A GREAT 2017Putting a positive spin

on winter

JOANNE HARRISAn interview with

the author

WHAT’S ONTheatre treats,

family workshops and half term fun

®

FREE

online edition

with workingwebsite links

NEW YEAR 2017ISSUE NO. 182ESTABLISHED 1996

southeast londonfamiliesSE.co.uk

A GREAT 2017Putting a positive spin

on winter

JOANNE HARRISAn interview with

the author

WHAT’S ONTheatre treats,

family workshops and half term fun

Front cover: Girl’s ear beanie hat £6, stripe coatigan£15, little sister t-shirt £3, all M&Co, 0800 092 4686,www.mandco.com

Next issue Easter issue out 16 March, deadline 24 February

Families South East PO Box 11591, London SE26 6WB 020 8699 7240, www.familiesse.co.uk, editor@familiesse.co.uk

WELL, HERE WE ARE at the start of a squeaky, sparkly new year. To celebrate,our designer has given the magazine a dewy, fresh-faced makeover - we hopeyou like it as much as we do.While we’ve nearly finished picking all the pine tree needles out of the cats’

whiskers and retrieved the last bauble from under the sofa, the supermarketsare slying slipping hot cross buns and creme eggs onto the shelves. Ofcourse. Here comes 2017 - bring it on! We send warm wishes to you all.

Robina Cowan, editor

IN THIS ISSUE

2-3 Local News and ViewsCommunity playspaces, £10 theatre tickets, wearing a hat for charity, birdwatching and baby scientists

4-5 Here’s to a Great 2017Putting a positive spin on the new year; maths and reading skills,and first aid training

6 Childcare NewsTips for finding the right childcarer, and new nursery spaces

7 Legal MattersDivorce day, pre-nuptial agreements, and child maintenance court orders

8-11 Education NewsLocal schools’ news, tutoring children, school reports and independent school open days

12 Joanne Harris Speaks to FamiliesThe best-selling author on her passion for writing and storytelling

13 The Book PageJustine Crow runs her fingers along the new year bookshelves and pulls out her top picks

14 Are you Feeling SAD?Winter-busting tips for coping with winter tiredness and flaggingenergy

14-19 What’s OnSwitch off that tablet - there’s a whole world out there waiting to be explored together

Families South East is part of Families Magazines Ltd a franchise company. All franchised magazines in the group are independently owned and operated under licence. Families® is a registered trademark of Families Magazines Ltd, RemenhamHouse, Regatta Place, Marlow Road, Bourne End, Bucks SL8 5TD. The contents of Families South East are fully protected by copyright and none of the editorial or photographic matter may be reproduced in any form without prior consent of the publisher. We take every care preparing this magazine but the publishers and distributorscannot be held responsible for the claims of advertisers nor for the accuracy of the contents nor for any consequence.

families south east - january february 2017

LocalNewsemail your news to editor@familiesse.co.uk

2

Families London South East @ FamiliesSE

Welcome to the TriangleTucked behind Sainsbury’s and Westow Park in Crystal Palace, a whole lot isgoing on for families with young children.At Barnado’s Triangle, 0-6 year olds play on four storey soft play equipment,

take part in EYFS designed activities, play outside, or simply read a book.Throughout the week, onsite community rooms are used for Hartbeeps musicsessions, health visitor appointments, NCT pre and post-natal classes, yoga,sound baths, counselling services, private parties and much more.The building is also home to a well stocked Barnardo’s shop full of parent

and baby bargains, and a lovely café. All income generated at the Triangle goes towards Barnardo’s work

supporting the most vulnerable children and young people in the area, so youcan help a great cause while having fun. The centre is at 2 Coxwell Rd, SE19 3BG - find Barnado’s: The Triangle on Facebook to read more.

www. f am i l i e s s e . c o . u k

Playtime at theBridgeA warm welcome also awaits at the local community centre in Pleasauncepark, Greenwich. The Bridge runs playand stay sessions, a gardening club, art and music classes for under 5s, as well as classes for adults includingyoga. Find more details at www.thebridgegreenwich.co.uk.

Jump into Jigsaw with a free trialNow that 2017 is well andtruly underway, what betterway to kick off the year thanwith drama, singing anddance classes in southeastLondon?Jigsaw has been running

weekend performing artsclasses for 3-18 year-oldsacross London and theSouth East for over 20years. From musical theatreto contemporary drama and dance, the performing arts are a hugely enjoyableway for children and young adults to develop skills for life. Jigsaw is incredibly passionate about building talent and finding success.

They told us: “We understand that attending a performing arts school for the firsttime can be an exciting but nervous experience. That is why we offer a two weektrial, giving students the opportunity to try Jigsaw first-hand before committing toa full term.” There are classes in Dulwich and Deptford Bridge. To book your free two

week trial, go to www.jigsaw-arts.co.uk, or call 020 8447 4530.

Big shows, small pricesGet Into London Theatre is back,and running until 10 February.With over 50 participating

productions ranging from playsand musicals to dance and opera,the scheme covers the full range ofextraordinary shows on London’sstages, with tickets from just £10.For the full list and ticket

bookings, go to www.getintolondontheatre.co.uk.

3january february 2017 - families south eastwww. f am i l i e s o n l i n e . c o . u k

Take flight withPeter Pan and PerformLet your children fly to Neverland for anunforgettable three-day adventure thishalf term. With a sprinkle of fairy dust, children

can join Peter, the Lost Boys and Tinkerbell on a journey to the land whereno one grows up. Perform’s team ofskilled actors, musicians and dancerswill show each child how to project theirvoice, learn energetic dance routinesand sing catchy songs in preparation fora show-stopping performance on thelast day. Ages 4-7, 13-15 February in Blackheath. 020 7255 9120, www.perform.org.uk/peterpan for bookings.

Wear a Hat DayPencil 31 March into your diary -Wear a Hat Day is back for theeight time and it promises to beeven hattier this year.Wear a Hat Day is a great way

to show your support and raisemoney for brain tumour researchduring a day of hat-filled fun andgames.Brain tumours kill more children

and adults under the age of 40than any other cancer, yet just 1%of the national spend on cancerresearch has been allocated tothis devastating disease. Brain Tumour Research is the only national UK charitythat funds sustainable research into finding a cure.Register now and start planning your event with the charity’s pack of

fundraising goodies which include leaflets, posters, balloons and event ideas,available from www.wearahatday.org.

National Storytelling WeekNational Storytelling Week is coming upfrom 28 January to 4 February - howmarvellous!Run by the Society for Storytelling and

now in its 17th year, events take place in schools, storytelling clubs, theatres,museums, hospitals, spoken word venues, and care homes (where thisevent has been steadily growing eachyear!) From folk tales and fairy lore tofigments, phantoms, dragons, serpents and storms at sea, a good storytellercaptivates the imagination.To celebrate, we bring you an interview with renowned author Joanne Harris

on page 12; facing Justine’s new year Book Page. How appropriate.To find participating events, go to www.sfs.org.uk/national-storytelling-week.

Watch the birdieThe Big Garden Birdwatch is back from 28-30 January.The RSPB are once again inviting

everyone to head into their gardens to helpthem build a picture of garden wildlife acrossthe UK. Last year, more than 519,000 peopleall over the UK counted an incredible8,262,662 birds, at home, parks, schoolgrounds and nature reserves.A free pack of fascinating packs, tips and

advice is available to everyone who registersat www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.

Free publicity for your eventsDo you have a nearly new sale or family-friendly event coming up this spring?Do let us know for our next issue listings.And there’s more - you can now promote it on Families website - for FREE;

or add a free listing for your business.The website includes hyper local pages right across the country. Log on for

our sites in Greenwich, Southwark and Lewisham. To add your listing, go towww.familiesonline.co.uk, click the ‘promote your event’ box then follow themenus.

Should you let your child use a tablet?A newly-launched researchproject aims to discover the influence technology has onchildren’s learning, social interactions and play, from birth to 47 months - and parents are invited to join in.Dr Elena Hoicka and PhD

students from the University of Sheffield’s Department ofPsychology are looking to discover whether technology,such as tablets, is good for children’s development, bad, or a bit of both.The survey asks questions about how long children use different types of

technology - such as a tablet or a television the previous day. It also asks questions about how children prefer to learn, what children understand aboutother people, and whether and how children engage in pretend play.Parents of children with low activities levels, such as newborns, are also

invited to participate, as the researchers are interested in how technology impacts children right from the beginning. All participants will then be invited to repeat the survey six months later, which allows researchers to determinewhether or not technology has had an impact.At the end of the survey, parents will receive a summary of their child’s

learning style, social understanding, and play. For every parent who completesthe survey twice, six months apart, £2 will be donated to UNICEF.It only takes around 20-30 minutes to register and complete the survey.

To sign up or read more, go to https://babylovesscience.com.

4 families south east - january february 2017 www. f am i l i e s s e . c o . u k

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www.thevalepractice.co.uk Are you a New Year’s Resolution sort of person? At this time ofyear, when it’s relentlessly dark and cold, we all need inspiration. So we asked around and found some.

That’s a good start, eh?

A positive spin By Like Minders

With Christmas over, the rather predictable new year resolutions kick in; it’s backto work for parents, and back to school for the children. You could quite easilydecide after a December of excess to take up a gym membership. Is that really worthwhile when the membership card will sit there gathering

dust for 11 months of the year? Or giving up one of your guilty pleasures? It’shard to see how that will get you through the remaining dark winter months.At Like Minders, our advice is to take a positive spin on the new year, whether

that be taking up something which you will all enjoy as a family - or becomingmore disciplined about having time to yourself. Ideally do both if you can, butoften the hardest thing to achieve as parents is having proper distinct time asgrownups away from the children. Making sure you set aside times when youcan relax as adults and keeping that time sacrosanct is both important, yet difficult to achieve. That is one of the many reasons why Like Minders offers its flexible service.

Childcare around your plans when you want it. No rules on how much notice weneed, no restrictions on when or how often. And we even have an app so onceregistered, you can book childcare in a few easy taps. Read more at www.likeminders.co.uk. Or call us for a chat on 0844 879 7189.

Here’s to...

a great 2017

Share your reading skillsA recent study revealed that most Brits (53%) planto make at least one resolution, but that the majority(81%) will be broken.It’s not all bad though - research by the literacy

charity Beanstalk also showed that when we cansee the positive difference a resolution is making, or when we enjoy them, they can really last.Every year people contact the charity as a result

of a New Year’s resolution to do something positive,to learn new skills, meet new people or take up anew challenge. With training and support, they become volunteer reading helpers in their local primary schools, working with children who arestruggling with their reading. These volunteers reallydo transform lives by building pupils’ confidenceand helping them reach their full potential.Last year alone over 200,000 children left primary school unable to read to the expected level. So if

you’re considering a new challenge for the year ahead, make it something meaningful and become a Beanstalk reading helper. For more information on volunteering or supporting their work, go to www.beanstalkcharity.org.uk or call

020 7729 4087.

Be a lifesaverBurns, choking, breathlessness, deep cuts or falls - if your firstresponse would be panic, booking onto a first aid course couldgive you a cool head and the skills to know what to do.First Aid for Life has a team of nurses and emergency services

professionals who use their first aid on a regular basis. Highly experienced and proficient first aid trainers, they run regular short paediatric and adult courses in Balham,www.firstaidforlife.org.uk Alternatively, the childcare agency Little Masters and Misses

run British Red Cross First Aid courses on Saturdays, www.littlemastersandmisses.com.It’s the one skillset you hope to never need, yet one that could

help save a life.

Brush up on mathsBy Charlotte Gater, Head of Curriculum at Explore Learning

In the recent PISA rankings that compare the resultsin maths, reading and science of 15 year olds fromacross the globe, the UK came 27th in maths. Education policy will have some effect, but I believethat it’s our attitude towards maths that is having a major impact.I meet so many well-meaning parents, who are

desperate to get maths support for their children,who start the conversation with ‘’well I’m no good atmaths so neither are they.’’This makes me sad in so many ways. Firstly that

it’s socially acceptable for us to just say we’re notgood at maths. People go to extreme lengths to hide the fact that

they can’t read or write but it’s just accepted that it’sfairly normal to not be good at maths. I’d like to seethis stop.Secondly, parents are trying to help their child,

but by announcing that they can’t do it they’re normalising a lack of maths skills and allowing the next generation to grow up with the same nonchalant attitude towards maths. Thirdly, if you think you can’t do maths, how do

you know if you’re getting a bargain?I think it’s great for parents to let children know

that everyone finds things hard and that adults can’t just do everything. Pleasedo show your children that you struggle sometimes and work hard to learnthings too.Just please don’t say “I can’t do maths”. Why not try and learn something together? Accept that things are sometimes

hard, but face your fears alongside your child and get stuck in. Carol Dweck’sGrowth Mindset theory shows that everyone can improve their skills, in anything,if they think in the right way. You won’t always be the best, but by believing in your ability, being determined and with lots of practice (and mistakes!) you’llimprove.

Download some fun apps you and your family can play: 10 Monkeys Multiplication is great if you want to learn your times tables; while The KhanAcademy offers over 2000 free videos tutorials on loads of different maths topics, at www.khanacademy.org.

Charlotte Gater is Head of Curriculum at Explore Learning, which has centresacross southeast London, including Sydenham, Greenwich, Abbey Wood, NewCross Gate, Brixton, Bromley and Orpington. The company is offering a £50 saving if you enrol from 16 January until 28 February. To book your free trial, check out www.explorelearning.co.uk/offer.

5www. f am i l i e s o n l i n e . c o . u k january february 2017 - families south east

Call your local Stagecoach:Dulwich 020 8949 4116Blackheath 020 7112 8242Sydenham 020 7228 0981Upper Norwood 0744 253 2386

www.stagecoach.co.uk

Classes

now

booking

More and more parents are turning to the internet to findchildcare. Lured in by the promise of cheap fees and‘1000s of CVs’ they get swept up by the convenience ofbeing able to browse 24/7 without checking the smallprint. These online services are just 21st century shopnotice boards and not, as many parents believe, aNanny Agency like Little Masters and Misses.It’s unlikely that the IT people who run the site have

reference-checked, interviewed or even spoken to thechildcarers listed. So parents must be vigilant aboutmaking their own reference checks, ensuring that there are no unexplained gaps in employment and understanding the various qualifications and what theymean. Sadly, in practice this doesn’t always happenand we know of a number of serious scenarios, grossmisconduct issues and parents being unfairly grossovercharged on salary.

1. Finding the right child carer cannot be rushed- you are planning to hand over responsibility for the people you treasure most in life, together withgiving access to your home and belongings. Finding the right person is a huge responsibility so make sure to leave yourself enough time.

2. Question why people pay to be on a website where no checks or interviews are made - itcan be an easy way for unprofessional, unreliableor unscrupulous people to display their uncheckedCV where they can invent baby experience information, delete a past job/s where an employermight not give a good reference, or over quote ontheir salary. We’ve seen all these things happen!

3. Interviews - these should always be face to face. A second interview of around two hours is essentialand this is the time to see how they communicate,play and relate with your child and family.

6 families south east - january february 2017 www. f am i l i e s s e . c o . u k

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6. Legally - when employing a nanny the employer must make PAYE tax deductions.There is lots of information online about how tomeet this responsibility.

7. The really good news - in 2017 Little Mastersand Misses is launching a safer, stress free andeasy to use online service to help parents findthe right childcarer. All the CVs on our site willbe from candidates that we’ve interviewed faceto face and for whom we’ve started referencechecks. All for a cost to you of just £99!

Little Masters and Misses has an office in Beckenham and covers London, Kent and Surrey. To find out more, contact Debbie on 020 86503232 or go to www.littlemastersandmisses.com.

One year on in East DulwichAbbeville Nannies celebrated their first run up toChristmas in the new East Dulwich office whichopened to complement the busy Clapham and Putney offices.They told us: “We opened the office early in 2016

in response to a noticeable increase in demandfrom families in the SE London area, who need arange of childcare from full time nannies to part timemothers helps and of course after school nannies.We’ve noticed that nanny shares are increasing asthey are so cost effective. Also, East Dulwich andthe surrounding areas are a popular place for nannies to work, so we’re delighted to have joinedthe local community.” To get in touch with the team,call 020 7720 1144 or seewww.abbevillenannies.co.uk.

Beacon TotsA brand new private nursery opened on SydenhamHill just before Christmas. Beacon Tots Nurserycares for children aged three months to five years,with additional breakfast and afterschool clubs available for 5-11 year-olds. Based in Sydenham Hill Community Hall, there

is plenty of indoor and outside space for learningand play, lead by a team who have nearly ten years’experience of preschool childcare across southeastLondon.The nursery is open from 7.30am-6.30pm

Mondays to Fridays. To ask about places or book a visit, call 0755 12 66553 or read more at www.beacontotsnursery.co.uk.

4. Be clear what you wantfrom them - discuss yourhouse routines, rules andchosen outings and makesure the candidates understand how you wantthings done

5. Reference telephonechecks - aim for three toinclude their past and current employer. Don’tbe afraid to ask if theywould re-employ them.Maybe enquire what wasthe best thing about themor if they had to changeone thing, what thatwould be.

Childcare newsTop Tips when employing a nannyDebbie Eliff (NNEB) has run Little Masters and Misses for over 32 years.Here she offers some tips for searching (particularly online) for a nanny,

childminder or evening babysitter.

7january february 2017 - families south eastwww. f am i l i e s o n l i n e . c o . u k

Divorce DayBy Mandeep Clair, collaborative lawyer

The first working day in January is commonly known as Divorce Day, when family lawyers receive more enquiries than at any other time of the year.

114,720 couples divorced in England and Wales in 2013, down almost threeper cent on the previous year. The statistics also show that marriages are morelikely to survive the ‘seven year itch’ with divorce rates at the eight year marknudging down by one per cent. For older people, it’s a different picture. Over60,000 people who divorced in England and Wales in 2013 were over 50, a riseof 11 per cent.

Alongside the slow-down in divorce for younger couples, the Law Society has reported a rise in enquiries for pre-nuptial agreements, with commentatorssuggesting it’s being driven by parents who are investing in housing to enabletheir children to get on the property ladder, but wishing to protect family moneyagainst any future marriage breakdown.

Family law expert Mandeep Clair of Grant Saw solicitors explained: “Oldercouples may have less to worry about in relation to the impact of divorce on children, but dividing finances will probably cause more concern, as they aremore likely to be asset-rich and with valuable pensions.”

She added: “It’s a hard decision at any time of the year and at any stage ofmarriage, but perhaps the most important thing for any couple is to considerchildren first and to avoid finger pointing as they go through the process.”

Child maintenance court orders must be obeyed

By Grant Saw Solicitors

It is inevitable that those in receipt of court orders often consider them to be unjust - but that is never an excuse for failing to obey them. The High Courtmade that point in imposing a suspended prison sentence on a recalcitrant divorcee who took it upon himself to reduce his child maintenance payments.

Under a previous court order, he was required to pay his ex-wife a lump sum of £13,500 to cover arrears of child maintenance, £1,150 in monthly maintenance for his eight-year-old daughter and to contribute £5,500 towardshis ex-wife’s legal costs. Despite having had substantial income and assetswhen the order was made, he had only partially met those obligations and hadunilaterally decreased the amount of child maintenance, which had fallen morethan £4,000 into arrears as a result.

The Court imposed a 14-day prison sentence, but suspended the term for 28 days to give him an opportunity to pay all outstanding sums.

If your ex-partner fails to adhere to the rulings of the court - for example as regards maintenance or access to children, an experienced and capable solicitor can assist you to make sure the situation is resolved.

South East London solicitors Grant Saw LLP offers friendly, professionallegal services including an initial one hour consultation for a fixed fee of£100 to all clients in respect of relationship breakdown and/ or issues concerning children. For advice, contact Mandeep Clair on 020 8305 4235,mclair@grantsaw.co.uk, or Michael Dear on 020 8305 4238, www.grantsaw.com.

8

From Bromley to BroadwayA group of girls from Bromley High School headedto New York on a sightseeing trip which includedvisiting Broadway to see ‘The Color Purple’The girls visited Ripley Grier Studios, a Broadway

rehearsal studio, to take part in a vocal workshop,and later in the day performed a musical about thelife of London fashion designer, Mary Quant to a high school in New Jersey. Across the few remaining days, the group performed in New Jerseyin a middle school’s assembly; ventured into CentralPark to perform an impromptu performance of ‘Let itBe’ to an appreciative audience and, last but by nomeans the least, took part in a combat workshop atRipley Grier Studios and learnt to stage fight.For open day dates, admissions criteria and more

school news, go to www.bromleyhigh.gdst.net.

Mindfulness classes forfive-year-olds A local school is aiming to give its pupils the bestpossible start in life both academically and mentallyafter launching mindfulness sessions for itsyoungest students.The calming lessons were introduced at Bickley

Park School by Jon Poole, the new assistant head ofpre-prep. He started running mindfulness sessionsfor his 5-7 year old pupils to give them a chance totake a time out from the busy school day, while giving them a foundation to develop good mentalhealth. He said: “I’ve done quite a bit of researchinto wellbeing and mindfulness, and while there’s a lot out there for teenagers, there’s not a lot foryounger children, Key Stage 1 in particular. Such a vital part of helping pupils have a healthy, happy life is making sure they know how to look after themselves, and taking early steps to help them nurture their mental health is a key part of that.”Beckenham resident Jon, who studied at St

Dunstan’s College, has introduced short sessionsafter lunch, in which Bickley Park pupils enjoy “fiveminutes of calm.” He is now working to introducemindfulness classes throughout the school.Bickley Park School is an independent prep

school for boys aged 21⁄2 - 13 located in Bromley.Founded in 1918, the school educates 350 boysacross its pre-prep and prep sites. Read more atwww.bickleyparkschool.co.uk.

School head’s flight fantastic“Creating a healthy and vibrant school food culture,”was the mantra from keynote speaker, Tim Baker,head teacher at Charlton Manor Primary School,who recently addressed food nutrition experts at anInternational Conference in Dubai.Tim Baker opened the keynote session on the

challenges, costs, and solutions of childhood obesity which worldwide have doubled in the last 40 years. Tim believes the main reason for that increase is the advent of new technologies like mobile phones, Internet, social media networks, andadvanced games that reduce physical activity andthe increased consumption of fast food, which carrymore sugar, saturated fat and salt.Mr Baker believes that children learn best when

they are active, engaged and enjoying what they aredoing. He has found that through gardening andcooking behaviour is much improved and this impacts greatly on attainment. The school uses exercise, food growing and cooking as a vehicle todrive the whole curriculum.“Healthy food and exercise not only help to build

healthy bodies but also help children to concentrateand to focus,” said Tim; “therefore having a beneficial impact on their learning and attainment.”Charlton Manor Primary School is an award-win-

ning primary school for 3 - 11 year-olds. The schoolhas been awarded the International School Awardby the British Council for its impressive partnershipswith other schools around the world and the way in which they bring the outside world into the classroom. It is also linked to European schools and others in India, China, Japan and Nepal whereit leads in food growing projects and healthy eating.Read more at www.charltonmanorprimary.co.uk.

Tutoring children - a head startThe tutoring market in the UK is burgeoning. Figures published at theend of last yearsuggest that one in four children havesought privatetuition and supplementary education to support them at school. The benefit of reinforcing lessons at school with

an outside provider is that it allows parents to ensure their child is keeping up with their peers,and/ or is being stretched to surpass levels in theclassroom. For the first time this year, Year 11 pupils are

required to resit English and maths GCSEs if theydid not score a C grade, and with just 35.9% ofschool leavers achieving a C or above, the overallpass rate has dropped.Kumon Educational offers maths and English

programmes for children of all ages and abilities.The ultimate aim is to encourage students to takelearning into their own hands and develop a firmfoundation in these key subjects to ensure successat school and beyond.Visit Kumon.co.uk or call 0800 854 714 to

find out more.

A fearless start to the yearWhy fearless you might ask? And what does this evenmean?For the maths and English experts at Explore

Learning, a child’s educational journey goes beyondacing a quick spelling test or getting to the top of theclass for a term. It is about building long-lasting confidence that takes them through their entire life,whether it is through developing a ‘have a go attitude’, or knowing it’s ok to put their hand up without fear of a‘silly’ question being mocked, or simply feeling excitedabout their next step. It’s about nurturing a sense ofpride, and a fearless attitude to learning, so that every child can become their version of amazing.The company’s incredible tutors are there to support every step of the way. Rather than a simple ‘yes’

or ‘no’, they will ask: “are you sure?” or “can you convince me of your answer?”, allowing children to exploreand push the boundaries of their thinking each day.To celebrate the new year and all of the potential it brings, Explore Learning are offering a little something

to help your child along their fearless learner journey. READER OFFER: From 16 January until 28 February, you’ll save £50 when you join an Explore tuition centre. To find your nearest one and book a free trial, check out www.explorelearning.co.uk/offer.

Are you looking for a professional, one to one tutor?Fleet Tutors has been matching the right tutor to the education needs of students across the UK since 1977. The company’s network of tutors are all subject specialists who tailor the teachingand learning experience to relieve any subject specific anxieties, and help build your child’s confidence so they achieve a successfuloutcome. For a helpful discussion about your requirements, speak to a

knowledgeable Fleet Tutors tuition consultant today on 020 8580 3911, or go to www.fleet-tutors.co.uk.

N E W S F O R P A R E N T S

L O C A L S C H O O L SEducation News

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Education News

Two thirds of parentscan’t name their child’sfriend’s parentsA recent study has found that many parents are increasingly remote from their child’s social world atschool; two thirds of primary and secondary schoolparents don’t know the name of their child’s schoolfriend’s parents, and three quarters of parents don’tfeel as involved in their child’s school life as theywould like to be.Modern work and life pressures are weakening

the school gate community, where long-lastingfriendships between parents and families are often created. Classlist aims to connect parents in a world

where they spend less time at the school gate than ever before. The free, mobile-friendly serviceenables parents to get to know one another personally through organising social and fundraisingevents, lift-shares, playdates and birthday parties.Alongside social planning, the platform lets parentsto communicate about homework, manage lostproperty and post classified ads.Parent Teacher Associates and Class Reps are

major beneficiaries, with the platform saving themweeks of effort through instant calendaring and ticketing of events; sharing newsletters, and findingvolunteers. Most Classlist sites are managed by theschool PTA, who also authenticate joiners. Theschool itself has limited involvement or liability. Parents can simply search for their school nameand once authenticated, join their community. Read more at www.classlist.com.

More music Over the next four years the government will provide£300 million to a network of 121 music educationhubs to work with schools, local authorities andcommunity organisations to get more young peopletaking part in music and arts.Music hubs help hundreds of thousands of 5- to

18-year-olds each year access activities like playingan instrument, singing in a choir or joining a band.Announcing the funding in November, school

standards minister Nick Gibb said:“Music and the arts can transform lives and

introduce young people to a huge range of opportunities - whether that is learning to play a musical instrument, understanding local heritage or attending a world-famous dance school. We’re investing more than £300 million over the next fouryears so that those opportunities are open to all, not just the privileged few.”

Private school placesPrivate schools propose offering up to 10,00 freeschool places a year to children from low-incomefamilies in England.The Independent Schools Council (ISC) says if

the government pays £5,550 per place - the cost ofa place in the state system - the remainder of thecost will be covered by the schools.The ISC was responding to pressure from the

government to do more for their state school counterparts in return for charitable status, which allows for tax breaks. The scheme, which would testsome children on academic ability, would be opento primary and secondary school-age children.ISC independent schools are ranked among the

best in the world and educate more than 500,000children in the UK. Read more at www.isc.co.uk.

Rosemead Preparatory School26 January and 8 March70 Thurlow Park Road SE21 8HZ www.rosemeadprepschool.org.uk

Streatham & Clapham High School GDST10 March senior school42 Abbotswood Road, Streatham SW16 1AW7 March prep school and nurseryWavertree Road, SW2 3SRwww.schs.gdst.net

Sydenham High School GDST9 March junior school 15 Westwood Hill, Sydenham SE26 6BL10 March senior school19 Westwood Hill, Sydenham SE26 6BLwww.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net

Thames Christian School7 March Wye Street, Clapham Junction SW11 2HBwww.thameschristiancollege.org.uk

Before your visit, check the websites of the schools you are interested in for more information,including whether or not you need to register your interest or book first

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL OPEN DAY DATES

School reports“could do better”Schools are now recording more information about the children they teach than ever before. However, over half of parents (57%) feelprimary school reports are either too generic or do not contain enoughinformation about how their child is doing - and more than a third ofprimary school teachers (35%) agree.Knowing whether their child is happy and confident in class tops the

list of information parents want to know from teachers, suggesting thatmums and dads do not just want academic results on their reports.And although three quarters of parents stated that it was very importantto have information on happiness and confidence, less than half (46%)reported actually receiving it from their child's primary school.The research was carried out by Capita SIMS, whose director Phil Neal commented: "The vast majority of parents believe teachers are doing a great job, but the research does indicate that

information about how a child is doing in school needs updating. Schools should look at the type ofinformation they send home. Details such as whether a child helped a friend in class or is working hard on a particular project is often just as important as test results."A free guide is available for parents and schools, which contains a list of questions parents should ask

schools about pupil progress, and tips for schools on improving reporting. Download Could do better: is ittime to change the school report? from www.capita-sims.co.uk/evolution.

Read all about itFrom starting school to literacy and numeracy, school life, home learning, early learning and special educational needs, Families website is a veritable fount of useful information on all things educational; including local school listings. Far more than we can squeeze into our magazine pages. To read all about it,visit www.familiesonline.co.uk/education.

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To mark National Storytelling Week (28 January - 4 February), internationalbest-selling author Joanne Harris spoketo Families about life as a writer, how storytelling has evolved through socialmedia, and gives her advice for thosewith a passion for writing stories.

The success of Chocolat kick-started your career as an author - was it an easy decision to retire from teaching? Writing is generally a job that doesn’t make a lot ofmoney, and nearly all writers have another job. Formy first three published books I was a teacher and if one of my books hadn’t been unexpectedly successful I would have stayed a teacher. When youreach a certain level of success it’s very difficult todo the two things at once, so I gave up teaching. I thought then temporarily, and it turned out to bepermanent. But it could have been different.

How did it feel when you found out that Chocolat was being made into a film?I didn’t believe it at first, because books get optioned all the time, but very rarely do they end upmaking films. I started to pay attention when theystarted filming, and when they invited me on set,when it was clear something was actually happening. By then it didn’t really have much to dowith me, so I was able to enjoy it in a different way. It was very nicely done, the cast was great, the direction was great, the score was great, and theydeserved the success it had.

Do you ever meet people and think they wouldmake a great character in a book? I’m borrowing from people all the time. It’s part ofbeing a writer, using the experiences you have withpeople and conversations; things you’ve noticedabout them, and you filter them through thisprocess. I don’t think I’ve ever actually put someonein a book, but I think we all borrow extensively fromother people around us.

How long does it usually take you to write abook?I’m usually working on more than one thing. Somehave taken me 10 years to finish, some only one.Some I’ve started and then finished 5, 10 or 15years later. I tend to start things off and then quiteoften put them on the back burner for a bit, work onsomething else and then go back. Sometimes I justneed to let it lie, do some research, or work out aplot construction.

You’re very active on social media, do you thinkthis new digital age we’re living has changedthe way people tell stories? I think it’s had an impact on the whole of the bookbusiness in a lot of ways, some good, some bad.What it has done is given us more access to eachother and provides a much more interactive side totelling stories I tell my #Storytime stories on Twitter,and you really feel as if you’re talking to people, because it’s a very conversational medium, which is its charm.

It’s National Storytelling Week in January, whatadvice would you give to children or adults ifthey have a passion for writing and want totake it to the next level?To be a professional writer you have to write, a lot,and understand that a lot of it will be bad but practice makes you better.So start writing, and don’t worry too much about

where you are heading. Also read a lot, because themore you read the more you realise how writingworks and why it’s good and why it fails, and justkeep improving all the time.

Have you faced any challenges when writingbooks, and what did you learn from them?It’s useful to keep an open mind. There is no wayyou can please everyone all the time. Learn to livewith criticism even if you think it is unfair and still dowhat you are doing. If you are absolutely convincedthat your book is a masterpiece, but people read itand think it’s rubbish, then there’s probably sometruth in it. However, keep believing you can do it,and learn from mistakes, acknowledge them andmove on.

Do you have any new books or projects thatour readers can look out for?I’ve got an illustrated book of the Storytime storiescoming out, hopefully next year, called Honeycomb.I’m also working on a sequel to The Gospel of Loki,which hopefully will come out the year after next. I’vealso got another illustrated project, which may ormay not come out next year.

Favourite childhood book(s)/ author? Ray Bradbury - Something Wicked This Way Comes

Favourite character you’ve created?The villain in Gentlemen and Players

Favourite book/ story you’ve written?The Gospel of Loki

Favourite writing drink?Tea

Favourite writing food? Toast

The best thing about being an author?Spending my life doing something I love, and getting it out to people who also love it.

For more information on Joanne Harris and herwork, go to www.joanne-harris.co.uk.

National Storytelling Week

Author Joanne Harris speaks to Families

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families south east - january february 2017

National Storytelling Week celebrates the art and enjoyment of oral storytelling.Now in its 17th year, events will again take place

in schools, storytelling clubs, theatres, museums,hospitals, spoken word venues, and care homes(where this event has been steadily growing eachyear). From folk tales and fairy lore to figments,phantoms, dragons, serpents and storms at sea, a good storyteller sparks the imagination.The week is run by the Society of Storytelling.

To find participating events, go towww.sfs.org.uk/national-storytelling-week.

13january february 2017 - families south eastwww. f am i l i e s o n l i n e . c o . u k

The Bookseller Crow is a fantastic, volume stuffed shop run by some of the most knowledgeable bookworms in the business.

Call in for the feel of a real bookshop, or if you’re too busy, pick up the phone or point your mouse at their website for a fast mailorder service. Justine Crow recommends this month’s best titles.

The Bookseller Crow, 50 Westow St. Crystal Palace, London SE19 3AFTelephone: 020 8771 8831 email: info@booksellercrow.co.uk www.booksellercrow.co.uk

There is much to commend 2017 for, though it’smainly the fact that it isn’t 2016 (the year that behavedlike a right Kevin, had a teen tantrum and then cut offhis snivelling nose to spite his sulky face). To borrowfrom the great L.M Montgomery, she of Anne and hermost sensible green gables: “Isn’t it nice to think thattomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it?” Personally, the year is already heaps better by thevery virtue of the neighbour’s building work being over with and I’m looking forward to actually enjoyingmy garden again without the birdsong being accompanied by a concrete mixer, fag smoke andswearing (though unless somebody removes theirpug’s voice-box, I fear my own bad language mayspoil the view). In Bookland, there is plenty to look forward to should we ever allow ourselves the pleasure of doing the right thing again.I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO CALL MY CAT by SimonPhillip & Ella Bailey - Simon & Schuster rrp £6.99.I know what I call the dog nextdoor... Meanwhile, I’msure our cat also has a few names for it too. Not leastafter he has been barked at for a full hour for merelysetting paw outside the back door. This is a brilliantidea for a picture book and you’ll recognise the illustrator’s charming style instantly. Funnily enough, Iplay this game when I can’t sleep - choose a letter ofthe alphabet and then try and think of as many namesfor a pet as I can but I have never, it has to be said,come up with anything as excellent as Elton.ODD DOG OUT by Rob Biddulph - Harper Collins rrp£6.99. A new book by this author is always somethingto look forward to and here’s proof that not all smalldogs are annoying - I challenge you NOT to find adachshund reading a paperback on a sunbed irresistible. So, this one sets off to find her place in lifebut, pleasingly, absolutely refuses to conform as sheprogresses. Atta girl. I think if the world had moresausage dogs in it, there would be no wars.SOLOMON & MORTIMER by Catherine Rayner -Macmillan rrp £6.99. I also like the idea of crocodilesgetting some decent press for a change. Our cheeryeponymous reptile has a new chum in this follow-upin which the pursuit of fun is top of the watery agendaand this time it is an unsuspecting hippopotamus thatis the recipient of their snappy solution to boredom.I CAN ONLY DRAW WORMS by Will Mabbitt - Puffin rrp £6.99. Due in February, the author of the Mabel Jones adventures has come up with something a little more, um, down to earth. Billed as a book to encourage creativity, he insists that there is nothing boring about nature’s little bores.What geniuses they are.RICHARD SCARRY’S BUSYTOWN TREASURY -Random House rrp £12.50. The aforementioned wriggly invertebrate even has a literary protagonist in

the form of the heroic Lowly Worm, with his cockedtrilby and single sneaker. Scarry’s first book was published 75 years ago and yet Busytown seems to be as relevant as ever. Apparently, he constantlyupdated editions in order to take on board changes in attitudes and technology which is why they seemso timeless. Thus, the gentle but daft inhabitants areas popular now as they were when I was growing up.In fact my dear late mum claimed she got her veryown Mr Frumble when she married my dad in 1961.Soon afterwards he proved her correct when after filling up, the fender of his MGB Magnet got snaggedon the wooden kiosk at the petrol station and hedragged it across the forecourt. THE LONDON NOISY TUBE by Marion Billet -Macmillan rrp £7.99. Truly though, what IS it aboutthings on wheels that fascinates small vulnerable humans? Whether one of Scarry’s hard-hatted kittens on a digger or any of this author’s superb vehicular board books, toddlers can’t get enough of things that go. I mean, before the combustion engine, did they obsess over horse-drawn carriagesand farm buggies? Now to add to the allure - voicerises to a shriek of excitement - we have a sound button with a real live “mind the gap” message. Expect paroxysms from your two year-old. LOTS by Marc Martin - Templar rrp £11.99.Tiresomely for a bookseller who has seen it all, thepublishing world still treats jumping on the bandwagon as a competition sport and therefore the firstwhiff of a new idea - retro style manuals for boys orgirls, adult colouring books, the Ladybird spoofs, the Five Go parodies - triggers a deluge of similarprojects. But I confess the recent ‘big book’ phenomenon is one I approve of. While not quite the size of Animalium, this journey across the world is nonetheless visually spectacular. The onlyproblem is finding the shelf space to accommodatethe dimensions.JUST CALL ME SPAGHETTI-HOOP BOY by LaraWilliamson - Usborne rrp £6.99. From the eminentlyaccomplished writer of The Boy Who sailed theOcean in an Armchair, this is an upbeat story aboutadoption. Imagine discovering that your birth motherhad christened you ‘Ace.’ That’s either one too manyJim Carrey movies or some serious ambitions in thetennis dept!100 WOMEN WHO MADE HISTORY - DorlingKindersley rrp £12.99. See what I mean? I reviewedthe Frances Lincoln Little People Big Dreamsseries back at the beginning of 2016 - oh, how innocent we were then - and we’ve sold lots ofBloomsbury’s Fantastically Great Women, rrp £6.99 since then too. Suddenly publishing has discovered the female pound and Frida Kahlo, AdaBabage, Amelia Earhart, Maya Angelou are flavour ofthe day all over the schedules. Shame none of them

got to see it in their lifetimes. But I guess with 50% ofthe population hitherto ignored by the compilers ofhistory books for younger kids, it is gratifying now thatthose that are living exemplars of achievement alsoget recognition - step forward Malala and the mightySerena Williams.MAMMA by Mina Holland - Orion rrp £20.00.Speaking of great women of influence, out in February, this is a serving of ‘oral histories’ from thelikes of Ottolenghi, Claudia Roden and the gloriousStanley Tucci that explores our connections with alove of grub via the apron strings of our dear mums.Mine wasn’t a classic cook - as a war babe fromCroydon she had some pretty terrible food hygienehabits, not to mention short-cuts (tinned potatoesshould be illegal) but my over-riding food memory ofher is that her fingertips always smelled of garlic andonions. It could’ve been worse. HOW TO COOK HEALTHILY by Dale Pinnock -Quadrille rrp £20.00. I don’t do diets, have witnessedthe danger of obsessing about weight and fads closeup and point blank refused to use food as a reward orpunishment with my children. It is possibly the onlywise piece of parenting I have ever managed (thatand always hide your own hand-towel). As a result,give or take the odd mime of vomiting at the tablewhen a bowl of carrots goes past my son, none ofmine have hang-ups. My mantra was always fitnessover fatness. Doesn’t matter what shape you are solong as you are strong. THE DEDALUS BOOK OF GIN by Richard Barnett -Dedalus rrp £9.99. What? You nearly had the Complete Guide to Nutrients, Carlton rrp £12.99next, and then I heard myself and thought, nah. Onesensible book is enough of a sop to the resolutions industry, let’s have big glass of the beautiful juniperjuice and be done with it. I’m sure it counts as one of your five a day. Published by a company hithertofamed for its off-the-wall list of European literary masterpieces, expect an intellectual approach to fivecenturies of mother’s ruin. Mindfulness is another key word recently discoveredby the trade that is now attached wantonly to anythingfrom colouring books to cookbooks, pet guides toparenting. Talk about Ker-ching! Though I’d argue thatnow it’s in paperback, MINDFULNESS FOR THE FRAZZLED by RubyWax, Penguin rrp £8.99 should be available on prescription to all parents. What is stress anywayother than a first world conceit? Ultimately as the saying goes, no matter how hard parenting gets, you must always be kind to your kids. Because theyare the ones that will choose your care home. Yikes. It would be sage to raise a glass of that gin to their future prospects then, as well as the New Year!

14 www. f am i l i e s s e . c o . u kfamilies south east - january february 2017

Back in 2010, Caroline Brown’s sonCallum was enjoying an ice-creamwhen he suddenly went into anaphylactic shock and was rushed to hospital where he was administered a dose of adrenalin. After a number of tests, her son was diagnosed

with a tree nut and peanut allergy which meant thathe was unable to eat not only peanuts but alsolentils and peas. Initially, Caroline found it difficult toexplain to her son that he couldn’t eat all the thingshis friends ate including sharing sweets and snacks.She soon realised that it wasn’t just parents, andadults in a position of care, that needed informingbut the children themselves, and their friends, inorder to promote understanding and acceptance.Thus the idea for a children’s book was born.Brought to life by bright and modern illustrations,

Nutti the Squirrel Who Couldn’t Eat Nuts is a fun storybook for parents to read with their young children as well as for primary school teachers andextended families. It combines the sensitive area ofallergies within a charming mainstream story book.Following the story, the last four pages of the book

are educational and cover ‘living with food allergies,why is my body special, and how the immune system works.” Every school and every library who have

discovered Nutti have taken a copy and have requested an author reading; it has been endorsedby the national charity Allergy UK, and given thethumbs up by Anaphylaxis Campaign.Caroline lives in Streatham with her two children

Callum and Kameron. Since graduating from Hertfordshire University with a BA in social work shehas worked with children and families for charitiesand local authorities. Caroline has completed aChild Counselling qualification and counselled children with the children’s mental health charityPlace2Be, and gained an MSC in Child ForensicStudies Psychology and Law. She is also an activemember of a Youth Justice Referral Panel.

Nutti the Squirrel Who Couldn’t Eat Nuts is published by Oswald Publishing, priced £8.99 paperback, £6.99 ebook, and available to orderfrom good bookstores and Amazon. Find out more at www.oswaldpublishing.com, www.nuttithesquirrel.com, or follow Caroline on twitter @cbrownauthor.

Most of us find the winter monthshard to handle, so here are our tipsabout how to help your little ones.

There are lots of good reasons children start flagging as the days are dark, our energies dip evenif we don’t end up with full-scale Seasonal AffectiveDisorder (SAD). It’s cold, dark and depressing. Addin the winter coughs and colds that lay everyone low at some point, and you’ve got a recipe for exhaustion. So what can you do?

Light upOne simple thing you can do is make sure you aregetting enough natural light. We need daylight to regulate our body clocks; without a shot of it in the morning, in particular, we end up feeling constantly jetlagged. And yes, it does have to be outdoor light - glass filters out quite a lot ofbrightness. On the other hand, even on a gloomyday, 10 minutes or so of outdoor light should beenough to get you back on track.Indoors, it may be worth getting a light-up alarm

clock too, in order to ease the kids into the dayrather than jerking them out of sleep and leavingthem tired (and cranky) from the start. And if youfeel that the kids - or you! - are constantly exhaustedand weepy, think about upgrading to one of the‘dawn simulators’ that get to the brightness of natural daylight.

Feed upIt’s really tempting at this time of year, to hit thecomfort food. And certainly, kids need calories!However, don’t forget that that stodge alone won’tdo it. You don’t have to go the full trendy high-protein route but do try in particular to get someiron-rich foods into them because iron helps makered blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body - and therefore give us energy.

Get up (and down)Don’t give in completely to the temptation to letthem veg on the sofa. Exercise, especially outdoors,will lift their (and your!) mood and will also wearthem out sufficiently to get a better night’s sleep. On that same note, don’t forget that even whenyou’re all worn out, a decent wind-down routine -and in particular a screen-free couple of hours before bed helps too.

Quick tips to combatSAD• Make sure you’re getting at least 10 minutes

of natural daylight every day - even on a gloomyday, it’s still bright enough to ‘reset’ your bodyclock and stop the wintry feeling of constant jetlag.

• A light-up alarm clock is a gentler way to easeeveryone into the day.

• If you or your kids just can’t get moving, and are feeling weepy, think about upgrading to afull-scale ‘dawn simulator’ which radiates intense light because that is the best way oftackling Seasonal Affective Depression.

• Make sure they’re eating properly, and in particular getting enough iron because thathelps give them more energy.

• Outdoor exercise will also help lift their moodand make them feel less sluggish.

• Exercise (indoor or outdoor) will also help tirethem out physically. Even if they already seemtired, their bodies need the workout!

• A good bedtime routine isn’t just for toddlers -we all need to wind down before bed.

Find brilliant brain-food breakfast ideas at FamiliesOnline: www.familiesonline.co.uk/breakfast

About the authorBased in southeast London, Radhika Holmstromhas a strong background in health journalism. Shehas also written for many consumer and specialistmagazines. Whilst she focuses on health, parentingand learning issues, she has also written widely onenvironmental and ethical issues.

Contains no nuts

Are you feeling SAD?How to cope with winter tiredness and

seasonal affective disorderBy Radhika Holmstrom

Family Health

15january february 2017 - families south east

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GREENWICH THEATREGREENWICH THEATRE, Crooms Hill, Greenwich SE10 8ES, 020 8858 7755, www.greenwichtheatre.org.ukHEAVEN EYES, 12+13 February. Three youngsters run away from theirchildren’s home and sail down the River Tyne on a makeshift raft. Stuckon the mudflats, they meet a strange girl who lives with an old man,Grampa. The girl has a secret only Grampa knows... and he’s not telling.The production is adapted for the stage by internationally acclaimed children’s author David Almond (Skellig), and is suitable for ages 9 andover. Tickets from £8.50.WOW! SAID THE OWL, 14 February. The acclaimed children’s bookby award winning author Tim Hopgood, is brought to life through a blendof beautiful story-telling, puppetry and music. Directed by Joy Haynes,this show will delight and excite. Ages 2+, tickets from £8.50.MARK THOMPSON’S SPECTACULAR SCIENCE SHOW,15 February. You think Science is boring, think again; this is science likeyou have never seen before. Explore the strange and magical propertiesof matter with exploding elephant’s toothpaste, vortex generating dustbins, dancing paste, vanishing beakers and even exploding Pringletubes! All ages, tickets from £8.50.DON’T DRIBBLE ON THE DRAGON, 17-19 February. Based on thenew book by Steven Lee and with magic designed by TV legend PaulDaniels, this spectacular musical adventure about growing up and theimportance of family is the perfect feel good show for big hearted adults,cheeky cool kids and loving little ones alike. Tickets from £11.

BATTERSEA ARTS CENTREBATTERSEA ARTS CENTRE, Lavender Hill SW11 5TN, 020 7223 2223,www.bac.org.ukMUCH ADO ABOUT PUFFIN, 16+17 February. Traverse stormy seas in this funny tale about a man all alone, a friendly puffin and a whole lotof fuss over nothing. Told with puppetry, beautiful music, and good oldfashioned storytelling. 11am and 1.30pm, AGES 8+, £10 adults, £8 children.FAMILY SATURDAYS. On the last Saturday of every month, familiestake over BAC for a day of fun, food and free activities. There is some-thing for everyone to get involved with and space for the whole family tochill out and relax. 10am-3pm, check website for details.

COLOURHOUSE THEATRECOLOURHOUSE THEATRE, Merton Abbey Mills, off Merantum WaySW19 2RD, 020 8543 9608, www.colourhousetheatre.co.ukCINDERELLA, weekends until 22 January. Poor Cinderella has to cleanthe house for her nasty step-mother and ugly step-sisters. But when the Royal Palace announces there will be a ball to find a wife for thehandsome Prince and every girl in the kingdom is invited, will Cinderellafinally get the fairytale ending she deserves? 2pm and 4pm, tickets from £10.RED RIDING HOOD, weekends 4 February - 9 April. Little Red RidingHood is walking through the woods on her way to care for her poorly old Grandma. A fantastic traditional tale with a musical twist and lots of action and excitement. 2pm and 4pm, tickets from £10.

UNICORN THEATRE UNICORN THEATRE, 147 Tooley Street SE1 2HZ, 020 7845 0580,www.unicorntheatre.comUP CLUB, Saturdays to 31 July. Join the Unicorn Play Club most Saturdays for free drop-in activities from portrait painting and potatoprinting to giant rocket making and more! Just turn up to join or sign uponline for e-news. All the arts and crafts are activities designed for youand your tiny human to create together. There will usually be cutting andsticking responsibilities for the grown-ups. 2noon - 2pm.BABY SHOW, 30 January - 19 August. Time for a walk, better wrap upwarm. Poppers, buttons, zips. Scarf, hat, mittens. Inside out, upsidedown, back to front. This brand new show is a sensory performance withcaptivating images and intriguing sounds that will keep your little onesrapt. £10 per adult and child. THE IRON MAN, 24 January - 5 March. Taller than a house, the ironman stood at the top of the cliff, on the very brink, in the darkness. Usingpaper-cut silhouettes, puppetry and stop-motion animation, MatthewRobins recreates the world of The Iron Man so vividly that you’ll feel youare there. Ages 8+, tickets from £8.

OMNIBUS CLAPHAMOMNIBUS CLAPHAM, 1 Clapham Northside, London SW4 0QW, 020 7498 4699, www.omnibus-clapham.orgWOW! SAID THE OWL, 22 January. Based on the acclaimed children’sbook by writer Tim Hopgood, Wow! Said the Owl explores the wow-wowworld of colours with a curious little owl who is determined to stay awaketo see what daylight brings. 11am, 1pm and 2.45pm. Ages 2-5, ticketsfrom £7.ENSONGLOPEDIA OF SCIENCE, 25 February. A song about sciencefor every letter of the alphabet. Expect atoms, Big Bangs and cells. Expect X-rays, Y-chromosomes and plenty of zoology. Expect the unexpected. And expect it to rhyme. 11am and 2.30pm, tickets from £7.

LITTLE ANGEL THEATRELITTLE ANGEL THEATRE, 14 Dagmar Passage, Cross Street N1 2DN,020 7226 1787, www.littleangeltheatre.comME... Until 29 January. The world is a very big place, especially for a tinybaby penguin who is just finding her feet. The shimmering stars and glistening snow spin around our little hero, while the mountains towerhigh and the wind rushes to and fro. A lovely and touching story about a parent and their love for their child by much loved children’s authorEmma Dodd. Ages 2-6, tickets £10 children, £12 adults.

THEATRE, SHOWS AND MUSIC

THE HORNIMAN MUSEUMHORNIMAN MUSEUM and gardens, 100 London Road, Forest Hill SE23 3PQ, 020 8699 1872, www.horniman.ac.uk

Museum open 10.30am-5.30pm daily, general admission free, chargesapply for special exhibitions and the aquarium. The museum’s musicgallery and hands-on base, regular weekend and holiday drop-ins andworkshops allow family visitors to explore the collection through arts andcrafts, music, stories and hands-on sessions. All this within 16 acres ofbeautiful green space which has the oldest nature trail in London, an animal corner and a Farmers’ Market every Saturday.

THE ROBOT ZOO, 11 February to 29 October. Where can you meet arobotic rhino, a squid with 18-foot tentacles and a huge housefly with avacuum cleaner for a mouth? The Robot Zoo houses larger-than-life-sizerobot animals made from familiar machine parts and gadgets, in an exciting hands-on family exhibition revealing some of nature’s mostamazing adaptations. Through interactive games and challenges, TheRobot Zoo reveals how a chameleon changes colour, what makesgrasshoppers leap so high, and exactly why a platypus looks so strange.And through other interactive exhibits visitors can try their hand at squidracing, fire a chameleon’s ‘tongue-gun’ and even design their own ‘mutant’ robot creature. Child £4.40, adult £7.70, families £18.70.

RAVE-A-ROO, 11 February. A brand new clubbing mash-up of festivalfun for the whole family, Rave-A-Roo features live DJs, madcap hosts,bubble walkabout, hilarious interactive performances and fab giveaways.It’s an epic afternoon in a safe and spotless environment mixed with akids’ festival. 1-3.45pm, free.NIMBLE TOTS MUSICAL STORYTELLING, 11-19 February. Hang outwith Becky, her cello, and interactive musical storytelling. Experiencedcellist, storyteller and workshop leader, Becky entertains with live music,interactive songs, puppets and stories galore. There’s a different adventure every day. Under 5s, 10.30am, free.WOW HOOP, 10-12 February. Bring along your baby and run away tothe circus. In this circus performance for families, the show begins gradually and softly to introduce the liveliness and joy of circus and performing arts to infants. The performance is perfect for babies aged 4 to 12 months, and their parents. Grandparents are also welcome. Tickets £12 per adult and baby.FUNHARMONICS: CONDUCTING SCIENCE, 18 February. Just how high can you hear? Exactly how do pieces of wood and metal produce the amazing sounds of an orchestra? And what are the special superpowers of their very own London Philharmonic Orchestramusicians? 12noon, tickets from £10.

ROYAL ALBERT HALLThe ROYAL ALBERT HALL, Kensington Gore SW7 2AP, 0845 401 5045,www.royalalberthall.comAMALUNA, until 26 February. Cirque du Soleil’s newest touring showhas never before been seen in the UK and marks Cirque du Soleil’s 20thyear at the stunning, world-famous venue.STORYTELLING AND MUSIC SESSIONS, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 17 January. A series of sessions which encourage interaction between parents/ carers and their little ones using musical instruments, singing, movement and stories. Ages 0-4, 10am and11.30am, £5.LILY AND BEAR, 14 February. A truly magical tale about the give andtake of friendship. Lily and Bear play pirates, sing, and partake in allmanner of bear activities, discovering the joys of sharing along the way.11.30am and 2pm.

POLKA THEATREPOLKA THEATRE, 240 Broadway, Wimbledon SW19 1SB, 020 8543 4888, www.polkatheatre.comBABE, THE SHEEP-PIG, until 5 February. Meet the little pig with bigdreams in a heart-warming tale of friendship, adventure and bravery. The classic children’s novel comes alive with plenty of laughter, thrills,stunning puppetry and original music. Ages 5-11, tickets from £12.COMEDY CLUB 4 KIDS, 11 February. The best stand-ups and sketchacts from the comedy circuit doing their thing for children and their families. Age 6+, 2.30pm, tickets from £9.HOW TO HIDE A LION, until 26 February. When a lion is chased out oftown, a young girl helps him find somewhere to hide. It’s not easy - lionsare too big, too fluffy and too heavy! Join Iris on a mission to squeezeand squash her furry new friend into a variety of sneaky spots, as HelenStephens’ magical book comes to life with playful humour, dazzling puppetry and original songs. Ages 3-6, tickets £12.50 adults, £9 children.

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THE GLOBE THEATRESHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside SE1 9DT, 020 7902 1400, www.shakespearesglobe.comTHE LITTLE MATCH GIRL AND OTHER HAPPIER TALES, until 22 January. A dark and haunting telling of Hans Christian Andersen’stale. This magical production infuses puppetry and music to transportyou into the world of the impoverished little Match Girl. For Adults andthe bravest of children, tickets from £15.

ROYAL OPERA HOUSEROYAL OPERA HOUSE, Bow Street, London WC2E 9D, 07304 4000,www.roh.org.ukFAMILY SUNDAYS, Last Sunday of each month. Explore the RoyalOpera House, its artists and the world of opera and ballet. Sundays arepacked full of creative and practical activities for all the family includinginformal performances from Royal Ballet dancers, plus interactive singingand dance activities. Ages 6+, 12-4pm, £5 adults, £3 children.FIRST OPERA: WELCOME PERFORMANCES. Welcome Performances are for families who have never been to a ballet or operaat the Royal Opera House before. You don’t need to know anythingabout either - just come along and give it a try. Tickets £5-£20.BACKSTAGE TOURS. The Backstage Tours include an introduction tothe colourful history of the theatre, an insight into the redevelopment ofthe Royal Opera House and a look at aspects of current productions.Each tour is a unique experience, and may include opportunities to seeThe Royal Ballet in class, or the magnificent backstage technology in operation. Suitable for ages 8+, book first.

PUPPET THEATRE BARGEPUPPET THEATRE BARGE, Little Venice, Blomfield Road W9 2PF, 020 7249 6876, www.puppetbarge.comTHE RED BALLOON, 14 January - 19 March. The story of a small boy’sfriendship with a balloon and the poignancy of a child’s imagination. Performed using long string wood-carved marionettes, and accompanied by specially commissioned music. Suitable for ages 3+.

SOUTHBANK SOUTHBANK CENTRE, Belvedere Road SE1 8XX, 0844 847 9944,www.southbankcentre.co.ukGONKS, until 15 January. Can you find the Gonks hiding around Southbank Centre? These mythological creatures from Scandinavianfolklore were typically associated with the winter solstice and the Christmas season. The Southbank Gonks are a little larger than averageand can be found in forests around Southbank Centre’s site. BUMP ROLLERDISCO, until 22 January. Take to wheels with your family, complete with sparkle, vibes and weekend Djs and special rollerskating performances. Rollerskates available to fit a child’s size 9 to an adult size 14. Child tickets from £6, adults £8.ADVENTURES IN MOOMINLAND, until 23 April. The first major UK exhibition on The Moomins features more than 40 items of archive material including original drawings and explores the internationally-recognised stories of the Moomin family through the life of its author Tove Jansson. Tickets from £10.

AMALUNA WE’

EVENTS AND ATTRACTIONS

HALL PLACE AND GARDENSHALL PLACE, Bourne Road, Bexley, Kent DA5 1PQ, www.bexleyheritagetrust.org.uk/hallplace

RSPB BIG GARDEN WATCH, 28 January. Help the garden staff toidentify some of the River Cray’s birdlife. At the bird hide in the nursery,follow the signs onsite. 10am - 3pm, free.

SUPERHERO FEBRUARY, 13-17 February. Dress up as your favouritesuperhero and make your own hero that will pop up whenever you needthem. £4 children, adults free. 10am & 2pm, book first.

THE PARTY, 14-18 February. The cake is made, the presents have arrived, and the music is playing - it’s going to be the best birthday ever.Enter a cyclist, a man dressed as a giant chicken and a mysteriousstranger as this topsy-turvy celebration spirals out of control! Age 3-7,tickets from £10.THE GIANT JAM SANDWICH, 23-26 February. One hot summer day,when 4 million wasps invade the village of Itching Down, everythingchanges. The picnickers panic and the farmer stops haymaking. LuckilyBap the baker has an ingenious idea to bake the biggest wasp trap ever.Age 3-7, tickets from £10.

CHURCHILL THEATRE BROMLEYCHURCHILL THEATRE, High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA, 0844 871 7620, www.churchilltheatre.co.ukCIRQUE BESERK, 18-21 January. Cirque Berserk! brings this treasuredform of live entertainment bang up-to-date in a jaw-dropping spectacularcreated especially for the theatre. Combining contemporary cirque-styleartistry and adrenaline-fuelled stunt action, this astoundingly talented international troupe includes over thirty jugglers, acrobats, aerialists,dancers, drummers, death-defying stunt men and the award-winningclown, Tweedy. Tickets from £12.BEN AND HOLLY’S LITTLE KINGDOM, 27 - 29 January. “Somewhere,hidden amongst the thorny brambles is a little kingdom where everyoneis very very small...” From the makers of Peppa Pig comes this BAFTAaward-winning television animation - live on stage. Tickets from £17, children from £15.WE’RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, 18+19 February. Michael Rosen’saward-winning book is brought vividly and noisily to the stage in a fun-filled adaptation with catchy songs, interactive scenes and plenty of hands-on adventure. Tickets from £11.50.THE NUTCRACKER, 22+23 February. Tchaikovsky’s rousing and familiar score, sumptuous sets and fabulous costumes, make this magical production of The Nutcracker a visual feast for every audience.Follow little Clara’s adventures as her world is transformed into a magicalsnowy pine forest and then into a colourful Kingdom of Flowers. Ticketsfrom £27.50, £10 off for under 18s.

02 ARENA02 ARENA, Peninsula Square, Greenwich SE10 0DX,www.the02.co.uk/eventsTHE X FACTOR LIVE TOUR, 25 February. The final eight X Factor 2016contestants have taken to the road for the live arena tour. 1pm and6.30pm.STAR WARS IDENTITIES, Until September. Rediscover the unforgettable characters of Star Wars in a whole new way, through an exclusive collection of 200 props, models, costumes and artwork fromthe Star Wars films. Explore what makes the characters of Star Wars whothey are, and take on an interactive identity quest to discover your own personalised Star Wars character. Tickets from £10 children, £20 adults,£48 families.

17www. f am i l i e s o n l i n e . c o . u k january february 2017 - families south east

SCIENCE MUSEUM SCIENCE MUSEUM, Exhibition Road SW7 2DD, 0870 870 4868,www.sciencemuseum.org.ukAiming to be the best place in the world for people to enjoy science, theScience Museum makes sense of the science that shapes our lives,sparking curiosity, releasing creativity and changing the future by engaging people of all generations and backgrounds in science, engineering, medicine, technology, design and enterprise. Open daily10am-6pm except 24-26 December.WONDERLAB: THE STATOIL GALLERY. The UK’s biggest interactivescience gallery is filled with specially-commissioned exhibits and artworks, live science shows, explosive demonstrations and immersive experiences led by the museum’s talent team of science communicators. Day pass £8 adult, £6 child, £22.50 families.

OUR LIVES IN DATA. Information about our lives is increasingly beingcaptured, analysed and used, transforming the world around us. Fromtoys that can understand a child’s personality and smarter public transport planning to new genomic technology that is helping uncoverthe causes of rare diseases and cancer, big data’s invisible revolutionhas begun. Ages 8 to adult, free.

SCIENCE NIGHT, 4 February. A special overnight event featuring exciting hands-on workshops, science shows, and a sleepover at themuseum. Ages 7-13.

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUMNATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 5BD, 020 7942 5000, www.nhm.ac.uk

Dinosaurs, volcanoes, precious gems and creepy crawlies - discover the diversity of the natural world through the nation’s finest collection of natural history specimens. Fascinating exhibitions display up to 70 million plants, animals, fossils, rocks and minerals, with a hands-on education centre where you can meet real scientists at work. Museumopen 10am-5.50pm, admission free.

COLOUR AND VISION. Discover theearliest life on Earth and trace the evolutionary history of colour and vision.Find out how early interactions gave riseto the wide variety of colours that we nowsee in the natural world. Adults £12, children £6.

DINO SNORES, once a month on Saturdays. Discover what really happensat the museum when the staff and visitorshave gone home. Children aged 7-11years, from 7pm to 9.50am the followingday. Tickets £60.

GALLERY CHARACTER, 20, 27 January, 3 and 10 February. The greatest fossil hunter ever known wasMary Anning. Meet the museum’s MaryAnning gallery character and hear storiesabout her life as a pioneering 19th century fossil hunter in Lyme Regis.

MUSEUM OF LONDONMUSEUM OF LONDON, London WallEC2Y 5HN, 020 7001 9844, www.museumoflondon.org.uk

Find out more about London’s history,through displays covering events such asthe Great Plague, Londoners’ jobs andoccupations, and Roman life. Open daily10am-6pm, admission free. On Sundays,museum hosts help visitors explore thegalleries through fun, hands-on activitiesat 11am and 2pm.

ARCHITECTURE TALES, 12-19 February. How did the Great Fire changebuildings in London? How about theBlitz? Design and make your own timelineof London’s architecture at this art dropin. Then discover the stories these buildings can tell us about famous eventsin London’s past. Drop in workshop from12.30-2pm and 2.30-4pm, free.

SOUTH LONDON BOTANICAL INSTITUTE323 South Norwood Road, Herne Hill SE24 9AQ, 020 8674 5787,www.slbi.org.ukDYEING FROM DINING, 15 January. Learn how to create beautifulcolours and patterns on paper and fabric from a range of botanicalkitchen waste. Make your own fabric and paper samples to take home.11am-2pm, from £30, book first.WINTER PLANT ID, 21 January. Using microscopes, take a closer lookat what you are eating from a different perspective. There will be seedsand plants parts to explore, or take your own plants that you would like to have identified. 11am-1pm, free drop in for all ages. YOUR SENSES, 14 February. A chance for children to see, touch, smell,taste and hear the botany on their plate. 10am-12noon or 2-4pm, £2 perchild, £5 per family, book first.

BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM BANK OF ENGLAND MUSEUM, Threadneedle Street, London EC2R,020 7601 5545, www.bankofengland.co.uk/museumThe Bank of England Museum tells the story of the Bank of England fromits foundation in 1694 to its role today as the UK’s central bank. Examineintricately-designed banknotes, feel the weight of a genuine gold bar andsee the pikes and muskets that were once used to defend the Bank.Children’s activity sheets provide fun for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm Mondays to Fridays, admission free.TOAD TO THE RESCUE, 13-17 February. Join a costumed storytellerfor fantastic tales from the ‘Wind in the Willows’. Sessions run from10.30am, 12.30pm, 3pm and 4pm, free.

THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM40 Brunswick Square, Camden Town WC1N 1AZ, 020 7841 3600,www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk Britain’s first home for abandoned children and London’s first public artgallery reveals the stories of the Foundling Hospital’s founder ThomasCoram, the artist William Hogarth and composer George Frideric Handel.It houses significant collections of eighteenth-century art, interiors, socialhistory and music. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Saturdays and from11am Sundays. Admission free for under 16s, £8.25 adults.BACH TO BABY, 9 February. An innovative classical babies’ concertcreated by mum and pianist, Miaomiao Yu, inspired by Handel. 10.30-11.30am, adults £10, children free.VICTORIAN STREET GAMES, 14 February. Go on an adventure inspired by Victorian street games, in this free family workshop. Joinartist Isobel Manning to learn about the outdoor games that childrenplayed in the nineteenth century and make your own game to take home.Sessions through the day from 10.30am to 3.30pm, ages 5 plus.MUSICAL STORYTELLING, 17 February. Learn about musical gamesin this interactive story-telling workshop for families. Immerse yourself inthe music and sounds of games played by children on the streets ofLondon throughout its history.Suitable for ages 5-10. Sessions throughout the day from 10.30am to3.30pm.

CHARLES DICKENS MUSEUMCHARLES DICKENS MUSEUM, 48 Doughty Street WC1N 2LX, 020 7405 2127, www.dickensmuseum.comSee the home where Charles Dickens wrote novels including ‘Great Expectations’, which is still furnished today with his furniture and manypersonal artefacts. Open 10am-5pm daily, admission £4 children, £9 adults. THE LADYBIRD LIFE OF DICKENS: AN ILLUSTRATED ADVENTURE, until 16 April. The classic 1965 Ladybird book comes to life in a new exhibition featuring original illustrations and letters between its creators.

IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUMIMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM, Lambeth Road, London SE1 6HZ, 020 7416 5000, www.iwm.org.ukIWM London tells the story of wars through the recollection of peoplewho lived through them, both fighting the cause and at home. Family-friendly attractions a recreated Family in Wartime house, and creative and object discovery sessions for families on Sundays. Open 10am-6pm daily except 24-26 December, admission free.SECRET WAR. From the development of MI5 and MI6 before the FirstWorld War, to Cold War intelligence-gathering and the contemporary useof highly-trained elite forces, the exhibition examines the facts behind thesecrecy and why the need for secret agencies remains a subject of continued debate today.

RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT THE FOUNDLING MUSEUM

FIRE! FIRE! Until 17 April 2017. The museum’s most theatrical exhibition to date combines a variety of sights, sounds, smells, texturesand interactive exhibits to immerse visitors in the events leading up to,during and after the Great Fire of London in 1666. From an imaginedPudding Lane, a giant AV panorama of London on fire and a restored17th-century fire engine, the exhibition has plenty of star attractions. Handle Great Fire artefacts, examine them more closely with microscopes and X-rays, try your hand as a firefighter in an interactivetouch screen game and listen to audio extracts from original letters written by terrified Londoners. Then follow in Christopher Wren’s footsteps and build your own vision of London. Under 5s free, adults £8,children from £4.

MUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDSMUSEUM OF LONDON DOCKLANDS, Warehouse 1, West India QuayE14 4AL, www.museumoflondon.org.uk/docklandsCHINESE NEW YEAR, 28 January. Celebrate the year of the rooster ata special family festival. Fill a tray of togetherness, try your hand at papercutting, fashion a zodiac-inspired mobile, listen to traditional Chinesestories, take part in a dragon dance and much more. All ages, 12noon -4pm, free.STORY SEEKERS FAMILY TOURS, Sundays to 30 April. Join a member of the host team to learn about life in London as you hear, see,feel and smell the past in these multi-sensory, interactive family tours.Ages 5+, 1.45pm, free.THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF CROSSRAIL, 10 February - 3 September.See the most complete range of archaeological objects unearthed by theCrossrail project, and discover the story of this great feat of engineering.All ages, free.HALF TERM SPECIALS, 11-19 February. Throughout half term the museum will host a series of free workshops, craft sessions and storytellers with a different, London-based theme each day. Ages 5 plus.

The fantastic stories from ‘The Wind in the Willows’ are brought to life by our costumed storyteller in these fun and interactive sessions. No booking required.

Toad to the Rescue13–17 February 10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm and 4:00pm

10:00am–5:00pm Monday to Friday. Closed weekends and Bank Holidays. Entrance in Bartholomew Lane, London EC2R 8AH

www.bankofengland.co.uk/museum

Share your experience

boemuseum

T: 020 7601 5545

Free admission

WOW HOOP STAR WARS IDENTITIES

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VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUMV&A MUSEUM, Cromwell Road SW7 2RL, 020 7942 2000,www.vam.ac.uk/familiesPick up a family trail from the Information Desk and explore the museumthrough puzzles, drawing and observation. Suitable for 7-12 year-olds.There are also hundreds of exciting hands-on exhibits containing plentyto touch and try out. Museum open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.BACK-PACKS, Saturdays. Pick up a back pack and explore the museum with fantastic jigsaws, stories, puzzles and games. 10.30am-5pm. POP-UP PERFORMANCE, 11-19 February. Gaming jumps out of yourscreen and onto the stage in this interactive performance, including aBSL interpretation on 16 Feb. 11am, 1 and 3pm. Free, drop in. THE IMAGINATION STATION, 11-19 February. Play with space andsimple materials on a large scale and create your own monumental environments, 10.30am-5pm. Free, drop-in, for age 3+.

V&A MUSEUM OF CHILDHOOD Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green E2 9PA, 020 8983 5200,www.museumofchildhood.org.ukThis gem of a museum houses dolls, dolls’ houses, puppets, teddybears, games, childcare, clothing, furniture and art and photography.Everyday drop-in activities include storytelling, arts and crafts, and trails.There’s dressing-up, role play and an under 3’s area, an indoor sandpit,and regular special events. Open 10am-5.45pm daily, admission free.THE LOST ROOM, 12-18 February. Put on headphones and enter a private interactive world where your imagination takes flight. Ages 8+,£12 for two people.BOARD GAME WORKSHOP, 13-15 February. Design and create yourown board game to play at home. Ages 7+, £7 per child.TOY GENERATOR WORKSHOP, 13-17 February. Join artist AmyBrown to become a toy designer, through playing a collaborative cardgame with your family. Age 4+, £5 per child.BOARD GAMES REDISCOVERED, until 23 April 2017. Are you aScrabble champion? A wannabee Chess grandmaster? Or a Monopolymegalomaniac? This exhibition showcases some of the world’s bestknown and most loved board games and includes hands-on interactives.

ROYAL MUSEUMS GREENWICHNational Maritime Museum, Queen’s House, Royal Observatory andCutty Sark, Greenwich SE10 9NF, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.ukRoyal Museums Greenwich holds the world’s largest maritime collection.It is housed in historic buildings forming part of the Maritime GreenwichWorld Heritage Site and incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich,the 17th-century Queen’s House, and Cutty Sark. The Museums works to illustrate for everyone the importance of the sea, ships, time and thestars and their relationship with people, and is also a major centre of education and research. On Saturdays and Sundays free performancesand workshops entertain family visitors, while on Tuesdays preschoolerscan make music and play with parents and carers. Open 10am-5pmdaily. General admission is free; some buildings, special exhibitions andevents have an admission fee.THE GREAT EXPLORER is an interactive game for families. Borrow atablet device and set sail across The Great Map to explore distant landsand discover treasures from all around the world. Where will you visit and what will you find? Take a photo and share your adventure. 11am-4pm, free.GUANGZHOU ART TROUPE PERFORMANCE, 28 January. Catch this breathtaking performance from China’s Guangzhou Art Troupe incelebration of the Chinese New Year. Watch traditional dances and admire their use of puppetry and magnificent costumes up-close. All ages, 2-3pm, free.CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATIONS, 29 January. Traditionaldance, arts and music for all the family in celebration of the Chinese New Year of the Rooster. All ages, 11am-4pm, free.EMMA HAMILTON: SEDUCTION AND CELEBRITY, until 17 April.Largely remembered as the woman who captured the heart of the nation’s hero, Admiral Horatio Nelson, Emma was an extraordinarywoman in her own right. The exhibition traces her spectacular careerfrom rags to riches and back again through over 200 objects, includingpaintings and heartfelt letters. £14 adults, £6 children.

OUT AT SEA: FAMILY FESTIVAL, 11 February. A day-long free familyfestival to celebrate LGBT History Month at the National Maritime Museum, featuring a sing-along with the London Gay Men’s Chorus,hear thrilling stories of gods, goddesses, mermaids and monsters andexplore the history of boys’ and girls’ toys with ‘Let Toys Be Toys’. 11am-4pm, for all ages, free.A MERMAID’S TALE, 13+14 February. Regale in the myths and legends surrounding mermaids and mermen; explore change and transformation in the collection with two creative drop-in family workshops. All ages, from 11.30am and 1.30pm, free.BEDAZZLED, 13 and 16 February. A fun mask making session inspiredby the visually intricate ‘dazzle’ patterns used to camouflage WWI RoyalNavy ships to avoid being spotted at sea. Using colourful and bold designs transform yourself and take away your very own dazzle mask.For all the family, from 11.30am and 1.30pm, free.

CUTTY SARK CUTTY SARK, King William Walk, Greenwich SE10 9HT, 020 8858 2698,www.rmg.co.uk/cuttysarkThe world famous 19th century tea clipper offers visitors four levels to explore. Take in the views from the main deck and steer at the ship’swheel, meet the crew who worked on board, explore the various cargoesfrom wool to whiskey, and see how tea was loaded on board through interactive displays, props, information boards and animations. Familyfriendly events run at weekends and during school holidays. Open 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Sundays, admission £7 children, £13.50 adults,from £24 families. Bundled tickets are available with the other Royal Museum Greenwich attractions.CHINESE NEW YEAR, 4+5 February. Celebrate the Chinese year ofthe Rooster with a paper-cutting workshop, where you can learn to fold,draw and cut out amazing shapes to mark the Chinese New Year andtake away your designs to decorate your home. All ages, from 11.30amand 2pm, including in admission price.STEAM FEST, 13-18 February. STEAM stands for science, technology,engineering, art and maths and the week of activities will provide creativeopportunities for families to learn together about the science of sailingships, all whilst visiting one of the finest tall ships in the world. 11.30am-3.45pm, included in admission price.

THE QUEEN’S HOUSE GREENWICHTHE QUEEN’S HOUSE, Romney Road, Greenwich SE10 9NF, 020 8858 4422, www.rmg.co.uk/queens-houseDesigned in 1616 by Inigo Jones for James I’s wife, Anne of Denmark,the Queen’s House is Britain’s first classical building and a masterpieceof 17th-century architecture.The newly-reopened House showcases new displays, including over

450 works of art from the National Maritime Museum’s art collections. Focusing on the people and events key to the building’s creation andhistory, the collection also reflects its significance today. Highlights include the beautifully restored Tulip Stairs, which in turn have inspired aspectacular new art commission on the ceiling of the Great Hall by TurnerPrize-winning artist, Richard Wright. Open 10am-5pm, admission free.

THE BRITISH MUSEUMBRITISH MUSEUM, Great Russell Street WC1B 3DG, 020 7323 8181,www.britishmuseum.orgThe British Museum was founded in 1753, the first national public museum in the world. Each year nearly 6 million visitors pour through thedoors to see the museum’s collection of ancient and historical artefactsincluding the ever-popular Egyptian mummies, or to take in the latestblock-buster exhibition. Open 10am-5.30pm daily, admission free,charge for some exhibitions.DIGITAL DISCOVERY CENTRE, weekends. Learn, discover and createin the Museum’s digital centre. Free activities and workshops using thelatest Samsung digital equipment, enabling children to bring the world’shistory and cultures to life through advanced technology. LIVING IN THE MAP, 28 January. Create a giant 3D map through sculpture, collage and drawing. Explore ideas of how we create our environment, how we navigate the world and what happens if our movements are mapped. Ages 5-11, free, drop-in. 10.30am and 1pm. FESTIVAL OF MAPS, 25 February. Drop-in activities from storytellingand interactive trails, to musical performances, art making workshopsand taster sessions in BSL. Free, all ages. 12-4pm.

GEFFRYE MUSEUM EVENTSGEFFRYE MUSEUM, Kingsland Road E2 8EA, 020 7739 9893, www.geffrye-museum.org.ukSpecial workshops and quizzes inspire creativity and provide amusement for accompanied 5-11 year-olds on the first Saturday ofeach month and during school holidays. Places allocated 30 minutes in advance of each workshop. Museum open 10am-5pm Tuesdays toSaturdays, from noon Sundays.A PLACE OF YOUR OWN, 14-17 February. Explore how people maketheir homes their own. Make door signs, photo frames, ornaments andmore. 10.30am-12.30pm and 2-4pm.HALF TERM ACTIVITIES, 14-17 February. Different activities on different days include Marvellous Mini Rooms, Self Portrait Photos,Printed Pillows, Digital Museum Trails, Designer Phone Cases, AwesomeOrnaments and Pet Portraits, and much more - see website for details.

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUMSt THOMAS’S HOSPITAL, 2 Lambeth Palace Road SE1 7EW, 020 7188 4400, www.florence-nightingale.co.ukKnown as ‘The Lady with the Lamp’, Florence Nightingale was a pioneering nurse, writer, and noted statistician. The Florence NightingaleMuseum celebrates her life and work, through personal material associated with Florence Nightingale, items relating to the Crimean Warand nursing artefacts. Open 10am-7pm daily, admission £7.50 adults,£3.80 children.THE AGE OF THE BEARD, until 30 April. In collaboration with Beardhistorian Dr Alun Withey, the Nightingale Museum will showcase the bestof Victorian facial hair, including some bristly soldiers that FlorenceNightingale herself might have nursed. The hairy celebrations arebrought up to date with a series of events including beard and moustache trimming and styling in the museum and a quiz to test yourbeardy knowledge. What is a Soup Strainer? Or a Thigh Tickler? Find out at the Florence Nightingale Museum this winter.

TOWER BRIDGE EXHIBITION TOWER BRIDGE, Tower Bridge Road SE1 2UP, 020 7403 3761,www.towerbridge.org.uk Tower Bridge houses four unique venues; the award-winning high levelWalkways, the small luxurious North Tower Lounge, the majestic VictorianEngine Rooms and the charming Bridge Master’s Dining Room. Enjoystunning London views from over the Thames and continue to the Victorian Engine Rooms to learn about the inner workings of the most famous bridge in the World. Tower Bridge still lifts to enable large shipsto pass through - check the website before your visit to add to the excitement. There’s a free app, where you can play games and learnmore about the iconic landmark before your visit. Open 10am-6pm April -September, 9.30am-5.30pm October - March. Admission £3.40 children,£8 adults, family tickets from £12.50.

LIFE OF DICKENS DINOS SNORES AT NHM FIRE! FIRE! MUSEUM OF LONDON C MUSEUM OF LONDON

FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE MUSEUM

19january february 2017 - families south east

IMAGINATION STATION AT V&A

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FULHAM PALACE CUTTY SARK WALLACE COLLECTION

ART ACTIVITIES

DULWICH PICTURE GALLERYDULWICH PICTURE GALLERY, Gallery Road, Dulwich Village SE21 7AD,020 8693 5254, www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.ukOpen 10am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays, from 11am weekends and bankholidays. Admission free for accompanied children, £8 adults. Listed activities free for families with a gallery ticket or £3 per child.VANESSA BELL, 8 February - 4 June. Widely acclaimed as a centralfigure of the Bloomsbury Group, the modernist painter, Vanessa Bell(1879-1961) was a pivotal player in 20th century British art, inventing anew language of visual expression.This first major exhibition of her work shows approximately 100 paintings,ceramics, fabrics and photographs arranged thematically to reveal herpioneering work in the genres of portraiture, still life and landscape. £14adults, children free.LEGACY: PHOTOGRAPHS BY VANESSA BELL AND PATTI SMITH,8 February - 4 June. Displayed for the first time, the exhibition coupleswork by the British modern artist, Vanessa Bell and the American musician, writer and artist, Patti Smith. It couples two artists both knownfor their pioneering creative drive and defiance of social mores, showcasing two different but compatible artistic visions.ART PLAY, first and last Sunday of each month. Creative drop-in workshops for adults and children, with a different activity each session.Make anything and everything from bunting to block printing and allthings in between. 2-3.45pm.FREE FAMILY TRAIL. Ask a gallery assistant or stop by at the GalleryFriends desk for a free trail; updated frequently and available for the permanent and temporary exhibitions.

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERYNATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, St Martin’s Place WC2H 0HE, 020 7306 0055, www.npg.org.ukThe gallery features thousands of portraits of the most famous people inBritish history, from the 16th century to the present day. Open 10am-6pmdaily.DROP IN FAMILY SUNDAYS. On the third Sunday of every month, families are invited to drop-in with children aged 3+ to take part in portrait-related events. PICASSO’S PORTRAITS, until 23 April 2017. Picasso’s portraits epitomise the variety and innovation of his art. This major exhibition ofover eighty works focuses on the artist’s portrayal of family, friends andlovers and reveals his creative processes as he moved freely betweendrawing from life, humorous caricature and expressive painting frommemory. On display will be portraits from all periods of Picasso’s careerand in all media, from the realist paintings of his boyhood to his laterultra-spontaneous canvases.

THE WALLACE COLLECTIONTHE WALLACE COLLECTION, Hertford House, Manchester Square W1U 3BN, 020 7563 9500, www.wallacecollection.orgThe Wallace Collection displays wonderful works of art collected in theeighteenth and nineteenth centuries by the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess, in theirmain London townhouse. Family multi-media tours and trails bring theexhibits to life for younger visitors. Open 10am-5pm daily, admissionfree.THE LITTLE DRAW, 8 January and 5 February. Free drop-in drawingworkshop for all ages and abilities with artist Luisa Rivera, whose workdraws on folk culture, history, and storytelling to create narratives. 1.30 - 4.30pm, all ages. CHOOSE YOUR WORDS: CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP,11 February. Children will look at the precious paintings and objects, and write some short pieces to enhance their vocabulary, descriptivepowers and use of dialogue. Ages 7-11. IN THE ROUND: INTRICATE WATERCOLOURS, 14 February. Learnsome of the stories from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and sketch figures andclassical scenes found on some of the beautiful maiolica plates beforelearning how to use watercolour paints to apply glazes, creating rainboweffects and fine details. Then, using all you have learnt you will produce a beautiful round watercolour painting. 10.30am-3.30pm for ages 9-11.DROP-IN ART WORKSHOP: DROP-IN AND DRAW, 14-16 February.Free drop-in drawing workshop for all ages and abilities. Artist HattieMoore will show you how to use drawing as a tool to learn more aboutthe objects and paintings. For all ages. 10.30am-12.30pm.

ART AT SIR JOHN SOANE’S HOUSESIR JOHN SOANE’S MUSEUM, 13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3PB, 020 7440 4263, www.soane.orgTucked away in Lincoln’s Inn Fields at the heart of London, this magical,mysterious museum encourages young visitors to explore Soane’s treasures and develop new skills with specialist guidance. Sir JohnSoane (1753 - 1737) was an inveterate collector, filling every nook andcranny of his beautiful home with items that fascinated him. From fossilsto classical fragments from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome and fromcontemporary paintings to architectural models, drawings and literature,he intended that after his death both his house and its extraordinary contents should be used to educate and inspire. Free drop-in activitiesrun on the third Saturday of every month, with activities for all ages andfamilies can take part together from 1.30-4.40pm.

SOMERSET HOUSE FAMILY EVENTSSOMERSET HOUSE, Strand WC2, 020 7845 4600, www.somersethouse.org.ukFree family workshops run on Saturdays from 2-3.30pm. Tickets available from 1pm from the information desk. Children aged 6-12 yearsmust be accompanied by an adult.

THE NATIONAL GALLERYTRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2N 5DN, 020 7747 2885, www.nationalgallery.org.uk Open daily 10am-6pm, Fridays to 9pm, admission free.With over 2,300 paintings in the collection, there are hundreds of reasonsto visit the gallery, along with free hands-on art workshops for families atweekends and during school holidays. No need to book, but places arelimited and allocated on arrival up to one hour before the start.REAL ROYAL SILVER, 15 January and 15 February. Create your ownsilver on paper by transforming paint into shiny metal fit for kings andprinces.CHINESE NEW YEAR, 28 January. Celebrate the year of the rooster bytaking part in a fun day of free family activities.HALF TERM WORKSHOPS, 13-17 February. All week the gallery ishosting art workshops on different themes - check the website for full details.

TATE MODERNTATE MODERN, Bankside, SE1 9TG, 020 7887 8888, www.tate.org.ukIn June, the Tate Modern opened Switch House, an iconic new Londonlandmark which provides ten floors of new display space, performanceand installation art, a new restaurant and viewing level. Across bothbuildings, the museum displays permanent and temporary modern art,free drop-in events, with family-friendly festivals and activities both in thegalleries and online. Open 10am-6pm daily, admission free, charges formajor exhibitions.

TATE BRITAINTATE BRITAIN, Millbank SW1, 020 7887 8888, www.tate.org.uk/britain Open daily 10am-5.50pm, and until 10pm the first Friday of the month.Family trails are available daily from the Information Desks and are freefor 5yrs and under. Go on a journey around Tate Britain and post yourdiscoveries into your ‘Post it’ box as you go. When you get home, openup the box and show your friends what you found. Or you could followthe ‘Join up’ trail: play the listening game, search for shapes, patternsand talking hands, and make your own sculptures.Every weekend the free Art Trolley encourages children to imagine and

create, make colourful collages, style a wonderful sculpture or perhapsmake a sketchbook and fill it with great ideas.PAUL NASH, until 5 March. Known as a landscape artist, who engagedwith the downland and coastal landscapes of southern England and itsancient past, those landscapes also provided a stage for Paul Nash’sengagements with an international modernism, specifically Surrealism.The exhibition presents the artist’s major works from his early Symbolistmanner, through to the iconic works of the First World War, as well as hislandscapes of the interwar period.

CHISWICK HOUSE MAGIC LANTERN FESTIVAL

HINESE NEW YEAR

FULHAM PALACEFULHAM PALACE, Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham SW6 6EA, 020 7736 3233,www.fulhampalace.orgThe Museum of Fulham Palace charts the long history of the palace site,from Prehistoric times and Roman settlement, through Medieval, Tudor,Georgian and Victorian bishops to the present day. The museum collection includes paintings, archaeology and artefacts. Open noon-4pm Sundays, 12.30-3.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, admission free.HANDS ON ARCHAEOLOGY, 22 January. A rare opportunity to get upclose and personal with some of the palace’s archaeological finds. Suitable for all ages. Free drop-in, no booking necessary, 1pm-3pm.THE VENERABLE VICTORIANS, 15 February. Imagine yourself as aVictorian lady or gent, with costumes to try on and a whole host of Victorian themed activities and take-home crafts. Free, no booking necessary. 11am-3pm.

THE LONDON WETLANDS CENTREWWT LONDON WETLANDS, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes SW13 9WT,020 8409 4400, www.wwt.org.ukLEGO ANIMAL TRAIL, until 28 January. Eleven awesome Lego modelsincluding a kingfisher, an otter and a swan form a trail to inspire childrento build a better future for nature.PUDDLE JUMPING COMPETITION, 11-19 February. Put on yourwellies and wet weather gear and use your imagination to create thebiggest splash and throw some shapes in the air for extra style. Free with admission charge.

NATURE STORIES, weekends until 5 February. Join Wetlands guidesby the fire for some stories about wetland creatures and their amazingadventures, then make a birdfeeder from natural recycled materials. Free with admission.UDDERLY AMAZING COWS, 19 February. The Wetland Centre’sadorable cows often stand out from the crowd of feathered animals on the reserve and although they aren’t wild, they play a crucial role in managing the wetlands. Learn more about their importance and what the wardens have to do to look after our furry friends.10-11am and 1.30-2.30pm. Free with admission.SPRING WEEKEND FAMILY ACTIVITIES, 25 February - 19 March.Spot the first signs of spring and see which birds have returned fromtheir winter ‘holiday’ in warmer climates. Enjoy a pond dipping session tosee what mini-beasts are about and get creative with nature crafts.

CHELSEA PHYSIC GARDENCHELSEA PHYSIC GARDEN, 66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea SW34HS, www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.ukSNOWDROP DAYS, 28 January - 3 February. Thanks to its uniquemicro climate, the garden has snowdrops in all their glory before the restof the country. Admire their intricate details close up, and for more, join inwith themed walks, talks and workshops. THE WIGGLY WILD SHOW, 15 February. Discover the wonderful worldof animals - such as a pygmy hedgehog, giant snails, millipedes andmuch more. Ages 4+, 10.30am-12pm or 1pm-2.30pm, book first.UNWOVEN HISTORY, 16 February. Explore the history of silk throughstory-telling, exploration and practical activities. Ages 7-16, 10.30am-3pm, book first.

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Families South East

Tel: 020 8699 7240 Email: info@familiesse.co.uk Contact: Robina Cowan

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