisans Kindergarten in Harpenden, shows how, with only a little effort, you can turn a drizzly winter’s day at home into a fun learning and bonding time for you and your child. Education: 9 A calm and orderly start to the day is good for the whole family. Our Education section gives five tips to help you be on top of your daily getting-ready-for-school (and work) New Year, New Family: 10 routine. For a fun family activity, join in Wear A Hat Day. This annual fundraising event takes place on Friday 29th March. Find out more in the News & Views section. Parenting: 11 Once the Christmas bubble has burst, the start of a new year can feel like waiting to slide down a very high flume; you know there will be hidden twists and turns and a few What’s On: 12 little bumps along the way, but they will all add to the experience. And finally, I have enjoyed bringing you each new issue of Families Herts but after fourteen years and eighty-four issues, this issue is my last. As I move on to new projects, I am leaving you in the capable hands of your new Editor, Dale Harry. Dale is very Next Issue: 85 - March/April excited about his new role and he is already working on the March/April issue. Thanks Copy Deadline: 7th February to everyone who has supported Families Herts over the years: readers, advertisers, contributors, designer, printers, and deliverers. Now it’s over to Dale … Image credit: © kozzi2 Find us in: Baldock, Borehamwood, Chorleywood, Harpenden, Shelley Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Hitchin, Kings Langley, Knebworth, Letchworth, Radlett, St Albans, Stevenage, Ware, Welwyn GC. Pick it up from cafes, playgroups, nurseries, schools, activity groups, selected shops, surgeries, leisure centres and libraries. Email or call to request copies for your venue. 020 8428 6384 [email protected] www.familiesonline.co.uk familiesonline.co.uk 3 News & Views Dance your days away with a Campus West Wins diddi dance franchise Awards Recently honoured If you’re looking for an award-winning, with a Trip Advisor family-friendly business opportunity with a Certificate of supportive franchise network then look no Excellence for its further! Now is your chance to be in business consistently high for yourself, not by yourself! customer ratings, Established in 2003 by professional dancer the award-winning Anne-Marie Martin, diddi dance has, from Campus West in day one, been the go to class for parents with Welwyn Garden active toddlers. City is home to diddi dance classes, parties and early years all your entertainment needs under one setting sessions are designed to engage and roof. The 3-screen cinema shows the latest inspire children's own creativity by using blockbusters, as well as more independent action songs, dancing games and props all to and unusual films for children, plus autism- our own original, funky music. friendly and mother and baby screenings. We are looking for more great franchisees to Mary Poppins Returns is one of the big movies help us and join our mission to Get Children screening in early 2019, plus live screenings of Moving! the wonderful Bite Size Ballets from Northern Our franchisees come from different £4,995+VAT can suit anyone who wants to run Ballet including The Tortoise and the Hare, backgrounds, but inevitably chose diddi dance their own business. The Elves and the Shoemaker and The Three because of what we stand for and are trying to To find out more go to Contact Little Pigs. achieve within the preschool sector. [email protected] or A fun skate session at RollerCity – Our low-cost franchise package of https://www.diddidance.com/franchise/ Hertfordshire’s only purpose-built roller skating rink - will delight and surprise you. A Day Out With the Kids Family Favourites Awards Wear A Hat Day finalist, RollerCity won the award for If you’re looking for a fun activity for the and it can affect Best Active Day whole family, look no further than Wear A Hat anyone at any Out in the eastern Day. The annual fundraising event takes place age. What’s more, region. on Friday 29th March, 2019 and the Brain brain tumours kill Open 7 days Tumour Research charity needs your help to more children and a week, Soft make it the biggest, boldest and hattiest EVER! adults under the Play City has unlimited play sessions, with There are so many ways to get involved and age of 40 than dedicated age zones from 0-8 years and free the little ones will have so much fun, all whilst any other cancer, entry for babies under 1 year old. There are a helping an important cause. From organising yet historically variety of parties on offer to suit every budget a hatty fashion show and making Easter just 1% of the and every occasion - from shared sessions to bonnets, to hosting a bake sale and going on a national spend on cancer research has been exclusive parties. hat-tastic walkabout, you can plan any type of allocated to this devastating disease. Register If you get a FREE Zebra Discount Card, you event you fancy… just don’t forget your hat! for Wear A Hat Day and your family can can get up to 50% off tickets and food By taking part in Wear A Hat Day, you will help change this; simply go to https://www. and drink. be helping to raise vital funds for research into braintumourresearch.org/fundraise/wear-a- Please go to www.cwentertainment.co.uk for brain tumours. The disease is indiscriminate, hat-day/wear-a-hat-day-registration more information. Raising Confident Children with Perform Sara has two children, Honor (8) and James (6) their confidence and how well they speak in who have both been attending Perform classes school assemblies. I’m really impressed with since they were 4 years old. how they chat to adults in places like shops “I’ve always wanted my children to feel and restaurants.” confident speaking in public and chatting to all Classes at Perform are small with two sorts of people. I think these are essential life teachers per class. “The teachers are skills these days,” says Sara. professional actors with amazing energy Sara was drawn to Perform because of its and enthusiasm. They go out of their way to focus on developing confidence and self- understand and engage every child” reports esteem in a fun way. “It’s not a pushy stage Sara. school” she explains. “Each week, the classes Perform offers a FREE no-obligation focus on a topic like manners, making eye dance or drama class in Bishops Stortford, contact or introducing themselves, but this is Borehamwood, Broxbourne, Harpenden, wrapped up in a highly engaging way in the Hemel Hempstead, Hertford, Hitchin, Potters context of drama and songs.” Bar, Radlett, Sawbridgworth, St Albans and “Since my children started attending Welwyn Garden City.Visit www.perform.org. Perform, other parents frequently remark on uk/try to book. 4 Families Herts familiesonline.co.uk Nurture your child with Monkey Music classes! Katherine Mayes is a professional violinist with local Monkey Music franchise. I enjoy every the BBC Symphony Orchestra and mother moment of teaching my classes, expressing of two musical boys she also runs Monkey my love and joy for music to the babies and Music classes in Baldock, Biggleswade, Hitchin, children who attend. I must say that one Knebworth, Letchworth and Stotfold. Here, of the special moments in class is when I Katherine explains why she is passionate serenade the children and captivate them about the amazing effects music has on the with my violin. Their faces always look into age-specific classes from 3 months, all development of babies and young children. mesmerized, and there is a real sense of magic the way up to 4 years of age. By the time a “I discovered Monkey Music when a in class. Another wonderful moment is when child reaches primary school they will have friend asked me to join her in her local percussion instruments are handed out and we a wealth of musical knowledge, life skills, class. I remember feeling impressed by the all play together with lots of energy and fun! have learnt to read music, and have specific catchy songs, amazing colourful props and At Monkey Music we enthusiastically experience both visually and aurally of every professionalism of the teacher. The class was believe that it is important for children to be orchestral instrument. Monkey Music provides fun and interactive, yet very educational. As immersed in making music in an enjoyable, a perfect grounding for going on to learn an a music teacher myself, I wanted to find a exciting and structured environment. We have instrument at school.” class that was tailored to the developmental a wonderful, innovative and unique 4-stage Find out more or book a FREE TASTER class needs of my boys and for me Monkey Music programme, written by professional musicians at www.monkeymusic.co.uk and click on ‘find surpassed anything else! Many years on, within the Early Years Foundation Stages a class’; email Baldock.hitchin@monkeymusic.