Families London SW Issue 238 July-August 2014

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“Families® SW” – useful information for parents of 0-12 year olds in SW London.Find us online: NEW WEBSITE FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk

SouthWest

HUGE

SUMMER ISSUE

Summer activities,

things to do,

travelling with children

plus our huge

What’s On listing

Issue 238ISSN 1354-9553

Est 1990.Free!Tak

ea copy

July/August 2014

2 Tel: 020 8696 9680 FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk

04-07 News & info• Local news• Clubs and activities news• Products• School news

10 Noticeboard Competitions, special offers and more

11 Sports listingsTennis, Trampolining, Volleyball, Watersports and Yoga

12 Absent dads memory bank

14 ParentingMindfulness: the secret to

happy parenting

15 Writing competition!!

16-17 Muddling through the house move

18-27 Summer feature• Tips for long car journeys• An active life leads to a

healthy life• HUGE SUMMER

HOLIDAY Listings• Time to unplug and

reconnect with your family

31-39 What’s On• Theatre • Museums & Galleries• Days out • Diary dates and events

®®

All content ©Families 2014www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk Tel: 020 8696 9680 Editorial: [email protected] News: [email protected]/artwork: [email protected], diary dates, what’s on info:[email protected]

Next issue: September 2014. Deadline: 1st July

•“Families® South West” heads a group of magazines. All franchised magazines in the group are independentlyowned and operated under licence. There are around 40 UKlocal editions with a print run of more than 700,000 copies inall, in which you can advertise too. Oh, and we have a veryuseful website… familiesonline.co.uk

• MOVING? Families® magazines can be be franchised innew areas. Read initial franchise information on the websiteor call us.

• Printed by Ridgeway Press Ltd, Pewsey, Wiltshire.

• Designed by Shirley Trimmer

• We take every care preparing this magazine, but thepublishers and distributors cannot be held responsible for theclaims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents norfor any consequence.

• Paper used to print Families is from fully-managedsustainable sources — meaning trees which are felled arecontinuously replaced. Inks are soya-based, which can be re-cycled.

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JULY/AUGUST 2014

Contents


Compiled by Joanna Parry

FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk fresh new look (see above)We are delighted to announce Families Online is now much easier to use than ever. Our fresh re-branding expresses our aim to cover all things 'families', as well as offering 'endless ideas for families'. You can set the website to show only information local to you. See top left on this page? Simply enteryour postcode once and the site will remember you after that, no need to log in. Use our interactiveWhatsOn calendar to search for things to do locally (or elsewhere you are going to in the UK); ourDirectories are filled with clubs & classes, schools & nurseries, indoor play centres, party entertainers,local toy shops as well as a very comprehensive list of playgroups. Our site has a huge amount of contentof interest: everything is free for you and to make your parenting life easier!

Get help with thechildren this summerThe summer holidays are here but as all parentsknow, holidays with children don’t always give youthe break you deserve! This year, why not trytaking a holiday nanny along with you so that youcan make the most of your time away? Holidaynannies can be booked for as short or as long asyou need, be it a few weeks abroad or just aweekend away in the UK. The nanny canaccompany you on your holiday, help with thetravelling, keep the kids entertained by the pool,organise fun activities or just be an extra pair ofhands, making sure you have special time withyour children but also time to yourself. LikeMinders can organise interviews with potentialnannies to ensure you find the perfect person.0844 879 7189 www.likeminders.co.uk

Spot the birds……at Angry Birds Land, flying into Thorpe Park Resort thissummer! Spot 7 life-sized Angry Birds nesting around thenew land, dive 100ft on Detonator: Bombs Away, and gobeak to snout with Red and the gang on King Pig’s Wild HogDodgems. Perfect for families and fans of the featheredflock, it’s the world’s first experience of the Angry Birds upclose and personal. Don’t miss the fabulous Angry Birds 4DExperience and be part of the action as rumbling chairscatapult you through a fast-paced adventure with timed airgusts, water jets, leg ticklers, flashing lights, bubbles andsmoke blasts! Or join the birds and sleep over with a night at theThorpe Shark Hotel, new for summer 2014 and just steps away from all the fun.Thorpepark.com

new websitefamiliessouthwest.co.uk

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New nurserycomes toStreathamDewdrops Play Scheme and Nursery is avibrant new environment for children aged 3months - 5 years, opening in Streatham thissummer. The nursery is Ofsted registered for20 children and offers both full and part-timepackages, plus Saturday flexible care 9am-4pm.Situated conveniently just behind Nandos onStreatham High Road, it aims to give little onesthe opportunity to play and fun as well as learnand develop new skills. Call 020 8769 8967 or0785 279 7990 to arrange a visit.

News

Imperial War museum is back!This July sees the long-awaited re-opening of theImperial War Museum. The new First WorldWar Galleries, which include never seen beforeobjects and a recreated trench, will open on 19July to mark the Centenary of the First WorldWar. Discover the story of war - how it started,why it continued and its global impact, throughthe lives of those who experienced it at the timeon both the front line and the home front.Drawing on IWM’s First World War collections,over 1,300 objects including weapons, uniforms,diaries, letters and souvenirs, will be on displayalongside photographs, art and film – many ofwhich have never been seen before. Themuseum will also have three new shops and acafé by Peyton and Byrne. We can’t wait!www.iwm.org.uk

NEW Perform inPutney, Clapham South / BalhamPerform Plus is a drama, dance and singing classdesigned for 8- 12 year olds. The new PutneyBranch launches in September 2014 so book yourplace now! The class will explore fun Drama andSinging techniques. They will offer a professionalstyle rehearsal and will work towards aperformance. Every Thursday during term time,4pm - 5.30pm. New Perform branch also inClapham South/Balham for 4-8yrs.

To take advantage of a special reader offerplease call 0845 400 4000 or to book yourchild's Free trial lesson. And if your childwould like to continue then you can claim aspecial £40 discount on your child's first tensessions quote FAMI101014 (Putney).FAMI011114 (Clapham South / Balham)

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Killer bags still threaten theenvironmentA shocking 10 billion single-use bags will be given out over the next 15 months before thegovernment implements its new bag charge legislation in October 2015. With the averageperson using 133 bags per year, the Break The Bag Habit coalition are launching a newwebsite to encourage supporters to pledge to stop using single-use bags, in an effort to offsetthe environmental impacts. The website is supported by internationally acclaimedphotographer Martin Brent with a series of stunning yet shocking images entitled ‘Killer Bags.’These images feature plastic bags Martin was confronted with whilst diving, and make somedifficult viewing. Make your pledge and re-use your bags! www.breakthebaghabit.org.uk

WorldBreastfeeding WeekThis year’s World Breastfeeding Week takes

place 1-7 August with the theme Breastfeeding: AWinning Goal For Life. Protecting, promoting andsupporting breastfeeding is a vital, life-saving goalof World Breastfeeding Week, with breastfeedinga key intervention for improving child survival inthe world, potentially saving about 20% ofchildren under five across the globe. They needyour help, so please get involved by organisingactivities or pledging your time or money atwww.worldbreastfeedingweek.org Organise ababy shower or help raise awareness in yourcommunity, or you can even enter the WorldBreastfeeding Week 2014 Photo Contest?

Inclusion in these pages is always FREE: send to [email protected]


New Children andFamilies ActA landmark Act comes into law this summer givinggreater protection to vulnerable children, bettersupport for children whose parents are separatingand help for parents to balance work and familylife. It will also help children with SpecialEducational Needs and disabilities, while ensuringvital changes to the adoption system meaningmore children who need loving homes are placedfaster. The Act will also make it easier for familiesto access more flexible childcare, while makingamendments to the law to protect children in carsfrom the dangers of second-hand smoke, andgiving parents new options to share parental leavefollowing the birth of a baby. Possibly the mostinteresting change is that from this June everyemployee across the country will be granted theright to request flexible working hours, with a dutyon employers to consider requests in a‘reasonable’ manner. ‘Current workplacearrangements have not kept up with the times,’said Jenny Willott, Employment Relations Minister.‘By enabling any employee to request to workflexibly, we want to remove any culturalassumption that flexible working is only forwomen, or just for parents and carers. The newsystem is good for business as it will create a moremotivated and flexible, talented workforce.Employers will be able to attract and retainwomen – from the boardroom to the shop floor -and prevent them from dropping out of the worldof work once they start a family.’

South London BookFestival 2014Tickets are selling fast already for STREAM,South London’s Book festival. Children (andparents) will enjoy meeting Malorie BlackmanChildren’s Laureate, Lauren Child, ChrisRiddell, The Wimpy Kid Show, Nicholas Allan,Holly Smale and many more (mostly free)events, including talks, Q&As, workshops,book signings and competitions. Saturday, 8November held at Streatham High School.www.STREAM.co.uk for details and booking.

I’Mfit – Fitnessweekends andretreats A workout for the body, mind and soul Tracyand Tom are fabulous teachers, withexperience in yoga, fitness and nutrition.They create classes aimed at supporting youmeet your fitness and weight loss goals. Theyoffer affordable weekends in the UK andSummers retreats in Italy with the aim ofinspiring clients to embrace what might be beyond the fear that is stopping them exploring real change. Tracy says: “Our support will allow you to bring about transformation in all areas of your life from weightloss to creating a healthy life style plan. This is not a quick fix, this is about learning new skills toincorporate a healthy way of living into your life for ever. “www.imfit.co.uk

Malorie Blackman


Good night, sleep tightYummy Mummy’s favourite Pink Lining launches gorgeous must-havenursery bedding this summer. Their first ever range of bedding comprisescot quilts, mosesbaskets, sheets,sleeping bags, cuddlerobes, comfortersand wall stickers intwo new prints.Hop, Skip and Jumpto Bed featuresbunny rabbits, owls,toadstools andbutterflies, whileOne Starry Nightbursts with dragons,clouds and stars. Welove them! Availablefrom the end of Julythrough www.pinklining.com/uk


Products

Funky Monkey swingsinto BatterseaFunky Monkey Keyboard Classes are swinging into theEthelburga Community Centre, 60 Worfield Street,Battersea SW11 4RA after the summer holidays. These funpacked, educational classes are carefully designed foryoung beginners between 4-8 years and encourage notonly keyboard skills but how to read and write music too.To celebrate the new centre Funky Monkey are offeringfree trial sessions on Saturday 13 September. Call 0800107 7949 or visit www.funkymonkey.info to book your slot.

Have you sortedyour labels?Labels4Kids offers a wide range of name labels,so whatever you need to be able to identify,they've got a solution. Choose from iron onlabels, sew in labels, sticky labels, click on labels,and dishwasher and microwave-proof labels forwater bottles or lunch boxes. Labels4Kids offerssuch a large, tried and tested amount of labelsthat there really is something for everyone.Labels4Kids continues the expansion andmodernisation of their website to make theordering process faster and smoother. Not onlycan you design your vinyl order onscreen now,but postage is free for orders of £20 or more, and they have a 100% money-back guarantee if you have any problems with your labels. Labels4Kids apologisefor any ordering problems you may have encountered last year during thewebsite move which took longer than expected but is now completed.Remember to get your orders in early at the start of summer to guarantee aquick turnaround in time for school. www.labels4kids.com/fam

Bake real bread Learn how to bake real bread in a small andfriendly class in Fulham. Have fun baking loaves,rolls, focaccia and soda bread while learning aboutingredients, how easily you can fit bread into yourlife and why homemade bread is good for you.Take your freshly baked bread home with you aswell as the recipes, so you can bake your own athome. The lesson includes afternoon or morningtea with more delicious home baked treats. Greatfor families, or as a gift, or just for yourself. Checkout award winning baker Ma Baker onwww.mabakerbakes.com or [email protected]

Rugby for the teeny onesDoes your little one show signs of becoming a future Jonny Wilkinson? If so, why not sign them up forRugbytots. The first UK rugby specific play programme for children aged 2-7, Rugbytots combines themultiple skills used in rugby with a fun, enthusiastic and energetic programme designed to enhance yourchild's social and physical skills. Due to huge demand they are opening new classes across SW Londonthis summer, including Fulham, Chelsea, Pimlico and Richmond. They can also throw a great birthdayparty! Contact Lorna on 0845 481 6444 or email [email protected]. www.rugbytots.co.uk

Clubs & activities news

Get creativeWhether you're a complete beginner or aseasoned printmaker, if you are interested in thetraditional arts of printmaking and bookbindingthen Lavender Print School is for you. A stunningnew print studio in SW London, it runs weekdayand weekend workshops open to everyone -artistic experience is not a necessity! Createbeautiful prints for your home, as gifts or even tosell. In their family printing workshops all ages canlearn together, plus they run fantastic classes forchildren in an art form they are unlikely toencounter at school. A creative and unusual dayout for all! Families Magazine readers receive a 25%discount on all workshops.Call 07580 597 342 or 020 7223 6767, [email protected]. Lavender PrintSchool, Unit 140a Battersea Business Centre, 99-109 Lavender Hill SW11 5QLwww.lavenderprintschool.com

®®July/August 2014 7

School news

The fastest swimmersin the land!Great news for Garden House School who arenow officially the fastest girl swimmers in thecountry! Their Girls’ Under 10s swimming teamwon the top trophy for their age group in the IAPSNational Swimming Finals this summer, aprestigious national competition. On top of this,team member Clara von Opel won gold in theindividual butterfly final, breaking the currentrecord. An excellent result all round! GardenHouse School, Turks Row SW3,www.gardenhouseschool.co.uk

Lalaloopsy™ craze continues!Adorable new characters are joining theLalaloopsy™large doll range this summer, includingMari Golden Petals, Cherry Crisp Crust, YukiKimono and Smile E. Wishes. Lalaloopsy™ dolls, aseveryone knows, magically come to life when theirvery last stitch is sewn. They live in a fantasticalworld full of silly surprises and each character is‘sewn on’ a special date to reflect their personality.Also tumbling into the range are four newLalaloopsy™ Littles characters, the younger siblingsof the original dolls, who come with a cute pet justlike their big sisters. From £14.99, available from allgood toy retailers. www.lalaloopsy.com


Adorable gifts for the summerFor a gorgeous, unique gift this summer take alook at the new Forest Friendscollection by Gisela Graham.Divine lunch bags, bookends,clocks and peg rails feature theForest Friends of foxes, owlsand badgers in a range ofdesigns. From £13.99.www.giselagraham.co.uk

First and foremost a school should be fun!There are lots of exciting things happening this year at Paint Pots Montessori Schools and CreativeClasses. In September they are opening a new MontessoriNursery School at St Mary The Boltons Church, SW10 9TBand the long established Paint Pots Bayswater will relocate toSt Stephens Church, Westbourne Park Road, W2 5QT. Theaccompanied Creative Classes, for children aged 6 months to6 years, will continue to run at The Boltons and now also at StStephens Church, W2. Georgina Hood, Founder and Principal, with a history in Earlyyears Education spanning over two decades, is activelyinvolved in the creative classes. She teaches the baby classesweekly and also delivers the Empowered Parenting course,which includes creativity, language and number development.All four Paint Pots schools offer something unique to eachfamily. These first experiences of attending classes and nursery areimportant stepping stones. At Paint Pots the aim is to makethese steps as happy and as rewarding as possible. To find outmore about these MEAB accredited Montessori Schools or tobook Creative Classes online visit www.paint-pots.co.uk

New Putney primaryThe former Putney Hospital is confirmed as the site for a new primary school in Putney, to help meet thegrowing demand for primary school places. Putney Hospital has been vacant since 1998 but will now behome to 24 flats at the northern end of the site (the proceeds of which will help pay for the school), plusthe new school, which will be an academy or free school. If planning permission is granted it will provide420 primary places from September 2015 for children living in the west of the borough. The proposedschool is a two-storey building with external play space, plus the roof would be used as a multi-usegames area. Find out more at www.wandsworth.gov.uk/betterschoolsmorechoice

Merton Drawing competition winners announcedLocal estate agents Ellisons are pleased to announce the winners of the ‘Our Merton’ school artcompetition 2014: they are Lois Johnston, age 7 from Priory School (Primary School) and Laura Alfe, age12 from The Ursuline Convent (High School). Each school received a prize fund of £4,000 and the pupilstook home an iPad mini for their incredible efforts. All the runners up received a certificate for theirachievement and a round of applause from the large crowd in attendance. The winners were presentedwith their prizes by the Mayor of Merton, Councillor Krystal Miller. Congratulations to all, we were veryimpressed by the works of art, keep drawing!

July/August 2014 9®®

We acceptChildcareVouchers

OfstedRegistered

Noticeboard


Guide for depressionAround one in ten young people will experiencedepression, stress or anxiety by the time theyreach 18. But where can their parents turn to forhelp? This summer sees the launch of an essentialguide for parents who might be worried that theirchild is depressed. On behalf of charity theCharlie Waller Memorial Trust, the guide offersanswers to all the most frequently asked questionsparents have, plus guidance on what to do next. A Parent’s Guide To Depression is filled with clear,practical advice for anyone concerned that theirson or daughter has a mental health problem,tackling the challenges parents face such as how todistinguish between natural adolescent moodswings and depression, and ways to talk aboutyour concerns with your child. ‘Parents are usuallythe first to notice that their child’s behaviour haschanged,’ said Jackie Williams of the Charlie WallerMemorial Trust. ‘Often they feel powerless tohelp, particularly if their child is shuttingthemselves off from their family and the widerworld.

But the good news is there are proven, practicalstrategies to help your child overcome theirdepression.’ The online version can be accessed at www.cwmt.org.uk/category/parents-guide; the moreconcise printed booklet can be downloaded atwww.cwmt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/parents-guide-to-depression.pdf

Make your family travel even better

Known for their “Make travel matter” talks in primary schools, local re-knowned travel

agency Travel Matters wanted to create something special for the younger travellers, to

make the family travel experience even better for children.

The new Bertie & Boo Global Adventure book for Global Kids is a great booklet, which the

children collect when the holiday is booked. With responsible travel tips, it is also educational

for the pre-schoolers. There are QR codes inside to take you to the short Bertie & Boo films

also. It’s an ideal distraction for the children should they be going into melt downs.

• Travel matters maketravelmatter.co.uk

020 8675 7878

• Bertie and Boo 162 Balham High Rd,

London SW12 9BW

Get ready for summerWhile you’re planning your beach wardrobe this summer, why not

add the kikoy towel from Blue Summer, sure to be the must-have

family beach accessory for 2014? Imported by a local mum andhandwoven by artisan weavers in Kenya, the kikoy is half towel, half

sarong, and comes in a range of 22 colours, all made from the finest

natural cotton. Easy to pack and quick drying, they are perfect for

your holidays or even for an imaginative gift. Best of all, the kikoy

towels come in three sizes for children, adults or even a family size!

Stay ethical this summer at www.bluesummerboutique.comFrom £29.

WIN a family ticket to see

What the Ladybird Heard at

London’s Cadogan Hall!Based on the award winning picture book by Julia Donaldson & Lydia

Monks, this glittering new stage adaptation of What the

Ladybird Heard will hit Cadogan Hall from 24th July until

10th August. Join the woolly sheep, the hairy hog, the fat

red hen and the dainty dog as they take on the villains and

win, in this colourful farmyard adventure. The perfect

family treat and the ideal introduction to theatre for pre and

primary school children!

www.whattheladybirdheardlive.co.uk

To enter, go to www.FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk/competitions

You will be asked how many Ladybirds are scattered on the pages of this

issue, so count them now!

Terms and Conditions apply. The competition closes at 9am on

15th July 2014.

July offer: 25% offyour first month whenyou join in July.

Explore Learning centres offer maths and Englishtuition for 5 to 14 year olds.

Terms and conditions apply. See www.explorelearning.co.uk for details.Participating centres only.

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TENNIS continued from May issue (see familiessouthwest.co.uk/Directory to see all others)

Jonathan Markson TennisBarn Elms, Barnes SW13Intensive tennis camps for children

age 7+, in the school holidays andhalf term breaks. Suitable for alllevels. They also run residentialcamps for children over 10020 7603 2422,[email protected]

Sheen Lawn Tennis ClubParklands Close, East Sheen, SW14 7EHIndividual and group lessons forchildren aged 3+, plus holiday camps020 8878 7650,[email protected] www.sheentennisquash.co.uk

The Spencer ClubFieldview, Earlsfield SW18 3HFLessons for children of all abilities,plus holiday courses020 8874 2717,[email protected] www.spencerclub.org

Telford Park Tennis Club35a Killieser Avenue, Streatham HillSW2 4NXHoliday tennis camps for childrenaged 4-15, plus weekly coaching forages 3+020 8674 5979,coaching@telfordparktennisclub.co.ukwww.telfordparktennisclub.co.uk/holiday-camps

Tennis 4 YouWimbledon Park Tennis CourtsTerm time and holiday coachingsessions for children aged 3-160208 789 0482/07961 170675,[email protected]

Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club43 Becmead Road, Streatham SW16 1UJA family-friendly tennis club withweekly group coaching sessions fromage 3 plus fun kids holiday campsJulia Searle on 07816 004 992 [email protected]

TRAMPOLININGTooting Leisure CentreTrampolining ClubTooting Leisure Centre, GreavesPlace, Garratt Lane SW17 ONEPre-school trampolining, with a rangeof games and play for children under5 to help develop social skills as wellas physical skills020 8333 7555www.placesforpeopleleisure.org/centres/tooting-leisure-centre

Latchmere Leisure CentreTrampolining ClubLatchmere Leisure Centre, BurnsRoad SW11 5ADTrampolining club for 5-12 year olds020 7207 8004www.placesforpeopleleisure.org/centres/latchmere-leisure-centre

Aspire Centre337 Merton Road SW18 5JUTry a new activity, learn new skillsand have fun at the same time. Noprevious experience required. Forchildren aged 5+020 8875 2603,[email protected]

Battersea Sports CentreHope Street, SW11 2DATry trampolining in the BatterseaSports Centre’s holiday programmes 020 8871 8529,[email protected]/holidayfun

Shene Sports and FitnessCentrePark Avenue, East Sheen SW14 8RGTrampolining for ages 3 and up020 8090 9630,[email protected]/shene_sport_fitness_centre_junior_programme

TRIATHLON Windrush Triathlon ClubTake part in one of the fastestgrowing sports in the UK, with aJunior section for boys and girls age8+. Running sessions take place inBrockwell Park, cycling sessions atHerne Hill Velodrome and outsideswimming training at Brockwell Lidoduring the summer. They also runone-off workshops throughout the

year to get juniors ready for racing [email protected]

VOLLEYBALLShene Sports and FitnessCentrePark Avenue, East Sheen SW14 8RGVolleyball for all ages020 8878 7578,[email protected]/shene_sports_centre_facilities_sports_activities

Dulwich TuskersDulwich, Peckham, Tulse Hill andTootingSessions for children of all abilitieswww.tuskersvolleyball.co.uk

Ernest Bevin CollegeBeechcroft Road, SW17 7DFHoliday volleyball camps for childrenaged 9+020 8672 8582,[email protected]

Richmond VolleyballVenues across RichmondJunior players not only learn newskills but also improve health andfitness, co-ordination, self-confidence, teamwork, not tomention making new friends andhaving fun. They are also able tocompete in regional and nationaljunior competitions [email protected]/juniors

WATERSPORTSBarn Elms Boat House Queen Elizabeth Walk, Barnes, SW13 0DG Junior Learn to Row and JuniorIntermediate Rowing, 12 weekcourses each020 8876 9873 www.wandsworth.gov.uk/barnelmsboathouse

Westminster Boating Base136 Grosvenor Road, SW1V 3JYA children's charity teaching young

people to sail, canoe and kayak. Age 10+ 020 7821 7389,alan@westminsterboatingbase.co.ukwww.westminsterboatingbase.co.uk

Wimbledon ParkWatersports CentreHome Park Road, SW19 7HXOffers a range of water sportsactivities for the whole community.All activities are run by qualifiedprofessional staff. Sailing boatsinclude Drascombe Lugger, Wayfarer,Laser 2000, Optimist and more020 8947 4894,[email protected]/leisure/sport/facilities/wimbledonparkwatersports.htm

YOGAChildren’s Therapies The Pilates Room, 226a UpperRichmond Road, Putney SW15 6TGTailored yoga sessions for childrenand families. Practicing yoga developsphysical and emotional stamina,making children stronger, moreconfident and better able to copewith problems. It can also improvesleeping and eating patterns0208 673 7930 www.childrenstherapies.co.uk

South West London YogaWimbledon Village SW19 Yoga for children and teenagers. Thebenefits are immediately noticeablein terms of improving sleep patterns,alleviating tension headaches andboosting self confidence07977 298648,[email protected]

YogaBugsThe largest children’s yoga companyin the UK - fun story-style yoga foryoung children, which stretches theirimagination as well as their [email protected]

Sports Listings A-Z – Final Part!compiled by Joanna Parry

Sports Listings T-ZWe have reached the end of our challenge: to try and list every single children sporting activity basedin a SW postcode. We've covered Archery, Badminton, Martial arts to Ruby. To see the completeSports listing go to www.familiessouthwest.co.uk/Directory

Please mention you found them in “Families” when you call!

For the completelist of ALL sports

for children inSouth West

London go to ouronline Directory

See familiessouthwest.co.uk for other sports A-R…July/August 2014 11

Please mention “Families” whenyou call!

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Not all of these dads want to or deserve to seetheir children, however, there are many dads outthere who want to be involved but who miss outbecause of circumstances – and their children missout too.

But modern technology has come to the rescue inthe form of a new online memory bank,lifestorybank.com, which allows dads to share allsorts of information with their children, such asstories about childhood and family facts. Dads can

also include advice. Their childrenmay be too young to appreciateadvice right now but knowing that itis there will only help them in thefuture.

No, it will never be the same asholding their hand or giving them areal hug but it is a good way toconnect with them and leave yourstories. Today’s children are tech

savvy. Theyconnectelectronicallyto each otheron a daily basisand this is having an impacton their attention span,making it shorter. So morefrequent connections can bebetter than few long ones -an organised collection ofvideo clips is easier for themto watch than a longdocumentary type film.

The service is online, so all they need is aninvitation from their parent, an internet connectionand an email address to receive a password andaccess the parent’s account. The fact that they canlog on anywhere at any time stops any emotionalnegativity or feeling bad that asking permission ora phone call can cause. It holds the informationindefinitely in the Cloud and is available 24/7.

Yes there are other ways of leaving informationbut video recording is important. Children want tosee their parent's face, expressions andmannerisms not just read a text or listen to adisembodied voice. To feel like their parent isthere, even when they cannot be there physically.

Basic membership to Lifestorybank is free,which includes three chapters and 30 questions.


Digital memory bank helpsestranged dads stay in touchwith childrenBritain has the highest proportion of fatherless families (2 million) of any major European countryand 1 in 3 children – nearly 4 million in total – live without their father. (Source: Office of NationalStatistics). Of those children who don’t live with their father, 1 in 3 will lose contact with their dadspermanently. (Source: Centre for Social Justice).

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Parenting


Mindfulness,

the secret tohappy parentingBy Mette Theilmann

Mindfulness is the difference between being a DOer and a BEer. As parents today, we often experiencehigh levels of pressure and stress to make sure our children become well-rounded individuals. We packtheir lives with a variety of activities and sports clubs to keep them fit, sociable and confident,encourage them to do well at school, make the right friends and painstakingly pore over every decisionabout their education. The daily routine of family life with all its chores and demands and our ownfeelings of responsibility to ensure our children are confident, independent, responsible and happy canall make for very stressed and exhausted parents. Basically what I am saying is that if we are notphysically on the go, we are mentally on the go; thinking about what to do and where to be next.

Mindfulness tried& testedBy Helli Roberts, mum of two

Many of my friends are doing it, so is my boss andeven my sister; Government ministers, top sportspeople and company CEOs all benefit from it.

Mindfulness is the scientifically proven discipline ofmeditation without the spirituality. People who livein a busy mind find they can’t engage with theirfeelings. Anxiety, fear, mild depression and stressare caused by the inability to turn off the constantstream of thoughts – ‘our thinking tap’. Onceyou’re in touch with your feelings you can expressthem properly and communicate them to others.Imagine how every business and family wouldbenefit!

Battersea Yoga offered me the chance to try outone of their classes, I was very curious toexperience it for myself so was delighted toaccept. Battersea Yoga has been runningMindfulness courses for twelve years. Theircourses attract intelligent, professional people whofind they are being rocked by life’s wobbles –worrying about their children, money, theirrelationships – all the usual stresses. Angus Ford-Robertson devises his courses to help people whoare struggling with the worries of modern life.

GPs now recognise the benefit of learningMindfulness skills and are referring patients –preferring to prescribe Mindfulness thanmedication. How cool is that!?

I found the course made Mindfulness far easierand more accessible than I’d imagined – and I cansee how it can work on improving the overallenjoyment of life.I’ve signed up for the whole course! Six week beginners course costs £90. 020 7978 7995 www.batterseayoga.com

It’s no wonder that 90% of parents describe themselves as frantic rather than fun. It’s no wonder thatparents today have become DOers rather than BEers.

Too busy on your screens ? It’s not helped by the fact we’re always having to take calls, check texts and e-mails; our children quicklyrealise they don’t have our full attention when we’re attached to our tablet, laptop or phone! This canalso create huge challenges when we try and tackle the issue of their screen time too. The effect of this“full on all the time” way of life is that we are never really in the moment or mindfully there for ourselvesor our children and this can have a negative effect on us both! For us, it can cause stress/irritability and exhaustion and we can start to react to situations in a muchmore negative way. We stop listening properly to our children; we are just too busy thinking about otherthings. We forget to enjoy the small moments with them and sadly miss out on opportunities to praisethem. We then often start to feel guilty as deep down we know that this is not the parent we want to beand we can start to lose our confidence as a parent. This can encourage self-doubt in our children too asthey can start to think that we don’t want to be with them. They start playing up to get our full attentionas they know we always react when they are fighting or misbehaving. They feel that we are not listeningand start not listening to us, or each other. They start mimicking our behaviour and becoming like us!!Our stress is being passed on to them. But the good news is that the key to mindfulness can be achievedby anyone, anywhere.

How mindfulness can help parentsMindfulness aims for you to fully focus on each moment you are with your children. Mindfulness helpsyou to find the balance between being a DOer and a BEer. When we do become “mindfully there”, webecome a great role model for our children based on respect, care and deep love. Since we are fullyaware of what they say, do and feel we really get to know our children again and re-connect with them.We feel proud of ourselves at the end of each day as we feel we are doing the right thing, even if thingshaven’t gone to plan! We gain energy and motivation as a parent as we start to see the same emotionsand feelings manifesting themselves in our children. We will have a positive and dynamic focus onproblem-solving in stressful situations and become more open-minded to positive discipline. Our childrendevelop healthy social skills based on listening and respect for other people. They become like us (and ina good way!) and we start to have fun together again!

Awareness is the first key to mindfulness. Our daily tasks and challenges are not going to go away butwhen you become aware that you are not “in the moment” and are just too busy thinking about otherthings or multi-tasking, remind yourself why you need to focus now. Relax your body, breathe slowly andlook at your children and smile. Try to think more calmly and remember that mindful parents becomeessentially better able to manage difficult situations and issues arising in the family and within themselves.

•ParentingSuccess offers parenting workshops and one-to-one parent coaching on all family issues. To find outmore go to www.parentingsuccesscoaching.com

Meditation www.batterseayoga.com

Roving reporter

July/August 2014 15®

Writing competition!

Could you be the next Families Roving Reporter?

Do you like writing? Do you livelocally, have small children andenjoy going out and about withthem, discovering new places andthings to do? Then why don’tyou enter our writing competitionand become our new rovingreporter! ?

Families® South West prides itself in reporting onanything that is local whether it’s a business, anevent, a festival, a parenting course, a product, a yogaclass for children, a tried and health therapy...anything that young families get into!

For a chance to win, we are asking each person whowants to participate to send us a 400 word-longpiece on a topic of interest to families. It can bethemed, for example the best dance classes forchildren, or the best places to go with young childrenon a rainy day, or natural therapies tried and testedor you may decide to rant about a local issue(remember we cover all SW postcodes so it needs tobe relevant to as many of our readers as possible) orit could be a piece tackling issues you feel areimportant for families: environmental, nutritional or the like...

Send your piece(s) by the end of July to [email protected] together with a bit of blurbabout you, and how you see your column developing, and accompany it with high resolution pictures foryour piece if you can. We will print the best ones over a few months, and the readers will vote to decidewho wins. The winner wins the chance to become our next Roving Reporter and have his/her own columnin Families!

Good luck, I am looking forward to reading you! PascaleEditor

PS: If you are not interested in writing but have ideas of what Families could cover in this new column,then fell free to email me your thoughts!

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Moving on


When it comes to buying, selling and moving to anew family home, Murphy’s law applies – what cango wrong, will go wrong. Yet, with a little bit ofpre-planning (or, to be strictly honest, with somestrategic military-style planning) it can go rathermore smoothly than my muddled efforts wouldsuggest.

Think ahead!With the benefit of hindsight I have learnt rather alot. For example: never have children in the houseat the same time as viewers. I learnt this the hardway when my then 5-year-old daughter cheerilyinformed a potential buyer that our kitchen was sosmall that we couldn’t fit all the family in at thesame time, and then proceeded to accompany heroutside where she pointed out that the frontgarden was dangerous for children. (The gardensloped away from the house and there was a dropover the retaining wall to the pavement). Needlessto say – that viewer never returned.

I also once had removal men half way throughloading up the entire contents of another housewhen I got a call from my solicitor to say ourbuyer had not exchanged contracts as scheduled.And, on that same ill-fated move, when the vanhad finally gone and I had loaded the children intothe car, I couldn’t find the cat. Hours later withthe cat found, duly caged and in the car, Idiscovered I had a puncture and faced theprospect of driving a 100 mile journey to our newhome on an emergency tyre (the garages all beingclosed by then) until a kindly neighbour stepped into the rescue.

So with the benefit of all that has gone wrong onmy moves – and some sage advice from fellowFamilies magazine editors - what can you do tomake sure your house move goes without hitch?

Prepare thechildrenFirst, prepare the children. If they are very youngdon’t assume they understand what a house moveis all about. As one mum recalls “We moved housewhen my son and daughter were 6 and 9 yearsold. Although we did talk with them about moving,it wasn't until they asked whether they could taketheir belongings with them that we realised wehadn't made it clear that we were only selling thebuilding; they thought we were selling the houseplus its contents.”

A good way of preparing young children is to readstories about moving, for example Topsy and TimMove House. If you do that when your own houseis on the market, it gives your child time tobecome familiar with the idea before the timecomes to move out.

Muddling through a

house moveBy Wendy Flynn, editor Families Birmingham

The average family moves 8times in their lifetime. To date,I’ve clocked up a staggering 20new addresses but, thankfully,only five of those have been withhusband, children and pets.Moving home as a singletonwith few belongings and a freestorage facility back at homebase is a breeze compared tomoving lock, stock and barrel toan unfamiliar place withchildren in tow.

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Moving on


If you are moving within your local area and noschool move is involved, it is easier than when youare moving to a totally new area. Older schoolage children are likely to be upset – and oftenangry - at the prospect of losing friends. Listen totheir fears and be endlessly patient and positiveabout the move (however you are feelingyourself), and explain how they can keep in touchwith old friends while making new ones. Childrenare very adaptable and the chances are they willsettle in the new area and have firm friendships alot sooner than you will, but they need to vent andthey need your reassurance.

A practical plan Once your house is sold you can breathe a sigh ofrelief that you no longer have to run aroundstuffing toys back in cupboards to make the housepresentable for viewers, but then sit down with acup of coffee and make a plan. The key to asmooth move is in the planning:

DeclutterDon’t move your junk from one house to another.Take the time between selling and moving to do athorough clearout. Quotes for removal companies – get several.They can vary hugely in price. Decide whether youare going to do your own packing or want theremoval company to do it. It doesn’t cost a lotmore to let the removal company do the packingand with their speed and efficiency it is oftenmoney well spent. If you are pregnant whenmoving, have to move in a hurry with jobs or for ahouse sale, or have loads of belongings, it isdefinitely recommended.Change of address list – do this in advance andhave your letters or e-mail sorted ready to go outbefore you move. It is not just day to day contactsyou need to inform – you will also need to changeaddress on TV licence, driving licence and vehiclereg. And, you need to contact pension providersfrom previous jobs, ISA savings providers and soon. You can find a good list of people you need tocontact onhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/homes/property/moving_notifychecklist.shtml Don’t forget to set up aredirection with Royal Mail. Inevitably you willforget one crucial contact to notify so redirectionof mail is essential.Insurance – you need to make sure you haveinsurance on your new home. Contents andbuilding.

Pets – they too can get stressed with movinghouse. Make a plan in advance to ease theirtransition. Helpful websites includewww.dogstrust.org.uk and www.bluecross.org.uk

On the DayUtilities: Don’t forget to take utility readingsbefore leaving the house Mobile phone: make sure your mobile is fullycharged in case there are any last minute snags tosort out like getting keys from the estate agent.Essentials kit: One mum says: “The best advice wewere given was to pack a separate box with thekettle tea/coffee milk, mugs etc in it so at least whenwe were in the midst of chaos we didn’t have to huntto find the kettle.” I second that. You also winbrownie points with the removal men who will bemuch more amenable if their thirst is quenchedwhen you change your mind about where youwant the wardrobe!Bedrooms – linen, blankies and cuddly toys:“The first thing we did when we got in our new housewas to make the beds so later on when exhaustedand tired we didn’t have to do it before falling intobed,” advises another Mum. You can also makesure any special sleep ‘blankies’ or cuddly toys areon your child’s bed waiting for them, and that a

few familiar toys are unpacked from their ownspecial box to make them feel at home.A toast: The final word in this piece goes toFamilies Leeds editor Sarah Butters who is aboutto move home for the second time in 6 months.

“Packing the wine glasses somewhere handy is anabsolute MUST.” When all does not go according toplan – and believe me I know all about this – this issensible advice indeed. So, to everyone involved in a house move, we say:‘Here’s to your new life!’ And, even if all doesnot go smoothly, somehow or another you willmuddle through. Cheers!

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Treat the car journey as thestart of your holiday (and not a chore).Make sure it is fun for the children and as stress-free as possible for mum and dad.

Eliminate as much time related stress aspossible.In other words, try not to have a ferry crossing bookedat the end of a 7 hour car drive. If you can, overnightnear the terminal. Otherwise every single contraflow willstress you out, right from the start of your trip. If there’sno rush to get where you are going, there’s no need toget stressed about traffic or roadworks. Remember yourholiday has already started.

Charge up your screens and other gadgets. Buy or borrow at least one portable DVD player,Nintendo or iPod etc. Ensure every gadget is charged

ahead of travelling and that you have enough travel leadsand multi adaptors for everyone to use the 12v cigarettelighter socket. Obviously you don’t want the kids pluggedin to screens for too long as they’ll never see where theyhave been. So ration their screen time and use it as a toolfor rewarding good behaviour if necessary.

Take regular breaks. Break up your journey regularly with picnics, walks andplay areas. Fresh air and a runaround for the kids plus apower nap for the driver reduces stress all round. Ifbudget allows, an overnight hotel with a pool gives thekids something to look forward to and burns off energybefore bed time.

Buy some journey presents(these could be called bribes). Buy some small presents,like Christmas stocking fillers, and wrap them up for the

Top ten tips for long car journeys

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Our family regularly drives long distances with the children and much prefer it to flying. Tantrums, spills, accidents and illness are so much more easilyhandled in a confined, (and sound-proofed) car than when stuck in a long queue of tense fellow travelers. Our last two summers involved approximately4000 mile road trips around Europe and the kids had a fantastic time though it has to be said, the back seat of the car has never really recovered.Comedian Sean Lock says that his car doesn’t require child seats anymore as the rear seats are so sticky the kids are effectively glued down!

By JW Patrick

The key to successful long car journeys with children is to think of it as part of your holiday andmake sure you all enjoy it. This is a chance to spend family time together, to talk, to share eachother’s music, to see new things and to visit new places and forge great memories. Every time youcomplete a journey that is actually fun for the children, the easier it will be to sell them on the ideanext time.

Tips for long car journeys

with children

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journey. Action figures, crayons, DVDs etc. Ensure theysee the bag full of presents beforehand. You can thenaward a present (bribe) for milestones or legs of the tripachieved without arguing, fighting or tantrums. Thisencourages and rewards good behaviour as well askeeping them entertained for the next leg of thejourney.

Stock up with snacks.OK, your back seat upholstery will take a bit of ahammering but snacks are so, so important. Pack asnack bag that can be pulled out when you sense thattheir attention and patience may be waning.

Play games and quizzes.Kids have you all to themselves for once (and vice versa)so why not take advantage? 50 Games to Play in Cars isgood. Our favourite is this number plate game: Take theletters from the number plate of the car in front of youand make up a proper sentence. Score points and prizesfor cleverest or funniest etc. Nowadays, you can buy allsorts of spotter charts for particular landmarks andvehicles for the children to look out for. Car journeysare also a good opportunity to test their spelling, mathsability; start to learn some foreign words if going abroad.There are no distractions (for either of you) and theyoften enjoy this time, knowing you are not secretlychecking your emails or texts.

Travel in convoy, if possible.If you’re holidaying with friends or grandparents then, ifpossible, travel in convoy. It makes such a difference forthem to see a new friend or face when you stop andgives them something else to look forward to.

Stock up on essentials. Such as baby wipes and water. Lots of baby wipes are amust. As well as bottles of drinking water, we keepseveral big jerrycans of 5 and 10 litres of water in theboot, pretty much permanently. Sooner or later you’llbe thankful you did too. (Spills, puke, poo, sand, mudetc.) We also keep a roll of black bin bags in the boot assometimes a complete set of clothing or shoes needsseparated from everything else until such time it can bedealt with properly.

Involve them in navigation.We have a map and a globe that the kids can placestickers on once they have visited those places. Takewith you a map or two and buy a couple of packets of‘organiser’ sticky dots, one colour for each child. Tellthem where they are heading to, where they are stayingnext, or are passing though and award them coloureddots to place on the map for whoever sees thetown/sea/river first. If you have SatNav, you’ll noticehow quickly they fathom the concept of the map andsoon become aware of how long it takes to travel fromtown to town.

Summer feature

July/August 2014 19®®®®®

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We specialise in:• Adult and Baby lessons• Toddler lessons• Learn To Swim classes• Pre-Club Squad

Training for Children• Adult Beginners and

Intermediate TrainingCindy’s Swim School is focused ondelivering a variety of personalisedlessons to local families.

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[email protected] 782675

We have a passion for swimminginstruction and practice within astructured and safe environment. Our swimmers learn the joys ofswimming and stroke technique withprogrammes incorporating games andexercise to improve each swimmer’sconfidence in the water.

Summer feature


Too much politicalcorrectness in sportSome things have improved over time – crosscountry in sub-zero temperatures can be done insleeved shirts and long trousers. But, sadly, there’sstill a school of thought that says asking kids tocompete and vie for victory is somehow wrong.

This brings me to a survey conducted with eight to16 years olds recently by Marylebone Cricket Cluband Chance to Shine, suggesting the majority ofchildren would be happy to see the competitiveelement removed from school sport.

Perhaps the politically correct don’t want to hurt theless able children’s feelings. Or they don’t want toheap the pressure of expectation on such youngshoulders. However, they DO want to see childrensucceed in sport, rise through the ranks andrepresent our country at international levels. Sorry,but you can’t have it both ways: elite athletes needto learn how to compete, what it feels like to winand, more importantly, what it feels like to lose.Children need goals and targets. They need to beencouraged to push further and try harder to realisetheir potential, these are not just skills forcompetition in school sport, they are skills for life.

Why competing isimportantFurthermore, competition should not be driventhrough sport alone, it is the mistake we all make,it’s about driving competition fun, engaging activities,as they will be inclusive to all rather than the 1/3children in school that play school sport. Maybe if weget more children engaged in physical activity, wewill have more athletes representing our NationalGoverning Bodies at tournaments and events in thefuture. And there’s no harm in doing that –provided the goals are realistic, the child is engagedand the support structure is in place to catch themwhen they fall or fail which is bound to happen, as in

many things in life, when they strive to succeed.

I’ve long suspected that these anti-competitivedecisions are made by adults deciding what childrenwant. What we should actually be doing is askingthe children whether they like to compete andstrive, and the key to this is engaging kids at a muchearlier age in the benefits of physical activity. Fit ForSport did just that as part of our ‘Engage toCompete’ primary schools programme with SportEngland last year. And the answers were revealing.

The childrenthemselves relish achallengeAfter taking part in our fun, active pilot, we specificallyasked children aged four to 11 how competition madethem feel. The responses were overwhelminglypositive with the vast majority of children stating thatcompetition made them feel, happy, excited, strong andconfident as opposed to nervous, afraid, weak orworried. And when we asked them outright if theyliked taking part in competitions, 2836 said yes; 257said no and 206 were not sure. Put it another way,that’s 86% of children that like taking part incompetitions, once they are engaged in physical activityat a younger age.

This figure speaks for itself. And our children shouldbe able to do the same. Not only should they beable to speak, teachers should be able to act onwhat they hear.

I also think people forget that it’s not just aboutbeing active in school, it’s about being an activefamily. Kids learn so many of their traits from theirparents, why should physical activity just be aboutwhat kids do in school? It’s so important that familytime does not just amount to just watching TVtogether, or having dinner together or going out orgoing to the shops. Equally important is being activeas a family, parents have just as much responsibility if

not a lot more than schools to ensure their kids areeating right, learning to live a healthy lifestyle andengaging in fun activity as a family unit.

This is what I do with my family and I would hopeother parents do the same with theirs, a child can dogreat things at school but if they just go back hometo an environment which is not geared towardsbeing an active family, much of the positiveengagement gets lost in a play-station, or the TV orsocial media on a smart-phone. Small sustainablesteps to an active family should always be a priorityfor parents.

After all, an active family will lead to a healthy familyand surely that is something to strive for in life, for aparent and a child who will eventually become one?

•For more information about what Fit For Sport, TheVoice of Kids, go to: www.fitforsport.co.uk

An active life leads to a healthylife, it’s not rocket scienceBy Dean Horridge, CEO, Fit For Sport.

As a PE teacher since 1986 andwith over 20 years’ experiencedelivering physical activities toyoung children, it’s fair to sayI’ve seen some PE trends comeand go. From the ‘school of hardknocks’ approach that saw kidsdoing cross county in shorts andt-shirts while snow lay on theground to the pendulumswinging right back to the pointthat sports day races werebanned for fear of upsetting thechildren that didn’t win.

Summer feature


Summer holiday listings

ARTS ANDCRAFTSPaint Pots HouseSt Mary the Boltons Church Hall, TheBoltons SW10 9TB08456 434442, [email protected] July – 1 August. Holiday FunCreative art, cooking, music, storytime and games. Age 18 months-3years with parents or carers, 10-11.30am, £25 per day. Age 3-6, dropoff, 9.30am-12.30pm £35 per day, or9.30am-3.30pm £55 per day.

For more arts & craft activitiesthis summer see our JuneSummer listing. See it herewww.familiessouthwest.co.uk/holidayactivities

LANGUAGESLe Club TricoloreAcross SW London020 7924 4649,[email protected] and August dates TBC.Holiday French Activity Days Cooking, art and craft, drama andgames for children who want toimprove their French while havingfun. Ages 3-11

French Day Campsfrom Et Patati etPatata www.etpatatipatata.comFor 4-6 year olds and 7-10 year olds,running throughout July and August

from 9am-3pm.Learn French without leaving Londonin these camps: have a ball withcreative activities led by experiencedFrench teachers. Children willexplore the sounds, flavours,customs and cultures of Francethrough stories, songs, visits andworkshops. Enjoy cooking, Frenchtheatre, discos, museum visits,sports, arts and crafts and muchmuch more.

For more language activities thissummer see our June Summerlisting. See it herewww.familiessouthwest.co.uk/holidayactivities

MUSICDANCE &DRAMAAmanda’s ActionClubWandsworth, Putney, Parsons Green,Southfields, Battersea01895 623999,[email protected] www.amandasactionclub.co.ukThroughout the summer holidays.Music Classes and Workshops

Fun, fitness and music for children 4months to 4 years

Allsorts Drama• More House School, 22-24 Pont

Street SW1X 0AA• Notting Hill Prep School, 95

Lancaster Road W11 1QQ020 8767 5298 or 020 8969 3249 www.allsortsdrama.com

Summer Drama Workshops 14th -18th July & 28th July - 1stAugust, 9.30am-3.30pm. The weekwill involve many aspects of dramaand the children will put on afantastic show for family and friendson the last day. Price £220 for theweek with a 20% sibling discount.Ages 4-6, 7-10 and 11-14.

Children ComedyWorkshop2014 Balham Comedy FestivalThe Bedford, 77 Bedford Hill SW12 9HDwww.balhamcomedyfestival.com13th July, FREE as part of theBalham Comedy Festival takingplace 11-19 JulyComedy Workshop for Children runby John Moloney and Adam Bloom.Starts at 2.00 pm with 45 minutemasterclass featuring hints andexamples of how to structure jokes,

writing and performance tips.Followed by a 30 minute break whenthe children will be asked to preparejokes. Students will be invited toperform their routine in front oftheir parents when they will be givenadvice and support. Age of 8+accompanied by an adult

Fancy Footwork Belleville Primary School,Belleville Road SW11 6PR0845 094 1774,[email protected] July – 1 August. La FilleMal GardéeA great opportunity for children to

We took every care in preparing these entries but sometimes eventsare cancelled or times changed. Please double check event with theorganiser to avoid disappointment.

Space is limited in these pages, there are a lot more summer activitiesonline, see them all here: familiessouthwest.co.uk/holidayactivities

With the help of Joanna Parry

“It’s Frozen out here” with Stagecoach Merton Park and Tooting

Marcus Brigstocke

immerse themselves in dance,culminating in a special performanceat the end of the week. 9.30am-3.30pm, ages 4-7, £190

Kensington BalletSchoolPhone Karen on 07957 650 042 orcheck www.kensingtonballet.comTheir annual Summer schoolmornings will again take place inKensington at the end of August. Theweek-long programme, aimed atchildren aged 3-5 years oldcomprises a mixture of ballet, dramaand assorted games and is great fun.The sessions are overseen by two oftheir most experienced ballerinas.

PerformBattersea, Fulham, Notting Hill,Kensington, Kew, Putney andWimbledon0845 400 4000,[email protected]

www.perform.org.uk21-25 July, 28 July – 1 August and4-8 August. Fly Away toNeverlandGo on a magical trip to Neverlandwith Peter Pan, Wendy, John andMichael as they help rescueTinkerbell from the dastardly CaptainHook. Using funky dance and quick-witted improvisation go on a dazzlingadventure guaranteed to fire yourimagination. With colourfulcostumes, original songs and livemusic, put together a fantastic showto delight family and friends. 4-8yrs,times and dates dependent on venueSpecial readers offer forFamilies readers only: 10%off when you quoteFAMI220814

Polka Theatre240 The Broadway, Wimbledon SW191SB020 8543 4888.www.polkatheatre.com24 July – 8 August. SummerHoliday Courses and WorkshopsIncludes Summer Puppet TheatreCourse, Musical Theatre SummerSchool, Summer Fiesta and Play in aDay

Stagecoach MertonPark Based in David Lloyd Raynes Park.020 8942 3502 orwww.stagecoach.co.uk/mertonparkIt's FROZEN out here holidayworkshop from the 4th-8thAugust, for children age 4-6 and 7-18. Children will work with theirprofessional team to put on a fullycostumed show (for the olderstudents) and a 'Presentation' (for theyounger students) – complete withall of your favourite 'Frozen'characters. 4-6 years -£110 9.30am-12.30pm, 7-18 year olds £140 10am-4pm, siblingdiscounts available.

Stagecoach Tooting Based in Graveney School, WelhamRoad, SW18 020 8942 3502www.stagecoach.co.uk/tootingIt's FROZEN out here holidayworkshop from the 18th-22ndAugust, for children age 4-6 and 7-18. Children will work with theirprofessional team to put on a fullycostumed show (for the olderstudents) and a 'Presentation' (for theyounger students) complete with allof your favourite 'Frozen' characters. 4-6 years -£110, 7-18 year olds£140, sibling discounts available

BeeActive SummerCampIn Wimbledon. 14 July-5th Sept.07957 460 694Fun packed, multi-activity daycamps for 5-12 years. A widerange of activities inc football,basketball, super frisbee, streetdance, arts & crafts, tennis, face

painting, drama, bouncy castles etc.Ofsted registered, 8.30am to 5.30pmwith option to extend from 8am to 6pm.

SPORTPassionate abouttennis?Next camps: 18-22 August(Fulham); 28 July-1 August, 23-25August (Barnes). 020 7603 2422,

[email protected],www.marksontennis.com If you or your children are passionateabout tennis then why not sign up toa Jonathan Markson TennisCamp. With 5 hours of professionalcoaching each day this is the perfectway to smash your way off thattennis plateau. Led by LTA Level 5Coach, Erwan Nicolas, theexperienced team uses the latesttechnical drills and on-court videoanalysis to boost your performance.

Children (+7 years), adults and alllevels are welcome.

Fit for Sport Dates vary according to locations checkwww.fitforsport.co.ukCamps in Ealing, Barn Elms SportCentre, Dulwich College and more. The Bear Grylls SurvivalAcademy and Fit For Sport arelaunching Kids Survival DayCourses. A chance for 8 - 12 yearolds to learn Bear's extreme survivaltechniques. Children will have theopportunity to leave their parentsbehind and take on these excitingnew challenges by themselves! Thecourses are designed to give kids theopportunity to get back to the basics,learn new skills, get outdoors andstay active.

Sports Fusionactivity clubCall 07857 501 004 for dates and priceswww.sportsfusionuk.co.ukRun for four weeks at Griffin PrimarySchool, Stewarts Road, SW8 (ages 5-11).From in/outdoor activities, sportssessions (football, tennis, athletics),to drama classes, games room andexciting trips – there won’t be anydull moments. They’ll also berunning a football camp for 11-15year olds who want to sharpen theirskills.

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Open Air Fit KidsCamps WandsworthCommon dogfree zone. Ages4-14. 9.30am-12.30pm.£21 x1 morning, £99 x5 mornings.15% sibling discount. Registerwww.openairfit.comMulti-sport sessions led by guestcoaches. Individual and teamchallenges, fun games and sports-based activities. Run during half term and holidays. 7-11 July, 14-18 July, 21- 25 July, 28-1 August, 25-29 August.

SwimWay East Sheen, Knightsbridge, Putney,Streatham and Wimbledon020 8871 3972, [email protected] 21 July – 8 August. Summer Swimming Courses One-week intensive courses toimprove your child’s swimmingtechnique, on a private or semi-private basis. 3-9yrs.

Playball SummerCamps 2014Chelsea, Battersea Park, Clapham,Balham and Fulham28th July-1st August, 4th-8thAugust and 26th–29th August,10am-1pm. Playball holiday camps are tailored tomeet the needs of younger childrenand are based on the fundamentalsport skills for tennis, hockey,

cricket, golf, football, rugby,basketball, football, volleyball - justabout any ball sport you can imagine!For 3-8 Year Olds

For more sporting activities thissummer see our June Summerlisting. See it herewww.familiessouthwest.co.uk/holidayactivities

SCIENCEMother NatureScienceIn Merton, Kingston, Sutton,Richmond, Croydon, Kew (Queen'sCofE Primary School, CumberlandRoad) Hammersmith & Fulham

(Kensington Prep School, 596 FulhamRoad.) For Boys and Girls, ages 5- 12years. Daily 9am - 3:30pm.www.mnature.co.ukChildren will 'get ahead in science'this holiday with action packedprogrammes of hands-on activitiesexploring a spectacular array ofscientific themes and topics. Everyday is filled with science experimentsto make and take home. "Whatseparates us from other activity campsis the length of day and ammount ofpure hands on activities included."Every science camp is designed as aweek long programme, for optimumenjoyment and benefit to your child. Choose any week between 21 Julyand 18 August.

THINGS TO DOLondon TransportMuseum39 Wellington St LondonWC2E 7BB 020 7565 7423www.ltmuseum.co.ukThree sessions over a five week

period from 28 July to 29 August2014. Check out the website for fulllisting of events as there are many! Events include: Listen to Constancethe ‘conductorette’ as she teachesyou her clever tricks for catchingthieves and cheats. Suitable forfamilies with children aged 3 to 7At 11.00 and 14.00 (lastsapproximately 20 minutes)Be Safe Week, a going Undercovercircuit where young visitors can dashbetween different transport safetyscenarios. Or make your own secretmessages and take them home withyour specially made carrier pigeon.

Take part in theReading ChallengeThe Reading challenge has beenthe best thing we’ve ever done toencourage our children to read.Libraries across the country invitechildren to join in the challenge toread six booksfrom the library.If they completethe Challengethey will beinvited to attenda special presentation ceremony toreceive their medal and certificateand will have their name entered intoa prize draw where they could win

the chance to meet a reallife author. The Challengestarts on Saturday 12 July andruns until Saturday 6 September andchildren of all ages can collect a freestarter’s pack from any local library.Children can also visit www.mythical-maze.org.uk for more fun andgames, and the chance to link withtop authors and other children takingpart across the country.

Cycle in London withSky Ride The popular Sky Ride programmereturns to Wandsworth this summerwith a series of guided rides acrossthe borough. Enjoy organized ridesof varying distances and difficultiesranging from easy-going spins aroundpicturesque parts of south Londonthrough to more challenging rides.Sky Ride Local is just one of manyways British Cycling is encouragingpeople to get out on their bikes thissummer, so register to take part orfind out more atwww.goskyride.com. Don’t miss ourfavourite ride, which takes place inRichmond Park on 27 July – meet atRoehampton Gate entrance outsidethe café at 2pm.

Visit ChelseaFootball Museum£9 children £11 adultswww.chelseafc.comThe tour of Stamford Bridge is not tobe missed, home of the incredibleChelsea Football Club. The fullyguided one-hour tour will take youbehind the scenes at one of theworld's greatest football clubs, givingyou access to areas normallyreserved for players and officials.All stadium tours include entry to theMuseum, giving you the chance tosee how Chelsea has evolved on andoff the pitch to become one of thegreatest football clubs in the world.A highly interactive experience,bringing the club's past alive throughaudio visual shows as well as afascinating collection of Chelsearelated memorabilia.

Summer holiday listingsfr

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three times the number ocamps and activities thereare on these pages! Check

them out on www.familiessouthwest.co.uk/holidayactivities

SpotbutterfliesTake part in the Butterflyconservation this summer.Download identification chartsand log your spottings. Tryexcellent Morden Hall Park forexcellent picnicking andbutterfly-watching, Kew Gardensor the rare plant packed ChelseaGarden, (one of FSW’sfavourites) whose strangeblooms attract all kinds ofdifferent insects 19th July -10thAugust. bigbutterflycount.org

Watch a pig raceat The LambethCountry showThe Lambeth Country Show inBrockwell Park makes us very,very happy. It’s a peculiar event,that has been bringing all thetraditions of a village fair to thecity for 40 years. What makes itspecial are the more off-beatofferings: sheep-shearing,falconery, jousting displays andracing pigs. 19 and 20 July 2014.Northwood Road, SE24 0PAlambeth.gov.uk/country-show

Take a trip up askyscraperArchikids is a weekend longfestival with workshops, classes,and drop in activities across thesquare mile. Try your hand atbuilding a gigantic cardboard city,customise giant city-dwellingcreatures or ride a scooteraround some of London’s mostinteresting buildings. Take a tripup to roof terraces not usuallyaccessible to sketch buildings.Best suited for 5-11 year olds.26-27 July 2014 http://open-city.org.uk

Go plane spottingwith a picnicVery near to the WoolwichFerry terminal and WoolwichFoot Tunnel is our secret plane-spotting place. The roar of theengines and the rush as theypass overhead thrill in itself. Ormake your way to our pick ofthe viewing points at Heathrowairport, at Myrtle Avenue, TW149QU. Aircraft pass 12m aboveyour head, shaking the ground asthey go. The viewing site is justaround the corner fromHounslow Urban Farm(hounslowurbanfarm.co.uk),combine the two experiencesfor a wildly varied day out.

Have a dance atthe Notting HillCarnivalIt’s the highlight of the year formany Londoners, the biggeststreet celebration in Europeattracts over 2.5 million peopleevery year. It’s a full on festivalof Caribbean culture that is wildand fun in your child-free days,

but as with everything when youhave children, it’s a differentkind of fun with the nippers intow. Open August BankHoliday.Thenottinghillcarnival.com

Roll roundBattersea Parkwith the easySaturday skateThe Easy Saturday Skatetakes place at the Pagoda everydry Saturday at 10.30am andconsists of two easy laps of thepark. If it’s your first time, relax,beginners are more than

welcome and there are oftenqualified instructors on hand tohelp get you moving.Easysaturdayskate.com

For more days out and thingsto do this summer see ourJune Summer listing. See thecomplete listing herewww.familiessouthwest.co.uk/holidayactivities

July/August 2014 25®®®®®®

Summer holiday listingsofek

Child-friendly days out andfun things to do, by KateHodges and Sunshine Jackson(Virgin Books, £12.99)

Things to do—courtesy of “Little London”

•KIDS CAMPS •PERSONALTRAINING •WOMEN’S FOOTBALL•MIXED CIRCUITS •TODDLER FIT

FUN • KIDS PARTIES•PRIVATE GROUPS

•POST NATAL FIT MUMS•AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS

Visit www.openairfit.com for moreinformation, to see our weekly calendar

and to book onto the Kids Camps.To discuss any training requirements orset up a private group for your friends

or children just call or email.07930 272 572

[email protected]

Summer feature


Play a board game: this sounds sosimple you can’t quite believe I’mrecommending it! But a game like Monopolyor Cluedo, which children can play from ayoung age or can play in teams, is a genuinelybonding experience. Put those mobilephones and other devices way out of reach –yes, parents too – and concentrate on thegame. And on one another.

Build a den: whether you do this indoorsor in the garden, or out in the woods or onthe beach, you’ll have loads of fun. Joint taskslike making a den together bring out team-working skills and help you see one another’shidden strengths. Once the den is built, dosomething wacky like having tea in it.

Go fruit picking: not only will you have agood time picking your favourite fruits anddiscovering new ones, you’ll also be settingup your next family project which will bemaking jams and chutneys or just a massivefruit salad to see you through the next fewdays.

Sleep under canvas: if you’re regularcampers this one may be a bit too boring –but for families that haven’t camped before,even one night away can be a hugeadventure. Alternatively, if you’ve a bigenough garden and can borrow a tent fromsomeone, just pitch it outside the back dooron a warm evening and dig out your sleeping bags.

Cook on a campfire: this is a perfectadd-on to your camping adventure. Getadvice online about how to build your fireand what foods are best to cook on it(sausages, haloumi cheese, peppers, burgersare all easy peasy).

Go on a long bike ride: if you’ve all gotyour own bikes you probably do this all thetime. If not, it can be a really fabulous anddifferent day out to hire bikes and follow acycle trail.

Go wild swimming: swimming in a pondor lake, or in the sea, is a very differentexperience from an indoor pool. Childrenlove it, and there are plenty of websitespacked with ideas: but do check the oneyou’re heading for is family friendly.

Reorganise your familyphotographs: these days, many families’photographs remain in online galleries. Theycan be a great way of sharing pictures withrelatives and friends – but there’s a hugeamount of fun to be had from creating an oldfashioned album together, when you relivepast fun and remember what you enjoy mostas a family.

Borrow a dog for a weekend: if youhave your own dog, this isn’t for you. But ifyou’re not a dog-owning family, having oneon loan for a few days can be a hugelyrewarding experience. Seewww.borrowmydoggy.com

Climb a big hill: this can be a mountainor a fairly small hill, depending on how oldyour children are. Enjoy helping one anotherto make the climb; your reward is the viewfrom the top, and the picnic lunch you haveup there!

Go fishing: you can do this with a net inthe rock pools at the beach, or in a stream orriver inland.

Have a snail race: find some snails, andset up the course; place bets on which snailwill win, and watch the action unfold.

Go star-gazing: find a place where thesky is open, ideally away from too manyartificial lights; do some research beforehandso you know what to look for, and when youget a clear evening, head off in search of theNorth Pole, Saturn and the Plough. Take ablanket with you so everyone can lie downand look up, which makes it more relaxing.

Hunt for treasure or bones: beachescan be great places for this, or look online tosee if there are any ‘treasure troves’ near you(eg if you’re in London, mudraking on thebanks of the Thames has plenty of potential).

Go geocaching: ok, so this is one activityyou will need your mobile phone for. But thehigh-tech treasure hunt is fascinating, and itpulls all members of the family in. Try it!More information athttp://www.geocaching.com

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Ping!Time to unplugand reconnectwith your familyJoanna Moorhead has some ideas on how to do it

Summer is a great time to enjoy being together withyour nearest and dearest. But for many families thesedays, even together time is dominated by mobilesphones, iPads, TV and other devices. According to arecent survey, though, even kids themselves recognisethe need to unplug and welcome the chance to ‘dosomething different’. Here are our top 20 ideas forwhat that ‘something different’ might be.

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Switch roles in the kitchen:if you’re usually the meal-maker, and thechildren are usually the table-setters, dothings the other way round. Let the childrenplan, shop for and prepare the meal(depending on their ages, they may needsome help) while you put together anexcitingly-laid table. It’s always good in afamily to do things a different wayround…everyone learns, and there’s plentyof fun to be had.

Have a family talent show: this is agood one when you have another family orrelatives visiting. Everyone has to do a turn;no wriggling out allowed, however shy themums and dads are. Allow time forrehearsing, and have one person double upas a compere. Reciting a poem, singing asong, doing a mime, dancing, playing aninstrument…everyone has a talent to share.

Make a family journal or scrapbook: this can be a good project for afixed amount of time, like a family holiday ora school holiday. Like a talent show,everyone needs to contribute something.Theme the book to the holiday you’re on orthe season you’re in, and invite ideas ondescriptions of where you are, reviews oflocal pubs or restaurants, accounts of days

out or activities, book reviews or accounts offavourite ways to spend time together as afamily. Writers can write, artists can draw.You’ll keep this book forever; it will be asnapshot of your family in a certain place, at acertain time.

Fly a kite: they’re cheap and easy to buy,or you can even make your own. Read upon tips about how to fly them (www.thekitesociety.org); or if you’re really challenged anddoubtful about your skills, seek out a masterkiteflyer to help you learn (google kite flyinglessons in your area). There’s nothing betterthan seeing your kite soar into the air,knowing you’ve pulled together as a family tomake it happen.

Go birdwatching: you don’t need toknow anything about birds to enjoy watchingthem, but if you go to a birdwatchingsanctuary or wetlands centre you’ll learnloads. Being in a shelter makes birdwatchingmore fun and should in theory mean you seemore interesting birds.Take your binoculars,and get the children todraw pictures of thebirds they see. Formore information seewww.wwt.org.uk


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Battersea 020 8946 2986

Fulham 0845 202 5727

New Malden 020 8540 7791

Putney 0845 265 7050

Tooting 020 8942 3502

Wimbledon 020 8946 3400

www.stagecoach.co.uk

Nurturing and developing young people's potential through dance, drama and singing.

For 4-18 year olds, after school, at weekends and holiday workshops.

Stagecoach Schools enrolling now


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Please always phone before setting out in casedetails have changed since press deadline or wegot it wrong...

Drama

Battersea Arts CentreLavender Hill SW11 5TNbac.org.ukWot? No Fish!! A true story of love, art, history and fish balls.7.30pm, £12To 19 JulyDumbstruck Somewhere in the North Pacific, a lonely scientisthears a whale song like no other… 8pm, £12/£9 2-19 July

The Cambridge TheatreSeven Dials, 32-34 Earlham Street WC2H 9HUuk.matildathemusical.comMatilda The Musical Inspired by the twisted genius of Roald Dahl,Matilda revels in the anarchy of childhood, thepower of imagination and the inspiring story of agirl who dares to change her destinyThroughout July and August

The Chelsea Theatre7 World's End Place, Kings Road SW10 0DRwww.chelseatheatre.org.ukField of Asphodel Retelling the Persephone myth with puppets,shadows and music with an East European twistresonating with texts from witnesses of theChernobyl disaster. 7.30pm, £12/£101-2 August

Chicken ShedChase Side, Southgate N14 4PEchickenshed.org.uk Tales from the Shed - Summer Season 2014Entertaining, interactive theatre shows perfect foryoung children. Informal, lively and amazinglyengaging, the performers and audience share thesame space - children are always encouraged tomake a lot of noise and to make the story happen.0-7yrs, £64-12 JulyChickenshed's Youth Theatre presents TheEver Popular War Show Using World War One as a start point, The EverPopular War Show takes in what this conflict did to a

generation of young people, and how currentconflicts are affecting youth today. Age 10+, 7pm, £516-19 JulyLondon Bridges Story-collector Jackto Factotumlives on one of London’s bridges and is on a questto collect magical stories brought to his city fromaround the world. Told through puppetry, rhyme,larger-than-life characters, mime, song and dance,Jackto’s stories enchant all who hear them... 3-7years. £7 31 July to 9 August

The Colour House TheatreWatermill Way SW19 2RDcolourhousetheatre.co.uk

KidsFest 2014 A special day dedicated to children. Withsomething unique and inspirational for all ages, it'sa fantastic family day out with lots of activities andworkshops. 11am-5pm25 August FREE

The Garrick Theatre2 Charing Cross Road WC2H 0HHwww.nimaxtheatres.com/garrick-theatre/horrible_histories_barmy_britain_-_part_twoHorrible Histories Barmy Britain - Part Two!Can you beat battling Boudicca? Can evil Elizabeth

See more events in our online What’s On calendar

LONDON TRANSPORTMUSEUM

39 Wellington Street, Covent GardenWC2E 7BB, 020 7379 6433,www.ltmuseum.co.uk

The London Transport Museum is afantastic destination for holiday activitiesand weekend days out. Right in the middleof busy, bustly Covent Garden, themuseum is located in the beautiful andspacious Victorian flower market building.It brings together a comprehensivecollection of real vehicles alongsideposters, signs, uniforms, photographs andtickets, celebrating over 200 years of the city's transport system, from theearliest horse-pulled trams to today's Underground system and iconicbig red buses.

Stop off at the Family Station and pick up a coin bag filled with child-friendly activities to help explore the galleries. There are stencils,blank postcards, ticket books, Flickr frames and travel card holderswaiting to be filled in, decorated and taken home as souvenirs. Alsoduring school holidays, costumed staff hold storytime sessions to sharethe adventures of workers who have kept London on the move.

Family-friendly facilities include ramp or lift access to all galleries, two cafés, a picnic area, baby feedingand changing areas, and a shop with pocket-money priced souvenirs among the selection. Before yougo, we recommend checking out www.ltmuseum.co.uk to plan your visit and take advantage of anyspecial activities for the day you go.

We say: "The museum really does have something for all ages. Grandparents and parents will enjoyreminiscing, the BIG exhibits are jaw-dropping, all visitors will learn something new, and children arevery well catered for. Best of all, entry tickets are valid for a whole 12 months, so every time you'reup in central London, you can pop in and 'drive' a bus!"

Open 10am-6pm Mondays to Thursdays and weekends, from 11am Fridays. Admission £15 adults,free for under 17s.

LOVES!®

We are looking

for parents who

want to earn a decent

salary whilst working

from home. There

are various positions

available to suit

your time and

commitments

Our business is expanding and we need help!I am a busy Mum supporting and coaching other busyparents to find the ideal work/life balance.

� Would an extra £500 to £700 per month make adifference to the family budget?

� Do you need an extra income in order to give yourkids more activities and treats?

� Is your hard earned money going on childcare feesrather than your children and lifestyle?

Please call Adele on 07447 485 105 For further information.

www.motherbynature.co.uk

CALLING ALL PARENTS!


What’s on Please send info for consideration to: [email protected]

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1 entertain England? Will King Charles keep his head?Escape the clutches of Burke and Hare and moveto the groove with party Queen Victoria! Don'tmiss this horrible history of Britain with the nastybits left in!3-31 August

Cadogan Hall5 Sloane Terrace SW1X 9DQ, 020 7730 4500,www.cadoganhall.com What the Ladybird heard Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a wholefarmyard of fun! Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have acunning plan to steal the farmer's fine prize cow.

But they reckon without the tiniest, quietestcreature of all: the Ladybird has a plan of her own!Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks' award-winningpicture book bursts onto stage with plenty ofcolour and verve. Ages 2+, tickets from £14.50.24 July - 10 August.

Little Angel TheatreN1 2DNLittleangeltheatre.comFireside Tales with Granddad Cuddle up around the campfire as Granddadrecalls a daring escape from a hungry shark. Tuckinto a marshmallow or two as he attempts tomake a new set of underpants for a giant. Andwatch as the shadows between the trees unravel atale of greedy goblins, grumpy trolls, sneakyprinces and a very unusual princess. Age 4+,£10/£8 2-6 July

The London ColiseumSt Martin's Lane WC2N 4ESwww.eno.orgPush After sell-out seasons around the worldSadler’s Wells’ critically acclaimed productionreturns to the London Coliseum. The productionfeatures four works, including 'Two', a dazzling solowhich seems to trap Guillem in a box of light. 29 July - 3 AugustCoppelia Dr Coppélius the toymaker has createdthe lifelike Coppélia doll and wishes for nothingmore than to bring her to life. He thinks his dreamhas finally come true, but he has merely beencaught up in a lovers' tiff. Love triumphs over all inthis comedy of mistaken identity 23-27 JulyDiaghilev Festival of Ballet Part of the Russian Season at the LondonColiseum, Diaghilev Festival is a collection ofBallets including Petrushka, Chopiniana andPolovtsian Dances 11-13 JulyLondon's Summer Lake - Swan LakeLes Saisons Russes du XX1 siècle stages a seasonof legendary works that honour Sergei Diaghilev,Nikolai Rimsky Korsakov and Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky15-19 July

The Lyric TheatreShaftesbury Avenue W1D 7ESwww.nimaxtheatres.com/lyric-theatreThe Tiger Who Came to Tea The doorbell rings just as Sophie and her mummyare sitting down to tea. Who could it possibly be?What they certainly don't expect to see at thedoor is a big, stripy tiger! For children aged 3 andabove2 July - 7 September

The New Wimbledon TheatreThe Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1QGatgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatreEnglish National Ballet School 25thAnniversary Summer Performances. 7.30pm,£16.90 4-5 JulyPeppa Pig's Big Splash Fresh from the success of Peppa Pig's Party andPeppa Pig's Treasure Hunt comes Peppa's brandnew show Peppa Pig's Big Splash. Join Peppa andher friends for another all-singing, all-dancingadventure full of songs, games and muddy puddles!£16.40-£22.90 26-27 JulyTop Hat Direct from its tremendous success in London,Top Hat brings the glamour of Hollywood’s goldenage and the glorious, tap-dancing magic of FredAstaire and Ginger Rogers to the stage in one ofthe greatest dance musicals of all time. £17.90-£49.40 12-23 August

The Peacock TheatrePortugal Street WC2A 2HTwww.sadlerswells.comMummenschanz - Musicians of Silence The performers of Mummenschanz createinspiring and captivating illusions using masks,props and sleight of hand. The result is a visuallystunning spectacle of entertainment that is suitablefor all the family to enjoy19-27 JulyNew English Ballet Theatre - Tryst: Devotionand Betrayal Following their highly successful debut season in2012, New English Ballet Theatre returns with amixed bill programme showcasing new worksfrom some of the UK’s top choreographic talents2-5 JulyLondon Studio Centre's Jazz Dance Company- Circus of Dreams A dazzling display of song and dance for whole thefamily. A vibrant programme of works, fromcontemporary jazz to hip hop, tap and musictheatre9 July

The Polka Theatre240 The Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SBpolkatheatre.comMoominsummer Madness Breathtaking puppetry, live music and humourbring Tove Jansson’s much-loved Moomins to theLondon stage for the first time. 4-8 years,£13.50/£911 June – 16 AugustSkitterbang Island Storm! Shipwreck! Adventure! An original puppetopera for ages 3-6, £11/£8.5025 June – 16 August

Puppet Theatre BargeLittle Venice, Blomfield Road W9 2PF

www.puppetbarge.comJoey's Circus Comes to TownThe Beadle wants to close the circus down butDog Toby comes to the rescue. Featuringtraditional characters such as Pretty Polly, BurglarBill and Mr Punch, all on strings! Age 3+, 11amand 3pm, £10/£8.50 To 13 July

Regents Park Open AirTheatreInner Circle, Regents Park NW1 4NUwww.openairtheatre.comHobson’s ChoiceTimes vary, £25-£45 21 June – 12 JulyTwelfth NightRe-imagined for everyone aged six and over. Timesvary, £1521 June – 12 July

The Royal Albert HallKensington Gore SW7 2APwww.royalalberthall.comThe John Wilson Orchestra - Kiss Me, Kate Following the enormous success of their stagedperformance of My Fair Lady in 2012, John Wilsonand his orchestra return to perform Cole Porter'sTony Award-winning reworking of Shakespeare’sThe Taming of the Shrew. 7.30pm2 AugustCBeebies Prom Classical music, plus classics from everyone’sfavourite CBeebies’ programmes, 11am, £7-£1326-27 July

The Royal Opera HouseCovent Garden WC2E 9DDroh.org.ukThe Royal Ballet School SummerPerformances A showcase of dance in the Linbury StudioTheatre, designed to display the full range of theSchool's talent. 2.30pm, 7.30pm, £112-5 July

Sadler's WellsRosebery Avenue EC1Rsadlerswells.comBrasil Brasileiro The exuberance and energy of Brazil returns thissummer as performers from Rio de Janeiro bringalive the spirit that makes Brazil so unique. Famedfor its sizzling, feel-good dance heritage, this is acountry where the musical culture of Africa andEurope merge with dance to create the infectiousrhythms of samba. £35-£508-27 July

Shakespeare's Globe21 New Globe Walk, Bankside SE1 9DTwww.shakespearesglobe.comAntony and Cleopatra The alluring and fascinatingly ambiguous Queen ofEgypt has bewitched the great Mark Antony,soldier, campaigner and now one of the threerulers of the Roman Empire. Times and dates varyas this production is in repTo 31 August

The Southbank CentreBelvedere Road SE1 8PXsouthbankcentre.co.ukFestival of Love A festival of comedy, circus and family showsTo 7 September


Theatre Royal Drury LaneCatherine Street WC2B 5JFwww.reallyuseful.com/theatres/theatre-royal-drury-laneCharlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl's deliciously dark tale of young CharlieBucket and the mysterious confectioner WillyWonka comes to life in a brand new West Endmusical directed by Academy Award® winner SamMendes. From £16.50Throughout July and August

Museums & Galleries

The British MuseumGreat Russell Street WC1B 3DGbritishmuseum.orgSutton Hoo and Europe AD 300–1100A display of the British Museum’s unparalleledearly medieval collections which include thefamous Sutton Hoo treasure

The Design Museum28 Shad Thames SE1 2YDdesignmuseum.orgTime Machines: Daniel Weil and the Art ofDesign The first museum exhibition devoted toDaniel Weil’s work spans his thirty years at theforefront of design practice. £12.40/£5.60To 31 AugustExtraordinary Stories About Ordinary Things Discover key designs that have shaped the modernworld and be inspired by this fascinating exhibitionof memorable objects from the Design MuseumCollection. £11.85/under 12s free

The Florence NightingaleMuseum2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7EWwww.florence-nightingale.co.ukMiss Nightingale Said An illustrated talk given by

one of the museum’s curatorial team examiningthe incredible life and achievements of FlorenceNightingale. 3.30pm, £5.80/£4.80Every Wednesday from 1 July

Grant Museum of ZoologyUCL, University Street WC1E 6DEwww.ucl.ac.uk/museums/zoologyWeird and Wonderful Wildlife Flying lizards, giant starfish, duck-billed platypuses,thorny devils and spiny anteaters. Take part in funhands-on activities and come face to face withthese beasts. Drop in, 1-4.30pm29 July-2 August FREE

The London TransportMuseumCovent Garden WC2E 7BBwww.ltmuseum.co.ukGoodbye Piccadilly – from Home Front toWestern Front New exhibition to commemorate the centenary ofthe start of the First World War, revealing theuntold story of London’s Home Front

The Museum Of LondonLondon Wall EC2Y 5HNwww.museumoflondon.org.ukHouse of Muses ExploredBe inspired by an exciting temporary structure atthe museum, and get creative in this London-inspired art drop-in for families. 12-2pm6 July FREEArchikids FestivalFrom Skyscraper Sketching and Catwalk Hatwalkto On Your Scooter, children aged 4-11 will turninto detectives of architecture by exploringwonderful buildings in the City of London's Square Mile 27 JulyMuseum Explored Join one of the Museum's Hosts and explore thegalleries through fun, hands-on activities. 12-2pm13, 20 and 27 July FREE

The National GalleryTrafalgar Square WC2N 5DNnationalgallery.org.ukFamily SundaysActivities designed for families to enjoy and learntogether, 11am and 3pm, age 5-11

Every Sunday in July FREEMaking Colour Take a journey through the history of colour.Follow a family trail, explore the properties ofcolour and the materials used to create colour inpaintings. £8, under 16s freeTo 7 September

National Maritime MuseumPark Row, Greenwich SE10 9NFwww.rmg.co.ukNelson, Navy, NationA major new permanent gallery looks at how theRoyal Navy shaped individual lives and the courseof British history over the tumultuous 18th centuryFREEGuiding Lights: 500 Years of Trinity Houseand Safety at SeaFive hundred years ago, a fraternity of Londonmariners was given a charter by Henry VIII andbecame the Corporation of Trinity House, withinstructions to improve the safety of navigation onthe Thames. FREE

The Natural History MuseumCromwell Road SW7 5BDwww.nhm.ac.ukBritain: One Million Years of the HumanStory What was Britain like when the first humansarrived on its shores? Travel back in time nearlyone million years to uncover what life was reallylike for our ancient relatives. £9/£4.50To 28 SeptemberSensational Butterflies Experience the wonderof walking among hundreds of free-flyingbutterflies. Wander through a tropical enclosure,discovering the science behind these delicatecreatures and their amazing life cycles as theyevolve from crawling caterpillars into beautifulbutterfliesTo 14 SeptemberLates with MasterCard Visit the Museum afterhours and experience London’s most unique Fridaynight out. 6pm–10.30pm25 July FREENight Safari Get up close and personal with theirscientists’ favourite creatures as you travel throughthe Central Hall and adjoining galleries. You’ll seesome of the Museum’s most famous exhibits andlearn about their fascinating backgrounds. 7-10pm,£284 August

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3 Science MuseumExhibition Road, South Kensington SW7 2DDsciencemuseum.org.ukThe Rubbish Collection What does one month of ‘rubbish’ from oneinstitution look like? Discover the beauty, value andvolume of what we throw away. A unique two-part exhibition is to use 30 days’ worth of theScience Museum’s waste to expose the beauty,value and volume of what we call ‘rubbish’16 June – 14 SeptemberFREE

V&A Museum of ChildhoodCambridge Heath Road E2 9PAwww.museumofchildhood.org.ukThe Great Diary Project Using documents from The Great Diary Projectarchive, this exhibition offers unique insights intothe lives of children and teenagers at particularmoments in historyTo 12 October FREEHand Over Hand Me Downs Examining the UK’s international adoption policies,taking artist Annabel Stockman’s photographicproject as inspirationTo 31 August FREEToy StoriesA display of photographs which explores the roleof toys in the lives of children around the world,reflecting the impact of the children’s backgroundsand families on their choice of toys To 14 December FREEArtbash Camp Enjoy a week of arty fun! Young artists will developtheir creative skills through a programme ofimaginative workshops. As well as linking to theMuseum’s displays, there will be some messyoutdoor workshops. Bring a packed lunch anddress for mess. www.artbash.co.uk/book, [email protected]. Ages 5-11, 9am-3.30pm,£140 per week or £40 per day (10% siblingdiscount) 28 July-4 AugustSummer Festival The best in family festival fun. The Museumgrounds will be buzzing with live music, dance,walkabout acts, art and craft activities, designerstalls, food, face painting, rickshaw rides andgames. Not to be missed whatever the weather!Drop in, all ages, 11.30am-4.30pm27 July FREEDaydreams and Diaries - The Story ofJacqueline Wilson Celebrate all things Jacqueline Wilson, find out

about her childhood, early career and whatinspires her to write. There are also extracts andillustrations from some of her best-loved booksincluding The Story of Tracy Beaker, The IllustratedMum and hetty featherTo 2 December FREEFamily Fun Fridays Join them for a day of creative fun. Drop in, allages 11am-4pm8, 15 and 22 August FREE

Wandsworth Museum38 West Hill SW18 1RXwww.wandsworthmuseum.co.ukReady, Steady, Play! Playtime and songs for little ones 6 months–3years. 10.15–11am, £3Every Thursday in July and August

Days Out

The Chelsea Physic Garden66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea SW3 4HSchelseaphysicgarden.co.ukFamily Activity DaysIncludes Mandrakes, Minibeasts, Medicines &Microscopes, Chocolate Tuesday, Flight Club: anintroduction to things that fly, GardenPhotography, and Art Safari. 10.30am-2.30pmEvery Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 5-28August

Kensington PalaceKensington Gardens W8 4PXwww.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalaceGlorious George ll Take your place among the glitterati of court,where they play host to some of the greatestminds in the kingdom. Become a courtier for theday, indulge in gossip and gambling, listen tobeautiful Georgian music, and even help QueenCaroline get dressed in the morning!

Battersea Park Children’s ZooBattersea Park SW11 4NJ batterseaparkzoo.co.ukBugs Day Meet some creepy crawlies and makean Ugly Bug puppet, with the help of Zoo Artist inResidence Beatrice Von Preussen. 11am-12.30pm

and 1.30pm-3.30pm. Admission fees apply29 JulyButterfly Day Make butterfly arts and crafts.11am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm. Admissionfees apply24 JulyRing Tailed Lemur and Monkey Day Listen toa Monkey story and make a Lemur mask orMonkey Badge. 11am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm. Admission fees apply31 JulyAugust Zoo Family Days Includes Animal T-shirtPrinting, Otter Day, Snake and Lizard Day,Meerkat Day. 11am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3.30pm. Admission fees applyEvery Tuesday and Thursday 5-28 August

Kenwood HouseHampstead Lane NW3 7JRwww.english-heritage.org.uk/kenwoodFirst Family SundaysCreative workshops bringing Kenwood’s world-famous paintings to life. Work together to trydifferent art and crafts whilst exploring the houseand finding out more about its collections. Allactivities are free. 12pm-4pm 7 July FREE


Visit 345 Nursery where “The Nursery offers an exceptionally

welcoming and inclusive environment”(Ofsted November 2011).

Children become independent inquisitive and motivated in this richand vibrant learning environment.

Great outdoor space!Options include Afternoon School,

Lunch Club and Early Bird Club.www.345nurseryschool.co.uk

Please contact us on 020-8870-8441 or [email protected]

Fitzhugh Grove, Trinity Road, London SW18 3SA

Battersea Park Children’s Zoo


What’s on

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Please send info for consideration to: [email protected]

The Royal ObservatoryBlackheath Avenue, Greenwich SE10 9NF www.rmg.co.ukMeet The Neighbours Meet our neighbours in space in this entertaininginteractive show, where you decide which planetsto visit. 5yrs+, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.45pm,1.45pm, £6.50/£4.50Mondays and Wednesdays during term time only.Check website for dates during school holidays

Longitude Punk’d Celebrating the creations of wacky inventors, star-gazing scientists and elegant explorers of the 18thCentury. The Royal Observatory Greenwich havecommissioned nine UK ‘Steampunk’ artists tocreate new works inspired by the technicalinventions that were presented to the Board ofLongitude between 1714 and 1828. £16/£12 To 4 January 2015

The Tower Of LondonTower Hill EC3N 4ABwww.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondonFortress Tower Welcome to the greatest fortress in the land!Knights and squires prepare to do battle for theKingdom of France. Admission fees applyFrom 1 JulyLife in the medieval PalaceStep into a world of gallant knights and beautifuldamsels, of brutal lords and sturdy peasants. AsKing Edward I extends his fortifications and royallodgings, there are skills to learn and friends to bemade. Be entertained and enthralled by the tales ofheroism and woe that King Edward and his Courtenjoy. Admission fees applyTo 5 July

The London Wetlands CentreQueen Elizabeth, Barnes SW13 9WTwww.wwt.org.ukIntroduction to Wildlife Photography Confused or frustrated by the buttons and settingson your camera and want to really take control ofyour photographic creativity? Photographer andauthor Iain Green will guide you through yourcamera’s various automatic settings - and thenshow you how to turn off the 'automatic ' modebut still get fantastic photos. 10am–4pm, £55 4 JulyBe a Wildlife Explorer Come to WWT London Wetland Centre thissummer and be a Wetland Warden. Help makebat boxes, build a home for a bat or create a bug

hotel of your own to take home. Admission feesapply24 July - 1 SeptemberEvening Wildlife Photography This workshop gives keen photographers a rareopportunity to enjoy WWT London WetlandCentre in a relaxed, secluded atmosphere whenmost of the other visitors have left. Experience thebeautiful evening light from late afternoon untildusk, taking advantage of the changing conditionsto capture images that aren’t possible duringnormal opening hours. 4-8.30pm, £3914 and 28 August

Out of town

The Home of Charles Darwin(Down House) Luxted Road, Downe, Kent BR6 7JTwww.english-heritage.org.uk/downhouseGarden Tours Hear about the experimentsDarwin carried out to help prove his theories onevolution and see how the grounds have beenrestored to their original Victorian layout,complete with authentic planting. Garden Touronly £3.50/£2 Every Wednesday and Sunday 2 July–31August

Kent & East Sussex RailwayTenterden Town Station, Station Road, Tenterden,Kent TN30 6HEwww.kesr.org.ukWallace & Gromit Enjoy a Day at the Kent & EastSussex Railway with Wallace and Gromit. Familiescan enjoy a steam train journey with the chance tosee the popular TV characters. 8am, £16/£11 12-13 July

Leeds CastleMaidstone ME17 1PLleeds-castle.comKnight’s Glamping Escape to the countryside fora glamorous camping holiday with a difference.Eight splendid striped pavilions based on aMedieval design form a 'village' on the one-acrecastle vineyard. From £185 C

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‘The unique needs of the children arepromoted exceptionally well and staffare committed to meeting children’slearning and welfare needs' (Ofsted

Outstanding – December 2011)

Please come and see us in actionand capture the excitement of

learning at Oaktree Nursery School

Incorporating art, music, yoga, sport,cooking and drama and all aspects

of the Early Curriculum.

Contact: Annabel DixonPhone: 020 8870 8441

email: [email protected]

Ramsden Hall, 21 Ramsden Road, London SW12 8QX



Diary datesand events

NCT Wimbledon &Wandsworthwww.nctpregnancyandbabycare.comMonday Munchkins. Every Monday in July, 10am-12pm at Elim Church, High Path, SouthWimbledonBreastfeeding Drop-in. Every Thursday in July,10am–12pm, Gooseberry Bush Café (upstairsstudio)Bumps and Babes. Every Friday in July,10.30am–12pm, Wimbledon Park PavilionPost-natal meet up. Every Friday in July,1.30–3.30pm at Mood Food Café, 131 Penwith Rd,Earlsfield, SW18 4PZ

Royal Opera House WC2E 9DD www.roh.org.ukEvery Sunday in July. Family SundaysA new regular event for families to come andexplore the Royal Opera House, its artists and theworld of opera and ballet. Packed full of creativeand practical activities for all the family includinginformal performances from Royal Ballet dancers,plus interactive singing and dance activities.12–4pm, £5 adults, £3 children

Dulwich Picture Gallery SE21 7AD dulwichpicturegallery.org.ukFirst and last Sunday of July. Family SundaysEnjoy being creative together in these drop-inArtplay sessions, making everything from buntingto block prints. 2.10pm and 3.10pm, no bookingnecessary, free for families with a Gallery ticket or£3 per childTo 9 July. A Painter’s PaletteLearn how to mix and manipulate colour, developnew skills making one new painting each weekwith artist Jo Lewis. Every Wednesday, ages 7-10,4.30-6pm, £60. 5-6 July. The Comedy of ErrorsThe Dulwich Players bring Shakespeare to thesebeautiful grounds, with a shipwreck, warringstates, two sets of twins, mad conjurers,courtesans and a jealous wife! £12 seated, £7 onthe grass in the Gallery Garden

French Coffee MorningContact Teresa at info@leclubtricolore or 0207924 4649 / 07889 967003Every Wednesday morning in JulyGet together ‘between the Commons’ for coffeeand to speak French for an hour. Lively discussionson a topic (articles are distributed in advance) anda great opportunity to practise your French

Fulham PalaceSW6 6EA fulhampalace.org 6 July. George’s Marvellous Medicine –Outdoor TheatreIllyria returns with another Roald Dahl classic fullof larger-than-life characters, plenty to join in withand a twist of malicious fun! Bring the whole familyalong for a fun afternoon of theatre in the WalledGarden. 2.30pm, age 5+, £12/£8, book atwww.illyria.uk.com13 July. Museum Drop-in

Try on period Tudor costume, handle artefacts andlearn about the history of Fulham Palace. Free, nobooking necessary, 2pm-3.30pm23 July. Garden Gnomes Family Drop-inEveryone knows that gnomes love gardens! Craftyour own and take them home to live there. £2per child, no booking necessary, 5-12 years, 2pm-3.30pm. Meet beside the Bishop's Tree in thegarden6, 10, 19 and 24 August. Monthly HistoricalToursLearn the secrets of Fulham Palace on thisHistorical Tour through the grounds and publicrooms of the Palace. £5, no booking necessary,2pm13 August. Summer Masks Family Drop-inMake a mask inspired by the garden, be a beautifulflower or a scary insect. £2 per child, no bookingnecessary, ages 5-12, 2pm-3.30pm17 August. Pirates of Penzance – OutdoorTheatreGilbert and Sullivan's most popular comic operagets the complete Illyria treatment. £15/£10, 4pm,age 5+, book at www.illyria.uk.com21 August. Punch and Judy at ‘Margate Sands’Come along to 'Margate Sands' in Bishop's Parkand enjoy some old-fashioned seasideentertainment with Punch and Judy. 12.30pm,1.30pm, 2.30pm. Free, no booking necessary25 August. Garden Stories Family Drop-inJoin storyteller Olivia Armstrong for this freeafternoon of storytelling inspired by the FulhamPalace garden. Age 2+, 1.15pm, 2pm, 2.40pm27 August. Pizza, Pizza Family Drop-inMake pizzas to bake at home using freshingredients from their vegetable garden. £2 perchild, no booking necessary, age 5-12, 2pm-3.30pm

Wimbledon Common Nature Club Wimbledon Common

6 July. Secret Life of the Honey BeeLed by Alison Pelikan, local beekeeper3 August. Minibeast Safari

Putney Embankment Art andCraft MarketThe Embankment, Putney (Between the ThaiSquare Restaurant and Thames Place)www.facebook.com/artonputneyembankment6 July and 3 AugustAn exciting new market showcasing a range of artsand crafts such as paintings, sculpture andphotography, wood carvings and furniture fromestablished and emerging artists. 10am–4pm

What’s on


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Qualified and experienced teacher – specialism English (CRB checked)

Age 3 to 11+ tuitionTel: 07738 238273

[email protected]

Wimbledon Common Nature Club

Carmela Guida’sSchool of BalletThe Dance Lab63 Upper Richmond Rd,East Putney, SW15 2RD

Christ the King Roman Catholic Parish9 Cresent Gardens,Wimbledon Park, SW19 8AJ

To arrange a free trial class visit:www.carmelaguidaballet.co.uk


What’s on

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The Ever Popular War ShowChicken Shed, Chase Side, Southgate N14 4PEchickenshed.org.ukChickenshed's 40th year anniversary coincideswith the 100th anniversary of the First World War.Their Youth Theatre explores what World WarOne did to a generation of young people, and howcurrent conflicts are affecting youth today. Anopportunity to see Chickenshed’s inspirational 13-21 age group perform a piece they have devisedtogether. 16-19 July

The Tiger Who Came to Tea

The Royal Shakespeare Company's production ofRoald Dahl's Matilda The Musical.

Families: the Top Five this summer!This month we have picked out five of our favourite shows to see this summer. We chose showsthat are short running and specifically for young children. Book your seat before you forgetand the tickets run out!

Matilda The Musical The Cambridge Theatre, Seven Dials, 32-34Earlham Street WC2H 9HUuk.matildathemusical.comIf you haven’t seen it yet, take the kids thissummer! Inspired by the genius of Roald Dahl,Matilda revels in the anarchy of childhood, thepower of imagination and the inspiring story of agirl who dares to change her destiny. A real joy!Throughout July and August

The Tiger WhoCame to TeaThe Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue W1D 7ESwww.nimaxtheatres.com/lyric-theatreThe wonderful classic returnsto the West End. If you’venever had a tiger arrive for tea,then this loveable production isthe ideal way to show thewhole family how to behavethe next time one rings thedoorbell. We loved it. 2 July - 7 September

MoominsummerMadness The Polka Theatre, 240 The Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB polkatheatre.comBreathtaking puppetry, livemusic and humour bring ToveJansson’s much-loved Moominsto the London stage for thefirst time.To 16 August

Moominsummer Madness

HorribleHistories BarmyBritain - Part Two! The Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Road WC2H 0HHwww.nimaxtheatres.com/garrick-theatre/horrible_histories_barmy_britain_-_part_twoHorrible Histories returns withPart Two of the horrible historyof Britain, with the nasty bitsleft in! Needs no introduction,this is a great show. 3-31 August

HH Barmy Britain


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There's no room to list more here, but use our unique local searchable What’s On calendar on FamiliesSouthWest.co.uk NEW!

What’s onNCT Putney & Fulhamwww.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com9 and 23 July. Fulham FC coffee morning10am–12pm at Cafe at the Cottage, FulhamFootball Club, Stevenage Road SW6 6HH. JoinDebs if you’re new to the area, starting to get outwith your baby or just need an excuse for a well-deserved cup of coffee9 and 23 July. Putney new mums' group10.30am–12.30pm at Tried and True Cafe, UpperRichmond Road SW15 6SP. [email protected]

First Aid for LifeBalham and Westminsterfirstaidforlife.org.uk11 and 12 July. The Emergency CourseA 3-hour course covering care of the unconsciousbaby and child as well as most commonlyoccurring injuries and illnesses such as choking,bleeding, breaks, bleeds, burns, head injury andfebrile convulsions. 9.30am-12.30pm, £60/£65

Get Active DayKing George’s Park, Wandsworthwww.wandsworth.gov.uk/active12 JulyGet sporty with loads of fun, free familyactivities12pm-5pm

Swaffield Primary School'sWild West Bonanza!Swaffield Primary School, St Ann's Hill SW18 2SA12 JulyA fun day for the whole family with BBQ,inflatables and entertainment from Sharkey andGeorge. Plus Wild West themed stalls,

performances from localmusical theatre school PSSA,rides and prizes. 12pm-3pm,free admission

History ofTheatrelandToursCentral London [email protected] 13 July and 17 August.Official London Theatre’sTheatreland Walking TourTake in some of London’squirkier theatrical sightsincluding a Victorian musichall, the entertainmentdistrict, the home ofRevuedeville variety andLondon’s most elegant stagedoor. 2.30pm, £10, age 12+

Rugby Legends FestivalWimbledon RFC www.legendsrugby.co.uk 12 JulyThe UK’s best rugby festival is back! A celebrationof rugby with veterans teams representing someof the UK’s biggest clubs including Harlequins,Wasps, London Welsh and Saracens. Plus women’steams, mini’s teams, interactive kids zones, livebands and food and drink

City of London FestivalSt Paul’s Cathedral and across the City of Londonwww.colf.orgTo 17 July An innovative, eclectic programme ofmusic, dance, spoken word and theatre. Highlightsinclude world-class symphonic concerts in St Paul'sCathedral, recitals in livery halls, streetperformances in the City's gardens and squares,plus a ground-breaking new pop-up venue, to berevealed...

West End in ChelseaChelsea Academy, Lots Road SW10 0ABhttp://westendin.com28 July – 1 August Bringing the delights of thestage to Chelsea with a week-long course for kidsaged 7-16, bringing the top West End performersfrom Matilda, The Lion King, Wicked and Charlieand the Chocolate Factory to Chelsea to runinspirational and fun workshops of their shows.9am-1pm ages 7-11, 1.30pm-5.30pm ages 12-16,£199

Lollibop Festival 2014Hatfield House, Hertfordshire AL9 5NQwww.lollibopfestival.co.uk15-17 AugustThe UK's biggest children's festivalwith great names including Justin Fletcher, MisterMaker, Cbeebies Sam & Mark, NationalGeographic Kids, Scooby Doo, Lazy Town Live,Bear Grylls Survival Academy. Join STOMP

workshops and take part in thedaily parade to showcase yournew talents, plus sign up toHarry’s Wizard School with funantics and enchanted activities.The Tottenham Hotspur GlobalCoaching Team will be teachingessential football skills includingdribbling, keepy uppies,shooting, 5-a-side and more.Unmissable! Tickets £17.50

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Families London SW Issue 238 July-August 2014

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Transcript of Families London SW Issue 238 July-August 2014