IN THIS ISSUE Party Child Development: Special Does Gender Matter? Half Term & Feature Special Events What's On Issue 80 May/June 2018 familiesonline.co.uk 2 Families Herts familiesonline.co.uk In this issue: From your Editor… News & Views: 4 It’s time to party and our regular contributor, Claire Winter, has consulted the experts and gives a run-down of the hottest party trends for 2018. Tony Buzan of ‘mind map’ Party Feature: 6 fame, demonstrates how a mind map can help you to plan an event. I can vouch for the fact that mind maps are perfect for getting your ideas down on paper and ordering the many disparate thoughts spinning around in your mind! Whether your child’s birthday Education: 9 is in January or December this feature is full of great ideas that will make party planning a breeze. It’s not all partying however, in the Education section author Christopher Cederskog Child Development: 10 suggests ways that parents can support their child’s learning of STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects in an informal and fun way. Half Term & Special Events: 11 To help you enjoy what remains of the spring and the early summer, we’ve got a healthy dollop of exciting local activities and events that will get you and your family out and about after school, at the weekends and during school holidays. What’s On: 12 OK – that’s the May/June issue done and dusted so it must be time to crack on with July/August – doesn’t time fly! Next Issue: 81 - July/August Copy Deadline: 8th June Shelley Image credit: © SvetaOrlova Find us in: Baldock, Borehamwood, Chorleywood, Harpenden, 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 Oliver! – A Westbrook Hay Musical Keeping The Easter term, at Westbrook Hay Prep microphones and professional make-up, Hertfordshire School in Hemel Hempstead, saw three costumes and lighting. glorious performances of the Upper School Westbrook Hay School is a co-educational children safe production, ‘Oliver!’ which left the audience independent school for children aged from begging for more on each occasion. From start rising 3 –13 years. The next open morning is from abuse to finish, it was a production to cherish and on Friday 11th May between 10am-12noon. To remember, whether treading the boards or as find out more and to register your interest go Hertfordshire Constabulary’s specialist Child a member of the audience. to www.westbrookhay.co.uk or Sexual Exploitation (CSE) team, known as Under the Deputy Head’s careful direction, call 01442 256143. the Halo unit, received 91 reports in the Lional Bart’s wonderful book and score were last quarter of 2017 in relation to the sexual brought to life. The audience journeyed with exploitation of children in the county. the characters through the full range of Detective Superintendent, Paul Maghie, emotions, from joyous camaraderie, poignant Head of Safeguarding for Hertfordshire contemplation, and moments of sheer Constabulary, said: “Very often the young heartbreak. people who are being sexually exploited in A cast of over 70 children aged between 10 return for drugs, alcohol or social status do and 13 years spent eight weeks rehearsing, not see themselves as victims. As a result, learning lines and choreography to perform they do not to tell people in authority who an unforgettable production and the work could help, such as police or teachers, about and time spent really paid off. The school’s what is happening to them…. It is important magnificent Performing Arts Centre gave the that young people are taught about what children the experience of a ‘proper’ theatre, exploitation is and that it has no place in any including levelled staging, radio-controlled relationship.” Teresa Heritage, Executive Member for Children’s Services, said: “Child Sexual Exploitation has been predominant in the national news recently, and although not currently a widespread issue in Hertfordshire, Try the new our aim is to prevent any young person in our county from becoming a victim of this terrible eBooks app from crime. For more information about CSE and what to Hertfordshire Libraries look out for visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/cse. Whether you want to read the latest If you suspect a young person is falling blockbuster on your commute or curl up with victim to child sexual exploitation please a familiar read the Hertfordshire Libraries report it; you can call the Police on 101, speak eLibrary offers library members a choice from to Crimestoppers anonymously on over 8,000 eBooks and 3,000 eAudiobooks. 0800 555111, contact ChildLine on 0800 1111 These are all available through the recently or get in touch with Children’s Services on launched, BorrowBox app. Readers can access 0300 123 2043. Local School Children books 24/7 from authors such as Lee Child, Kate Atkinson, Bill Bryson and Ruth Rendell, Bury Time Capsule at among others. With the latest audiobooks and choices for children and teens too, there is Care Home something for everyone. New App for Parents The Library Service will continue to add Pupils from Millfield First & Nursery School regularly to the eBook and eAudio collections. Offers Extra Help in Buntingford recently helped staff at brand- The new libraries app, BorrowBox, is free to new care home, Layston Grove, to bury a time download from the App Store and Google A new web app has been launched aimed at capsule in the gardens. Play; and there are no overdue charges. giving parents and working people an ‘extra The children collected items of local and To find out more about eBooks, eAudiobooks pair of hands’ when they need it. personal interest for the time capsule which visit: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/ebooks-and- Kandoo Network is a mobile web app that would give children of the future a glimpse of audiobooks brings parents and working people who need what local life was like in 2018. These are the jobs done together with young people who items the children decided to include: a copy have the time to help and need some extra of the Buntingford Journal; a daily newspaper; money. their weekly time table; certificates; book From waiting for a delivery or walking the tokens, the school newsletter and a selection dog to helping to set up a children’s party, a of photos and pictures. parent’s “to do” list for the family is endless. Pupils from Year 4 visited Layston Grove to Kandoo may offer the solution by connecting fill and bury the capsule. During the ceremony parents with an extra pair of hands via reliable each child placed an item inside the capsule teenagers and students who have received and took turns to fill the hole with earth. A recommendations from jobs done for existing permanent brass plaque now marks the time subscribers. capsule’s site. A free 60 day trial is available with Promo Layston Grove opened at the end of March Code KANDOOTRIAL08 and provides state-of-the-art facilities for 66 More information visit www.kandoonetwork. elderly people. www.oakdalecaregroup.com. co.uk 4 Families Herts familiesonline.co.uk Dental Check Grannying’ is the Word by Age 1 The trend of grandparents providing vital, to work more to support their family. day-to-day support to their grandchildren But it’s not all one way. Nearly all A recent analysis has found that 80% of known as ‘grannannying’ is more widespread grandparents (88%) said they enjoyed the children between the ages of 1 and 2 years than you may have thought according to a time spent with their grandchildren and half had not visited an NHS dentist despite new YouGov poll for Age UK felt it kept them physical and mentally active. guidance saying children should start dental Two-fifths (40%) of the nation’s For more information about the survey, visit check-ups when they develop their first tooth. grandparents over the age of 50 – 5 million www.ageuk.co.uk The analysis by the Faculty of Dental Surgery – have provided regular at The Royal College of Surgeons, also found childcare for their that 60% of children aged 1 to 4 didn’t have a grandchildren, according dental check-up in 12 months. to the survey. The vast majority did so once a week but a fifth provided support 4 to 6 times a week. Revealing the pivotal role that many grandparents play in reducing the financial burden of childcare, over half of grandparents said their help had enabled their own child/children Official Public Health England guidance states that a child should have a check-up as soon as their teeth start to appear at around 6 months of age. NHS dental check-ups for children are free. Early dental visits enable children (as well as parents and carers) to learn about good oral health practice and prevent them from developing a fear of dental visits. A UK wide Dental Check by One #DCby1 campaign has been launched by the British Society for Paediatric Dentistry to increase the number children who access dental care aged 0 to 2 years. Babies visiting the dentist before their 1st birthday will be awarded a #DCby1 Certificate at participating dentists. For more information, visit www.bspd.co.uk/ Resources/Dental-Check-by-One familiesonline.co.uk 5 Party Feature Be on Trend with Your Child’s Party in 2018! By Claire Winter Children’s parties are always a hot topic of conversation in most households across the country.